Session 44

1. Aint the real McCoy

Simulate derives from simulo(to copy). Simulation then refers to any aping of the real thing. Flight simulation progammes for pilots etc. Easy enough to understand. Beware of such ads where they offer you "genuine simulated pearls" coz what they are basically doing is looting you and even informing you about it without you getting to know of it if you dont know the word simulated.

So follows now dissimulation. Now think for a moment what that could mean. Arre ulta hai simulate ka. When you dissimulate, you hide your true feelings and make a pretence of emoting just the opposite sentiment. I do it quite frequently. "How's the studying going?" and I go "Excellent!". Its real fun.

And if someone asks you a question and you not only lie while hiding your true feelings but also conceal facts by deception and even go to the extent of pretending ignorance of the facts you'd rather not admit even when being in the knowhow of the whole thing, then mate.. you are dissembling. Dissemble is a close but more powerful(in the negative sense) relative of dissimulate.


2. Aha... A clue Sherlock

Intimate is from intimus(innermost). An intimation has significance in the innermost core, with only a flicker of a hint showing. Bole to ye ki as you grow older and you realize that so many years have whizzed past making you aware that you are getting older, its an intimation that you are mortal. You are walking in the middle of the road, singing and whistling and suddenly a lorry hurtles towards you, you at that sudden moment realize that indeed, you are mortal. Something that you wouldn't normally be ready to admit, to accept and face rather. Of course its recommended that you do all this thinking after getting out of the lorry's path:)

Alleviate: Basic component is levis- light,not heavy. Share your worries with your friends and alleviate your pain. Watch Seinfeld or FRIENDS and alleviate your sore mood, if any. As is clear, alleviation is temporary removal or contentedness, its not a permanent cure. Aspirin is an alleviative drug.

Elevate too is based on the same root. No need to elaborate or explain this, I believe.

Watched P C Sorkar lately? No? Must remember that great magician's tricks though. One of those included make a body(human) float in mid air without any props or anything. Of course it was the light effects but the process of rising through no visible means is LEVITATION. The verb is levitate. Also used a lot figuratively, this term. Like Dhirubhai Ambani levitated in the business world coz he had no family background in the corporate world and practically rose from nowhere.

Levity you must have come across. Means lightness in the sense of frivolity, flippancy to be more accurate. A definite jocular tone or lightness of purpose. "Levity is out of place at a funeral or a place of worship". Ahem.


3. Enough partaking of the good things, lets share some misery too chum

Commiserate( Miser- Latin for wretched + con- together, with + ate). Self explanatory now. "I commiserate with you" == "I am wretched together with you, I share your misery".


4. Swinging 60s again- rock n roll time folks!!

Vacillate builds upon Latin vacillo- to swing back and forth. Vacillatory people are those who just can't seem to make up their mind regarding something, in fact anything and everything. They agree with 2 or more contradictory opinions about something, like say a car. "Oh yes, this baby is really smooth.. Touches 90kmph in 10 secs.. But then its too expensive.. Haan o'course its sleek and all and has oh the looks.. but then again the average aint too good.. I really cant decide whether or not to buy it.. Am in a real dilemma yaar". You get the picture. Right?

Ambivalent too is strikingly similar to vacillatory. They(ambivalent folks) have conflicting and simultaneous emotions about the same person or thing. They love something but they hate it too. Neither here nor there. In fact both here and there types etc etc. NL has one of his rare cliches here "Ambivalent has best been defined as watching your mother-in-law drive over a cliff in your new car".

Just as Vacillate was swinging mentally or emotionally, to sway back and forth is to Oscillate. Root is Latin oscillum, a swing. A pendulum oscillates. And people too oscillate while walking when they have had a shot too much, basically when too drunk. You know why.

Kaboom