On Sat, 15 Apr 2006 05:21:21 GMT, Miss Elaine Eos
<Misc@*your-shoes*PlayNaked.com> wrote:
> In article <slrne3uunm.7r6.chris@ccserver.keris.net>,
> Chris Croughton <chris@keristor.net> wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 13 Apr 2006 20:09:17 -0500, David Sachs
>> <sachs@fnal.gov> wrote:
>>
>> > Since the obvious combination, "pedophile", has a very different meaning,
>> > what is the proper word for a person who likes children?
>>
>> A pedophile is a foot-fetishist (see pedologist, pedometer)! A
>> paedophile is one who "loves children" (Greek paid, child, and philos,
>> "love of siblings"). The correct term for a person who has sexual
>> desire towards children should be something like paedoeroticist (eros
>> being sexual love), but we are stuck with the incorrect meaning now.
>> The ending '-phile' now almost exclusively implies a sexual love or
>> desire, rather than the original "brotherly love".
>>
>> In today's society, to admit to a "love of children" at all (in any
>> language) is regarded as suspicious and implying some sort of unhealthy
>> sexual interest in them, particularly if it is about children in general
>> (loving your own offspring is still marginally acceptable). And since
>> the words are often confused[1] by people, 'liking' children is often
>> seem as the same and is there fore dangerous[2].
>>
>> [1] "I love [like] peanut butter!"; "Do you think he likes [has a sexual
>> or romantic interest in] me?" The words are used interchangeably by
>> large parts of society, and many people seem to actually not know that
>> there is even supposed to be a difference.
>>
>> [2] Dangerous to the point where people have been arrested for having
>> pictures of their own child naked in a pool...
>>
>> Of course, it's not the only word which doesn't mean what it ought to.
>> Which of 'vegetarian' and 'humanitarian' is correct? One who cares for
>> the welfare of vegetables, or one who eats humans?
>>
>> Chris C
>
> I always thought "-phile" meant "enjoys and/or has an interest in",
> except in the silly case of pedophile (the American spelling of the word
> that means "unnatural sexual love for children." See also pediatrician,
> a children's doctor.)
You mean paediatrician? <g> How about necrophilia, coprophilia,
saprophilia?
> So, for example, you have francophiles -- those
> who enjoy and are interested in all things French, (and I don't just
> mean kissing! ;), etc.
The derivation is from Greek philos, which means loving. The Concise
OED says about -philia:
1. denoting (especially abnormal) fondness or love for what is
specified (example necrophilia).
2. denoting undue inclination (haemophilia).
Looking at www.dictionary.com:
-phile or -phil
suff.
1. One that loves or has a strong affinity or preference for:
audiophile.
2. Loving; having a strong affinity or preference for: Francophile.
__________________________
[New Latin -philus, from Greek -philos, beloved, dear, from philos,
beloved, loving.]
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Again, the confusion between 'love' and 'liking' (and 'inclination'),
but Francophiles could well be descriven as "those who love all things
French" (from an English point of view this would be described as a
perversion <g>). Similarly, Anglophiles (sensible people <g>) have a
love of things English, bibliophiles a love of books, etc.
Chris C
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