Root of the Week: PATH (Tuesday)

TUESDAY  Pathos  (noun) Pathetic (adjective)

The Greek word “pathos” means suffering and is used in English to refer to something that arouses feelings of pity and tenderness. For example, there is a quality of pathos in dramatic scenes involving the sorrows of children. The English word pathetic originally meant “affecting the emotions” and carried no hint of disdain.  A pathetic scene would simply be one that evoked tender feelings in the observer. However, in contemporary English usage, pathetic carries a much more negative implication.  If you call someone pathetic, you’re calling them a loser, a washout, a sorry excuse for a human--suggesting a total lack of sympathy!