CHTHONIC

[Dr. Goodword]

• chthonic •

Pronunciation: thahn-nik • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: 1. Dwelling in or under the earth. 2. Related to the underworld of ancient gods and spirits who tend to be evil.

Notes: Today's Good Word begins with a silent CH, something unusual for the language. However, these letters are silent only at the beginning of the word. If the word is prefixed, they are pronounced [k], as in autochthonic [aw-tahk-thah-nik] "indigenous", as the Cherokees, Croatans, and Chippewas are among the autochthonic peoples of North America. (Autochthonous is OK, too.)

In Play: You can find many places in conversations for the literal sense of today's Good Word: "Since my workshop is in the basement, I remain in close contact with several little chthonic creatures that co-inhabit my house." Its metaphorical undertones require a bit more subtlety: "Mickey is an affable enough fellow but I sense a chthonic layer in his humor that makes me uneasy."

Word History: Today's Good Word comes from Greek khthon "earth, ground" which was derived from the PIE root *dhghem- "earth, ground". This same root gave us chameleon from Greek khamaileon "ground lion" made up of chamai "on the ground" + leon "lion". Chamomile, as in chamomile tea, started out as Greek khamaimelon "ground apple", made up of the same chamai + melon "apple". In Latin this same root became humus "earth", which underlies derived humus, humble, and humid. One last related stem is Latin homo "person, man" that underlies not only homicide but also homage. It went on to become homme in French and hombre in Spanish. (Thanks to a semichthonic spirit of the Alpha Agora, Roger "Sluggo" Pyle, for bringing today's lowly word to the surface.)

[bamaboy56]

Gollum! That's what I thought of when I read this word. Guess my Tolkien is showing again. It's about time to hit the trilogy again.

[Slava]

Gollum! That's what I thought of when I read this word. Guess my Tolkien is showing again. It's about time to hit the trilogy again.

Harrumph! Why would you forgo the origin?

[LukeJavan8]

Gollum! That's what I thought of when I read this word. Guess my Tolkien is showing again. It's about time to hit the trilogy again.

At least once a year I hit LOTR.

[Philip Hudson]

Slava: Please elucidate on your comment, "Harrumph! Why would you forgo the origin?" As a relatively unlearned red-neck, I sometimes don't understand what y'all erudite folks are saying. I didn't understand this comment.

I thought of Gollum too. I re-read LOTR at intervals. I am a constant re-reader. Dickens is always good for a refresher. Do any of you re-read the most important book of fiction ever written: “Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass”? “The time has come, the walrus said...”

Someone please tell me how to put segments of another person’s post in little white boxes? It is a neat way to quote.

[Perry Lassiter]

I re-read my favorites all the time. I have several versions of Alice including one with historical notes. Amazes me how often quotes show up in the most serious and supposedly erudite works. I'm always re-reading Shakespeare, esp Hamlet, the Tempest, and Midsummer Night's Dream.

I think the white boxes come from punching the quote button in the upper right, but I've never experimented with them.

[Slava]

Slava: Please elucidate on your comment, "Harrumph! Why would you forgo the origin?" As a relatively unlearned red-neck, I sometimes don't understand what y'all erudite folks are saying. I didn't understand this comment.

I was just wondering why just the trilogy and not The Hobbit.

Someone please tell me how to put segments of another person’s post in little white boxes? It is a neat way to quote.

1. Copy the text you want to quote
2. With the blinking cursor in your message box, click on the Quote button just below the subject line
3. Paste the text
4. Click the Quote button again.
5. Check Preview before posting to make sure it's what you want.

[LukeJavan8]

I never really got into the Hobbit. I am curious as all
out to see how Peter Jackson is taking that one little
book and dividing it into two movies, whereas it
was only three movies to cover the entire of LOTR.