The Proto-Indo-European root *gene- (to give birth, to beget) gave birth to a whole family tree of words related to giving birth, natural origin, reproduction, descent through family lineage and anything pertaining to generation or birth.
Genealogy means the study of family trees, from the Greek genea (generation, descent) together with the suffix –logy, meaning “the study of something.”
The Latin word generalis (relating to all, of a whole class, generic) derives ultimately from *gene-, too, and begets the English adjective “general,” originally from around 1200, meaning “of wide application, affecting or involving all.”
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The adjective “genital” (pertaining to (sexual) reproduction), dating to the late 14th century, comes from the Latin genitus, the past participle of gignere, from the root *gene-.
The Latin gignere also gives genuinus, meaning “native, natural or innate,” which bequeathed us the English adjective “genuine” (natural, not acquired), in the 1590s.
An interesting alternative etymology to genuine is that it comes from the Latin genu (knee). Apparently, there was an ancient custom in which a father would place a newborn on his knee as a way to acknowledge paternity. From around the 1660s, the word genuine has been used to mean “really proceeding from its reputed source.”
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
原始印歐語字根「*gene–」(生育、成為…之生父)衍生出一整個譜系的詞彙,包括與生產、自然起源、繁殖、家族後裔,以及任何與世代或生育有關的詞。
「genealogy」(系譜學)一字意為對家譜之研究,是由希臘文「genea」(世代、後裔)以及後綴「–logy」組合而城,表示對某種事物的研究。
拉丁文「generalis」(與全部有關、屬於整類、通稱)最早也是源自「*gene-」這個字根,並衍生出英文形容詞「general」,在西元一二○○年左右出現,意思是「廣泛適用、影響或涉及全部」。
形容詞「genital」(生殖的、與(性)生殖有關),可追溯到十四世紀末,來自拉丁文「genitus」,即「gignere」之過去分詞,源頭也是「*gene-」這個字根。
拉丁文「gignere」也演變出「genuinus」,意為本地的、自然的或固有的,在一五九○年代衍生出英文形容詞「genuine」(自然的、非後天取得的)。
關於「genuine」之來源的另一種有趣說法,是說它來自拉丁文「genu」(膝)。顯然有種古老的習俗,父親將新生兒抱到膝上以承認父子關係。「genuine」一字現今之意義「確實出自其宣稱之來源/名副其實/真品」,大約始自一六六○年代。
(台北時報林俐凱譯)
A: Wow, singer Bruno Mars will be visiting Kaohsiung for the first time. B: Really? Where will he be performing? A: He’s going to hold a concert at the National Stadium on Sunday. B: Why do the Taiwanese like to call him the “Martian” in Chinese? A: Because his last name “Mars” is the same word as the planet Mars. A: 哇!火星人布魯諾將首度唱進高雄。 B: 真的嗎?在哪裡? A: 他將於本週日,在國家體育場開唱唷。 B: 但是為什麼台灣人喜歡叫他火星人呢? A: 因為他的姓氏「Mars」這個字剛好是「火星」的意思啊。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A: Bruno Mars is definitely one of today’s most popular singers. B: He has even won 14 Grammy Awards. A: I love all his megahits, like “Just the Way You Are.” B: And his new song with Lady Gaga “Die with a Smile” has a caused worldwide sensation. A: I wonder if we’ll hear the new song at his Kaohsiung concert? A: 火星人布魯諾是近年來最受歡迎的流行歌手。 B: 對啊他還曾榮獲14座葛萊美獎。 A: 他所有的金曲我都愛,像《Just the Way You Are》。 B: 最近他和女神卡卡合唱《Die with a Smile》更造成大轟動! A: 不知道在高雄有沒有機會聽他演唱這首新歌呢? (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Foxes are known for being cunning and resourceful, but a study suggests another surprising talent. Research from the Czech Republic indicates these creatures may use the Earth’s magnetic field when hunting. The study, led by Jaroslav ?erveny, tracked wild red foxes for over two years, recording nearly 600 hunting leaps by 84 foxes. Researchers found the animals predominantly jumped in a northeasterly direction, regardless of the time of day, season, or weather conditions. This preferred leaping direction resulted in a much higher kill rate, with foxes finding success on 73 percent of their northeasterly pounces on their prey. The results prompted
A few new policies take effect this month, with the following most likely to affect our daily life. Nationwide ban on disposable plastic cups in beverage shops According to the Ministry of Environment’s “Parties Subject to and Means for Single-use Takeaway Beverage Cups Restrictions” implemented on July 1, 2022, beverage shops are required to offer a NT$5 discount for customers who bring their own cups, and all local governments will be required to devise schedules to phase out single-use beverage cups. With the nationwide ban taking effect from this month, it is expected that the number of disposable plastic cups will be