Distinctly Montana Magazine

2021 // Winter

Distinctly Montana Magazine

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w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 93 OUR DISTINCTLY MONTANA CARTOON CAPTION CONTEST! SUBMIT YOUR BEST CAPTION TO: WWW.DISTINCTLYMONTANA.COM/CAPTION ENTER TO WIN AT DISTINCTLYMONTANA.COM/CAPTION ANY TIME BEFORE MARCH 15. One entry per person. Distinctly Montana is the sole judge of the contest, and the top captions will be announced in our next issue, with the prize awarded to our favorite caption. Each of the three finalists will be named in the next issue, with the winning caption used in the cartoon. PRIZES The winner of the DM Cartoon Caption Contest will receive a print of the captioned cartoon signed by Robert Rath, the artist and our very own art director... AND a $50 Gift Card for DistinctlyMontanaGifts.com! THE WINNER FROM LAST ISSUE: D I S T I NC T LY M O N T A N A w w w . d i st i n c t l y m o n t a n a. c o m F LY F I S H E R M A N C O N S E R VAT I O N I S T C O N T E S T • O F F I C I A L • " " "Sure, it's a big foot, but is it lucky?" STEVEN ADKINS Imagine investigating unknown territory without map or guide. As the point person, you make the first astounding discovery. A hundred-foot waterfall. A herd of tiny striped ungulates gathered around a lake. You call to your companions: wow, look at this! Such a scenario may provide an etymology in a nutshell. The verb explore is made of the Latin prefix ex- (out) and plorare (to shout). It literally means "to cry out," possibly in astonishment at a discovery. As a spelunker in my youth, I spent many hours exploring the subterranean unknown. My cave-loving companions and I descended in anticipation of gleaming stalactites, big around as trees. A crystalline pool in the depths of a cave. An underground room so vast it resisted illumination from our headlamps. These made us sigh, gasp and whoop in amazement. I can relate to the "crying out" sense of exploration. And I can imagine such scenarios playing out age after age throughout human history: a wanderer's cries of disbelief and astonishment from a first glimpse of the ocean, an unfamiliar animal, or a rushing geyser. Though most dictionaries hesitate to paint this fine a genesis of the word explore, I champion this etymology. I have consid- ered the term's relatives in my decision. Deplore means "cry out against." To implore is to cry out urgently, making an entreaty. Explore seems just as passionate: to cry out in the wonder of discovery. EXPLORE wow, look at this!

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