Solecisms

Got it! This site "creationpie.org" uses cookies. You consent to this by clicking on "Got it!" or by continuing to use this website. Note: This appears on each machine/browser from which this site is accessed.

The English word "solecism" is the use of improper grammar as in a grammatical error in syntax. The word comes from the Greek city "Σόλοι" ≈ "Soli" in Cilicia near the city of Tarsus. Paul was from Tarsus.

Aristotle uses the word "solecism" in terms of deception but uses it for creating ambiguity in speech, often by way of pronoun case usage.

Over time, solecisms often became part of a spoken (and written) language.

The ancient Greek word "σολοικισμός" ≈ "solecism".

The ancient Greek word "σόλοικος" ≈ "speaking incorrectly"

The ancient Greek word "Σόλοι" ≈ "Soli" as the name of the city.

Over time, many solecisms become accepted as part of grammar. Anyone growing up before the incorrect saying may never adapt. But anyone growing up with it will tend to just accept it as part of the way people talk and, later, write. This has happened again and again over time. It had already happened in the days of Aristotle.

Whether you "like" it or not, the word "like" was a solecism that came from an advertising "slogan" (a word meaning "hit" or "strike") from 1954 (until 1972) for cigarettes.

Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. (not proper English, a solecism)
Winston tastes good as a cigarette should. (proper English at the time)

Many older people tended not to "like" the improper English. Younger people tended to adopt the saying and "liked" it. Soon, some people would, and some still do, use "like" several times in every spoken remark. Like, you know, like it like it is.

Some movies use this ambiguity as humor. Some people like this humor. Some do not. Here is an example from one of the Airplane movies.

Be hospitable and not hostile!

Person A: There's a problem at the hospital.
Person B: What is it?
Person A: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important now.

The pronoun "it" is somewhat ambiguous. Pronouns usually refers to the nearest noun, but not always. This is an example of one problem that makes NLP (Natural Language Processing) by computers difficult.

More: Hosting strange and hostile guests and ghosts

More: Pronouns

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. [kjv]

οσοι ουν τελειοι τουτο φρονωμεν και ει τι ετερως φρονειτε και τουτο ο θεος υμιν αποκαλυψει [gnt]

The ancient Greek word "τοῦτο" ≈ "this" in a grammatically "neuter" sense. Interestingly, Aristotle reports that the "neuter" is often used, as a Solecism, where the "masculine" would otherwise be used.

Could the "this" being revealed by a "person" by way of a solecism?

The ancient Greek word "ἕτερος" ≈ "one or other of two" and could be "one after the other". From this, comes the ancient Greek word "ἑτέρως" ≈ "differently, otherwise".

More: Other similar differences

More: Philippians 3:15-17 towards the mark

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [kjv]

καγω δε σοι λεγω οτι συ ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν και πυλαι αδου ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης [gnt]

… Petrus … petram … ecclesiam … [v]

The body gestures and non-verbal communication are not in the text. Thus, the statement is ambiguous. Is Peter the "rock" on which the church of Jesus was to be built? Is it the "rock" of the statement of faith by Peter. Is it both?

More: Peter and the rock

More: Matthew 16: Calling a masterful gathering of outgoing church believers

More: Building a house on sand continued

Matthew 16:18

All

KJV: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Greek: καγω δε σοι λεγω οτι συ ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν και πυλαι αδου ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης

Latin: et ego dico tibi quia tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversum eam