Here is the etymology of the word.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=independent
If one is independent, one does not rely on anyone for one's livelihood. One may make decisions on one's own. It has nothing to do with respect or loyalty. One may choose to respect those who earn respect and have loyalty to those who deserve loyalty.
If a country declares its independence from another, then it is "free" to make its own decisions. The country may chose to remain the friend or ally of the country of its origin, as represented by the relationship between the United States and Great Britian.
I mean, what is "independence" all about?
Is it concluded in freedom? Respect? Loyalty? And why is it connected to that?
2 answers
P.S. Any good dictionary will give you a good definition. Here is one from the Online Dictionary:
Main Entry: [1]in·de·pen·dent
Pronunciation: "in-d&-'pen-d&nt
Function: adjective
Date: 1611
1 : not dependent: as a (1) : not subject to control by others : SELF-GOVERNING (2) : not affiliated with a larger controlling unit b (1) : not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent <an independent conclusion> (2) : not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct (3) : not bound by or committed to a political party c (1) : not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood) <independent of her parents> (2) : being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living <a man of independent means> d : showing a desire for freedom <an independent manner> e (1) : not determined by or capable of being deduced or derived from or expressed in terms of members (as axioms or equations) of the set under consideration; especially : having linear independence <an independent set of vectors> (2) : having the property that the joint probability (as of events or samples) or the joint probability density function (as of random variables) equals the product of the probabilities or probability density functions of separate occurrence
2 : capitalized : of or relating to the Independents
3 a : MAIN 5 <an independent clause> b : neither deducible from nor incompatible with another statement <independent postulates>
synonym see FREE
- in·de·pen·dent·ly adverb
Pronunciation Key
© 2001 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Merriam-Webster Privacy Policy
Main Entry: [1]in·de·pen·dent
Pronunciation: "in-d&-'pen-d&nt
Function: adjective
Date: 1611
1 : not dependent: as a (1) : not subject to control by others : SELF-GOVERNING (2) : not affiliated with a larger controlling unit b (1) : not requiring or relying on something else : not contingent <an independent conclusion> (2) : not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct (3) : not bound by or committed to a political party c (1) : not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood) <independent of her parents> (2) : being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living <a man of independent means> d : showing a desire for freedom <an independent manner> e (1) : not determined by or capable of being deduced or derived from or expressed in terms of members (as axioms or equations) of the set under consideration; especially : having linear independence <an independent set of vectors> (2) : having the property that the joint probability (as of events or samples) or the joint probability density function (as of random variables) equals the product of the probabilities or probability density functions of separate occurrence
2 : capitalized : of or relating to the Independents
3 a : MAIN 5 <an independent clause> b : neither deducible from nor incompatible with another statement <independent postulates>
synonym see FREE
- in·de·pen·dent·ly adverb
Pronunciation Key
© 2001 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Merriam-Webster Privacy Policy
7 answers