English is a screwball language

My website includes a "Word of the day" feature. I suppose it is what now is called a widget.
Today's word is sanguinary. The definition was "battle, bloody."
Come on, I thought, that can't be right. Sanguine is about 180 degrees out of phase with that.
I checked both words on a Webster's dictionary I often call up. Yep, sanguine means "ruddy, cheerful, hopeful" just as I thought. Sanguinary is defined as "accompanied by bloodshed."
Now who in the world decided to make two similar words have such contrasting meanings? Beats me, but I do not intend to ever use sanguinary in a story. I'm sanguine about that.

Both are great words. Sounds like that widget is quite useful Dick.

Dick,
do you think you could find a word with some ending that could change the word "war" into "peace"?

I doubt it, Abe. Peace doesn't seem to rate too highly with the people running the world.

I want the widget, Dick.

Dick Stodghill wrote:

I doubt it, Abe. Peace doesn't seem to rate too highly with the people running the world.

That's because there's money to be made in war. there isn't any money to speak of to be made from peace. It's all about profits for the world leaders and their corporate friends (those who contribute to their campaign).

And, money = power !

zadaconnaway wrote:

And, money = power !

And money = power = even bigger wars ! So let's have some peace...

Dick Stodghill wrote:

My website includes a "Word of the day" feature. I suppose it is what now is called a widget.
Today's word is sanguinary. The definition was "battle, bloody."
Come on, I thought, that can't be right. Sanguine is about 180 degrees out of phase with that.
I checked both words on a Webster's dictionary I often call up. Yep, sanguine means "ruddy, cheerful, hopeful" just as I thought. Sanguinary is defined as "accompanied by bloodshed."
Now who in the world decided to make two similar words have such contrasting meanings? Beats me, but I do not intend to ever use sanguinary in a story. I'm sanguine about that.

Well Sir Dick it was mostly Noah Webster that screwed up The English Language and quoting from The Concise Oxford English Dictionary from The Oxford (England) University Press, wot I brung over wiv me (reverting to me cockney daisies - daisy roots, although daisy roots are boots, but poetic licence strikes again!)

sanguine: habitually hopeful, confident, expecting things to go well

sanguinary: accompanied by or delighting in bloodshed or slaughter, bloody, bloodthirsty (of laws) inflicting death freely, also a drawing in red chalk, stain with blood, stain red

sanguineous: of blood, blood red, full blooded, plethoric

Noah should have been horse whipped for that.

Sue, if you use Freewebs, it is one of their widgets.

Dick Stodghill wrote:

Noah should have been horse whipped for that.

I couldn't agree more he has a lot to answer for!

zadaconnaway wrote:

And, money = power !

The problem with money and power is that most people will always want more, no matter how much they have.

Thanks, Dick.

I have found dictionaries to be really remiss, actually.

A friend of mine had one that defined "left" in the political sense, as being the party out of power and trying to overthrow the in party.

So as soon as you win, you suddenly turn from left wing to right wing?

(Well, maybe... Obama's doing a bit of that and hasn't even won yet)

Dick Stodghill wrote:

My website includes a "Word of the day" feature. I suppose it is what now is called a widget.
Today's word is sanguinary. The definition was "battle, bloody."
Come on, I thought, that can't be right. Sanguine is about 180 degrees out of phase with that.
I checked both words on a Webster's dictionary I often call up. Yep, sanguine means "ruddy, cheerful, hopeful" just as I thought. Sanguinary is defined as "accompanied by bloodshed."
Now who in the world decided to make two similar words have such contrasting meanings? Beats me, but I do not intend to ever use sanguinary in a story. I'm sanguine about that.

I can see how that is.

It must come from Latin. The Spanish word for "blood" is "sangre".

Dick Stodghill wrote:

Noah should have been horse whipped for that.

Sue, if you use Freewebs, it is one of their widgets.

I use Freewebs for all three of my websites.
It is really easy to use.

And the web support is very good.

I received this in my inbox today and thought of this thread right away. I would like to share it with you. I hope it isn't off topic, at least too much. Enjoy!

How good is your English???...

*This is a true story from the Japanese Embassy in USA *

A few years ago, Prime Minister Mori was given some Basic
English conversation training before he visited Washington and met president Bill Clinton.

The instructor told Mori: 'Prime Minister, when you shake
hand with President Clinton, please say **'how are you'**.
Then Mr. Clinton should say, ' I am fine, and you?'*
* Now you should say **'me too'**.

Afterwards we, translators, will do all the work for you.'
...............................................................................................

* It looks quite simple, but the truth is....

When Mori met Clinton, he mistakenly said '**Who are you**?'. *
* Mr. Clinton was a bit shocked but still managed to
react with humour:
'Well, I am Hillary's husband, ha..ha..ha..'*
* Then Mori replied confidently '**Me too**, ha..ha..ha..'

Then there was a long silence in the meeting room.*

That's cute, Sue! It got a chuckle out of me.

Good one, Sue.

so does that make Hilary Clinton a virtual bigamist?