I find often times that the etymology of the word in the "A.Word.A.Day" email informs me of the roots of a given word, and then lists other words supposed to share the same root, which don't seem to be very related at all.
For example, today's word, "diktat."
From German Diktat (command, order, dictation), from Latin dictatum (something dictated), from dictare (to dictate), frequentative of dicere (to say). Ultimately from the Indo-European root deik- (to show, to pronounce solemnly), which is also the source of words such as judge, verdict, vendetta, revenge, indicate, dictate, paradigm, interdict, and fatidic
I can see clearly that words such as "verdict" and even "indicate" contain the root "
deik," but a word like "judge?" Or "revenge?" Where is the "
deik" in those words?
I find myself wishing that Anu would spot these difficult-to-see correlations and maybe help me out somehow; perhaps by pointing out where the similarity lies.
Does anyone else here ever think that or is it just me?
Mitch
OP
