Villus — Urth Net

Nigel Price04 Mar 2003, 11:14original as archived

Villus

In a rhetorical mood, Crush ruminates...

6 quoted lines · depth 2

Still, it does show that ambivalent names should be taken seriously. Consequently, I don't know what to do with the ambivalent name "Villus." It's so obscure, the ambiguity must be intentional, but what does it mean?

Nigel, who, somewhat disturbingly, keeps a Latin dictionary by his side at all times, responds in a manner that is intended to be helpful, but which is probably intensely irritating... "Villus" is a Latin word (2nd declension, masculine) meaning "shaggy hair". It is related etymologically to "pilus", the Latin word for "a single hair". Nigel (who wishes he still had shaggy hair these days)

Che Monro04 Mar 2003, 11:55original as archived

↳ follows Nigel Price · by subject

13 quoted lines · 1–3 deep

At 11:14 AM 4/03/03 +0000, you wrote: In a rhetorical mood, Crush ruminates...

Still, it does show that ambivalent names should be taken seriously. Consequently, I don't know what to do with the ambivalent name "Villus." It's so obscure, the ambiguity must be intentional, but what does it mean?

Nigel, who, somewhat disturbingly, keeps a Latin dictionary by his side at all times, responds in a manner that is intended to be helpful, but which is probably intensely irritating... "Villus" is a Latin word (2nd declension, masculine) meaning "shaggy hair". It is related etymologically to "pilus", the Latin word for "a single hair". Nigel (who wishes he still had shaggy hair these days)

Che looks on with interest and gives Nigel a puppy dog look. "As a puppy I devoured Shakespeare in a tasty leather binding." Che Ché Franz Joseph Monro -- http://www.chemonro.com che at chemonro.com -- flirt at technologist.com

James Wynn04 Mar 2003, 15:31original as archived

↳ follows Che Monro · by subject

Nigel lends Crush a hand:

1 quoted line

"Villus" is a Latin word (2nd declension, masculine) meaning "shaggy hair".

It is related etymologically to "pilus", the Latin word for "a single hair". Crush responds: Thanks Nigel! This is very useful to me. The confusing thing about "villus" is that it is a sexually ambivalent name. In biology it is a teeny hairlike projection in the small intestines. In botany it is a teeny hairlike growth on the leaves or stems of some plants. What's the same in both senses is the quality of smallness, and Villus is the smallest "boy" at the palaestra. But, there are lots and lots of more common words that carry that quality. Wolfe was sure aware of the ambiguity of this word and selected it at least in part for that ambiguity. Why? This calls to mind Titi's sexually ambiguous name; Titi, the male counterspy whose specialty was female impersonation. -- Crush