May 02, 2004
*omie

anomie (n.) Personal state of isolation and anxiety resulting from a lack of moral standards in society.

bonhomie (n.) A pleasant and affable disposition; geniality.

Anomie is a fashionable word these days. I don’t know who started its revival, some media pundit in America I surmise, but I keep running across it in commentary and news articles.

Anyway, anomie wasn’t familiar to me and every time I read it, I thought of bonhomie. Taking in the context, ‘geniality’ wasn’t even close to the right meaning. So I referred to the dictionary. As it turns out, I’m glad I looked it up because it’s one of those philosophical words that refuses to stick in my vocabulary. (For a good laugh, go ahead and ask me the difference between sophist and solipsist.)

But my twisted brain was making a valid connection—anomie and bonhomie are the only two words commonly used in English that end in ‘omie.’ At least that I can find.

So here’s a new philosophy (call it what you will): If people would embrace bonhomie as their personal standard, the world would have a lot less anomie.

Posted by kuri at May 02, 2004 08:43 AM

Comments

How about ‘roomie’?

Posted by: devin on May 2, 2004 08:46 AM

Technically correct. But I really meant (and didn’t specify in my low-coffee writing mode) words whose final 2 syllables are omie.

Posted by: Kristen on May 2, 2004 08:51 AM

damn that counts my word out homie!

Posted by: womble on May 2, 2004 03:03 PM

Homie counts. It’s omie in spelling and rhyme.

I forgot about slang!

Posted by: Kristen on May 2, 2004 03:21 PM

the term anomie was coined by 19’th century french
sociologist emil dürkheim. the omie is a nomie -
norm being the root.
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Emil%20Durkheim

Posted by: axel on May 2, 2004 04:41 PM

I generally adored your posts. But now i am falling in love with the people in your comment section as well. :-))

Posted by: KC on May 3, 2004 01:01 AM

I love my commenters, too. Thanks, everyone.

Posted by: Kristen on May 3, 2004 05:08 PM
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