[Carry_Okie]

"tendentious assertions, typically offered in the protasis of his sentences in order to enhance the aura of casual but apodictic assurance.

I can't remember reading a sentence in which I had to look up two words, but there it is.

[HelloooClareece]

I am humiliated to report that I had to look up 3 words...lol.

[Redbob]

Only two?
<grin>

[beebuster2000]

and what do those words mean? i have no idea.

[Billthedrill]

The same two got me, too. "Tendentious" I use all the time - one has to when describing the bleatings of the intellectualoids. "Protasis" is the introductory part of a drama or a subordinate clause in a conditional sentence. You could interpret it either way in the context of the bleatings of intellectualoids. "Apodictic" is demonstrably true, a word seldom associated with the bleatings of intellectualoids.

It's all Greek...naw...not gonna go there.

[SE Mom]

That is ONE of the many enjoyable parts of reading William F. Buckley- whether it is learning new words, or seeing facts in new ways. Are there any more writers like him?

In "the old days" of my youth he would debate with John Kenneth Galbraith. They were both brilliant, informed and civilized. Of course Galbraith's thinking was always colored by his liberal and mistaken mindset- yet I never hated him.

[EQAndyBuzz]

""tendentious assertions, typically offered in the protasis of his sentences in order to enhance the aura of casual but apodictic assurance.""

I thought but was spelled with 2 t's?

[Edgerunner]

Yeah, my mother was a master linguist and I know a lot of words but there are a few I'll have to look up. I do believe Mr. Buckley knows EVERY word in the English language...