[pp.int.general] Origin of the term "piracy"

[Daniel Riaño]

2010/9/14 Heesob Nam <hurips at gmail.com>:
> In some culture, the term "piracy" when it is translate into local
> language conveys very negative meaning. This is one of the challeges
> that I face when I try to build a "Pirate" party in my country.
>
> Adrian Johns, in his book "Piracy: The Intellectual Property Wars from
> Gutenberg to Gates (2010)" argues that "[T]he word piracy  derives
> from a distant Indo-European root meaning a trial or attempt, or
> (presumably by extension) an experience or experiment. It is an irony
> of history that in the distant past it meant something so close to the
> creativity to which it is now reckoned antithetical (at page 35)."


Yes, "pirate" comes from the Greek noun PEIRATES (make the second -e-
long), a deverbative of PEIRAO (make that -o long) meaning "attempt",
"endeavour" or "try". Not far from the spirit of the true creative
soul (but, mind you, those ancient pirates were dreadful folks.)

Daniel



> Best,
> Heesob
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