From Picking to Understanding: The Evolution of ‘Legere’

Find the story in the evolution of ‘Legere’ from its Proto-Indo-European roots to Latin, and its significant impact on English vocabulary.

Ever wonder how the words we use every day have changed over time? Each word has a unique lineage that reflects the ebb and flow of human history. In this post, we spotlight one such word, ‘legere,’ a term derived from the Proto-Indo-European root ‘*leg-‘ that forms the backbone of countless commonly-used English words.

The story of ‘legere’ is one of evolution and transformation. Emerging from the Proto-Indo-European root ‘*leg-,’ the Latin term initially denoted ‘to gather’ or ‘to pick.’ As the wheels of time turned, the word began to assume new dimensions, extending its meaning to include ‘reading,’ ‘selecting,’ ‘understanding,’ and ‘collecting.’

This linguistic transformation has significantly influenced the English language, giving rise to numerous words we frequently use. Join us at The Reliable Narrator as we trace the fascinating journey of ‘legere,’ from its ancient beginnings to its impact on contemporary English.

The Story Behind ‘Legere’

In the Proto-Indo-European language, ‘*leg-‘ was a term used to describe the simple act of ‘gathering’ or ‘picking.’ This word was part of the everyday language used by our hunter-gatherer forebears, who spent their days gathering and picking items like fruits and plants.

As society progressed and decisions became more complex, the meaning of ‘*leg-‘ also expanded. It began to embody the concept of ‘selecting’ or ‘choosing,’ indicating a shift in human behavior towards making more deliberate and thoughtful choices.

The advent of written communication led to another evolution for ‘*leg-.’ The concept of ‘gathering’ stretched to include the acquisition of knowledge through reading written texts. This led to the birth of ‘legere,’ a Latin term specifically denoting ‘reading.’ But ‘legere’ went beyond merely reading—it represented the process of understanding and interpreting the written word, mirroring the growing value of literacy in advanced societies.

Over time, ‘legere’ became a multifaceted word, embodying broader concepts such as understanding, selecting, and collecting knowledge. It’s remarkable to note how this Latin word’s influence is reflected in various English derivatives, each echoing a facet of its rich semantic heritage.

Tracing English Words Back to ‘Legere’

As ‘legere’ evolved and expanded its meanings, it played a critical role in forming a wide array of English words. These words can be classified into four broad categories corresponding to the meanings associated with ‘legere’: reading, choosing or selecting, gathering or collecting, and understanding or comprehending.

In the Context of Reading

Our journey through the intricate web of words begins with ‘legere’ in the context of reading:

• Legible: Refers to handwriting or print that’s clear enough to read.
• Lecture: A spoken presentation of information or ideas, often derived from written material.
• Legend: A traditional story or myth passed down through generations, meant to be read and shared.
• Reader: A person who reads or a device that interprets and translates information.
• Legislation: The collection of laws written to be read, understood, and followed by the public.
• Allegory: A symbolic narrative requiring careful reading and interpretation to understand deeper meanings.
• Lectern: A stand used to support a book or script for a reading.
• Intelligence: The ability to understand complex ideas, often gained through extensive reading and studying.
• Intellect: The faculty of understanding and reasoning, developed through reading and education.
• Lexicon: The vocabulary of a language or subject, which one learns through reading and studying.
• Elegant: In the context of reading, an elegant piece of writing is stylishly and gracefully written, providing a pleasurable reading experience.
• Legacy: Anything handed down from the past, like a story or a book, meant to be read and enjoyed by future generations.
• Diligent: Derived from ‘diligere,’ a compound of ‘legere,’ it implies careful and persistent work or effort, like meticulous reading.
• Collectanea: A collection of writings, usually on a particular subject, read and gathered together.
• Intelligible: Something capable of being understood, particularly through reading and interpretation.

In the Context of Choosing

The versatility of ‘legere’ extends to the concept of decision-making. Here are some English words that carry this sense:

• Elect: To choose or make a decision, often in the context of voting.
• Select: To carefully choose something as being the best or most suitable.
• Election: A formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office.
• Selective: Characterized by careful choice.
• Detective: A person, especially a police officer, who investigates crimes and gathers information, choosing critical evidence to solve cases.
• Delectable: Something so pleasing, often in terms of food or drink, that it seems to have been chosen specifically for one’s taste.
• Electoral: Pertaining to elections, where choices are made by voting.
• Elected: Having been chosen for a position or role.
• Recollect: To remember or choose to recall something from memory.
• Eclectic: Deriving ideas, styles, or tastes from a broad and diverse range of sources, involving careful choice and selection.
• Neglect: Failing to care for something, or choosing not to give proper attention.
• Predilection: A preference or a particular liking for something; a bias in favor of something, implying a choice.
• Collect: To choose and gather items or information.
• Eligible: Having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions, often implying that a choice or selection process has taken place.
• Intelligent: The ability to learn, understand, and make decisions or choices.

‘Legere’ In the Context of Gathering

English has borrowed and adapted words that encapsulate gathering and collecting essence of ‘legere.’ Here are a few examples:

• Collect: To bring together different items.
• Collection: A group of items or people gathered together.
• Lexicon: A collection of words or a vocabulary.
• College: An assembly or collection of people with a common purpose, such as learning.
• Aggregate: Formed by the collection of separate units or items.
• Legion: A vast host, multitude, or number of people or things, originally a term for a group of soldiers.
• Diligent: Carefully gathering and using information and resources.
• Intellect: The capacity for understanding, reasoning, and acquiring knowledge – a gathering of cognitive abilities.
• Legible: Something that can be gathered or understood by reading.
• Colleague: Someone joined with others in a shared work or duty, a gathering of workers.
• Legend: A traditional story or group of stories told about a particular person or place.
• Collate: To gather together pieces of information in order to study them.
• Privilege: A special right or advantage granted to a particular person or group – can be seen as a collection of rights.
• Allege: To claim or assert that someone has done something, often without proof – gathering and presenting assertions.
• Delegate: A person sent or authorized to represent others, often within a conference – involves gathering authority and responsibility.

‘Legere’ In the Context of Understanding

“Legere,” in its broadest sense, encompasses comprehension and the ability to grasp information. Here are English words that capture this aspect:

• Intelligence: The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.
• Intellect: The faculty of reasoning and understanding objectively.
• Intellectual: A person possessing a high degree of knowledge or mental capacity.
• Intelligible: Able to be understood; comprehensible.
• Diligence: Careful and persistent effort or work, which requires understanding.
• Comprehend: To grasp mentally; understand.
• Comprehensive: Covering or including everything, understood in its entirety.
• Unintelligible: Not able to be understood.
• Legible: Easily read or understood.
• Allegory: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning.
• Legend: A traditional story or myth that carries symbolic meaning.
• Elegant: Pleasingly graceful and stylish, often due to clear and effective understanding of aesthetics.
• Delegate: A person who understands and represents others’ interests.
• Eligible: Having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions which requires understanding.
• Colleague: One who understands and works with others in a common pursuit.

From Gathering to Understanding: The Evolution of ‘Legere’

The story of ‘legere’ demonstrates how words, like civilizations, can evolve and mature. Starting from a simple Proto-Indo-European root, ‘*leg-‘, it bloomed into a term rich with meaning:

Gathering and Picking

In its most primal form, ‘*leg-‘ referred to the physical act of collecting items like fruits or plants. This root is evident in related words across various Indo-European languages.

Selecting and Choosing

As societies advanced, the act of gathering transformed into a metaphor for decision-making. The ability to choose the ripest fruits or the best materials signaled a key survival skill.

Acquiring Knowledge

As literacy grew in significance, ‘legere’ adopted another layer of meaning. It began to denote the collection of knowledge through reading and understanding written texts, mirroring societal shifts towards intellectual pursuits.

Metaphorical Extensions

The Latin ‘legere’ continued to evolve, representing broader concepts of understanding, choosing, and gathering knowledge. This linguistic flexibility birthed an array of English words that continue to carry these meanings today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does the Proto-Indo-European root ‘leg-‘ mean?

The root ‘*leg-‘ primarily refers to the act of gathering or picking, as in collecting objects like fruits or plants.

How did ‘leg-‘ evolve into ‘legere’?

As societies advanced and language evolved, the ‘*leg-‘ root in Proto-Indo-European became the Latin ‘legere’, expanding its meaning to include ‘selecting,’ ‘reading,’ and ‘understanding.’

Why are Latin and Proto-Indo-European roots important to the English language?

Studying Latin and Proto-Indo-European roots provides insight into the formation and evolution of English words. Recognizing these roots can enhance vocabulary comprehension and provide a deeper understanding of language as a dynamic and evolving tool for communication.

How does the evolution of ‘legere’ reflect societal changes?

The evolution of ‘legere’ from a word meaning ‘to gather’ to one that represents ‘reading’ and ‘understanding’ illustrates societal shifts. As societies progressed, literacy and intellectual pursuits became more important, influencing the semantic expansion of ‘legere.’

Is the evolution of ‘legere’ typical of how words change over time?

Yes, ‘legere’s’ evolution illustrates the typical linguistic process where words expand or shift their meanings based on societal changes and language usage.

What English words are derived from ‘legere’?

Many English words are derived from ‘legere,’ and they often carry meanings related to reading, selecting, gathering, and understanding. Examples include ‘select,’ ‘collection,’ ‘intellect,’ ‘legible,’ and ‘lecture.’

Why do some English words that are derived from ‘legere’ not directly relate to reading or selecting?

The word ‘legere’ has gone through several semantic changes over time. Its versatility allowed it to represent broader concepts like understanding and gathering information, not strictly tied to reading or selecting. As a result, English words derived from ‘legere’ may reflect these diverse meanings.

Why doesn’t the English word ‘collect’ look like ‘legere’?

While ‘collect’ is derived from the Latin ‘legere’, it doesn’t directly resemble it because English words often undergo phonetic and orthographic changes over time. These changes may be influenced by a variety of factors, including pronunciation habits, cultural influences, and linguistic simplification. The word ‘collect’ comes from the Latin ‘collegere’, which is a compound of ‘com-‘ (with, together) and ‘legere’ (gather), giving it a distinct form.

Why does ‘intellect’ look different from ‘legere’ but is still derived from it?

Similar to the ‘collect’ example, ‘intellect’ doesn’t closely resemble ‘legere’ because English words often undergo phonetic and orthographic changes over time. ‘Intellect’ comes from the Latin ‘intellegere’, which combines ‘inter-‘ (between) and ‘legere’ (to gather or choose). Hence, while its form has changed, its semantic lineage traces back to ‘legere’.

Why do some words derived from ‘legere’ share a similar form, while others do not?

The form of words derived from ‘legere’ can be influenced by various linguistic processes, such as affixation, compounding, or phonetic changes. Some words retain a form similar to ‘legere,’ especially if they directly incorporate the root. However, others may diverge significantly in form due to the addition of prefixes or suffixes, phonetic shifts, or the influence of other languages. This is part of the natural evolution and complexity of language.

The journey from ‘*leg-‘ to ‘legere’ and its various English derivatives serves as a testament to the fluidity of language, shaped by the societies that speak it and the ever-changing landscapes they inhabit.

Reliable Thoughts

The journey from ‘*leg-‘ to ‘legere’ and its various English derivatives serves as a testament to the fluidity of language, shaped by the societies that speak it and the changing landscapes they inhabit. Each phase of evolution, from gathering objects to interpreting written symbols, echoes the transformative steps of our own human journey.

Language is not a static entity, but a dynamic tool molded by culture, history, and human interaction. This continuous evolution ensures it remains relevant, reflecting our complex experiences and diverse ways of perceiving the world.

The story of ‘legere’ is just one example amongst thousands of words that have undergone similar transformations. It’s a microcosm of the broader narrative of language development, reminding us of the intricate connections between words, their roots, and our collective human experience.

So the next time you pick up a book to ‘read’ or ‘collect’ your thoughts, remember the word journey that led us here, from ‘*leg-‘ to ‘legere’ and beyond. This understanding adds depth to our daily conversations and brings us closer to the human story etched in our words.