Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TRANSIENT & TRANSITORY

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connect today's word to others: Our words transient and transitory literally mean "going across" or "going beyond," which is why they look like transit, transport, transition and so on. (The trans part is Latin for "across or beyond," and the other root in there is ire, meaning "to go.") So, transient and transitory things go away quickly: they last for only a short time. They're eph___ral: they seem to last for only a day. They have br___ty: they have a pronounced shortness of existence. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "TRANSIENT" & "TRANSITORY" Something transient, or transitory, disappears quickly. In other words, a transient or transitory thing stays or lasts for a short time only. Pronunciation: Transient: the most common way to say it is "TRAN see int," but some language experts insist on "TRAN shint." Transitory: "TRAN zih tore ee." Part of speech: Adjectives. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a transient thing" or "a transitory thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was transient" or "It was transitory.") Other forms: transience/transiency, transiently; transitoriness, transitorily What's the difference between the two words? They share their Latin roots and have identical meanings, which is why we're checking them out together instead of in two separate issues. In fact, in dictionaries, you can find each listed as a definition for the other. You'll run into "transient" more often than "transitory."  Aside from the general meaning, there's a specific way we use "transient." A transient guest, visitor, tenant, or worker stays somewhere for a short time before moving on. We can extend that meaning to talk about transient lifestyles, transient hotels, transient vacation rentals, etc. And if you call someone a transient--which is informal and possibly rude--you mean he's a transient person: a migrant worker, maybe, or a tramp. But is there a real difference between the concepts of transience and transitoriness? Maybe. Now, I don't find the following explanation very helpful, but I feel obligated to share it with you: Some language experts say that you're more likely to use "transitory" to talk about things that, by their very nature, last for just a short time: a transitory problem, a transitory life, but a transient feeling and a transient illness. In other words, if it's short-lived and that surprises you, call it "transient," but if it's short-lived and you expected that, call it "transitory." But feel free to toss this distinction aside. When you start asking what's really short-lived by nature, the answer is "everything." So, here's a more practical way of understanding the difference between the words. Just notice what kinds of things we typically call transient vs. transitory. I'll list them below. :)  How to use them: For "transient," talk about transient people, as described above. Or, talk about    a transient feeling or emotion, such as transient joy or enjoyment;    a transient illness or other medical condition;    or a transient desire or wish. For "transitory," talk about    a transitory view, glimpse, or understanding of something;    a transitory pattern or trend;    a transitory experience;    a transitory issue or problem;    some transitory effects or changes;    a transitory period of time, such as a transitory period of peace;    our transitory lives;    this transitory world. And of course, there's overlap: for example, we can talk about transient OR transitory thoughts and feelings. examples: Godless opens with a vivid portrait of the author's life as a transient evangelist. In Pride and Prejudice we find a warning against marrying someone for beauty alone or for physical attraction alone, both of which are transitory. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "transient" and "transitory" mean when you can explain them without saying "temporary" or "fleeting." try it out: Fill in the blank: "_____ might impart only a transitory happiness, but I'll take it." Example 1: "Shopping might impart only a transitory happiness, but I'll take it." Example 2: "Going ten steps out of the way to crush a particularly crunchy-looking leaf might impart only a transitory happiness, but I'll take it." 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 "Coiners & Coinages." Use your knowledge of science, history, literature, and vocabulary as you match newly coined words to the people who coined them, and vice versa. Let's do this! From our previous issue: To BELITTLE something is to shrink it, or to act like it's not important. Who coined BELITTLE: was it the anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet who wrote Beowulf, was it Sir Edward Dyer, or was it Thomas Jefferson? Answer: It was Jefferson! His writing was so prolific, it makes sense that he coined fresh words. But were you surprised, too, at how new the word BELITTLE is? Especially considering that LITTLE has been around in some form since people wrote it like this: "Se nowent rihte þæt lytle ærene scip..." Anyway, here's how Jefferson first used BELITTLE, in 1785: "So far the Count de Buffon has carried this new theory of the tendency of nature to belittle her productions on this side of the Atlantic." Try this today: If you lived in San Francisco in 1915, you could subscribe, for a dollar per year, to the weekly Pacific Dairy Review. The editor of this quaint publication was known only as "A Dairyman." Did this Dairyman coin the word BUTTERY, CONSUMERISM, or REFRIGERATION? review today's word: 1. One opposite of TRANSIENT and TRANSITORY is A. BILIOUS. B. FESTERING. C. PERENNIAL. 2.  As with her other interests that _____, learning the ukulele proved transient. A. came and went B. grew surprisingly expensive C. sparked both creativity and new friendships 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