Etimología

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

You reminded me of Eddie Izzards following routine. (one of my favorite comics)

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

fascinate: Latin fascinare to affect by witchcraft, to enchant.

answer: OE. andswaru from *and- against + *swar- base of swear = to swear against, i.e. to reply

I've always wondered about that w in answer. Now I have the answer - really fascinating.

Thanks!! You have thus proven my point!

[droe82]

Originally Posted by Perikles

answer: OE. andswaru from *and- against + *swar- base of swear = to swear against, i.e. to reply

I've always wondered about that w in answer. Now I have the answer - really fascinating.

No, totally! That's, like, what I like. It helps with all that stuff. You notice patterns you wouldn't've noticed otherwise.

Same thing with learning related languages like Spanish and English. Somewhere in the first few chapters of Cien anos de soledad, which is all the further I got before I gave up and tried 24 juegos de relajacion (it has pictures!), there's a peleton de fusilamiento. I'm sure most native English speakers know "platoon"—slightly different definition—but there's also an English(-ish) word "fusillade."

Er... that's not really a pattern, but... well... it does establish a... y'know... but yeah. Y'know?

[poli]

That is right. Learning a foreign language gives you more perspective, and may make you an amateur etimologist. Words have roots and history. English and Spanish are linked by out mutual ancient mother tongue Latin.