by Naomi L. | January 2, 2017 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: surreal
Pronunciation: sə-REE-əl
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: having the qualities of surrealism; bizarre
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson
Happy New Year! It’s the first Word of the Week of 2017, and since I ended 2016’s vocabulary segment with Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year, I figured it would be fun to start this year with Merriam-Webster‘s. This word was chosen for having been looked up far more often in the last year than in previous years, especially after certain significant events, and I couldn’t agree more: 2016 was an incredibly “surreal” year!
“Surreal” refers to anything that displays the qualities of Surrealism, that is, what is bizarre and irrational in nature. The word arose in the 1930s as a back-formation of the noun “surrealism”, defined as “a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind”. This noun derives from the French noun surréalisme, which comprises two roots: the prefix sur- “over” and the Latin adjective realis “actual”.
For years, “surreal” has been a favorite adjective of mine for describing things I find unbelievable or particularly unusual. Merriam-Webster defines the word as “marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream”, a quality that defines the distinct style of the surrealist art movement. If the details in your stories tend to challenge the limits of reality, you may be set to create some interestingly “surreal” art in 2017!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 26, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: post-truth
Pronunciation: pohst-TROOTH
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
It’s finally the end of 2016, and while I usually take this final week to write about an uplifting word to close the year’s Word of the Week segment, this year I decided to shake things up by featuring Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year. After a long and tumultuous year in which emotions have run high and too much fake news has been mixed in with real news, it’s really no surprise that a relevant vocabulary word was chosen to sum it all up. Regardless of which side of history you find yourself on, one thing is certain: we’ve already long been living in a “post-truth” world!
“Post-truth” is a political term that refers to circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to personal belief and emotion. The word comprises the prefix “post” (in the sense “belonging to a time in which the specified concept has become unimportant or irrelevant”) and the noun “truth” (“the state of being true”). The term in its current definition was likely coined in 1992 by the Serbian-American playwright Steve Tesich, having first appeared in an essay he wrote for The Nation magazine, while the contemporary phrase “post-truth politics” surfaced in 2010 in a Grist magazine column by blogger David Roberts.
Simply put, “post-truth” politics is a political culture in which facts are not as important as feelings. While some people and media outlets contest and falsify truth, “post-truth” refers to a phenomenon in which truth is rendered of secondary importance to appeals to emotion. The term is considered contemporary and is largely associated with social media, though the concept likely dates much farther back than the Internet; George Orwell, for example, incorporated the idea of a “post-truth” state in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. If the characters in your stories tend to let truth take a back seat to emotion, you may already be creating a “post-truth” world of your own!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 19, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: magnanimous
Pronunciation: maɡ-NA-nə-məs
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
The holiday season is upon us once more, and you know what that means: time for a vocabulary word about the giving spirit! Last year I wrote about the word “munificent“, an adjective for describing gifts or sums of money that are more generous than is usual or necessary. This year, I chose another word for generosity, this time including the virtue of forgiveness. Those who can find it in their hearts to show kindness to their adversaries are “magnanimous” people indeed!
To be “magnanimous” is to be extremely forgiving and generous, particularly toward rivals or others less powerful than oneself. The word arose in the mid 16th century and comes from the Latin adjective magnanimus, meaning “generous” or “noble in spirit”. This adjective comprises the adjective magnus “great” and the noun animus “soul”.
“Magnanimous” is a word I’m sure we’ve all heard at one time or another, though how it’s usually used is another matter. It seems to be such a popular word for generosity that I’m sure I’ve heard it at least once in a sarcastic sense to describe someone whose altruism could be seen as exaggerated, though this is likely still an exception to the traditional sense of the word. A notable related word is “magnanimity“, the virtue of being great of mind and heart, which is generally considered a synonym of “generosity”. If your characters are giving and forgiving toward everyone, especially toward their rivals or people of lower rank, you certainly have some “magnanimous” acts to write about in your stories! Good luck, and Happy Holidays!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 12, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: cogitable
Pronunciation: KAH-jə-tə-b(ə)l
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: able to be grasped by the mind; conceivable
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
So I was doing vocabulary research on Oxford Dictionaries‘ website recently when my attention was drawn to the Word of the Day. I found it interesting because it reminded me of another word I had written about before: “cogent“. Both words refer to knowledge and the mind in some way, so it’s no surprise that I had to add this new word to my vocabulary queue. I sometimes wonder if it’s “cogitable” that a person can love vocabulary as much as I do!
To be “cogitable” is to be conceivable, that is, able to be grasped by the mind. The word arose in late Middle English and comes from the Latin adjective cogitabilis, meaning “thinkable” or “imaginable”. This adjective stems from the verb cogitare “to think”, which in turn comprises the prefix co- “together” and the verb agitare “to consider”.
When I first read the word “cogitable”, I assumed it meant something along the lines of “knowledgeable”, similar to how “cogent” means “logical”. However, it’s actually a synonym of “conceivable”, an idea that’s capable of being imagined. It’s worth noting that this adjective is considered rare and is evidently related to the verb “cogitate”, meaning to “think deeply about something”. If the details in your stories can easily be grasped by your characters (or your readers), you may want to consider including the word “cogitable” in your vocabulary!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
by Naomi L. | December 5, 2016 | Blog, Word of the Week |
Word: prevaricate
Pronunciation: prə-VE-rə-kayt
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: speak or act in an evasive way
Source: Oxford Dictionaries
While there may be some times when you do want to engage in confrontation, most people prefer to avoid it and will even go out of their way to dodge unpleasant topics that would lead to awkward situations. Taking an opposite approach from last week’s vocabulary word, today’s Word of the Week refers to evasive speech and action, a concept I’m sure we’re all familiar with. Who among us hasn’t tried at least once to “prevaricate” our way out of a conversation?
To “prevaricate” is to act or speak in an evasive manner. The word arose in the mid 16th century in the sense “to go astray” and comes from the Latin verb praevaricare, meaning “to walk crookedly”. This verb comprises the preposition prae “before” and the verb varicare “to straddle”.
Interestingly, it seems to “prevaricate” is such a common goal that there are several ways to accomplish it. For instance, one way to speak evasively is through “circumlocution“, using long-drawn-out sentences when a few words could get you straight to the point. Another way is to use the rhetorical device of “paralipsis“, bringing up a subject by saying you won’t mention it so as to avoid being held accountable for the consequences. However they choose to go about it, if your characters tend to be evasive in their speech and actions, “prevaricate” may be a good word to add to your stories!
What are your thoughts on this word? Any suggestions for future “Word of the Week” featured words?
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