Information
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| # [[Knowledge]] about a [[topic]]. | # [[Knowledge]] about a [[topic]]. | ||
| # [[data|Data]] that have been processed into a [[format]] that is understandable by its intended [[audience]]. | # [[data|Data]] that have been processed into a [[format]] that is understandable by its intended [[audience]]. | ||
| + | == Etymology == | ||
| + | The English word was apparently derived from the Latin accusative form (informationem) of the nominative (informatio): this noun is in its turn derived from the verb "informare" (to inform) in the sense of "to give form to the mind", "to discipline", "instruct", "teach": "Men so wise should go and inform their kings." (1330) ''Inform'' itself comes (via French) from the Latin verb ''informare'', to give form to, to form an idea of. Furthermore, Latin itself already contained the word ''informatio'' meaning concept or idea, but the extent to which this may have influenced the development of the word ''information'' in English is not clear. | ||
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| + | The [[ancient Greek]] word for ''form'' was [[wikt:μορφή|μορφή]] (''morphe''; confer [[morph]]) and also [[wikt:εἶδος|εἶδος]] (''[[eidos]]'') "kind, idea, shape, set", the latter word was famously used in a technical philosophical sense by [[Plato]] (and later [[Aristotle]]) to denote the ideal identity or essence of something (see [[Theory of forms]]). "Eidos" can also be associated with [[thought]], [[proposition]] or even [[concept]]. | ||
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Revision as of 21:04, 19 June 2010
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Etymology
The English word was apparently derived from the Latin accusative form (informationem) of the nominative (informatio): this noun is in its turn derived from the verb "informare" (to inform) in the sense of "to give form to the mind", "to discipline", "instruct", "teach": "Men so wise should go and inform their kings." (1330) Inform itself comes (via French) from the Latin verb informare, to give form to, to form an idea of. Furthermore, Latin itself already contained the word informatio meaning concept or idea, but the extent to which this may have influenced the development of the word information in English is not clear.
The ancient Greek word for form was μορφή (morphe; confer morph) and also εἶδος (eidos) "kind, idea, shape, set", the latter word was famously used in a technical philosophical sense by Plato (and later Aristotle) to denote the ideal identity or essence of something (see Theory of forms). "Eidos" can also be associated with thought, proposition or even concept.
