2314: psycho-: psychotic vs. psychopomp Apr 18, 2021

Words like 'psychopath', or 'psychotic', could give an impression that the combining form 'psycho-' related to problems in mental health, but as can be seen in the word 'psychopomp', this is not the case. A psychopomp is the name for a guide through the underworld, as might be said of Anubis in Egyptian mythology, Mercury in Greek mythology, Valkyries in Norse mythology and even the Grim Reaper. The origin of this word is Greek ψυχοπομπός (psychopompós) with 'psycho (psūkhḗ) meaning 'soul', and 'pompós' here meaning 'sender; conductor'. Thus in its purest sense, 'psycho-' as a combining form means 'soul' or 'mind'.

2232: Nacirema Jan 24, 2021

'Nacirema' is a term used in sociology as a way to describe American or otherwise broadly Western behaviors in a way one might do for other cultures in a somewhat voyeuristic manner. The term was coined in 1956 as a reverse of the spelling of 'American' and was first used in the article "Body Ritual among the Nacirema" as a satirical piece describing mid-50's grooming, pharmaceuticals and basic aspects of history in the way some might describe foreign, tribal cultures. Though initially just published as a one-time event in American Anthropologist, several other papers by other authors came to use this term for similar effect.