Are these two terms the same?

[cacian]

Earthling
and
Homosapien?

[Kingbob]

Earthling is a term commonly used in science fiction to identify humans as opposed to extraterrestrials. While Humans (known taxonomically as Homosapiens, Latin for "wise man" or "knowing man")are the only living species in the Homo genus.

[cacian]

Earthling is a term commonly used in science fiction to identify humans as opposed to extraterrestrials. While Humans (known taxonomically as Homosapiens, Latin for "wise man" or "knowing man")are the only living species in the Homo genus.

but outside the sciene fiction field these two words should match right?

and
'homosapien' means 'wise man' because homo= man and sapien= wise
but
'homosexual' means 'gay man'
shouldn't it homosexual mean sexual man because of the first definition of 'homosapien'?

then
'homo' is slang for 'gay'?
then by deduction
'homosapien' means 'gaywise'?

humm...confusing right!!

[Buh4Bee]

?????

[Hawkman]

Yes cacian, it is confusing to the non english speaker. however the reason homosexual dosen't mean man as in homosapiens is that it is not the same route. Homosapiens, as previously explained, derrives from latin, whereas homosexual derrives from Greek, homos - meaning same. Sexus is a latin derrived word. It is a peculiarity of English that Latin and Greek words are often combined. So, homosexual combines the Calssical Greek word for sameness and the Latin word for determining gender to create a word in English which means 'same sex'.

[cacian]

Yes cacian, it is confusing to the non english speaker. however the reason homosexual dosen't mean man as in homosapiens is that it is not the same route. Homosapiens, as previously explained, derrives from latin, whereas homosexual derrives from Greek, homos - meaning same. Sexus is a latin derrived word. It is a peculiarity of English that Latin and Greek words are often combined. So, homosexual combines the Calssical Greek word for sameness and the Latin word for determining gender to create a word in English which means 'same sex'.

Thank you Hawkman I get what you are saying.
I think because of the word HOMO in both words are the exact same and so one presumes they are the same.

[cacian]

Another word:
CONSTANT

in this example
'the gates in constant use'
means contineously.

in this example

'my feelings are constant'
means unchangeable/the same.


The word constant also derives from the word CONSTELLATION

How should I define it when out of context?

[Hawkman]

English is a derrivative and eclectic language. It derrives words and phrases from Latin, Greek, French, German, Norse and even Indian dialects. It's why the language is so confusing for the non native speaker. with such a rich heritage we have lots of different words which mean the same thing, and words which sound the same which have completely different meanings. Homophones Like stare and stair. It is also important to get the conjugations and declensions right. one would not normally substitute constant with continuously (the present participle of the adjective) the tenses are important. constantly/continuously. Sometimes meaning is entirely dependent on context. Take "fire" for instance. Fire is a noun for flames, it also means shoot. The reason is that when firearms were first introduced the order to shoot was, "give fire," which meant introducing the glowing end of a smoldering chord into the frizzen pan on a matchlock or cannon into the black powder to ignite it to make the gun go off. If a man rushes out of a burning house (and there are a lot of armed men outside) shouting "fire" might not attract the kind of attention he was hoping for! lol.

[WyattGwyon]

Another word:
CONSTANT

in this example
'the gates in constant use'
means contineously.

in this example

'my feelings are constant'
means unchangeable/the same.


The word constant also derives from the word CONSTELLATION

How should I define it when out of context?

Your premise is faulty. One can never define a meaning out of context. Some words simply do not have definitions that apply to all instances of a word's usage. For example, there is no definition encompassing all uses of the word "game"—that is, there is no element common to all things described as games. "Music" is another example where there simply is no unitary definition.

[cacian]

Your premise is faulty. One can never define a meaning out of context. Some words simply do not have definitions that apply to all instances of a word's usage. For example, there is no definition encompassing all uses of the word "game"—that is, there is no element common to all things described as games. "Music" is another example where there simply is no unitary definition.

I agree about music and games but aren't they considered names/nouns
as oppose to the word CONSTANT which is an adjective therefore is to stand a definition out of context.
On second thoughts the word GAME or MUSiC out of the context/on their own still mean somehing.