End of ADS-L Digest - 24 Feb 1996 to 25 Feb 1996

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There are 9 messages totalling 254 lines in this issue.



Topics of the day:



 1. etymology: 'negro', 'necro' (3)

 2. MLA 96, CALL FOR PAPERS

 3. Kroger variations (3)

 4. GURT '96

 5. "Beg the Question"--another example



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Date:  Mon, 26 Feb 1996 04:24:43 -0800

From:  SETH SKLAREY <crissiet[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IX.NETCOM.COM>

Subject: Re: etymology: 'negro', 'necro'



From: "Juris G. Lidaka" <lidaka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ernie.wvsc.wvnet.edu>

To: Multiple recipients of list <hel-l[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ebbs.english.vt.edu>

Subject: Re: etymology: 'negro', 'necro'

X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0 -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas



    Well, a quick glance into Pokorny didn't come up with anything,

but here's some details from the Barnhart Dict. of Etym.:



    Negro is said to be taken from Span. or Port. "negro," which itself

    is predictably from Lat. "niger" which is "of uncertain origin"



    necromancy in English seems to be an "alteration of Middle English

    _nigromaunce_..._nygromauncy_; borrowed from Old French _nigramancie,

    nigremance_, and directly from Medieval Latin _nigromantia_, from

    Late Latin _necromantia_ divination from an exhumed corpse, from

    Greek _nekromanteia_ (_nekros_ dead body + _manteia_ divination,

    oracle, from _manteuesthai_ to prophesy...).

        "The Middle English, Old French, and Medieval Latin

    spelling (_nigor_-) developed from association with Latin _niger_

    black, necromancy being the black art. The modern spelling was an

    attempt to "correct" the spelling by returning to Late Latin

    _necromantia_."



Of related interest, then, is



    "necrology...list of person who have died.... _Chambers Cyclopaedia_;

    borowed from New Latin _necrologia_, from Greek.... Greek _nekros_

    is cognate with Sanskrit _nasyati_ (he) disappears, perishes.

    Latin _nex_ (genitive _necis_) violent death, _pernicies_ destruc-

    tion, _nocere_ to harm; from Indo-European _*nek-/nok-/nk-_

    (Pok. 762)."



Sorry, I just felt perniciously obliged to skip them thar die-acriticals.

<cheap humor>Unfortunately, there is no apparent connection here with

"necktie," a device used by some to restrict blood flow to the brain, to

inhibit normal breathing patterns, and, strangely, to prohibit the free

movement of body heat, thus thrice negating normal functions for

life.</cheap humor>



    Pok. 762 may be independently consulted. The Ox. Lat. Dict. has no

etymological info., nor does Lewis & Short. <more cheap humor>Perhaps someone

who has Martin & Long can take a look-see?</more cheap humor> I have HEL

tests to grade--and evidently my test was the discussion subject of

almost every other up-div. Engl. class last week.



        Juris



      Juris G. Lidaka          Dept. of English

Lidaka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ernie.wvsc.wvnet.edu          West Virginia State College