Do You Understand? The Meaning of Words.

[Asclepias]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that dont make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

 

[TheOldSchool]

I've always thought "the" would be cooler as "quaw"

 

[Asclepias]

Care to explain?

 

[Pogo]

Qua?

 

[Pogo]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that dont make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

Dat's hou dey roll it in Jameeka, mon. I and I overstand?

 

[Sonny Clark]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that don't make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

Deportation ---- An illegal immigrant caught by the immigration authorities in Waco Texas. Waco Texas is not a port. The illegal immigrant is not in a port. But, we're going to "deport" the illegal immigrant.
{ Port - Definition - Dictionary.con ----- Port --- 1.
a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload.
2.
a place along a coast in which ships may take refuge from storms; harbor.
3.
Also called port of entry. Law. any place where persons and merchandise are allowed to pass, by water or land, into and out of a country and where customs officers are stationed to inspect or appraise imported goods.
4.
a geographical area that forms a harbor. }

 

[Asclepias]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that don't make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

Deportation ---- An illegal immigrant caught by the immigration authorities in Waco Texas. Waco Texas is not a port. The illegal immigrant is not in a port. But, we're going to "deport" the illegal immigrant.
{ Port - Definition - Dictionary.con ----- Port --- 1.
a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload.
2.
a place along a coast in which ships may take refuge from storms; harbor.
3.
Also called port of entry. Law. any place where persons and merchandise are allowed to pass, by water or land, into and out of a country and where customs officers are stationed to inspect or appraise imported goods.
4.
a geographical area that forms a harbor. }

from Latin deportare, from de- ‘away’ + portare ‘carry.’

 

[Asclepias]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that dont make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

Dat's hou dey roll it in Jameeka, mon. I and I overstand?

Never knew that. Found this.

Urban Dictionary overstanding

"the state of mind that emerges when all illusions- those in the conscious and subconscious mind- are removed; the intellectual state free from mis/disinformation, propaganda, lies, and deception; a grasp of the whole truth; human beings' natural state of mind undisturbed by the ego"

 

[Sonny Clark]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that don't make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

Deportation ---- An illegal immigrant caught by the immigration authorities in Waco Texas. Waco Texas is not a port. The illegal immigrant is not in a port. But, we're going to "deport" the illegal immigrant.
{ Port - Definition - Dictionary.con ----- Port --- 1.
a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload.
2.
a place along a coast in which ships may take refuge from storms; harbor.
3.
Also called port of entry. Law. any place where persons and merchandise are allowed to pass, by water or land, into and out of a country and where customs officers are stationed to inspect or appraise imported goods.
4.
a geographical area that forms a harbor. }

from Latin deportare, from de- ‘away’ + portare ‘carry.’

Thank you. I appreciate the correction.

 

[Pogo]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that dont make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

Dat's hou dey roll it in Jameeka, mon. I and I overstand?

Never knew that. Found this.

Urban Dictionary overstanding

"the state of mind that emerges when all illusions- those in the conscious and subconscious mind- are removed; the intellectual state free from mis/disinformation, propaganda, lies, and deception; a grasp of the whole truth; human beings' natural state of mind undisturbed by the ego"

Oh absolutely, very common among Rastafarians f'rinstance.

Interesting theory about Jamaican English is that it's derived from about fifty thousand Irish slaves shipped there by Oliver Cromwell. There's a tradition among historians (meaning having a reasonably educated guess but short of proof) that into the 19th century there were still black people there speaking Gaelic. But I and I digress, mon.

 

[Lipush]

English is a very strange language. Lots of words without meanings to under-stand.

 

[Michelle420]

I remember when I was a kid in grade school and one of my teachers got frustrated with me because I told her the word "understand" didn't make any sense to me. Why would standing under something or being in a subordinate position mean you comprehended its meaning? Looking at other words I would feel more comfortable with something like overstand which would imply a dominant position and control of the concept. Has anyone else had that issue with this word? Are there similar words that you can think of that dont make any obvious sense as to why they are used in this manner?

I look up words and the assigned meanings to them but I don't have any specific word that stands out.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

I would characterize my response to this thread as nonplussed if only I had experienced the state of being plussed in order to know the difference.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Why do canny and uncanny mean the same thing?

 

[Pogo]

-- and flammable and inflammable?

yet famous and infamous don't?

 

[Asclepias]

Why do canny and uncanny mean the same thing?

They dont have the same meaning.

 

[Asclepias]

I would characterize my response to this thread as nonplussed if only I had experienced the state of being plussed in order to know the difference.

The origins or etymology of nonplussed actually means not more as in to say "no more"

late 16th century: from Latin non plus ‘not more.’ The noun originally meant ‘a state in which no more can be said or done.’

 

[Pogo]

Why do canny and uncanny mean the same thing?

They dont have the same meaning.

I believe that's wunna dem non-positive negatives.

couth
kempt
wieldy
etc

 

[WelfareQueen]

I would characterize my response to this thread as nonplussed if only I had experienced the state of being plussed in order to know the difference.

Exactly.....for example....I have been disgruntled at times in my life. But has anyone ever been gruntled?

"I'm feeling very gruntled today."

 

[Asclepias]

I would characterize my response to this thread as nonplussed if only I had experienced the state of being plussed in order to know the difference.

Exactly.....for example....I have been disgruntled at times in my life. But has anyone ever been gruntled?

"I'm feeling very gruntled today."

Yes since people grumble everyday.