Know Your English (July 2001)

Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning and origin of the word ``laconic"?

If you want to know the meaning of the word ``laconic" all you have to do is to recall those old Amitabh Bachchan movies where he played the role of the angry young man. Remember movies like Deewar, Zanjeer, Sholay and Trishul? In these movies Amitabh hardly spoke; he was laconic. Whenever the heroine or villain spoke at length about something, Amitabh's usual response was a one liner. The word ``laconic" is usually used to refer to a person who speaks very few words. He is usually blunt and brief in what he has to say. We have at some time or the other met such a person in our life. Here are a few examples.
*The scientist's laconic replies were driving the reporter up the wall.
*A laconic politician! That is an oxymoron.
*Das' laconic speech left everyone wondering if something was wrong.
The word comes from the name of a place in Greece - ``Laconia". The Spartans who lived in this region were known for their ability to ration their words. (An ability, which I wish all our politicians, would acquire!) Whatever they said, it was to the point. The story goes that Philip of Macedon sent a message of warning to the Laconians. The message was: ``If I enter Laconia with my army, I shall raze Sparta to the ground. I will destroy it." The Laconians' terse response to this threat was ``If"!
Finally, a word about the pronunciation of ``laconic". The ``a" in the first syllable is like the ``a" in ``China", ``about", and ``announce". The following ``o" sounds like the ``o" in ``cot", ``pot", and ``hot". You can probably figure out how the final syllable is pronounced. The main stress, by the way, is on the second syllable.


Source:
The Hindu daily, Tuesday, July 31, 2001