Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TRADUCE

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connect today's word to others: Traduce looks like introduce, produce, reduce, etc., as well as our words adduce and educe, because they're all based on the Latin ducere, meaning "to lead." The roots inside traduce literally mean "to lead across," but today the word traduce means "to talk trash about people or things." I promise the connection between the two makes sense! :) Originally, traducing people was a figurative way of parading them: parading their faults, exposing them to public scorn. Leading them across, if you will. (If you won't, I don't blame you. Etymology-wise, traduce is a weird one!) So, seeing that adduce literally means "to lead to" and that educe literally means "to lead out," could you explain what those words mean today?  Lastly, let's leave ducere behind and focus on a close synonym of traduce. It starts with V, it means "to use harsh words to talk about how bad people are," and although it looks like it should be related to the word "villain," it's actually related to the word "vile." It's v_____. Can you recall it? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "TRADUCE" To traduce people or things is to say nasty (often untrue) things about them, which damages their reputation. And, to traduce things can also mean to dishonor them or disgrace them. Pronunciation: truh DOOSE Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, you traduce something or someone.) Other forms: traduce, traducing, traducement, traducer(s) How to use it: "Traduce" can be a formal, serious synonym of "badmouth." We sometimes say that one person or group traduces another: "they traduce their opponents so openly in those political ads," "he was often traduced in the media," "she was blatantly traduced by her peers." But "traduce" can also be a more formal way of saying "blacken" or "cheapen." We'll say that someone or something traduces a value, traduces a genuine feeling, traduces someone's name or virtue or character or reputation, traduces a norm or a set of norms, traduces the public image of something, traduces the popular conception of something, traduces the spirit of something, traduces the memory of someone or something, or traduces what something is or what something is supposed to be. examples: In a satisfying twist, the same naysayers who traduced Rowling for publishing children's books about dark magic may have helped catapult her, and her books, to fame. That nagging sense of obligation to send gifts to people you don't even like: it traduces the spirit of Christmas. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "traduce" means when you can explain it without saying "talk bad about" or "slander." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "To claim that _____ would traduce (his, her, its, or their) (character, memory, or legacy)." Example: "To claim that Lincoln freed the slaves only as a political move would traduce his legacy." 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 with some beautifully worded passages from the Bible as we recall words we've studied before. From our previous issue: "When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to g______y. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive." (New International Version, Proverbs, chapter 23, saying 7.) What's the missing word? It means "the act of filling yourself up with too much of whatever it is that you want." Answer: gluttony. Try this today: "Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are f_____t lips with an evil heart." (New International Version, Proverbs, chapter 26, verse 23.) What's the missing word? It means "intensely eager or intensely enthusiastic in a way that reminds you of a glowing heat." review today's word: 1. One opposite of TRADUCE is A. DERIDE. B. IMPROVE. C. HONOR. 2. Can we agree on this? It's unfair to traduce those who _____. A. aren't present to defend themselves B. haven't put in the effort to deserve it C. won't even accept such a responsibility 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