In the Dec. 11 issue of the Star, you printed a letter from the John Lennon Society decrying a fraternity for using an X-rated movie to raise finds. The JLS says “in fact, the word pornography is from the roots ‘pornos gratis’ or ‘depiction of sexual slavery.'”

Even though I do not specialize in Latin and Greek, I know enough to know that the JLS is combining two roots from different languages. Pornos is Greek for harlot (whore, prostitute, etc.) and gratis is Latin for free. Therefore, according to the JLS, “pornography” is “the writing of harlots” and gratis is the Latin word for free. Therefore, according to the JLS, “pornography” is free hookers.

The correct second root is graphos, a Greek word meaning writing or telling. Therefore, “pornography” is “the writing of harlots” and in context, the ancient Grecian hookers used it to advertise.

I know that this is fairly trivial, but if you are going to criticize something, at least get the facts straight before mouthing off (something that the JLS seems to do a lot).

Anthony Viscomi

Chemistry