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FFardella _ Meaning of Foe
[author: Flora Fardella - postdate: 2007-10-03]

Task: Finding out the meaning of Foe

OBJECTIVES

Cultural: learning about meaning

Intertextual: finding links between dictionary use and understanding novels

Linguistic: improving writing skills

 

Choose the meanings of the word "foe".

Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman

FOE: literary an enemy.

 

Webliography: http://www.wordreference.com/

FOE: adversary; rival.

 

Webliography: http://www.allwords.com/

FOE: abbreviation of  friends of the Earth.

 

Do you think that the novelist was successful to choose this title for his novel? What expectation does the title raise?

In my opinion Coetzee was successful to chose this title because it conveys the essence of the nature on the island: it is a rival of humanity. Thus the title centres the most important message of the book: the man is in the hands of the destiny that sometimes could be adverse.  I think that the novelist chose this title to underline the difficulty to live on the island.

In fact the word "foe" means adversary, rival and it could be referred to the adverse conditions of the desert island. Moreover the title recalls the name of  the novelist Daniel Defoe.

 

Choose "Foe" etymology.

Webliography: http://www.etymonline.com/

FOE: O.E. gefa "adversary in deadly feud," from fah "at feud, hostile," from P.Gmc. *fakhaz (cf. O.H.G. fehan "to hate," Goth. faih "deception"), probably from PIE base *peik- "evil-minded, treacherous, hostile" (cf. Skt. pisunah "malicious," picacah "demon;" Gk. pikros "bitter;" Lith. piktas "wicked, angry," pekti "to blame"). Weaker sense of "adversary" is first recorded 1607.

 

Webliography: http://www.allwords.com/

FOE: Anglo-Saxon fah hostile.