Etimology disaster

[curioucity]

Hi everyone

I have some questions here about the origins of words. So, I'll start right away:
Aborigin-> literally, this means native, right? But what's the matter with that ab- prefix? Ab- means opposite characteristic, right (like in abnormal)? So how can something native is called "not-origin(al)"?

 

[Redoubtable]

'a, ab' means 'from' in latin.

"Aboriginal" = 'from the birthplace"

 

[curioucity]

hmm... thanks.....
if the ab- in aborigin is from latin, then where did the ab- in abnormal come from? They have different meaning.

 

[Redoubtable]

Abnormal = 'from the normal' or 'deviating from the normal'

In English, there is a word, anormal, which could be of interest, though it might be archaic.

 

[curioucity]

How funny........ so is it me who generalize everything or is it the words that mess me up?

Eh, I have one new question:
Is the word 'mass' (physics) and 'mass' (people) actually have some similar origin? If it's a mere coincidence, I wonder why in some point they seem similar....

 

[curioucity]

Here's another mess:
Do the words 'venture' and 'adventure' have the same origin? It's hard for me to make examples, but the two words sometimes have similar characteristics.
What do you think?

Also, where does the 'prefix' mer- (aquatic being) come from?

Also, are the words 'mass' (physics) and 'mass' (people) actually have some similar origin? If it's a mere coincidence, I wonder why in some point they seem similar....