Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
More sniping at cnn.com
Note to CNN: Polygamy is having more than one wife. Polyandry is having more than one husband. They are not the same, whatever any statute may be titled and however it might be applied. Check your Greek and Latin, folks.
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Actually, you're wrong. Having more than one wife is polygyny. Polygamy is independent of the gender of the spouse, and thus can be applied to either polygyny or polyandry. The relevant root of polygamy is the same one that leads to the word gametes, which are eggs, sperm, and their precursors, whereas the root for polygyny is the same one which gives rise to gynecologist and misogyny. If you're going to snipe at someone for using a word incorrectly, it's best to check and make sure that your own use of it is correct.
2 comments:
Actually, you're wrong. Having more than one wife is polygyny. Polygamy is independent of the gender of the spouse, and thus can be applied to either polygyny or polyandry. The relevant root of polygamy is the same one that leads to the word gametes, which are eggs, sperm, and their precursors, whereas the root for polygyny is the same one which gives rise to gynecologist and misogyny. If you're going to snipe at someone for using a word incorrectly, it's best to check and make sure that your own use of it is correct.
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