Peter J Seymour wrote: > do the latter part. It may have relevance to genealogy, but it is on a > lesser scale of importance than marriage. That's if you insist on an etymologically correct definition of genealogy. The majority of people interested in "genealogy" are actually more interested in what I think is better called family history. But neither software nor internet sources are very helpful with family history, so we end up with quite a bit of genealogy--in the sense of statements of genetic relationship-- that is very poorly done. -- Wes Groleau He that complies against his will is of the same opinion still. -- Samuel Butler, 1612-1680

In our last episode, <EvMni.4454$SM6.841@trnddc01>, the lovely and talented Wes Groleau broadcast on soc.genealogy.computing: > Peter J Seymour wrote: >> do the latter part. It may have relevance to genealogy, but it is on a >> lesser scale of importance than marriage. > That's if you insist on an etymologically correct definition of genealogy. I'm not so sure that insisting on an etymologically correct definition of genealogy will get you there. Genealogy, it appears, has been an English word since the 14th century. You might translate its Greek roots as "race science," which I am pretty sure would make some people uncomfortable who are not otherwise especiallly known for political correctness. Mendel, of course, did not live until the 19th century. He was about 9 years old when the word genetic entered the English language, when it seemed to have something to do with causality in general. DNA testing has only become possible within the lifetimes of people reading this post. Like it or not, people in most of the last six centuries who may have thought they were doing something else with "genealogy," were doing "family history." > The majority of people interested in "genealogy" are actually more > interested in what I think is better called family history. > But neither software nor internet sources are very helpful > with family history, so we end up with quite a bit of > genealogy--in the sense of statements of genetic relationship-- > that is very poorly done. -- Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> <http://myspace.com/larseighner> Countdown: 550 days to go. Owing to massive spam from googlegroups, I do not see most posts from there.