Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LIMINAL

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explore the archives: You know limit, eliminate, and subliminal. How about liminal? We get all four from the Latin word for "threshold." Think of a doorway: a boundary or limit. When you toss something out your door, you've eliminated it. And when something comes close to your consciousness but doesn't actually step over that doorway, it's subliminal. Something liminal, then, is standing in the doorway, or lingering on the threshold: it's between two states. It's neither this nor that. Let's say you want to cross over a threshold, to gain entry through a doorway, metaphorically speaking. What's a playful, magical term you might shout to make that happen? We use it now to describe any amazing or incredibly effective way of getting what you want, when normally it'd be very hard to get it. make your point with... "LIMINAL" Something liminal, like a liminal state or liminal territory, is on the boundary between two other things: it's not the first thing, and it's not the second thing, but it's somewhere in between. Pronunciation: LIM in ull 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 liminal state." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was liminal.") Other forms: liminally, liminality How to use it: Often you talk about people and things falling into a liminal space, a liminal territory, a liminal phase, or a liminal state, often between one thing and another: "she's in that liminal state between sleep and awareness," "not knowing whether he would or wouldn't be offered the job, we lingered in a liminal state of mind, uncertain, for a week." A few more uses of "liminal" are worth noting: 1. Liminal anxiety is the stress and uncertainty we feel during major transitions. 2. Sometimes, "liminal" simply means "just-barely-there," with a psychological flavor: you might describe, for example, a liminal feeling or sensation (one that you just barely feel, so it's almost a non-feeling), or a liminal smile (just barely a smile, almost a non-smile). examples: Working harder than ever yet paying tuition dollars instead of drawing a salary, an interning teacher occupies a liminal role: not the real teacher in the room who commands the respect, and certainly not a student who sits back and follows instructions. So many 20-somethings feel lost in the liminal space between sheltered adolescence and burdensome adulthood. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "liminal" means when you can explain it without saying "intermediate" or "transitional." try it out: Think of something that's hard to categorize, or someone who's in between two major stages of life. Fill in the blanks: "Neither (one thing) nor (another), _____ remains in a liminal state." Example: "Neither a docile pet nor a creature with opposable thumbs or speech, our standoffish kitty Chloe remains in a liminal state, resenting her captivity." 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. This month, we're playing with rhyming puzzles as we review previous words.  Examples: Someone who belts out songs in church with great gusto has ____ ___. Answer: hymn vim. And the barbecue place where you always meet up with your friends from Dallas and Houston is your _____ _____. Answer: Texas nexus. The puzzles, and their answers, will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. Click or mouse-over the link to the clue if you need it, and see each answer the following day. Enjoy! From yesterday: Are you an excellent tipper? In every situation, do you display sensitivity and sharp insight when it comes to calculating a fair and appropriate tip? You've got ________ ______. (Two words of four syllables each. Clue: use this word.) Answer: gratuity acuity. Try this today: Though you've never devoted yourself to it or played competitively, you've dipped your toes into that iconic crossword board game with the wooden letter tiles. It was a ________ ______. (Two words of two syllables each. Clue: use this word.) review today's word: 1. The opposite of LIMINAL is A. WELL-READ B. WELL-DEFINED C. WELL-INTENTIONED 2.  Written in _____, the poem explores the liminal space _____. A. relentlessly sing-songy iambic pentameter .. after Shakespeare B. a solemn, almost funereal tone .. surrounding a disappointment C. both Spanish and English .. between cultures 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. B 2. C