1. Did you know that Pollyannaism is a real word. No seriously. I looked up Optimism in the thesaurus and there it was. I'll even give you the dictionary.com definition.
Pol·ly·an·na
[pol-ee-an-uh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun
–adjective
| 1. | an excessively or blindly optimistic person. |
| 2. | (often lowercase) Also, Pol·ly·an·na·ish. unreasonably or illogically optimistic: some pollyanna notions about world peace. |
[Origin: from the name of the child heroine created by Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), American writer]
That's sweet no? Let's see what other synonyms for Optimism i can can up with.
2. Well i learned something new today. I've heard of a sanguine expression but didn't necessarily have a grip on all it's nuanced meanings. Did you know it is a synonym for optimistic? Go figure. Check it out:
san·guine (sāng'gwĭn) Pronunciation Key
adj.
The similarity in form between sanguine, "cheerfully optimistic," and sanguinary, "bloodthirsty," may prompt one to wonder how they have come to have such different meanings. The explanation lies in medieval physiology with its notion of the four humors or bodily fluids (blood, bile, phlegm, and black bile). The relative proportions of these fluids was thought to determine a person's temperament. If blood was the predominant humor, one had a ruddy face and a disposition marked by courage, hope, and a readiness to fall in love. Such a temperament was called sanguine, the Middle English ancestor of our word sanguine. The source of the Middle English word was Old French sanguin, itself from Latin sanguineus. Both the Old French and Latin words meant "bloody," "blood-colored," Old French sanguin having the sense "sanguine in temperament" as well. Latin sanguineus was in turn derived from sanguis, "blood," just as English sanguinary is. The English adjective sanguine, first recorded in Middle English before 1350, continues to refer to the cheerfulness and optimism that accompanied a sanguine temperament but no longer has any direct reference to medieval physiology.
Perhaps you cut out already and did not find this as fascinating as I did. I love the etymology of words. I used to have a book about word origins. I think one of my dogs ate it. No really. Anyway, gotta get back to work. Hope you enjoyed todays word lesson.
]That's sweet no? Let's see what other synonyms for Optimism i can can up with.
2. Well i learned something new today. I've heard of a sanguine expression but didn't necessarily have a grip on all it's nuanced meanings. Did you know it is a synonym for optimistic? Go figure. Check it out:
san·guine
(sāng'gwĭn) Pronunciation Key adj.
- Of the color of blood; red.
- Of a healthy reddish color; ruddy: a sanguine complexion.
- Having blood as the dominant humor in terms of medieval physiology.
- Having the temperament and ruddy complexion formerly thought to be characteristic of a person dominated by this humor; passionate.
- Archaic
- Having blood as the dominant humor in terms of medieval physiology.
- Having the temperament and ruddy complexion formerly thought to be characteristic of a person dominated by this humor; passionate.
- Cheerfully confident; optimistic.
The similarity in form between sanguine, "cheerfully optimistic," and sanguinary, "bloodthirsty," may prompt one to wonder how they have come to have such different meanings. The explanation lies in medieval physiology with its notion of the four humors or bodily fluids (blood, bile, phlegm, and black bile). The relative proportions of these fluids was thought to determine a person's temperament. If blood was the predominant humor, one had a ruddy face and a disposition marked by courage, hope, and a readiness to fall in love. Such a temperament was called sanguine, the Middle English ancestor of our word sanguine. The source of the Middle English word was Old French sanguin, itself from Latin sanguineus. Both the Old French and Latin words meant "bloody," "blood-colored," Old French sanguin having the sense "sanguine in temperament" as well. Latin sanguineus was in turn derived from sanguis, "blood," just as English sanguinary is. The English adjective sanguine, first recorded in Middle English before 1350, continues to refer to the cheerfulness and optimism that accompanied a sanguine temperament but no longer has any direct reference to medieval physiology.
Perhaps you cut out already and did not find this as fascinating as I did. I love the etymology of words. I used to have a book about word origins. I think one of my dogs ate it. No really. Anyway, gotta get back to work. Hope you enjoyed todays word lesson.
1 comment:
CJ, I have to admit that I love this stuff, too!
Post a Comment