Re: today's fun fact

From: Gary Shank (shank@duq.edu)
Date: Thu Aug 24 2000 - 14:21:12 PDT


>My own favorite in this vein is the origin of the word "symposium".
>This from the OED
>
>***********
>symposium
>
>symposium simpou.ziAm. Also 7-9 -ion. Pl. -ia (rarely -iums).
>[a. L. symposium, ad. Gr. sumposion, f. sumpothj fellow-drinker
>(cf. sumpinein to drink together), f. sun sym- + pothj drinker
>(cf. potimoj drinkable, poton drink). ]
>
>1.
>
>a. A drinking-party; a convivial meeting for drinking, conversation,
>and intellectual entertainment: properly among the ancient Greeks,
>hence generally.
>
>************
>
>I never could get AERA to change their format for symposia to
>accommodate this definition............djc
>

like you need some excuse drink, cunningham......

gary shank



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