The "G" Word (Genealogy)

Still gathering all your documents and photos?  Great!  Fill up that tub/box/laundry basket.  Get another one if you have to.  While you're doing that, I thought I'd go over something that might seem trivial.  Well, it's trivial until someone publicly tells you you're doing it wrong, and hence, you are not very bright.  First of all, I'd like to say that some people are just plain rude, even ~ and it pains me to say this ~ if they are right.

So what the heck am I talking about?  I'm talking about how to spell the word, "genealogy."  No, it is not spelled "geneology."  It has an "a" not an "o", but that's a good guess.  [Promise me you'll never stop guessing.  You're gonna need that later.]  And I dare anyone to say that from the get-go they knew how to spell it.  I mean, why would anyone guess that unlike more common words such as geology, sociology, and psychology, that genealogy is spelled with an "a" and not an "o"?

So, why is the "G" word spelled this way?  [You didn't really think I'd leave you hanging did you?  I mean, why not know more than just the "how", right?]  Well according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word, "genealogy" comes from the Greek word, "genialogia" which can be broken down further into "genea" which means "generation, descent" and the word "logos" which means "student of".  Did you notice the base word, "genea" ends with an "a"?  That is why genealogy is spelled with an "a" and not an "o".  Simple pimple.  Oh, and did you notice the meaning of the second word "logos"?  Yes, we are all students ~ learning more and more every day.

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So, would you do me a favor?  Now that you know how to spell the "G" word the next time you see it misspelled, would you gently, privately, please tell that person how it is actually spelled, and do it without questioning their intellect?

They're just new.  

They're just a student.

Like you.

Like me.

Studying their familial generations.  

Their familial descent.

You all might even be related.

Now wouldn't that be funny?  [Snort.]

Well, in an awkward kind of way?

On second thought, point them towards this post.  I'll tell them for ya'.


~Caroline

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