Richard@DecisionSkills wrote:davidbanner99@ wrote:Of course, learning these things is of no benefit because the language is quite dead.
There could be some benefit to learning a dead language. It really depends on how you will use it. For example, understanding a dead language could lead to discovery of a lost city. Or maybe it leads to evidence that humanity came to earth from outside the solar system.
I’m not necessarily saying Latin. My only point is that there are useful reasons for a person to learn a dead language. I see it being extremely useful for an anthropologist or historian.
For your area of interest, learning Latin probably will not be all that useful. But picking up a few bits and pieces of Latin might prove of value.
In ‘decision science’ I find it fascinating that the word decide can be traced back to Latin “de” meaning “off” and the suffix “-cide” comes from “caedere” meaning “to cut or kill”.
Think about words like homicide, genocide, pesticide. They all refer to killing. So decide is to cut off or kill the other options.
This is different than a choice, which is traced back to French and can mean to taste or try. A choice then, is reversible as the other options remain available.
How useful is knowing the above? For most people it probably isn’t very valuable, but for me it can make a significant impact. How a system is designed, to be a decision or a choice can be important.
I know it’s subtle, but that’s my two cents.
Here are some words I listed this week. Some may be of interest. The Romans remained in Britain for enough time to strongly influence English:
Exanimatus = alarmed, exhausted
Detraho, detrahere, detraxi, detractum = to remove, pull off
Motus = emotion, commotion
Deficio, deficere, defeci, defectum = falter, come to an end
Adfero, adferere, attuli, allatum = bring
Umerus, umeri = shoulder
Fastidiose = disdainfully
Contemptus = despicable
Queror, queri, questus sum = complain
Circuitu agere = in an underhanded way
Dimico, dimicare, = contend, battle
Nosco, noscere, novi, notum = find out, get to know