Know Your English (July 2001)

Know your English

Who is a ``psephologist''?

First, let's deal with the pronunciation. The first `p' is silent. The `se' in the first syllable sounds like the `se' in `set', sent', and `sell'. The `ph' is pronounced like the `f' in `fit', `feet', and `food'. The vowel `o' is like the `o' in `got', `not', and `lot'. The `o' in the third syllable sounds like the `a' in `China' and the following `g' is like the `j' in `jam'. You can probably guess how the final `ist' is pronounced. It is the second syllable which has the main stress. Psephology is the scientific study of the way in which people vote in elections.
A `psephologist' therefore is someone who studies how people vote - he comes up with the statistics, the trends, etc. These are the people you see on TV during elections telling us about the `swing factor', etc.
Several psephologists were interviewed a day before the elections.
My cousin Mohan wants to be a psephologist when he grows up.
How does one become a psephologist?


Source:
The Hindu daily, Tuesday, July10, 2001