full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Mark Forsyth: What's a snollygoster? A short lesson in political speak

Unscramble the Blue Letters


One of my favorite words in the whole of the Oxford English Dictionary is "snollygoster," just because it sounds so good. And what soltolysgenr menas is "a dishonest piicilaton." Although there was a 19th-century newspaper editor who defined it rather better when he said, "A snollygoster is a fellow who seeks office regardless of party, platform or principle, and who, when he wins, gets there by the sheer fcore of monumental tipaoanlhkcl assumnancy."

(letgauhr)

Now, I have no idea what "talknophical" is. Something to do with words, I assume. But it's very important that words are at the center of politics, and all politicians know they have to try and control language.

Open Cloze


One of my favorite words in the whole of the Oxford English Dictionary is "snollygoster," just because it sounds so good. And what ____________ _____ is "a dishonest __________." Although there was a 19th-century newspaper editor who defined it rather better when he said, "A snollygoster is a fellow who seeks office regardless of party, platform or principle, and who, when he wins, gets there by the sheer _____ of monumental ____________ assumnancy."

(________)

Now, I have no idea what "talknophical" is. Something to do with words, I assume. But it's very important that words are at the center of politics, and all politicians know they have to try and control language.

Solution


  1. talknophical
  2. force
  3. laughter
  4. means
  5. snollygoster
  6. politician

Original Text


One of my favorite words in the whole of the Oxford English Dictionary is "snollygoster," just because it sounds so good. And what snollygoster means is "a dishonest politician." Although there was a 19th-century newspaper editor who defined it rather better when he said, "A snollygoster is a fellow who seeks office regardless of party, platform or principle, and who, when he wins, gets there by the sheer force of monumental talknophical assumnancy."

(Laughter)

Now, I have no idea what "talknophical" is. Something to do with words, I assume. But it's very important that words are at the center of politics, and all politicians know they have to try and control language.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
united states 6
senate won 2


Important Words


  1. assume
  2. assumnancy
  3. center
  4. control
  5. defined
  6. dictionary
  7. dishonest
  8. editor
  9. english
  10. favorite
  11. fellow
  12. force
  13. good
  14. idea
  15. important
  16. language
  17. laughter
  18. means
  19. monumental
  20. newspaper
  21. office
  22. oxford
  23. party
  24. platform
  25. politician
  26. politicians
  27. politics
  28. principle
  29. seeks
  30. sheer
  31. snollygoster
  32. sounds
  33. talknophical
  34. wins
  35. words