Editor's Corner

Dear Editrix,

Here’s a stray linguistic thought: Why do we “take” a shower or “take” a bath? We could “go into,” or “have,” or “get,” or “use,” etc. Why “take”?

San Diego Stray

Dear Stray,

My first thought is that we take a shower (or a bath) so that we smell good and don’t scare away our friends. But of course, I jest. This is a huge topic. One article I read said that take is the tenth most common verb in English. I did a search for idioms involving the word take, because I thought I might get some clues about the different ways the word is used. I found almost 400 idioms! I did not have the heart or the time to look at them all, but I did include a few of them further below.

Before I get to those, though, here is the definition of take from Merriam-Webster:

take (verb)
to get into one’s hands or into one’s possession, power, or control by force or stratagem: to seize or capture physically

And a few details and select idioms from the Online Etymology Dictionary:

Late Old English tacan "to take, seize," from a Scandinavian source (such as Old Norse taka "take, grasp, lay hold," past tense tok, past participle tekinn; Swedish ta, past participle tagit), from Proto-Germanic *takan- (source also of Middle Low German tacken, Middle Dutch taken, Gothic tekan "to touch"), from Germanic root *tak- "to take," of uncertain origin, perhaps originally meaning "to touch.”

OED calls take "one of the elemental words of the language;" take up alone has 55 varieties of meaning in that dictionary’s 2nd print edition. Basic sense is "to lay hold of," which evolved to "accept, receive" (as in take my advice) c. 1200; "absorb" (take a punch) c. 1200; "choose, select" (take the high road) late 13c.; "to make, obtain" (take a shower) late 14c.; "to become affected by" (take sick) c. 1300.

Take five is 1929, from the approximate time it takes to smoke a cigarette. Take it easy first recorded 1880; take the plunge "act decisively" is from 1876; take the rap "accept (undeserved) punishment" is from 1930. Phrase take it or leave it is recorded from 1897. To take it out on (someone or something) "vent one’s anger on other than what caused it" is by 1840

Now here are a few idioms I selected. If you want to take a look at more, you can visit The Free Dictionary’s idiom page for take here.

1. take a backseat (to become less important than something or someone else)
2. take a dirt nap (die and be buried)
3. take a dive (boxing – pretend to be knocked out: soccer – “to fall to the ground and make a very ostentatious display that one is in pain and anguish after making contact with an opposing player”: stock market – suddenly become lower in value)
4. take a fancy to (to like someone; develop a fondness for)
5. take after (resemble a close, older relative)
6. take care of (be responsible for: to deal with something: to tip someone: to kill someone)
7. take down a notch (humble someone)
8. take it easy (good-bye, be careful: treat someone carefully: calm down)
9. take off (leave)
10. take one’s hat off to (express admiration)

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

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I recently read an article about “formal fused words.” These words are combined to create a fixed expression, and the process of forming them is called “univerbation.”

Some examples of formalfused words are hereinafter and whensoever. They are not words we use very often, but we are vaguely familiar with many of them. We do, however, often use many fused words that are not so formal—words like although and whenever,for example.

The article I read breaks fused words down into three categories and provides descriptions. I found it interesting, so I’ve copied that part of the article for you. To read the entire article, click here.

Adverbs

Many compound adverbs, such as those beginning with any (anyone, anything, and so on), are entirely acceptable, as is the slightly more formal however, as well as thereafter, therefore, nevertheless, and nonetheless, but the following words may be seen as pedantic:

· hereinafter: following this part of this document or writing

· hereinbefore: preceding this part of this document or writing

· heretofore: up to this time

· hitherto: up to this time

· howsoever: in whatever manner, to whatever degree or extent

· insomuch: to such a degree

· therein: in that place, thing, or time, or in that particular or respect

· thereinafter: following the part of that document or writing

· thereinbefore: preceding the part of that document or writing

· theretofore: up to that time

Conjunctions

Some compound conjunctions (such as although) are familiar, but the following might be seen as distractingly formal:

· albeit: even though

· forasmuch as: in view of the fact that

· howbeit: even though

· inasmuch as: in view of the fact that, or in the degree that

· insofar: to such degree or extent

· whensoever: at any or every time

· wheresoever: anywhere at all

Prounouns

Whatever, whenever, and so on, are everyday words, and whatnot is common though it may be perceived as substandard dialect, but the following are stiff:

· whatsoever: anything or everything, or no matter what, or anything that might also be mentioned (also an adjective)

· whosoever: whatever person, or no matter who

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

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Yesterday I started a discussion of different terms we use to say goodbye. There were so many things to talk about, I had to split it into two days! For fun on day two, here are some slang goodbyes from Phrase Mix:

• Catch you later.
  This is a variation on "See you later" that you might use if you want to seem super-casual. You might imagine a surfer using this phrase.
• Peace!/Peace out.
  "Peace!" as a way to say goodbye comes from hip-hop music and culture. It sounds very casual. "Peace out" is the same but it was popular in the early 1990s. Today it sounds very dated.
• I’m out!
  "I’m out!" is also connected with hip-hop. It’s something that you can say when you’re glad to be leaving. For example, you might say "I’m out!" to your coworkers as you’re leaving your part time job for the day.

And lastly, here’s one that I find interesting because the words “so long” can mean goodbye, but they could also mean a measurement of time or distance. “That movie was so long, I feel asleep before the first half.” Here’s the etymology from Online Etymology Dictionary:

so long (interjection)

parting salutation, 1860, of unknown origin, perhaps from a German idiom (compare German parting salutation adieu so lange, the full sense of which probably is something like "farewell, whilst (we’re apart)"); or perhaps from Hebrew shalom (via Yiddish sholom). Some have noted a similarity to Scandinavian leave-taking phrases, such as Norwegian Adjø så lenge, Farvel så lenge, Mor’n så lenge, literally "bye so long, farewell so long, morning so long;" and Swedish Hej så länge "good-bye for now," with så länge "for now" attested since 1850 according to Swedish sources. Most etymology sources seem to lean toward the German origin. So long (adv.) "for such a long time" is from late Old English.

Earlier guesses that it was a sailors’ corruption of a South Pacific form of Arabic salaam are not now regarded as convincing. "Dictionary of American Slang" also adds to the list of candidates Irish slán "safe," said to be used as a salutation in parting. The phrase seems to have turned up simultaneously in America, Britain, and perhaps Canada, originally among lower classes. First attested use is in title and text of the last poem in Whitman’s "Leaves of Grass" in the 1860 edition.

An unknown sphere, more real than I dream’d, more direct, darts awakening rays about me — So long!
Remember my words — I may again return,
I love you — I depart from materials;
I am as one disembodied, triumphant, dead.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

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Symitar Documentation Services

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Greetings Editrix,

I have a friend who keeps telling me, “toodles.” This got me thinking about the less common phrases of farewells and greetings, like “yo,” or “ta-ta.” Do you have any insight on this? And do you have a sillier word than “toodles” that I can one-up her with?

Sincerely,
Had Me at Hello

Dear Had Me at Hello,

What a wonderful question! We’ve discussed greetings before, but none of these goodies! As I mentioned in my email back to you, I think toodleoo is the big daddy of toodles. Looking up toodleoo, I see it is spelled several different ways:

· toot-a-loo

· too-da-loo

· toodaloo

· toodle-oo

· toodleoo

I would also add toodles to that list, as an abbreviated version. From the Phrase Finder:

The British term ‘toodle-oo’ is a fellow-traveller of various terms associated with walking or departing in a carefree manner – toddle, tootle and their extended forms toddle-off and tootle-pip. Let’s also not forget tootle-oo, which is a commonly heard alternative form of toodle-oo, and also its Irish variant tooraloo.

Tootle is a variant of toddle, both meaning ‘walk in a leisurely manner’. Toddle, which is really the base word which leads eventually to toodle-oo, is moderately old and makes an appearance in print in Allan Ramsay’s The tea-table miscellany, or a collection of Scots songs, 1724:

"Could na my love come todlen hame." [toddling home]

The word is still with us in the term ‘toddle off’ which, although somewhat archaic in sound, is still commonplace in the UK at least.

In French class, I heard that all of those words were from a misspoken French phrase “à tout à l’heure” which essentially means “see you later.” My research did not lead me to any definite answer about the verity of that etymology.

I did find some other ways to say goodbye, all listed as informal. Two were British: ta-ta and pip-pip. Ta-ta is also spelled about six different ways and I couldn’t find an etymology for it. Pip-pip is supposed to be from the early 1900s and is a “slangy salutation” that is supposed to be the imitation of a bicycle horn noise.

I also found an Australian way to say goodbye: hooroo or ooroo. According to Wikipedia, these are from the words hooray or hurray. (Apparently, the Australians were very excitable and used hooray to mean goodbye, too.)

I notice a lot of people use terms from other languages to say goodbye, and I think the average American knows that they mean goodbye, even if they can’t pinpoint the language. Some of these are:

· Adieu (French)

· Au revoir (French)

· Ciao (Italian)

· Adios (Spanish)

· Sayonara (Japanese)

More tomorrow! Until then, hooroo!

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

Symitar Documentation Services

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The other day I was perusing the Nextdoor.com website and noticed that someone posted a message with a subject line that started with ISO. I didn’t know what ISO meant, so I looked it up. ISO is an abbreviation for “in search of.”

Here are some more internet abbreviations from Dictionary.com, some of which you may already be familiar with. Note: This is not a complete list of every existing internet abbreviation.

IRL: in real life

TL; DR: too long; didn’t read

GPOY: gratuitous picture of yourself

NSFW: not safe for work

SMH: shaking my head

TBH: to be honest

NBD: no big deal

IMO: in my opinion

JSYK: just so you know

Jackie Solano | Technical Editor | Symitar®

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Vocabulary Quiz: Commonly Confused Words

The following quiz comes to you from Daily Writing Tips. See how well you do. I’ve placed the answers far down toward the bottom so that you don’t “accidentally cheat.” You’re so competitive!

If more than one word seems correct, choose the one that seems best.

And have fun!

1. She likes to __________ his facial tics.
a) imitate
b) emulate

2. He __________ a talent for music when he was very young.
a) evoked
b) evinced

3. The floral print __________ her green blouse.
a) complimented
b) complemented

4. They __________ the tension by beginning with an apology.
a) diffused
b) defused

5. The __________ look on her face told him that his excuse had not satisfied her.
a) incredulous
b) incredible

Answers and Explanations

1. She likes to imitate his facial tics.
a) imitate

To emulate is to try to be like someone or something admired; to imitate is to copy behavior or another quality.

2. He evinced a talent for music when he was very young.
b) evinced

To evince is to reveal or to demonstrate evidence of; to evoke is to bring to mind or call forth.

3. The floral print complemented her green blouse.
b) complemented

To compliment is to express one’s admiration or approval; to complement is to add so as to complete or enhance.

4. They defused the tension by beginning with an apology.
b) defused

To defuse is to reduce the impact of an unpleasant quality; diffuse means to spread out over a wide area.

5. The incredulous look on her face told him that his excuse had not satisfied her.
a) incredulous

Incredible means “unbelievable” or “extremely good or large”; incredulous means “disbelieving.” (His excuse may have been unbelievable, but her expression was one of disbelief.)

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

Symitar Technical Publications Writing and Editing Requests

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It seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve shared something with you from Daily Writing Tips. This is a portion of an article by Mark Nichol, called “50 Foreign Terms That Aren’t Foreign.” I am including the link to the article but not the complete list. Feel free to explore the remainder of the list here.

English is a very welcoming language, adopting terms indiscriminately from other tongues. Many publishers observe a distinction between naturalized words and those still considered foreign, honoring the assimilation of the former by refraining from using any visual emphasis and italicizing those in the latter category.

The careful writer will honor this distinction, but how is one to know to which class a particular word or phrase belongs? Adopted words will appear in the dictionary, while words or phrases that have not received a green card remain relegated to a print dictionary’s appendix, if any. Or, check out this virtual cheat sheet, which lists words and phrases (with brief definitions) that do not merit italicization.

· à la carte: priced separately

· à la mode: fashionable; topped with ice cream

· ad hoc: formed for a special purpose

· apropos: opportune or relevant

· attaché: a diplomatic technical expert; a briefcase

· avant-garde: innovative

· carte blanche: full permission

· caveat emptor: let the buyer beware

· doppelgänger: an alter ego, double, or ghost; someone with the same name as someone else

· en masse: as a whole, in one body

· faux pas: an error [KC – Pronounced
/ˌfō ˈpä/, not “fox paws.”]

· non sequitur: a statement that does not logically follow what was previously said

· per se: by itself

· prima facie: apparent, self-evident, or at first view

· pro bono: donated

· realpolitik: practical rather than theoretical politics

· tête-à-tête: a private conversation; a piece of furniture designed to facilitate one

· tour de force: an impressive display or feat

Faux pas:

Fox paws:

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services

I hope you all had fun celebrating Independence Day yesterday, July 2.

On this day in 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.—I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival."

What’s that you say? Independence Day isn’t until tomorrow?

Now that you mention it, I didn’t hear any fireworks last night. Did Adams get the date wrong? Maybe the National Archives can clear up this confusion:

"July 2, 1776 is the day that the Continental Congress actually voted for independence. John Adams, in his writings, even noted that July 2 would be remembered in the annals of American history and would be marked with fireworks and celebrations. The written Declaration of Independence was dated July 4 but wasn’t actually signed until August 2. Fifty-six delegates eventually signed the document, although all were not present on that day in August."

It turns out those July 4 picnics, barbecues, and parades aren’t marking the anniversary of America’s independence; they’re marking the anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence.

So, if you find yourself with some free time tomorrow, you can take 10 minutes to read the document we’re celebrating. The Declaration of Independence is written in an appropriately grandiose style, but it’s pretty easy for modern readers to understand.

To make it even easier, here are definitions for some of the less common words you’ll encounter. (All definitions are from Merriam-Webster.)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

· unalienable: incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes…"

· prudence: caution or circumspection as to danger or risk

· transient: passing especially quickly into and out of existence

"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government…"

· usurp: to seize or exercise authority or possession wrongfully

· evince: to display clearly; reveal

· despotism: a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power; absolutism

"…unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only."

· relinquish: give up

· inestimable: too valuable or excellent to be measured or appreciated

· formidable: causing fear, dread, or apprehension

"…circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages…"

· perfidy: the quality or state of being faithless or disloyal; treachery

"We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity…"

· magnanimous: showing or suggesting a lofty and courageous spirit

"They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity."

· consanguinity: a close relation or connection

"…appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions…"

· rectitude: moral integrity; righteousness

Ben Ritter | Technical Editor | Symitar®
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One of our readers asked if I’d ever done anything on the word “engineer.” He said that some people argue that software engineers are not engineers at all, because they don’t deal with physical laws of electricity, motion, strength, etc. Well, looking at the etymologies for engine and engineer, I would argue that software engineers can rightly claim that title!

Here is the etymology of engine:

c. 1300, "mechanical device," especially one used in war; "manner of construction," also "skill, craft, innate ability; deceitfulness, trickery," from Old French engin "skill, wit, cleverness," also "trick, deceit, stratagem; war machine" (12c.), from Latin ingenium "innate qualities, ability; inborn character," in Late Latin "a war engine, battering ram" (Tertullian, Isidore of Seville)

Sense of "device that converts energy to mechanical power" is 18c.; in 19c. especially of steam engines. Middle English also had ingeny (n.) "gadget, apparatus, device," directly from Latin ingenium.

Here is the etymology of engineer:

mid-14c., enginour, "constructor of military engines," from Old French engigneor "engineer, architect, maker of war-engines; schemer" (12c.), from Late Latin ingeniare (see engine); general sense of "inventor, designer" is recorded from early 15c.; civil sense, in reference to public works, is recorded from c. 1600 but not the common meaning of the word until 19c (hence lingering distinction as civil engineer). Meaning "locomotive driver" is first attested 1832, American English. A "maker of engines" in ancient Greece was a mekhanopoios

And for a broader definition from Wikipedia, we have this:

Engineering is the application of mathematics and scientific, economic, social, and practical knowledge in order to invent, innovate, design, build, maintain, research, and improve structures, machines, tools, systems, components, materials, processes, solutions, and organizations.

The discipline of engineering is extremely broad and encompasses a range of more specialized fields of engineering, each with a more specific emphasis on particular areas of applied science, technology and types of application.

The term engineering is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning "cleverness" and ingeniare, meaning "to contrive, devise."

It sounds like being an engineer—whether the conductor of a train, the maker of a gadget, or just being clever—is a good thing!

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

Symitar Documentation Services

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Dictionary.com presented a list called “15 Funny Words You Probably Don’t Know.” I’m going to share some of the words today. I’m not sharing all of them because, honestly, I think we do know most of them. If you’re curious, you can see the entire list here.

· bumfuzzle: to confuse or fluster (from the southern U.S.)

· dongle: a little piece of computer equipment [dbb – This is new to me, but I’ll bet quite a few of you already know the word.]

· fartlek: a training technique associated with runners (Swedish in origin) [dbb – Oh, grow up, all of you!]

· mugwump: originally referred to a republican who refused to support James G. Blaine in the presidential campaign of 1884; also refers to a person who is unable to make up his or her mind on an issue, especially in politics (someone who is neutral on a controversial issue)

· shivoo: a boisterous party or celebration (Australian in origin)

· snollygoster: a clever unscrupulous person (dates back to the 1840s; not generally used today) [dbb – This is my new favorite word.]

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

Symitar Technical Publications Writing and Editing Requests

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