zoo

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eberntson
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zoo

Postby eberntson » Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:28 pm

zoo (n.)
c.1847, short for Zoological Gardens of the London Zoological Society, established 1828 in Regent's Park to house the society's collection of wild animals. From comb. form of Greek zoion "an animal," literally "a living being," from PIE root *gwei- "to live, life" (cf. Greek bios "life," Old English cwicu "living;" see bio-). Slang meaning "crowded and chaotic place" first recorded 1935.
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns

Perry Lassiter
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Re: zoo

Postby Perry Lassiter » Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:15 pm

Few comments today. Everyone go on vacation with Doc?
Zoe also means life in Greek. Now I'm gonna have to go find out the difference in connotation, if any.
pl

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Slava
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Re: zoo

Postby Slava » Tue Jun 11, 2013 6:06 pm

To give credit where credit is due, the etymology given above is from www.etymonline.com.

I like the tie-in with cwic, which is the root of quick, as in alive or pregnant. It goes all the way back to PIE and *gwiwo. Ignore the g and pronounce the ws as vs and you get vivo, which means I live.

Lots of life in this little word.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

eberntson
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Re: zoo

Postby eberntson » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:21 pm

Slava is correct it is from www.etymonline.com.

:-)
EBERNTSON
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
whine less, breathe more;
talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
--R. Burns


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