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Kiss

Painting: Marc Chagall: The Birthday

Reverend Skeat, etymologist, sometimes undermines the feeling that one has for a word; 'a salute with the lips' is sweet, but 'A kiss is a gust or taste, or something choice' is not so poetic.
It is not his intention to bring us poetry here, only the historic journey.
Kiss being a word that happens close, that puts two figures into one personal sphere, to think of it dispassionately seems inappropriate.
The journey of language is bound up with the human journey: the historic spread of this tribe and that: the individual stumble and stride.
The need to communicate, for practical terms of trade, for spiritual terms of connection, is a sort of fundamentalism that allows an open mind.
Etymology, a word that travels from the Greek expressions; true, account, to speak; is a study in connection; the connective spheres between languages; words on lips exchanged, not unlike the press of a kiss.

The earth as viewed from an orbiting satellite
Rev. Skeat's tracing of the word 'Kiss'

Comments

Sue McPeak said…
Salute with the lips...I get...not so much gust or taste, however, the journey toward the kiss as you described it, kinda explains the spinning sphere and shooting stars effect of KISSING. Congrats on making it through Week #2. Thanks for your visits and comments on my AtoZ 'fiction from forgotten fotos'.
Sue at CollectInTexas Gal
12 April 2014 at 12:55
Unknown said…
Hi there - I like this post. Good luck on the rest of the A - Z Challenge. :)
12 April 2014 at 13:46
Suze said…
Gust makes me think of 'gusto,' the Spanish word for savoring. :)
12 April 2014 at 20:36
M.K. Nissen said…
This was very interesting. I've never thought a lot about a kiss, but this is definitely an interesting way of breaking it down. Good choice for your "K"!
13 April 2014 at 23:04
Lisa Southard said…
Thank you all, lovely ladies! Week two of the A-Z has flown by, probably because I have picked a very easy approach. And I'm having fun with it- a very good balance to the more involved world of The Novel (penultimate chapter in production...)
14 April 2014 at 09:38
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