dilogy, duology

Wilson Gray hwgray at GMAIL.COM
Thu Nov 30 00:22:56 UTC 2006


Quite so, Larry. Curses! Horned again! That's twice in one day! Oh, well.

-Wilson

On 11/29/06, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: dilogy, duology
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >I've never come across either of these words before and I'm going to
> >have to look up "diology" to see how it's derived. My guess is that
> >that the "di-" is from Greek "dis," corresponding to Latin "bis" and
> >likewise meaning "twice." But "duology" is clearly, IMO, a
> >pswaydo-learned bit of pretentiousness. (That may be a bit harsh, but,
> >WTF?) In general, words in English derived from Greek are derived from
> >Attic and not Homeric. ("Hubris," instead of "hybris," is one of very
> >few exceptions.) Therefore, the form should be "dyology," not
> >"duology." Unless the coiner is combining *Latin* "duo" with Greek
> >"-ology." In that case, I can only shake my head in sorrow and once
> >again lament the  death of the classical education. I'd rather see
> >"twainology" or even "twoology." At least, neither of those would be
> >pretentious.
> >
> >-Wilson
>
> all true, but "dilogy" could arise from a simple analogy along the lines of
>
> triptych:diptych::trilogy:_____
>
> (More of the baleful influence of the old SAT analogy test, no doubt.)
>
> LH
>
> >On 11/28/06, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>-----------------------
> >>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> >>Subject:      dilogy, duology
> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >>Wikipedia speaks:
> >>
> >>   "Duology also known as dilogy is a set of two works of art,
> >>usually a two-part series relating to literature or film, that
> >>develop a single theme over two works. A duology may or may not
> >>involve a sequel and/or prequel."
> >>
> >>   OED lacks "duology" and includes "dilogy" only in different senses.
> >>
> >>   "Duology," at least, gets thousands of raw Googlits.  (Tomorrow's
> >>Inglish-speakers will undoubtedly prefer "biology" in the indicated
> >>sense.)
> >>
> >>   But seriously: OED appears to lack any single word meaning "a
> >>two-part literary, dramatic, or cinematic work" to complement
> >>"trilogy" and "tetralogy."   I was groping for such a word to
> >>describe Herman Wouk's _Winds of War_ and its sequel _War and
> >>Remembrance_.  Yeah, there's "two-volume novel," but I said "single
> >>word."
> >>
> >>   I came up with "duology," but if Wikipedia already endorses it I
> >>may wait for a second round of inspiration.
> >>
> >>   JL
> >>
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> >
> >--
> >All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
> >come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> >-----
> >-Sam Clemens
> >
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--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
-Sam Clemens

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