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English is weird
pwhodges:
--- Quote from: LTK on 16 Aug 2017, 17:55 ---Why do 'oversee' and 'overlook' have such different meanings? And why is 'an oversight' something that has been overlooked?
--- End quote ---
"Oversight" is actually used with both those senses; one can say "He has oversight of that project", for instance.
Tova:
Then there's overview, which is a summary.
Yep, weird.
LTK:
I guess this is part of why they introduced Latin words into English, as 'supervise' does not mean 'a really strong pair of metal clamps'. But then, 'vice-' was also introduced from Latin, and for that you may wonder why 'vice-president' does not mean 'one who presides over moral faults'.
Cornelius:
Well, that would be because English - via old French - actually borrowed two Latin words, but writes them in the same way:
* Vice, n.: moral fault, from vitium: defect, imperfection
* vice-, : deputy, assistant; from vice, abl. of vicis: change, turn
Is it cold in here?:
If a hand towel is meant for drying hands, then it's an ambitious project to attempt a beach towel.
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