More fun with words

Dan Rabin · 05 Dec 2004, 22:26 · from 2004-December.txt.gz

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From: wolfe-lists at danrabin.com (Dan Rabin)
Date: Sun Dec  5 22:26:29 2004
Subject: (urth) More fun with words
Message-ID: <a05111b0fbdd9a7ea7719@[209.157.137.69]>

After my last message on vocabulary, I decided to look up some works 
in the _American Heritage Dictionary_, third edition.

It turns out that the "arch" in archive is derived from the same 
Greek word meaning "to rule" as "archon": it comes by way of a word 
meaning "town hall".

So it is entirely appropriate that the library/archive of the Citadel 
should also be that of the House Absolute--it's the set of records 
kept in the seat of government.  And this particular archive is also 
the repository containing _The Book of the New Sun_, both Canog's and 
Severian's.

+++++

Thinking of the Greek words in TBotNS got me thinking about "Hypogeum 
Apotropaic".  Has anyone figured out why the Underground Hall of 
Protection from Evil should be associated with Father Inire?  There's 
also a "Hypogeum Amaranthine", (unfading, never withering). 
Severian's memory?  The transmitted memories of the Autarchs?

   -- Dan Rabin

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