Having had such fun on the Greek and Latin roots for heart (kardia and cor, respectively), I have decided to devote posts for the foreseeable future to the fascinating realm of medical and anatomical vocabulary, the lion's share of which derives from Greek and Latin root words. Thinking about the word cardiology and that which the cardiac pump does for one, one naturally moves on to the circulatory system and the primary fluid which runs through the veins, arteries, and capillaries, the predominant root word for which stems from Greek:
Haima, haimatos—blood {em, -emia, haemo-, hem, hemat-, hemato-, hemo-}
In the next few posts, I will discuss the fascinating etymologies using this Greek root word and its multiple spelling permutations.
If one is anemic, or afflicted with anemia, one is etymologically "without blood," via the Greek prefix a, an: without (note as well that the Latin suffix -ia means "an abnormal or pathological condition," contained in such pathologies as hemophilia, amnesia, insomnia, anorexia, paranoia, hysteria, pneumonia, hypochondria, aphasia, bulimia, neuralgia, mastalgia, and myopia). Hence, if one is deficient in blood, it is easy to see that anemia can refer to deficiencies in hemoglobin count, and/or erythrocyte count or volume per unit of blood.
Hemoglobin (short for hematinoglobulin), deriving also from the Latin root word globus (sphere, somewhat spherical mass) refers to a molecule that consists of four globular protein subunits (dubbed alpha and beta) that provide a structure for ferrous heme groups that bond oxygen atoms to themselves by means of iron and in such a way acts as the primary carrier or transport system of oxygen in the blood stream (for an informative article vis a vis hemoglobin, please check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemoglobin where you will discover via some fairly sophisticated illustrations that illuminate very well why the Greek word for blood and the Latin word for sphere were used to coin this word).
Hemophilia (or the British English version haemophilia) is a fairly rare (about 1 in 10,000) ailment or pathological condition primarily present among males, where the blood fails to clot normally; the blood thereby is deficient in clotting factors, such as platelet count and other coagulatory agents. Note that the word itself, other than the Greek word for blood, also contains the common Greek root word philein, "to love." Hence, a hemophiliac is someone who "loves blood" because they lose it so readily, and hence need more and more. Note that a deficiency in coagulation factor VIII is the most common cause of hemophilia.
A hemorrhoid arrives via the Greek verb rhein to flow (also giving us words such as diarrhea, amenorrhea, and rheumatism); hence, a hemorrhoid is an excessive "flowing of the blood," which causes a tumid mass of swollen anal tissue (that is, blood flowing where it should not be), which is the same problem found in a hemorrhage, which is even worse since it refers to blood gushing out of a blood vessel when it should not be, such as a brain hemorrhage. A hemorrhage can also refer to a large loss of anything, such as share values hemorrhaging in a severe bear market.
Hematology is the study of the blood and those hematogenous organs that produce the blood, a vast discipline which the hematologist makes her life study of, that is, the study of diseases and disorders of the blood and the blood-forming tissues. I will discuss the pathology of blood related to its etymological origins in my next post.
n.b. The Latin root for blood, sanguis, sanguinis, has been largely ignored by the medical community. The most useful word that comes from this root word is sanguine, so named because an abundance of the medieval humor ‘blood’ was thought to make someone sanguine, or ‘cheerful’ and ‘optimistic.’
Interested in even more English vocabulary words that come from the Greek and Latin roots for blood, or all the roots mentioned above for the different maladies ending in the suffix -ia? All of the maladies mentioned above can easily be linguistically diagnosed with a thorough understanding of their Greek and Latin root words, demystification of English vocabulary words is what the site http://www.wordempire.com/ is all about, not to mention the demystifying of numerous SAT prep words and GRE prep words. You may want to check out the most comprehensive Greek and Latin roots dictionary available today; a Greek and Latin roots poster is also available, which beautifully illustrates not only the sheer power of Greek and Latin roots as they form the very semantic structure of the English language but also contains a prolific number of GRE and SAT vocabulary words, and a vast host of medical vocabulary. Or, if you're looking to learn vocabulary for the SAT or GRE verbal section, check out membean.com, where vocabulary is taught to you via an Adaptive Reinforcement Engine in a fun and engaging way which at the same time enhances your memory.
English Vocabulary via Greek and Latin Root Word Origins
- Magister Brunner
- I have long been fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology, and the Greek and Latin roots of English vocabulary words; their infusion within the English language respectively forms the core of cultural literacy and English vocabulary. Learning a vast array of English vocabulary words can help people write more powerfully, speak clearly and confidently, and read with a much deeper appreciation for great literature, not to mention perform well on college and graduate school entrance examinations, such as the SAT and GRE. Other than intense reading itself, there is no better way of learning and, most importantly, remembering English vocabulary words than by learning Greek and Latin root words. My own love for reading and subsequent keen interest in English vocabulary began with the B.A. (hon) degree in English I received from UW Madison, and continued with the M.A. in English I earned from the University of Virginia; I currently teach Latin and Greek and Roman mythology at Tandem Friends School in Charlottesville, VA, farm organically, am Executive Editor of Membean.com, and practice yoga and dhyana on a daily basis (qigong when clement!).
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Kardia: heart
After having fully discussed the Latin root cor, cordis: "heart" last week in honor of Valentine's Day, and illustrating the large number of English vocabulary words that derive from that powerful Latin root, I shall now leap into a Greek root for a change. Greek vocabulary, especially when it comes to parts of the body, plays a larger role in medical terminology, such as anatomy, than their semantic counterparts in the Latin language. So, although the Latin root cor, cordis is a prolific provider of vocabulary for the English language, it does not contribute much to the medical field, but rather its related rival, the Greek root kardia, does:
Kardia—heart {card, cardio-}
We can note as we head on into these medical terms that the Greek letter kappa (k) becomes a hard "c" in English. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, has to do with reviving an unconscious and unbreathing/unheartbeating (yes, a thorough misuse of the English language, but boy was it fun!) patient via techiques for getting the lungs (pulmonary derives from the Latin pulmo, pulmonis—lung: yes, we have already found an exception to the rule stated above; the Greek word for lung is pneumon—lung {pneumo-}, also a highly prolific source of medical terminology...such as pneumonoconiosis, pneumonia, and pneumogastric...not to mention the longest word in most English dictionaries, that is, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a disease that coal miners contract by breathing in fine silica dust). The Greek word for lung here is a more prolific source of medical terminology than the Latin root for lung; and also remember that the only exception to the rule that states that there is no exception to any rule is the rule itself (just in the same way that a Universal Solvent cannot exist because it would, well, dissolve itself, not to mention the Universe within which it exists). And note that the word "resuscitation," a tough word to spell if you do not know the Latin roots behind it, comes from the Latin root word cito, citare, citavi, citatum—to set in motion, rouse, excite, hence, to resuscitate is to ‘set (one) in motion again.’ Wow...an entire entry for a simple three-letter pseudo-acronym: CPR.
The word cardiovascular refers to the heart and its system of blood vessels, including the arteries, veins, and capillaries (the word vascular comes from the Latin vasculum—small vessel {vessel}). A cardiologist is one who studies the heart, that is, a heart doctor, one who is intimately familiar with the myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest, or heart attack, in which the cardiac muscle, or muscle of the heart, stops. A cardiologist is intimately familiar, in turn, with the study of cardiology, which concerns the pathology (diseases inherent to), structure, and function of the said cardiac muscle. Many, many terms come from the study of cardiology, such as the pericardium, that fluid-filled sac that envelops the heart and its vasculature, the epicardium, that part of the pericardium that sits on top of the actual heart muscle (via the Greek prefix epi-upon, over), tachycardia, a disease of the heart in which it is pulsing too swiftly, bradycardia, the opposite malady of tachycardia, and myocarditis, the inflammation of the heart muscle. This is a small sampling of the cardiological terminology of or relating to the heart, probably the most important muscle of the body, to which an entire association has been dedicated, the American Heart Association.
Interested in even more English vocabulary words that come from the Greek and Latin roots for heart? Just what does that prefix tachy- mean in tachycardia? Or brady- in bradycardia? Or the suffix -itis of carditis? Or the myo- Greek root and -pathy suffix of cardiomyopathy? With a thorough understanding of Greek and Latin root words, one can easily pick apart words that look difficult, such as cineangiocardiography, and become at least an etymological cardiologist...demystification of words is what the site http://www.wordempire.com/ is all about, not to mention the demystifying of numerous SAT prep words and GRE prep words. You may want to check out the most comprehensive Greek and Latin roots dictionary available today; a Greek and Latin roots poster is also available, which beautifully illustrates not only the sheer power of Greek and Latin roots as they form the very semantic structure of the English language but also contains a prolific number of GRE and SAT vocabulary words. Or, if you're looking to learn vocabulary for the SAT or GRE verbal section, check out membean.com, where vocabulary is taught to you via an Adaptive Reinforcement Engine in a fun and engaging way which at the same time enhances your memory..
Kardia—heart {card, cardio-}
We can note as we head on into these medical terms that the Greek letter kappa (k) becomes a hard "c" in English. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, has to do with reviving an unconscious and unbreathing/unheartbeating (yes, a thorough misuse of the English language, but boy was it fun!) patient via techiques for getting the lungs (pulmonary derives from the Latin pulmo, pulmonis—lung: yes, we have already found an exception to the rule stated above; the Greek word for lung is pneumon—lung {pneumo-}, also a highly prolific source of medical terminology...such as pneumonoconiosis, pneumonia, and pneumogastric...not to mention the longest word in most English dictionaries, that is, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a disease that coal miners contract by breathing in fine silica dust). The Greek word for lung here is a more prolific source of medical terminology than the Latin root for lung; and also remember that the only exception to the rule that states that there is no exception to any rule is the rule itself (just in the same way that a Universal Solvent cannot exist because it would, well, dissolve itself, not to mention the Universe within which it exists). And note that the word "resuscitation," a tough word to spell if you do not know the Latin roots behind it, comes from the Latin root word cito, citare, citavi, citatum—to set in motion, rouse, excite, hence, to resuscitate is to ‘set (one) in motion again.’ Wow...an entire entry for a simple three-letter pseudo-acronym: CPR.
The word cardiovascular refers to the heart and its system of blood vessels, including the arteries, veins, and capillaries (the word vascular comes from the Latin vasculum—small vessel {vessel}). A cardiologist is one who studies the heart, that is, a heart doctor, one who is intimately familiar with the myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest, or heart attack, in which the cardiac muscle, or muscle of the heart, stops. A cardiologist is intimately familiar, in turn, with the study of cardiology, which concerns the pathology (diseases inherent to), structure, and function of the said cardiac muscle. Many, many terms come from the study of cardiology, such as the pericardium, that fluid-filled sac that envelops the heart and its vasculature, the epicardium, that part of the pericardium that sits on top of the actual heart muscle (via the Greek prefix epi-upon, over), tachycardia, a disease of the heart in which it is pulsing too swiftly, bradycardia, the opposite malady of tachycardia, and myocarditis, the inflammation of the heart muscle. This is a small sampling of the cardiological terminology of or relating to the heart, probably the most important muscle of the body, to which an entire association has been dedicated, the American Heart Association.
Interested in even more English vocabulary words that come from the Greek and Latin roots for heart? Just what does that prefix tachy- mean in tachycardia? Or brady- in bradycardia? Or the suffix -itis of carditis? Or the myo- Greek root and -pathy suffix of cardiomyopathy? With a thorough understanding of Greek and Latin root words, one can easily pick apart words that look difficult, such as cineangiocardiography, and become at least an etymological cardiologist...demystification of words is what the site http://www.wordempire.com/ is all about, not to mention the demystifying of numerous SAT prep words and GRE prep words. You may want to check out the most comprehensive Greek and Latin roots dictionary available today; a Greek and Latin roots poster is also available, which beautifully illustrates not only the sheer power of Greek and Latin roots as they form the very semantic structure of the English language but also contains a prolific number of GRE and SAT vocabulary words. Or, if you're looking to learn vocabulary for the SAT or GRE verbal section, check out membean.com, where vocabulary is taught to you via an Adaptive Reinforcement Engine in a fun and engaging way which at the same time enhances your memory..
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Cor, cordis—heart
Happy day after Valentine's Day! I thought that, after having spoken about the Latin root spirare: to breathe over the past three posts, I would continue on with two discussions about the Latin and Greek words for "heart" over the next two weeks. I will start with the Latin root, which has contributed a surprising number of English vocabulary words to the English language, as well as some significant SAT vocabulary. It has no significantly difficult spelling changes, and is surprisingly prolific:
Cor, cordis—heart {cour}
Let's begin this Latin roots discussion with the first morpheme: cor. An apple core is the "heart" of the apple, just as the core of any argument is its essential center, or heart. The core of the Earth, of course, is its (or her) center, the "heart" of the planet.
When Latin went through French and eventually found its meandering way into English, many French spellings were retained, or partly so; word origins are often fraught with interesting stories behind them, some of which are quite long (which is what the diachronic nature of the Oxford English Dictionary is all about). The French word for heart is coeur; one can easily see how Latin is the wellspring for that word with a few orthographical permutations along the way. Indeed, the Romance languages (that is, the languages derived from the primary language once spoken in Roma, or Rome, by the Romans) are simply evolved forms of Latin, those being Spanish, Catalan, Italian, French, Romanian and Portuguese (and a few other very minor languages; for an excellent article concerning this topic, please see this Romance languages article). English, on the other hand, is not directly descended from Latin, but has nevertheless been very heavily influenced by it on a morphemic or roots basis; please see www.wordempire.com/ for statistics concerning that prolific influence.
Hence, one of the morphemes of the Latin word cor, cordis is the modified by French cour, which gives us such words as courage (one must have a great deal of "heart" to be courageous), encourage (to give someone "heart" to carry out an act), and discourage, which means to give someone a "heart apart" about a particular situation, that is, to dissuade someone from doing something (from the Latin word dis—apart, not, away from, reversal).
The most commonly used morpheme in English that comes from the Latin root cor, cordis is cord-. If two people are in accord with one another, their ‘hearts’ agree; in music, harmonious notes are ‘agreeable’ to the ear, hence the genesis of accordion (de gustibus non est disputandum). If two people are in discord, their "hearts" are apart (again from dis-), hence they are in disagreement. However, if they later return to being concordant (two people who are in concord have hearts that are "together," via the Latin preposition cum: with, together) all is well again with their "hearts." One records information so that it is easy to recall ‘again’ by ‘heart;' a musical recording never forgets the words to the song that has been recorded upon it. And what are you doing if you cordially greet someone at a party? To be cordial is to be friendly, warm, or gracious; that is, your "heart" is in the right place towards that person. A lesser known meaning for cordiality is being fervent or feeling strongly about a cause; that is, your "heart" is really in it. A cordial is a stimulant or tonic, like a liqueur.
I hope that you have enjoyed the above posting, and that you will join me again next weekend when I discuss the Greek root for heart, which primarily gives us medical terminology.
For the meanings of many Greek and Latin roots, you may want to analyze this Greek and Latin root words site, a true font of not only word origins but also listings of numerous SAT prep words and GRE prep words. Many, many prefixes and suffixes come from Latin and Greek roots; for a full listing of those Greek and Latin affixes (affixes are words that are "stuck onto" main parts of words, or stems) that form our English language, you may want to check out the most comprehensive Greek and Latin roots dictionary available today; a Greek and Latin roots poster is also available, which shows the sheer power of Greek and Latin roots over the English language and also contains a great deal of GRE and SAT vocabulary. Or, if you're looking to learn vocabulary for the SAT or GRE verbal section, check out membean.com, where vocabulary is taught to you via an Adaptive Reinforcement Engine in a fun and engaging way which at the same time enhances your memory..
Cor, cordis—heart {cour}
Let's begin this Latin roots discussion with the first morpheme: cor. An apple core is the "heart" of the apple, just as the core of any argument is its essential center, or heart. The core of the Earth, of course, is its (or her) center, the "heart" of the planet.
When Latin went through French and eventually found its meandering way into English, many French spellings were retained, or partly so; word origins are often fraught with interesting stories behind them, some of which are quite long (which is what the diachronic nature of the Oxford English Dictionary is all about). The French word for heart is coeur; one can easily see how Latin is the wellspring for that word with a few orthographical permutations along the way. Indeed, the Romance languages (that is, the languages derived from the primary language once spoken in Roma, or Rome, by the Romans) are simply evolved forms of Latin, those being Spanish, Catalan, Italian, French, Romanian and Portuguese (and a few other very minor languages; for an excellent article concerning this topic, please see this Romance languages article). English, on the other hand, is not directly descended from Latin, but has nevertheless been very heavily influenced by it on a morphemic or roots basis; please see www.wordempire.com/ for statistics concerning that prolific influence.
Hence, one of the morphemes of the Latin word cor, cordis is the modified by French cour, which gives us such words as courage (one must have a great deal of "heart" to be courageous), encourage (to give someone "heart" to carry out an act), and discourage, which means to give someone a "heart apart" about a particular situation, that is, to dissuade someone from doing something (from the Latin word dis—apart, not, away from, reversal).
The most commonly used morpheme in English that comes from the Latin root cor, cordis is cord-. If two people are in accord with one another, their ‘hearts’ agree; in music, harmonious notes are ‘agreeable’ to the ear, hence the genesis of accordion (de gustibus non est disputandum). If two people are in discord, their "hearts" are apart (again from dis-), hence they are in disagreement. However, if they later return to being concordant (two people who are in concord have hearts that are "together," via the Latin preposition cum: with, together) all is well again with their "hearts." One records information so that it is easy to recall ‘again’ by ‘heart;' a musical recording never forgets the words to the song that has been recorded upon it. And what are you doing if you cordially greet someone at a party? To be cordial is to be friendly, warm, or gracious; that is, your "heart" is in the right place towards that person. A lesser known meaning for cordiality is being fervent or feeling strongly about a cause; that is, your "heart" is really in it. A cordial is a stimulant or tonic, like a liqueur.
I hope that you have enjoyed the above posting, and that you will join me again next weekend when I discuss the Greek root for heart, which primarily gives us medical terminology.
For the meanings of many Greek and Latin roots, you may want to analyze this Greek and Latin root words site, a true font of not only word origins but also listings of numerous SAT prep words and GRE prep words. Many, many prefixes and suffixes come from Latin and Greek roots; for a full listing of those Greek and Latin affixes (affixes are words that are "stuck onto" main parts of words, or stems) that form our English language, you may want to check out the most comprehensive Greek and Latin roots dictionary available today; a Greek and Latin roots poster is also available, which shows the sheer power of Greek and Latin roots over the English language and also contains a great deal of GRE and SAT vocabulary. Or, if you're looking to learn vocabulary for the SAT or GRE verbal section, check out membean.com, where vocabulary is taught to you via an Adaptive Reinforcement Engine in a fun and engaging way which at the same time enhances your memory..
Sunday, February 8, 2009
#3: spiro, spirare, spiravi, spiratum: to breathe
Human spirit is that which animates us, that which breathes vigor into our every action, that which, indeed, gives us the wherewithal and the gumption to live. Breath, of course, is intimately associated with life itself; one way to define the cycle of life is the drawing of the first breath, and the breathing out of one's last, at least in this physical bardo. Let's now focus for our last time on the Latin root below as we look at some GRE English vocabulary words, and also some French language expressions that have made their way over into English vocabulary as exonyms:
Spiro, spirare, spiravi, spiratum—to breathe {spiro-}
Spiritus—breath, the soul, vigor, that which animates life {spright}
If one has become inspirited by reading one of the great epics, such as Homer's Iliad, Beowulf, or Malory's Morte D'Arthur, one has had courage breathed into one; one can also think about life, or even a defined life, breathed into one at this point as well...have we not all been inspired by another to do great things? Hence humanity runs largely by example and early patterning...perhaps Hawthorne's major lesson in The House of the Seven Gables was not so far off. Harold Bloom speaks much of inspiration via great literature; it is difficult to read those geniuses, such as Shakespeare, Proust, Cervantes (my personal favorite), and Dickinson, but oh are they so very much worth the effort for the inspirational wisdom they impart to all dedicated readers willing to make that considerable effort.
Suspire? Suspiration? Via the Latin preposition sub, in this case meaning "from below," this verb means simply "to breathe," whereas the noun means "the act of breathing." Suspiring is a more poetical use of the verb breathe; I also like to think of suspiring in terms of true deep breathing in yoga...a breathing "from below" and conversely into the depths invigorates and strengthens the whole organism; try breathing slowly deep into the belly, and even deeper, and feel the expansion as the body lets go...this calms the mind, and thereby strengthens the spirit.
To respire is a physiogical term etymologically meaning to "breathe again" (and again, and again, and again, via the Latin preposition re: back, again). This is what respiration is all about, the "act of breathing again" throughout the life cycle of animals, that is, the full cycle of breath, the inhalation and exhalation, via the Latin halo, halare, halavi, halatum—to breathe. Plants and fish can also respire as they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with their environment. Respiration can also refer to the use of oxygen by cells and the concomitant release of carbon dioxide in animals, and vice versa for plants. Respirable air is fit for breathing, and a respirator helps someone who cannot breathe on their own enjoy the breath of life, with the ultimate hope of respiring autonomously some day. Transpiration, on the other hand, is the expulsion of vapor from a plant or animal, such as the movement of water from the roots of a plant out through the stomata of its leaves, or perspiration in an animal.
Have you ever felt full of life in a spring day, breathing in the beautiful fresh west wind (the zephyr) as it engenders and coaxes life from long frozen soil? That is a feeling of sprightliness, when one feels full of life, spirit, and energy. A sprightly, brisk feeling mimics that of life once again coursing through organisms...may spring come soon! And, of course, a sprite, or woodland spirit, such as an elf, pixie, or other such member of faerie, is an integral part of the spirit of the woods itself (a sprite can also be a ghost or phantom, but this is a much less used meaning of the word). Dare I say that the soft drink Sprite gives one vigor (it certainly offers carbohydrates)? Watch out for the high fructose corn syrup...for more on that topic, read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food.
Have you ever played for a team in which there was a palpable esprit de corps (note the Latin root corpus: body)? This phenomenon is a common feeling of purpose amongst a group of people who all believe in a common cause and harmoniously, vigorously, and devotedly work together to get there; I, for instance, am a member of both the Green Mountain Club, devoted to maintaining The Long Trail in Vermont, and The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, devoted to preserving The Appalachian Trail. Most commonly the best sports teams, especially in the Olympics, have not only members with a great deal of esprit, but once having formed into a collective whole possess a nigh indomitable esprit de corps; I poignantly think of the Lakers teams in the 80s, which not only had huge talent, but also a fantastic team ethic: consider again Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, and James Worthy. Whew!
Did you enjoy all the subsidiary words, such as halare, sub, re, and corpus in the above post? If so, check out this Greek and Latin roots and English vocabulary words site, sure to whet your appetite for the core roots of the English language; word origin is not only fascinating, but highly powerful. Interested in a Greek and Latin roots poster that features the above Latin root? Or more beautiful Greek and Latin root word trees that list 100s of English derivatives? For the verbal enthusiast serious about learning her English vocabulary, there is no quicker route to learning and remembering our wonderful English language than truly learning Greek and Latin root words, the morphemic core of the English language.
Spiro, spirare, spiravi, spiratum—to breathe {spiro-}
Spiritus—breath, the soul, vigor, that which animates life {spright}
If one has become inspirited by reading one of the great epics, such as Homer's Iliad, Beowulf, or Malory's Morte D'Arthur, one has had courage breathed into one; one can also think about life, or even a defined life, breathed into one at this point as well...have we not all been inspired by another to do great things? Hence humanity runs largely by example and early patterning...perhaps Hawthorne's major lesson in The House of the Seven Gables was not so far off. Harold Bloom speaks much of inspiration via great literature; it is difficult to read those geniuses, such as Shakespeare, Proust, Cervantes (my personal favorite), and Dickinson, but oh are they so very much worth the effort for the inspirational wisdom they impart to all dedicated readers willing to make that considerable effort.
Suspire? Suspiration? Via the Latin preposition sub, in this case meaning "from below," this verb means simply "to breathe," whereas the noun means "the act of breathing." Suspiring is a more poetical use of the verb breathe; I also like to think of suspiring in terms of true deep breathing in yoga...a breathing "from below" and conversely into the depths invigorates and strengthens the whole organism; try breathing slowly deep into the belly, and even deeper, and feel the expansion as the body lets go...this calms the mind, and thereby strengthens the spirit.
To respire is a physiogical term etymologically meaning to "breathe again" (and again, and again, and again, via the Latin preposition re: back, again). This is what respiration is all about, the "act of breathing again" throughout the life cycle of animals, that is, the full cycle of breath, the inhalation and exhalation, via the Latin halo, halare, halavi, halatum—to breathe. Plants and fish can also respire as they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with their environment. Respiration can also refer to the use of oxygen by cells and the concomitant release of carbon dioxide in animals, and vice versa for plants. Respirable air is fit for breathing, and a respirator helps someone who cannot breathe on their own enjoy the breath of life, with the ultimate hope of respiring autonomously some day. Transpiration, on the other hand, is the expulsion of vapor from a plant or animal, such as the movement of water from the roots of a plant out through the stomata of its leaves, or perspiration in an animal.
Have you ever felt full of life in a spring day, breathing in the beautiful fresh west wind (the zephyr) as it engenders and coaxes life from long frozen soil? That is a feeling of sprightliness, when one feels full of life, spirit, and energy. A sprightly, brisk feeling mimics that of life once again coursing through organisms...may spring come soon! And, of course, a sprite, or woodland spirit, such as an elf, pixie, or other such member of faerie, is an integral part of the spirit of the woods itself (a sprite can also be a ghost or phantom, but this is a much less used meaning of the word). Dare I say that the soft drink Sprite gives one vigor (it certainly offers carbohydrates)? Watch out for the high fructose corn syrup...for more on that topic, read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food.
Have you ever played for a team in which there was a palpable esprit de corps (note the Latin root corpus: body)? This phenomenon is a common feeling of purpose amongst a group of people who all believe in a common cause and harmoniously, vigorously, and devotedly work together to get there; I, for instance, am a member of both the Green Mountain Club, devoted to maintaining The Long Trail in Vermont, and The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, devoted to preserving The Appalachian Trail. Most commonly the best sports teams, especially in the Olympics, have not only members with a great deal of esprit, but once having formed into a collective whole possess a nigh indomitable esprit de corps; I poignantly think of the Lakers teams in the 80s, which not only had huge talent, but also a fantastic team ethic: consider again Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, and James Worthy. Whew!
Did you enjoy all the subsidiary words, such as halare, sub, re, and corpus in the above post? If so, check out this Greek and Latin roots and English vocabulary words site, sure to whet your appetite for the core roots of the English language; word origin is not only fascinating, but highly powerful. Interested in a Greek and Latin roots poster that features the above Latin root? Or more beautiful Greek and Latin root word trees that list 100s of English derivatives? For the verbal enthusiast serious about learning her English vocabulary, there is no quicker route to learning and remembering our wonderful English language than truly learning Greek and Latin root words, the morphemic core of the English language.
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