A happy ending to the bizzare phantasmagoria

SVC Word of the Week - Phantasmagoria
(A sequence of images, real or imaginary, which appear bizzare or too fantastic) 

Life in the present times appears too bizzare for words.  Routines have gone haywire, and everything we once did without thinking now needs careful introspection.  Almost a series of  bad phantasmagoric images we can't wait to replace with happy ones. If predictions of scientists and researchers are to be believed, we may soon be heading towards regular life, pending a vaccine. Which may be arriving soon. And that will most certainly put an end to the conundrum being viewed in the media at least.

The need to be Scrupulous about hygiene in the new normal

SVC word of the week - Scrupulous
(To be careful and attentive to details)

The pandemic has certainly put a check on the lack of hygiene. Even as the world limps back to normalcy, people are learning to be more careful and thorough about maintaining personal hygiene. Hand washing and sanitization are being given due attention with everyone becoming more scrupulous in a bid to keep the infection at bay. And this is certainly a sign of the times to come. No washing your hands off of good hygiene now.

It's all in the name - Eponyms and Expression

Word of the week: Eponym

The current trail of earthquakes have shaken us all. Every time the slightest tremor strikes, it is the magnitude of the earthquake on the Richter scale which makes the headlines alongside videos of jiggling furniture!  The Richter scale is, in fact, an eponym. An eponym is a word or phrase based on the name of a person. Scientists and explorers have a habit of naming their discoveries after themselves—or other people name their discoveries after them. The Richter scale is named after Charles Richter, a US seismologist, who developed this scale. Another such example

from science is Celsius, the unit for measuring temperature, also of the human body, named after Anders Celcius. Can you think of a few more eponyms?

Is the time for Wayfarers yet ? or not ?

SVC word of the week: WAYFARER

The word “Wayfarer” means someone who travels by foot, but today you probably know them only as the best-selling style of sunglasses worldwide. During the summers, everyone avoids or dislikes being a wayfarer but ironically would definitely wear one of these Wayfarer sunglasses to avoid the heat.

WILL SOMEONE CONJURE A COVID-19 VACCINE?

SVC Word of the Week: CONJURE

Scientists and pharmaceutical companies are working round the clock to find not just a cure but also preventive medicines for COVID-19 which has affected millions across the world. The task however, is not easy–one can only hope someone can ‘conjure’ a vaccine soon. Incidentally, to conjure something means to perform a clever trick and make things appear or disappear, or what you would call an act of magic. Only in this case, more than magic, we need a scientific breakthrough and if all goes well, it should be just round the corner.  

Quarantined, aren't you?

A word which is being used frequently in the last few weeks is 'Quarantine'. Historically, it signified a period of 40 days of isolation imposed upon ships, persons or animals, on arrival at a port or place, when suspected of carrying some infectious or contagious disease. But now we don't necessarily attribute a 40 day period to the word. It essentially means a strict exclusion, detention or isolation to prevent the spread of a contagious disease. Today about  1.5 billion people worldwide are in quarantine. Let's all pray it ends soon and things are bright and beautiful again. Be positive and take good care.

Aspire to Inspire

Aspire or inspire? Confused? It's a simple case of Self versus the Other.
Aspirations are your dreams, ambitions, goals, vision for the future. You ASPIRE to achieve them. INSPIRE is when you arouse the urge in someone else to do something; simply put, to inspire is to encourage someone to attain their objective.

It's Peanuts!

We all know what peanuts are, don't we? People are often taken by surprise when they learn that peanuts grow beneath the soil and do not grow on trees like walnuts do. While we consume peanuts in various forms there is yet another use of this rather cute nut in informal language. It signifies a very small amount. Today's newspapers have this screaming headline - 'It's Peanuts for Farmers' for the story being carried on the allowances being provided to the farmers.

Two extremes but a possible truth

When a statement or a proposition swings between two ends of the spectrum - it brings out an emotion or response that's not just of surprise but even absurdity. The expression used for such a statement or situation

is 'paradox' and that's our word of the week. The statement may seem contradictory but may express a possible truth. The expression, paradox, extends itself to a person, thing, or even situation that may seem contradictory. 

The case in point is our cricketer - Ravindra Jadeja. While the world adores the all-round skills of this talented cricketer, the Indian selectors find him a surplus. The headline of Indian Express sums it up wonderfully: The Jadeja paradox.

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/the-ravindra-jadeja-paradox5409861/

#IndianExpress #RavindraJadeja #jadeja #cricket #paradox

Appropriated...without consent

How often have you been caught or teased for not wearing clothes that are 'appropriate' to an occasion or appropriate clothing for a place such as a place of worship or a formal meeting.   The word 'appropriate' means 'fitting or suitable for a specific task, purpose, purpose or occasion'. 
Now in its past tense form (appropriated) - the expression has slightly different connotations. A popular one is about setting apart or authorizing for some particular purpose (as in: The treasurer appropriated funds for the development of the community park). One usage that finds regular mention in news now-a-days is 'to take without permission or consent' (The official appropriated the funds for his personal use). 
Our word of this week is 'appropriated' - it's a Double-clue variety for Smart-Vocab Challenger followers (word having two diverse meanings depending on the usage).

Teacher by more names!

Beginning today, with just about a week to go for Teachers' Day celebrations - we will come up with words that describe these wonderful souls who impact our lives for good, and irrevocably so. 
We begin with this word - Pedagogue. Well, pedagogue is just another word for an instructor or a dogmatic teacher. Pronounced as 'ped -uh-gawg' it has its origins in Greek (paidagogos) and Latin (paedagogus). One can use it in sentences such as: I was so delighted to meet up with my favourite English pedagogue at the mall today. 

Discord and lack of harmony

India lost in the ICC Champions Trophy and before a detailed analysis could be done on the factors leading to the defeat came the revelations of a discord between the Indian cricket captain and the coach. The discord reached to such levels that the coach, Anil Kumble, had to give up being a coach and move on. 

Discord is our Word-of-the-week. And it is a typical 'double-clue' variety for the Smart-Vocab Challenger followers. While in the context above 'discord' refers to a lack of agreement or harmony between two sides - 'discord' also reflects harsh confused mingling of sound.

Monsoons, don't play truant!

There are instances when a word or an expression is borrowed from its popular usage and used for a situation that's completely unrelated to its conventional usage. And this often makes the new expression intriguing and the language richer. 

Conventionally the word 'truant' is used to describe a person, often a student, who is absent without leave. We had a newspaper headline this week that screamed: Farmers still upset at monsoon playing truant last year. 

Truant is our Word-this-Week.

Hope the monsoons don't play truant this year!

To Woo X

Government of the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is all set to woo Google to bring in the project X - previously known as Google X, to its shores. The Andhra Pradesh CM indicated this after visiting Google's X facility in United States. X is known for Google's driver-less cars, glasses project and the use of stratosphere balloons to give internet access to remote, inhospitable areas.  

'Woo' is our Word-of-the-Week. Woo means to invite, to seek favour, affection or love or to court.  

Tonsured Heads For A Song

A MP being banned on flights caused a raucous Parliament last fortnight. This week the raucous is about the accomplished and popular singer - Sonu Nigam.

His comments on the social media stirred up a huge debate on use of loud-speakers in residential areas. And amidst the chaos, the singer went ahead and got his head tonsured as a symbol of standing-up to his critics. 

Tonsure is our Word-0f-the-Week. Tonsure is the act of shaving of the head or the act of being shaven where a part or the complete head is left bare. 

The Raucous House

Last fortnight saw a few raucous sessions in the Indian Parliament with members raising the issue of Air India having put one MP on the 'no-fly' list. This was followed by other airlines following suit. 

Our Word of the Week is 'raucous'.
Raucous means disorderly or rowdy. 

Depredations and an era of darkness

Shashi Tharoor's passionate speech at the Oxford Union last year went viral on social media such as YouTube and Facebook. His new book An Era of Darkness deals with the depredations of the British, while they ruled on India, in more detail.  

An act or instance of plundering or robbery is referred to as depredation. 

And 'depredation' is our SVC Word-of-the-Week.

The Ruckus at DU

Everyone seems to be having an opinion on what happened at the Delhi University. And almost everyone has some insight, some hearsay, some prognosis to offer on the ruckus at a college under the Delhi University. 

'Ruckus' is our word this week. A heated controversy, a disturbance often leading to an uproar is referred to as ruckus. 

Lead with Gusto

Virat Kohli was handed over the reins of the Indian cricket team across all formats and he led the team with aplomb. Typicial of Virat, he leads the side with gusto. Now that has a rub off affect on the rest of the team and lifts everyone's morale leading to superb performances. 

Our word of this week is 'gusto'. Zest or vigourous enjoyment while performing an action is gusto. Someone who relishes his or her job or task that's either assigned to or opted for is likely to do with gusto.

The Patriarch is Fading

Most political parties in India lean on one or two notable figures who have heralded these parties for long. And more often and not - the notable figures find it difficult to let go the reins of the political outfits they have so painstakingly built. In the most populated state in India, where elections are soon due, we are witnessing a power tussle between the old and the young. There is a belief that the patriarch perhaps has outlived his utility.

 

Patriarch is our first word of 2017. Patriarch is the male head of a family or a tribe or a person considered the head or founder of an order or class or, as in this case, a political outfit.