What kind of words are these?

H

Ha Nazir

New member
I don't remember where it came from but recently I became aware of the fact that "silent" and "listen" are created with the same letters and seem to somehow compliment each other. I am looking for a name for this relationship (what ever it is).

I'd also like to see more examples of these kind of words.

Thanks in advance to whoever knows this. (and shares it here)
 
Caledvwlch

Caledvwlch

New member
Ha Nazir said:
I don't remember where it came from but recently I became aware of the fact that "silent" and "listen" are created with the same letters and seem to somehow compliment each other. I am looking for a name for this relationship (what ever it is).

I'd also like to see more examples of these kind of words.

Thanks in advance to whoever knows this. (and shares it here)
Click to expand...

I think that's called an anagram.
 
H

Ha Nazir

New member
Caledvwlch said:
I think that's called an anagram.
Click to expand...

I thought of that but it's not what I mean.


an·a·gram

/ˈanəˌɡram/

noun

noun: anagram; plural noun: anagrams

a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another, such as cinema, formed from iceman



I am talking about the relationship of the words that result from the anagram. I know, it's a strange thing to think about ...

In the definition of anagram above, the words iceman and cinema are not obviously related unless a movie about an iceman is playing at the cinema.

This is something that happens in Hebrew quite often but I don't know the Hebrew word for it yet either.
 
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Caledvwlch

Caledvwlch

New member
Ha Nazir said:
I thought of that but it's not what I mean.


an·a·gram

/ˈanəˌɡram/

noun

noun: anagram; plural noun: anagrams

a word, phrase, or name formed by rearranging the letters of another, such as cinema, formed from iceman



I am talking about the relationship of the words that result from the anagram. I know, it's a strange thing to think about ...

In the definition of anagram above the words iceman and cinema are not obviously related unless a move about an iceman is playing at the cinema.

This is something that happens in Hebrew quite often but I don't know the Hebrew word for it yet either.
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I see. So you might consider it a highly specialized subset of anagram. Interesting.
 
PureX

PureX

Well-known member
I would call what you're referring to a, "synergetic anagram". I don't think there is a singular word for it, otherwise.
 
H

Ha Nazir

New member
Caledvwlch said:
Similar discussion here:

http://www.discogs.com/groups/topic/165425
Click to expand...

Thanks again. I noticed the date of the article said "over 6 years ago" so I didn't bother with my question there. I did get some more examples though.

At one point in my life (around 35-40) I spoke 7 languages; 4 semi-fluently and 3 in only basic/elementary phrases. At 65 I don't use that skill any more but Language itself has always been interesting to me. From my very limited understanding of Hebrew I can imagine that this question I have needs to be understood better (by me at least) so here I am asking questions.
 
Caledvwlch

Caledvwlch

New member
Ha Nazir said:
Thanks again. I noticed the date of the article said "over 6 years ago" so I didn't bother with my question there. I did get some more examples though.

At one point in my life (around 35-40) I spoke 7 languages; 4 semi-fluently and 3 in only basic/elementary phrases. At 65 I don't use that skill any more but Language itself has always been interesting to me. From my very limited understanding of Hebrew I can imagine that this question I have needs to be understood better (by me at least) so here I am asking questions.
Click to expand...

I am also at least a little interested to find out if there is a specific term. However, my guess is that the phenomenon is so random and rare in English, and the relationships between the related words so subjectively defined, that there is probably not a term for this in English. But maybe there is a term for Hebrew? Good luck.
 
PureX

PureX

Well-known member
Maybe what you're looking for is a word that refers to your ability to recognize relative patterns in language data sets, like "polyglotism", or "polyglot savantism". It sounds like you may have that gift.
 
H

Ha Nazir

New member
PureX said:
Maybe what you're looking for is a word that refers to your ability to recognize relative patterns in language data sets, like "polyglotism", or "polyglot savantism". It sounds like you may have that gift.
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I read the Wiki article on polyglots and I may indeed fall into the second category you mentioned. I do not however consider it a gift. That would be a source of pride (I'm tryin to quit). I consider myself a product of evolution. If I came into this world in a better position (intellectually) I can't take credit for that condition, neither can I be faulted for my weak points. I believe the whole of humanity is being driven to develop and some are on the left side of the bell curve, some on the right and most in the middle. Some day, all those on the right will be on the left. No that's not right...the right falls away and what is now left becomes the median and the left is something we can't imagine yet. No, I was right in the first place, what is now on the right (above average) becomes the left (below average).









The wiki article lead me to an article on universal grammar, which is why I asked my question in the first place. I have known (heard about) this for many years. What I found missing, in what I have read so far about Language, is computers and music: I count both as languages.
 
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PureX

PureX

Well-known member
All I can say about being 'gifted' is that over the years, I have come to realize that in most cases, our gifts tend to also be our liabilities. At the same time. It's as if each side of that bell curve seems to be a kind of shadow of the other.
 
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