Trego's Mountain Ear

"Serving North Lincoln County"

Category: Weird Words

  • Sharing the definition of Impeccable for the County Clerk

    A January 13 article in the Tobacco Valley News described how a box of ballots was left behind on November 3 and counted days later.  The Western News in Libby brought the matter to light on January 5.  The kudos and praise belong to our local press – blunders such as this need to be brought to the light of day.  The article described how the ballots were counted late – and the TV News quoted Robin Benson, county clerk and recorder: “I still think that the election staff, Chris, did an impeccable and amazing job . . .”

    The Cambridge English Dictionary shares the definition of impeccable: perfect, with no problems or bad parts.   What was it the guy in the Princess Bride said?  “You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means.”  Of course, she may have thought impeccable was a relative term, and been using Georgia standards.  Transparency doesn’t call for the media announcing the error and the correction.

    Another TV News quote from Josh Letcher described the former election administrator.  “He did great things.  He put his heart into it.”  It is good to know that Nelson‘s heart is in the right place – but it would be more reassuring had his head been in the right place.  It’s a bit harder to sneer at Georgia when this happens here.  Again, high praise to the media for bringing this to light.

  • Weird Words: Pontificate

    Pontificate, verb: “to speak or express your opinion about something in a way that shows that you think you are always right” (Merriam Webster’s definition for those learning english)

    The more formal definition they offer is:

    to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way”

    Merriam Webster

    Synonyms include expound, moralize, lecture and preach. This is rather appropriate since the noun form of pontificate is the duration of time for which a pope serves as, well, pope. It originally comes from Latin, specifically from Pontifex, which was the title of a Roman high priest. The word probably meant something along the lines of bridge-maker or path-maker.

    Regardless, pontificate used as a verb today has a negative connotation. While it might be appropriate to describe a priest as pontificating, it’s not something to say if you have a favorable opinion of the sermon.

    Pontificate is a nice, all around good word for describing anyone that talks as if from a position of authority. With a synonym of expound, it also tends to imply being long winded.

    Anyone with the need to preach or moralize, at length, about a topic, can be said to be pontificate. Heard anyone pontificating lately?

  • Weird Words: Procrustean

    “Procrustean” is a fun word with an interesting history.

    According to Merriam-Webster, it means: “marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances”

    The story the word come from is marked by someone who was precisely that.
    Προκρουστης, known to us as Procrustes, is a figure from Greek mythology. He was a robber who invited travelers to his home, then, after supper, put them to bed. As his unfortunate guests would discover, Procrustes’ guest room’s bed was made of iron, and he was determined to make it fit everyone perfectly.

    If a guest was too small for his massive iron bed, he’d tie their ankles to one end of the bed, and stretch them until they were the right size… tearing limbs out of joint in the process. In the unlikely event that a guest was too tall for his bed, he’d take his hacksaw and remove as much of their feet and lower legs, as was needed to make them the perfect length.

    The name “Procrustes” itself comes from two Greek root words: “προ” (pro) meaning “in front of” and “κρουειν” (krouein) meaning “to strike” or “to beat”. These words paint the picture of a smith lengthening a piece of metal by beating it out.

    A fellow who goes around murdering travelers doesn’t really add to the quality of one’s local community, but Procrustes got away with his crimes for quite a while by claiming to be the son of the sea god, Poseidon. Eventually, he was killed by another Greek who claimed divine parentage. Theseus, ostensibly another son of Poseidon, was the last person to stay in Procrustes’ home. You see, Theseus made Procrustes fit his own bed.

    A procrustean policy is one that treats everyone the same, regardless of circumstances, with the implication that it does so in a way that is harmful. Of course, those complaining that a policy is procrustean are the people “the bed” doesn’t fit. If the policy fits most people, there will be few that find it procrustean in their experience.

    What policies do you feel are procrustean?

  • Weird Words: Jargon

    Most professions seem to have their own specialized language that the uninitiated have difficulty understanding. The word for this, because of course there is one, is jargon.

    the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group”

    Merriam Webster definition for Jargon

    The hair stylist talks about “clarifying” shampoo. To me, “clarifying” is explaining, making ideas and words more readily understandable. We speak the same language on the surface, but a closer examination shows we are talking about entirely different things.

    To the scientist the word “theory” is quite specific. “Theory” to a scientist implies something highly tested, so well-studied as to be nearly certain. A scientist’s theory is a grand thing, an explanation that has withstood much careful examination. The rest of the world, though, may theorize about anything. Even about things they have not tested and have no intention of testing. The same word, but vastly different meanings.

    Occasionally people talk to me of cars, engines, and other mechanical items. There, it becomes clear to me that they, too, have a language all their own. My cookbook is full of jargon as well, though perhaps that is more reflective of my inexperience than the complexity of the topic. Regardless, it comes in handy to have a more experienced translator in the kitchen, lest I spend more time looking up techniques than cooking.

    Most of us have a jargon that we use specific to a profession or a hobby. I find it never hurts to ask for a little clarification (though perhaps with the hair stylist, one ought to specify which kind!).

    What words or phrases do you know that the rest of us don’t (but should)?