No, no--not that kind! [borrowing from Helen e]
Today's Word reminded me of something I was wondering about the other day while driving: why do we have so many words that end in -mat or -matic? Chromatic; traumatic; laundromat (is an automatic laundromat a laundromatic?); idiomatic; symptomatic; instamatic; dramatic; problematic, etc.
At the root of this profusion, there is the common greek suffix -ma, which takes the plural -mata. (e.g. drama, from drao - I act; trauma: wound; thema: proposition) The suffix often refers to an abstractum derived from the root. Many of the newer examples have also been fashioned more or less crudely according to the model "automaton" - which meant simply something that moved by itself (auto..)
Psst. Jackie. He's not Greek. He's Swiss.
That's why his theory is full of holes. DISCLAIMER: The author of this post expressly denies any actual criticism or even evaluation of wsieber's above etymological explanation, and wishes only to amuse readers on this forum with a bit of wordplay [which may or may not be a pun according to prescriptivists]. This post has been written in a biodegradeable UNIX color code that will disappear when exposed to direct sunlight, rain or intense criticism.
that's pretty cheesy alex...
But he made a Gouda counting of himself with that explanation.
I'm glad to see you'd rather Swiss than fight.
I thought waffles are Belgian.
He's not Greek. He's Swiss.
- It probably doesn't matter, if it sounds double-dutch to you.
And, I thought fries were Belgian.
We started calling them when we realized that calling them french fries was an insult to the French.
