Word for the Day, Monday, July 24, 2006

verbivores | 7/24/06 | xs

[xsmommy]

Word For The Day, monday, 7/24/06

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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".

hoi polloi; n.

The common people; the masses.

Usage Note: Hoi polloi is a borrowing of the Greek phrase hoi polloi, consisting of hoi, meaning “the” and used before a plural, and polloi, the plural of polus, “many.” In Greek hoi polloi had a special sense, “the greater number, the people, the commonalty, the masses.” This phrase has generally expressed this meaning in English since its first recorded instance, in an 1837 work by James Fenimore Cooper. Hoi polloi is sometimes incorrectly used to mean “the elite,” possibly because it is reminiscent of high and mighty or because it sounds like hoity-toity. ·Since the Greek phrase includes an article, some critics have argued that the phrase the hoi polloi is redundant. But phrases borrowed from other languages are often reanalyzed in English as single words. For example, a number of Arabic noun phrases were borrowed into English as simple nouns. The Arabic element al- means “the,” and appears in English nouns such as alcohol and alchemy. Thus, since no one would consider a phrase such as “the alcohol” to be redundant, criticizing the hoi polloi on similar grounds seems pedantic.

Etymology: [Greek, the many : hoi, nominative pl. of ho, the; see so- in Indo-European Roots + polloi, nominative pl. of polus, many; see pel-1 in Indo-European Roots.]

Rules: Everyone must leave a post using the Word for the Day in a sentence.
The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day.

The Review threads are linked for your edification. ;-)
Practice makes perfect.....post on....

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[NicknamedBob]

"But Misspelled is always misspelled when it's misspelled, even when it's not misspelled incorrectly deliberately the right way."

I disagree. Occasionally, it could be miss pelt, which could very well be a much more pleasant thing.

[patton]

Cool tag line. ;)

[Gabz]

I agree with xshub. I have to run down to the Lodge.......and I plan on taking the backroad, the highway is PACKED.

[NicknamedBob]

Thanks! It tells a very evocative story with very few words. Everything a tag line should do.

Actually, I don't think I ever heard my Dad curse. He still has my utmost respect.

I'd say I miss him, but he's in here with me.

[NeoCaveman]

We got our freaks, just like everybody else does, lol.

[Robert A Cook PE]

"But Misspelled is always misspelled when it's misspelled, even when it's not misspelled incorrectly deliberately the right way."
I disagree. Occasionally, it could be miss pelt, which could very well be a much more pleasant thing.

(Robt idly wonders if Misssplit (er, Misspelt) is as soft and furry as it sounds ....)

Missbehave and Xena decide they should check it out ...

[Slip18]

I agree with William F. Buckley!

[Slip18]

Are you taking Jax to Chincoteague for the annual pony swim?

[theDentist]

On the other hand, I may have mis-spelled qwerty

[Slip18]

"Yellow Springs" by I.P. Daily?

[NicknamedBob]

"On the other hand, I may have mis-spelled qwerty"

Qwerty is on the other hand, unless you're left-handed.

And the only way to misspell it is to spell it "Dvorak."

[Slip18]

Hysterical.

Do not eat yellow snow!

[secret garden]

Maybe Jax will finally get her pony! ;)

[Slip18]

I noticed it immediately. LOL! I thought it was a good play on words.

[Slip18]

Huh?

[Robert A Cook PE]

Huh?


Oh,tis nothing. Nothong at all.

(The dent and "I" were merely contemplating palpitating Misspelt's misspelled Misssplit ...)

[Slip18]

I think I found the cake for all occasions.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, XS!

[Slip18]

Holy Moses!

[xsmommy]

OMG the ILLMATIC GOT HITCHED!

[xsmommy]

thank you so much slippy!