OT catachist etc (was: Connglish)

caeruleancentaur wrote:
> --- In conlang@yahoogroups.com, "Mark J. Reed" <markjreed@...> wrote:
>
>
>>See, woefully ignorant of Church terminology as I am, it would never
>>have occurred to me that there was such a word as "catechist", and
>>if there were I would have assumed by analogy with other -ism/-ist
>>pairs that it referred more generally to someone who believed in the
>>doctrine explained by the catechsm, not specifically an
>>instructor...
Ah, well, the pair 'catechism' and 'catechist' is much older than all
the modern -isms and -ists    ;)

>
>>But Now I Know, and Knowing is Half the Battle!
>
>
> We also use the verb "catechize," to teach the catechism, and the
> noun "catechesis," instruction from the catechism.
>
> There is also the word "catechumen."  It looks like it might be from
> a present participle.
It is - from the verb _kate:kheo:_ = I teach by word of mouth, I instruct'.

The passive (and middle) present participle is _kate:khoumenos_ = being
taught by word of mouth, being instructed.'

The feminine noun denoting an action or process, namely _kate:khe:sis_
(catechesis - instruction by word of mouth), is derived quite regularly
from this verbs.

The other words given by Charlie are from a different, but related, verb
_kate:khizo:_ which had the same meaning as _kate:kheo:_ but was a later
formation. Directly from this verb we have, of course, the English verb
'catechize'.

 From this verb are derived quite regularly:
- a masculine noun with suffix -mos, denoting process, namely
_kate:khismos_ (catechism - the system of oral instruction);
- the masculine noun with suffix -te:s denoting 'agent'*, namely
_kate:khiste:s_ (catechist - one who gives oral instruction).

*Female agent ended in -tria, -tris or -tis. But *kate:khistis would
still turn up in English as 'catechist'  :)

The suffix -mos occurs in words like 'spasm' and 'rhythm' as well as all
the -is-m words.

BTW the _e:kh-_ part of all the above words is cognate with _e:kho:_ (=
'echo') because in time honored fashioned oral instruction is given by
repetitive 'echoing' of of the question and answers    ;)

So now you know even more  ;)

--
Ray
==================================
ray@carolandray.plus.com
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
==================================
Nid rhy hen neb i ddysgu.
There's none too old to learn.
[WELSH PROVERB}

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