obfuscation – a difficult word to say and a difficult word to read by any measure. It means really clouding up the water with unwelcome or unnecessary matter like silt, for instance but applies to the way words are superimposed on one another in debate.
(now I’m going to go look it up to see and get a cup of tea with a little milk and sugar. Then, I’ll fix the definition if needed . . . I think that’s what it means.)
pariah – an unwelcome guest to the party but one who has a right to be there -
it had common usage during the Middle Ages, I think.
I’ll look it up as soon as I get my glasses. I’m going to go drink my tea and think about it . . .
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Webster’s says -
pariah – (n.) from Tamil paraiyan, drummer < parai, drum – the pariah was a hereditary drumbeater
1. a member of one of the lowest social (classes) castes in India;
2. any person despised or rejected by others; outcast
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obfuscate, obfuscated, obfuscating (vt.) – from the Latin, obfuscatus, pp. obfuscare, to darken and fuscare, to obscure – (etc.)
1. to cloud over; make dark or unclear;
2. to muddle; confuse; bewilder
- obfuscation, (n.)
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Interesting – who introduced and established a caste system in America where freedom and equality was intended to secure the rights and opportunities of the individual?
- cricketediane
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Also found when I was looking up “obfuscation” – here’s another great word -
Obloquy – from the Latin, obloqui, to speak against, (etc.)
1. verbal abuse of a person or thing; censure or vituperation, esp. when widespread or general;
2. ill repute, disgrace, or infamy resulting from this.
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My Note -
So, you can’t say out of one side of your mouth – “oh Hail the freedoms of the United States – you can be anything you want to be here,” and out of the other side of your mouth and by your actions, make every effort to keep those you consider outside your social class from participating.
But, apparently some people can do just that – it doesn’t make it right.
There is another word I like which comes from the Latin word for “full of it” -
pompous -
2. characterized by exaggerated stateliness; pretentious, as in speech or manner; self-important
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I prefer this one -
polysemy – from the Latin, polysemia < LL. polysemus, having many meanings < Gr. polysemos < poly ( < polys, much) + sema, a sign; (etc.)
1. the fact of having or being open to several or many meanings
polysemous (adj.)
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mazel tov
good luck, an expression of congratulation.
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