THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary-December 8, 2016- Topic 2
It was the eighteenth century satirist Joseph Addison who
said his task was “to enliven morality with wit, and to temper wit with
morality”. For veteran journalist, satirist and playwright ‘Cho’ Ramaswamy, the task may well have been “to enliven politics with
wit, and to temper wit with political analysis”. Cho was a lawyer, writer,
dramatist, comedian, journalist and commentator, but will chiefly be remembered
as a playwright for his 1968 satire Muhammad
bin Tughlaq, and as the editor of
Thuglak magazine for his refusal to be cowed down by the Emergency.
Many looked up to him for political analysis and even voting guidance. Often
moving beyond the journalistic role, he utilised his numerous political
friendships to bring together parties and leaders and sought to influence major
developments. Seen as an upstart when he founded Thuglak in
1970, Cho managed to reflect the unspoken angst of the middle class, which held
a dim view of politics and politicians, especially because of the ease with
which political loyalties would swing from one end to another. His early years
in journalism coincided with the authoritarian phase of the ruling Congress.
Therefore it was no surprise that his brand of journalism, somewhat unique at
the time in south India, had an anti-establishment resonance for many years.
It is easy to sum up Cho’s political views: he was a committed nationalist,
a right-of-centre analyst, and a firm believer in a strong Central government.
He tended to be disdainful of regional parties and their aspirations. He was a
fierce critic of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the misuse of
Article 356 of the Constitution for political ends. With a readership that
strongly echoed his own worldview, Thuglak shaped
the thinking of the middle class for many years. However, with the rise of
other political forces to take on the dominant and unpopular ones, Cho’s appeal
was later limited to the right-wing middle and upper classes. Being a strong
critic of the Emergency and a spirited lampooner of authority, he could have
been a liberal. However, there was a streak of conservatism in his political
outlook, which influenced the manner in which he addressed the issues before
the country, both as an analyst and as a playwright. But ultimately, what will
remain in memory is his inimitable humour, withering sarcasm and vigorous
espousal of democracy against authoritarian intervention. His journalism was
rooted in ethics, rarely allowing scope for gossip or baseless charges. His
Tamil readers will definitely miss his sharp analysis and their weekly fix of
middle-class wisdom.
Vocabulary
Enliven: make something more entertaining, interesting, or appealing.
Example: The wartime routine was enlivened by a series of concerts
Synonyms: liven up, spice up, add spice to, ginger up, vitalize, leaven, perk
up
Cowed: cause someone to submit to one's wishes by intimidation.
Example: The intellectuals had been cowed into silence
Synonyms: intimidate, daunt, browbeat, bully, tyrannize, scare, terrorize
Angst: a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the
human condition or the state of the world in general.
Example: Adolescent angst
Synonyms: anxiety, fear, apprehension, worry, foreboding, trepidation, malaise
Resonance: the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating.
Example: The resonance of his voice
Tended: regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain
characteristic.
Example: Written language tends to be formal
Synonyms: be inclined, be apt, be disposed, be prone, be
liable, have a tendency
Disdainful: showing contempt or lack of respect.
Example: With a last disdainful look, she turned toward the door
Synonyms: contemptuous, scornful, derisive, sneering, withering, slighting
Lampooner: A person, who speech or text criticizing someone or something in this
way.
Example: Does this sound like a lampoon of student life?
Synonyms: satire, burlesque, parody, skit, caricature, impersonation, travesty
Inimitable: so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique.
Example: The inimitable ambience of Hawaii
Synonyms: incomparable, unparalleled, unrivaled, peerless, matchless, unequaled
Sarcasm: the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Example: His voice, hardened by sarcasm, could not hide his resentment
Synonyms: derision, mockery, ridicule, scorn, sneering, scoffing, irony