In Word Fugitives:
" Wordier expressions were easy enough to find: 'keep up appearances' or 'hold onto their self-respect,' but these
lacked economy. Also 'cover their asses,' while satisfying in its anatomical relocation, is obviously less dignified along
with its not possessing quite the same connotation. Does this expression so dominate its niche that there exists no
other suitable poecilonym?"
with reply by tsuwm (over three years ago)
"I think Patrick may have been reaching for a synonym for synonym; poecilonymy is the use of several names for one
thing."
I found several sites that gave Just "synonym" as the definiion. For a site about "-nym" words
see:
http://www.ryanjoseph.com/~dgale/nym.shtml
"Teknonymy
-The naming of the parent from the child. "
Does this mean the child names the parent, as in a nickname of some kind?
This is from the site you provided, wwh.
>I found several sites that gave Just "synonym" as the definiion.
the Web of a Million Lies (WoaML) strikes again -- the word only popped up as a synonym for synonym when someone asked, "What is the synonym for synonym?"; before that it was never used anywhere.
the word stems from the Gr. root poecilos, many-coloured, variegated, various, a formative element in scientific terms; thus poecilo-
1889 Buck's Handbk. Med. Sc. VIII. 528/2 An unusually complete combination of poecilonymic ambiguities.
Ibid. 517/1 Terminological variety, such as occurs in the passages quoted, may be expressed by the single word, poecilonymy.
---
"What's another word for Thesaurus?"
- Stephen Wright
Dear tsuwm: Very interesting, the root meaning "colorful". Poikilothermal is biological term for
"cold blooded", meaning temperature of environment, actually. "Poikiloc;ytosis" is a term about
cells in blood, which I have now got to go look up.
poikilocytosis n.
the presence of abnormally shaped red cells (poikilocytes) in the blood. Poikilocytosis is particularly
marked in myelofibrosis but can occur to some extent in almost any blood disease.
I don't know, tsuwm. I'm beginning to be skeptical of definition of "poecilonym" = synonym.
poikilocytosis - in a number of medical problems, rapid production of red cells may lead
to inequality of cell size. Typical of hemolytic anemias. One more reason to wonder about
the oritinal word of this thread. Nothing to do with color.
One more reason to wonder about
the original word of this thread.
My Classic Greek dictionary confirms that poikilo- means many colored.
Whom should I believe? my dictionary gives "Gr poikilos, varying" - which fits poikilothemic
and poikilocytosis. Where does color come in?
From bootlegbooks Reference Webster 1913:
Poikilocyte
(Poi"ki*lo*cyte) n. [Gr. poiki`los diversified, changeable + ky`tos hollow vessel.] (Physiol.) An irregular form of corpuscle
found in the blood in cases of profound anæmia, probably a degenerated red blood corpuscle.
Poikilothermal
(Poi`ki*lo*ther"mal) Poikilothermic
(Poi`ki*lo*ther"mic) a. [Gr. poiki`los changeable + E. thermal, thermic.] (Physiol.) Having a varying body temperature.
See Homoiothermal.
why is it such a reach to follow this.. sequence??
>many-coloured, variegated, various
(maybe don't take the word "coloured" so literally?)
Love is a poikilochromatic thing.
In reply to:
"Teknonymy
-The naming of the parent from the child. "
Does this mean the child names the parent, as in a nickname of some kind?
We are all familiar with the practice of naming children after the parents as in the surname Johnson, the Russian system of patronymics and so on. Teknonymy is the opposite, naming a parent after the child, as for example calling Mary, the Mother of God.
Apparently in some cultures, and I forget the details so please don't ask, it is quite common to refer to someone once they have become a parent as mother or father of x, rather than use their own name.
Bingley
For those without a Greek dictionary to hand, the Liddel and Scott entry on poikilos tracing the developments in meaning can be found here:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry=#84296Bingley
In reply to:
Teknonymy is the opposite, naming a parent after the child, as for example calling Mary, the Mother of God.
Many thanks, Bingley! I'd hoped someone would straighten me out.
WW
Abu is Arabic for father. When part of a name (you could google abu to find many examples) it normally means that the son has gained some fame, perhaps even being better known than the father. At least that's how I remember it.
if you use the lookup feature at Bingley's Greek dictionary link, you can eventually fine this:
I. many-coloured, spotted, mottled, pied, dappled, of leopards, fawns, Hom., etc.
II. of robes, wrought in various colours, broidered, Il., etc.; en poikilois kallesin, of a rich carpet, Aesch.; so, ta poikila id=Aesch.
2. of metal work, teuchea p. chalkôi in-wrought with brass, Il., etc.: but, p. desmos intricate, Od.
3. hê stoa hê poikilê, the Poecile or great hall at Athens adorned with paintings of the battle of Marathon by Polygnotus, Aeschin., etc.
III. metaph. changeful, various, diversified, manifold, Aesch., Plat.;-- p. mênes the changing months, Pind.
2. of Art, p. humnos a song of changeful strain or full of diverse art, id=Pind.; so, poikilon kitharizôn id=Pind.
3. intricate, complex, Hdt., Soph., etc.: --adv., poikilôs audômenos speaking in double sense, Soph.
b. of abstruse knowledge, intricate, subtle, poikilon ti eidenai Eur.; ouden p. nothing abstruse or difficult, Plat.:--so, of persons, subtle, wily, Aesch.; p. gar hanêr Ar.
4. changeable, changeful, unstable, Arist.:-- poikilôs echein to be different, Xen.
the moral of our fable: even the Greeks transferred meanings..
'keep up appearances'
'hold onto their self-respect'
'cover their asses'
Seems to me that these are by no means synonyms or poecilonyms for one another.
"Keeping up appearances" implies a certain dishonesty, that things are not as they appear. Usually applied to people who are trying (with limited success) to "keep up with the Joneses".
"Holding on to self-respect" implies struggling rather nobly in the face of adversity. Wearing rags, but clean rags.
"Covering your arse" is quite similar to covering your tracks, leaving nothing to connect you with what some may see as dodgy dealings. It's usually sensible, but isn't generally something of which people are openly proud.
>Seems to me that these are by no means synonyms or poecilonyms for one another.
whew, shona, talk about wrenching a thread back to the original hijack'd post. the fact is, that post was *seeking something to replace CYA..