Pollution/Masturbate
The earliest meaning of pollution (early 1300s) was the discharge of semen without sexual intercourse. Masturbate (the earlier English word was mastuprate) is from the Latin manus stuprare (defile with the hand). The modern meaning of pollution, contamination of the environment, dates from the 1870s but was not common until the 1950s. Pollute is from the Latin polluere (to soil or defile, from por, before, and lutum, mud). The earliest meaning of contaminate was to make impure by contact. Other words from the root tangere (to touch) are contagion (a disease communicated by touch); intact (untouched); tact (a sense of touch); and taste (the earliest meaning was to examine or explore by touch).
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Voices from the margins:
Multimedia: video, podcasts, and more.
- Poetry Slam in Zimbabwe
- The House of Hunger poetry slam held in Zimbabwe in 2006, and organised by the Pamberi Trust, showcased young artists performing inspirational work on issues from corporate power to child soldiers. The video features four of the poets.
Published by Pambazuka News.
- Iranian women speak out
- 3 March 2007, London. Women's rights activists marched through the English capital last week to celebrate International Women's Day with a protest against the misogyny of the Islamic regime in Iran and the threat of invasion by the US. Hear the voices of Iranian feminists Azar and Leila Parnian and the sounds of the demonstration as it passed through the heart of the city. Click here to learn more about the campaign.
Produced by Heidi Bachram.
- Raised Voices audio:
- Benny from West Papua on Corporate Power
- Vinayan from India on agriculture
