Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SENTENTIOUS
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connect today's word to others:
Sententious people, like Polonius from Shakespeare's Hamlet, go around repeating what they think are wise, impressive statements, like "to thine own self be true." But to others, these statements are pompous and annoying.
Try to recall these synonyms of sententious:
1. B_____tic: using inappropriately fancy language.
2. O____nd: sounding strong, clear, and impressive; or, sounding too fancy.
make your point with...
"SENTENTIOUS"
One old meaning of the word "sentence" is "a short, wise saying." Here's an example: "The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." Sure, it's wise, but it would be awkward to just randomly say this to someone.
So, someone or something sententious makes short, wise statements that are too formal, too stuffy, too showy, or too focused on morals.
Pronunciation:
sen TEN chuss
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 sententious thing" or "a sententious person."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was sententious" or "He was sententious.")
Other forms:
sententiously, sententiousness
How to use it:
This word is occasionally positive, emphasizing how someone or something is wise or eloquent: "He spoke sententiously, straight to the hearts of the graduating students."
But most of the time, this word is negative, emphasizing how someone or something is stuffy or cliché: "He gets so sententious on Twitter."
Talk about sententious people; sententious writing or sententious written works (like a sententious novel or a sententious poem); sententious brevity, sententious eloquence, or sententious wit or wisdom; a sententious style or tone; or sententious sayings, comments, responses, interpretations, and so on.
examples:
Critics of To Kill a Mockingbird cringe at Atticus's sententious speeches: does any father really talk that way to young kids?
It's a really bad idea, in my view, to make teenage writers conclude their essays with some general life advice. (Why would we demand this from kids with so little life experience?) Those conclusions wind up sententious at best.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "sententious" means when you can explain it without saying "harping on morals" or "spouting clichéd bits of wisdom."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "In (a particular song, movie, piece of writing, etc.), (an actor, actress, writer, or musician)--without sounding sententious--manages to express (something in particular that's wise or serious)."
Example: "In 'Weight of the World,' Bernie Taupin--without sounding sententious--manages to express the joys of having persevered into middle age."
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 called Felicitous Names.
A felicitous name for a fictional character is a highly appropriate name, a name that fits that character so perfectly that you just know the writer picked it on purpose. This month, draw on your knowledge of both vocabulary and fiction to pick out the right name for the character described. Enjoy!
From our previous issue: You want a felicitous name for a pirate who, after death, returns to life as a skeletal figure. Is it Aubéry, Barbossa, or Corroboc? Why?
Answer: It's Barbossa, the character played by Geoffrey Rush in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. In Latin, the name literally means "bone beard." You might say that Barbossa ossified.
Try this today: What's the most felicitous name for a character who can shape-shift into a dog? Is it Arachne, Sirius, or Ursus? Why?
review today's word:
1. A close opposite of SENTENTIOUS is
A. PITHY
B. PLAYFUL
C. WEIGHTY
2. In his review, David Denby called Words and Pictures a sententious movie that almost "_____."
A. reached a blissful perfection
B. sunk under its pretensions
C. slowed to a full stop
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. B
2. B
Sententious people, like Polonius from Shakespeare's Hamlet, go around repeating what they think are wise, impressive statements, like "to thine own self be true." But to others, these statements are pompous and annoying.
"SENTENTIOUS" One old meaning of the word "sentence" is "a short, wise saying." Here's an example: "The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." Sure, it's wise, but it would be awkward to just randomly say this to someone. Part of speech: Other forms:
Critics of To Kill a Mockingbird cringe at Atticus's sententious speeches: does any father really talk that way to young kids?
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "sententious" means when you can explain it without saying "harping on morals" or "spouting clichéd bits of wisdom."
Fill in the blanks: "In (a particular song, movie, piece of writing, etc.), (an actor, actress, writer, or musician)--without sounding sententious--manages to express (something in particular that's wise or serious)."
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.
1. A close opposite of SENTENTIOUS is
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
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