2021-04-01
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน ชุด X - xmas
แนะนำการใช้ ตามที่ส่วนใหญ่ใช้ แต่ละท้องถิ่น
ความหมาย อาจผันแปร ตาม ตำแหน่ง/หน้าที่ ในประโยค
Dictionary.com
ออกเสียง xmas = “KRIS-muhs’ or ‘EKS-muhs’
Dictionary.com
USAGE NOTE FOR XMAS
The abbreviation Xmas for Christmasdates from the mid 16th century.
The X is the Greek letter chi, the initial letter
in the word Χριστός ( Chrīstos ) “Christ.”
In spite of a longand respectable history,
today Xmas is offensive to many,
perhaps becauseof its associations with advertising.
It is not usedin formal writing.
Dictionary.com
Why Is “Christmas” Abbreviated As “Xmas”?
Here’s a holiday surprise that only the dictionary can provide.
Do you find the word Xmas, as an abbreviation for Christmas, offensive? Many people do, but the origin of this controversial term might change your mind!
You won’t find Xmas in church songbooks
or even on many greeting cards.
Some peopleassociate Xmas with the holiday
as a commercial, secular occasion
instead of as a particular cultural and religious ritual.
Where did Xmas come from?
But, the history of the word Xmas is actually more respectable
—and fascinating—than you might suspect.
First of all, the abbreviation predates (by centuries)
its use in gaudy advertisements.
It was first used in the mid-1500s.
X representsthe Greek letter chi, the initial letter in the word Χριστός (Chrīstos).
And what does Χριστός mean? “(Jesus) Christ.”
X has been an acceptable representation of the word Christ
for hundreds of years.
(And why would people need to abbreviate Christ?
Well, the word is very widely written.)
Other abbreviationsfor Christ
include Xt and Xp,the P here representing the Greek letter rho,
source of our letter R.
A stylized version of the Greek chi (X) and rho (P) is ☧,
a symbol of Christ called a Christogram.
In the same vein, the dignified terms Xpian and Xtian
have been used in place of the word Christian.
Where does the –mas in Christmas come from?
The –mas in Xmas comes from the Old English word for mass,
as in a church service,
especiallyone in the Roman Catholic Church
including a celebration of the Eucharist.
That word, mæsse, is believed to have been derived from Church Latin missa, ultimately from Latin mittere which means “to send (away).”
It was perhaps derived from the concluding formula in the Latin mass, Ite, missa est, meaning “Go, it is the dismissal!” That is, the service is over.
As lovers of the alphabet, we are transfixed by the flexibility of X.
The same letter can represent the sacred,
the profane (rated X), and the unknown (x-ray).
Random House Kernerman Webster's College
usage:
The abbreviation Xmas for Christmas dates from the mid-16th cent.
The X is the Greek letter chi,
the initial in the word Χριστός (Christos) “Christ.”
In spite of a long and respectable history,
today Xmas is objectionable to many,
perhaps because of its associations with advertising.
It is not used in formal writing.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language
Usage Note:
The pronunciation (ĕks′məs) is the result of a misinterpretation
of the abbreviation Xmas,
where the X actually represents a Greek chi,
the first letter of Khrīstos, "Christ." This pronunciation is informal.
Common Errors In English Usage Dictionary
Xmas & Christmas
“Xmas” is not originally an attempt
to exclude Christfrom Christmas,
but uses an abbreviationof the Greek spelling of the word “Christ”
with the “X” representing the Greek letter chi.
However, so few people know this
that it is probably better not to use this popular abbreviation
in religious contexts.
