Philo... what? Don't you mean philosophy?

Once upon a time, after much crying and wringing of hands I made the decision to study Spanish instead of Biology. Why the change? Mostly because Chemistry required more study time than I wanted to spend, but in reality because Prof. Iglesias introduced me to the wonder that is medieval lyric poetry. Circumstances led me to Costa Rica, where one does not study Spanish Language and Literature. No, no, no. In Costa Rica one studies Filología Española—Spanish Philology.

What IS philology? The root is Greek for love: philos. The suffix is -logos, again Greek, but this time it means word. Philology is the love words, as philosophy is the love of wisdom.

Philology can be defined as: “homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto”. This quote is from Heauton Timorumenos a play written in Latin by Terence. But what does it mean you ask?

homo sum: I am human

humani nihi: nothing human

a me: to me

alieno: foreign

puto: I think, I believe

I am human, I believe that nothing human is foreign to me

In other words, as human beings nothing that relates to humans should be unknown to you.