Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PERFUNCTORY

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connect today's word to others: Imagine you're sitting through a terribly mediocre performance (let's say, some community college students are putting on a play) that ends in perfunctory applause. It's polite, routine applause: given because it's expected, not because the performance was remotely exciting, enthralling, or emotionally touching. You do perfunctory things because you have to.  Perfunctory looks like function, functional, and __funct (meaning "dead, or no longer active or important") because they're all based on the Latin fungi, meaning "to perform." The "per" in perfunctory means "through," and so perfunctory literally means "performed through." Just get through it. Just get it done. Clap for those drama students, but don't overdo it--just do it.  (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "PERFUNCTORY" When people do things in a perfunctory way, they're doing them in a dull, bored, routine way because they HAVE to do those things even though they don't really WANT to. Pronunciation: per FUNK tuh ree 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 perfunctory thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was perfunctory.") Other forms: perfunctorily, perfunctoriness How to use it: This word has a negative tone. To call someone's behavior perfunctory is to suggest that he's asleep at the wheel: that he's going through the motions, following a routine, obeying orders or meeting basic expectations, lacking passion and creativity, lacking sincerity. Talk about perfunctory things that we say or publish, such as perfunctory words and comments and speeches, perfunctory answers and responses, perfunctory reports and statements, perfunctory descriptions and explanations, perfunctory prayers and expressions of thanks, perfunctory emails and rejection letters, etc. We can also have perfunctory interactions with each other: perfunctory conversations, perfunctory meetings, perfunctory performance reviews, perfunctory counseling and consultations, etc. "Perfunctory" can describe our actions and reactions, too: perfunctory greetings, perfunctory gestures, perfunctory applause, perfunctory laughter. Even artistic creations can be perfunctory: you might notice perfunctory art, scenes, and dialogue; perfunctory performances; a perfunctory characterization; or the perfunctory ending of a story. And, you can say that someone did a perfunctory job of something, or did something in a perfunctory way, manner, or fashion. examples: It was the cold, perfunctory manner in which he explained her diagnosis that convinced her to find a more caring doctor. It's a little creepy how all the employees at Chick-fil-A respond to every "thanks" with a perfunctory "my pleasure."  study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "perfunctory" means when you can explain it without saying "done like it's just your job to do it" or "done with the least amount of effort possible." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "With a perfunctory (nod, wave, glance, scribble, apology, 'uh-huh,' grunt, etc.), (someone) (did something)." Example: "With a perfunctory apology, the agent offered us a minivan instead of the SUV we'd reserved." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing "Coiners & Coinages." Use your knowledge of science, history, literature, and vocabulary as you match newly coined words to the people who coined them, and vice versa. Let's do this! From our previous issue: Was the word BOSSY coined by Geoffrey Chaucer, by an unnamed female writer of short stories for Harper's Magazine, or by a divisive pamphleteer known only as The Black Adder? Answer: Sorry, y’all, this word’s history is a bit misogynistic, and the right answer was the least interesting one: the unnamed female writer for Harper’s. In an 1882 story called "Among the Rose Roots," she wrote this: "There was a lady manager who was dreadfully bossy." (Thankfully we women took a step forward when we claimed "bossy" as a positive label. I give you these 2006 lyrics from "Bossy," by Kelis: "You don't have to love me. You don't even have to like me. But you will respect me…I’m bossy.") Try this today: If you chuckled and snorted at the same time, you just chortled. Who coined the word CHORTLE: was it Lewis Carroll, Dr. Seuss, or Jeff Foxworthy? review today's word: 1. One opposite of PERFUNCTORY is A. BEDIZENED. B. GILT-EDGED. C. WHOLE-SOULED. 2. Feeling _____, I _____ a perfunctory interest and asked _____. A. curious .. pursued.. what inspired them to travel the country in their RV B. obligated .. summoned .. how they were enjoying their stay in Virginia C. intimidated .. faked .. if they would join me for a study session Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. B