Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ZUGZWANG

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connect today's word to others: Let's make a list of fun words for being in a pickle. First, there's a trilemma: it's like a dilemma, but instead of being caught between two options, you're caught among three. Second, there's an imbroglio: a complicated, confusing, embarrassing situation.  Third, there's a Hobson's choice. Can you explain it? Fourth, there's Scylla and Charybdis. That one, too? How many others can you think of? Catch-22? Contretemps? Quagmire? Just mire? Now let's add to this list the zany word Zugzwang. When you're in Zugzwang, you're forced to make a move, but any move you make is to your own disadvantage. Quite the pickle. make your point with... "ZUGZWANG" "Zugzwang" came into English in 1904. It's German for "move obligation" or "move compulsion," and it's often used in the game of chess. Strictly speaking, if you're in Zugzwang, then it's your turn to make a move and you must do it--but the only available moves are bad ones, the kind that weaken your position or even make you lose. More loosely speaking, Zugzwang is a situation in which you HAVE to take action, but any action you take will be bad for you. Pronunciation: TSOOK tsvayng. (Notice how in German, you pronounce a Z like TS, as in "Mozart." And you pronounce a W like V. That's why we say "TSOOK tsvayng" and not "ZOOK zwang.") Part of speech: Noun, the uncountable kind: "he's in Zugzwang," "she lost by Zugzwang." Other forms: none How to use it: God almighty, it's hard to say "Zugzwang." So unless you speak German, I recommend confining this word to your written communications rather than your conversations. I also recommend capitalizing it, and if you prefer, you can keep it in italics to show its foreignness. But as you'll see around the Internet, some people do treat it like any other word we lifted from another language: no italics, no capital. Talk about someone being in Zugzwang, or about someone being put or placed in or into Zugzwang, or about someone losing by Zugzwang. Or, simply talk about someone's (or some group's) Zugzwang. examples: The president can't give up his pursuit of the wall he promised to build, but he's failed at every attempt to fund it. He's in Zugzwang. "Given the continued 'reign' of Vladimir Putin, further study may seek to establish a deeper understanding of how the system of 'managed democracy' will deal with its apparent zugzwang, a situation where the Kremlin weakens its position because it is obliged to make a move regarding the civil society and protests, when it would prefer to pass and make no move."    — Philip Freiberg, Putin's Zugzwang: Internet in Russia, 2012 study it: Explain the meaning of "Zugzwang" without saying "zug" or "zwang." Just kidding! Explain it without saying "position where you can only hurt yourself" or "being forced to choose among bad options." try it out: Fill in the blank: "Asked to _____, I felt as though I'd been forced into Zugzwang." Example: "Asked to say hello to so-and-so on the phone, I felt as though I'd been forced into Zugzwang. There's no non-awkward way of getting through (or out of) that situation." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Controversial Catchphrases! This month, let's consider all kinds of important, ongoing controversies in our world. I'll give you a handful of key phrases that people use when they argue over a controversial question, and you try to pinpoint what that question is. I'll be drawing these issues and phrases from ProCon.org, a fantastic resource for understanding controversial issues (and for introducing those issues to your kids). From the previous issue: People who argue "yes" say things like "efficacy," "increases appetite," and "treated like any other medicine." People who argue "no" say things like "risks," "dangers," and "other alternatives for pain." What's the question? The question is, "Should marijuana be a medical option?" (Explore this issue at ProCon.org.) Try this one today: People who argue "yes" say things like "discretion," "vulgarity," and "finite public resources." People who argue "no" say things like "encourages empathy," "essential cultural knowledge," and "a portal to different life experiences." What's the question? review today's word: 1. The nearest opposite of ZUGZWANG is A. MARINATION: a period of slow seeping. B. PERPETUITY: an existence forever, for all of time. C. HOBSON'S CHOICE: a choice between a single option or nothing at all. 2. You're not quite ready to declare _____, but you've certainly put me in Zugzwang. A. war B. your love C. checkmate Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. C