Idiosyncrasy

Idiosyncrasy (Greek ἰδιοσυνκρασία, " Selbst-Eigenheit/-Charakter "; idios " own " self ' and syn - crasis " mixture Zusammenmengung " ) can best be translated with the word " peculiarity ". Depending on the context we denote by idiosyncrasy:

• Generally a (structural, anatomical and physiological or behavioral) feature which is particularly or specifically for an individual or a group
• In medicine, congenital or acquired, some clinically severe hypersensitivity at the first contact against certain externally supplied substances that are not caused by a reaction of the immune system ( since no immunization preceded ) but by malfunctioning / non- function of defective or missing intact enzymes, such as the favism ( beans disease); see also Allergy, pseudo-allergy,
• In psychology particularly strong dislike and hypersensitivity to certain persons, creatures, objects, stimuli, ideas and the like. As idiosyncratic language here a speech behavior and language comprehension is known to be associated ( eg, very literally, or pinched otherwise) in which words and phrases more or less remote lying meanings or idiosyncratic interpretations. It is a common symptom of autism. From the Schizophasie ( " word salad " ) in schizophrenics, it differs in that the language is different only in meaning, but formally (in terms of syntax and grammar) still correct and their communicative impairment is usually also of much lesser extent, ie it is ordered, well-formed, at least roughly understand.
• In social psychology from a different group of individual behavior ( through competence and conformity, the individual acquires a so-called Idiosynkrasiekredit )
• In computer science, or in the case of interface -based programming, classified to general interfaces in family interfaces and idiosyncratic interfaces. An idiosyncratic interface is thereby implemented by a single class in the whole project, whereas family interfaces are implemented by several.
• In linguistics, an idiosyncratic term is characterized in that it is used in the designated significance only by a single person or group and is typically associated with a different meaning. In a different understanding of a term ( word or phrase) is then idiosyncratic, if it has properties that can not be derived from more general rules and you must therefore be noted explicitly in the lexicon. One example is the drug for language: Chasing the Dragon, a ketamine - hole ( K- Hole ), smoking a little pipe, eat cardboard.
• In risk management distinguishes between idiosyncratic risks that are triggered by a single company or issuer, and systematic risks that result from movements of the broad market (eg fall ).

Word origin

The word idiosyncrasy has been borrowed from the Greek in the German-speaking countries in the 18th century: ἰδιοσυνκρασία ( Idiosynkrasia ). It is already detectable in the ancient Greek and is composed of ἰδιο ( "self " ), συν - ( " together " ) and κράσις (the " mixture "). Originally it meant " peculiar mixture of the juices in the body and the resulting continuous nature of the body" and in this sense is thus generated a " specific nature of a single body ."