PHILOMATHY

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Dr. Goodword
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PHILOMATHY

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:48 pm

• philomathy •

Pronunciation: fi-lah-mê-thee • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, mass

Meaning: The love of learning.

Notes: It is amazing that this word, dating back to the end of the 16th century, has found so little work since then, that it has almost slipped from our grasp. Well, here is alphaDictionary's effort to jumpstart this word and its entire family. Its family includes an adjective, philomathic or philomathical and an adverb philomathically. The agent noun is philomath. I hope all read this will have many uses for the whole family.

In Play: Wouldn't you like to hear people say things like this more often: "Pure philomathy drove Aaron Spelling beyond his AB in medieval philosophy to a PhD in the subject". Unfortunately, we are more likely to hear things like this: "I think Archer Bowman was motivated to go to college less by philomathy and more by his interests in the athletic programs." (Can you guess Archer's sport?)

Word History: This word began in ancient Greek as philomathia from philos "beloved, loving" + mathos "learning". It was borrowed by Latin, which apparently had plenty of use for it, passing it on to French as philomathie, where English nabbed it. Philos appears in many words English borrowed from Greek, including philosophy, the love of wisdom, bibliophile, a book lover and, of course, Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. Mathos you have no doubt already associated with mathematics but did you know that this word, Greek mathematikos, was originally an adjective which by itself meant "fond of learning"?
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gailr
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Re: PHILOMATHY

Postby gailr » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:59 am

A good word, Doctor!
Love of learning is, it often seems, forbidden love indeed.
Mathos you have no doubt already associated with mathematics but did you know that this word, Greek mathematikos, was originally an adjective which by itself meant "fond of learning"?
Takes me back to parochial school, that...
Sr. Purgatoria: Math is easy! Math is fun!
[indistinguishable background mumbling]
Sr. Purgatoria: You! You were talking! One 'Math Punishment Sheet' for you!


-gailr
why are there aftermaths but not beforemaths...

Perry
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Postby Perry » Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:15 am

mathematic
c.1380 as singular, replaced by early 17c. by mathematics (1581), from L. mathematica (pl.), from Gk. mathematike tekhne "mathematical science," fem. sing. of mathematikos (adj.) "relating to mathematics, scientific," from mathema (gen. mathematos) "science, knowledge, mathematical knowledge," related to manthanein "to learn," from PIE base *mn-/*men-/*mon- "to think, have one's mind aroused" (cf. Gk. menthere "to care," Lith. mandras "wide-awake," O.C.S. madru "wise, sage," Goth. mundonsis "to look at," Ger. munter "awake, lively"). Mathematics (pl.) originally denoted the mathematical sciences collectively, including geometry, astronomy, optics. Math is the Amer.Eng. shortening, attested from 1890; the British preference, maths is attested from 1911.
Some are aroused by math, others find it somewhat soporific,
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
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mmb16
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Not completely unemployed!

Postby mmb16 » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:20 am

The public library in my little town has the distinguished title of "Ulysses Philomathic Library". There is a stone engraved at the entrance, which says "philomathic means a love of learning." There may be other Ulysses Libraries in the United States, but none so fond of learning.
:D http://trumansburglibrary.org/upl/news.php

skinem
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Postby skinem » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:49 pm

Welcome mmb!
Never heard a library called that. Was the stone placed to cut down on answering the question over and over? :)


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