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Lexicon Valley from Booksmart Studios
A Psychopath and a Homeopath Walk into Lexicon Valley
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A Psychopath and a Homeopath Walk into Lexicon Valley

A sociopath inflicts suffering while an osteopath heals it. What gives?

John McWhorter's avatar
John McWhorter
Jun 21, 2024
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Lexicon Valley from Booksmart Studios
Lexicon Valley from Booksmart Studios
A Psychopath and a Homeopath Walk into Lexicon Valley
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A row of students at the Sydenham Domestic Training Centre in England learn the correct way to use a dustpan and brush, September 1938.

Listener Valérie Lent wonders

why doctors who are supposed to alleviate suffering are called something-path, such as osteopath or naturopath. It reminds me of psychopath, referring to the person having the problem, not solving it.

Neat question. The path in all cases comes from the Greek for suffering. Thus, easily, a psychopath is someone whose psyche is suffering. But of course an osteopath is not someone with sore bones.

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