STYLITE

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Dr. Goodword
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STYLITE

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sun May 17, 2009 11:12 pm

• stylite •

Pronunciation: stai-lait • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: No, not a stylish socialite, just the opposite: an ascetic monk who does penance by living atop a column. (Yes, I proof-read the sentence.)

Notes: Occasionally we run a totally useless word because it has a fascinating story. This is definitely such a word. It comes from the name of the first column-sitter, St. Simeon Stylites (pronounced [sti-lee-teez]) (390-459 AD), immortalized in a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson named, appropriately enough, St. Simeon Stylites. He was first followed by two other, younger monks known in Church history as Simeon the Younger and Simeon III. Many others followed these.

In Play: The first three St. Simeons were followed by many other monks who wished to get above it all and live closer to God. Some built huts atop their columns to protect them from the sun and rain; some created hollow columns and lived inside them. Most, however, lived atop a column, perhaps forerunning the recurring fad of flagpole-sitting.

Word History: The use of this word in history is fascinating enough but the history of the word itself is just as riveting. The word comes from late Classical Greek stylites from stylos "pillar". The question, of course, is how did this word end up as English style? It did. Here's how: Latin had a word, stilus "spike", that referred to an instrument used in writing. The Greek word was so close in spelling and meaning that the Latin word soon became stylus, borrowed as is by English to refer to a primitive writing utensil. In Latin, however, it was used metaphorically to refer to a writer's style, just as an English-speaker's pen or hand may be his or her style of writing. This sense of the word dribbled down to French, whence English borrowed it. (We are happy that Monroe Thomas Clewis suggested this bizarre item for today's Good Word column.)
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skinem
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Postby skinem » Tue May 19, 2009 8:41 am

Thanks for the good word...and a very specialized word. Now I have a more formal word for a post turtle.

You know what stylite looks and sounds like to me? Some 1950s invented advertising word for a car model or furniture model line...of course it would need to be pronounced style-lite. :D

Stargzer
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Postby Stargzer » Wed May 20, 2009 12:24 am

Style-Lite -- The Light Beer of Styles!

Oh, God, what sickening concept! Even worse than e[Anything other than EMail]!
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee


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