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Jan 13, 2025
This week’s themeWords with double lives This week’s words airhead 
Illustration: Anu Garg + AI Previous week’s theme Adverbs 
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu GargEver run into your accountant at a rock concert and barely recognize them? You see one side of a person at work. Meet them at another venue -- at the gym, a park, or maybe a karaoke night -- and suddenly, you’re questioning if they’re even the same person. Words can be like that too, pulling off a neat little trick with their multiple personas. This week’s words wear different hats, showcasing wildly different meanings sprouting from the same roots. Context is the key -- depending on where you meet them, you might encounter their serious side or their playful alter ego. It’s like running into your boss moonlighting as a stand-up comedian or discovering your librarian has a secret life as a heavy-metal drummer. automania
PRONUNCIATION:
(aw-toh-MAY-nee-uh)
MEANING:
noun: 1. An obsession with oneself; egomania. 2. An obsession with automobiles or fast driving. ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek auto- (self), also short for automobile + -mania (excessive
enthusiasm or craze). Earliest documented: for 1: 1835, for 2: 1902.
USAGE:
“So my automania -- my desire for my self to live, to continue; eternity
became a fixation.” John E. Muller; Survival Project; Orion; 1966. “It’s clear that Cars holds a special place in Lasseter’s heart, partly because of the automania that’s been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. ‘I’m a car nut,’ he says, offering by way of explanation: ‘My father was a parts manager at a Chevrolet dealership.’” Marc Lee; What Drives the Man at Pixar?; The Daily Telegraph (London, UK); Jul 16, 2011. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
To move freely you must be deeply rooted. -Bella Lewitzky, dancer (13 Jan
1916-2004)
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