The following lists illustrate common
everyday words arranged by subject that portray often overlooked trivia about
word formation. They help to remind us that words and the objects that
words symbolize [or represent] are actually two different things. Simply
stated, words suggest parts of objective reality. They speak about particular
facets, functions, and resemblance's but seldom, if ever, capture
the entire reality.
Each word [name] below was chosen for a special reason.
Can you tell the reasons why each of these words were chosen to symbolize
their respective objects?
Special Note: some of the spellings on these lists may be incorrect.
[E.M.]
Living Room Objects: window, sofa, armchair, recliner, rockingchair,
footrest, television, VCR, remote, light, airconditioner, fireplace, hands
[of clock], [television or TV] screen, [window] screen, [movie] screen, drapes
Dining Room Objects: silverware, china
Kitchen Objects: range, microwave, toaster, refrigerator, freezer, sink, glass, dish [disc], fork, wastebasket, garbage disposal
Bedroom Objects: glasses, comforter, closet, radio, telephone, blinds, [lamp] shade, headboard
Bathroom Objects: vanity, sink, drain, toothbrush, mouthwash, aftershave, plunger
Basement Objects: fruitcellar, boiler, heater, washer, dryer, freezer, hardware, [paint] roller
Garage Objects: bicycle, tricycle, motorcycle, automobile, bigwheel, lawn mower, extension cord, lock, wing nut
Automobile Parts: bumper, headlight, blinker, radiator, idlerarm, A-frame, spring, shock, balljoint, wiper, hood, manifold, distributor, coil, heater, glove compartment, glovebox, transmission, sunroof, differential, trunk, tail pipe, exhaust pipe, radio, speakers
Places: basement, living room, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, drugstore, Quicktrip, Stop-N-Go, 7-Eleven, subway, vineyard, Pacific [Ocean]
Buildings: White House, Pentagon
Foods: ice cream, pineapple, peanuts, watermelon, orange, grape,
strawberry, blueberry, squash, acorn squash, bell pepper, hot-dog, jellybean,
crackers, cotton candy, snow cone, cupcake, ice cube
Plants: cattail, daisy, sunflower, fir tree
People: shorty, skinny, fatty, blob, whale, speedy, snail, bookworm, nerd, jock, crowd
Body Parts: eyebrow, forehead, tailbone
Clothing: sweater, sweatshirt, sweatpants, underwear, tongue [of shoe],
[neck] tie, [eye] glasses, wrist watch
Sports Items: bowling ball, soccer ball, football, baseball, tennis ball, basketball, beach ball, golf ball
Animals: goldfish, fly, fruitfly, dragonfly, firefly, lightningbug, glowbug, flea
Holidays: Passover, Christmas, Thanksgiving
Seasons: Fall, Spring
Computer Terms: mouse, mouse pad, monitor, keyboard, disk, CD, memory, laptop, World Wide Web, Web site, internet [not internets, mind you], firewall, screen name, chat room, spam, virus, homepage, LCD
Outdoor Objects: sprinkler, [door] handle, doorbell, snowman
Misc. Objects: carriage, bow [of ship], transistor, resistor, capacitor, microphone, microscope, telescope, earring, bracelet, watch, necklace, backpack, lipstick, crabgrass, swimsuit, swimming pool, submarine, curb, highway, post-its, folder, notebook, envelope, eraser, rubberband, calculator, typewriter, cash register, bookend, globe, newspaper, headlines, yellow pages, triangle, walker, currency, cell phone, makeover, perm, congress, handle, building, wallboard, floorboard, baseboard, fireworks, skeleton crew, [fishing] lure, astronaut
Though it may be fairly easy to discern the
reasons why most of the above words were chosen to symbolize [or represent]
their respective objects, the truth is that I could have chosen just about
any word in existence. However, I made the effort to choose fairly easy to
decipher words.
What some people generally overlook is that people should be
able to decipher the historical meanings for practically every word. That
is, if people are truly knowledgeable about the history of words, they should
be able to explain how each and every word got its name, along with what
each and every word was originally intended to symbolize and/or represent.
Further Reading ...
After looking at these lists, it may
become evident that words are used to remind, or to call attention
to what objects appear to be, appear to do, or appear to resemble. In
other words, words serve to capture parts and pieces of objects,
so to speak.
In cases where we find objects named according to their basic
resemblance to other objects and/or other facets of objects, we often
find the known used to describe the unknown. Or a part
used to describe a whole. Thus, numeric, written, genetic, and/or
computer language for example.
Now, there are also times when the same symbol or sound, in
fact the very same word, is apparently used to describe two or more different
objects. As with the word orange. The meaning for orange must
be derived according to its particular context [relationship] with other
words and this becomes especially true when looking for the meanings to several
other words as well. Accordingly, sight and sound provide most of the real
context between various parts of the known world. For another example, consider
how a live and a written speech are usually very different in character.
For, even though a live speech may in fact involve a written speech, give
the same written speech to another person and the live performance comes
out differently. Believe it or not, this is exactly what happens every time
a particular observer looks at, talks about, or reads a sentence about any
particular object.
What does all of this suggest? Perhaps it helps to remind us
that the medium in which any particular object resides, is in fact, not any
particular object at all. That, in fact, this is a living medium. This is
a living witness. And serving the memorable copyright of same.
[E.M.]
