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Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:57 pm
Post subject: Barbarian |
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Hi,
I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
Cheers,
Michael
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LaurieF
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:04 pm
Post subject: Re: Barbarian |
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<dayzman@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1129802250.391369.159480@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | Hi,
I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
Cheers,
Michael
Probably: Neanderthal |
LaurieF |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Post subject: Re: Barbarian |
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spake thusly:
| Quote: | Hi,
I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
|
Neanderthal. This was a separate race of human-like primates who
lived in Europe up to about 30,000 years ago. They are popularly
thought to have been more "primitive" than modern humans. The word
is not entirely synonymous with barbarian, but they both carry the
implication of uncivilised. Of course, we don't really know much
about the Neanderthals, so this is probably unfair on them.
--
David
=====
replace usenet with the
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Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:44 pm
Post subject: Re: Barbarian |
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LaurieF wrote:
| Quote: | dayzman@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1129802250.391369.159480@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Hi,
I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
Cheers,
Michael
Probably: Neanderthal
LaurieF
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That's right! Thanks!
Michael |
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Don Phillipson
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:10 pm
Post subject: Re: Barbarian |
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| Quote: | I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
|
"the Omrud" <usenet.omrud@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1dc17cd1e9492d6298a182@news.ntlworld.com...
| Quote: | Neanderthal. This was a separate race of human-like primates who
lived in Europe up to about 30,000 years ago. They are popularly
thought to have been more "primitive" than modern humans. . . .
|
1. As noted, this Victorian assumption (based on cosmetic
appearance) now seems mistaken, possibly a gross libel.
(Archaeologisits nowadays suggest Neanderthals developed
music and art earlier than their contemporary rivals the Cro-Magnons,
who are our ancestors.)
2. Neanderthal is not synonymous with barbarian -- which has
had for 2000 years the specific meaning of uncivilised or non-Greek,
i.e. barbarian was coined in Greek to denote people like the
Scythians who had no kings, no stone cities etc.
The OP points us to the thesaurus, where we find many "near-miss"
synonyms, e.g. savage, indigene, native and so on.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada) |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:09 pm
Post subject: Re: Barbarian |
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On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 08:10:57 -0400, "Don Phillipson"
<d.phillipson@ttrryytteell.com> wrote:
| Quote: | I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
"the Omrud" <usenet.omrud@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1dc17cd1e9492d6298a182@news.ntlworld.com...
Neanderthal. This was a separate race of human-like primates who
lived in Europe up to about 30,000 years ago. They are popularly
thought to have been more "primitive" than modern humans. . . .
1. As noted, this Victorian assumption (based on cosmetic
appearance) now seems mistaken, possibly a gross libel.
(Archaeologisits nowadays suggest Neanderthals developed
music and art earlier than their contemporary rivals the Cro-Magnons,
who are our ancestors.)
2. Neanderthal is not synonymous with barbarian -- which has
had for 2000 years the specific meaning of uncivilised or non-Greek,
i.e. barbarian was coined in Greek to denote people like the
Scythians who had no kings, no stone cities etc.
The OP points us to the thesaurus, where we find many "near-miss"
synonyms, e.g. savage, indigene, native and so on.
|
When someone picks "Barbarian" to describe a present-day person, the
word is usually used to describe someone that is violent and
aggressive. When someone picks "Neanderthal" to describe a
present-day person, the word is usually used to describe someone that
is very unprogressive. The words are chosen for their connotation and
not their literal meanings or historical meanings.
When someone says "The barbarians are at the gate", the image is that
there are people poised to attack and pillage and take us over.
Neanderthals at the gate would just be lurching around doing things as
they have always done them and resisting change.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL |
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Martin Ambuhl
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:47 pm
Post subject: Re: Barbarian |
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dayzman@hotmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Hi,
I'm looking for this word that is synonymous to "barbarian". It's
commonly used to describe someone barbaric. If my memory serves me
correct, it sounds like "ni-en-na-thal". Does anyone have any clue?
|
The COD10 and SOED5 entries for the word you think you want are below.
But read the entries. It is *not* synonymous with "barbarian," so use it
with care.
[COD10]
Neanderthal /nI"and@tA;l/
· n.
1 (also Neanderthal man) an extinct human that was widely distributed in
ice age Europe between c.120,000–35,000 years ago, with a receding
forehead and prominent brow ridges.
2 informal an uncivilized or uncouth man.
– ORIGIN C19: from Neanderthal, a region in Germany where remains of
Neanderthal man were found.
[SOED5]
Neanderthal, adjective & noun.
/nI"and@tA;l/
Also Neandertal, neanderthal. M19.
[The valley of the River Neander, near Düsseldorf in western Germany
(German Tal, older Thal valley).]
A. adjective.
1. Designating, pertaining to, or characteristic of a palaeolithic
fossil hominid, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, with a retreating
forehead and massive brow-ridges, known from Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Esp. in Neanderthal man. M19.
B. J. Williams In 1958 part of a Neandertal skull was recovered from a
cave at Ma-pa.
2. fig. Primitive, uncivilized, uncouth; reactionary, extremely
conservative. joc. & derog. E20.
Observer Neanderthal grunts over the cornflakes..were the best most
husbands could manage. Times Literary Supplement He tried to keep
Neanderthal republicans happy.
B. noun. A Neanderthal hominid. Also fig. (joc. & derog.), a primitive,
uncivilized, or uncouth person; a reactionary or extremely conservative
person. L19.
• Neanderthaler noun a Neanderthal man E20.
• Neanderthaloid adjective & noun (pertaining to or designating) a
Neanderthal man or similar middle palaeolithic hominid L19. |
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