While intra- (within) and inter- (between), seem to have become interchangable today, it seems to me that what is inter-resting to a person, is merely what is within them.

Any thoughts anyone? I think it probably should be intra-resting (but maybe the word got changed because of the double-R), however I do not think the meaning of inter-resting has changed (except in everyday social use).

What do you lot find inter-resting? :)

What does,what is withing them." mean :confused:

I don't know what you mean :p (but I'm quite sure you know what I meant!) :)
So, what do people here find inter-resting??

(actually, the fact that inter- means 'between' does not matter, because what is inter-resting, still shows some relevence to an individuals experience. What is resting between the object (symbol) and the person is inter-resting, so the same still applies!

On the contrary, Mucker, there's still a huge difference between inter- and intra- in the world today.

I mean, just look at the vast difference between interstate commerce and intrastate commerce... There you have it.

Good day to you. :bugeye:

Yeah, what I said in my last post. What is inter-resting is what is between the object (symbol!) and the person. Doesn't matter now anyway, it's a shit one.

Perhaps it is what piques your curiosity between resting?
When you are awake ( or between resting periods) what is inter-resting to you occupies your mind. :D

maybe...

But, if you care, the actual answer is...
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin, it is of importance, third person sing. present tense of interesse, to be between, take part in : inter-, inter- + esse, to be; see es- in Appendix I.

es- in appendix I...
ENTRY: es-
DEFINITION: To be. Oldest form *1es-, zero-grade *1s-.
Derivatives include yes, soothe, sin1, essence, absent, and proud.
1. Athematic first person singular form *es-mi. am1, from Old English eam, eom, am, from Germanic *izm(i). 2. Athematic third person singular form *es-ti. is, from Old English is, is, from Germanic *ist(i). 3. Optative stem *s-. yes, from Old English gse, yes, from se, may it be (so) (ga, yea; see i-), from Germanic *sijai-. 4. Suffixed zero-grade (participial) form *1s-ont-, becoming *sont-, being, existing, hence real, true. a. sooth, soothe, from Old English sth, true, from Germanic *santhaz; b. suffixed (collective) zero-grade form *st-y-, “that which is.” sin1, from Old English synn, sin, from Germanic *sun(d)j, sin (< “it is true,” “the sin is real”); c. suttee; bodhisattva, Satyagraha, from Sanskrit sat-, sant-, existing, true, virtuous. 5. Basic form *es-. entity, essence; abessive, absent, adessive, essive, improve, inessive, interest, ossia, present1, present2, proud, quintessence, represent, stover, from Latin esse, to be. 6. Basic form *es-. –ont, onto-; –biont, Homoiousian, Parousia, schizont, from Greek einai (present participle ont-, being), to be (in pareinai, to be present). 7. Suffixed form *es-ti-. swastika, from Sanskrit svasti, well-being (su-, good; see (e)su-). (Pokorny es- 340.) See also extension (e)su-.

From:
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.