Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ingenium - Engien - Engine


Machina is an artifact that operates against the nature. It is the Latin translation of the ancient Greek word mêchanê.
"Deus ex machina" is a device that - in Greek theatre - allows the Gods to enter on the scene of the human life.
Machina in Ancient World assumes a negative value (as the war machines, as the Trojan Horse).

Only in more modern times the word machine (macchina, in Italian) assumed a neutral value, as a synonim of engine.

Ingenium is the useful invention of a device that helps performing some action.
Engien is the ancient French word that translated this concept in the Middle Age, hence the English engine.

Engineer (and the Italian word ingegnere) come from the Latin word ingenium.

No comments: