This rock was identified at the whatsthisrock subreddit as a "penecontemporaneous deformation structure." It apparently is such a commonly-used term that it is shortened by users to "PCD." There is excellent informed discussion at the link to explain that PCDs are formed when sedimentary material is deformed during deposition ("contemporaneously"). Lots of further details at Geological Digressions.
I thought the rock was cool, but what grabbed my attention was the fact that I am an English major almost 80 years of age and I'm seeing a prefix that is not in my wheelhouse.
Onward to the Wiktionary entry for "pene":
Almost the thing or quality expressed by the root, as peneplain (almost a plain), peninsula (almost an island), penultimate (almost the last), penumbra (almost in shadow).
Wow. Three words I've used for essentially all my adult life without appreciating their common prefix.
You learn something every day.
I'm more intrigued by 'wheelhouse'
ReplyDeleteGuess it is from some old salt, some old tar speak.
"Doth I penetrate your armada with the skilful use of my wheelhouse, Frankie Drake ?"
"Well, olé then"
Pene-trate, meaning NEARLY go straight through on the strait.
Wheelhouse is a fairly common and conventional term for an area of expertise.
DeleteYour "penetrate" comment doesn't make any logical sense. Are you off your medications?
I learned something too! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAny wordy connections with penne the pasta or Penny the name?
ReplyDeleteItalian penne is related to English pen, both originally meaning the pen in a bird's feather, but expanded to mean a stick-shaped object. The name Penny is short for Penelope, which is of Greek origin and goes back to penelops = duck (the bird).
DeleteMy friends and I have had quite a lot of nerdy fun over the years inventing spurious back formations and then coming up with explanations for them. 'Pen' would have been a rich source for these. Pendulum, penitent, penguin ...
ReplyDeleteThere are so many ways our absurd language can be tied in lexicological knots.
Very cool! I didn't know this either.
ReplyDeleteThe earlier Latin spelling of pene was paene, pronounced something like "PINE-eh". By sheer coincidence, this sounds somewhat like the Dutch word bijna, which also means "almost", but has a completely different etymology.
ReplyDeleteAnother example: penannular -- almost a complete ring. This is a very common design for cloak or shawl pins. It's a simple closure that doesn't pierce the fabric and can be moved from one garment to another. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_brooch
ReplyDeleteExcellent. Thanks, anon.
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