Word Origins : Trivia Quiz

jimmy p

Ooh. I learned this the other day... What is the original meaning of the word "decimate" and what are it's origins? Should be pretty easy.

Gokul43201

decimate - strictly, to reduce by a factor of ten, but usually works for any a large reduction in numbers - to fairly wipe out, obliterate. I remember this from (some years ago) when I was going through a list of words for the GRE test.

jimmy p

This is true. A stab at the origin?

The Bob

Latin???

The Bob (2004 ©)

arildno

The origin of "decimate" is a disciplinary measure in the Roman legions when the officers thought the troops need chastisement and morale-boosting:
The troops were divided into groups of ten.
Each member in a tenner group drew a wooden stick; the guy who drew the burnt stick were beaten to death by the other nine in front of the other troops.
That's where "decimation" comes from, folks.

Gokul43201

Hmmm...this seems to be correct - meaning that I was wrong. I thought 'decimate' meant killing/eliminating 90% of the people, but it actually (arch.) means taking out 10% of the people.

Gokul43201

Thanks, Evo

Perhaps some other theme next...

jimmy p

That is close to what I had. Yes it was a disciplinary. I learned that if a unit needed severe disciplining, 10 out the 100 would be selected and slaughtered in front of the century by the centurions.

arildno

Hi, jimmyp:
This is a SERIOUS discrepancy, am I wrong??
I'll report back when I've checked my source..

jimmy p

??? Lol. Actually, I dont see much difference

Unless you are being sarcastic I CANT TELL WITH TEXT!!!

arildno

OK then, it's not THAT serious
However, I did think I was right, and I know what the original source is (I'll check it up)
(it was a Greek historian living in Rome as P.O.W. at the time of Cato the elder, and the Bacchus cult scandal (oops, shouldn't have mentioned that sordid affair at this family-oriented forum..))

Gokul43201

I'm not sure exactly what the Bacchus Cult scandal was all about but I'm guessing it was related to some female ritual. The Romans called all the female rituals 'scandals', and something involving bacchanalians was all the more likely to be a target.

And if you're concerned about the nature of the material, I put up an age advisory at the beginning of this thread.

arildno

Oh, it was more sordid than that..
It was your usual mix of orgies in the night, raped males and wicked relatives conspiring to get your inheritance..but this is really too mundane and depressing to get further into..

humanino

What a great time that was