Extinction

[Neil Jones]

In article <4.3.1.2.20010116135040.00aa0c30 at pop3.norton.antivirus>
           drdn at mail.utexas.edu "Chris J. Durden" writes:
 
> As far as I have determined so far -
>
> *tegg* (transliterated), Greek = to wet or moisten.
>
> *tingo* Latin = to wet, moisten, imbue with any fluid as in oiling a wick.
>
> *stinguo* Latin = to put out (a light or fire).
>
> *exstinguo* Latin = to put out, extinguish as in outening (PA Deutch) a light.
 
Being pendantic Exstinguo means *I* put out,
The infinitive "to put out" is Exstinguerer
Latin verbs are often quoted in their 1st person singular.
 
 
To help The Oxford English Dictionary gives
the action of blotting (a living being a soul) out of existence; destruction;
 annihilation of a race, family, species etc. The fact or process of becoming
 extinct ; a coming to an end or dying out.
 
Clearly the usage in the literature is correct as Patrick Foley pointed out.
Incidentally I did the same thing as he did. I picked up some books and
checked that that was the current usage.
 
Language changes words mean what people of the time say they mean.
Shakespeare used the word "nice" to mean "trivial".
The word "mundane" is now taken to mean boring not "worldly".
The English language is in a constant state of change.
 
--
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve
 
 
 
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