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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well, good--I was hoping to spark off a discussion of just this kind. Helen--thanks for the insight/info. I have often given thought to how miserable it must have been, in city offices pre-A/C.  Shanks--I'll take your word for it, love; want to give us a few details? Zed--ohmigawd, you made me about fall off my chair laughing, with both your posts! oxymoronocracies---(political wisdom?) HA! As to finding a kakistocracy...I won't say it, I won't say it, I won't... I was very surprised when I came upon this list, not just at some of the words, but at a few of the concepts. I mean, how many examples could there have been of some of them??
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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the list missed out on 'boobocracy', for one..
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old hand
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old hand
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Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Altamash, and some others were kings/emperors of the famous 'Slave Dynasty' in medieval India, prior to the coming of the Mughals. The ruled what is frequently referred to as the Delhi Sultanate. Technically speaking, they were no longer slaves when they ruled, but many of them started their careers as slaves in the service of the reigning Sultan and then, through dint of capability and personality (and probably lack of any likely-looking lads amongst the heirs) were 'elected' Sultan after the death of the incumbent. I think either the Romans or the Greeks (or the Macedonians, or am I just thinking of Mary Renault?) had examples of something similar.
As for the rest, I am tempted, but would not wish to definitely call a leader on a modern world stage a pile of kak, else I would give you an example of that kai-thingy.
cheer
the sunshine warrior
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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the list missed out on 'boobocracy', for one..
Boobocracy ~ rule by a group of friends; or bosom buddies.
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old hand
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old hand
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I wonder if there's any logic behind the -archies vs the -cracies. I suspect the author of most oft he list just made them up according to phonetic (euphonic) criteria.
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Joined: Apr 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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>I suspect the author of most oft he list..
I suspect he was mostly a compiler. Some of the -archys stem directly from -archs; e.g., exarch.. ecclesiarch.. patriarch... Paparchy and oligarchy have W3 entries. I think hagiarchy is debatable, as I find hagiocracy in W3, but AHD has both; gynarchy and gynocracy are also both well documented. kritarchy is an old word: Samson, Jephthah, Gideon, and other heroes of the kritarchy. --Southey; thus, the rule of the judges over Israel.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I would like to add timarchy to the list,having just come across the adjective timarchic.
Bingley
Bingley
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Rule of Fear?
OED seems to prefer timocracy.
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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Well, the other two tim(orous?)-words bumfuzzled Gurunet, but it does have:
ti·moc·ra·cy (tī-mŏk'rə-sē)
n., pl. -cies.
1. A state described by Plato as being governed on principles of honor and military glory.
2. An Aristotelian state in which civic honor or political power increases with the amount of property one owns.
[Obsolete French tymocracie, from Medieval Latin tīmocratia, from Greek tīmokratiā : tīmē, honor, value + -kratiā, -cracy.]
ti'mo·crat'ic (tī'mə-krăt'ĭk) adj.
Are there any other tim-words in use today that relate to honor and glory?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Timothy = honouring God
Bingley
Bingley
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