A letter and a word – it joins “a” in that respect, but “I” has so much more meaning and carries so much more weight. (At least when it’s capitalized. When not, it’s just an eccentricity, or a typo!) Have you ever tried to carry on a conversation without using the capital “I?” Even if you are not self-absorbed, it can be difficult. But I digress. . .
Today’s word is actually a collection of words, all beginning with “ia-.” Except for a couple of other words that begin the same way, (iamb, ianthine, and probably a few others), these words would all be listed together as variations on the “ia” theme. The prefix has to do with medicine and medical practitioners. In many names of medical specialties, you will find the “ia” as either the beginning or somewhere in the middle of the word, for instance, psychiatrist, pediatrician, or podiatrist.
iatro (ī-ăt-rō or ī-ā-trō) prefix (usually), relating to a physician or medicine. From the Greek word iatros meaning physician or healer. The word iatrician, or any of its permutations, is seldom used today. Easier to say doctor, I suppose! Anyway, here’s a handy-dandy chart of some of the words you might like to know to impress or puzzle your own physician (My own astute comments are in red italics):
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iamatology |
study of remedies – A wise course of study for any good physician. |
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iatraliptic |
relating to the curing of diseases by means of unguents –Is there a specialty in that? I haven’t been able to find “iatralipticians” in the Yellow Pages. |
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iatramelia |
medical negligence – Otherwise known as malpractice – or the ever-popular practice of litigious medicine. |
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iatrarchy |
government by physicians– My God! Can you imagine? Did anyone ever really conceive of this? |
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iatrochemistry |
application of chemistry to medical theory –Sounds like a good idea, as long as the chemistry referred to is the kind that an actor and actress have on film. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be healed through the good chemistry certain to be produced between me and James McAvoy? |
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iatrogenic |
induced inadvertently by medical treatment –I suppose that could go either way. Malpractice or canonization. |
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iatralogy |
treatise or text on medical topics – A volume that has become far too large for anyone to know or even read through – particularly any one physician. As new stuff is added daily, I suggest you beware a single opinion. |
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iatromathematics |
archaic practice of medicine in conjunction with astrology – I didn’t know the practice was archaic! Isn’t that what a lot of medical practice is today? |
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iatrophobia |
fear of going to the doctor – In other words, “just plain old common sense.” |
When I started this Wednesday meme, I told you that sometimes the photo for the day would not be related to the word for the day. This is one of those Wednesdays. As I mentioned yesterday, we are having unseasonably warm weather here in the mountains of western North Carolina. While walking Princess this morning, I noticed these tiny flowers that have sprouted up all over our yard. I’m sure they are weeds, but they are exquisite, and also VERY TINY. Each blossom is about 1 mm in width – I kid you not! I hope you see the beauty in them, too.
Oh – I couldn’t resist posting a “couple of” photos of Zoë! Do you blame me?
I continue to wish you all, my Gentle Readers, enough. . .
(wc 675)
(WordPress was working some sort of voodoo magic on my site today. i apologize for the variety of fonts and font sizes. Believe me, as far as I know, it is not of my doing. I wrote, and posted in the same manner as always, and this is what I got.)
(Words and definitions for my “Wednesday’s Word and Picture” posts are most often found at the following highly-recommended site: Phrontistery )
Reflections From a Cloudy Mirror 
Yup, she is indeed a beauty Granny:-)
Lovely post, my favourite kind. And Zoe is adorable 🙂
My favourite ia: iambic. The iamb: a beat beneath some of the greatest lines of English ever written. It can make my heart beat quicker.
Thanks to all the bloggers whose worlds I’ve recently stepped into, my mornings (and sometimes the balance of a day), are given over to reading, Googling, and learning (to say nothing of oooing and ahhing over photos)! Keeps me out of trouble! 🙂
For example, this morning, because of you, I learned that “i” is also “The imaginary quantity equal to the square root of minus one.” See: http://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+I&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a Who knew? Since I steer clear of most things medical (beyond the “common sense” things), and math (beyond the very basics) is generally a muddle to me, certainly these are topics I wouldn’t have explored unbidden.
And then there’s the photos….. Lovely, each and EVERY one of them!
thanks for the informative post, and for sharing the pics 🙂 Can you get a closer pic of the flowers?
I can and probably will later on, and will post them, on my photos page. This was the best (and it’s not very good) that I could do with the lens I had with me at the time. I’ll take my micro lens with me and try to get a really good close-up of them. They are so pretty. I believe they are some type of clover, but I don’t really know.
Iatroping in such words, iatit with a passion I do! Is iatric when you win something three times in succession? Would ii be a nautical ‘yes’?
An ‘i’ always seems to me to be a diminutive. Like, which was the cartoon little witch who would go, ‘Kickle, kickle’? I think a small frog should be a frig, and a small toad a tid.
Zoe looks lovely, but ominously mobile. At 9 months, our J is still limited by her walking ring thank heavens. She still manages to get at all sorts of things.
Very interesting i stuff Paula. I didn’t know these words – except iamb(ic).
And your take on all those medical words was entertaining.
Zoe seems, all of a sudden, to be walking. I guess it’s time to strip the decks of all those enticing things that kids find so fascinating!
Thank you
John
Paula, is it possible to write in the small case “i”. That’s an intriguing challenge. How would one do that?
Grandma, this is your blog and you can post as many of those adorable shots as you wish! Just think how pleased she’ll be when she discovers your blog with her in it…
I have had no difficulty excising “I” from my vocabulary.
I am not self absorbed.
I seldom desire to work “I” into the conversation.
I listen to others.
I offer my thoughts only if I am asked to do so.
I may say “I think” or “I believe” or “I expect” IF I have a strong opinion to share . . .
But I never use “I” lightly or take “I” for granted.
“I” is just too important! 😉
But I expect you knew that! 😆
Some of your photos are MIA . . . but Zoe’s cuteness is radiating loud and clear!
Never mind . . . the photos appeared when I refreshed the browser.
There are showing up on Sonya, but for some reason or other,they aren’t coming up on Ashley’s computer, so I shall repost them, and hopefully they will come up. The flowers are really interesting little things.
Just saw that you got them, so I’ll tell Ashley to refresh and see if that works first. Thanks!
I have always found, just between you and I – or is that me – I will use I in this case, even though it’s wrong. But I am so like you in that I do no self-aggrandizing. I am always soft-spoken, I am always demure, I am always right. Oops! Didn’t mean to divulge that, but you know that anyway!
She is such a cutie! And growing up so fast. 🙂