Orthopedics; orthopedic; Orthopedics writing; Orthopaedics writing; orthopedic etymology, Orthopedics vs orthopedic; Orthopedics ancient Greek etymology; orthopedic from paedion /child

There is a serious difference between the uncorrect for orthopedic specialty  “etymology” based on term “orthopédie” of Andry’s book written in 1741 concerning instructions for prevention of deformities in children and formed from the ancient Greek words ορθός/orthos (straight) and pais/παιδίον/paidion/paedion (child), and the correct ancient Greek etymology of the term orthopedics (ορθοπεδική in Greek) derived, according to its meaning, from the ancient Greek word ορθός/orthos (straight) and the ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ/ped-o (prevent a distortion, commit, hold strongly and steadily, engager with brakes, keep something motionless, bind) to express exactly our specialty focusing on the prevention and correction of deformities in all age groups, not only in children. The ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ (ped-o) is already found in Homer (Όμηρος in Greek) the ancient Greek poet and author of Iliad and Odyssey, for example in N435 «πέδησε (ped-isse) δὲ φαίδιμα γυῖα» (έδεσε τα λαμπρά μέλη in modern Greek or Bind the brilliant members/limbs in English translation), many centuries before the neologism “orthopédie” for a children’s book of French physician Nicolas Andry (1658-1742) translated into English as “orthopaedia” [1-4].

If the subject of orthopedics as it evolved into a separate specialization through the last hundred years was only related to children and had a notional connection with the original meaning of the term “orthopédie” that the French physician created without taking into consideration, willingly or not, possibly without knowing the pre-existed ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ/ped-o and its derivatives in Greek language ορθο-ποδ(πεδ)-ώ/ortho-ped(pod)-o) that means “to walk uprightly, be straight on the field or soil = πεδ-ίον/ped-ion in ancient Greek and the word πέδ-η/ped-i (Bind, bond, cuff, barrier, fetter) all written with “ε/e”, not “αι/ae, we should agree that the Andry’s etymology is the only correct etymology and the writing of orthopedics must be with ae (orthopedic). But, the correct term is orthopedics with e, “ορθο-πεδ-ικός(ή)” in Greek with an ε, which is the direct and self-evident objective of the ancient Greek verb ορθο-πο(ε)δ-ώ/ortho-po(e)d-o) derivated from the ancient Greek words ορθός/orthos and πεδώ/pedo from the roots -πεδ/-πoδ (-ped/-pod). The alternative use of “o” and “e” letters in the same word was very common in ancient Greek language e.g. Λόγος/Λέγω, Logos/Lego etc.

The few Greek academics who had an excellent command of Greek language at the Andry’s period, in 1741, even if they were studying in France, were focused on how to free their country and not how to explain to a French physician that the most suitable words for his term were the pre-existed ancient Greek words ορθο-πο(ε)δ-ώ/ortho-po(e)d-o), ορθός/orthos and πεδώ/pedo, πεδ-ίον/ped-ion (soil, field) or ορθός/orthos and their derivative πέδ-η/ped-i (Bind, bond, cuff, barrier) all written with an ε/e, not αι/ae. The problem is that these words have the same spelling with παιδ-ίον/paedion, “pédion” in French. So, many English or American orthopedic/”orthopedic” surgeons e.g. the members of American Academy of orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) who did not know and do not know the above mentioned correct and suitable ancient Greek words believe that only the uncorrect for adults Andry’s used words for children, ορθός/orthos and παιδίον/paedion (child), are the most suitable to express the whole object of orthopedics. They unfortunately established the term «orthopedic» with «ae» based on the second wrong synthetic word paidion/paedion (child) for children considering that all adult orthopedic surgeons are «children», «childish» or «only for children»... as it was described in Andry’s book [5,6].

Orthopedic medical specialty is not a “book for children” but the specialization related mainly to adult patients, that makes them stand and walk uprightly and in an ορθή(ός)/orthos/straight position on the field/soil, πεδ-ίον/pedion in Greek, as well as the specialization that rectifies and prevents deformities, concepts related with the ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ/ped-o and its derivatives, not the word paid-ion/paedion (child) of Andry’s book.

Ortho-ped-ic surgeons, ορθο-πεδ-ικοί χειρουργοί in Greek language, do not “play” with παιδιά/paidia/paedia (children) or try to “become” like children. All are adults and try to correct deformities in all patients, not only in children.

The correct words to express the object of ortho-ped-ic speciality existed and were being used from more than twenty centuries before Andry’s book for children.

The ancient Greek word “ορθό-πο-υς”/ortho-po-us (with straight feet), not ortho-pai-us/ortho-pae-us), was used from ancient Greek tragic poet Sophocles, 496-406 BC, and was formed from the word ορθός/orthos (straight) and the derivative of the verb πεδ-ώ/ped-o πο-υς/po-us (leg/foot in English, pes/pedis in Latin). The ancient Greek word “Ορθο-ποδ-ούσιν”/ortho-pod-oussin (walking uprightly) of Holy Bible, was formed also from the same verb πεδ-ώ/ped-o which express the focus of ortho-ped-ics for all age groups.

Why do we consider correct a derivative “ortho-paed-ics” of Andry’s term “orthopédie” based on paidion/paedion (child) and false the self-evident derivative ορθο-πεδ-ικός/ortho-ped-ics, objective of the verb ορθο-πεδ-ώ/ortho-ped-ο related to the whole object of orthopedic  The truth must not be depended on partial data of a “book for children” and the false used words of a French physician but on the knowledge of all the historical and etymological data of this subject. The meaning of a term must be in agreement with its composite words. The ortho-ped-ic surgeons are not “ortho-paed-ic” or “straight childish”... The term ortho-ped-ic with an e, not ae, is written similar to french term orthopédique, to Latin ortopedico and to establish for more than one century in Greece term ορθο-πεδ-ικός with a ε.

It was natural for French and English orthopedic surgeons to connect the term orthopedics/orthopedic with the word παιδίον/paidion/paedion (child) of Andry’s book because no anyone Greek linguist or orthopedic surgeon explained them the long Greek history of the term ορθοπεδική (orthopedics). But during last year’s we have an additional problem in Greece. The Greek ορθοπεδική (orthopedic) society EEXOT, written with only ε (e) for more than 50 years, until the year 2000 according to the ancient Greek etymology, decided, without an absolutely majority of its members, to change the normally used by all Greeks and the most Greek lexicons, philologists and linguists term ορθοπεδική (orthopedics) with ε (e) to ορθο-παιδ-ική (ortho-paed-ics)” with αι (ae) from the word paidion/paedion (child) of Andry’s book imitating the American AAOS society and ignoring the ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ (ped-o).

The term ortho-ped-ics based on the correct words orthos and ped-o or its derivatives, not on παιδίον/paidion/paedion (child), is also the correct term to express the correction of deformities in veterinary medicine e.g. use of ortho-ped-ic splints for dogs or cat’s fractures. Is it normal to use the term “paedic” from our children to express the corrections of these deformities? The ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ (ped-o) and its derivatives express the correction of all kinds of deformities in all human beings, not only in children. We do not use “screwed” children (παιδ-ιά/paid-ia/paed-ia), instead of ortho-ped-ic splints or methods, to correct deformities.

This is really a funny phenomenon that is discussed by many people of letters in Greece. Unfortunately, because of the false term ortho-paed-ics of the American Society AAOS from παιδίον/paedion (child) there are during last year’s two different used terms in Greece, the term ορθοπεδική (ortho-ped-ics) with an ε (e) used by near all Greeks who know the ancient Greek etymology and the ridiculous for adults surgeons term “ορθο-παιδ-ική (ortho-paed-ics) with αι (ae) used by some members, not all, of our new Greek ortho-paed-ic... society!

If one was to follow the “etymology” of the term deriving from the words “ορθός” and “παιδίον” (child) of Andry’s book the Italian orthopedic surgeons should also be called with the ridiculous terms “orto-bambini”, “corretto-bambini” or “dritto-bambini”… in order to be in absolute accordance with the wrong word παιδίον/ paidion /paedion (child) of Andry, the English or American ortho-ped-ic surgeons should also be called with the funny terms “ortho-childish”, “ortho-infantile”, “straight-childish” or “straight-infantile”… and the French orthopedic surgeons “ortho-enfantiles” or “enfant-droitique”… in their language. I think that the perseverance to the false used word paidion/paedion (child) to express our origin does not appropriate to serious scientists. The ancient Greek words ορθός (orthos) and πεδ-ίον (ped-ion) from the ancient Greek verb πεδ-ώ (ped-o) with ε (e), not παιδίον/paidion/paedion (child), derivated long before the Andry’s period, are the correct synthetic words for our specialty and must be written in similar way with an ε (e) in all languages.

Greek words related to correct etymology of the term orthopedics from the word ορθός (orthos) and the root πεδ-/ποδ (ped/pod) written with ε (e) are enough in Greek literature as it is mentioned mainly in Greek and English Lexicon, HG Liddell & R. Scott, 1940, “`Ορθοποδέω = to walk uprightly (βαδίζω κατ’ εύθείαν είς μέρος τι, Κ. Πορφυρ. Έκθ, βας. Τάξ. 496, 16: μεταφορ., βαδίζω την όρθήν όδόν in Greek), in the phrase “άλλ’ ότε είδον ότι ούκ όρθο-ποδ-ούσι (ortho-pod-oussi) προς άλήθειαν του Ευαγγελίου. Επιστ, πρ. Γαλάτ, β΄, 14.)”, “`Oρθό-πους/ortho-pous = with straight feet (ό έχων ευθείς πόδας, όρθώς πορευόμενος, όρθ. Βαίνοντες άνις…τιθήνης, Νικ. ΄Αλεξιφ, 419, in Greek), “`Ορθο-ποδ-ητώ (ortho-pod-ito)”, “Oρθο-ποδ-ώ (ortho-pod-o = I follow the straight path, I walk along a straight road), Ίσαάκ, Μεσοπ, 2, ίδε Αθηνάς τ. ΙΑ, σ. 494”, “΄Ορθο-ποδ-ίζω (ortho-po(e)dizo = I follow the straight path, I walk along a straight road) περιπατώ κατ΄ευθείαν, Κέρδ, Ι. 80-18, in Greek” [7].

In the intermediate Greek – English Lexicon, HG Liddell & R. Scott, Oxford, 1975 it is also mentioned that “Ο αιολικός τύπος (aeolic type) πεδ-ά (ped-a) is coming from the roots -πεδ/- ped (πρβλ. πε-ζός in Greek, pe-zos, ped-isequos in Latin)”,  “ορθόν/orthon πόδ-α (pod-a) τίθημι, εκτείνω τον πόδ-α (pod-a) κατ’ ευθείαν μπροστά, όπως κατά το βάδισμα (stretch the leg straight ahead in English)”, “πεδ-αίρω (ped-airo) εμαυτόν, σηκώνομαι και πηγαίνω σε άλλο μέρος (I get up and go to another place in English)”, “πεδ-άορος (ped-aoros), ο υψωμένος υπεράνω του εδάφους (the elevated above the ground in English)”, “πέδ-η (ped-i) (=Bind, bond, cuff, barrier, fetter)”, “πέδ-ικλον (ped-iclon), δεσμός για τα πόδια (bond, cuff for feet in English)”, “In Latin etymology ped-ica, ex-ped-io, im-ped-io,  (fetter in English)” and “εμ-πόδ-ιον (em-po(e)d-ion), obstacle, prevent in English” [8].

In Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (T.L.G.)/Θυσαυρός Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, 1972, are also found the words “Πέδ-η (ped-i), πεδ-ῶ (ped-o), πεδ-ήσω (ped-isso), ποὺς (pous), ποδ-ὸς (pod-os), ποδ-ῶ (pod-o) and πεδ-ῶ (ped-o), (“o” transformed to “e”), πεδ-ῆσαι (ped-issae), πόδ-ας (pod-as) and the phrases “παρὰ τὸ πιέζειν τοὺς πόδ-ας (pod-as), Ἰλιάδος νʹ”, “Ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶ πέδ-ας (ped-as) ἔβαλεν in ancient Greek) [9].

Almost all Greek dictionaries, except very few e.g. of Μπαμπινιώτης (Bambiniotis), have the term ορθοπεδική (orthopedics) with ε/e as a first choice and not the uncorrect for the object of orthopedic specialization term “ορθο-παιδ-ική (ortho-paed-ics) with αι/ae.

The jovial and unacceptable  phenomenon of the two different types of writting of the same term as ορθοπεδκή/orthopedics and ορθοπαιδική/orthopedic in Greek and English, concerning the focus of one of the most important medical specialties, cannot be continued as is. It must be corrected definitely by the decision of all orthopedic surgeons in all over the world to write the title for their job with an “e” according to the correct second composite word of this title. This writing with an “e” is also similar and the same from an optical point with the French “etymology” and term “orthopédie” established by Andry in 1741 for his book for children. The ancient Greek words, ορθόν and παις-παιδίον (paidion, paedion, child), which he used in order to compose the term “orthopédie” were correct for his book and the correction of deformities in children but not to express the prevention and correction of deformities in all age groups and the whole content of the modern orthopedic specialty, mainly the correction of the deformities of the adults from adult and not child-ish or “paed-ic”… surgeons.

This presupposes that the orthopedic surgeons in all over the world and mainly the members of orthopedic societies in Greece, England and U.S.A., mainly of the American AAOS, who know only the words orthon and paedion and insist on it, will study all the historical and etymological elements before Andry and understand the problem and respect the real and correct ancient roots of their title.

The definitive solution for the future is the acceptance of all orthopedic surgeons of the term ORTHO-PED-ICS (ΟΡΘΟ-ΠΕΔ-ΙΚΗ) including the correct root -PED in all scientific magazines and meetings and not the uncorrect for our specialty title “ORTHO-PAED-ICS” (ΟΡΘΟ-ΠΑΙΔ-ΙΚH) from Andry’s PAED-ION (CHILD)... We are not children or childish to declare that we are “PAED-IC”… or members of “PAED-IC”… societies. Let's take things seriously once [10-26].