Two Words
(c) 2018 "Pain" Photo by L. M. Neas In this blog, we have explored the meaning of many words. We have discussed how words touch us; how they can heal and hurt. We have even looked at the power of words; their use and popularity. Sometimes, words that were once powerful, become almost inert. They simply sit in the consciousness, failing to trigger the correct synapsis for a reaction. Or, should I say, for the reaction that is typical to the words. Two such words are "chronic pain." Let's look at their meaning and origin, first. Chronic comes to us from, as many words used in the realm of science, the Greek language. Khronos, which means "time," is the root to words such as chronical, chronology, and chronically. In English, the word "chronic" means repetitive, occurring constantly. Pain has a dual nationality, coming from both Latin and Greek - poena/poine, respectively - both meaning "penalty ." (Is it any...