Testes or testicles??

[NPK]

Why do some people call them testes (singular: testis), and others call them testicles?

Why have 2 names?

[YT2095]

they have more than TWO names, I assure you!

[NPK]

Of course, but you know what I mean

[YT2095]

yeah, I was just talking B*lloks

 

anyway according to here: http://www.answers.com/topic/testicle

 

testes is the Medical term for testicles, so it`s a bit like we might say Fingers or digits instead of the medical term Meta-Carpels or phalanges (or however its spelled).

[Phi for All]

I think testes and testis are used medically because of their Latin origin. I remember hearing that the word testify came from the Romans who would grab them to swear an oath. Not sure if that's true but it would make an interesting alternative in a court of law if you couldn't find a Bible.

[starbug1]

I know I always thought testes was the excepted vulgar for testicles (among many others! ) But in most science text books, testes is used, and my bioloby professor has always said "testes" Not a single time has he been heard saying "testicles"

 

The "testify" root of testes is actually true. To testify, one man would grab another man's manhood. But tell me, I wonder what kind of man you have to be to apply for that job!

[jdurg]

The phrase 'When in Rome' just took on a whole new 'not so nice' meaning.

[mezarashi]

Man, that is just indescribably disgusting. It's unbelievable and thus I didn't believe it. I present my own research before the folklore does more damage ^^;;

 

Testify

There is bit of folklore floating about that the word testify (with its associated forms like testimony and testament) derives from testicle. The legend has it that ancient Romans would hold their testes while swearing oaths. This is not true. The word does not derive from testicle, nor did Romans swear oaths on their private parts.

 

Testify, et. al., derives from the Latin testis meaning witness. Testicle also derives from testis. The testes are witnesses to a man's virility.

http://www.wordorigins.org/wordort.htm

 

From Ron MacKinnon:

 

What is the origin of the word testify?

 

It is first recorded in English in the late 14th century as testifie, having come from Late Latin testificare "to bear witness, proclaim". That word was formed from testi(s) "witness" and ficus "making". Testis comes from the Indo-European root trei- "three", with the sense of a "third person standing by (as a witness)".

 

There is a popular notion which suggests that Latin testis "witness" is related to testis "testicle", by the idea that a testicle "bears witness" of virility. This has not been proven, and some believe that testis "testicle" is actually related to Latin testa "pot, shell".

http://takeourword.com/Issue056.html

 

Test

 

The origin of this word is the Latin testum, a small clay pot. This travelled into old French as test to become teste in 14th century English, by now denoting a small vessel used in alchemistry. The word occurs in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and Shakespeare still uses it in this chemical sense. From being an instrument used in ascertaining the purity or otherwise of silver of gold, the word took on its current sense only in the eighteenth century. The history of the word also explains why test-tubes are known as such, rather than plain old tubes! Note that other "test" words - testify, intestate, testament, testicle - all come from a different root, the Latin testis meaning witness.

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:iIT8pJF0WawJ:www.got01.dial.pipex.com/etymology%2520one+origin+of+the+word+testify&hl=en&client=firefox-a