Rapprochement

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Dr. Goodword
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Rapprochement

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:07 pm

• rapprochement •

Pronunciation: ræ-prosh-mawNHear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. The establishment or reestablishment of cordial relations between two social entities, especially countries. 2. The state of reconciliation or cordial relations.

Notes: Today's Good Word was copied from French so recently it hasn't even lost the French pronunciation (see Pronunciation above). Too, it is an arcane word, used mostly in scholarly writing, which contributes to its lack of assimilation to English.

In Play: This word is mostly used in reference to foreign policy. It was used in the 60s and 70s in reference to US-Soviet relations, but today we see a softening of US attitudes toward a nation closer to us: "Today the US and Cuba are entering a state of rapprochement." However, it applies more widely: "Motion pictures today represent a rapprochement between the highbrow and lowbrow."

Word History: This word obviously IS a French word, taken from that language in the late 18th century. It is based on the French verb rapprocher "to draw together", composed of re- "again" + approcher "to approach". Approcher is a reduction of Late Latin appropriare "to make one's own", comprising ad "to(ward) + propriare "to come near", from propre "near". Propre is a reduplication (repetition) of Proto-Indo-European por-/per-/pr- "at, near, before", found also in Latin per "through, across" and English for, fore- and far. It also turned up in Greek as para "beside, beyond" as in parapsychology "beyond psychology" and paradox "that which is beyond thought" and paraphrase "a near (exact) phrase". Russian pere- "beyond, over, re-", as in perestroika, also derives from this PIE primitive. (Let's offer a note of gratitude now to William Hupy for submitting a Good Word that demonstrates just how ravenous the English appetite is for French words.)
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Slava
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Re: Rapprochement

Postby Slava » Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:20 am

"Warring" couples can also achieve rapprochement at times. Often for the sake of the children.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

damoge
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Re: Rapprochement

Postby damoge » Sat Feb 20, 2021 3:33 pm

Often for the sake of the children.
Never a good idea, that.
Almost 100% guaranteed boomerang.
Everything works out, one way or another


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