Reading the following text left me wondering, if there are more of such examples: words starting in Greek and ending in Latin or the other way round, or even more dramatically mixed.
“They say it is an ugly
hybrid with a Latin root and a Greek termination…. Even if the accusation were
true, those who swallow ‘voltmeter’ and ‘ionisation’ would scarcely strain at
such a very mild inelegance.”
In a letter to the editor of Nature in 1924, an author asked
the journal to adopt the word ‘scientist’
instead of regarding it a ‘dubious neologism’,
but rather a useful term that recognises the common thread of the scientific
method.
After short research with a little help of my chatbot buddy,
I quickly found out, that the linguistic mixing of Greek and Latin roots, known
as macaronic hybridisation, is quite common in the English language,
especially in scientific and technical terms. Many of these hybrids arose
naturally as Greek and Latin were the primary sources of vocabulary for the
sciences, and their mixing was seen as practical rather than puristic.
Here's a list of some notable examples, categorized by their
composition:
Greek Root + Latin Suffix
- Television
(Greek: "tele-" = distant + Latin: "vision" = sight)
- Thermometer
(Greek: "thermo-" = heat + Latin: "-meter" = measure)
- Astrology
(Greek: "astro-" = star + Latin: "-logy" = study)
- Biography
(Greek: "bio-" = life + Latin: "-graphy" = writing)
- Philosophy
(Greek: "philo-" = love + Latin: "-sophy" = wisdom)
Latin Root + Greek Suffix
- Aquaphobia
(Latin: "aqua" = water + Greek: "-phobia" = fear)
- Decimetre
(Latin: "deci-" = tenth + Greek: "-meter" = measure)
- Multiverse
(Latin: "multi-" = many + Greek: "-verse" = universe)
- Carnivorous
(Latin: "carni-" = flesh + Greek: "-vorous" = eating)
- Luminiferous
(Latin: "lumin-" = light + Greek: "-ferous" =
carrying)
Dramatically Mixed Words
These words combine more freely between Greek and Latin
elements:
- Heliocentric
(Greek: "helio-" = sun + Latin: "-centric" = centered)
- Electrolysis
(Greek: "electro-" = amber (electricity) + Latin:
"-lysis" = loosening or dissolving)
- Anthropology
(Greek: "anthropo-" = human + Latin: "-logy" = study)
- Homosexual
(Greek: "homo-" = same + Latin: "-sexual" = relating
to sex)
- Geostationary
(Greek: "geo-" = Earth + Latin: "-stationary" =
standing still)
Pure Hybrids in Common Use
- Automobile
(Greek: "auto-" = self + Latin: "mobilis" = movable)
- Neonatal
(Greek: "neo-" = new + Latin: "natal" = birth-related)
- Hydraulic
(Greek: "hydro-" = water + Latin: "-aulic" = pipe or
channel)
- Palaeontology
(Greek: "paleo-" = ancient + Latin: "-logy" = study)
- Periscope
(Greek: "peri-" = around + Latin: "-scope" = to see)
Why This Happens
- Greek
was the dominant language for early philosophy, science, and medicine.
- Latin
was the language of the Roman Empire and became the lingua franca of
scholars in Europe.
- When
modern scientific terminology evolved, scholars borrowed elements from
both languages, often mixing them to describe new concepts.
Some Fun Factoids
- This
practice of hybridisation sometimes raised eyebrows among purists, as
shown in the Nature letter you referenced. However, practicality and the
evolution of language often win out over strict adherence to linguistic
purity.
- The
term "scientist", as criticized in the example, was
coined in the early 19th century by William Whewell, combining the Latin
"-ist" suffix with the root "science," itself from the
Latin "scientia."
The evolution of language often wins out over strict
adherence to linguistic purity. Nevertheless, we should be aware of the words
we are using. They may tell their own stories. Words often carry histories
within them, quietly telling stories about the evolution of ideas, cultures,
and even power dynamics.
Linguistic choices aren't just about communication; they're
a window into the past and a reflection of the creativity and pragmatism of
human thought. Language, after all, is humanity's oldest shared tool,
constantly adapting to new contexts while carrying echoes of the old.
Mixing Greek and Latin roots is like weaving together
threads from two great civilizations to create new conceptual fabric. It’s a
testament to how interconnected human knowledge has always been. And the way we
continue to innovate with language—whether through hybrids like television
or playful reinventions—is a reminder that language itself is alive, as dynamic
as the cultures it serves.
So, at least in those composite words humanity is living in
perfect harmony, like ebony and ivory on the Piano 😊
