My writing workplace is in need of a new mouse pad, as the one with iguanas of the world has faded. At the Tucson Reptile Show, I stumbled upon a unique find: a mouse pad that humorously showcases the word ‘monitor’ in various contexts. This pad, in a way, reflects the complexity and versatility of the English language.
This monitor will monitor your monitor (but watch your mouse)
How did the word ‘monitor’ evolve to encompass such a wide range of meanings? Let’s delve into its historical journey to find out.
Let’s start with the verb “to monitor.” To monitor is to watch something over a period of time. A synonym is “to track.” So, yes, the lizard could track what is happening on my laptop.
As early as the 1500s, the word was used in schools to refer to someone, a student or teacher, who oversees activities.
From Science to Syntax
So, why are the lizards of the genus Varanus called monitor lizards? The name stems from their behavior of standing on their two back legs and scanning their surroundings, which is akin to ‘monitoring’ their environment. This behavior led to the adoption of the term ‘monitor’ around 1920. However, this doesn’t explain why Linnaeus gave the Nile monitor the scientific name Lacerta monitor in 1758. It’s speculated that Linnaeus thought the German word ‘waran‘ was similar to ‘warnen‘ (to warn), and he incorrectly Latinized it to ‘monitor‘ (Warner, adviser).
In conclusion, the nickname of the lizard is based on the verb, to monitor.
Now, what about the computer screen? Is it monitoring something?
A computer monitor is an output device that displays information in images or text. Electronics, a power supply, and external user controls support the visual display.
Early in computer construction, the front panels had an array of lights that showed when a bulb was on or off of a register bit inside the computer. This way, engineers could monitor the internal state of the machine. Eventually, this light panel was called the monitor.
Initially, computer monitors were called “visual display units,” but this term was discontinued by the 1990s.
With this information, the phrase used on my mouse pad, seemingly with three separate meanings of monitor, actually refers to the initial verb of ‘to monitor.’
I admit I was disappointed that this wasn’t a case of convergent evolution of one word. That’s when something with similar features evolves independently of each other. In this case, it’s using the same word, one as a verb and twice as a descriptive term.
By the way, it’s believed the computer mouse was named because it resembled the mammalian mouse and the cord (originally, a mouse was attached to the computer with a cord), which looked like a tail. In addition, initially, the cursor on the computer screen was called “CAT,” which interacted with the mouse.
Naming in English is an adventure!
If you’ve enjoyed exploring the fascinating world of monitors and lizards, I invite you to check out my educational picture books about these incredible reptiles!
