'Surveil' has become a commonplace verb in the North American news media (heading an article in today's Washington Post). It clearly comes from 'surveillance', a legitimate and useful word, but surely that comes from 'survey'?
Apparently not, though perhaps shared roots if you go back far enough. According to my dictionary, “surveillance” comes from French surveiller, meaning “to watch over,” while “survey” comes from Anglo-French through Middle English surveer, meaning “to look over.” “Surveillance“ is related to the word “vigil,” while “survey” is related to the word “view.”
Meanwhile, that same dictionary tells me that the first recorded use of “surveil,” which is indeed a back-formation from “surveillance,” was in 1884.
Interesting that - coming from "vigil" - it really means: Be alert?
I think it actually means “watch,” which like “vigil” is, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, descended from the Proto-Indo-European root *weg-, meaning “to be strong, be lively.” (We see the same w and v correspondence in the native English “wine“ and Latin-derived “vine.”)
'Surveil' has become a commonplace verb in the North American news media (heading an article in today's Washington Post). It clearly comes from 'surveillance', a legitimate and useful word, but surely that comes from 'survey'?
Apparently not, though perhaps shared roots if you go back far enough. According to my dictionary, “surveillance” comes from French surveiller, meaning “to watch over,” while “survey” comes from Anglo-French through Middle English surveer, meaning “to look over.” “Surveillance“ is related to the word “vigil,” while “survey” is related to the word “view.”
Meanwhile, that same dictionary tells me that the first recorded use of “surveil,” which is indeed a back-formation from “surveillance,” was in 1884.
Interesting that - coming from "vigil" - it really means: Be alert?
I think it actually means “watch,” which like “vigil” is, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, descended from the Proto-Indo-European root *weg-, meaning “to be strong, be lively.” (We see the same w and v correspondence in the native English “wine“ and Latin-derived “vine.”)
Right, at least in Classical Latin. As the Romance languages developed, it changed to the V sound we’re familiar with, as in French vin and Spanish and Italian vino.
Surveil gets my goat too. Horrible word (however old). But yes, the alternative is not Survey - it is "conduct surveillance". Becasue anything else is too small a word - surveillance is not something you can do for 10 minutes on your own. So it needs a phrase that matches up to that.
I can sleep for 10 or more hours at a stretch -- do I need a longer word for that too?
If an address is being surveyed, I expect to see people in high-vis jackets with gps receivers on tripods and the like. If it's under surveillance, there's an unmarked van out the front.
I suppose one could conduct surveillance whilst masquerading as surveyors, which would amuse.
Surveil gets my goat too. Horrible word (however old). But yes, the alternative is not Survey - it is "conduct surveillance". Becasue anything else is too small a word - surveillance is not something you can do for 10 minutes on your own. So it needs a phrase that matches up to that.
I can sleep for 10 or more hours at a stretch -- do I need a longer word for that too?
Surveil gets my goat too. Horrible word (however old). But yes, the alternative is not Survey - it is "conduct surveillance". Becasue anything else is too small a word - surveillance is not something you can do for 10 minutes on your own. So it needs a phrase that matches up to that.
I can sleep for 10 or more hours at a stretch -- do I need a longer word for that too?
Surveil gets my goat too. Horrible word (however old). But yes, the alternative is not Survey - it is "conduct surveillance". Becasue anything else is too small a word - surveillance is not something you can do for 10 minutes on your own. So it needs a phrase that matches up to that.
I can sleep for 10 or more hours at a stretch -- do I need a longer word for that too?
I think it is an Americanism. Traditionally, at least in my experience, it means “warning” or “watch out” or “be alert.” It was generally used as an interjection: “Heads up!” or “Heads up, everybody!” It could also mean “stop standing around [looking at your feet] and get to work!” It was often used in sports. I heard it a lot in Scouts, too.
Its use in other contexts and as a noun rather than an interjection seems to be much more recent. I think we moved from the interjection to usage like “Hey! Just a heads up, the teacher’s in a bad mood today” (still with the meaning of a warning or “watch out”), to a usage that means something more like “an FYI”—“He gave us a heads up that he’ll be on vacation next week.”
Some interesting derivations are given, e.g., military use, quite literally, also sports, again literally, flying planes. Quite old, I think, maybe 18th century.
"Heads-up" as a noun means "a notification/warning about what is coming/what is about to happen." The implication is a friendly word between people of something one of them didn't know. The content of the friendly word is usually bad.
"Here's a heads-up: Bob has been told to reduce staff again."
While I think the something bad has been part of a “heads up” notification as a noun, I hear it used for all kinds of things these days: “Just a heads up: We’re eating supper early so we can get to the movie.”
When I encountered in work (one manager was particularly fond of the expression) it really equated to briefing. 'I am now going to given you a summary of what's happened so far'.
'Holistic', used non-medically. What's wrong with 'all-embracing'?
I agree that using 'holistic' as a synonym for 'all embracing' is bad, but even non-medically they don't always have identical meanings, and shouldn't.
The Oxford English Dictionary notes attendee being originally and chiefly a U.S. usage. Its first citation is Webster's 3rd New International Dictionary English Language from 1961
I think it might have its place in sea diving though, to distinguish between divers who go along the surface with a snorkel or folk with Aqualungs who stay in shallow water, and those who really go into the depths. What annoys me is "diving down" - that's tautology.
One I've always found both puzzling and irritating is 'specialty'. It's used in the medical world to mean a person's role as a specialist. Why does it need an extra word, when either 'speciality' or 'specialism' would do just as well? It always sounds like a word someone has conjured up whose command of English is a bit unsophisticated - like bigness.
Besides, 'specialty' already has a meaning of its own as a contract, covenant, bond or agreement that has been given under seal.
One I've always found both puzzling and irritating is 'specialty'. It's used in the medical world to mean a person's role as a specialist. Why does it need an extra word, when either 'speciality' or 'specialism' would do just as well? It always sounds like a word someone has conjured up whose command of English is a bit unsophisticated - like bigness.
FWIW, I checked three dictionaries—including the Online Etymology Dictionary on "specialty" and "speciality"—and all three said that "specialty," dating from the 13th C, is older than "speciality," which dates from the 15th C. One dictionary also noted that "speciality" is "Chiefly British," and that comports with my experience of rarely hearing "speciality" used, except by British speakers.
Besides, 'specialty' already has a meaning of its own as a contract, covenant, bond or agreement that has been given under seal.
Another FWIW, I haven't seen "specialty" used in that sense here in a long time. It's one of those terms that seems to show up only in old court decisions.
I think it might have its place in sea diving though, to distinguish between divers who go along the surface with a snorkel or folk with Aqualungs who stay in shallow water, and those who really go into the depths. What annoys me is "diving down" - that's tautology.
Oh, it has a place in diving. But I have seen blogs where "I am going to do a deep dive into xyz". And for software work - testing, reporting on software systems - where is means something more than a superficial assessment.
I do realise that I am a Quaker, where, instead of "sending apologies", we are "prevented". And I work in IT, which does more damage to the English language than anyone before Trump.
I think it might have its place in sea diving though, to distinguish between divers who go along the surface with a snorkel or folk with Aqualungs who stay in shallow water, and those who really go into the depths. What annoys me is "diving down" - that's tautology.
Oh, it has a place in diving. But I have seen blogs where "I am going to do a deep dive into xyz". And for software work - testing, reporting on software systems - where is means something more than a superficial assessment.
I do realise that I am a Quaker, where, instead of "sending apologies", we are "prevented". And I work in IT, which does more damage to the English language than anyone before Trump.
Worse than anything we do to English is what management does when it misuses our jargon. "We'll take that offline while I check the bandwidth and ping you later" which seems to mean "We'll drop that for now and I'll find out what other people think and let you know".
At least we have the excuse that we created new things that needed words for them.
At work I was once asked for someone's coordinates. I guessed at what he meant, replied with the person's e-mail address and phone number, and got a blistering reply that repeated the question, which I ignored. I never did find out (or care about) what he wanted.
One I've always found both puzzling and irritating is 'specialty'. It's used in the medical world to mean a person's role as a specialist. Why does it need an extra word, when either 'speciality' or 'specialism' would do just as well? It always sounds like a word someone has conjured up whose command of English is a bit unsophisticated - like bigness.
FWIW, I checked three dictionaries—including the Online Etymology Dictionary on "specialty" and "speciality"—and all three said that "specialty," dating from the 13th C, is older than "speciality," which dates from the 15th C. One dictionary also noted that "speciality" is "Chiefly British," and that comports with my experience of rarely hearing "speciality" used, except by British speakers.
Besides, 'specialty' already has a meaning of its own as a contract, covenant, bond or agreement that has been given under seal.
Another FWIW, I haven't seen "specialty" used in that sense here in a long time. It's one of those terms that seems to show up only in old court decisions.
Certainly never used it in that sense and the chances of referring to a decision which did would be close to zero.
The word normally used here would be specialty rather than speciality, and speciality would be the word used invariably for a medical specialist.
Co-ordinariates - people who jumped to Rome on the same occasion?
That occasion being at the end of a period of being paid episcopal stipends and enjoying all the other perks of office for a period of time, while refusing to carry out their usual duties as they could no longer think of themselves as Anglicans.
Sorry I've just come to this thread and found it very interesting.
'bide' is a word used mainly in the North East of Scotland whereas many other Scots would use 'stay' (indeed with out 'at')
Which hotel are you staying at ? one might say but a general enquiry would be 'where do you stay ?'
there is also a difference between the use of ';stay' and 'stop' between Scots use and certain parts of England.
Although few Scots would use 'where do you bide ? many would know the following popular song of farewell
We're no awa' tae bide awa'
We'll aye come back and see you.
I was up and running with the dog at 6:30am. Well, truth, sort of jogging along in an old man semblance of.
Because I do this everyday, some would say I do this "traditionally". Which bothers me because I didn't think an individual can have a tradition. A tradition is passed from one person to another.
Comments
This is because the Latin V was a W sound.
I can sleep for 10 or more hours at a stretch -- do I need a longer word for that too?
I suppose one could conduct surveillance whilst masquerading as surveyors, which would amuse.
Yep.
Hibernation?
Nope. Sorry.
Its use in other contexts and as a noun rather than an interjection seems to be much more recent. I think we moved from the interjection to usage like “Hey! Just a heads up, the teacher’s in a bad mood today” (still with the meaning of a warning or “watch out”), to a usage that means something more like “an FYI”—“He gave us a heads up that he’ll be on vacation next week.”
"Here's a heads-up: Bob has been told to reduce staff again."
impacted????
Horrible word. And unnecessary, when we already have "affected".
But clearly correct - someone threw it at the speaker.
Not worthy!
Also: "attendee" for someone who goes to a meeting - surely that should be "attender", leaving the Other Word to mean "someone who is attended upon".
Besides, 'specialty' already has a meaning of its own as a contract, covenant, bond or agreement that has been given under seal.
Another FWIW, I haven't seen "specialty" used in that sense here in a long time. It's one of those terms that seems to show up only in old court decisions.
Oh, it has a place in diving. But I have seen blogs where "I am going to do a deep dive into xyz". And for software work - testing, reporting on software systems - where is means something more than a superficial assessment.
I do realise that I am a Quaker, where, instead of "sending apologies", we are "prevented". And I work in IT, which does more damage to the English language than anyone before Trump.
Worse than anything we do to English is what management does when it misuses our jargon. "We'll take that offline while I check the bandwidth and ping you later" which seems to mean "We'll drop that for now and I'll find out what other people think and let you know".
At least we have the excuse that we created new things that needed words for them.
Certainly never used it in that sense and the chances of referring to a decision which did would be close to zero.
The word normally used here would be specialty rather than speciality, and speciality would be the word used invariably for a medical specialist.
That occasion being at the end of a period of being paid episcopal stipends and enjoying all the other perks of office for a period of time, while refusing to carry out their usual duties as they could no longer think of themselves as Anglicans.
'bide' is a word used mainly in the North East of Scotland whereas many other Scots would use 'stay' (indeed with out 'at')
Which hotel are you staying at ? one might say but a general enquiry would be 'where do you stay ?'
there is also a difference between the use of ';stay' and 'stop' between Scots use and certain parts of England.
Although few Scots would use 'where do you bide ? many would know the following popular song of farewell
We're no awa' tae bide awa'
We'll aye come back and see you.
Because I do this everyday, some would say I do this "traditionally". Which bothers me because I didn't think an individual can have a tradition. A tradition is passed from one person to another.