Word For The Day, Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - syncretism

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary ^ | 04/26/2006 | The Janitor

[VRWCmember]

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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".

syncretism • \SING-kruh-tiz-um\ • noun

1. the combination of different forms of belief or practice *
2. the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Example sentence:

Taoism is a syncretism of Buddhism, with its emphasis on meditation, and Confucianism, which emphasizes knowledge and reason.

Did you know?
The ancient Greeks mainly used the term "synkrçtismos" to describe the joining together of Greeks in opposition to a common enemy. In the early 17th century, English speakers adopted the term in the anglicized form "syncretism" to refer to the union of different religious beliefs. Three centuries later, lexicographers of the 1909 edition of Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language added a new definition of "syncretism" ("the union or fusion into one of two or more originally different inflectional forms, as of two cases"), but this specialized sense is rarely encountered outside of the field of linguistics. Some related terms that you might encounter are "syncretize" ("to attempt to unite and harmonize"), "syncretist" ("one who advocates syncretism"), and "syncretic" and "syncretistic" ("characterized or brought about by syncretism").

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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Review Threads:
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
Review Thread Four: Word For the Day, Friday 7/25/03: Potation
Review Thread Five: Word For the Day, Monday 8/19/03: Stolid
Review Thread Six: Word for the Day, Tuesday 11/09/2004: Peripatetic (Post #125 may be my best anagram post ever)

[Slip18]

I don't know if this one will work out, but I'll try:

"2. the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms"

Marriage is a form of syncretism even without children. One person makes the other person whole.

Call me Pollyanna if you so desire. LOL!

[Slip18]

I've always loved that photo of McRhino! LOL!

[Slip18]

". . . it is always a towel optional humpday.">P>And you were talking about my doule entendres yesterday, Vastie!

[Slip18]

"But you do VooDoo so well." Blazing Saddles.

[Slip18]

Nice, Dixie!

[Slip18]

Holy Moses, Truthie!

[Slip18]

That couldn't be Grimmy. The llama dude is nuts.

[Slip18]

OMG! That is one fantastic, albeit awful, sycretism!

[Slip18]

I guess there are no female doctors? And if someone is being beaten to death by another while the doctor is there, that he is bound NOT to report it.

Something is wrong here.

[Jack Deth]

Hi Vastie!

Excellent word. I'll try to do it justice:

There seems to be a huge and deeply gaping schism
With more than a little help from syncretism
From the Sixties "Freak Brothers" Free Wheelin' Franklin
And his then in-depth Modernism
"Dope will get you though times of no money
Better than money will get you through times of no dope!"

Culturally, the country was just stating to slide down the ropes
To recent Feng Shui Swamis, Crystal Creeps and oddball assorted kin
Looking through a glass and darkly
It's slowly becoming much clearer to see
That for relief of the problems of the Here and Now
Just chant: "That was Zen and this is Tao!"

Jack Deth~ 04/26/06.

[Slip18]

Now that's more like it!

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Holy Moses, Truthie!

I'm not making it up. Clinton's "use" of the sink in the Oval Office is a matter of pubic public record.

[Slip18]

The cat did it, I swear. What an ugly post.

[Slip18]

I couldn't read the stuff about Clinton. He disgusted me so much. I just knew he was "crooked" in many different ways. He's still disgusting.

[Slip18]

"Just chant: "That was Zen and this is Tao!"

Dark humor today, Jack? Still very good, though.

[theDentist]

All I can say is: if a doctor doesn't want to prticipate in such activities, he/she should not be forced to. But any invasive procedure should be at very least overseen by a medical professional.

[xsmommy]

there are plenty of doctors who will perform any procedure for anyone with the cash or the insurance coverage. those who want such a procedure can surely find someone to do it without obligating anyone to violate their religious beliefs whatever they may be. Suing in this instance was clearly a publicity ploy.

[theDentist]

yes

[Slip18]

Medical malpractice is a big deal in CA. A lot of attorneys "major" in it. One such firm I remember very well was a brother and sister who were both doctors. They became attorneys. Voila. They made more money being medical mal attorneys than they ever could make being doctors.

Also in CA are a lot of the boobmakers and nose fixers, liposuction and that kind of stuff. There is more money in those areas of expertise than a regular flipping heart surgeon or brain surgeon. And they get paid up front.

So it all comes down to money.

[VRWCmember]

Suing in this instance was clearly a publicity ploy.

Especially since the treatment issue was in 1999, the case originally went to trial in 2003, and the appeals court unanimously ruled in December 2005 that the doctors can use the argument that their religious beliefs were the basis for their refusal to perform the procedure.