I recently ran into the word
ADVERTENCY
I bruised a couple of ribs, but I’ll be okay.
Advertency = advertence: The state of being advertent – aware, attentive, heedful, knowledgeable, perceptive
The modern (somewhat restricted) equivalent is “Woke.”
I have been somewhat covert (covered, concealed) in my production of another WOW. Some of you have been a bit overt (open to view, observable) in your expectations that I do, so I thought I’d introduce most of the bunch. The family name – VERT – comes from Latin, through the French, ouvrir-to open, into English. They all have something to do with showing, or seeing – or not.
With its negative prefix, avert means to prevent something from happening, so that the results are not seen. Similarly, invert means to display something, but upside-down. Evert means to turn something inside-out, and show the inner surface. With an opening syllable that means – in, at or to – advertising points your attention to the presentation of goods that retailers want you to be aware of, and purchase.
We move to psychology to meet the introverts, who keep most of their personalities hidden within themselves, and the extroverts, who fill any room they’re in with their outward glow and conversations. Then there are the members of the family that we usually don’t mention, pervert and subvert. They’re the guys who get to see stuff that they shouldn’t.
My advertency about the term advertency came from a science-fiction book. In it, one planet prided themselves about their citizens’ knowledge and understanding of what went on around them, so that they could make the most optimal, informed decisions. The giant University even taught a course on advertency – how to notice details, be informed, know what was going on.
It all comes down to making reasonable, informed decisions. This is what many Atheists wish that the religious hoi polloi would do. If you want to worship one particular God, or follow the tenets of a specific denomination or church, do it. Just be able to give a better justification, when asked, than, “I have faith.”
Canada and the U.S. – Hell, most of the world – could use a University that teaches advertency. I notice far more things than the average Joe, but I could still use some training in how to do more.
I come over a rise, driving in the curb lane. A block ahead is a bus. I know that it will stop and block my lane, so I move out. The guy behind me now rushes up beside me, almost rear-ends the bus when it stops, and almost sideswipes me, trying to go around at the last minute. Too many drivers ‘drive’ no further ahead than their hood ornament.
If we could just raise the average awareness of citizens, then the uninformed, unaware, extrovert leaders like Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau, and Boris Johnson wouldn’t get re-elected. Probably won’t happen though. Jay Leno used to air a segment titled Americans Are Dumb, And Proud Of It! I continue to hope, though. Were you aware of that? 😕
I have now thought more about ‘verts’ more than I ever thought possible. I’m not sure whether to thank you… or not.
😉
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I ‘inadvertently’ left one out. 😉
Since much of English came from Latin and Greek, it has many of these clumps of words with the same base. I find it fascinating (probably because I have no social life) to see the wide range of meanings that have evolved from language shift. 🙂
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Well, I have a social life…. but still find it fascinating.
😉
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I am sorry you bruised some ribs, i hope you are mending and feeling better. Really loved your post, as I love language. I am a recent convert to “New Thought”, basically that mind and matter are connected and we create our reality by how we think. The trick is to get ourselves, and the entire country. to believe we can have the type of politicians who actually lead and don’t just promote their own agendas. I think this is possible, but obviously I am not believing it enough to create that reality – yet. I’m still working on my belief system.
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They have healed well enough to type out this response.
convert = con-vert = ‘see’ – ‘together’ = join a group which all agrees on a viewpoint
Thanx for your thoughts, and another member of the family. 🙂
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This is rather cool, Archon!
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I will revert = go back to a previously held view that we’re lucky it’s not cool here yet, although I switched the thermostat from AC to Furnace this evening. They’re shoveling it out west. 😯
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Oh lucky you. Over here in Qwebec, it is currently 3C
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My outside thermometer currently says about +6C. Why, we’re in the sunbelt. The oranges will be ripe by tomorrow – or we’ll have ready-made frozen juice. 😉
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Ha ha ha! Actually, lemme check (what the hell are you doing up at 2:43 am?) It’s a “balmy” 4C right now…supposed to go down to 2 by 4 am
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The irony is – You, up at 2:43 AM – asking me what I’m doing up at 2:43. 😳
I refer you to my Oct. 12/16 post, ‘A Day In The Life.” https://archonsden.wordpress.com/2016/10/12/autoprompt-a-day-in-the-life/ I’ve always been a night-owl. Since I retired, I set my own hours. The son works an overnight shift. I get up at noon/1 PM, and stay up till 5 AM. I close the bedroom door to keep our two, young Scottie dogs from trashing the house, and to keep 3 cats from trashing the bedroom. The son lets the dogs back out about 8 AM, preventing (more) wet spots on the carpets.
An old Jamaican guy delivers my newspaper between 2/5 AM. He flicks it out his car window, onto the city sidewalk or paved boulevard. If I don’t go out to retrieve it, it gets blown away, run over, destroyed or stolen by school children, rained on, (it’s in a plastic bag, but not always tied) covered by a snowstorm, or plowed under. The kid who delivers the no-longer-wanted printed flyers, brings them right up to the house. 😛
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Because I often work till 11-12, I don’t get to bed till easily 2-3 am (plus a friend of mine keeps the same hours and we often end up chatting until 2:30… I am also a night owl. Kinda buggers me up when I have to work at 11am instead of 4pm so I have to try to force myself to go to bed earlier.
I often get woken up by bloody boys who leave for work by 6:30 am and sometimes have to let the damn cat or dog out.
Your newspaper guy is so not cool.
🙂
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