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JOCUND

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 11:15 pm
by Dr. Goodword
• jocund •

Pronunciation: jo-kênd • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective

Meaning: Cheerful, pleasant.

Notes: The trick in using today's word is not to confuse it with jocose or jocular. A jocose remark is a joke, but a jocund comment is simply a light-hearted, cheerful one. Neither of these two should be confused with jocular "joking, kidding", even though this meaning is very close to that of jocose. If they all sound like joke to you, today's Word History will explain why. You may also pronounce this word [jah-kênd].

In Play: Remember, jocundity is not humor: "Jocund humor is a much better mood enhancer than dark or sick humor any day of the week." Jocose is the word that implies humor: "Mary Dagai always starts the conversation with a jocose anecdote to set a jocund tone." There are many ways to be jocund without being jocular: " Frank Sanbeens is not a jocular person, but he has a naturally jocund personality that everyone likes."

Word History: Today's upbeat Good Word goes back to Latin jocundus "pleasant, agreeable", a variant of the earlier form jucundus, an adjective from the verb juvare "to help, please". The same root underlies Latin jocus "joke, jest." Jocundus also remains in Portuguese and Spanish as jocundo and in Italian, as giocondo, the feminine of which is the title of the famous opera by Ponchielli, La Gioconda "The Happy Girl". Latin also had a verb joculari "to joke, jest" which became Old French jogleor "jester, jokester" (Modern French jongleur) which English borrowed and polished into juggler. (We very seriously thank the jocund Chris Berry for suggesting today's jocular Good Word.)

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:29 am
by Perry Lassiter
Potentially valuable discussion of three closely related words. Thanx.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:01 pm
by MTC
Wordsworth uses the word "jocund" in his famous poem, The Daffodils:

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

He edited an earlier version of the poem, replacing "laughing" with "jocund." Why, do you suppose?

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:19 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Poetry is like music - a matter of the ear. Jocund sounds better than laughing to my ear, plus to me it implies other jollities around the laughter.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:26 pm
by Slava
Poetry is like music - a matter of the ear. Jocund sounds better than laughing to my ear, plus to me it implies other jollities around the laughter.
I agree, Perry. Jocund covers the entire gamut of fun and games, whereas laughter is only the ha-ha he-he audio bits.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 2:25 pm
by Philip Hudson
The folks at the old Mad Magazine (see http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/1 ... -vein.html) created the word jocundular from jocund. Then they malaproped it into jugular. They named a section of the magazine, "Humor in a Jugular Vein." An eminent churchman, during an internecien struggle, announced he was going for the jugular of his opponents. He succeeded.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:28 pm
by Perry Lassiter
"old." Mad? Saw it on a news stand yesterday.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 5:53 pm
by Philip Hudson
Since I have limited mobility, I am not able to visit news stands. I will have my wife take me to get me a copy of Mad for old times sake.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:20 pm
by LukeJavan8
Reco

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:18 pm
by Perry Lassiter
At last a word from Luke. But alas, the recondite fellow only wrote "reco." Coming back like the Cheshire Cat perhaps.

Re: JOCUND

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:20 am
by LukeJavan8
.