........................................................................ You're invited to a talk on Language Myths & Hoaxes followed by book-signing by Anu Garg: Mon, Nov 12, 7:00pm: Powell's Books, Beaverton, Oregon Sat, Nov 17, 6:30pm: Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, Washington Wed, Nov 21, 7:30pm: Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, Washington
or to tune in to one of these broadcasts: Mon, Nov 12, 9:00am: KATU TV, Portland, Oregon Tue, Nov 20, 9:00am: KUOW 94.9 FM, Seattle, Washington Mon, Dec 10, 8:30am: KDVS 90.3 FM, Davis, California Details at http://wordsmith.org/awad/speaking.html ........................................................................ And now on to this week's theme... Sometimes when I'm waiting in a line at a supermarket or at the post office, I wonder about the people around me. The one in motorcycle gear with chains jangling from his pocket, I wonder if he is really a scaredy-cat at home. The stooping man at the head of the line... what he might be doing after he's done here: go back to work or return home to tend to his pet caterpillars? How about the woman who seems to be in a hurry: would she be picking up her kids from school after this or go around netting initiates for her multi-level-marketing cult? Who knows? But it's fun to guess, and to think words that would fit best if you had to choose a word for them. This week we'll feature five words to describe people. mystagogue (MIS-tuh-gog) noun One who teaches mystical doctrines or one who inititates others into religious cults. [From Latin mystagogus, from Greek mystagogos, from mystes (an initiate) + agogos (leader).] -Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) "Part mystagogue, part monster, Gauguin bragged about his savageries, his insults and his lusts. Yet he saw himself as holy." Paul Richard; Gauguin's Fantasy Island; Washington Post; Nov 29, 1996. Sponsored by: Look good in it. Feel good about it. Super-soft organic tees and fleece with positive messages! http://www.wepluribus.com We the people. No exceptions. Learn to think productively and creatively with "Think Better". One of the best creative thinking books ever: http://amazon.com/o/asin/0071494936 Always find the right word with the Visual Thesaurus. Wordsmith readers save 10%. Try it free! http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?ad=aw&code=m7r ........................................................................... Genius is eternal patience. -Michelangelo Buonarroti, sculptor, painter, architect, and poet (1475-1564) Discuss this week's words on our bulletin board: http://wordsmith.org/board Remove, change address, gift subs: http://wordsmith.org/awad/subscriber.html Pronunciation: http://wordsmith.org/words/mystagogue.wav http://wordsmith.org/words/mystagogue.ram Permalink: http://wordsmith.org/words/mystagogue.html