Re: Corpora: tetragram

Henning Reetz (Henning.Reetz@uni-konstanz.de)
Wed, 23 Jul 1997 14:43:28 +0200

>Henning Reetz makes a *logical* point when he says:
>-----
>In short, Quadrigram would be the most agreeable form. Another argument:
>Bi-, Tri-,... next should be Quadri- (it's not Bu-, Tru-,...). Tetragram is
>out, because Tetra- is Greek, Bi- and Tri- are Latin.
>-----
>
>However, such logic is not always consistent with the development
>of language.
>I, myself, had figured it ought to be 'quadrigram' until someone
>mentioned 'tetragram'.
>In my dictionary, as illogical as it may seem, 'tetragram' is listed (but
>not 'quadrigram'). And, of course, pentagram (not quinquegram
>or quintegram, so far as I know) is used.
>Go figure.
>
>Karen
>kstanley@charlotte.infi.net
>karen_stanley@cpcc.cc.nc.us

I said agreeable, not logical... (Any name is fine as long as everybody
understands what is ment.)

Just to be picky:
According to the OED, pentagram is a five-pointed figure; tetragram is (2)
"the figure composed of four straight lines in a plane" and (1) "(Clem.
Alex. 666) The (word) of four letters". I learned now that tetragram is
'in', probably because it was used in historical times.

Sorry, I'll stick to non-public communication to avoid cluttering the list
with this sort of rubbish.

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