Posted on 09/26/2013 4:26:21 AM PDT 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".
shibboleth (SHIB-uh-lith, -leth) noun
1. The use of a word or pronunciation that distinguishes a group of people.
2. A slogan, belief, or custom that's now considered outmoded.
Example sentences:
"Kurdish Iraq's two dominant parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, fought a civil war in the 1990s. Ordinary words turned into shibboleths. Using the word afrat for 'woman' revealed a link with the KDP; the PUK used the word zhin. Today, the two parties share power. This has resulted in an attempt at linguistic fusion that makes Ferhadi shudder: whenever political leaders refer to women, they say 'afrat and zhin' to show that they have overcome old divisions."
--Sophie Hardach; 'Professor, You're Dividing My Nation'; The Chronicle of Higher Education (Washington, DC); Jun 23, 2013.
"Osborne's allies say his urge to win is greater than his eagerness to parrot Thatcherite shibboleths."
--Rafael Behr; The Politics Column; New Statesman (London, UK); Jun 28, 2013.
Etymology:
According to the Book of Judges in the Bible, the Gileadites used the Hebrew word shibboleth (ear of corn; stream) to identify the fleeing Ephraimites who couldn't pronounce the sh sound. 42,000 Ephraimites were slaughtered. Earliest documented use: 1382.
Some massacres in which the pronunciation of a word played a key part: Parsley Massacre, Battle of the Golden Spurs, Sicilian Vespers. The meaning of the term has now widened. It could be applied to anything, not just the pronunciation of a word, that distinguishes people. It could be a way of eating, dressing, etc.
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
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!
“Impact” I can take or leave, but I draw the line at people who “office.”
judging is in the eye of the beholder, i bet the recipient of your correction felt judged.
i can’t stand “reaching out”. Head honcho sent out an email saying that the supervisory types would be REACHING OUT to employees re; the shutdown. Please do NOT reach for me.
One of my friend’s daughters came out with one of the most annoying phrases that I thought was long gone. It is what it is.
If people don’t want to be judged, they should stay off the internet. ;-)
When we bring a new employee in and get him up to speed, some are calling it “onboarding” now.
i must have heard that a dozen times from various people in the past week.
As long as there are losing football coaches, there will be “it is what it is.”
true that!
Apologies for bringing up a distasteful person/subject, but I recall when Bawney Fwank was the darling of Media interviews it seemed one of his favorite words was ‘shibboleth’ — of course, enunciated the way you stated with all the attendant slobbering and contortions he was “famous” for…
LMAO!!!
Odd, I would read that as you saying Judging is wrong?
i was illustrating, by way of example, that various types of judging goes on every day, and that correction is necessary.
Thank you! Your family members tell the truth-I took a few vacation days from work, and visited MrT5 while he was on a TDY there-the poverty isn’t hidden as well as the tourist conscious city officials think-military members are especially adept at ferreting out the places outside the city limits in the jungle where people live in squalor as they slave away for a pittance in the fancy hotels and tourist traps-we treat migrant farm workers and other illegals WAY better here...
Neither am I-every hour it is shut down is a few billion they can’t spend...
I’ve been waiting for several years to experience the joy of hearing that Nasty Pelosi was denied communion right at the Mass by a priest-I still hope it will happen,,,
Please...Contrived.
There are rumours swirling that he , like BarryO, prefers the company of men.
It started to get asked publicly, now he pulls a Weiner?
I’m roaring. My friend was just here asking how we get along with prospective inlaws (great) and she said what a horrible MIL she will be bc she can’t stand the girls her sons date. Current gf of her oldest son who is 23 is a student at Pitts law school, and from pittsburgh. They were at Denison together. She said she saw her in a sundress and noticed a back tat!! Lmao! I said well pittsburghers can be trashy... That appears to be her biggest complaint. Becky says her mother (boys grandma) will have a CORONARY if she sees her at the altar with it all splayed out. Very unfortunate. Having been looking at wedding dresses even ones with sleeves etc like xsteen likes are generally see thru lace around the top and back. Becky sees this as a major character flaw!
Yup.
Beard.
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