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Author Topic: shemi  (Read 1321 times)

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Offline Porter

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shemi
« on: October 24, 2006, 12:51:07 PM »
Why is is semicircle and hemisphere?
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shemi
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2006, 04:33:56 PM »
Oh, boy. You have no idea how long I've waited for someone to ask that question.

The simple answer is that semi- is Latin and hemi- is Greek. But then that makes you wonder why one has an /s/ and one an /h/. The answer to that is pretty simple, too: in ancient Greek, initial /s/ became /h/ at some point. There are other pairs that show the change.

sextillion and hexagon
same, similar and homo
salt, saline and thermohaline

Circle comes from Latin and sphere comes from Greek, so they take their respective prefixes. Same thing with the other examples—the suffix -illion comes from French, so it takes the Latin form. Gon is Greek, so it gets the Greek form. And so on and so forth.


And an interesting note to end with. The /s/ -> /h/ change, as with all sound changes, has occurred in other languages too. As I understand it, some Central American Spanish dialects have undergone it, rendering words like cinco and seis as hinco and heis.  
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Offline Porter

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shemi
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2006, 04:36:43 PM »
Quote
Circle comes from Latin and sphere comes from Greek, so they take their respective prefixes.
Suddenly, I have a desire to learn Esperanto.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2006, 04:38:52 PM by Porteiro »
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shemi
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2006, 04:40:10 PM »
Why? Just 'cause you're a nerd, or because it might help you understand Latin and Greek better?
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Offline Porter

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« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2006, 04:44:55 PM »
Because then I don't have to deal with how insane English is.

Granted, of course, that I get everybody else to learn it as well.
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shemi
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2006, 05:10:14 PM »
Good luck with that.
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Offline Tante Shvester

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shemi
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2006, 05:52:09 AM »
I think I will ponder this over a nice demitasse.
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Offline pooka

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shemi
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2006, 08:49:12 AM »
I though similar came from simius, or monkey.  
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