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Nauseous

Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 10:04 pm
by Dr. Goodword

• nauseous •

Pronunciation: naw-zee-ês • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: Causing an urge to vomit, nauseating. (Most dictionaries would also include "nauseated" as a definition, but see our Notes.)

Notes: Choosing among the various adjectives derived from nauseate is becoming a problem among English speakers. The cause of the urge is either nauseous or nauseating. The experience of nausea leaves you nauseated—not nauseous. A dill pickle with chocolate sauce and whipped cream is nauseous because it nauseates us. We, on the other hand, feel nauseated at the thought of consuming such an 'indelicacy'.

In Play: OK, let's practice the difference we have just learned. "Marge's new perfume is absolutely nauseous; I feel nauseated every time I smell it." Certain types of motion can nauseate us, too: "The drive up Pike's Peak was so nauseous I threw up when we reached the top." That's enough; I find writing about such things is nauseous.

Word History: Of course, nothing is more likely to nauseate us than sailing on a ship, so wouldn't you just know that nausea is based on the Greek word naus "ship". Nausia (or nautia) in Greek meant "seasickness". English nautical is based on a derivation of naus, nautes "sailor". This same PIE word turned up in Latin as navis "ship", from which English navy and naval are derived. Latin also made a verb out of navis, navigare "to sail", from which we derived navigate. (We are happy that Rogers George managed to sail today's Good Word to us without any ill effects.)

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:08 am
by mikespeir
"The cause of the urge is either nauseous or nauseating. The experience of nausea leaves you nauseated—not nauseous."

Preach it, brother!

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:15 am
by MTC
Yes, thanks for illuminating the distinction, Dr. Beard.

About the nautical word root, I find it helpful to remember nauSEA. Also, the related loan word English "borrowed" from the French without repayment is "mal de mer."

Free associating, I wonder whether the "mer" in merchant and mercator ultimately derive from "mare" the Latin word for sea?

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:29 am
by Slava
An excellent word, and one that easily lends itself to a nice insult.

"Are you feeling okay?"
"Fine, why do you ask?"
"Because you look nauseous to me."

Just take care the recipient isn't on the αD mailing list!

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:15 pm
by Philip Hudson
People who say they are nauseous, when they really mean nauseated, really nauseate me. And they are legion.

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:08 pm
by bamaboy56
MTC said
Free associating, I wonder whether the "mer" in merchant and mercator ultimately derive from "mare" the Latin word for sea?
These comparisons to Latin always catch my eye. The Spanish word for sea is "mar", therefore the Spanish word for seasick is "mariado". The same word is also used to mean "dizzy". Being seasick and dizzy could both lead to nausea, no doubt.

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Sat May 06, 2017 4:18 am
by bnjtokyo
Here it is again

I am surprised no one else has commented on James Comey's use of "nauseous" in his statements before a Senate committee on May 3. (He was "mildly nauseous to think" that his comments last fall could have had an effect on the election a few days later.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/04/opin ... imace.html

Have the visitors to this forum become inured to such usage?

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 6:16 pm
by Philip Hudson
Slava:
Re:"Are you feeling okay?"
"Fine, why do you ask?"
"Because you look nauseous to me."
This use of nauseous is by way of being a malapropism. I love malapropisms.

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 6:21 pm
by Philip Hudson
The Yankee way of pronouncing Nauseous as "NAH-zush" "Nauseouseates" all of us here in the Hinterlands.

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 9:10 am
by misterdoe
I just say queasy. :?

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 9:14 am
by misterdoe
Slava and Philip: is that malaprop-ism or just malaprop? :?

Re: Nauseous

Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 4:55 pm
by gwray
I am impressed by the word-craft in
http://calvinandhobbes.wikia.com/wiki/A ... s_Nocturne
by Bill Watterson