Posted on 12/16/2010 5:57:40 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".
demotic \dih-MOT-ik\, adjective
1. Of or pertaining to the common people; popular.
2. Of or pertaining to the ordinary, everyday, current form of a language; vernacular, colloquial.
3. Of, pertaining to, or noting the simplified form of hieratic writing used in ancient Egypt between 700 b.c. and a.d. 500.
Example sentences:
The unmistakable Roth delivery - that inimitably juicy, excoriating, grandstanding blend of the demotic and the literary that peaks in ranting splendour in the best of his long novels - is here reduced to a narrative voice that seems to flirt with banality.
-- "Critical eye: Book Reviews Roundup," www.guardian.co.uk, October, 2010.
Allying himself with the socialist tendency within the movement, Rotas sought to support demotic culture and its language.
-- Peter Holland, Writing about Shakespeare
Etymology:
Demotic, which obviously shares a root with democracy, simply means that which is of (or for) the common people. It may be used to describe a piece of writing (the demotic masterpiece, the Declaration of Independence), or common language—the demotic words of an area or population. The word demotic comes from the Greek demotikos, which means "of or the common people.” Further broken down, demos is the Greek word for the plebeian, the average Joe, from a word that originally meant district. Demotic was first seen in English in the early 1800s, and has been around ever since, shifting in meaning from time to time. Imagine if the famous film The Exorcist were written by a linguist. Linda Blair, the young girl possessed by Pazuzu turns her head around and shouts maniacally, “y'all want some sweet tea?” “My goodness!” the priest cries, “it's absolutely demotic!” A linguist shakes his head in the corner of the room. “Southern American demotic,” he exhales slowly. “Looks like we've got a trip to take.” Demotic possession is definitely something of which to be frightened.
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!
Rise and shine!
Present.
Oh good, there was an echo in here before you showed up.
I got a demotion back to the demotic.
Cheers.
In a blue state like MA, the difference between the demotic and the demonic can be difficult to discern.
A for you!
Agreed. A for you.
A for you. Are you with me in not wanting anything done to the tax rates until the new crew arrives?
A for you. It’s another happy hockey day. My team goes to Jersey tomorrow and I can only hope the Kovalchuk Kurse continues.
It goes back to my theory of hiring people to run the country who have actually run something and not just affirmative action law school grads.
And here’s your extra credit A.
Joe Biden disguises demonic democratic designs in demotic declarations.
Yeah.
Today, the “common people” are so easily led by the democratic socialists in the MSM that the future may really become demonic...
Yeah.
Today, the “common people” are so easily led by the democratic socialists in the MSM that the future may really become demonic...
Sorry for leaving class for a little while, Had to go away to fix lunch for three demotic ladies and send the wife off to work.
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