Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BULWARK

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connect today's word to others: Oh no, y'all. Along with words like chasm and martyr, bulwark is pronounced differently than its spelling suggests--and you'll embarrass yourself by reading it phonetically, as I did. Not even as a kid: as an adult. Yikes. But now I know better: to pronounce bulwark as "BULL work," " and not "BULL wark." That last syllable rhymes with "Kirk," not "Quark." The right pronunciation does make sense: the roots inside bulwark literally mean "log work." Log work: yup, a literal bulwark is a wall built for defense, often made out of logs. Bulwarks can also be the protective "walls" around a ship's deck, or the walls or embankments that protect against rising seas or rivers. Of course, we're more interested in the figurative kind of bulwark: that is, a guard, a safeguard, a stronghold, a barrier, an ae___, or a b_st___. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "BULWARK" A literal bulwark is a wall that protects and defends a place. And a figurative bulwark is also a protector or defender; that is, it's someone or something that protects against something else in a way that reminds you of a large, sturdy wall. Pronunciation: BULL work Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one bulwark or multiple bulwarks.) Other forms: "Bulwark" is also a verb:    "her confidence bulwarks her,"    "her confidence bulwarks her against fear;"    "she's bulwarked by (or with) confidence,"    "she's bulwarked by (or with) confidence against fear." So, the other verb forms are "bulwarked" and "bulwarking." How to use it: Call something (or someone) a bulwark when it seems to stand firm, wall-like, protective and defensive, against the onslaught of anything bad. Examples of figurative bulwarks include military presences, philosophies, beliefs, religions, strategies, approaches, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, ideals, powerful groups of people united by common beliefs, and even individual people--especially leaders who promote certain values. Most of the time, we refer to a bulwark against something bad:    a bulwark against hatred or extremism,    a bulwark against enemies or threats,    a bulwark against chaos or destruction,    a bulwark against corruption,    a bulwark against the effects of climate change,    a bulwark against corporate invasions of our privacy,    a bulwark against encroachments on our constitutional freedoms. And we don't have to be so dire: we can also talk about bulwarks against forgetfulness, disorganization, embarrassing mispronunciations, etc. Do we ever talk about bulwarks against good or neutral things? Sure, if we're being sarcastic or critical. "Their policies amount to a bulwark against voting rights." "They've built, and now they hide behind, a bulwark against the increasingly egalitarian world." You can simply say that someone or something is a bulwark, or that it serves as a bulwark, casts itself as a bulwark, is seen as a bulwark, is prized as a bulwark, etc. (In older texts, you'll see the phrase "bulwark of something," with that "something" being either the thing protected ["a bulwark of our liberties"] or the protector itself ["the bulwark of our laws"]. But this usage seems rare today.) examples: Peer review stands as a bulwark against shady science. "This isn’t an island bulwarked with answers and certainty; it’s honest about its vulnerability, its questions."    — Dave Barnette, The Washington Post, 4 September 2018 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "bulwark" without saying "defense" or "protection." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "_____ (serves, or once served) as a bulwark against _____." Example: "The nation once served as a bulwark against oppression and injustice worldwide." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is "A Doodad Named After a Thingamajig." If I give you two categories, X and Y, can you think of an X that was named after a Y? We'll start off easy--these first few questions will have lots of correct answers each that you might think up--and we'll work our way toward harder questions that, as far as I know, have only one correct answer each. From the previous issue: Can you think of a car named after an animal? Possible answers include the Mustang, the Bronco, the Cobra, the Impala, the Jaguar, the Thunderbird, and the Viper. Try this one today: Can you think of a sea creature named after a land-dwelling creature? review today's word: 1. One opposite of BULWARK is A. THREAT. B. VULNERABILITY. C. COUNTERARGUMENT. 2. He's eager to _____ a bulwark against _____. A. hurl .. opposing points of view B. hunt down .. censorship C. forge .. procrastination 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. A 2. C