perceptive and perspective

If a person is ‘perceptive’ it means that they have advanced abilities to observe and notice particular aspects of others' behaviours, actions and changes to these.

'Perspective' refers to anyone’s ability to take up a position or a particular view on something; being able to see and comment on an event or action from a defined point of view. It includes but is not limited to a person being able to be objective about the situation, action or event.

serial/cereal

For a number of reasons these two words can be confusing. Their origins and their meanings are entirely different, but which spelling belongs to which word? Be aware that, in your local area, there may be regional differences in the pronunciation of these words.

Cereal refers to:

• ·         Any grass that produces edible grain e.g. wheat, barley, rice, sorghum, rye, oat and maize
• ·         The seed arising from that grass
• ·         Food made from the processing of the grain e.g. breakfast cereals

Cereal arises from the Latin, cerealis. It is derived from Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. Here is its most common pronunciation.

A serial is the publication and distribution of information or story presented in a series of separate installments which are released at regular intervals. Its origin rests in 19 Century Latin ‘serialis’ from the Latin ‘series’. Open this link to hear the common pronunciation.

artifact or artefact

Objects ancient and modern are contained in the word artifact which is also found printed as artefact.

Artifacts are produced by humans as tools, weapons, ornaments or daily living objects.

Within context, they are often found at archaeological digs where past settlements or civilisations are carefully exposed to reveal the practical and ornamental objects used by the people of that time and place.

Modern cities harbour artefacts of previous eras under existing buildings and roads.  They tell us as much as our use of words they do about our history, interests and progress.

epiphany

An epiphany is a sudden realisation of the meaning of something, a sudden insight, a flash of comprehension.

The word’s source arises in religious contexts where the Feast of Epiphany is celebrated by Christians on January 6 each year. It marks the manifestation of divinity in Jesus as represented by the Magi and their symbolic gifts.

The history of the word dates to Indo-European roots and travelled through the Latin and Greek into the Middle Ages and thus into English.

Tip: the letters 'ph' point to a word’s likely passage through Greek.

trawl

There are many words, ancient in origin, whose history is not easily traced. Trawl, which serves as a verb and a noun, is a good example.

To trawl means to fish in the deep sea with a large net, one that flows and can capture many fish at a time. A trawl is the name of the net which is derived from the action of trawling to catch fish.

Because mankind has been fishing across the world from the earliest of times, the word could have arisen from Latin, tragula, possibly Old English trahere  or Middle Dutch tragel

These days, we are more likely to ‘trawl the internet’ for information than take to the sea to fish for our family or community dinner!

profane, adjective

While this adjective is particularly applied to showing contempt or irreverence for what is sacred, it can also apply to secular contexts where being profane can be seen as uninformed, uneducated, or ignorant.

In a further expansion of this, that which is labelled profane can be seen as vulgar, coarse or being put to improper or degrading use.

The word has a rich history dating back to Indo-European roods, moving through Latin profanes then via Old French into Middle English where it became prophane.