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Sunday 26 June 2011

Sunday Rest: Word Not To Use Today: oligarch.

Gosh, what isn't wrong with this word? It starts off all greasy, and ends up honking with garlic.

There's a nasty velociraptor-about-to-eat-a-small-furry-animal arch! about it, too.

An oligarch, in case any of you don't know, is one of a small group of people who rules a big piece of the world. 
They don't count as oligarchs if they've been elected, though, because then they can be thrown out if they get uppity.

Oligarchs are nearly always uppity.

Any Russians who are immensely rich tend to be called oligarchs, but this is often due to the mistaken idea that an oligarch is someone who owns lots of oil.

For real oligarchs you'd be better off looking in places like Mexico, North Korea, or Switzerland.

Word Not To Use Today: oligarch. This word has been borrowed from the Greek words olá˝·os, few, and arkhein, which means to rule.

Greek loans causing trouble? Whatever next!

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