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Interesting how words change. Prophylactic, adjectival form of prophylaxis 'prevention of a disease', a euphemism for a condom, back in the day when they could not be sold as a contraceptive, but as a method of preventing the spread of venereal disease (also a euphemism for sexually transmitted diseases (or STD). From Greek προφυλαξ (prophulaksis) 'advance guard' (cf. French avantgarde), from pro- + phulaks 'guard' (cf. phulassein 'to keep guard before a place / house; (med.) to take precaution against'); it is not in Pokorny IEW, and its origin is summarized by Chantraine as inexplicable and obscure. (But I'm sure that hasn't stopped any étymologistes manqués from connecting it to Sumerian, Basque, Etruscan, High Martian, and Proto-Lemurian.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted medicalese mistranslation Zed 02/16/08 05:53 AM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis zmjezhd 02/16/08 01:50 PM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis Faldage 02/16/08 06:04 PM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis Jackie 02/16/08 09:52 PM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis Buffalo Shrdlu 02/16/08 10:23 PM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis Faldage 02/16/08 11:28 PM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis Zed 02/17/08 05:47 AM Re: harmonic parthenogenesis zmjezhd 02/17/08 07:44 AM Re: medicalese mistranslation Jackie 02/16/08 03:40 PM Re: medicalese mistranslation zmjezhd 02/16/08 05:29 PM Re: medicalese mistranslation Zed 02/16/08 06:03 PM Re: medicalese mistranslation BranShea 02/16/08 04:40 PM
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