Sinister

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Dr. Goodword
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Sinister

Postby Dr. Goodword » Fri Mar 07, 2014 10:40 pm

• sinister •

Pronunciation: si-ni-stêr • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: 1. Evil or presaging evil, suggesting wickedness, depravity. 2. Presaging something very bad or disastrous. 3. (Heraldry) Sinistral, to the left of the wearer (the right of the onlooker) on a coat of arms or shield.

Notes: Today's word is a left-handed recognition of left-handers. It originally meant simply "left, left-handed", as does its cousin sinistral today. However, left-handedness, like blackness, has been associated with evil for centuries in Europe, and its former colonies have inherited that association. This Good Word comes with an adverb, sinisterly, and two nouns, the lovely sinisterity and the rather ordinary sinisterness.

In Play: This word is usually saved for things portending evil: "Moshe, do you sense something sinister about the man in the mask holding a gun over there?" It need not be, however; it can also refer to anything threatening: "There is something sinister about the clouds hanging over the horizon; I think I'll carry my umbrella and an anchor."

Word History: One of the few overlooked persecuted minorities left in the world is left-handers. The speech police have not yet begun to investigate the sinistrally prejudicial words in English. Sinister began as the Latin word for "left" or "left-handed", then expanded to mean "presaging evil". A "left-handed compliment" is one with a hidden insult. Finally, there is the French word for "left-handed", gauche, which also means "awkward, inept, clumsy". Should we quarantine these words from our vocabulary as we do slurs against other minorities? (No one knows where Latin got this word but our gratitude to Perry Dror for getting it to us is as 'right-handed' as it is sincere.)
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BarbaraK
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Re: Sinister

Postby BarbaraK » Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:49 am

I remember this from the Spanish "siniestra"
and the opposite "diestra" (which in English appears in "dexterity")
Then I recall the Monty Python movie with the Roman soldiers marching to "dexter, sinster, dexter ,sinster" LOL
In Spanish literature ("ElCid"), something on the left, like a raven, was a bad omen

LukeJavan8
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Re: Sinister

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Mar 08, 2014 2:02 pm

And there is the left-handed Judge in the
Hebrew Bible book of Judges. He was
searched on his left side for a weapon before
being admitted to see the king. But being
a 'lefty" he had his weapon on the right
hip. Poor King. Wise Ehud.
Judges 3:12 ff.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Perry Lassiter
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Re: Sinister

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:21 pm

One of the goriest bits with a comic twist.
pl

Philip Hudson
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Re: Sinister

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:11 pm

In Jonah 4:11 were the 120,000 people in Nineveh ambidextrous, stupid or all very young children? :?
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

LukeJavan8
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Re: Sinister

Postby LukeJavan8 » Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:55 am

:lol:
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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call_copse
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Re: Sinister

Postby call_copse » Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:30 am

I enjoy the music of popular beat combo The Fall, especially their album 'Bend Sinister' - this refers to the heraldic charge indicating bastardy in the family line. Surely this applies to all of us at some point depending how far back you like to go?

I have contemplated reading the Nabukov novel (Bend Sinister) but never got round to it - worth the effort anyone?
Iain

LukeJavan8
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Re: Sinister

Postby LukeJavan8 » Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:44 am

Not from me, never read it, but might consider it.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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Slava
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Re: Sinister

Postby Slava » Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:31 pm

I would recommend anything by Nabokov. I haven't read this one, but if it comes my way I will.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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