Coming to Terms With Politics
With the "all-important mid-term elections" coming up in a few weeks, it's time to cast your mail-in ballot for the correct origin of each political term:
No.1: People who run for office are called "candidates" because they: A. are candid (honest) -- ha, ha! B. give out candy to get votes C. once shone brightly like candles D. look like idiots when they stand at intersections and wave
No. 2: The word "ballot" comes from: A. the Italian "ballota" (little ball) B. the ancient practice of having the names of candidates written on a large ball C. "bullet," because voters once punched bullet-sized holes in a piece of paper to indicate their preference D. the fact that if you see one more negative attack ad, you're going to shoot your television set full of bullets
No. 3: The "hustings" candidates "go out on" are: A. places where candidates hustle for votes B. rural areas where candidates come in close contact with husks of corn C. a term derived from "hus" (house) and "thing" (assembly) D. the gobs of money local TV stations make from running political ads
No. 4: "Poll" comes from: A. the pole once placed outside voting sites B. the Middle English word for head C. "Polonius," the Shakespearean character perpetually voted "most annoying" D. the sanctimonious/sarcastic tone of attack ad voiceovers: "Bill Handydunk SAYS he cares about WORKING FAMILIES, but he voted 15 TIMES to RAISE YOUR taxes."
Answers:
No. 1: C In ancient Rome, men running for office wore white togas rubbed with white chalk to suggest they were men of spotless character. The Latin word for white is "candidus," from the Latin verb "candere" (to shine), the same verb that gives us "candle" and "incandescent."
No. 2: A In ancient and medieval times, citizens voted by dropping colored balls, "ballota" in Italian, into a container. "Ballota" became "ballot" in English and came to mean the paper on which votes are recorded.
No. 3: C In Old Norse, an assembly house was a "husthing," thus "husting" came to mean a court of common pleas in Middle English. Because political speeches were sometimes delivered in such courts, "husting" came to refer to the speakers' platform, hence, "on the hustings." These days, a candidate on the hustings is engaging in a round of political hoopla -- speeches, rallies, baby-kissing.
No. 4: B "Polle" meant head in Middle English, more specifically, "the top of the head." That's the body part officials looked for when counting people, so "poll" became a general term for any head count.
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Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Conn., invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via e-mail to Wordguy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.
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