The derivative richness of the verb ‘work’
Recently, in relation to the peculiar ‘Operation Catalonia’, we have discovered a fascinating aspect of the verb ‘Obra’, which has led us to realize that this verb presents an amazing amount of cultured derivatives, surpassing the vulgar in four times. We have started our journey through the simplest forms of this verb, such as ‘work’, ‘Obrador’ and ‘Obrer’, which together add about a dozen terms.
Cultural derivatives: a world of possibilities
As we enter the family of the verb ‘operate’, we discover a great diversity of terms that derive from it. One of the most relevant is ‘operation’, which, in turn, begins with a range of words like ‘operator’, which is so versatile that it has up to thirteen different meanings, covering from surgeons to cinema professionals and tour guides.
A lot of associated terms
Other important derivatives include ‘operator’, ‘operation’ and the adjective ‘operatory’, the latter famous to give rise to the ‘postoperative’ noun. In addition, terms such as ‘operand’ and ‘operating’, with the contribution of the ‘modus operandi’ Latin phrase, as well as the verb ‘adopter’, a little -known term meaning ‘use’ or ‘use’, should be noted.
The branch of cooperation
Moving to a related branch, we find ‘cooperating’, which presents a set of terms that include ‘cooperation’, ‘cooperative’, ‘cooperative’, ‘cooperativism’ and ‘cooperative’. The latter had a remarkable rise a century ago, during the period of the Republic, and has gained strength again in the modern age with the appearance of NGOs.
The optimal adjective and its descendants
Finally, we head to another significant branch that revolves around the adjective ‘Optim’, which is a superlative of ‘bonus’, derived from ‘ops’, which means ‘wealth’. In this category, we find seven terms that are closely linked to its original meaning, such as ‘optimism’, ‘optimistic’ and the ‘optimally’ adverb, as well as the duet ‘Optimar’ and ‘Optimization’, which have been modernly replaced to ‘optimize’ and ‘optimization’.
Unique items and their relevance
Lastly, two unique elements should be mentioned that we could consider as linguistic fossils. The first is ‘opus’, a Latinism that, despite only two recognized meanings (musical and architectural), has gained notoriety for its association with a well -known religious sect. The second, ‘brochure’, which refers to a small literary or scientific work, represents a significant evolution of these roots.
