No Man Is An Island
The Latin word insula had two
meanings, one dry and one wet. It meant a block of buildings separated from
surrounding structures, and it also meant an island – a land mass completely
surrounded by water.
It shows up in words like insulate, insulated, and insulation. In those
words, it can mean much the same as isolation, but it can also refer to a
protective covering or barrier. This appears in reference to electricity,
sound, and heat or cold.
It takes on a negative sense in words like insular and insularity. The
stereotype is that people who live on an island are cut off from mainlanders,
and are thus prone to narrow or prejudiced feelings, ideas, or social
expectations. Their minds allegedly close up, just as their island is closed off
from the rest of society.
The Latin root also shows up in the word peninsula. I remember a student
who was convinced that a peninsula was so named because it was shaped like a
penis. I had a difficult time convincing him that it came from the words paene insula, almost an island. Replace the connection to the land mass
with more water, and you would have a full-fledged island.
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