Power to the People, Part II

The Greek words hoi polloi are literally translated “the many”, and are the plural form of the word polys, from which we get our common prefix for many: poly-. But the word hoi is Greek for “the”, so the common usage “the hoi polloi” is like saying “ATM machine”, and belongs in the Department of Redundancy Department (a nod to one of my favorite comedy groups as a teen, Firesign Theatre, who debuted the Department of Redundancy Department on their album “Don’t Crush that Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers.” I’ve often thought of another one of their opuses - opae? - titled “How Can You Be Two Places at Once When You’re Not Anywhere at All?” Check out firesigntheatre.com for more information on this group – you can even purchase their recordings. I particularly enjoyed “Nick Danger, Third Eye”.)


Hoi polloi was used as a Greek phrase by Dryden in 1668 and by Byron in 1822, and both of them used “the hoi polloi”, setting the precedent for generations of subsequent needless duplications. Hoi polloi is credited with becoming an English phrase in 1837. But whereas demotic contrasts with priestly or formal, hoi polloi has a patronizing or contemptuous sense to it, similar to the use hoi polloi would make of those who are hoity-toity, a much older word in English that will have to wait for another time.

Our final word this week is used in the definition of our first word (from Sunday): vernacular. Not to be confused with funicular (Lengthy Diversion Warning: Funicular came to English in the 1660s from the Latin word funiculus, the diminutive form of the word for cord or rope: funis. Funicular is most commonly used of rail cars suspended on each end of a cord or cable: when one goes down the incline it pulls the other up the hill or mountain. Now back to the theme of the week.), vernacular is taken from the Latin phrase vernacula vocabula. (Has a nice ring, doesn’t it?) Vernacula vocabula essentially means native language. The word verna means home-born slave or native, and is of Etruscan origin (see May 30, 2010 blog).

Vernacular has one of the more lengthy definitions in my dictionary. It has five definitions as an adjective and four as a noun (the fourth of which has two parts). The number of definitions show that it has broad usage, mainly distinguishing either native or common verbiage from more formal or non-native. The final definition in the listing refers to its use in describing the common or non-scientific name of a plant or animal (e.g., person, as opposed to homo sapiens.) I have too often heard the phrase “common vernacular”, but that is another candidate for inclusion in the Department of Redundancy Department.

So, in referring to common writing, use demotic. In referring to common language or terms, use the word vernacular. And, if you want to use a pejorative word for the non-royal, non-elite, non-special-in-any-way people, use hoi polloi (but not “the” hoi polloi – show how really pendantic you can be.)