tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post5735695256193168137..comments2023-11-02T01:44:50.012-07:00Comments on Adventures of BruteForce: An Incongruous, Yet Acceptable PronunciationBrute Forcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10214183612902971524noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-81991537795629700712010-12-27T05:38:32.323-08:002010-12-27T05:38:32.323-08:00People really? Pathos = emotion.
Think of sympath...People really? Pathos = emotion. <br />Think of sympathy, empathy, etc.<br />Pathy is not a word, it's a root.<br /><br />I completely agree with the A-pathetic pronunciation.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01541847504494520213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-75034308855861154782010-02-01T20:50:21.110-08:002010-02-01T20:50:21.110-08:00Duke -- After some searching, here's an exampl...Duke -- After some searching, here's an example that might fit your criteria.<br /><br />Agonic, which is pronounced with a long A. No such word as gonic, so I think it has to be two steps removed.Brute Forcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10214183612902971524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-23332382665119455932010-02-01T20:30:11.750-08:002010-02-01T20:30:11.750-08:00I'll give you apathetic if it means the opposi...I'll give you apathetic if it means the opposite of any definition of pathetic that you pick, BF. To get it to mean what you want it to mean, I think you need first lobby for "pathy" to become a word, and then get a new definition of pathetic added (one who has compassion, not one who induces compassion).<br /><br />I gotta side with BM in this one until I find more evidence or at least an example of a word with a long A that is only the opposite of a 2 steps removed root, and not the direct parent word.Dukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06677123157024090273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-5476285290456553502010-02-01T20:26:30.323-08:002010-02-01T20:26:30.323-08:00Hmmm... maybe so. I will have to look for other e...Hmmm... maybe so. I will have to look for other examples, because now that I've conferred with someone else, there is a slight difference (that wasn't really expressed, if it was, I didn't catch it) between 'not pathetic' and 'apathetic'.<br /><br />Pathetic: capacity to move one to either compassionate or contemptuous pity<br /><br />Apathetic: absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.<br /><br />So, on a re-read, it does seem like Not Pathetic is not really the same as Apathetic. Not pathetic, I suppose would mean not in the capacity of moving someone (else) to show compassion or pity. And, apathetic is the absense of passion/emotion, which does not involve another's feelings... only your own.<br /><br />If this is the case, I can buy it.Brute Forcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10214183612902971524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-30770223476553555642010-02-01T20:15:59.174-08:002010-02-01T20:15:59.174-08:00I'm not disagreeing about the pathos root of a...I'm not disagreeing about the pathos root of apathetic. Yes, apathy comes from a-pathy, but we don't pronounce it as such, likely because there's no such adjective as 'pathy', unlike 'septic', 'moral' and 'sexual'. <br /><br />We pronounce the word as apathy, and so being in a state of apathy would be apathetic. If we'd pronounced apathy as a-pathy, then no doubt we would pronounce apathetic as a-pathetic as well.big machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16478787806465633898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-1559380718988738452010-02-01T20:09:50.639-08:002010-02-01T20:09:50.639-08:00That is correct... but, understand that apathy is ...That is correct... but, understand that apathy is basically the a- version of pathy (a word that does not exist). It is the the a- version of the same root.<br /><br />Apathy is very much related to not pathetic.<br /><br />Compare with afire. This, for example, is not a- fire, where we are using the a- prefix (to denote 'without').<br /><br />Pathos, empathy, sympathy, and all the other -path- words (unrelated to those like pathogen, which come from a whole different root) are based off the same 'path' root.<br /><br />So, I stand by what I say... Apathetic means having apathy which basically means 'without pathetic' (in a different form).<br /><br />Look at sympathy and apathy. The Sym- and the A- clearly creates meanings based on the 'pathy' root.<br /><br />Anyone with perhaps more authority want to chime in on this?Brute Forcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10214183612902971524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-34379977332916216942010-02-01T19:59:21.108-08:002010-02-01T19:59:21.108-08:00from dictionary.com, apathy:
1. absence or suppre...from dictionary.com, apathy:<br />1. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.<br />2. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.<br /><br />and apathetic:<br />1. having or showing little or no emotion: apathetic behavior.<br />2. not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive: an apathetic audience. <br /><br />Clearly, the word 'apathetic' is meant to reflect being in a state of apathy. Definitions 1 and 2 coincide almost perfectly.big machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16478787806465633898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-35235241401417718312010-02-01T19:49:12.111-08:002010-02-01T19:49:12.111-08:00I strongly disagree. Apathetic does mean not path...I strongly disagree. Apathetic does mean not pathetic (or lacking the feelings of being pathetic). <br /><br />Pathetic means (as defined by M-W): having a capacity to move one to either compassionate or contemptuous pity. It is very much related to the word pathos.<br /><br />I believe you're confusing the more oft-used definition of pathetic where it means sad or lame.Brute Forcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10214183612902971524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13306522.post-35964256746180961282010-02-01T19:33:31.285-08:002010-02-01T19:33:31.285-08:00well aseptic means not septic, amoral means not mo...well aseptic means not septic, amoral means not moral and asexual means not sexual. apathetic does not mean not pathetic. it means suffering from apathy, so apathetic is the only way to pronounce that.big machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16478787806465633898noreply@blogger.com