It didn't have to be so

The bouncer and an eulogy

In cricketing parlance a fateful delivery meant the ball that gets the bowler a wicket or the one which is dispatched for winning runs. Now any more. The ball bowled by Sean Abbott to Phil Hughes last week that plunged the sporting world in sorrow was fateful and like how. 
And ever since he passed away as an impact of that ball hitting him beneath his ear - cricket fiends have been writing eulogies for Hughes on the social media. There are a few that stand out and the one that brought the most tears was the by the Australian Captain, Micheal Clarke. His emotional eulogy - a small speech he gave to the media persons present at the hospital was truly moving. 
Eulogy is our word of the week. It refers to a formal note written or a short talk given  in praise of a person recently deceased.

#PhilHughes #Eulogy

Cryptic and obscure

The politicians of all hues are apt at it. Most anchors of news channels go hoarse while trying to extract something of merit from these spokespersons of political parties but rarely do they succeed. The politicians simply equivocate. And they do it looking sombre and deadpan serious. 
Equivocate - that's our word of this week. It is an expression for the act of avoiding to commit oneself or to deliberately being cryptic or obscure. 

The edifice of Nehruvian-thought

Nehru's 125th birthday has been marred with controversies. Typical of modern-day politics - they argued on the ownership of Nehru as an icon while Nehruism and its contribution to the growth of India through its nascent years and beyond gathered dust in the long-forgotten annals of history. The edifice of Nehruvian-thought has been long demolished though. It seems as if only symbolism and tokenism is all that matters to the political class. 
Edifice is our word of the week. It is used here as a metaphor. Edifice is a large, imposing structure or a huge, complex organisation or system.

It's a nadir...they screamed!

Morality in the political sphere hits a new nadir screamed the headlines. They caught a political bigwig along with another prominent citizen cleaning up a patch on the sidewalk in New Delhi  that was littered purposefully just before the event to stage-manage the coverage for TV crews and shutterbugs. While the step was in any case meant to be symbolic and was apparently to popularize the Clean-India campaign - some news channels and newspapers would have none of it. They called it a new low - a new nadir. 
That's our word of the week - nadir. It means the lowest point or opposite of zenith. It is a term borrowed from astronomy where it symbolizes a position that's beneath the observer or a marked position.

The Fiat is out!

Last fortnight saw the Government of India entangled in legal procedures and debates with the judiciary. Some of the ruling party's spokespersons tried putting up a brave front on TV debates and even whispered about the judicial out-reach to create a public opinion. They pleaded that the Government is bound by international treaties and protocols. The bench, however, would have none of it and issued a fiat for submission of names of people with foreign accounts enlisted for scrutiny. 
Fiat - that's our word of the week. Fiat is an authoritative decree or order that's binding. It is a command or a pronouncement that has official sanction or authorization.  

Ambivalent towards the party president!

Should science and scientists interfere with religion? That's something that the world seems to be ambivalent about. That's our word of the week - ambivalent. 
It refers to having mixed feelings towards an object or an issue or a living being. This word was used repeatedly in the India media to describe the feelings of Indian scribes towards the head of a ruling party (they are unable to choose between two opposite feelings, that of being in awe and or to detest).

Ambivalent is borrowed from psychology where it is a term used to express the coexistence of both - positive as well as negative feelings toward the same action or person. 

Its not an hyperbole...after all!

The claims that's it is indeed a wave by the followers of the current disposition at the helm of Indian polity has often been dismissed by the other parties as an exaggeration. The spokespersons of these parties who oppose the recent victors at the hustings have been classifying this claimed wave as 'hyperbole'. 
That's our word of this week - hyperbole. Hyperbole has roots in Greek and means extravagant exaggeration. It is often used as a rhetorical expression for something that's meant or being currently used to create a strong impression, generally in politically charged environments, though it need not be a fact. 

Sipping coffee with bete noire

It was interesting to see three young politicians, all of different hues, come together at a Restaurant in Mumbai and discuss the state's agenda for a popular TV programme. Two of these young leaders belonged to parties that have rarely been seen sharing a platform in the past. Traditional bete noire and with political agendas having nothing in common - it marks a turning of a new leaf in Indian political landscape. 
Bete noire is our expression of the week - it means something or someone who is avoided or even detested, disliked or dreaded. The expression has origins in French as an expression for insufferable person.

Film-maker goes esoteric

Artists tend to go esoteric and so do blog-writers now-a-days. That's how a film critic described the film Finding Fanny. That's our word of the week - esoteric. It reflects restrictive, cryptic or confidential.
Its an adjective that reflects a piece or concept that's understood or is intended for only a select few who may have a special skill or interest or knowledge. So a work of art or fiction or concept that's abstruse and is difficult to understand is referred to as esoteric.

Disconsolate followers!

A popular Chief Minister was sent to gallows last week. The reactions from her followers and fans were on expected lines considering the following she has had. The expression used to describe  these followers and fans was 'disconsolate'. 
Disconsolate is our word of the week. It reflects a state that's beyond consolation. When someone is filled with grief or is hopelessly dispirited he or she is said to be disconsolate. The expression also finds mention in fiction and poetry often referring to cheerlessness as in - the disconsolate loneliness of a moonless night.

Bringing something new from the repertoire

So when two coalition partners are negotiating on how to outdo the other and be a more effective political force - they dig deep in their bag of tricks or their repertoire. That's our word this week: Repertoire.  
The entire inventory of skills or techniques that can be leveraged or brought into play in any given field or trade is referred to as 'repertoire'. The depth of the bank of expressions that an actor has is his or her repertoire marks the versatility of the actor. That's the case with politicians and the tricks they have in their bag or in their repertoire.

An appropriate expression if nothing else!

So what was that expression used to describe the easing of restrictions on Catholics in Britain in 1771? Emancipation. 

That's our word of the week. Its the act of freeing or getting liberated. Emancipation of the slaves was how historians describe the removal of slavery in US. 

Lately, we have had a few wise men talk of emancipation of our society from corruption. And for once we need to drop our cynicism and relish the use of an appropriate expression if nothing else (emancipation from pigeon's English - if you may please!).

That comment on TV!

When our celebrated batting order was collapsing against the seam and swing bowling of the England side - there was criticism all around. The commentators were appalled at the propensity of the Indian batsmen to flirt with balls pitched on the off-side. Propensity is our word of the week. It is an expression that indicates of a natural tendency or an inclination. 
So the next time you see politicians scream their lungs off on a debate whether in the parliament or on a popular TV news show - you know it is their propensity to outshout the others on display.

They commented on the PM's gait!

When one walks at various speeds – the way the feet move, the pattern of our footsteps and the rhythm of the entire effort often acquires a particular, distinguishable character. So when our Prime Minister walked towards the ramparts of Red Fort on 15th of August – some journalists commented on the positive energy in his steps and stated: His gait was confident and had a sense of purpose, his stature commanding as it ought to be of a PM of a great nation.

Gait is our word this week. It is a manner of stepping, walking or running.

Imbroglio continues!'

The Indian Government called off the secretary-level talks with Pakistan and that had the newspapers' headlines screaming - 'Imbroglio continues!'

Imbroglio is our word of the week. 

Imbroglio is an expression used to describe a perplexing or an intricate state of affairs that is often more complicated than it appears on the surface. The word also refers to a misunderstanding or a disagreement of a bitter or complicated nature between two entities (now, these could be people, political parties, groups or even nations). 

Categorized as Mawkish.

Political memoirs seem to be the flavour of the literary world this time of the year. You had a former media adviser to the former PM writing his memoirs and now one has Natwar Singh - a former bureaucrat and cabinet minister, penning his version of how events unfolded when he was 'active' in politics. 
The reviews haven't been kind. And both these books, like most in this category in the past, have been categorized as mawkish. 
That's our word this week - mawkish. It reflects having a mildly nauseating flavour  often characterized by sickly sentimentality.   

India regained its sovereignty - this day, another time!

We could not have let this occasion slip and not put up a word. Today is India's Independence Day. 
Well, the appropriate word is 'sovereign'. So when one says that on this day in 1947 - India regained its sovereignty - it means that India became an entity (a nation) that had supreme power. A nation that's supreme, preeminent, and indisputably independent of any other authority or monarchy. 
That's sovereign for you - supreme, preeminent, having supreme authority. 

Denunciation of Dhoni and his boys!

For all those who felt that the shorter versions of the game will take the gloss away from real Cricket, the excitement the current Test Series in England has aroused - this is a moment of truth. It is another matter that the Indian team's fortunes are headed south and that despite being one up in the Series - Indians have completely lost the plot in the last couple of games. If only the passion and intensity with which the denunciation of the Indian team is taking place over cups of coffee and large Patiala-pegs is something to go by - one would wonder what led to this premature burial of the gentleman's game. Test Cricket is alive and kicking.

And our word for this week is 'denunciation'. It means public condemnation or censure. 

Is your mojo working for you?

For long people have either got attracted by someone's mojo or have got disenchanted by the lack of it. That's our word of this week - mojo. It means personal magnetism or charm and the word owes its origin to witchcraft. It also is used for the art or practice of casting magic spells or voodoo.

Flummoxed! Are you?

There was time when it was not just Cricket during the English summer - but even the cricket-writing that people would look forward to. It is sad that cricket-writing has lost its sheen in the bang-wham world of Twenty-20. Followers of the game would be reminded of the 1971 tour of England by India. B S Chandrashekar's magical bowling got India it's first series win in England. A term used by the cricket writers then to describe what Chandrashekhar's spin-bowling did to the English batsmen was 'flummoxed'! 
That's our word of the week - flummox. It means to bewilder or to confuse.

Melange

There are a number of words in English with French roots and our word of this week melange is just one of so many. It means an assortment or a mixture of things of different shapes, origins, forms or sizes. 
Delhi, with all its monuments of the mughal period, of Delhi sultanant,  together with Luytens' structures and other buildings of the time of the Empire to the modern glass-steel structures, presents a melange of architectural styles. 

Tristful Argentina!

The finals of the FIFA World Cup saw Germany compete against Argentina. The Argentinians played football in their typical Latin American style and created a couple of chances too only to give it all away in that one moment in extra time. For all the entertainment, thrill, excitement and hope...in the end it was a tristful finish for Messi's boys. That's our word of the week - Tristful. It means 'full of sadness; sorrowful'. 

Malady of Selfie-age: Bovarism

Its so commonplace these days. We normally confuse it to be a person's ego but it actually is bovarism. Bovarism is an expression used to describe a state of mind where a person carries an exaggerated estimate of oneself - often a glamorized impression of self. 
You can blame it on the beauty products, the gyms round the corner or the fake compliments passed on as pleasantries - bovarism is what most suffer from.  Selfies are just an indication. No?

Cuss words...Profanity it is!

A recent case of a verbal spat between a high profile corporate scion and a Bollywood celebrity has had a cascading effect of views and counter-views. The reactions range from calling it all a hoax and frivolous to admiration for the woman who has the gumption to raise her voice against verbal intimidation.

Ever since profanity permeated into the thin skin of modernity - the line between what's objectionable and what's not has blurred. As a society we are becoming more tolerant of profanity and we hardly ever cringe on cuss words. Profanity - our word this week - means vulgar or irreverent action or speech.

Mnemonic...its all iconic!

Convention has it to use this expression for a word or string of words that are intended to make stuff easier. Something that makes you write less but communicate more. They are something that assists memory - be it a formula or even a rhyme! That's Mnemonic.

The modern tech-savvy folks, however, have taken it all to a new scale for mnemonics have revolutionized the way we communicate and express ourselves now. A whole lot of icons and mnemonics which have nudged away sentences, phrases, words and expressions. Don't our smart phones have such mnemonic which can, at times, even express a full sentence.

For the science freaks...Anthropomorphic!

So you wanted to create a robot and give it human like features? You just visualised an anthropomorphic robot!

Anthropomorphic - that's our word this week. 

It is ascribing human attributes or form to a being or even an object that's not human. Well not just scientists, even story-tellers do it. And poets...they are busy these days projecting the monsoon clouds in an anthropomorphic form.

Don't you mess with him...he's irascible!

The self-indulgent and inward looking version of modern-day celebrities is such a contrast to the stars of yesteryear. Those personalities may not be too accessible but whenever they made a public appearance - they appeared approachable and patient. The celebs these days are seemingly reaching-out more and are connected with the their fans through social media. However, whenever they appear in public they are always on tenterhooks and are irascible - that's grouchy and likely to get provoked easily!

Well, you could say that even some of the defeated candidates and leaders of parties which haven't done too well in the recent polls are irascible too. Or at least they appear so at the sight of one Arnab Goswami!

Those Incendiary Speeches!

Today India gets its 29th State - Telangana. The euphoria is marred by incendiary speeches by the leaders who are adept in creating conflicts. There has been talk around the corridors of power that people of one state cannot work in another. Not only is this unconstitutional - it is incendiary! 

Incendiary seems to be the most appropriate expression here and it means: tending to arouse strife, sedition: tending to inflame the senses. Trust some politicians to do so, right?!

The 'clique' in the crony clique

A politician recently quit her political outfit citing undemocratic functioning of the party as the reason of her quitting. She said that the supremo of the party is surrounded by his cronies and the decision making is in the hands of the crony 'clique'. 
'Clique' is our word this week. It means a small, select group of people or a coterie. Now should 'crony clique' be treated as more derogatory or defamatory than 'kitchen cabinet' is best left to your judgement.

Vitriol - the tone of election speeches this time!

1   Now that the elections are done and over with - its time for some sanity to prevail. Unlike elections of the past this time the politicians, across the political spectrum, contested the elections during which the pitch was shrill with caustic criticism. Stuff that would classify as 'vitriol'. Its an expression drawn from chemistry where 'vitriol' is used to describe certain metallic sulfates such as copper sulfate or zinc sulfate. 

       We just hope that the campaigning in the next general elections is not so vitriolic.

For most politicians - it is Mishpocha!

Most of our politicians are working overtime to accommodate close relatives and close friends for tickets for the elections. The reference to this enlarged group of beneficiaries has to comprehensive and one that encompasses family network including the ones added by marriage in to the network and even close friends. Mishpocha is word for it!  

Shop till you drop, Oniomaniacs!

Shop...shop till you drop. Many women feel shopping is a great stress buster and almost meditative. Marketers love it and even some Counselors have given it credibility by calling it retail therapy. However, this is primarily impulsive in nature and such shoppers who suffer from an uncontrollable urge to shop and are called ‘Oniomaniacs’.

The Diagnostic and statistical manual of Psychological disorders classifies such behaviour as impulse control disorder where emotions weigh in first and heaviest in the initial buying spree. And most impulsive actions are devoid of reasoning. Hence reason and regret come in later. The Retailers and the Shopping Malls thrive on such oniomaniacs and the Credit-card companies don;t complain either!