Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PERIPHERAL

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connect today's word to others: Let's peer into the distant and fanciful past of the word periphery. It was first used in medieval cosmology, where it meant "one of the three regions of air imagined to be encircling the earth." So, you can see why the Greek roots in periphery mean "circumference," or more literally, "a carrying around." And then you can see why periphery is cousins with other cool words that are about carrying, figuratively--like metaphor, literally "a carrying across," and phosphorus, literally "light-carrying," and even the name Christopher, "Christ-carrying." While we're gazing at periphery's medieval history, let's also recall the word quint_______al: although today it means "the most typical of its kind," in medieval times its noun form meant "a mystical fifth element," as opposed to the four observable elements (earth, water, air, and fire). Neato! Getting back to today's peripheral, though, let's recall two synonyms for it: we've got tan_____al, meaning "only kind of related, like a line that just barely touches a circle," as well as ter____y, meaning "not primary and not even secondary, but third in importance." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "PERIPHERAL" The periphery of something is the perimeter of it: the outer edge, or the outer border. So, something peripheral is related to an outer boundary. Or, more generally, something peripheral is only indirectly related, or only slightly connected or slightly important. Pronunciation: puh RIFF uh rull 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 peripheral thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was peripheral.") Other forms worth knowing: periphery, peripherally, peripherality How to use it: Talk about peripheral roles and figures, peripheral issues and concerns, peripheral elements and pieces and parts, etc. You can also say that one thing is peripheral to another thing: a character who's peripheral to the plot or to the conflict, an action that's peripheral to the goal or the mission, a point that's peripheral to the discussion or the conversation, a fact that's peripheral to the main concept or the overall argument, etc. "Peripheral" also has some specific applications. If you're talking about anatomy, then peripheral things are located away from the center of the body. And if you're talking about electronics, then peripheral items (or just "peripherals") are the pieces of equipment that connect to the main piece, often a computer. examples: Lucky for me because they're almost nonexistent, the profits from selling ads are peripheral--what I really care about is sharing words with people. Often it's the wife in the role of household manager, with the husband on the periphery, waiting to be tasked. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "peripheral" means when you can explain it without saying "on the sidelines" or "beside the point." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "When I'm (making, creating, trying to, aiming for, or arguing that) _____, then _____ (is/are) a peripheral concern." Example: "When I'm trying to get my three-year-old to just eat something, anything, then nutritional content is a peripheral concern." 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, see if you can associate a snippet of song lyrics with a word we’ve studied before. For example, here's Dave Matthews: "Wasting time, let the hours roll by doing nothing for the fun. A little taste of the good life." Those lyrics call to mind the word LOTUS-EATING. From our previous issue:  In "The One," Elton John sings: "In the instant that you love someone In the second that the hammer hits Reality runs up your spine And the pieces finally fit." Do those lyrics call to mind the word CANONICAL, EPIPHANIC, or SARDONIC? Why? Answer: EPIPHANIC. An epiphany is a flash of insight, a moment of sudden understanding. Try this today: In "It's All Been Done Before," Ryan Montbleau sings: "Because it's all been done before  And so it will again. 'Nothing new is ever new,' she said." Do those lyrics call to mind the word EFFLORESCENCE, RAFFISH, or RÉCHAUFFÉ? Why? review today's word: 1. The opposite of PERIPHERAL is A. OSTRACIZED. B. PERMANENT. C. CENTRAL. 2. At the start of Act 2, a peripheral character _____. A. steps into the spotlight B. reprises her earlier solo C. succumbs to that condition 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. C 2. A