;Posted on 10/18/2016 8:26:09 PM PDT by Louis Foxwell
;In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".
heterozetesis [hed uh roh zuh TEE sis]
noun
This is a word you will never use but one you must understand. It is derived from the Greek prefix hetero-, the combining form of heteros (other, different), plus zetesis (search, enquiry), related to the verb zetein (to seek, enquire), and is defined simply ignorantio elenchi. The Latin phrase means "ignorance of proof."
Literally heterozetesis is the act of ignoring the argument in question and arguing a completely unique point. This is standard political fare.
It is not important to use the word so much as to understand its practice. We shall, I am certain, see a substantial amount of heterozetesis tonight between Clinton and Trump.
I’m so tired of all the heterozetesis from these liberal nut cases.
The “hear it pronounced” thingy can’t find the word.
Anyway, ignoratio elenchi or heterozetesis is also a technique used by young children who are seeking to excuse themselves from having done something wrong. They deflect attention from the thing that they did that was wrong to something that they did earlier that was not wrong.
If there was ever a word that would lead me to heterozetesis, this was it.
That particular device has been tried, given the thoroughgoing obscurity of some of my postings.
Excellent. This is a fundamental device, genetically programmed, not learned, as its youngest practitioners demonstrate. Babies will deflect to avoid confrontation.
Welll...for shame GOOGLE. I sent a comment to DuckDuckGo asking that the word be included in their dictionary.
I provide phonetic spellings for just such cases (The “hear it pronounced” thingy).
Can I break it in two???
As Hillary and Huma google eyed each other’s heteros body writhing in the Emperor’s bed at the most expensive Suite overlooking the vibrant city, they eyed zelesisedly as to how to most please the others primal needs.
Teach, does that qualify?
It ALL qualifies. Your entry produces the precise effect of completely obfuscating original intent with salacious parsing. Nicely done. A perfect illustration.
When some, who claim that there is a homosexual gene, are confronted with the possibility that amniocentesis revealing that gene may result in the termination of the pregnancy, there is a sudden heterozetesis to an unrelated subject.
At least, that has been my experience.
het-er-o-ze-te-sis
with the pronunciation (phonetic symbols alphabetized):
hed ar oh ZEE tee sihs
which is a bit different than that in the article introducing the thread.
Furthermore, as you hinted, this dictionary gives no English language meaning whatsoever, but instead merely offers the very ambiguous Latin phrase "IGNORATIO LEGENTI"--a logical fallacy--as a synonym. I am not sure why one might be expected to supply a sentence employing this obtuse and obscure term to an unwary audience, but I have, as you see.
There are more of the oft-used but rarely understood words--like "gregarious"--which have swept through the fields of journalism and politics, and thence into the popular spoken language, used by many as a pejorative term, but whose sense is effective in only a miniscule portion of possible circumstances.
It would seem that, when a plethora of words like "gregarious" are continually offending the discerning audience--those who are not cowed by such a display of phony erudition--it would be those terms selected for this thread which stand some chance of passing by the pen of an editor if they are properly used.
George Carlin once noted the use of the phrase “armed and dangerous” as being a bit redundant. They wouldn’t be “armed and gregarious” he said.
I doubt tonight’s debate will please us
All the TV ads are just to tease us
Clinton and Trump
Up on a stump
Will practice the art of heterozetesis
Nice example of today’s WOTD.
I have a note from my doctor! I have heterozetesis! That’s why I was urinating in the parking garage!
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