Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

homogeny / homogeneity

English answer:

biological / generic term

Added to glossary by Fuad Yahya
May 1, 2003 21:15
21 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term

homogeny or homogeneity

English Art/Literary
Cinema continues to reflect the historical linguistic homogeneity, but there are emerging trends....... We should no longer take XXX's audiovisual homogeneity for granted.....

I have been told that my use of homogeneity is wrong, yet I cannot see why; the 'correct' alternative is supposed to be homogeny.

I believe that homogeny is used more in biology, but I need a better argument as the first use of each (according to the deinitions) is apparently the same/similar.

Can anyone tell me why homogeneity is correct or why homogeny is wrong?
Change log

Dec 19, 2005 01:57: Fuad Yahya changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"

Responses

+4
31 mins
Selected

"Homogeny" is used in biology; "homogeneous' is more generic.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, "homogeny" is defined as "similarity of structure between organs or parts, possibly of dissimilar function, that are related by common descent."

"Homogeneity" is defined more generically as "the state or quality of being homogeneous," and "homogeneous" is in turn defined as "of the same or similar nature or kind, or uniform in structure or composition throughout."

The expression "linguistic homogeneity" is commonly used. Take a look at these two citations:

http://www.linguistlist.org/~ask-ling/archive-1997.10/msg012...

"I am currently an undergraduate linguistics major and my highest
interest in linguistics right now is the threat to "linguistic
heterogeneity" (Trudgill, Peter. Sociolinguistics. London: Penguin
Books 1974. pp.187). He also says, "that the disappearance of
languages from the world could greatly speed up the process of
cultural homogenization," (177)."

http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ELI/tavoultz.html

"This study investigates whether there is a systematic relationship between the language attitudes of two groups of third-generation adolescents, descendants of a Greek linguistic minority known as Pontii, toward their mother tongue Pontiaca, a dialect of ancient Greek, and : a) their village of residence , in terms of (relative) linguistic homogeneity, b) intermarriage, that is, their parentage."

Your usage seems quite appropriate to me. In the first instance that you mentioned, depending on what you meant, "homogenization" may be appropriate, IF you are referring to a process, not a state. Otherwise, "homogeneity" is alright.

Fuad
Peer comment(s):

agree Erika P (X)
40 mins
agree DGK T-I
2 hrs
agree Bin Zhang
14 hrs
agree AhmedAMS
205 days
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks to Dusty too, I am now well armed with arguments!"
+2
5 mins

both are correct

I really do think both words are correct, they only differ in usage and context. Maybe the links below can be helpful
good luck!
... the Long Run. The Problem of Measurement: An Analysis of Money Demand
Price Homogeinity in the Long Run. Panagiotis T. Konstantinou. ...
netec.mcc.ac.uk/WoPEc/data/Papers/ euieuiwpseco2002-14.html
homogeny. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English ... - [ omogeny. SYLLABICATION: ho·mog·e·ny. ...
www.bartleby.com/61/68/H0256800.html - 19k - Copia cache - Pagine simili
Peer comment(s):

agree jcollins (X)
1 hr
agree Bin Zhang
15 hrs
Something went wrong...
+10
25 mins

homogeneity

is the current word to use, according to the New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary;

homogeny is listed as "only Early 17th century"(I don't think they had films in those days!) :-)

It reserves homogeny nowadays for use only in the second, biological meaning
Peer comment(s):

agree ntouzet (X)
5 mins
Thanks, Nadine!
agree Erika P (X)
39 mins
Thanks, Erika!
agree jcollins (X)
49 mins
Thanks, JC!
agree DGK T-I
2 hrs
Thanks, Dr. Giuli!
agree Knara Law : Well put, clear and concise!
3 hrs
Why thanks a lot, Knara :-)
agree Sarah Ponting
9 hrs
Thanks, Sarah!
agree Empty Whiskey Glass
13 hrs
Thanks, Svetozar!
agree Bin Zhang
14 hrs
Thanks, Bin Zhang!
agree walzl
16 hrs
Thanks, Walzl!
agree Christopher Crockett : "Homogeny" is totally unknown to me;and, presumably,all others who are biologically challenged.The OED says that this word is not only obsolete(except in biology),but is *not* synonymous with "homogeneity"in its biological usage.That's Good enough for me.
17 hrs
Thanks, Chris, for your illuminating addition!
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