Comments on: Right / Left http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/right-left/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kevin http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/right-left/comment-page-1/#comment-41278 Kevin Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:43:56 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6342#comment-41278 [It appears that Greek script may be a problem on your site, so this is an amended repost. Please delete my previous post.] <blockquote>some authorities think the source of “sinister” was the Sanskrit “saniyan,” meaning “more useful” or “friendlier,” which would make “sinister” another pathetic attempt to butter up the evil left side.</blockquote> Is there something similar going on in Greek, where aristerá = "left" and áristos = "best"? [It appears that Greek script may be a problem on your site, so this is an amended repost. Please delete my previous post.]

some authorities think the source of “sinister” was the Sanskrit “saniyan,” meaning “more useful” or “friendlier,” which would make “sinister” another pathetic attempt to butter up the evil left side.

Is there something similar going on in Greek, where aristerá = “left” and áristos = “best”?

]]> By: Ray http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/right-left/comment-page-1/#comment-34013 Ray Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:13:28 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6342#comment-34013 Thank you for a very interesting site, and this very interesting post. Words are so interesting. English is such a combination. I am an English teacher in Bangkok Thailand, yet originally from New Zealand. Teaching in Asia adds another dimension to this Left/Right, as many Asian students have difficulty pronouncing the "R" and say "L" My name Ray is often pronounced Lay. so Right becomes Light. Light & Left :) Thank you Elizabeth for you interesting reply. thank you for your site & posts, http://www.bangkokenglishcourse.com Ray :) Thank you for a very interesting site, and this very interesting post.
Words are so interesting. English is such a combination.
I am an English teacher in Bangkok Thailand, yet originally from New Zealand.
Teaching in Asia adds another dimension to this Left/Right, as many Asian students have difficulty pronouncing the “R” and say “L”
My name Ray is often pronounced Lay.
so Right becomes Light. Light & Left :)

Thank you Elizabeth for you interesting reply.

thank you for your site & posts,

http://www.bangkokenglishcourse.com

Ray :)

]]> By: Bruce Fisher http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/right-left/comment-page-1/#comment-32867 Bruce Fisher Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:55:09 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6342#comment-32867 That explains French route directions 'tout droit' meaning straight on. That explains French route directions ‘tout droit’
meaning straight on.

]]> By: Elizabeth http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/right-left/comment-page-1/#comment-32587 Elizabeth Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:10:53 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6342#comment-32587 Very interesting post. I discovered your website just a few months back, and love that it exists. Someone who wonders about words and actually goes and finds their origins! To add a bit to the conversation, studies of the brain show the left half is the language center, and where most logical and detail-oriented thinking originates, while the right half is the creative, kooky side, which deals with the whole picture. Each half of the brain controls the opposite side of the body: left half = right side of body, right half = left side of body. I've read that since the left half is the only one which "speaks", we may have come up with these words and meanings because the left side (which controls the right hand) of the brain is maligning the mute, and quite different, right (which controls the left hand). A silly idea, maybe, but a fun one. Very interesting post. I discovered your website just a few months back, and love that it exists. Someone who wonders about words and actually goes and finds their origins!

To add a bit to the conversation, studies of the brain show the left half is the language center, and where most logical and detail-oriented thinking originates, while the right half is the creative, kooky side, which deals with the whole picture.

Each half of the brain controls the opposite side of the body: left half = right side of body, right half = left side of body.

I’ve read that since the left half is the only one which “speaks”, we may have come up with these words and meanings because the left side (which controls the right hand) of the brain is maligning the mute, and quite different, right (which controls the left hand). A silly idea, maybe, but a fun one.

]]> By: ANGRY BIRD FAQ | CHROMANGA.COM http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/right-left/comment-page-1/#comment-32336 ANGRY BIRD FAQ | CHROMANGA.COM Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:34:29 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6342#comment-32336 [...] Right / Left « The Word Detective [...] [...] Right / Left « The Word Detective [...]

]]>