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.