• bipartisan •
Pronunciation: bai-par-tê-zên • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Advocated or supported by two discrete parties or sides of an issue.
Notes: This word requires a small 'heads-up': because the S is pronounced [z] in this word, so there is a tendency to spell it with a Z. Avoid the temptation. Although an adjective bipartisan does not function adverbially. It does support a noun, however, which is bipartisanship.
In Play: The US Congress has shown little inclination for bipartisanship in recent years: "We can only expect strong bipartisan support for a bill to raise the salaries or benefits for members of Congress." Cooperation on other issues remains to be seen. However, bipartisanship is possible between any two parties with distinct positions or attitudes: "Management and labor reached a bipartisan agreement to provide equal restroom facilities for male and female employees."
Word History: Today's Good Word entered English around the turn of the 20th century. It was created from an older word, partisan, by adding the prefix bi- "two, both" to it. French picked the word up from Italian partezan, from parte "party, faction" + -ezan, a suffix indicating a member of some group. The root, part- goes back to Latin pars, part- "part, share", a word related to par "equal", used in the Modern English phrase "on a par with". It also turns up in Sanskrit purtam "reward" and Hittite parshiya- "fraction, part". Many English words trace their origins back to this root: parcel, parse, parity, to name just three. (I am sure the writers and readers of today's Good Word offer bipartisan gratitude to Chris Berry for suggesting it.)
BIPARTISAN
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BIPARTISAN
Last edited by Dr. Goodword on Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
• The Good Dr. Goodword
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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MTC said:
Can't say I've ever heard this word used with this definition. Odd. Have to agree that bipartisanship in government is rarely achieved. Too bad."bipartisan:" (adj) tending to advance the interests of bisexuals.
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I'm going to change myself. -- Rumi
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I do believe that was meant as a joke: partisanship of bisexuals.MTC said:Can't say I've ever heard this word used with this definition. Odd."bipartisan:" (adj) tending to advance the interests of bisexuals.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
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Some of us are so dense I suggest that jokes be followed with the word joke in parenthesis. Americans seem to consider the English to have a strange sense of humor. In the 1940s there was a comedy program on network radio in which several actors, one playing the part of an Englishman, took part. Toward the end of the show the Englishman would catch the point of a joke told earlier in the show and explain it to the panel. It was always clear that he never actually got the joke. What other people would laugh wildly at the mere mention of knickers?
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That was the original use for emoticons, or smileys as many call them. If you tell an obscure joke, or say something that could be insulting, put a after it, and all is forgiven.Some of us are so dense I suggest that jokes be followed with the word joke in parenthesis.
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