“To be Chateaubriand or nothing” (Victor Hugo) but it is actually hard to be absolutely nothing other than that thing one most admires or aspires to be. (And yet to be not a father, nor a professional, nor a wealthy person, nor a man about town, nor a master of a trade, nor otherwise important, is thought by many to be essentially absolutely nothing — so perhaps one had succeeded after all)
Nekton (swimming) was the opposite of Plankton (drifting) while Neuston referred to waterbugs. (Plankton are considered “uncountable” and a mass noun, like information, which is why you don’t have plankta or planktons, same as why you don’t have informations). (Interesting, plankton comes from πλάζω “to wander, drift” while planet comes from πλανάω “to wander, stray” — could there be a connection?) (Wiktionary’s already thought of it, — and while it does seem likely, it says, no, a formal link has not yet been discovered.)
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