[font=Arial]Usage[/font]: A very frequent word in ancient Greece and in rhetoric. Famed was the Panegyricus Traiano dictus written by Pliny (Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, called "the Younger"). For centuries they were the model for this kind of praising. Related to it are encomius and éloge. Verb is panegyrise (-ize), the one who utters them is panegyrist. Adverb is simply formed by adding the –ly suffix to the base panegyrical.
[font=Arial]Suggested usage[/font]: "He always talks panegyrically about his girlfriend Jessica; he’s very much in love!" Be imaginative and think of some other examples yourself! Synonyms are (some mentioned previously): acclaim, acclamation, applause, celebration, commendation, compliment, encomium, eulogy, kudos, laudation, plaudit, praise. A panegyric was originally a set speech in a full assembly of the people, and hence denotes a more formal eulogy, couched in terms of warm and continuous praise, especially as to personal character.
[font=Arial]Etymology[/font]: From French panégirique, from Latin from Greek panegirikos, of public assembly, from PAN(eguris = agora assembly).
Panegyric is not just Ancient Greek, it’s exactly the same in modern Greek and it is used about a celebratory speech. The word "panegyri" is much more often used and it means a big traditional celebration in a village or around a church, usually in honor of a Saint, with a lot of dancing and food.
Anna
PS. I hadn’t realized that this word is used in English, too. I’m amazed by the number of Greek words that are used in English (and that I have learned here)
[quote author=askiada link=board=wordsuggest;num=1053280130;start=0#4 date=09/07/03 at 16:31:05]PS. I hadn’t realized that this word is used in English, too. I’m amazed by the number of Greek words that are used in English (and that I have learned here)
My estimate is that 50% of English words are either Greek or Latin. He-he, just kidding. Anyway, every language is full of Greek words. "Panegyric" is not at all frequent in Serbian, but I guess "panegirik" exists.
Really - I don’t know about the thing I said for English. ;)
I don’t know if Greek is perfect or not, but could you explain to me, why is my son (who is 12) much better at English spelling than Greek?
(e.g. we have SIX different spellings for the sound ee. For me it’s quite obvious which one to use, since I’ve spent a lot of time in primary school studying spelling, but nowadays children spend much more time doing other things and they are quite confused :o)
Anna
[quote author=KatyBr link=board=wordsuggest;num=1053280130;start=0#10 date=09/08/03 at 14:18:47]
Anna, I was teasing Nymann who also started the perfect language thread.
[quote author=askiada link=board=wordsuggest;num=1053280130;start=0#8 date=09/08/03 at 13:58:30]I don’t know if Greek is perfect or not, but could you explain to me, why is my son (who is 12) much better at English spelling than Greek?
(e.g. we have SIX different spellings for the sound ee.
Norio, where are you from? Are you Spanish? I’m starting to learn Spanish with a teacher from Colombia and I’m really excited about it. I already speak French so I suppose it will be easy
Anna
PS. As for the teasing….don’t worry, one of my favorite actors is Woody Allen.
[quote author=askiada link=board=wordsuggest;num=1053280130;start=0#8 date=09/08/03 at 13:58:30]I don’t know if Greek is perfect or not, but could you explain to me, why is my son (who is 12) much better at English spelling than Greek?
(e.g. we have SIX different spellings for the sound ee. ... :o)
I can fully understand why your son has difficulty spelling modern Greek, which like a cockney dialect has dropped its «h»‘s and transformed dipthongs like «oi» into simple vowels like «i» («ee»), so that, e g, the ancient «hoi polloi» for the common people (a phrase which you may be interested to know is also used in English !) is now pronounced «i polli». But before one launches a panegyric over the comparative advantages of English orthography, it might pay to carefully study the following site. Both languages are obviously long overdue for a spelling reform—although, being, as Tim has pointed out, a conservative type, I should resist one to the utmost….
Henri
PS : I heard on the radio this morning that a selection of Sapphic fragments has now been translated into Norwegian (bokmål) for the first time. We’re only two and one half millennia behind the times….
I was wondering if you could give some information concerning Greece such as: which is the cheepest mobile telephony operator currently, are books affordable (if you can write an average price), can you buy maps in ordinary book-shops or in, as Italians say, cartoleria? How much does a CD cost?
By the way, when I’m asking all these semisilly questions, do you happen to know what is the exacts name of a singer and of the song that goes sth. like Dee-la(h)y-la(h)y-la(h)y (read a’s as in "ask"). I think it’s Jorgos or something… ::) ???
which is the cheepest mobile telephony operator currently, are books affordable (if you can write an average price), can you buy maps in ordinary book-shops or in, as Italians say, cartoleria? How much does a CD cost?
The cheepest? I don’t know. I use Vodafone. Most of my books I buy from Amazon.com. Average price for what kind of book? In general the prices are similar to London prices. You can buy maps in regular book-shops, as well as in gas stations. A CD costs about 13 to 16 euros.
The singer, alas, I don’t know. Could you sing a little more of the song perhaps? (There is a Yorgos Dalaras who is very popular and who sells many CDs internationally but I don’t know if he’s the one you mean)
Since you’re making such a trip you should also visit Delphi, it’s magnificent.
When are you coming to Greece? The day after tomorrow I’m going to Chicago and in the end of the month I’ll visit Amsterdam…
