mandarin (2009-08-02)

Part of Speech: noun

Pronunciation: ['man-dê-rên or -rin]

Definition: In Webster's 1828 dictionary, a mandarin was a magistrate or governor of a province in China. (Mind your history, now—Webster's was speaking of the imperial government, long before Mao Zedong). From that root, the meaning of "mandarin" took on a disapproving tone in modern English until it came to refer to a behind-the-scenes powerbroker in government. It also means a member of an elite intellectual group or one who believes in rule by the cultural elite.

Usage: In discussions of national and local politics, today's word often comes in handy: "Tanisha's squad of mandarin mommies overthrew the librarian to gain control of Children's Book Week." You might want say "I know a couple of linguistic mandarins who use their Word of the Day to fight what they perceive is catachresis (pronunciation and usage errors)." But please, say it with a smile!

Suggested Usage: Calling someone a "mandarin" with a small "m" usually is not flattering. However, "Mandarin," capital "M," refers to a group of Chinese dialects spoken in about 4/5 of China and centering on Beijing. The mandarin orange uses the same name because it is native to the same general area (southeastern Asia).

Etymology: Believe it or not, today's word has nothing to do with Chinese. It comes from the Portuguese "mandarim" by way of Malay "menteri" from the Sanskrit mantrin "counsel" from mantrah "counsel, prayer, hymn." The PIE root is men- "to think" which also turns up in English "mind." In Greek we find it as mania "madness" and -matos "willing" as in automatos "self-willing." Of course, the "ment" in Latinate "mental" is of the same origin but did you know the same root gives us the suffix -ment in "statement," "argument," and so on? For more on PIE, read "How is a Hippo like a Feather?" in our library.