Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad: A Reflection on the Historical Usage of the Word <i>αναλυσις</i> (“Analysis”) in Cost Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, and Auditing in Light of Its Greek Etymology and Pedagogical Implications

ABSTRACT Using primary documents dating back to the early 20th century in the form of authoritative standards of the AICPA, the PCAOB, and the ISO, SEC investigation records, and scholarly literature, this article discusses the ubiquitously used word “analysis” in various branches of the accounting discipline. It traces the history of three different accounting and auditing terms derived from “analysis,” describes how they are used by accounting scholars and practitioners, and discusses if such usage is consistent with the etymology of the root word. The paper also describes the evolution of those practices described as “analysis” through the decades in the United States and overseas. It concludes with a consideration of pedagogical implications of such borrowings and notes that although two of three accounting terms seem consistent with the etymology, one usage might be argued to be inappropriate.