Cognative Dissonance

Philologysounded to melike dull linguistichistory. Butonce enrolled Igrew enthralled withvowelshifts, regionalrhoticity, Indo-European roots.

I loved mostthe mysteries. Sharedancestry, consanguineousmeaning, hidden amongnear disparate letters (ossify and ostracize,bully and brother,invite and violence,talent and translate and retaliate).

My favoritequestion on thefinal examination:tell how you willuse in lifewhat you learned in this class.

I wrote about when Oritcame to visit. As she left shetripped over heracquired tongue, thanking mefor my hostility.

Hostility and hospitalityguest and hosthostage and hotelhospital and xenophobia—each shoot grownfrom the single rootfor stranger.

The grim truth ofGrimm's Law. WheneverOrit's native Israelagain eruptsin hostilities, Ithink of brothers and bullies,ostracisms ossifiedagainst shared ancestry.The old consanguineous pushand pull, a commontalent for retaliationtranslating intoan invitationto violence.