Manichaean

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Dr. Goodword
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Manichaean

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:02 am

• Manichaean •

Pronunciation: mæ-nê-kee-ên • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, Adjective

Meaning: 1. A devotee of Manichaeanism, a religion created by a Persian prophet, Mani (210-276 CE), by combining Zoroastrian and Christian principles. The basic principle of this religion is that the world is a struggle between good and evil, the soul and matter. It became widely popular for about a millennium but did not survive much beyond that. 2. A person who believes in the dualism that the world is divided into good and evil.

Notes: English offers quite a bit of latitude in spelling today's word. Manichean is also acceptable and a person who believes in Manichaeanism may also be called simply a Manichee. So, don't let the three vowels in the middle of this word throw you. Remember, you can always omit the first A. Whichever variant you use, the CH is always pronounced [k] and this word is still capitalized.

In Play: This Good Word today refers to people who think the world is divided cleanly into good and evil with no gray areas: "Don't waste your time explaining yourself to a Manichaean like Lyda Cain; she either loves you or hates you and nothing will change her mind." Whenever your options boil down to a choice between good and evil you will find room for today's word: "Heathcliff is faced with the Manichaean decision of whether to marry Lady Mondegreen or abandon her heavy with child."

Word History: English acquired this word from 4th-century Latin Manichaeus, an adaptation of Byzantine Greek Manichaios "Manichaean". The Greeks took the word from the name of Mani which they converted into Manis, a common name for slaves, and then to Manichaios, allegedly to avoid any confusion of Mani and mania. (We are grateful that Dr. Lyn Laboriel has something of a mania for Good Words like today's and periodically brings them to our attention, whether a Manichaean or not.)
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Re: MANICHAEAN

Postby Slava » Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:16 pm

While it is surely a gross exaggeration, many people in the US today believe that we have become a Manichaean society, split by two groups that believe they can do no wrong and that the other can do no right. To quote Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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