Notice that "fin de siècle" referred to a mood a hundred years ago quite different
from the mood two years ago. Chiliasm always leads the weirdos to prophesy of
cataclysm, but the beginning of a new century is more about living styles than a
novo ordo seclorum.

Dear wwh,

Yes, that's interesting. I had supposed that the end of a thousand years would simply generate a somewhat stronger, but similar, reaction to that induced by the end of a hundred years. But no, you are right, rather than just a milestone passed followed by yet more road it seemed more like a finish followed by a new start and that leaves people a lot of room for speculation and introspection leading to fear of the unknown.

On a more mundane note, I was interested by Wordsmith’s pronunciation of fin-de-siècle, compared with the way in which I was taught and the way I have heard it pronounced by others both in the UK and France.

As we were taught, the first part, fin, was pronounced like “fang” with the ng missing and the last part was pronounced like “sea” followed by “eck” followed by “luh” with the uh half swallowed (the uh in the central “duh” was much stronger). So the expression became fa(ng)-duh-seaeckluh. Wordsmith's guidance seemed to give a slightly different pronunciation and I wonder if that is the way it would be pronounced in American English.

I believe we have previously discussed the inconsistencies in how foreign, and particularly French, words are pronounced in English common usage. Some, like fin-de-siècle, bijoux, boutique, are pronounced in French fashion while others such as cornet and homage have become anglicised. I suppose this may depend on how long the word has been in the English language. Latterly (last hundred years or so) the fashion seems to have been to retain the French pronunciation, perhaps to show how educated we are.

dxb

I don't know--- this new millenium has started with a bang.. i don't know how else you can see the WTC/Pentagon episodes... and with the increased tension in mid east, and the changes in ireland (vis a vis Northern Ireland) and with the forces in european union, 1) uniting enough to form a new currency, and 2) taking a different stand the US in reguards to israeli/palestinian conflict... Aids is still a major disease in most of the world, and is destroying a new young generations, Africa is being hit hardest, and will continue to suffer -- already, population presure is changing, and it will continue to. What will african nations be like with a population of old people and orphans? and China, now going into year 20+ or so of its "one child family" rule, is finding the girls so readily killed as infants, are now not available to be wives to all the sons.. and in an other 20 years.. these only childen will be alone-- their parents will be dead, and they will have no siblings, and few cousins...no will more aunts and uncles.. the whole nature of family will be changed!

i think there are lot of forces for major change in play, and 20 years for now, we will look back as see a very different world..

i hope we get there with out a major war-- but it is clear there will be major disruptions to everyones way of life.

now, it just seems like the same old stuff... but can a civilized world function when on continent is in shambles? and how can africa be anything but shambles? there are few existing governments, and while the continent is rich in resources, getting to them, will be an issue. and planes and world travel mean it can't be avoided.. we (the western world are luck to just have to deal with aides.. ebola has a 24 hour incubation period.. what would NY or Paris or London be like if there was a serious outbreak of ebola?

(far worse than anything that could be done by terrorist with anthrax or small pox! and it could happen just by accident.)

Dear of troy: The Chinese infamous female infanticides might at least have one good
outcome. The status of women ought to be better than before, because the scarcity
of women ought give them more freedom of choice.

<because the scarcity of women ought give them more freedom of choice>

Please elaborate on that Dr. Bill. In my three decades of life, minority in 'race' has never tended to give the minority any bigger voice or freedoms, I haven't given minority in the male/female sense much thought but I'm not growing anything right now......

I forget the ratio, but it is almost as bad as ten men for every woman of same age.
I would hope she would be able to choose the least chauvinist male, and dump him
if he got disagreeable. And not be required to walk behind him on the street,etc.