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Sunday 28 April 2013

Sunday Rest. Word Not To Use Today: demiurge.

What's a demiurge?

Yes, it does sound like an inadequate quantity of something overcooked that's been dropped, scraped up off the floor, and then served in a dim cafe where ninety nine per cent of the customers have far too many legs and are walking up the walls.

That demi doesn't help, does it. I mean, it usually means half.

On the other hand demiurge also sounds a bit like a sort of weak temptation that you can resist really easily, like licking your finger to pick up the crumbs from those totally tasteless breadsticks.

But, as it happens, a demiurge is either the creator of the universe (who's sometimes the Supreme Being, but sometimes not) or an Ancient Greek magistrate.

I'm afraid the word gives us the even more frankly revolting demiurgeous and demiurgic.

The only thing going for these horrid words is that no one has even the slightest intention of using them.

Word Not To Use Today: demiurge. This word comes from the Greek dēmiourgos, which means skilled workman, from dēmos, people, and ergon, work.
 




2 comments:

  1. I didn't know about demiurge before reading this blog. That's why I always tend to read more blogs to gain something new. Thank you for sharing this information with us

    ReplyDelete
  2. You're very welcome to come an explore any time, Mr Signs!

    ReplyDelete

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