Daily Vocab Capsule 30th September 2017

Daily English Vocab

Women’s Victory

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced a momentous decision, though it might be early days to predict that liberal winds have started blowing under a new generation in the palace. Women have been granted the right to drive; the watershed concession effectively overturns what has been called a “cornerstone of Saudi conservatism”.

The traditional bar on driving by women had become a cause celebre (symbol of a struggle) among social activists who have been shrilling (speak or cry loudly) for reforms in the fundamentalist kingdom. Thus far, the palace in Riyadh had tiptoed (carefully avoid discussing or dealing with (a difficult or sensitive subject).) on such changes, pre-eminently (above all) the inclusion of women in the ‘Shura’ (governing council).., with a curtain demarcating (set the boundaries or limits of.) the genders. While their voice can be heard, they are not to be seen. Tuesday’s decision on allowing women to drive is without question a critical forward movement, enunciated (express (a proposition, theory, etc.) in clear or definite terms.)in a royal decree (an official order that has the force of law.) signed by King Salman.

The liberal narrative after an era of theocratic conservatism has been simultaneously buttressed (increase the strength of or justification for) with the royal imprimatur (a person's authoritative approval.) that drivers’ licences must be issued to women who wanted them.

It is pretty obvious that the palace has deferred to the demands of the reformists with the added provision that women in Saudi Arabia will no longer require permission from a legal guardian to get a licence.

Nor for that matter will they need a guardian in the car when they drive. To put it succinctly (in a brief and clearly expressed manner.), the decree signifies a victory for women, a “great step in the right direction”, as the US has described it.

The decision follows the entry of women ~ for the first time ~ into a stadium last week. It is open to question whether Saudi Arabia also intends to relax the guardianship laws, or take any other steps to expand women’s rights.

To allow women at the steering wheel is the most significant change yet to a rigidly conservative social order, one that has strictly demarcated gender roles, and severely limits the role of women in public life.

A critical chapter has now been added to women’s studies. The world must now expect the kingdom to adopt a decidedly humane (having or showing compassion or benevolence.) approach in the matter of crime and punishment. Tuesday’s decision was not wholly unexpected; it was widely anticipated amidst a transformation of many aspects of Saudi society. Indeed, the emerging trend has been described by a senior minister as “cultural revolution disguised as economic reform”.

Apart from social reforms, live concert performances have been organised in Riyadh in recent months, if restricted to men only. In parallel, the powers of the religious police have been curtailed (reduce in extent or quantity). Hitherto, its primary function was to serve as an adjunct (subordinate) to the palace administration, specifically in the pursuit of the theocratic agenda.

With the gradual dilution of that agenda, the religious police will hopefully be less brutal under a seemingly enlightened royalty.

Courtesy: The Statesman (General Studies)

1. Cause celebre (noun):  A controversial issue that attracts a great deal of public attention. (तकरार/विवाद)

Synonyms: Controversy, Bone of Contention, Moot Point, Political Football.

Antonyms: Concurrence, Harmony, Peace.

Example: The Cause celebre around article 377 continues to be a trending topic in India.

Origin: From French, literally ‘famous case’.

2. Tiptoe (verb): (Carefully avoid discussing or dealing with (a difficult or sensitive subject).) (बचना)

Synonyms: Avoid, Sidestep, Give a wide berth to, Shun.

Antonyms: Face, Encounter, Meet.

Example: A wise man always tiptoes the controversies.

Verb forms: Tiptoe, Tiptoed, Tiptoed.

3. Preeminently (adverb): (Above all) (प्रधानतः/मुख्यतया)

Synonyms: Primarily, Principally, Chiefly, Mostly, Mainly.

Antonyms: Secondarily, Trivially.

Example: Dr. Michaels is always winning awards because he is the preeminent medical researcher in the country.

Related words:

Preeminent (adjective) - Better than others

4. Demarcate (verb): (Set the boundaries or limits of/separate or distinguish from.) (सीमांकन करना/अलग करना)

Synonyms: Separate, Divide, Delineate, Delimit.

Antonyms: Attach, Combine, Connect, Couple.

Example: The fence was put in place to demarcate one piece of property from the next.

Verb forms: Demarcate, Demarcated, Demarcated

Related words:

Demarcation (noun) – सीमांकन

5. Enunciate (verb): (Express (a proposition, theory, etc.) in clear or definite terms.) (स्पष्ट करना/उच्चारित करना)

Synonyms: Articulate, State Clearly, Enounce, Express Understandably.

Antonyms: Mispronounce, Confuse.

Example: Since a tour guide is required to speak to crowds of people, the ability to enunciate properly is a requirement for the position.

Verb forms: Enunciate, Enunciated, Enunciated.

Related words:

Enunciation (noun) – स्थापन/ उच्चारण   

Origin:  from Latin enuntiare, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out’ + nuntiare ‘announce’ (from nuntius messenger’).

6. Buttress (verb) : (Increase the strength of or justification for) (मज़बूत बनाना)

Synonyms: Strengthen, Reinforce, Fortify, Support, Prop Up, Bolster Up

Antonyms: Curtail, Destroy, Diminish, ruin.

Example: Because someone had designed the walls without a proper buttress, the whole building collapsed within a year after it was built.

Verb forms: Buttress, Buttressed, Buttressed.

Related words:

Buttress (noun) - Something that gives support; brick or stone structure built against another structure to support it

7. Imprimatur (noun): (A person's authoritative approval.) (आज्ञा/मुहर)

Synonyms: Permission, Sanction, Charter, Approval.

Antonyms: Prohibition, Veto.

Example: During Emergency, newspapers had to get an official imprimatur in order to publish specific content.

8. Succinctly (adverb: (In a brief and clearly expressed manner.) (संक्षेप में)

Synonyms: Briefly, Shortly, Summarily, In A Nutshell.

Antonyms: At Length, Verbosely, Descriptively.

Example: The ideal summary should be succinct and to the point.

Related words:

Succinct (adjective) - Expressed in a clear but brief manner  

9. Curtail (verb): Reduce in extent or quantity (कम करना/घटाना)

Synonyms: Reduce, Cut, Cut Down, Cut Back, Decrease, Lessen, Diminish

Antonyms: Develop, Enlarge, Expand, Extend, Grow, Increase

Example: Until the celebrity’s stalker was caught, her public appearances were curtailed.

Verb forms: Curtail, Curtailed, Curtailed

Related words:

Curtailment (noun) - घटाव

10. Adjunct (adjective): (A thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential part) (योजक/सहायक)

Synonyms: Supplement, Addition, Add-On, Additive, Appurtenance.

Antonyms: Subtraction.

Example: Because he was an adjunct professor, he was not allowed to vote on any decisions in the department.