Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MAUDLIN

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

explore the archives: Weepy, sentimental things and people are maudlin, a word we took from the name "Mary Magdalene." She's a Bible character known (among other things) for her emotional display of tears. That makes maudlin an example of an eponym: a word created from a person's name (or the name of a place). We have oodles of these in our language, many of which are very familiar, like atlas, fuchsia, mentor, teddy, and volcano. Other eponyms we've checked out together include    laconic, derived from the name of a region in Greece;    martinet, derived from the name of a harsh French military leader;    tawdry, derived from the name of a fair in Ely, England;    and titan, derived from the name of a race of mythological gods. Could you recall the meaning of each eponym above? make your point with... "MAUDLIN" Maudlin people and things are way too emotional in a weak, tearful way. Pronunciation: MOD lin 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 maudlin thing" or "a maudlin person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was maudlin" or "He is maudlin.") Other forms: maudlinly, maudlinism How to use it: Talk about maudlin people, maudlin displays and performances, maudlin promises and apologies, etc. Or, maudlin stories, maudlin books and television shows and movies, maudlin scenes, maudlin dialogue, maudlin music, maudlin lyrics, maudlin photographs, maudlin commercials, and so on. You can also talk about maudlin humor, maudlin affection, maudlin tenderness, etc. examples: Thank goodness there was no such thing as Facebook when I was a teenager. I would have filled my wall with maudlin, cringe-inducing poetry. If you're in the mood for a maudlin song, let me suggest Billy Joel's "Goodnight, My Angel," written to assure his young daughter that he'll never abandon her. Can you listen to it without crying? study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "maudlin" means when you can explain it without saying "sappy" or "sentimental." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "I (saw/read) a maudlin (commercial/show/movie/poem/story/book) that featured (people doing something really emotional)." Example: "I saw a maudlin P&G commercial that featured moms all over the world showing their devotion to their kids."  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 jam and jelly? Answer: Jelly is made with fruit juice; jam is made with actual crushed fruit or the pulp of fruit. Try this today: What's the difference between a casket and a coffin? review today's word: 1. One opposite of MAUDLIN is A. SECULAR B. FICTITIOUS C. MATTER-OF-FACT 2. He grew more maudlin as he continued the speech, often pausing to _____. A. clap enthusiastically for each person he praised B. dab at the corners of his eyes with a tissue C. shuffle his notes and collect his thoughts 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. B