ETYMOLOGY: SYNCRETIZE

THE WORD GENIUS WEBSITE offers an interesting word in “syncretize.” It’s a verb, originating from Latin in the 17th century, meaning “an attempt to amalgamate or reconcile (differing things, especially beliefs, cultural elements, or schools of thought).” 

As an example, word genius writes, “Rome, one of the greatest powers of the ancient world, expertly syncretized features of other cultures to create a uniquely Roman one. For instance, the Romans incorporated aspects from several northern Mediterranean religions into their own gods. Latin uses Phoenician writing, Etruscan letters, and the Greek alphabet. Roman architecture featured Etruscan arches and Greek columns along with the Roman innovation of concrete.”

A Modern Parallel. In many ways, I’m reminded of one of the greatest powers in the modern world, the United States. Its amalgamation of religious beliefs sets it apart from much of the world. And, apparently until recently, its separation of Church and State has been fundamental in this. Certainly its melting pot has been an amalgamation of the world’s people. And scads of imported words and phrases have found their way into American English. 

Etymology: The word genius website continues (and this got me thinking…), “This word originated from the Latinized form of the Greek ‘synkretizein,’ meaning ‘to combine against a common enemy.’ ”

Wikipedia suggests a different etymology: “The English word is first attested in the early 17th century. It is from Modern Latin syncretismus, drawing on the Ancient Greek: συγκρητισμός, romanized: synkretismos, supposedly meaning ‘Cretan federation.’ However, this is a spurious etymology from the naive idea in Plutarch‘s 1st-century AD essay on ‘Fraternal Love (Peri Philadelphias)’ in his collection Moralia. He cites the example of the Cretans, who compromised and reconciled their differences and came together in alliance when faced with external dangers. ‘And that is their so-called Syncretism [Union of Cretans].” 

“More likely as an etymology,” Wikipedia says, “is sun- (“with”) plus kerannumi (‘mix’) and its related noun, ‘krasis,’ ‘mixture.’ ”

The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary

The O.E.D. is a tie-breaker, more or less agreeing with word genius: “the joining, or agreement, of two enemies against a third person.”

Concluding Thoughts. Actually I like the part about “reconciling differences and coming together in alliance when faced with external dangers,” especially when these external dangers are arrogance, ignorance, and intolerance.

It surely beats the dysfunctional situation in which our U.S. Congress currently finds itself. Might we seek syncretization in November? ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2024