Epeolatry

Pankaj Khanna Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 25/4/2023.) Kakistocracy! KAKISTOCRACY: A form of government in which the least qualified or most unprincipled individuals are in power. This is how Shashi Tharoor used the word: "Sometimes, in recent years, it has seemed that the world’s largest democracy has in many ways degenerated into a kakistocracy". While I like the word but do not like his usage which to me is far-flung. In fact Kakistocracy and Political Corruption  have been prevailing in all Indian States intermittently since 1947. Kakistocracy is a government by the worst elements in society. The word comes from the Greek ‘ka...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 21/4/2023.) Muliebrity! The word ‘ Muliebrity ’ , popularised by Shashi Tharoor in his article on Woman's Day a few years ago, is derived from the Latin 'muliebritas' or womanhood. And from 'muliebritas' is  derived ‘mulier’ or woman. Further, ‘Mulier’ is supposed  to be derived from ‘mollis,’ meaning soft or weak. Remember the word Mollify!? Muliebrity (noun) means Womanhood, womanliness, femininity, the condition of being a woman or behaving in ways considered typical of a woman. The antonym of  Muliebrity is Virility or Masculinity. It is a valid  word, exi...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 20/4/2023.) Farrago! Shashi Tharoor came into extreme limelight when he used the word  Farrago in his tweet in May  2017: "Exasperating farrago of distortions, misrepresentations & outright lies being broadcast by an unprincipled showman masquerading as a journalist" Farrago means a confused mixture or Hodgepodge.For example: "A farrago of fact and myth about a fallen Politician". In Latin,  farrago  means "mixed fodder" or 'cattle feed'.  A few years before using the word 'Farrago', he had termed the Economy Class  Air Travellers  as 'Cattle Cla...

  Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 22/4/2023.) Rodomontade! Meaning: ( Noun) Boastful or inflated talk or behaviour .  (Verb) To  talk boastfully. Rodomontade is   bombastic language or just empty bragging. Usage : -The Politician’s Rodomontade speeches sought to conceal his total lack of substance but failed miserably. -The President's boastful Rodomontade was mocked and  parodied everywhere. -Some politicians never understand that there's nothing to be gained by Rodomontading. In general, the word has been used for politicians. One can use it to describe the style of Donald Trump who ex...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 19/4/2023.) Lalochezia! Shashi Tharoor has this uncanny ability to unearth and  use rare but interesting words lying dormant in Dictionaries for ages. We will discuss some of these words gradually in the next few days. Will start with my favourite: Lalochezia!🙂 Thus  tweeted  Shashi Tharoor  in April 2018: "Every day, I encounter on @Twitter people suffering from lalochezia! All too often they direct their suffering at me & others who support my beliefs...." Lalochezia (Noun) Meaning: Emotional relief gained by using indecent or vulgar language.  Or in oth...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 14/4/2023.) (10) Nostalgia and Solastalgia We have recently discussed about the root ' Sol ' meaning the Sun. Interestingly, there are many words which start with 'Sol' but don't have any connection with the Sun. Solastalgia is also  such a  word. It is a neologism: a new word, phrase or exppression.  The word Solastalgia was coined by philosopher and Environmental Scientist  Glenn Albrecht  in his 2005 article :( Solastalgia: a new concept in human health and identity). He described  Solastalgia  as "the homesickness you have when you are stil...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 13/4/2023.) (9) Sol In the previous article we discussed about the Greek root Helios meaning Sun God. Today we are going to discuss about similar Latin root Sol meaning  Sun God. Let us start with the most common word derived from Sol: Solar . It does not need any introduction. The word solar, from the Latin root solaris, "of the sun,"  has to do with the Star at the center of our Solar System. A few more words with the root ' Sol ' are listed below: (1) Solstice :  Either of the two times of the year at which the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sk...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 12/4/2023.) (8) Helios The summer has finally arrived. Time to remain indoor to avoid  Heliosis  (Sun-Stroke or Sun-burn) as far as possible. Here comes the word of the day: Helios ! Helios is the God of the Sun in Greek mythology. Helios is seen as  personification of the Sun. And is also considered as the fundamental creative power behind it. In all cultures, Sun is  worshiped as a God of life and creation. Let us examine a few interesting  words which originate from this powerful root. Let us be Heliophilous  (loving the Sun) and indulge a bit...

Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore.( 9424810575) (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below: 1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 10/4/2023.) Netiquettes Netiquette is a relatively recent  word formed from  net  and  etiquette . Netiquette  describes the rules of conduct for proper, respectful and appropriate online communication. There are many unwritten rules for Netiquettes like not abusing or accusing anyone publicly for his or her religion, looks, dress, food habits or any other personal trait. And no spamming and trolling  in Social Media. Today I am going to explain two rules, though there are  many more, which should  be followed  by any de...

(This blog is for Students of IMS Indore, my Past Students, Family, Friends, Colleagues & anyone who loves Vocabulary/Phrases/Idioms/ Language.) Pankaj Khanna,  Visiting Faculty Maths/DI-LR IMS Indore. For the previous blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below::  1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 7/4/2023.) (6) Gaslighting You must have heard a lot in Media and Social Media about moonlighting. Many Software Companies have been very vocal against moonlighting and have taken adequate measures to counter the menace of moonlighting. Moonlighting refers to  part-time working by employees in addition to full time job sometimes even in collaboration with competitors of the employers.  But today we are going to discuss about Gaslighting...

(This blog is For Students of IMS Indore, my Past Students, family, friends and colleagues.) By Pankaj Khanna, Faculty Maths , IMS Indore (For the previous/next blog-posts click on the blog post numbers given below::  1    2    3    4     5    6    7     8     9    10    11    12   13    14   15   16 (This article is Posted on 10/9/2022.) (5)   Ambigrams People of my age are rightly interested in heart, angiography, angioplasty and angiograms; but not much interested in Ambigrams .  An Ambigram is an image of a written word or phrase that is intended or able to be oriented in either of two ways for viewing or reading. When flipped upside down, it can create the same image, or may form a new image entirely. Basically Ambigrams are calligraphic designs. When in school in late seventies, I used to play with my name and surname. As ...