Interesting -- I didn't know that. A case of "faux amis" (false cognates). So what's "phylline" from? The only thing I can think of, going from my limited knowledge of Greek, is "type" in the sense of something that's in a class of things that have something in common. (Same as the word "phylum") So I would, offhand, speculate that "theophylline" means "substances derived from tea." Is that correct?
Ronn Blankenship wrote: > At 08:43 PM 11/16/02, Marc A. Schindler wrote: > >The term "theobromine", incidentally, comes from Greek, "drink of the > >Gods", and > >was applied to chocholate in drinkable form when it was first brought to > >Europe. > > "Theophylline", however, does not mean "friend of the gods," as one might > naively guess from the above. In fact, the "theo" in the latter compound > is derived from "tea" while the same portion of "theobromine" is derived > from the word "deo" or "theo" for a deity . . . > > --Ronn! :) > > I always knew that I would see the first man on the Moon. > I never dreamed that I would see the last. > --Dr. Jerry Pournelle > > ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > -- Marc A. Schindler Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland �Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on� � Winston Churchill Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author�s employer, nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^^=============================================================== This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^^===============================================================
