Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SALMAGUNDI

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pronounce SALMAGUNDI: Say it "SAL muh GUN dee." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Just like an o__o or a b___ll_b__ss_, a salmagundi is a dish full of various flavors and ingredients--or an interesting mixture of anything. Could you recall those two synonyms? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)  definition: The word "salmagundi" comes from a French one meaning "seasoned salt meats." From syrupandbiscuits.com, here's a salmagundi: As you can see, it's a pretty dish made of chopped seasoned meats, eggs, and veggies. Figuratively speaking, a salmagundi is a collection of various things, especially one that seems interesting or well-planned. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Noun, the countable kind: "The show is a salmagundi of skits." Other forms:  It's rare, but you can use "salmagundi" as an adjective: "this salmagundi show." In older texts, you'll see different spellings and variants, like "salamongundy," "Sallad-Magundy," and "Solomon Gundie." how to use it: "Salmagundi" is a rare word, but it's easily understood. You could describe some collection as a salmagundi of this, that, or the other. "His standup routine is a salmagundi of impressions, dad jokes, anecdotes, and half-serious complaints." "I like to learn things on YouTube, where you get your education less like a multi-course meal and more like a salmagundi." A few writers have used "salmagundi" as an adjective. If you'd like to join them, you might talk about a salmagundi menu or feast, salmagundi publications or channels, salmagundi memories, a salmagundi vocabulary, etc. Lastly, although calling something a salmagundi most often implies that it's interesting and flavorful, it can imply the opposite. Maybe you want to say that something has been thoughtlessly slapped together, with too many elements that clash. Or maybe you want to say that something has been partially digested for the benefit of a stupid audience. In either case, or both, you could call it a salmagundi. Here's Price Collier, taking a dig at both Americans and American theater: "Our theatres cater to, and are filled by, a public seeking a soothing and condimented mental atmosphere, in which to finish digestion... theatrical salmagundi is served everywhere." And here's the New York Times: "It is a road movie, a romantic comedy and a speculative contemplation of identity scrambled into a bland salmagundi." Jeez, they're so mean, right? Also, if you want to complain about something bland or predigested, why not call it pabulum? That's a mushy, predigested gloop. But if you've got to imply that it's chunky, call it a salmagundi. examples: "There's a lot to like in Isabel Allende's latest novel... This combination of bitter, savory and sweet results in a satisfying literary salmagundi."    — David Wright, Seattle Times, 26 November 2017 "What could be more brazen than its Summer Exhibition, a festival of bad and mediocre art? The Royal Academicians... have a kind of originality in their arrogance. They create their own salmagundi of the overrated and the undercooked."    — Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, 4 January 2011 has this page helped you understand "salmagundi"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "salmagundi" without saying "potpourri" or "hodgepodge." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Some place, creation, or event, such as a particular store, channel, neighborhood, website, or publication) is a salmagundi of (this and that)." Example: "Your typical suburban garage sale is a salmagundi of jigsaw puzzles, quesadilla makers, and ill-advised leggings." If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month: It Sounds Wiser in Latin.  Try matching a handful of Latin phrases to their English translations. If you need some clues, I'll provide them in the form of definitions of related words. Enjoy! Try these today: 1. aude sapere  2. brevi manu  3. compendia dispendia  4. fæx populi  5. indictum sit  A. be it unsaid B. dare to be wise C. offhand (literally "with a short hand") D. shortcuts are roundabout ways (literally "shortcuts are wasteful") E.  the dregs of the people To peek at the clues, follow the links:    1. To manumit people is to...    2. Something sapient is full of...    3. The vox populi is... review this word: 1. A near-opposite of SALMAGUNDI, the adjective, is A. AUTHENTIC. B. HOMOGENEOUS. C. CONVENTIONAL. 2. According to its description on Jstor.org, the magazine Salmagundi publishes "_____." A. concert dates and album reviews B. meta-analyses that help consumers and policymakers make well-informed decisions C. essays, reviews, interviews, fiction, poetry, regular columns, polemics, debates and symposia Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. C Answers to the game questions: 1. aude sapere = dare to be wise 2. brevi manu = offhand (literally "with a short hand") 3. compendia dispendia = shortcuts are roundabout ways (literally "shortcuts are wasteful")* 4. fæx populi = the dregs of the people 5. indictum sit = be it unsaid * To puzzle out this one, compendia dispendia, recall that a compendium in Latin was originally a shortcut, or more literally a way of weighing things together instead of one by one; and that to dispense with something is to get rid of it or throw it away.  a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A 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.