Gaslight (the verb)

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Dr. Goodword
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Gaslight (the verb)

Postby Dr. Goodword » Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:00 pm

• gaslight •


Pronunciation: gæs-lait • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Verb

Meaning: 1. To manipulate a person by deceptive psychological means into questioning their own sanity. 2. To mislead a person by providing them with false information.

Notes: The US news media seem to be using today's word in a new sense, (2) above, in connection with the use of "fake news" (propaganda). The web especially is rife with such "news" today, but some US networks carry it, too. The noun for this verb is the expectable gaslighting; it also serves as an adjective.

In Play: The original meaning of today's word is to trick someone into thinking they are insane: "Harry gaslighted his wife in order to get her to agree to commitment to an insane asylum." However, the sense of the word has broadened: "The president gaslighted the employees into taking a pay cut."

Word History: Today's Good Word was taken from the title of George Cukor's 1944 film Gaslight, a remake of Thorold Dickinson's 1940 version, in turn based on a 1938 play by British playwright Patrick Hamilton. The word was not verbalized until the 1950s. The story describes a woman's reaction to the unexpected dimming of the gas lights in her house and doubts her own sanity when she is told she is imagining things or misremembering her experiences. Obviously, we have a compound containing gas + light. English borrowed the word from Dutch gas, which was coined by the Flemish chemist, J. B. van Helmont as a transliteration of Greek xaos "chaos". Dutch G is pronounced [gh], a G pronounced a bit like German or Scottish CH, the same sound as Greek [x]. Hence gouda, the cheese, is pronounced in Dutch [ghouda].
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Slava
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Re: Gaslight (the verb)

Postby Slava » Sat Jun 10, 2023 7:00 am

Still an extremely appropriate word for our times, sadly.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Debbymoge
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Re: Gaslight (the verb)

Postby Debbymoge » Sat Jun 10, 2023 5:27 pm

Slava,
With the destruction of the American educational system well advanced, and the general fear level encouraged by the government (what gifts 9/11 and CoViD gave them), it is no wonder that the very idea of saying hello to your new neighbor is a cause for angst.
This is not a conspiracy theory. TSA, for example, does nothing to promote security. That and the other bills passed at the time were at best ill-thought out.
We all know that the government we have is the best that can be bought, and none of US (unless I'm much mistaken on the make up of those of us who visit here) is likely to be buying the favors of the elected elite.
I'm an old political junkie, began before birth.
All I can say is, say hello to anyone you meet during the day. It's a first step to easing the tension and reintroducing the idea we don't need to be afraid of everyone else.
Second, get acquainted with those running for local offices. If we don't start good people who believe in democracy and fairness for all at the bottom of the ladder, we'll not have any at the top.

Don't conflate the two suggestions!

LOL!

Debby
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
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