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June 5, 2023
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| Word of the Week--"bone" |
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Definition--the hard dense tissue that forms the skeleton of vertebrates, providing structural support for the body and serving as an attachment for muscles.
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Discussion--Bones in English has many informal and idiomatic meanings. The end man in a minstrel show was called "Mr. Bones". Dr. McCoy on the original Star Trek was called "Bones". Bones is also a slang term for dice. One can "feel it their bones", "make no bones about it", or "have a bone to pick with you". It's not surprising that our body's support structure has engendered so many unusual usages.
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Etymology--bone is derived from the Middle English ban, and bon, which was derived from the Old English ban. Of similar origin is the Old High German bien, which in modern German means leg.
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| In the Romance languages below, you can see translations based on the Latin root for bone, os. The Dutch translation is more likely based on the Old English roots. |
Foreign Translations
| French: |
os (m) |
| Italian: |
osso |
| Spanish: |
hueso |
| Dutch: |
bot (het) |
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Jane Ellis
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