Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JOCULAR

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connect today's word to others: Jocular means "joking or humorous," and we often apply it specifically to the kind of silliness that gets us out of answering tough questions or dealing with real problems. When you can't bear to be serious, be jocular. Recently we checked out a very close relative of jocular. It was j___se, meaning "playful and joking in a lighthearted way." Can you recall it? And, jocular is also closely related to jocund, meaning "happy and cheerful." Could you give an example of a time you were jocund but not jocular, and another of when you were jocular but not jocund? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "JOCULAR" Jocular people and things are funny, or not serious: just kidding. Pronunciation: JOCK yuh lur Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a jocular person" or "a jocular thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "He's jocular" or "It was jocular.") Other forms: jocularly, jocularity How to use it: You pick "jocular" (instead of "funny," "humorous," "teasing" and so on) when you need to keep your tone formal or sophisticated. (Even as you talk about silliness!) Talk about jocular people and personalities, jocular manners and behavior, jocular comments and questions, jocular speeches and conversations, jocular publications, or anything with a jocular tone, mood, or spirit. examples: In our physics class, Mike coasted pretty well on his jocular manner, which our teacher loved. But eventually he had to study to pass. I love how his jocularity makes even his serious arguments so memorable. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "jocular" means when you can explain it without saying "meant in jest" or "only kidding." try it out: Fill in the blank: "When I asked _____, the only response I got was a jocular one; I assume the topic is closed to discussion." Example: "When I asked if she was dating anyone special, the only response I got was a jocular one; I assume the topic is closed to discussion." 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 called "Quirky Keepers."  We’ll play with a bunch of bizarre, oddly specific words—words that deserve a place in our vocabulary, even though they're too wacky and rare to explore in full issues of Make Your Point. (I found most of these words in Charles Harrington Elster’s outrageously entertaining book, There’s A Word For It: A Grandiloquent Guide to Life.) Our goal as we play is to squirrel the words away in our memories. So, in each issue, we’ll check out a word; in the following issue, I’ll give you a new example of that word, and you see if you can recall it. We’ll start with short words and work our way up to the six-, seven-, and eight-syllable doozies. See if you can recall the word from the previous issue: You're snuggling your pet. She looks up at you, contented, staring at you wide-eyed as if to say, "I adore you, my human!" What is she giving you? (This word is two syllables.) See the answer by scrolling all the way down. Today, let’s check out the word "philomath." A philomath is a person who loves to learn. (You'll recognize the Greek roots for "loving," philo, and "learning," math.) Remember, in the next issue I’ll give you an example of a philomath, without mentioning the word—and you’ll try to recall it. That'll help you keep it in your memory. review today's word: 1. One opposite of JOCULAR is A. CRUDE. B. SINCERE. C. ABSTRACT. 2. "Ate the Onion" is a forum for sharing the _____ that ensues when people don't recognize the jocularity of _____. A. stress .. the pyramid schemes they've fallen prey to B. hilarity .. the "news articles" they're reading C. transformation .. the burdens they bear 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. Answer to the game question: It's a belgard. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B