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When Language Changes Itself
The Nym Family Part 5
As language evolves, even names themselves begin to shift, adapt, and occasionally reinvent the past.
Retronym
Here is another of the less-famous youngsters in the family — brought into this world in the 1980s by American journalist, Frank Mankiewicz.
The prefix retro means backward or back in time. The word means old things renamed after new inventions.
Here are a few classics:
Acoustic guitar — created after electric guitars appeared
Snail mail — created after email
Film camera — created after digital cameras
Landline — created after mobile phones
Regular coffee — created after decaf and specialty drinks
Analog watch — created after digital watches
I’m sure there will be many more of these are sure to be on the horizon as society continues its rapid change and the future forces us to rename the past.
Capitonym
Little seen in public, capitonym is one of the younger members of the -nym family. The first part of his name comes from the Latin caput meaning head.
