Make Your Point > Archived Issues > REJECTAMENTA

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connect today's word to others: Literally speaking, rejectamenta is stuff that you've thrown back. It's trash, garbage, waste, slop, refuse, the reject pile. But doesn't rejectamenta look like it would be a handy spell in the Harry Potter universe? Actually, our word impedimenta really is a Harry Potter spell, as a reader, Richard, reminded me recently. To point your wand at someone and shout Impedimenta! is to freeze him in his tracks. But for us Muggles, what are real impedimenta? (Hint: the word literally means "that which shackles the feet.") make your point with... "REJECTAMENTA" To reject something is to refuse it, to throw it away, or to automatically and forcefully remove it from the body. A rejectamentum is a thing that's been rejected. And rejectamenta are multiple things that have been rejected. In other words, rejectamenta are useless or worthless things that can be rejected (or have already been rejected).  Now, please prepare yourself for some icky information. Rejectamenta can also be material that an animal spits out or poops out. So, we should keep that in mind and be careful about what we call rejectamenta. :)     Pronunciation: ruh JECT uh MEN tuh 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 a rejectamentum, one rejectamentum, or multiple rejectamenta.) Other forms: Just the singular noun, "rejectamentum." How to use it: How awesome is this word? It's rare, long, gross yet sophisticated, and brazenly Latin yet instantly understandable. Let's put it to good use and talk about literal rejectamenta on the streets, on shorelines, in our kitchens, in our trash bins, our attics, garages, yard sales, flea markets, etc. And let's talk about figurative rejectamenta in (or from) our plans, rough drafts, memories, arguments, etc. examples: I emptied those boxes in the garage, kept a few mementos, and filled six trash bags with childhood rejectamenta. In The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the people of the planet Golgafrincham use a giant spaceship and a thinly veiled lie to purge themselves of their social rejectamenta, the middlemen: "tired TV producers, insurance salesmen, personnel officers, ... management consultants, you name them." study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "rejectamenta" means when you can explain it without saying "chaff" or "rubbish." try it out: Fill in the blank: "Among the rejectamenta was (something valuable)." Example: "Among the rejectamenta was a resume that, on second glance, sparked some promise." 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 "The Meanings of Maladies." I'll share a tidbit about the word for a particular symptom, disease, or condition, and you try to name it. We'll start with common maladies and work our way toward the rare and strange. From our previous issue: The word for this symptom literally means "ship-sickness," which is why it resembles words like "nautical." What is it? Answer: Nausea. Try this today: The word for this type of ache is a distorted pronunciation of the Late Latin word hemicrania, meaning "a pain on one side of the head." (You can see why it's related to words like "hemisphere" and "cranium.") What is it? review today's word: 1. A close opposite of REJECTAMENTA is A. FODDER. B. JETSAM. C. KLUDGE. 2. Does anyone still write novels on legal pads? Is it now an outdated cliche: _____ of narrative rejectamenta? A. a pipe-smoking, professorial embodiment B. a floor littered with wadded-up yellow balls C. a lovingly inked, slightly coffee-stained tablet 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. A 2. B