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Is there an obscure French/Latin etymology for "argument"?
The word 'argument' has a technical meaning in a branch of mathematics known as Complex Analysis, and many of the pioneers in this field were French (and wrote in French, of course!) If you draw a vector (representing a complex number) in the coordinate plane, then the angle made with the positive x-axis is called the "argument" of the complex number. (So for example, any point in the first quadrant lying on the line y = x would have an 'argument' of 45 degrees, or pi/4 radians)
When I look up "argument" in French dictionaries, I get the usual meanings in English: a dispute, a persuasive discourse, etc. Does anyone know of an archaic or obscure non-mathematical usage in either French or Latin that would explain this choice of terminology?
One other clue (or red herring -- I don't know which! lol): When one makes the connection between complex analysis and trigonometry, the argument corresponds to the frequency of a wave.
Rodica, I suspect the usage "argument de la latitude" which you cite came after this mathematical usage was established. But thank you for your citations.
4 Answers
- supersonic332003Lv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
Well, the word "argument" has got the present meaning related to disputes and contradictions as a "strong point", a "reason", a "proof", "evidence" with which to support one's opinion. In reality, "argument" had been better translated as "clarification, definition, decision" of something. The root of the word itself is related to "shine".
Consequently, the complex-number-theory "argument" is the term that "defines" the aforementioned angle. The first use of the word is attributed to Cauchy (source no2 - "le mot argument provient de Cauchy" = the word "argument" comes from Cauchy; I have tried to look it up on some original text online but I could not find anything now).
Source(s): [1] http://www.wordnik.com/words/argument/etymologies [2] http://espacemath.com/chrono.htm + Proper knowledge - 5 years ago
To a certain extend there is the necessity to use the mind to analize what is taught or said about the reality.My Guru used to say that,"whatever I say just don't believe it blindly, you use your knowledge or intellect so that it is confirmed by you". Clarity is the result of going deep in meditation without which it'll be difficult to remove the barriers. No mind has true vision.The visions have high clarity. Thought means, our mind will be either thinking of the past or planning the future & you miss the present.So when the mind isn't in any such situations you have no mind & you are in the present. When there are no thoughts you become the pure Consciousness, the source. All the thoughts are only in certain levels, once you go beyond it with the help of meditation there aren't any illusions.
- RodicaLv 71 decade ago
Argument:
Sens 1
Raisonnement par lequel on tire une conséquence d'une ou de deux propositions. Argument solide, plein de force. Il plaçait ses arguments dans l'endroit où ils devaient produire le plus d'effet. Se laisser tromper par des arguments captieux. Réfuter les arguments de son adversaire.
Citation : Les arguments qu'il tire de cette suite , BOSSUET , Euch. 3
Argument en forme, argument conforme aux règles de la logique.
Citation : L'autre préparait un argument en forme , HAMILT. , Gramm. 4
Argument ad hominem, argument qui oppose à l'opinion actuelle d'un homme ses paroles ou ses actions antérieures.
Citation : Ce que vous nous donnez pour un argument ad hominem , BOSSUET , Théol.
Argument cornu (voy. DILEMME).
Sens 2
Conjecture, indice, preuve. C'est là un argument en notre faveur tout aussi bien qu'en faveur de nos adversaires. Les vents Étésiens dont on veut tirer un argument.
Sens 3
Sommaire d'un ouvrage.
Sens 4
En termes d'astronomie, argument de la latitude ; le lieu de l'aphélie et celui du noeud d'une planète étant connus, et l'anomalie vraie de la planète étant donnée, on a sa distance au noeud, qu'on nomme autrement l'argument de la latitude.
ÉTYMOLOGIE
Argumentum, de arguere (voy. ARGUER) ; provenç. argument ; espagn. argumento ; ital. argomento. Le vieux français arguement vient, non d'argumentum, mais directement d'arguer.
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_d%27un_nombr...
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_de_la_diagon...
