Project One
Etymology, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is the "method of investigating the roots
of a word in attempting to clarify what is thought to be its actual actual definition," or "the
circumstances concerning the history of a specific term or the intellectual history of its The
concept of In general, it is the study of word roots and past that demonstrates how words have
evolved over time. The term itself has a variety of origins, including French and Roman.
Etymology can be an intriguing topic for investigation because of its ancient element. This is
thus since, despite interpretations evolving throughout time, a word's connotation never changes.
Also, it's intriguing since it contributes to the resolution of issues like "why does this term mean
that," and "how did it come to signify that?"
Etymology is something that I personally think to be both immensely intriguing and essential. It
has made it possible for me to have a deeper understanding of both the words themselves and the
matter or environment in which they are being used. To every experience I have with etymology,
my respect for it has only been stronger. Even though having dealt with it all my life, it wasn't
until high school that I became aware of it.
For instance, I can recall sitting in class and attempting to decipher the meaning of a poem that
was transcribed in the 1600s and 1700s, more than a century after it was originally written. I was
able to grasp the text in sections as well as in entirety by applying contemporary meanings that I
have learned and grown to comprehend to the poem's phrases. But more lately, I've come across
etymology in my scientific studies (such as anatomy), which meant that I needed to learn the
Latin roots of words in so that I could relate them to various terminology we used and sound
right of phrases and internal organs that seemed to be incomprehensible. The far more
remarkable thing about this is that you can grasp many words at once much more clearly if you
know the root or origin of each one and can see the subtle connections among certain terms.
Because even though I've come across etymology a number of times and have grown to love the
study of words, I didn't realize I had been studying this specific discipline throughout my
schooling until class two days ago, when we talked about its meaning and significance. After
looking into the term's origins, I can relate this subject to the word "care," which we covered
extensively in class last time.
The term "care" has many various meanings and implications, which is what I find most
distinctive about it. It can be used to take care of your family, your schooling, your possessions
so they don't get broken, and ill people in a hospital setting. Even though each of these situations
is utterly unique, "attention" is still required. What then is care?
Returning to the Oxford English Dictionary, we see that the word "care" derives its meaning
from a variety of languages, including German, Old Saxon, English, and more (possibly
explaining why it also has many different definitions). According to the meanings provided, it
also implies "mental anguish, sorrow, sadness, difficulty," a "encumbered state of mind coming
from worry, doubt, or anxiety about something," and/or "important or grave mental attention." Its
etymology suggests that it refers to "bed of trouble or disease." Care is, therefore, mostly a
deliberate, mental activity.
The word's negative meaning, though, is something I must disagree with. Although I believe that
caring for anything, living or not, involves some amount of hardship, I believe that love has more
to do with caring than simply paying attention to a problem. Since maybe I love with all in my
body and nothing less, I have this conception of caring... And when you care about someone (or
something) so deeply, you want to do all in your power to ensure their happiness and that they
become the greatest versions of themselves—both in mind and body.
The definition of care in a healthcare context may differ from my personal conception of what it
means. Because you may not "love" these sick people the way you would "love" your family,
friends, or a significant other, you may not "love" them as a nurse or medical professional.
Nevertheless, in the end, I believe that this definition of care—being actually associated to love
(as opposed to sorrow)—certainly prevails, as these people will mold you in ways that may not
simply have an impact on your career or new projects (in terms of understanding what went
wrong or right in a given instance), and yet also have a profound impact on your hearts (i.e. their
immense appreciation in exchange for your care towards them).
