Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DEUS EX MACHINA

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explore the archives: Imagine life as a Greek play. Your problems are complex and numerous, but suddenly something appears, like a god being lowered onto a stage, to provide the perfect solution to all those problems. It's a deus ex machina--a god from a machine, or a swift, complete, almost magical resolution of a complex problem. But how often does that happen? Never? So let's group deus ex machina along with nostrum and panacea, other words we'll often use hypothetically and in the negative. Could you explain what nostrums and panaceas are, and how they're ever-so-slightly different from each other? make your point with... "DEUS EX MACHINA" This is a Latin translation of the Greek for "a god from the machine," and it's a reference to how Greek plays ended with a god being lowered from above onto the stage below. A deus ex machina is a person or thing that suddenly shows up at just the right time and completely fixes the problem. Pronunciation: Several ways are correct. I prefer "DAY us ex MOCK in uh." 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 deus ex machina, a deus ex machina, or the deus ex machina, but we don't use the plural.) Other forms: We use "deus ex machina" as an adjective, too. How to use it: You often say this term with a bit of a sneer, because it's lazy to end your story with a deus ex machina, and because in real life it's unrealistic to expect a deus ex machina. (We talk about a deus ex machina in both real life and fiction--stories, books, shows, movies, plays.) Talk about a deus ex machina, the deus ex machina, this deus ex machina, that deus ex machina, the story's deus ex machina, the problem or situation's deus ex machina, etc. You might talk about hoping for a deus ex machina, counting on or depending on a deus ex machina, expecting someone or something to be the deus ex machina, introducing a deus ex machina, relying on a deus ex machina, using someone or something as a deus ex machina, accepting that there will never be a deus ex machina for your issue, etc.  And you can say that someone or something is like a deus ex machina or actually is (or is not) the deus ex machina that accomplishes something: "Like a deus ex machina, his stern glance ended the fight." "Civility would never be the deus ex machina to resolve their differences." More loosely, we can treat this term like an adjective and talk about a deus ex machina fix, ending, solution, or resolution. But that raises a question. Is a deus ex machina the thing that provides the sudden perfect ending, or the ending itself? The answer is: both. Although we define this term as "the person or thing that almost magically fixes a complex problem," we also use it loosely to mean "the magical fix for a complex problem." examples: Two hours before the exam, still baffled by the material, I started praying for a deus ex machina. Spoiler alert: the plot of Journey to the Centre of the Earth relies on a deus ex machina that'll make you scoff. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "deus ex machina" means when you can explain it without saying "divine intervention" or "unrealistic solution." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "Maybe a deus ex machina will arrive in the form of _____, who/which will _____." Example: "Maybe a deus ex machina will arrive in the form of a philanthropic zillionaire, who'll fund all the government programs about to be cut." 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 "What's the Difference?" I’ll give you two terms. Without using Google or a dictionary, explain how they’re different. Go beyond saying, "well, I know the difference, but I can’t explain it," or "show me an example and I'll tell you which it is." In your explanations, try to focus on features, not comparisons. For example, what's the difference between climate and weather? A good explanation focuses on features: "climate is what’s going on in the atmosphere over long periods of time, and weather is what’s going on in the atmosphere at a particular place and time." A weaker explanation focuses on comparisons: "climate is more concerning than weather." The game will get harder as the month goes on: we’ll start with objects—natural first, then man-made—then switch to concepts. Let’s do this! From yesterday: What's the difference between convincing people and persuading them? Answer: When you convince people, they now believe something. When you persuade people, they now will do something. It’s one of those differences that certain language experts cling to, yet many of us don’t care: we use the words interchangeably. Try this one today: What's the difference between an assumption and a presumption? review today's word: 1. The closest opposite of DEUS EX MACHINA is A. TEAM EFFORT B. CLEVER SHORTCUT C. FEASIBLE SOLUTION 2. They kept _____ for a deus ex machina that would never _____. A. looking up .. descend B. looking down . ascend C. looking around .. coalesce Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. A