D ~ Dichotomy
Being a bit of a lazy goose today, so no ficlet :p
I’m participating in Camp NaNoWrimo, and given that I didn’t get a chance to write yesterday, I need to bang out a couple thousand words today to stay on track.
Consequently, today’s challenge post will be for Etymology.
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Dichotomy comes from the Greek word Dichotomia, from Dicha (meaning, in two) and tomia (from cutting or excising.)
The term dichotomy comes up, with variations on its meaning, in different disciplines: medicine, biology, botany, statistics, and sociology, among others.
But the unifying elements of each definition is the presence of a form which is split into two, mutual exclusive states of being. Examples would be: Good and evil; rich and poor; Federal and State, etc.
In popular usage, the word is synonymous with Contradiction, Paradox, or Enigma, though that introduces an element into the word which its strict definition does not entail, i.e. the mysterious or incomprehensible.
In terms of strict definition, a dichotomy is simply the splitting of one form or meaning into two opposing parts. There’s no element which implies that such a split should be enigmatic in nature. But that is the meaning ascribed to the word when used nowadays.
We refer to dichotomies with a sense of wonderment or curiosity, as though the duality of the thing in question is a riddle in need of solving, when in fact duality and paradoxes are a part of nature.
What I’m saying is that while the dichotomy of good and evil, for example, is certainly worth exploring, it’s existence is not cause for puzzlement…
What do you think? Are dichotomies something you explore in your writing? Are they states that interest you as a reader?
For me it evokes the coexistence of worlds, this one and may be several others, but strictly another one ~ and I feel this is still a source of inspiration 🙂
I am exploring the idea in this wip: http://thepageanovel.wordpress.com/
I would never dispute it being a source of inspiration, most revelations in writing come from exploring dichotomies.
I love that they reflect off of one another so that you can see the differences more clearly. Each side has a light that shows the wrinkles of the other you might not see if it wasn’t there.
If you have all of the same thing, or even only one thing your view is limited and it is harder to appreciate (I think) the benefits or horrors of the thing in front of you. I like the contrast!
Agreed. I like the contrast as well. I like reading about it, and I really like exploring it in my writing.
Thanks!
Thanks for the language lesson, Layla! I need a more vibrant vocabulary…
Happy A to Z!
MakingtheWriteConnections
I love the power or contrast! Good D choice.
Thanks, Tracy! 😀
Dichotomy is one of my favorite words! The concept is something I use a lot in character profiles. I like to create characters who have something hiding deep inside of them that rarely makes it to the outside. 🙂
That’s what makes the best characters, and the best stories 🙂
“…. duality and paradoxes are a part of nature.
What I’m saying is that while the dichotomy of good and evil, for example, is certainly worth exploring, it’s existence is not cause for puzzlement…”
This is so well put. I wrote a long blog post called the nature of nature back in November. I was trying to get across what you said so succinctly in just those couple of sentences. Thanks.
Happy to hear it! Thanks as always for stopping by 😀
Love your blog name! Happy A to Z!
Thanks, Marjorie! Glad you like it!