Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LABYRINTHINE

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"LABYRINTHINE" Pronunciation: lab uh RIN thin (You can also say "lab uh RIN theen." Both ways are correct.) Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like “large” or “late.” They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in “a labyrinthine process.” 2. After a linking verb, as in “The process was labyrinthine.”) Meaning: Something labyrinthine reminds you of a labyrinth: it's really complicated and confusing, like a complex set of paths or passages that's hard to get out of. Other forms: labyrinth How to use it: Talk about a labyrinthine place (especially labyrinthine halls, corridors, paths, etc.), a labyrinthine process or method, a labyrinthine structure or system, a labyrinthine scheme or plot, a labyrinthine journey, and so on. I had to stifle a giggle as I watched my confused friend go through a labyrinthine process to add links to his website: he would go to the site to be linked, download the content and save it as a PDF, upload that to his own site, and create a link to the PDF.  While delivering pizza in college, I once got lost in the labyrinthine halls of the local hospital, trying to find the customer who, as it turns out, wasn't even allowed to eat pizza. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "labyrinthine" means when you can explain it without saying "mazelike" or "complicated." Think of a process or place that frustrated you with twists and turns, and fill in the blanks: "(Process or place) is downright labyrinthine, so I just did my best and started by _____.” Example: "The process of moving overseas is downright labyrinthine, so we just did our best and started by putting our house on the market and researching how to transport our pets and cars." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: Messages that go through an automated translator into several languages and back into English again often end up sounding funny and garbled-- but still somehow meaningful. We’re having fun with that phenomenon this month as we play our game: Guess the moral from Aesop’s Fables after it has been translated into a few foreign languages and back again by a computer program. Some of the morals may be very familiar to you, others not so much. You don’t need to quote Aesop verbatim but rather just understand the message being conveyed. Try it out each day and see the right answer the following day.   Yesterday’s answer: The translation-babble said, “And as some to serve, take away the profit of others.” Aesop said, “While some people do all the work, others make off with the profit.” Try this one today: “Even if a man is thinking about the neighborhood, unfortunately, they do call into question the goodness.” A Point Well Made: Bertrand Russell: “In all affairs, it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.” 1. The opposite of LABYRINTHINE is A. TRUTHFUL B. SIMPLE C. REAL 2. In response to being called labyrinthine, the agency aimed to _____. A. educate the public on how useful it is via humorous online videos. B. publish more honest reports of its outcomes. C. vastly simplify its required paperwork. Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. C