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Re: [ceqli] Re: selula - cell

In a message dated 9/5/2007 2:03:30 PM Central Daylight Time, rmay@hidden.email writes:


> What is the justification for having a single word for the multiple meanings
> of "cell"?  It seems like a case of deliberately introducing polysemy (and
> thus ambiguity).
>
> selula  cell (biological, electrical, etc.) Latin
>

Good point.  What different meanings would you suggest — how to divide the semantic
space up?  The forms could be selul, selula, etc.



The four that come to mind are biological (e.g., nerve cell, muscle cell), electrical (wet/dry cell, power cell), small room (prison cell, monk's cell) and organizational (as in terrorist cell).  Also, cell phones are called cells, too, I think.

It might be confusing to have the various meanings have similar shapes.  Since I prefer ad hoc word forms, I don't really have any suggestions for the word shapes.  

stevo