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The word "prion" is actually a contraction of the words "protein" and "infection". (edit: although I agree it's not what one might conventionally think of as an
by jamespwilliams 5y ago
The word "prion" is actually a contraction of the words "protein" and "infection". (edit: although I agree it's not what one might conventionally think of as an "infection")
- ekianjo 5y agoI know, but it's a poor choice of word since it's nothing like viruses or bacteria.
- nkmnz 5y agoViruses are nothing like bacteria, so it doesn’t make any sense to restrict the term of “infection” to those two.
- Asraelite 5y agoIt is interesting though that we don't consider things like lead and radiation to be "infections". Is the difference between an infection and poisoning replication?
- Enginerrrd 5y agoI'd say so.
- knicholes 5y agoContraction or portmanteau?
- pygy_ 5y agoContraction : A portmanteau word is similar to a contraction, but contractions are formed from words that would otherwise appear together in sequence, such as do and not to make don't, whereas a portmanteau is formed by combining two or more existing words that all relate to a single concept. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau "Motel" and "fog" are portmanteaus, because you wouldn't put "motor hotel" or "smoke fog" in sentences that accept the accretions, whereas you could swap "prion" for "protein infection".
- JohnBooty 5y agotypo - "Motel" and "fog" are portmanteaus, because you wouldn't put "motor hotel" or "smoke fog" s/b "Motel" and "smog" are portmanteaus, because you wouldn't put "motor hotel" or "smoke fog"
- fabiospampinato 5y agoWhat things are named and what they are don't necessarily coincide. E.g.: native americans are called "indians".