4 ms·

"mendacracy" Did you make this word up? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

by shanebellone 4y ago

hiddencost 4y ago
It may be a neologism, but it's a fun one. See the etymology of "mendacious".
- shanebellone 4y ago
  Whoever you are, thank you for teaching me two new words today. I've never seen or heard of neologism or mendacious. Today is shaping up to be a good day. :)
  - brookst 4y ago
    Not the person you’re replying to, but glad you inmutaplexed something new!
- hodgesrm 4y ago
  Mendacracy does have a funny feel because there's an "a" where my brain wants to see an "o" instead. Most of the Greek prefixes had an "o" e.g., aristos. Can anyone think of a counter-example?
  - thaumasiotes 4y ago
    > Most of the Greek prefixes had an "o" e.g., aristos Most Greek prefixes don't have an o. Instead, the o is used to connect the consonant at the end of the prefix to the consonant at the beginning of the root. Where the prefix ends in a vowel, that vowel is used directly. Compare anabasis, catabasis, analyze, paralyze, metamorphosis, polygon, etc etc etc. None of this works here, because "mendax" is not a Greek word. (Which doesn't help "mendacracy" - the epenthetic vowel in Latin is i.) The Greek word for liar is ψεύστης pseustes; you probably want pseustocracy ("rule by liars") or perhaps pseudocracy ("rule by lies", but seems more likely to be interpreted as "false rule"). It's not clear where the rest of the root of "mendax" is supposed to have gone in "mendacracy"; if you really wanted to jam it onto the -crat ending, you should end up with "mendacicrat".
- lofatdairy 4y ago
  If you've seen Cat on a Hot Tin Roof you'd probably remember how frequently mendacity is used, too.
lapcat 4y ago
I did make it up, but Google Search indicates that I wasn't the first to come up with this combination. It seems pretty natural to substitute mendacious for meritorious.
- shanebellone 4y ago
  Thanks for the clarification. It might be me, but quotes would have made that obvious.

"mendacracy" Did you make this word up? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

hiddencost 4y ago

It may be a neologism, but it's a fun one. See the etymology of "mendacious".

shanebellone 4y ago
Whoever you are, thank you for teaching me two new words today. I've never seen or heard of neologism or mendacious. Today is shaping up to be a good day. :)
- brookst 4y ago
  Not the person you’re replying to, but glad you inmutaplexed something new!
hodgesrm 4y ago
Mendacracy does have a funny feel because there's an "a" where my brain wants to see an "o" instead. Most of the Greek prefixes had an "o" e.g., aristos. Can anyone think of a counter-example?
- thaumasiotes 4y ago
  > Most of the Greek prefixes had an "o" e.g., aristos Most Greek prefixes don't have an o. Instead, the o is used to connect the consonant at the end of the prefix to the consonant at the beginning of the root. Where the prefix ends in a vowel, that vowel is used directly. Compare anabasis, catabasis, analyze, paralyze, metamorphosis, polygon, etc etc etc. None of this works here, because "mendax" is not a Greek word. (Which doesn't help "mendacracy" - the epenthetic vowel in Latin is i.) The Greek word for liar is ψεύστης pseustes; you probably want pseustocracy ("rule by liars") or perhaps pseudocracy ("rule by lies", but seems more likely to be interpreted as "false rule"). It's not clear where the rest of the root of "mendax" is supposed to have gone in "mendacracy"; if you really wanted to jam it onto the -crat ending, you should end up with "mendacicrat".
lofatdairy 4y ago
If you've seen Cat on a Hot Tin Roof you'd probably remember how frequently mendacity is used, too.

lapcat 4y ago

I did make it up, but Google Search indicates that I wasn't the first to come up with this combination. It seems pretty natural to substitute mendacious for meritorious.

shanebellone 4y ago
Thanks for the clarification. It might be me, but quotes would have made that obvious.