Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TURGID

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connect today's word to others: Today we're checking out the word turgid. Earlier, we checked out tumid and turbid. Let's make sure we keep them straight! All three are adjectives with unpleasant tones. Tumid and turgid are very close synonyms; they describe language that's wordy, swollen, distended, all puffed up with too much description. But the word turbid has a totally different meaning. Can you recall it? Hint: "turbid waters." make your point with... "TURGID" "Turgid" comes from a Latin word meaning "to swell." In older texts, you might see "turgid" used literally to mean "swollen with gas or liquid," as in "a turgid stomach" or "a vein turgid with blood." These days, turgid things (often speeches or writings) seem swollen or inflated with too many words. Pronunciation: TUR jid Part of speech: Adjective: "a turgid style," "it was so turgid." Other forms: turgidly, turgidity/turgidness How to use it: This formal word has a negative tone. (It's an insult to call something turgid.) Talk about turgid language, writing, rhetoric, style, comments, explanations, expositions, novels, films, scenes, dialogue, and so on. Although "turgid" usually means "swollen with too many words," occasionally you'll call something "turgid" and just mean "swollen, or swollen with too many steps, pieces, or parts, etc." For example, you might talk about a turgid system or process, someone's turgid vanity or sense of self-worth, or a turgid Super Bowl game. You can also say that one thing is turgid with some other thing: "a prologue turgid with praise," "a speech turgid with rambling anecdotes." examples: Because he's written plenty of ten-page papers, he's an expert in bluffing, repetition, and turgidity. "Whereas 'The Wiz' was a boisterous and engaging live musical, 'Emerald City' is a turgid attempt at fantasy burdened by the weight of its own pretensions."    — Meredith Blake, The Los Angeles Times, 5 January 2017 study it: Explain the meaning of "turgid" without saying "wordy" or "inflated." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "I found (some show, movie, performance, song, or album) unbearably turgid with _____." Example: "I found Groundhog Day unbearably turgid with repeated scenes." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Controversial Catchphrases! This month, let's consider all kinds of important, ongoing controversies in our world. I'll give you a handful of key phrases that people use when they argue over a controversial question, and you try to pinpoint what that question is. I'll be drawing these issues and phrases from ProCon.org, a fantastic resource for understanding controversial issues (and for introducing those issues to your kids). From the previous issue: People who argue "yes" say things like "essential content," "objective measures," and "positive effect on achievement." People who argue "no" say things like "discriminatory," "drill and kill," and "creativity crisis." What's the question? The question is, "Is the use of standardized tests improving education in America?" (Explore this issue at ProCon.org.) Try this one today: People who argue "yes" say things like "efficacy," "increases appetite," and "treated like any other medicine." People who argue "no" say things like "risks," "dangers," and "other alternatives for pain." What's the question? review today's word: 1. The opposite of TURGID is A. POLITE. B. HEALTHY. C. CONCISE. 2. I _____ through the book's most turgid passages. A. giggled continuously B. rushed excitedly C. muddled my way 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. C