Legerdemain
Go easy on those nice-looking, foreign-sounding words like "legerdemain." A columnist in the Philippine Star of November 4 used the word in a way that she probably wouldn't have had she been aware of the connotation of the word.
She used "legerdemain" to describe the "wizardry" of a pianist. It's true the word has to do with the skilful use of one's hands, but this is usually in a context implying deceit, as in a "shells" artist in a rural fiesta who manages to flick the tiny seed off any of the shells and "palm" it, making it impossible for the mark to make a correct guess.
The rule is: Try to be thoroughly familiar with a word before using it.
She used "legerdemain" to describe the "wizardry" of a pianist. It's true the word has to do with the skilful use of one's hands, but this is usually in a context implying deceit, as in a "shells" artist in a rural fiesta who manages to flick the tiny seed off any of the shells and "palm" it, making it impossible for the mark to make a correct guess.
The rule is: Try to be thoroughly familiar with a word before using it.
posted by Abraham V. Llera at 7:18 PM
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