{"id":1070,"date":"2022-10-28T06:48:35","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T11:48:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/?p=1070"},"modified":"2022-10-29T07:17:01","modified_gmt":"2022-10-29T12:17:01","slug":"word-of-the-week-98-non-sequitur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/?p=1070","title":{"rendered":"W<\/strong>ORD OF THE <\/strong>W<\/strong>EEK <\/strong>#98 \u2013 <\/a>non sequitur<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a convenient explanation for the financial crises that apparently no one in the British press is capable of spotting the holes in it. Yet every sentence in the preceding paragraph is a non sequitur<\/strong>\u201d <\/em>WSJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is from a recent article about the UK government’s explanation of a threatened financial melt-down.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, this is a word you have probably seen but have never gone to the trouble of looking up.  Thankfully you have the fabulous \u201cWord of the Week\u201d to do this for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-sequitur is a noun meaning \u201ca statement such as a response that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some\u00a0non sequitur\u00a0about her dog.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that non sequitur is two words with a space between not a hyphen.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is pronounced as you might expect, kind of like non SECK qui tur<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Latin it means \u201cit does not follow\u201d.\u00a0 I did poorly at Latin in high school but really enjoyed the toga party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another way to think about non sequitur would be a statement that comes out of the blue and does not logically follow anything previously said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This from Wikipedia\u2026. a conversational literary device, often used for comedic purposes. It is something said that, because of its apparent lack of meaning relative to what preceded it, seems absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent examples\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring a rally Tuesday in Erie, Pa., in-between comments on his crowd sizes and fracking, he sneaked in a <\/em>non sequitur<\/strong><\/em> <\/em>about the interview\u201d .<\/em>\u2014 <\/em>Anchorage Daily News<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen a friend asked if sweet-potato pies tasted anything like pumpkin, Amiri Baraka responded with a wry <\/em>non sequitur<\/em>.\u201d <\/em>\u2014 <\/em>New York Times<\/em> Mar. 2022<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is another great addition to the fabulous Word of the Week.  Proper use will make you appear intelligent (even if you are not) but not pretentious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about this fabulous word, and to hear the correct pronunciation go to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/non%20sequitur<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Past Word of the Week Revisited – #61 – salient<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

salient \u2013 <\/em>meaning most notable or important.  Of notable significance. \u201cHis argument succinctly covered all the salient point of the case.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quote of the Week\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe in flattery. What\u2019s the old saying? The praise we receive is inversely proportional to the amount we deserve.\u201d<\/em>  From \u201cDark Music: A pretty good novel by David Lagercrantz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Words Needed\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Looks like a lot of fun doesn’t it? (That’s a rhetorical question, Word of the Week #13)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

87,000 new IRS employees coming our way\u2026\u2026some armed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Until Next Saturday,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gramps<\/p>\n\n\n\n

98 weeks of great words<\/strong>
1 \u2013   exacerbate \u2013 to make worse \u201cYour input just exacerbates an already difficult situation.\u201d<\/em>
2-   assuage \u2013 to make a situation or feeling less intense. \u201cI pray our Heavenly Father may assuage you of the anguish of your grief.\u201d<\/em>
3 \u2013   force majeure\u2019 \u2013  unforeseeable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a contract. \u201cThe tenant will not be required to pay rent due to the force majeure\u2019 clause.<\/em>
4 \u2013   sanguine \u2013 optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. \u201cI\u2019m trying to be sanguine about this, but I see a major roadblock\u201d<\/em>
5 \u2013   segue \u2013 (seg way) proceed to what follows without pause.  \u201cShe has the skill to easily segue from political conversations into subjects less controversial.\u201d<\/em>
6 \u2013   bifurcate \u2013 to cause to divide into two branches or parts. \u201cWe have decided to bifurcate this large project.\u201d<\/em>
7 \u2013   indolent \u2013 habitually lazy \u2013 \u201cHis failure in life may stem from his indolent ways as a youth\u201d.<\/em>
8 \u2013   ameliorate \u2013 to make better or more tolerable \u2013  \u201cthis drug should ameliorate your pain\u201d<\/em>
9 \u2013  truncate \u2013 to shorten by or as if by cutting off \u2013 \u201cA truncated version of this report is on the web.\u201d<\/em>
10 \u2013 nascent \u2013 coming or having recently come into existence  \u201cHis nascent idea for a business turned into a goldmine\u201d<\/em>
11 \u2013 b\u00e9chamel \u2013 a rich white sauce \u2013 \u201cHe made a lump-free b\u00e9chamel for her, and, in return, she gave him her love.\u201d<\/em>
12 \u2013 anarchy \u2013  absence of government \u2013 \u201cThe revolution began when anarchy took root in just one city\u201d.<\/em>
13 \u2013 rhetorical question \u2013 a question not intended to require an answer. \u201cIs this a beautiful day or what?\u201d<\/em>
14 \u2013 milieu \u2013 the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops.- \u201cHis discipline is a result of growing up as part of the military milieu\u201d
15 \u2013 nadir \u2013 the lowest point \u2013 \u201cThe stock market reached its current nadir in March\u201d<\/em>
16 \u2013 black swan event \u2013 comes as a surprise and has a major effect. \u201cThis pandemic is considered by many to be a black swan event.\u201d<\/em>
17 \u2013 myopic \u2013 narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications.  \u201cYour myopic view of this project is disturbing\u201d.<\/em>
18 \u2013 quixotic \u2013 foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals \u2013 \u201cHis quixotic pursuit for her affection was quite simply foolish<\/em>
19 \u2013 prescience \u2013 human anticipation of the course of events \u2013 foresight.  \u201cHis intuitive prescience helped to make him a success\u201d<\/em>
20 \u2013 laconic and laconic riposte \u2013 use of a minimum of words, and a short clever response to an insult or challenge. In response to a demand to immediately surrender the general sent back the following: \u201cNuts\u201d<\/em>
21 \u2013 protean \u2013 ability to change, versatile.  \u201cThe coronavirus is protean in its ability to either make you sick or not.\u201d<\/em>
22 \u2013 ephemeral \u2013 lasting a very short time or perhaps only one day. \u201cCuster was chasing an ephemeral Indian city.\u201d<\/em>
23 \u2013 catch-22 \u2013 a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.  From the novel \u201cCatch-22\u201d.
24 \u2013 arrogate \u2013 to take or claim something without justification. \u201cIn order to accomplish his dream he arrogated to himself controversial powers\u201d.<\/em>
25 \u2013 obtuse \u2013 difficult to understand, lacking intellect.  \u201cThe responses to his remarks this week were even more obtuse.\u201d <\/em>
26 \u2013 purloin \u2013 to appropriate wrongfully (steal), often pertaining to a theft that is a breach of trust.  \u201cWhen she opened her new office she purloined one of my listings\u201d.<\/em>
27 \u2013 salience \u2013 the quality of being particularly noticeable or important.  \u201cIt is not clear that raising the electoral salience of the Supreme Court will work to the president\u2019s advantage.<\/em>
28 \u2013 confabulate \u2013 to talk normally or to hold a discussion.  \u201cHe likes to confabulate.\u201d<\/em>
29 \u2013 animus \u2013 a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will. \u201cI have no animus or agenda for the Affordable Care Act.\u201d<\/em>
30 \u2013 puerile \u2013 to act or communicate in a juvenile, silly or childish manner. \u201cHis puerile ways are giving a poor impression at his job interviews\u201d.<\/em>
31 \u2013 regnant \u2013 having the greatest influence \u2013 \u201cThe regnant belief\u201d.<\/em>
32 \u2013 roil \u2013 to be agitated or chaotic \u2013 \u201cthe politics of slavery was roiling the United States\u201d.<\/em>
33 \u2013 sonder \u2013 The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
34 \u2013 inculcate \u2013 To instill or teach someone an attitude, idea, or habit by persistent instruction. \u201cThey will try to inculcate you with a respect for culture.\u201d<\/em>
35 \u2013 mendacity \u2013 untruthfulness, lying. \u201cHe blew the whistle on the mendacity of the politician.\u201d<\/em>
36 \u2013 pejorative \u2013 Expressing contempt or disapproval.  Having negative connotations.   \u201cPermissiveness is often used a pejorative term\u201d.<\/em>
37 \u2013 dystopian \u2013 A world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized fearful lives, often associated with a totalitarian government or an environmentally degraded world. \u201cThe dystopian future of a society bereft of reason\u201d.
38 \u2013 Occam\u2019s razor \u2013 The simplest answer may be the preferred answer.
39 \u2013 execrate or execrable \u2013 very bad \u2013 \u201cThe execrable hotel food.\u201d<\/em>
40 \u2013 immutable \u2013 unchangeable \u2013 \u201cDo not make the mistake of assuming that public opinion is immutable. \u201d <\/em>
41 \u2013 prurient \u2013 having or encouraging an excessive or unwholesome interest in matters of sex. \u201cShe\u2019d been the subject of much prurient curiosity\u201d.<\/em>
42 \u2013 obsequious \u2013 exhibiting fawning attentiveness. Exaggerated deference of manner.  \u201cWaiters who are obsequious in the presence of celebrities.\u201d<\/em>
43 \u2013 iconoclast \u2013  a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions \u201cHe was a prolific writer with a reputation for iconoclastic insight and irreverent prose.\u201d<\/em>
44 \u2013 oblique \u2013 something not parallel nor at a right angle to a specified or implied line \u2013 slanting. \u201cWe sat on the settee oblique to the fireplace.<\/em>\u201d Or something done in an indirect way such as \u201cHe issued an oblique attack on the president\u201d.<\/em>
45 \u2013 profligate \u2013 wasteful \u2013 wildly extravagant.  \u201cHe has always been a profligate spender, which is why he is broke.\u201d<\/em>
46 \u2013 raconteur \u2013 a good teller of stories.  \u201cWe always invite her to dinner because she is a fine raconteur\u201d.<\/em>
47 \u2013 taciturn \u2013 a person who is reserved or uncommunicative in speech\u2026saying little.  It usually connotes unsociability. \u201cNothing bothered the taciturn Hogan more that excessive praise.\u201d<\/em>
48 \u2013 fungible \u2013 capable of mutual substitution: interchangeable.  \u201cThe court\u2019s postulate is that male and female jurors must be regarded as fungible.\u201d<\/em>
49 \u2013 filibuster \u2013 The use of tactics in an attempt to delay or prevent action especially in a legislative assembly. This currently requires a 60 vote Senate majority. \u201cThey stopped the bill from coming to a vote by the use of a filibuster\u201d.<\/em>
50 \u2013 hegemony \u2013 preponderant influence or authority over others: Domination. \u201cThey battled for hegemony in Asia.\u201d<\/em>
51 \u2013 de facto \u2013 being such in effect though not formally recognized or contrary to established law \u201ca de facto state of war\u201d <\/em>for a war that has not been officially declared.
52 \u2013 blockchain \u2013 an open, distributed leger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way.
53 \u2013 b\u00eate noire \u2013 A person or thing one particularly dislikes or is strongly detested. \u201cThe abuse of women was a b\u00eate noire for Lincoln.\u201d<\/em>
54 \u2013 evince -to constitute outward evidence of\u2026.to display clearly: reveal. \u201cHe evinced a depraved mind.\u201d<\/em>
55 \u2013 virago \u2013 a loud overbearing woman.  Domineering, violent, or bad tempered. \u201cDemocrats, on the other hand, saw Jessie as a Republican virago.\u201d<\/em>
56 \u2013 metonym \u2013  a name, or expression used as a substitute for something else with which it is closely associated. \u201cWashington is a metonym for the federal government of the US.\u201d<\/em>
57 \u2013 felicitous is an adjective defined as  well chosen or suited to the circumstances such as \u201ca felicitous phrase\u201d.<\/em>
58 \u2013 ennui \u2013 a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement. \u201cHe succumbed to ennui and despair\u201d<\/em>
59 \u2013 imprimatur \u2013 a noun meaning sanction or approval. \u201cHe gave the book his imprimatur.\u201d<\/em>
60 \u2013 fiat \u2013 A command or act of will that creates something without further effort.  An authoritative determination. \u201cHe runs the company by fiat.\u201d<\/em>
61 <\/em>\u2013 salient \u2013 <\/em>meaning most notable or important.  Of notable significance. \u201cIt succinctly covered all the salient point of the case.\u201d<\/em>
62 \u2013<\/em> meme \u2013 an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.  \u201cThe band encouraged fans to make memes to advertise the U.S. release of their EP.\u201d<\/em>
63 \u2013  <\/em>delectation \u2013 <\/em>delight or enjoyment. \u201cHere are some chocolates for your delectation.\u201d<\/em>
64 \u2013 feckless \u2013 acting in an irresponsible, weak, or cowardly manner. Inept, incompetent. \u201cfeckless leadership.\u201d<\/em>
65 \u2013 Ignominious \u2013 Deserving or causing public disgrace or shame. despicable, \u201cHis was an ignominious withdrawal.\u201d<\/em>
66 \u2013 mollify \u2013 to soothe in temper or disposition. \u201c<\/em>He mollified his staff with promises of future raises.\u201d
67 \u2013 prosaic \u2013 dull, unimaginative, commonplace. \u201cprosaic advice.\u201d<\/em>
68 \u2013 diaspora \u2013 a noun meaning the dispersion of any people from their original homeland. \u201cA diaspora of thousands of Afghans has arrived in the United States.\u201d<\/em>
69 \u2013 t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate \u2013 a private conversation between two people. \u201cThey had a t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate last night over a quiet dinner.<\/em>\u201c
70 \u2013 fatuous \u2013 silly and pointless. inanely foolish, \u201cA fatuous comment.\u201d<\/em>
71 \u2013 ineffable \u2013 indescribable. \u201cineffable joy\u201d<\/em>
72 \u2013 putative -generally considered or reputed to be.  Assumed to exist or to have existed. \u201cHis putative conversation had a big impact on the events of my life.\u201d<\/em>
73 \u2013 ineluctable \u2013 unable to be resisted or avoided.  inescapable.  \u201cthe ineluctable facts of history.\u201d <\/em>
74 \u2013 redolent \u2013 exuding fragrance, aromatic, scented. \u201cThe air is redolent of seaweed.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 or evocative, suggestive. strongly reminiscent of.  \u201cnames redolent of history and tradition.\u201d<\/em>
75 \u2013 excoriate \u2013 a verb that means to censure or severely criticize.  \u201cThe papers that had been excoriating him were now lauding him.\u201d<\/em>
76 \u2013 straw-man \u2013 an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent\u2019s real argument. A weak or imaginary opposition (such as an argument or adversary) set up only to be easily confuted.
77 \u2013 \u00e9lan or elan \u2013 a noun defined as vigorous spirit or enthusiasm. style, energy. \u201cBig and muscular, he exuded a natural elan.\u201d<\/em>
78 \u2013 repartee \u2013 a conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies, amusing. light sparring with words.\u201c He had a quick mind and a splendid gift for repartee.\u201d<\/em>
79 \u2013 louche is an adjective meaning disreputable or sordid often in a rakish or appealing way. \u201cThe louche world of the theater.\u201d<\/em>
80 \u2013 transgender \u2013 an adjective meaning of, relating to, or being a person whose gender identity differs from the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth. \u201cA transgender American\u201d<\/em>.
81 \u2013 shambolic \u2013 an adjective meaning obviously chaotic, disorganized, confused or mismanaged.  \u201cThe department\u2019s shambolic accounting department.\u201d<\/em>
82 \u2013 minion \u2013 a noun defined as a follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile or unimportant one. A subordinate or petty official.  \u201cHe\u2019s one of the boss\u2019 minions.\u201d<\/em>
83 \u2013 militia \u2013 a noun meaning a military force that is raised from the civilian population to supplement a regular army in an emergency. \u201cCreating a militia was no answer to the army\u2019s manpower problem.\u201d<\/em>
84 \u2013 evince \u2013 a verb meaning revealing the presence of (a quality or feeling)\u201d  To constitute outward evidence of or to display clearly. \u201cHis letters evince the excitement he felt at undertaking this journey.\u201d<\/em>
85 \u2013 egregious \u2013 outstandingly bad, shocking, flagrantly bad, conspicuously bad. Putin\u2019s egregious war on Ukraine.<\/em>
86 \u2013 sycophant \u2013 a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage. A servile self-seeking flatterer. \u201cShe mistook sycophants for true friends.\u201d<\/em>
87 \u2013 desultory is an adjective defined as lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm. \u201cAnother desultory day of shopping.\u201d<\/em>
88 \u2013 misanthrope \u2013 a person that hates or distrusts humankind, human behavior, or human nature.  One who avoids human society. \u201cA streak of misanthropy <\/em>is<\/em><\/strong> in his nature\u201d<\/em>
89 \u2013 euphemism \u2013 a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. \u201cMy mother passed away\u201d
90- r<\/em>ectitude \u2013  morally correct behavior or thinking. Moral integrity. His moral rectitude came before his political party.
91 \u2013 insouciance \u2013  lighthearted unconcern, nonchalance. \u201cShe wandered into the meeting with complete insouciance to the fact that she was late.\u201d<\/em>
92 \u2013 erudite \u2013  It is an adjective used to describe someone who has or shows great knowledge or learning. \u201cKen could turn any conversation into an erudite discussion,\u201d<\/em>
93 \u2013 ostensibly \u2013 purported to be true but not necessarily true.  \u201cHis series is ostensibly about a single family tearing itself apart.<\/em>\u201c
94 \u2013 exigency (or often the plural exigencies) means a state of affairs that makes urgent demands or needs. \u201cThey better be quick in responding to the exigencies of a hurricane.\u201d<\/em>
95 \u2013 inexorable or inexorably meaning impossible to stop, unrelenting \u201cThe seemingly inexorable march of new technology<\/em>\u201c.
96 \u2013 torpor is a noun meaning \u201ca state of physical and mental inactivity. Lethargy, apathy, dullness.\u201d \u201cThey veered between apathetic torpor and hysterical fanaticism.\u201d<\/em>
97 \u2013 existential \u2013 of, or relating to, or affirming existence. \u201cAn existential threat to control of Congress.<\/em>
98 – non-sequitur is a response that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said.<\/span> \u201cWe were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some non sequitur about her dog.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cIt\u2019s such a convenient explanation for the financial crises that apparently no one in the British press is capable of spotting the holes in it. Yet every sentence in the preceding paragraph is a non sequitur\u201d WSJ. This is from a recent article about the UK government’s explanation of a threatened financial melt-down.\u00a0 Again, this … Continue reading W<\/strong>ORD OF THE <\/strong>W<\/strong>EEK <\/strong>#98 \u2013 <\/a>non sequitur<\/strong><\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1070"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1070"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1080,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1070\/revisions\/1080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordofweek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}