Can You Answer This Question?
I'm very curious about the answer to a question I have. It isn't scientific and I haven't researched it, but rather it is more of an impression from just listening to or reading the news over the years, as the question isn't just about now or the very recent past, it goes back quite a while, if my recollections are correct. Maybe my premise is wrong, and I'll be glad to see evidence to correct my impressions.
Here's what has me so puzzled: We hear how business people want "government to get out of the way;" how government doesn't belong in the economy, and that such things don't work, that free markets are the only way to fly. Okay, so how come when the Federal Reserve or the administration (any administration, not necessarily just the current one), or Congress, announce certain policies deemed to help the economy, often of the Keynesian nature (or even bailouts), the stock market goes up? After all, if these things don't work, why would the market go up? Hm, that's strange, because the stock market is really about confidence, usually somewhat longer term, but that's not totally carved in stone, and I've got to believe most business people own stock, perhaps even large amounts of stock, so they must be in on the uptick, too. You'd think if these policies didn't work, that once announced, the markets would plummet as investors ran for the hills. Or do you think this might be something of "what I say I believe and what I really believe are two different things?"
WORD HISTORY:
Root-This is the noun, the basic meaning of which is, "underground part of a plant," although other meanings have developed from that idea. This word goes back to Indo European "wrehd," which meant "root." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "wurtiz," which meant "root," which then produced the derived "wrot(s)," with the same meaning. This gave Old Norse "rót," with the same meaning. This then was borrowed into Old English as "rot" (with a long "o"). At that time, English already had the closely related "wyrt," which also meant "root," but also "plant, herb," the latter meanings of which then dominated, and the word became modern "wort." ^ There were other related forms in Old English meaning "root," but they died out. English "rot" then later became "root." For those learning (American) English, "root" is pronounced a couple of ways: the most common has the double "o" rhyming with "boot," while the other rhymes with "foot." When I was a kid, the second form was not uncommon, but just from my personal experience, it seems to be in decline and the first form is now far more common. Forms of "root" are common in the other Germanic languages: German has "Wurzel," Low German Saxon has "Wortel," Dutch has "wortel," West Frisian has "woartel" (which also means "carrot," of course a "root"), Danish has "rod," Icelandic has "rót," and Swedish and Norwegian have "rot." While English is classified as West Germanic, along with German, Low German, Frisian and Dutch, it borrowed the form of the word that became "root" from Old Norse; that is, the old form of North Germanic, where the "w" had disappeared; thus, English differs from its close West Germanic cousins by not having the beginning "w."
^ For the history of "wort," see: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2012/10/its-about-coalitions-not-purity-part_19.html
Here's what has me so puzzled: We hear how business people want "government to get out of the way;" how government doesn't belong in the economy, and that such things don't work, that free markets are the only way to fly. Okay, so how come when the Federal Reserve or the administration (any administration, not necessarily just the current one), or Congress, announce certain policies deemed to help the economy, often of the Keynesian nature (or even bailouts), the stock market goes up? After all, if these things don't work, why would the market go up? Hm, that's strange, because the stock market is really about confidence, usually somewhat longer term, but that's not totally carved in stone, and I've got to believe most business people own stock, perhaps even large amounts of stock, so they must be in on the uptick, too. You'd think if these policies didn't work, that once announced, the markets would plummet as investors ran for the hills. Or do you think this might be something of "what I say I believe and what I really believe are two different things?"
WORD HISTORY:
Root-This is the noun, the basic meaning of which is, "underground part of a plant," although other meanings have developed from that idea. This word goes back to Indo European "wrehd," which meant "root." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "wurtiz," which meant "root," which then produced the derived "wrot(s)," with the same meaning. This gave Old Norse "rót," with the same meaning. This then was borrowed into Old English as "rot" (with a long "o"). At that time, English already had the closely related "wyrt," which also meant "root," but also "plant, herb," the latter meanings of which then dominated, and the word became modern "wort." ^ There were other related forms in Old English meaning "root," but they died out. English "rot" then later became "root." For those learning (American) English, "root" is pronounced a couple of ways: the most common has the double "o" rhyming with "boot," while the other rhymes with "foot." When I was a kid, the second form was not uncommon, but just from my personal experience, it seems to be in decline and the first form is now far more common. Forms of "root" are common in the other Germanic languages: German has "Wurzel," Low German Saxon has "Wortel," Dutch has "wortel," West Frisian has "woartel" (which also means "carrot," of course a "root"), Danish has "rod," Icelandic has "rót," and Swedish and Norwegian have "rot." While English is classified as West Germanic, along with German, Low German, Frisian and Dutch, it borrowed the form of the word that became "root" from Old Norse; that is, the old form of North Germanic, where the "w" had disappeared; thus, English differs from its close West Germanic cousins by not having the beginning "w."
^ For the history of "wort," see: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2012/10/its-about-coalitions-not-purity-part_19.html
Labels: business fundamentals, English, etymology, Federal Reserve, Germanic languages, government, Old Norse, stocks
posted by Randy at 7:18 PM
1 Comments:
I sure understand your confusion. I know I don't trust them AT ALL. I remember your article about us becomiong serfs, and I think you are right. I've been to Europe and it isn't nearly the way the nativists here like to portray it. At least many basic necessities are available to everyone in many countries, but they have gotten too carried away with some things. From what I can see, the money people here fear anything that might limit their ability to take over the country lock, stock and barrel. Average Americans are asleep at the wheel.
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