The Economist
I'm always trying to better my vocabulary. It's rather unfortunate that the importance and value we attached to bettering ones vocabulary in our developing years fades away as we grow older into college and our working lives.
For me it wasn't about learning words to ace the SAT's. I inherently did not enjoy failing to understand a word or a phrase. So often nowadays we are quick to move past something that we do not immediately understand. Perhaps it is due to a increasingly demanding world around us that has shortened our attentions. Or perhaps that is too simple an explanation.
However if one fails to understand a word it throws off the entire sentence, perhaps even the remaining paragraph! One is failing to comprehend that which the author wished to express. This is, however, neither here nor there and in any case serves only as segue to the topic of this post.
I read The Economist. Typically I get it on Sunday mornings delivered to my house and I try my best to get through as much as I can throughout the week; however, I haven't yet finished an entire issue nor do I know of anyone that does. There is simply so much information to take in, it's an incredible resource for a learning economist or student such as myself.
Even if you only have time for two pages, you can read The world this week which is in the first five or so pages and learn about Russian special operations in Dagestan, protests in Kiev, new legislation on fracking in Britain, 15% decline in piracy off the coast of Somalia, drug vigilantes in Michoacan, Mexico, business mergers in Japan, and growth rates in Germany, and more!
These short paragraphs are events happening around the world right this very now and they serve as a doorway to uncovering the full story or the latest updates that often come in the following pages.
The Economist is supremely well written and I am continually learning new words, phrases, and technical terminology. So much so that I began underlining these words and writing them down to look up and understand. Some I understand vaguely though need clarification and others I am at a total loss. I decided to include some of those words that I've recently learnt on this blog and look forward to the many more I've yet to encounter.
Da-da-da-daa!
1. Party-cum-militia: Political Party of combined nature with a militia.
2. Magistrate: A civil officer who administers and enforces law.
3. Apogee: The farthest point in an orbit from that which it is orbiting.
4. Discomfiting: To make uneasy or perplexed.
5. Largesse: Generosity of spirit, liberality of gift giving.
6. Pique: a feeling of resentment or irritation, as from having one's pride wounded. Not to be confused with a certain FC Barcelona defender.
7. Kleptocrat: government official who is a thief or exploiter.
8. Blithely: Lighthearted; carefree.
9. Cajoling: To persuade by flattering.
10. agents provocateurs: An agent employed to provoke suspected persons to commit illegal acts and so be discredited.
11. Panacea: Remedy for all diseases or evils.
12. Athwart: From side to side or to thwart ones effort.
13. Arrear: State of a debt unpaid.
14. Delineated: To sketch or draw out.
15. I have drunk and seen the spider. -Shakespeare
*Definitions loosely based off of http://www.thefreedictionary.com/*
Best,
Aaron Robert Matney
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