Enclave

Use this forum to discuss past Good Words.
User avatar
Dr. Goodword
Site Admin
Posts: 7417
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:28 am
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Contact:

Enclave

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sun Jul 10, 2022 9:01 pm

• enclave •


Pronunciation: en-klayv, ahng-klayv • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. A portion of a country or territory distinct from its surroundings. 2. A culturally distinct population living in such a territory.

Notes: Today's Good Word is French in the process of Anglicization. We can either pronounce the first syllable in English or French, but the accent is strictly English. Enclaved is an adjective meaning "having (an) enclave(s)" or "living in an enclave". No dictionary lists enclave as a verb.

In Play: An enclave can be a geographical area: "As soon as Petrov had the wherewithal, he ensconced himself in an exclusive green and leafy gated enclave of New Monia." It can also be a culturally defined territory: "Its world reputation as a wellspring of jobs turned New York at the turn of the 20th century into a city of immigrants living in many ethnic enclaves."

Word History: Today's Good Word was taken from French enclave, the noun from Old French enclaver "enclose, include", inherited from Late Latin inclavare "shut in, lock up". The Latin verb comprises in "in" + clavis "key", which Latin inherited from PIE kleu-/klou- "hook", source also of English claw and German Klaue "claw, cleat". We also find Ancient Greek kleis "key", Latin clavis "key" (which we see in clavichord), Welsh clo "lock", Irish glas "lock", Russian and Serbian klyuch "key", Polish klucz "key", Russian klyuv and Serbian kljun "beak, bill"—all from the same PIE source. (Now a bow of gratitude to Ana Jung of our enclave of contributors, an avid donor of vibrant Good Words just like today's.)
• The Good Dr. Goodword

David Myer
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:21 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Enclave

Postby David Myer » Mon Jul 11, 2022 6:42 am

So recognising that the clave part is about keys and locks, what is the difference between an enclave and a ghetto? Both appear to be intended to segregate or to separate or at least to constrain the inhabitants in some way. I suppose the 'in' crowd can live in an enclave bordering or even surrounding a ghetto. Perhaps ghettos are reserved for minority groups and for the despised or downtrodden.

I see that getto is or was Italian for foundry - so there again is the sense of locks, fences and gates.

In other words, a ghetto may be to lock people in where an enclave may be to lock people out.

But then one online dictionary offers:

an isolated or segregated group or area.
"a middle-class ghetto of prosperous professionals"

So perhaps there is no difference?

Debbymoge
Lexiterian
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2021 2:15 pm

Re: Enclave

Postby Debbymoge » Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:47 pm

"Clutch", same root?
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Shakespear

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8039
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: Enclave

Postby Slava » Mon Jul 11, 2022 4:19 pm

Ghetto should perhaps not be used in semi-humorous ways, given its origins. It originally meant 'the part of the city to which Jews are restricted.'

Treated by our own Good Doctor here.

My take on the main difference between enclave and ghetto is thus: an enclave is personal choice, a ghetto is forced upon one.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

David Myer
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:21 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Enclave

Postby David Myer » Wed Jul 13, 2022 6:50 am

Much enjoyed your admonishment (if that's what it was), Slava, although having re-read my entry, I struggle to find anything even vaguely humorous in it.

But it does raise an interesting question. Is humour to be forbidden in discussion of any ugly behaviour? Slavery, sexism, racism...
Perhaps the most effective comedy is that which forces us to laugh at the obscenity of our own bad behaviour. Maybe. We laugh and then we squirm. Just maybe, we then modify attitudes and behaviour. Political cartoons sometimes achieve that.

But never mind humour, we do need to discuss and re-visit historical obscenities; how else can we learn to improve? And we must use words such as holocaust and ghetto, slavery and black people. We must use them sensitively, recognising the horror that such words invoke for some people. We must also use them respectfully.

But beware constraint of discourse!

User avatar
Slava
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 8039
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:31 am
Location: Finger Lakes, NY

Re: Enclave

Postby Slava » Wed Jul 13, 2022 7:19 am

The 'humorosity' wasn't yours, and probably in my mind only, but I took
"a middle-class ghetto of prosperous professionals" as someone's attempt to use ghetto in an ironic way. I meant no censure.

I wholeheartedly agree that we need to be able to use words, even "bad" words. We do have to remain aware of what they mean. Speaking of 'expletive replaced with euphemism' doesn't work well for me.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

LukeJavan8
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 4423
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:16 pm
Location: Land of the Flat Water

Re: Enclave

Postby LukeJavan8 » Wed Jul 13, 2022 12:59 pm

See the enclaves/exclaves of the city of
Baarle Hertzog Belgium/Netherlands: Fascinating:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baarle-Hertog

scroll down to see the city map.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

David Myer
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:21 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Enclave

Postby David Myer » Thu Jul 14, 2022 4:30 am

Humorosity! I like it. Better than humerousness. But maybe humour is best. Anyway, we are clearly on the same side, Slava.

And love the link, LukeJavan8. A great discovery. What unnecessarily complicated lives people have to lead because of historical quirks. You would have thought that the residents would have sorted it all out by now. And when the national border runs through your house, in which country do you pay taxes? And which medical system do you use? Are you banned from the nearest hospital on the basis that it is in another country?

LukeJavan8
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 4423
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:16 pm
Location: Land of the Flat Water

Re: Enclave

Postby LukeJavan8 » Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:12 pm

I have those same questions, David, every time I see that
map or hear the word 'enclave'. Europe is full of them,
along the Swiss border, i.e. We have one in the very northern
border of the state of Minnesota, a small chunk of that state
is in the Canadian province of Manitoba.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----


Return to “Good Word Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot], Bing [Bot], Google [Bot] and 3 guests