Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2011 January 3

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January 3

______ with a human face

what is the origin of this contruction? as seen in "socialism with a human face". 86.41.82.227 (talk) 11:03, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Was associated with Alexander Dubček... AnonMoos (talk) 11:30, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Yes. The concepts of God with a human face, or a monster with a human face, go back centuries. But a quick search finds no references to an abstraction with a human face prior to Dubček. Looie496 (talk) 20:03, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

And then there was this, which we have an article about: 1984 (advertisement) Bus stop (talk) 05:43, 4 January 2011 (UTC)

Translation - Latin into English.

DEUS NOBLIS HAEC OTIA FECIT - Please —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.159.202.92 (talk) 12:03, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

"Noblis" isn't a Latin word (do you mean Nobis or Nobilis?), but Deus haec otia fecit means "God has made these times of leisure/rest/peace..." AnonMoos (talk) 12:22, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

It's "deus nobis haec otia fecit", and it's from Virgil (Eclogues I, l.6) and is often translated "God has given us this tranquillity". It's the motto of Liverpool and appeared on the original official seal of the U.S. state of Georgia, among other places. Deor (talk) 12:49, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Gnome

Dictionaries say that "gnome" is from a Greek word genomos, meaning earth-dweller. Is it possible to divide that word into two parts meaning earth and dweller, or is it not a compound word? Why doesn't it start with geo-? 213.122.7.184 (talk) 12:22, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

What dictionary are you using? Mine says that the word was invented by Paracelsus, possibly influenced by Greek words derived from a root with basic meaning "to know"... AnonMoos (talk) 12:36, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

The OED expands on that, stating "Paracelsus (De Nymphis etc. Wks. 1658 II. 391, and elsewhere) uses Gnomi as a synonym of Pygmæi, and says that the beings so called have earth as their element (or, as he calls it, their chaos: cf. etymological note on gas), through which they move unobstructed as fish do through water, or birds and land animals through air. The context in the passage above referred to suggests that the name was not invented by Paracelsus himself, and that it means 'earth-dweller'; possibly it may be a blunder for genomus, representing a Gr. type γηνόμος (for which cf. θαλασσονόμος dwelling in the sea). The term, however, may possibly be a mere arbitrary invention, like many others found in Paracelsus. The connexion commonly assumed with Gr. γνώμη (see prec.) or γνώμων (cf. gnomon) seems unlikely." ("prec." refers to the other word "gnome" meaning aphorism.)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 13:26, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

EtymOnline and Merriam-Webster agree. It's either a word Paracelsus made up, or he might have borrowed it from Greek. Lexicografía (talk) 13:47, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Genomos was the word that bothered me, really, not gnome. I should have made it the title of the question. Looks like genomos is a word the OED made up. 213.122.59.84 (talk) 14:11, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Oh OK, I think I see how it goes. Paracelsus wrote Gnomi, and then the OED speculated that the word genomos existed, similar to thalassonomos. I still wonder why they didn't put an o in - why not geonomos? Also, nomos means law, custom, managing, usage, rule, and things like that, so adding "dwelling" to that list surprises me. Thalassonomy gets three google hits and whatever it is, it isn't seasteading. It might be the science of growing sea vegetables, or sea-management. Thanks for the OED quote, anyway. 213.122.59.84 (talk) 14:11, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Genomos is not a word in the OED, or in any language that I know. I think the OED is suggesting that it is invented Greek. Dbfirs 22:29, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

[Incidentally, gnome (wikt:gnome) is not to be confused with genome (wikt:genome).

—Wavelength (talk) 16:48, 4 January 2011 (UTC)]

Is text amended or emended?

Is text amended or emended?Smallman12q (talk) 13:42, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Both. Amend and emend are basically synonyms (although emend does refer more specifically to text). Lexicografía (talk) 13:44, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Yes, both. If I had to make a distinction, I would say that "amending" involves some improvement other than just the spelling and grammar corrections that seem implicit in "emending" (i.e. emend = make corrections; amend = improve in any way, including emending), but I'm not sure that others will share this view of the difference. Dbfirs 22:17, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Emen to that, brother, emen. Clarityfiend (talk) 04:49, 4 January 2011 (UTC)