INDEPENDENCE

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Dr. Goodword
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INDEPENDENCE

Postby Dr. Goodword » Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:08 pm

• independence •

Pronunciation: in-dê-pen-dêns • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, mass (no plural)

Meaning: 1. Freedom from outside influence or control, self-regulation, self-governance. 2. Having sufficient income to support yourself and your family, self-reliant (financial independence).

Notes: Independence, of course, is the noun derived from the adjective independent. The adjective also has an adverb, independently, a common enough word in our vocabularies. Today those of us in the US celebrate the proclamation of our independence from Great Britain in our aptly named Declaration of Independence. The document declaring that independence was signed just down the road from alphaDictionary's home (Lewisburg, Pennsylvania) in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. You will find biographies of all 56 signers linked to this page, which also contains the Declaration itself.

In Play: Although politically independent, the US finds itself more and more economically dependent on the rest of the world: "As fossil fuel consumption continues to increase, the US needs to find alternative ways back to the energy independence it once enjoyed." While nations and other political entities often strive for independence, so do individuals: "Well, son, while I like your poetry, I doubt that it will lead you to financial independence."

Word History: Independent is composed of in- "un-, not" + dependent. Dependent is the thinly disguised present participle, depend-en(t)s, of the Latin verb dependere "to hang from, depend". This verb is made up of the prefix de- "from" + pendere "to hang". The root pend- in this word is a variant of the root in the Latin adverb pondo "by weight" from which we snitched English pound. Pondere "to weigh, ponder", the Latin verb from this noun, is also the source of English ponder, in case you haven't already guessed. Today is a wonderful day, by the way, to ponder all the benefits of the independence and freedoms we enjoy every day.
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Slava
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Postby Slava » Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:45 pm

From the film "Holiday Inn," here are the lyrics to the song Bing Crosby sang for the Fourth of July:
-Freedom! Freedom
-Here comes the Freedom Man

On this day of independence
On this Independence Day
Listen to an American troubador from the U.S.A

I'm singing a song of freedom
For all people who cry out to be free

Free to sail the seven seas
Free to worship as we please
If the birds up in the trees can be free
Why can't we?

I'm bringing a song of freedom
To all people wherever they may be

Free to speak and free to hear
Free from want and free from fear
Sons of freedom far and near who agree
Sing with me
That all God's people shall be free.
I couldn't find an audio to share, so you'll have to watch the movie, I guess.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Philip Hudson
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Postby Philip Hudson » Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:31 pm

It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

LukeJavan8
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Postby LukeJavan8 » Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:05 pm

Thanks for taking the time to find that....I am appreciative.

HAPPY FOURTH TO ALL
-----please, draw me a sheep-----


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