Difference between revisions of "Schism"
PeterWilson (Talk | contribs) |
PeterWilson (Talk | contribs) m |
||
| (5 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | The [[noun]] '''schism''', and its derivative | + | The [[noun]] '''schism''', and its derivative '''schismatic''', have two pronunciations based on the reading of the letters '-ch-', which represent the [[Greek]] letter 'chi'. The traditional academic pronunciation reduced the first sound of '''schism''' to a simple '-s-' sound. The religious poet [[Milton]] even spelled it 'scism'. Some who like to affect the ability to pronounce Greek aim to produce the sound of the Scots 'lo'''ch'''' or German 'i'''ch''''; for most, this results in a pronunciation beginning 'sk-'. (The second '-s-' is always pronounced as '-z-'.) ''[[LPD]]'' says: "The traditional 'siz-' is being displaced, except perhaps among clergy, by 'skiz-'", and reports that 71% of a British sample in 1988 used the '-k-' pronunciation. ''[[OED]]'' says "The pronunc. [skizm], though widely regarded as incorrect, is now freq. used for this word and its derivatives both in the U.K. and in North America." |
| − | The basic meaning of '''schism''' is 'a break (between groups)'. Its basic use in English was to mean a split between different groups of Christians over some point of faith. This has now expanded [[figurative]]ly to include sub-groups of any sort of belief or ideology, for example groups that try to break away from a political party to form a sub-group. | + | The basic meaning of '''schism''' - the word comes, through [[Church Latin]], from the [[Greek]] σχίσμα (''schisma'', a cleft), a [[noun]] from the [[verb]] σχίζειν (''schizein'', to split) - is 'a break (between groups)'. Its basic use in English was to mean a split between different groups of Christians over some point of faith (see further [[Great Schism]]). This has now expanded [[figurative]]ly to include sub-groups of any sort of belief or ideology, for example groups that try to break away from a political party to form a sub-group. |
| − | [[category:pronunciation]][[category:academic culture]][[category:academic English]] | + | |
| + | The word '''schismatic''' may be either an [[adjective]] or a [[noun]]. As an [[adjective]], it means 'relating to, or promoting, a schism', and as a [[noun]], 'a person who promotes a schism or belongs to a schismatic group'. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[category:pronunciation]][[category:academic culture]][[category:academic English]][[Category:Etymology]] | ||
Revision as of 14:50, 21 May 2019
The noun schism, and its derivative schismatic, have two pronunciations based on the reading of the letters '-ch-', which represent the Greek letter 'chi'. The traditional academic pronunciation reduced the first sound of schism to a simple '-s-' sound. The religious poet Milton even spelled it 'scism'. Some who like to affect the ability to pronounce Greek aim to produce the sound of the Scots 'loch' or German 'ich'; for most, this results in a pronunciation beginning 'sk-'. (The second '-s-' is always pronounced as '-z-'.) LPD says: "The traditional 'siz-' is being displaced, except perhaps among clergy, by 'skiz-'", and reports that 71% of a British sample in 1988 used the '-k-' pronunciation. OED says "The pronunc. [skizm], though widely regarded as incorrect, is now freq. used for this word and its derivatives both in the U.K. and in North America."
The basic meaning of schism - the word comes, through Church Latin, from the Greek σχίσμα (schisma, a cleft), a noun from the verb σχίζειν (schizein, to split) - is 'a break (between groups)'. Its basic use in English was to mean a split between different groups of Christians over some point of faith (see further Great Schism). This has now expanded figuratively to include sub-groups of any sort of belief or ideology, for example groups that try to break away from a political party to form a sub-group.
The word schismatic may be either an adjective or a noun. As an adjective, it means 'relating to, or promoting, a schism', and as a noun, 'a person who promotes a schism or belongs to a schismatic group'.
