Eponymous Revisited

Eponymous Revisited Eponymous Revisited Eponymous Revisited By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, What is it with eponymous? I never understand its use. Eponymous is the adjective form of the noun eponym. It derives from the Greek combination epi (upon) + onyma (name). eponym noun: one who gives, or is supposed to give, his name to a people, place, or institution. The earliest application of eponymous was in the context of the names of countries, tribes, and nations. For example: Brutus, or  Brute of Troy, is a legendary descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas, known in medieval British legend as the eponymous founder and first king of Britain.   Consider the case of  Pelops, the  eponymous  hero of the  Peloponnese. First, at this stage Jacob is not yet  the eponymous hero of  a united Israel, but only of the Northern Kingdom. [Jacob was given the name Israel when he wrestled the angel.]    In current usage, the phrase â€Å"eponymous hero† usually applies to the character for which a literary work is named. For example: Hot-Blooded Paolo is  the eponymous hero of  the novel Paolo  il Caldo (1964) by Vitaliano Brancati. On the universality of the westerner, exemplified by  the eponymous hero of  George Stevens’s Shane (1953), see Warshow, 150-151. The eponymous hero of  Goncharovs Oblomov (1858), who is unable to motivate himself to leave his bed, is the epitome of the passive hero.   American actress Betty Bronson starred as  the eponymous hero of  the film Peter Pan (1924). Eponymous can apply to anything that takes its name from a person. For example: Tesla  invented his  eponymous  coil in 1891.   Website of New York City designer Nancy Rose and her  eponymous designer sportswear. As for  John Birch, well never know what he would have thought of his  eponymous society. Note: I found several examples of the misspelling epynonymous. Related posts: The Eponymy Family 30 Words Inspired by 29 People and An Elephant Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should KnowThat vs. Which10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills

Vet, Vetted, Vetting

Vet, Vetted, Vetting Vet, Vetted, Vetting Vet, Vetted, Vetting By Maeve Maddox The verb vet, â€Å"investigate someone’s suitability for a job,† took the American media by storm during the presidential campaign of 2008. Vet was Number Two on Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year list that year. (Bailout was Number One.) Although the word has been in American dictionaries for close to 100 years, few US speakers seem to have heard of it before 2008. Some forum participants continue to puzzle over it: The past presidential election is the first time I heard the term â€Å"vet† or â€Å"vetting  a candidate.† What does it mean? (2012) Honestly, I had never heard the word before until today. (2013) Here are some examples of the word’s current use on the Web: Hollywoods medical storylines vetted by those who know 10 Steps for Vetting Unknown Internet Sources The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides the only official vetting service in the Republic of Ireland. While it is general practice for most employers to call references and confirm previous employers, vetting an employee delves a little deeper into the applicants background. Some speakers–apparently lacking access to a dictionary–speculate that the verb vet may derive from veteran or veto: Coming from the word veteran maybe? From Latin veto (to prohibit), referring to the practice of having an opportunity to veto a decision before it is finalized. Wrong. The verb â€Å"to vet† is derived from the noun veterinarian. It originated as a term meaning, â€Å"to submit an animal to examination or treatment by a veterinary surgeon.† The earliest citation in the OED illustrates the word in the context of horse racing: 1891: Beau is shaky in his fore legs. I shall have him vetted before the races. By 1904, the term had spread to general usage with this meaning: to examine carefully and critically for deficiencies or errors; specifically, to investigate the suitability of (a person) for a post that requires loyalty and trustworthiness. As for veteran and veto, the English word veteran comes from a Latin word for old. â€Å"Old soldiers,† for example, were called veterani. Veto translates as â€Å"I forbid,† a declaration spoken by Roman tribunes of the people when they wished to oppose measures of the Senate or actions of the magistrates. The Latin source word for veterinary and veterinarian is veterinus: â€Å"a beast of burden.† Veterinus may have been a contracted form of vehiterinus, a word related to the verb vehere, to carry or convey. A beast of burden carries things. Veterinarians care for beasts of burden. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About NumbersOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf OfWhile vs. Whilst