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When it comes to the origin of the word quandary, we're in a quandary. We have theories, but ultimately, we can't trace where it came from. As the OED says, "Various etymologies have been suggested, all of them implausible." Such a quandary.
We have a much easier time pinning down the origin of these colorful synonyms:
1. Straight from the German compound word meaning "move obligation" or "move compulsion," Z_gzw__g is a situation in which you HAVE to take action, but any action you take will be bad for you.
2. Apparently from the same kind of repetitive coinage as the phrases "puppy dog" and "kitty cat," qu__m___ literally means "bog bog" or "marsh marsh" or "bog marsh" or "marsh bog." Thanks for slogging through all that with me! This qu__m___ is a bad position or situation that's hard to get out of, like a sticky swamp.
And so is a quandary.
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"QUANDARY"
This word has been around since the 1570s or so, and although we don't know how it came into English, it might have been invented by people getting playful with the Latin word for "when?," which is quando. So imagine a very confused person, someone standing around, shrugging to herself, saying "Huh? What? When?"
That person is in a quandary: a tough situation, a tight spot, a dilemma, a predicament.
In other words, a quandary is a difficult, confusing situation that you don't know how to get out of.
Pronunciation:
KWON duh ree
Part of speech:
Noun, the countable kind: "that's his quandary," "it's such a quandary," "they're facing a quandary," "we're still in this quandary."
Other forms:
The plural is "quandaries."
And it's rare, but "quandary" is a verb, too: "he finds himself quandaried," "I'm quandaried by all these rules about passwords."
How to use it:
When you need a quirky but easily understood term, pick "quandary," which is about three times rarer than "predicament" and seven times rarer than "dilemma."
Because we think of a quandary as something figuratively three-dimensional, we talk about people facing a quandary, being in a quandary, or getting out of a quandary.
You can also talk about things, people, events, choices, factors, and so on that present or create a quandary, put someone in a quandary, shape or affect a quandary, resolve a quandary, etc.
examples:
"Stella is on trial, accused of murdering a flashy, older entrepreneur with whom she had a fling... So here’s the quandary: Do Stella's parents — especially scrupulously ethical Paul — truly believe their troubled and sometimes unreliable daughter? How far will they go to protect her? Perjury?"
— Adam Woog, Seattle Times, 16 July 2019
"We sang in church 'Tata Nzolo'! Which means Father in Heaven or Father of Fish Bait depending on just how you sing it, and that pretty well summed up my quandary. I could never work out whether we were to view religion as a life-insurance policy or a life sentence."
— Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible, 1998
has this page helped you understand "quandary"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "quandary" without saying "state of uncertainty" or "a pickle."
try it out:
According to John Kelly at the Washington Post, there's a large, contentious, and stupid quandary over whether to write "theater" or "theatre."
A survey of theaters in Colorado, Kelly reports, revealed that "40 use 'theatre,' 14 use 'theater' and 'a healthy number — 38 — perhaps smartly avoid the word altogether.'”
"Do you spell it ‘theater’ or ‘theatre’? Who cares? Just go and see a show," he says.
Talk about a similarly ridiculous quandary. Why do people treat it like it's a huge deal? What's one obvious way to resolve it?
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.
This month, we're playing "What's the Word?"
On Reddit, r/whatstheword is a community of about 55,000 members: folks who gather to help each other out when they can't think of a particular word. "It's on the tip of my tongue," they say. Or, "This word might not even exist. Help!"
In each issue this month, check out a post from the community, and see if you can come up with the word or phrase in question. We'll work our way from relatively easy to extremely hard questions as the month goes on.
From the previous issue: A community member asked, "What's the word that means 'tiniest amount'? It's often used like this: 'if you had even a ____ of dignity/ decency.' No, not 'ounce.' It’s a really strange word, not a common one. And the word that pops in my head is 'modum,' but that’s not a real word! The word starts either with a C or an M."
Answer: Great answers included "shred," "iota," "scrap," "speck," and "smidgen." But the member was looking for "modicum."
Try this today: A community member asked, "Aerial, Nautical, _____? ‘Aerial’ means something in the sky, ‘nautical’ means something in the sea, but what is a similar word for something on the land?"
I'll share the answer in the upcoming issue, but if you can't wait, you can view the whole original thread here.
review this word:
1. A near opposite of QUANDARIED is
A. STALLING OUT MIDWAY THROUGH.
B. PROGRESSING DOWN A CLEAR PATH.
C. COLLAPSING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
2. The New York Times called it a "quandary for the Emmys:" that is, _____.
A. a show executed smoothly without a host
B. an ever-expanding body of shows, networks, and streaming services
C. plummeting viewership of the ceremony amid rising competition for the awards
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my 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.
When it comes to the origin of the word quandary, we're in a quandary. We have theories, but ultimately, we can't trace where it came from. As the OED says, "Various etymologies have been suggested, all of them implausible." Such a quandary.
"QUANDARY" This word has been around since the 1570s or so, and although we don't know how it came into English, it might have been invented by people getting playful with the Latin word for "when?," which is quando. So imagine a very confused person, someone standing around, shrugging to herself, saying "Huh? What? When?"
"Stella is on trial, accused of murdering a flashy, older entrepreneur with whom she had a fling... So here’s the quandary: Do Stella's parents — especially scrupulously ethical Paul — truly believe their troubled and sometimes unreliable daughter? How far will they go to protect her? Perjury?"
Explain the meaning of "quandary" without saying "state of uncertainty" or "a pickle."
According to John Kelly at the Washington Post, there's a large, contentious, and stupid quandary over whether to write "theater" or "theatre."
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. A near opposite of QUANDARIED is
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. |