Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Gentile?

So Ali asked, 'The word gentile - could it be from genitalia intacta? What do you think?'
'I think you should have asked Sean that last week. I think everyone's picking on me.'

Google is a wonderful thing.

Gentile is from the Latin 'gens' meaning race or clan. It was translated from the Greek 'ethnikos', which in turn was a translation of a Hebrew phrase that I forget meaning non-Jewish nations. (I think. If I understood correctly. Although it doesn't seem an altogether logical progression.)

Anyone else got any awkward questions?



8 comments:

Furtheron said...

How much force is necessary to get 1 billion tonnes off the planet Mars? My son has been pondering this one today... btw that is roughly the entire mass of the population of the world... so there is a fact to answer the next awkward question

James Higham said...

Anyone else got any awkward questions?

No but I know where to come to if I do.

Devonshire Dumpling said...

Awkward questions? How many would you like? Do you want something similar to your blog quote or something like "What do we all do about the internal combustion engine?" or would you rather Google answers regarding "How do you protect yourself against the negativity, the toxic attitudes, assumptions, and events in the world?".......or would you prefer it if I kept my awkward questions to myself!

Mauigirl said...

I think your original theory made a lot of sense! Thanks for the explanation though!

Jay said...

Hahaha! Made you think, though, didn't it? And in fact 'genitalia intacta' doesn't seem like too ridiculous a guess to me! LOL!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Well done, Liz. Btw, the other day I reread your story in "The Woman Who Loved Cucumbers" - it's excellent.

Liz Hinds said...

Thank you, furtheron.

I'll be here, james.

On reflection, dd, keep them to yourself!

I think the original suggestion was quite sensible too, mauigirl and jay.

Thank you, welshcakes!

Ole Phat Stu said...

@Furtheron,
the equatorial surface gravity of Mars is 0.376 g.
Force=Mass * acceleration.
Any acceleration in excess of 0.376 g would lift the mass.

I'll leave the easy multiplication to your son ;-)