WPME – Alter

In our last episode, we learnt this important root: ego, which means I, self.

So long as there is I, there is other. And the root for other is alter. A number of important English words are built on this root.

Let’s look at a few of them.

• altruism. Altruism can be defined as "disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others". Or in other words, he/she thinks of "others" first.
• alternate. If in a contest, a meeting, a match, the original one to participate is unable to do so, we may send an "other" person, an alternate.
• alternative. On the contrary, if we don’t have such an alternate, we then don’t have an alternative. alternative is a word worth more talk. We shall come back later.
• altercation. If you have other ideas, thoughts than an other person on the other side, you may have an altercation with this person.

Please note that altercation is much stronger than quarrel, dispute. In short, you have altercations over pretty important issues, and the word implies that you get quite excited.

What does alternative mean in such a sentence:

I go to my dentist to check up my teech on alternative Sundays.

If you go to your dentist on 1st (and assuming it is a Sunday), when will you go the next time? On 8th? Nope, you will go on 15th. And the next date will be on 29th. So you are not going on consecutive Sundays, but "alternative" Sundays: you skip one Sunday and choose the "other" Sunday.

Interestingly, alter is also an English word, meaning change.

If you alter something, that thing is no longer its original but becomes something else, an "other" thing.

To end today’s session, let me quote something from my translated book "Universal Man" by the author on John Meynard Keynes:

…if confronted by conflicting alternatives, when choosing the way forward in practical matters, the sound principle is to take the most generous course.

This is a quite accurate description on altruism and JMK.

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