denouement????

[PsiStar]

What rock have I been living under ... denouement??

Where the hell did this word come from? Or even the concept? I have been thru lots of years of college, albeit engineering, and I have never heard this term.

More importantly, how can the Pakistani-anything be considered a good relationship? From the news coverage, it seems to me that the Paks are one of the most edgy relationships that the US has. Every other relationship from Libyan pro/anti Gadhafi, Palistinian, Iran, Chinese ... we know more about where the US position is and how the US is viewed than this so called ally ... Pakistan.

 

[BoberFett]

I seem to remember learning that word someplace around 7th grade English/lit class. YMMV.

 

[manimal]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure



I know its french propaganda right?

Damn french infecting our way of life like one thing at a time..first its fries, then french bread, then french words, whats next?

thats right....European style socialism..

 

[PsiStar]

I seem to remember learning that word someplace around 7th grade English/lit class. YMMV.

Right. It is in your daily language across the dis-nner table

 

[DominionSeraph]

I've seen it several times before, but never in a context that allowed for the deciphering of its meaning. Never learned dénouer in French class, either.

 

[manimal]

I've seen it several times before, but never in a context that allowed for the deciphering of its meaning. Never learned dénouer in French class, either.

take that back!!


wait too late...

 

[BoberFett]

Right. It is in your daily language across the dis-nner table

I actually think used it a couple weeks ago while discussing a movie plot with my wife, and then again a few days ago when she and I were talking about the graphic novel we've been working on. Though according to manimal's link, denouement only applies to comedy and not tragedy, while I swear I remember it being used in both cases.

 

[pcgeek11]

Anyone that uses words like denouement in everyday conversation should be beaten.

 

[Thump553]

Anyone that uses words like denouement in everyday conversation should be beaten.

Why?

Words are used to convey your thoughts, the more precise the fit of the word to the thought you are trying to express the better. Denouement was properly used and appropriate in the article linked in the OP.

There is certainly no valid reason for using "big" words purely as a matter of pretension but I would say in our modern limited attention span world we have certainly bent over backwards the other way, towards an intentional dumbing down of our society and cultural. People have built very successful careers on dumbing down-look at GWB and Sarah Palin (well, maybe not an act for Palin).

Personally I get a little thrill with each "new" word I discover, or rediscover.

 

[jonks]

don't hang with many sesquipedalians eh?

 

[PsiStar]

I do agree with, "What an interesting new word!" I am thinking about adopting it to my own vocab. The only hesitation is knowing proper enunciation.

 

[jonks]

I do agree with, "What an interesting new word!" I am thinking about adopting it to my own vocab. The only hesitation is knowing proper enunciation.

Dee Now ME n Toh

 

[BoberFett]

Dee Now ME n Toh

Dang, I guess I've been saying it wrong all this time.

 

[PsiStar]

hahaha ... this is a PnN thread ... I'm not feeling the arguing!!! Where is the hate?

I think I will try my luck with Google translate. Personally, I like the Frenchie.

 

[Harvey]

This post may be the denouement of this thread.

denouement noun \ˌdā-ˌnü-ˈmäⁿ, dā-ˈnü-ˌ\

1 : the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work

2 : the outcome of a complex sequence of events

hahaha ... this is a PnN thread ... I'm not feeling the arguing!!! Where is the hate?

I think I will try my luck with Google translate. Personally, I like the Frenchie.

It's just a discussion of the origin and meaning of a word. No hate necessary... unless you're anti-semantic.

 

[pcgeek11]

Why?

Words are used to convey your thoughts, the more precise the fit of the word to the thought you are trying to express the better. Denouement was properly used and appropriate in the article linked in the OP.

There is certainly no valid reason for using "big" words purely as a matter of pretension but I would say in our modern limited attention span world we have certainly bent over backwards the other way, towards an intentional dumbing down of our society and cultural. People have built very successful careers on dumbing down-look at GWB and Sarah Palin (well, maybe not an act for Palin).

Personally I get a little thrill with each "new" word I discover, or rediscover.

Because a high percentage of people that use these types of words in " everyday conversation " do so in an attempt to impress others ( which secretly doesn't impress anyone ). As you stated in your post:

There is certainly no valid reason for using "big" words purely as a matter of pretension

You also stated the more precise the fit of the word to the thought ...

It doesn't matter how close the word fits if most people have to look it up to find out what the hell you are talking about.

 

[ShawnD1]

Because a high percentage of people that use these types of words in " everyday conversation " do so in an attempt to impress others ( which secretly doesn't impress anyone ). As you stated in your post:

Its most better than when people says things without understanding the exact meaning of said things per se

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Latin_phrases_(P)#per_se

through itself
Also "by itself" or "in itself". Without referring to anything else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications, etc. A common example is negligence per se. See also malum in se.

wtf does that mean?


http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_per_se_mean

It is used after a group of words to ensure that you, the writer/speaker, knows the clause that comes before Per Se is not true or not to be taken seriously word for word. You are telling the reader/listener that you dont take that clause literally either. Basically, it shows that the previous phrase was similar to an expression. Or, it could mean that the previous phrase was an exaggeration, expression, or sarcasm.

Obama is from Kenya, per se?

 

[Thump553]

Negligence per se has a very specific meaning in the law. Basically (and maybe grossly oversimplified) per se negligence means that if person A does (or doesn't do) act B and an injury results, then person A is deemed negligent (some jurisidictions only a presumption of negligence) and casual of the injury, no further proof on those points is needed.

An example-builder builds a house where the code calls for studs in load bearing walls to be 16" on center with studs 32" on center. The house collapses. The builder is per se negligent-you don't need to bring in expert testimony to prove his negligence. In jurisdictions where it only raises a presumption of negligence, the builder can attempt to prove the crappy walls had nothing to do with the collapse.

I think that wikianswers answer is wrong-at least I've never seen per se used that way. But maybe I'll start using it that way on this weekend's honey-do list: "Of course I finished everything, per se."