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Opposite of "anachronism"


Otokichi

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Surely, Anachronism relates directly to Chronos:

Chronos

In Greek mythology, Chronos (often mystically confused with the Titan Cronus) was the personification of time. He emerged from the primordial chaos. He is often depicted as an elderly, gray-haired man with a long beard. His name actually means "Time" (χÏονος in Greek), and is altenatively spelled Khronos, Chronos, Chronus (Latin version).

Some of the current English words which show a tie to khronos/chronos and the attachment to time are chronology, chronic, and chronicle.

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see, i can't even think of that! argh! living here for 5 plus here has made me forget my greek!

forget that, i remember, it's pro- . however, according to wikipedia:

There are two types of anachronisms, parachronisms and prochronism. Parachronisms are when the assigned date is too late for the appearance of the anachronisms, for instance horse drawn carriages on a freeway. Prochronisms are when the assigned date is too early for the appearance of the anachronsims, like if George Washington was seen wearing a digital watch. Also an anachronism can be real or fictional and if fictional it can be intentional or accidental.

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There are two types of anachronisms, parachronisms and prochronism. Parachronisms are when the assigned date is too late for the appearance of the anachronisms, for instance horse drawn carriages on a freeway. Prochronisms are when the assigned date is too early for the appearance of the anachronsims, like if George Washington was seen wearing a digital watch. Also an anachronism can be real or fictional and if fictional it can be intentional or accidental.

By Jove, R, I think you might have solved this mystery once and for all! :thumbsup: :shades:

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So, "anachronism" is King Arthur using a Cellular telephone as "X" is Pan American Spaceways starting nonstop flights to the Mars Colonial Spaceport.

It isn't really an 'opposite' we're looking for, because there likely may never be a time when "Pan American Spaceways" makes "nonstop flights to the Mars Colonial Spaceport".

Here's a few suggestions for the word-persons to kick around:

X =

erratichronism

inaccurachronism

utopiachronism

sophistichronism

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none of the words you suggested exist.

erratichronism would not be valid because erratic is not greek. also, erratichronimsm, if it existed as a word, sounds more like a synonym rather than antonym

same applies for inaccurachronism

i don't really understand what you mean by utopiachronism, ideal timing?

same with sophistichronism, are you using the word sophia=wisdom?

i feel like a total geek now!

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the definition of timely:

1. Occurring at a suitable or opportune time; well-timed.

2. Archaic. Coming too early; premature.

the definition of anachronism:

1. The representation of someone as existing or something as happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order.

2. One that is out of its proper or chronological order, especially a person or practice that belongs to an earlier time

timely perhaps comes close but i don't think t is the opposite of anachronism. plus timely is an adjective and anachronism is a noun, so they can't be antonyms.

i thought we agreed there is no antonym

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There has to be an antonym for anachronism and the one I provided I believe would be accepted. Again the word is "timely".

Invisible R has put alot of time and effort into this one, with admirable obsessiveness, has jumped through several unnecessary hoops thanks to ludicrous alternative suggestions, and as far as I'm concerned already reached a satisfactory conclusion days ago.

She is quite correct to point out:

"timely" perhaps comes close but i don't think it is the opposite of "anachronism". plus timely is an adjective and anachronism is a noun, so they can't be antonyms.

"Timely" is also too bland a word, with diverse applications, to be considered an antonym for "anachronism". If one took the adjective "anachronistic" out of a sentence (in which it was properly used) and replaced it with the word "timely", would it read correctly as conveying the opposite meaning of the original sentence? I think not.

Maybe we'lljust have to agree to differ on this crucial issue.

In the meantime...Invisible: thanks for going way beyond the call of duty on this. You appreciate the importance of etymology; I respect that.

Thanks also for clarifying what Mrs Fitter meant when she described me as "archaic".......and there was I thinking she was referring to the appearance of grey hairs and dodgy knees...

2. Archaic: Coming too early; premature.

:blush:

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lol jimmy! i think we should just give up. in theory, i think every word should have an antonym, but some words i guess might not.

as for synchronism, it did think about it initially, but i don't think it has an opposite meaning. the definition of anachronism is that of something not "occuring" at it's proper chronilogical order. that is not the opposite of something occuring at the same time as something else (synchronism)

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You know what...It's a full 6 days since you unearthed a perfectly serviceable conclusion to the "anachronism" question. Everything since has been just so many red herrings.

In fact, this whole thread has been at cross-purposes. It's headline/name is "The Opposite of Anachronism" (which has been our focus)when the original question seems to seek something different; a word which means "a prediction for the future which never came to fruition". So what does that have to do with "anachronism"? Nothing much...unless one is currently watching a film, made in the past but set in what is now the present and features inventions that don't currently exist (yet). For example, watching 2000AD for an idea of how those in the past perceived our current lives would be. An interesting enough thing to do, and a bloody great conversation to have if we happen to be out of our collective faces on weed, but otherwise....what have we been wasting our time on here???? :blush: :confused: :stars: ;)

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