Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MAUNDERINGS

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connect today's word to others: The word maunderings looks so much like the word meanderings, and the two are so close in meaning, that you'd guess they're alternate forms of each other. Turns out, though, they're unrelated. English baffles me sometimes. :) make your point with... "MAUNDERINGS" To maunder is to talk on and on in a dreamy or disconnected way. (And, maunder, or maundering, the noun, is talk that's rambling, dreamy, and/or disconnected.) So, maunderings are things people say or write that ramble on and on in a dreamy or nonsensical way. Pronunciation: MON der ing Part of speech: It's usually a noun, usually the countable kind, and usually in the plural: "those maunderings," "these maunderings," "his maunderings," "her maunderings." Other forms: The verbs are "maunder," "maundered," and "maundering." "Maundering" is the adjective, too. How to use it: This word has a negative tone. We can use it in a self-deprecating way to speak harshly about our own speech and writing: "thanks for indulging me in these maunderings," "here are some more of my maunderings on that topic." And, we can use it to refer to other people's speech and writing, but again, that's quite harsh: "the maunderings of a crazy old lady," "we ignore all his maunderings." examples: Don't read his tweets; they're just the maunderings of a madman. "And I don’t know if it’s good for me to spend hours of my life writing down my grim maunderings about the shape of the world and my own impending mortality."    —Patrick Rothfuss, Pat's Blog, 9 August 2018 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "maunderings" without saying "pointless ramblings" or "incoherent babbling." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "We dismissed (someone's) complaints as the (petty, cranky, childish, or petulant) maunderings of (a particular kind of person)." Example: "We dismissed his complaints as the cranky maunderings of an ex-employee." 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. Apt Adjective Anagrams!  I'll invent a person's name and a brief description of that person, and you unscramble the letters in the name to form an adjective that aptly describes the person or the person's situation. For example, if I say "Naomi Cirous is still holding a grudge," then you rearrange the letters in "Naomi Cirous" to form the adjective "acrimonious," meaning "sharp, bitter, and mean"--an appropriate adjective for someone holding a grudge. From the previous issue: Rose Tice is a physicist whose research is understood by hardly anyone. Answer: Her research is esoteric. Try this today: Nellie Tub is always upbeat, always in a fantastic mood. review today's word: 1. A close opposite of MAUNDERINGS is A. EDGY, INSULTING REMARKS. B. CLEAR, SUCCINCT COMMENTS. C. DARING, INSPIRING QUESTIONS. 2. In the academic community, her maunderings are _____. A. never taken seriously B. generally peer-reviewed C. endlessly analyzed and critiqued 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. B 2. A