Respect

“I spy, with my little eye, someone who is . . .”
 
The word respect has its origins in the PIE root spek (to spy, to peer, to watch closely, to look carefully), Greek skopein (to observe, to see; in particular, to see without judgement or to see without changing what is seen), and Latin specere (to see or to look at).
 
The word respect (regard, consideration) came to English in the late 14th century from Latin respectere (to review, to look back, to look again carefully)—Latin re (back) + specere (to see, to look at). In the late 14th century, respect meant the feelings of esteem excited by the actions or attributes of someone or something. Respect also meant courteous or considerate treatment due to personal worth or power.
 
The verb ‘to respect’ came to English in the 1540s meaning to regard or to notice with special attention, from French respecter (look back; respect) and Latin respectere. The use of ‘to respect’ meaning to treat with deferential esteem or to regard with some degree of reverence is from the 1550s.
 
Consider respect in terms of Greek skopein, the origin of the word scope. We look through the lens of a telescope to bring faraway objects closer. We look through the lens of a microscope to see into the details of an object. We adjust the instrument’s focus in order to see clearly.
 
When we look at something or someone, we look through the lens of our values and our attitudes. We focus or re-focus. As such, respect is an act of intention not just an act of seeing. We look with the eye of respect.
 
In brief, respect is an action, the act of seeing, looking twice, seeing again. Respect is an act of perspective before it is an act of understanding.
 
Latin specere is the origin of words such as aspect, introspective, perspective, prospector, spectacle, spectacular, spectator, spectre and spectral, spectrum, speculate and speculation, speculum, and spy.  
 
Image: George Redgrave, https://www.flickr.com/photos/19396658@N00/14560405563
 
Reference: Online Etymological Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/
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