Posted on 11/03/2005 4:45:21 AM PST by secret garden
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".
catachresis • \kat-uh-KREE-sis\ • noun
1. use of the wrong word for the context
2. use of a forced and especially paradoxical figure of speech
Example sentence:
The paper printed a correction for the previous day's catachresis: dubbing a local artist-philanthropist a "socialist" when they meant "socialite."
Etymology: As you might have guessed, "catachresis" is a word favored by grammarians. It can be employed as a fancy label of disparagement for whatever uses the grammarian finds unacceptable. Thus could Henry Fowler, in the 1920s, call "mutual" in "our mutual friend" a catachresis. (Fowler preferred "common," but "mutual" does have an established sense which is correct in that context.) More often, "catachresis" is used for an unintentional misuse and is very close in meaning to "malapropism," which usually refers to an unintentionally humorous misuse of a word. "Catachresis" has been used to describe (or decry) misuses of words since at least 1550. The word comes to us by way of Latin from the Greek noun "katachrçsis," which means "misuse."
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....
Review Thread One: Word For The Day, Thursday 11/14/02: Raffish (Be SURE to check out posts #92 and #111 on this thread!)
Review Thread Two: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/14/03: Roister
Review Thread Three: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/28/03: Obdurate
WFB's attempt to emulate us ; ) No pushing at the door please!
Perhaps just another twist on the Third Sorrowful Mystery...
Is that on the Lifetime channel? ;^)
Aka "Women Good, Men Bad Channel"
Okay, I've risen but I'm not sure about the shining.
Catachresis. What a great word! I think I'll call the local television station and tell them they are using a catachresis to describe Ryan and her position on the Good Morning Charleston Show.
I absolutely abhor the use of masculine terms to describe a female job. Ryan is the hostess, not the host of the show.
The nice Chinese family across the street is converting from Buddhism, but first they must complete catachresis crass.
You aren't Catholic because you say you are, you are Catholic because you live your faith. He needs to use his rosary beads to pray, not threaten. What a jerk.
Only if they can cast Meredith Baxter-Birney in the lead role...
Good one
For a while there modern-day Half-Pint was in a lot of Lifetime movie. That was easy to deal with
Well, Joe, just try to ensure there are a lot more abortions and homosectionals having sex on floats in public parades and maybe we'll change our minds aboot your party's faith. (end sarcasm) What a dipstick.
The mention of Hillary Clinton as a "socialite" rather than "socialist" is to me an even bigger catachresis.
OMG - I'm listening to Joe Biden trying to justify his rosary comment. he says it was inappropriate, but he is so angry at the right that use their rligion he culdn't help himself. that he never has invoked his religion but the right uses it constantly for recruiting for politics and he is not going to take it anymore.
I nearly gagged.............
Catachrestically speaking, FR is like a breath of fresh air in the smokey backroom of polictics. Thank God FR is here to get me through the maze. LOL, Miss Ava had better not hear me laughing. Ooops, she is calling....(did I get that right or not, oh, well........
Shumer (I think) is Jewish, but most of the untra-lib and RINO Senators abortion-at-all-costs-club are Catholic, aren't they?
yep, catholic teddytheswimmer leads the pack
Well done. A for you.
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