Palaver

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Dr. Goodword
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Palaver

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:54 pm

• palaver •

Pronunciation: pê--vêr, pê-lah-vêr • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, mass

Meaning: A talk, a conversation, a discussion for purposes ranging from idle chatter, to flattery, to resolving a dispute.

Notes: Today's word may well have come over with white slave traders who did business in Portuguese West Africa. It was originally a Portuguese word, but now has been completely Anglicized. It may be used as a verb, as 'to palaver with women all night. While the pseudo-Latin adjective palaverous rears its head from time to time, the most common adjective is the perfectly English palavering, as 'a palavering lush who would leave no one alone'.

In Play: Keep in mind that while most English dictionaries have lifted the taint of "slang" from this word, it is still a humorous word at best: "Dear, I think you and I should have a more serious palaver before we commit to buying a new car." The kind of talk covered by palaver must be specified by a modifier if the context doesn't make it clear: "They keep Waldo as a director because he keeps the board room awash in flattering palaver whenever he is around."

Word History: Today's word was adapted from Portuguese palavra "word (figuratively speech)", inherited from Latin parabola "speech, parable". Latin borrowed parabola from Greek parabole "comparison", the noun of paraballein "to compare", composed of para "beside" + ballein "to throw". The root that developed into Greek ballein also devolved through Old Germanic into English ball after relatively few twists and turns. The Greek verb itself also went into the making of diaballein "to slander", made up of dia "through, by" + ballein "throw, hurl". The noun from this verb was diabolos "slanderer", borrowed by Latin as diabolus. Old English then picked up the Latin word, converting it to deofol, which Middle English transformed into devil. (Our palaver should include a note of gratitude to Kelsey Marshall for suggesting today's funny little Good Word.)
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Slava
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Re: Palaver

Postby Slava » Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:29 am

Why is this a mass noun? Don't mass nouns have no plural? And couldn't one have a series of palavers, making a plural? :?:
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Re: Palaver

Postby Audiendus » Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:36 am

In British English, palaver usually means a long, tedious, unnecessarily complex procedure, a rigmarole.

David Myer
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Re: Palaver

Postby David Myer » Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:16 am

Yes, Audiendus. And so it is in Australia. Not commonly used here but always to describe a convoluted process, usually involving form-filling where the filler can see no need for the data. The new money-laundering laws make application for a new bank account a helluva palaver. I have never heard it used (to my memory anyway) with the meaning, presumably American, ascribed by the Good Doctor. So once again I have learnt something.

If it is related to French parler, to speak, then maybe the offered meaning becomes more understandable. Pow wow might fit the meaning better though.


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