Sunday, October 27, 2019

Role of Clothing in Communication

Role of Clothing in Communication Clothing is a language, a nonverbal system of communication that through its symbols conveys much about the wearer to the viewer. Before people speak to one another, their clothing makes a statement that expresses their sex, age, class, occupation, origin and personality, as well as what they are or what they want to be at a particular moment. A businessperson is recognized in a well tailored suit. Fashion can suggest or signal status in a social group. Groups with high cultural status like to keep in fashion to display their position; people who do not keep in fashion within a so-called style tribe can risk shunning. Because keeping in fashion often requires considerable amounts of money, fashion can be used to show off wealth (compare conspicuous consumption). Adherence to fashion trends can thus form an index of social affluence and an indicator of social mobility. Humans often wear articles ofÂÂ  clothingÂÂ  (also known asÂÂ  Apparel,ÂÂ  dress,ÂÂ  garmentsÂÂ  orÂÂ  attire) on the body . In its broadest sense, clothing includes coverings for the trunk and limbs as well as coverings for hands (gloves), feet (shoes,ÂÂ  sandals,ÂÂ  boots), and head (hats,caps). Articles carried rather than worn (likeÂÂ  pursesÂÂ  and umbrellas) normally count as accessories rather than as clothing. Humans also decorate their bodies with makeup or cosmetics, perfume,ÂÂ  jewelryÂÂ  and other ornament; cut, dye, and arrange their head and body hair (hairstyle), and sometimes their skin (tattoo, scarifications, piercing). All these decorations contribute to the overall effect and message of clothing, but do not constitute clothing per se. People wear clothing for functional and/or social reasons. Clothing protects the body; it also delivers social messages to other humans. Function includes protection of the body against strong sunlight, extreme heat or cold, and precipitation; protection against insects, noxious chemicals, weapons, contact with abrasive substances in sum, against anything that might injure an unprotected human body. Humans have shown extreme inventiveness in devising clothing solutions to practical problems. See: armor,ÂÂ  diving suit, bee-keepers costume, motorcycle leathers,ÂÂ  high-visibility clothing. Social messages sent by clothing, accessories, and decorations can involve social status, occupation, ethnic and religious affiliation, marital status and sexual availability, etc. Humans must know the code in order to recognize the message transmitted. If different groups read the same item of clothing or decoration with different meanings, the wearer may provoke unanticipated responses. Social status: in many societies, people of high rank reserve special items of clothing or decoration for themselves. Only Roman emperors could wear garments dyeed with Tyrian purple; only high-ranking Hawaiian chiefs could wear feather cloaks and palaoa or carved whale teeth. In other societies, no laws prohibit lower-status people wearing high statusÂÂ  garments, but the high cost of status garments effectively limits purchase and display. In current Western society, only the rich can affordÂÂ  haute couture. The threat of social ostracism may also limit garment choice. Occupation: military, police, firefighters usually wearÂÂ  uniforms, as do workers in many industries. School-children often wearÂÂ  school uniforms, college and university students wear academic dress. Members of religious orders may wear uniforms known as habits. Sometimes a single item of clothing or a single accessory can declare ones occupation and/or status for example, the highÂÂ  toqueÂÂ  or chefs hat worn by a chief cook. Ethnic, political, and religious affiliation: In many regions of the world, styles in clothing and ornament declare membership in a certain village, caste, religion, etc. A Scotsman declares his clan with hisÂÂ  tartan; an Orthodox Jew his religion with his (non-clothing) sidelocks; a French peasant woman her village with her cap orÂÂ  coif. Clothes can also proclaim dissent from cultural norms and mainstream beliefs, as well as personal independence. In 19th century Europe, artists and writers livedÂÂ  la vie de Bohe meÂÂ  and dressed to shock: George Sand in mens clothing, female emancipationists in bloomers, male artists in velvet waistcoats and gaudy neckcloths. Bohemians, beatniks, hippies, Goths, and punks continued the ( counter-cultural) tradition in the 20th century West. Now thatÂÂ  haute coutureÂÂ  plagiarises street fashion within a year or so, street fashion may have lost some of its power to shock, but it still motivates millions trying to look hip and cool. People such as inventor Dean Kamen or film director Peter Jackson wear simple functional clothing to distance themselves from the establishment (and possibly to attract additional attention). Marital status: Hindu women, once married, wearÂÂ  sindoor, a red powder, in the parting of their hair; if widowed, they abandonÂÂ  sindoorÂÂ  and jewelry and wear simple white clothing. Men and women of the Western world may wear wedding rings to indicate their marital status. Sexual availability: Some clothing indicates the modesty of the wearer. For example, many Muslim women wear a head or body covering (hijab, bourqa orÂÂ  burka,ÂÂ  chador,ÂÂ  abaya) that proclaims their status as respectable women. Other clothing may indicate flirtatious intent. For example, a Western woman might wear extreme stiletto heels, close-fitting and body-revealing black or red clothing, exaggerated make-up, flashy jewelry and perfume to show sexual availability. What constitutes modesty and allurement varies radically from culture to culture, within different contexts in the same culture, and over time as differentÂÂ  fashionsÂÂ  rise and fall. Moreover, a person may choose to display a mixed message.ÂÂ  For example, a Saudi Arabian woman may wear anÂÂ  abayaÂÂ  to proclaim her respectability, but choose an abaya of luxurious material cut close to the body and then accessorize withÂÂ  high heelsÂÂ  and a fashionable purse. Al l the details proclaim sexual desirability, despite the ostensible message of respectability. Similarly, a Japanese schoolgirl may wear the required school uniform in a way (skirts waistband rolled to shorten the skirt, long sleeves rolled up) that says sexy schoolgirl rather than good girl.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Comparison of A Farewell to Arms and The Great Gatsby Essay -- Ernest

Comparison of A Farewell to Arms and The Great Gatsby The author’s style from Ernest Hemigway’s A Farewell to Arms differ from F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in many ways. Fitzgerald uses a more reflective style of writing meaning that he makes his characters reflect and the theme also includes reflection from the reader as well as the plot. On the other hand, Hemingway uses a more self-interest style with its theme, characters, and plot, meaning that he makes this book on his own personal experiences that cause the theme, plot and characters to differ in many ways. For example, the styles in which the characters are described are very different. Hemingway makes his characters less educated and from a lower social ranking than the characters from The Great Gatsby. Fredrick Henry, who is the main character in A Farewell to Arms, is less educated than Nick Carraway who is the main character in The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby also has a totally opposite theme than A Farewell to Arms because the them es that are employed by Fitzgerald’s book, are more about corruption of American youth and the education of young Americans while in Hemingway’s book, the themes are related to war and love. The plot from A Farewell to Arms is also very much different from the plot in The Great Gatsby whose plot is about five friends who meet this â€Å"millionaire† and all the time, he was lying about the money he had. H had said to be millionaire but wasn’t. In A Farewell to Arms, the plot is much more different emphasizing on a much more complicated problem. The plot is about Fredrick Henry who is an ambulance driver and deals with war issues during World War I. Fredrick Henry from Hemingway’s book is very different from Nick Carraway from Fitzgerald’s book. Henry is a young, ambulance driver that serves for the Italian army during the First World War. Henry is a very disciplined and courageous young European boy that discovers love with Catherine Barkley, an American nurse whose fiancà © was killed during a battle between Germany and Italy during World war I. Frederic Henry is an immature, troubled young man, caught in a terrible war. He is very much involved with drinking and picking up women only to have sex with them. On the other hand, Nick Carraway is a more centered young boy who went to Yale University and graduated with a major in business bon... ...In A Farewell to Arms, many upcoming events from the war lead the two happily united love partners to separate and take their own ways because of their jobs and then they reunite back together when Fredrick is severely injured by a bomb and is taken to a nearby hospital in which Catherine is the head, leading nurse and she takes care of him and they get married. In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is not related to A Farewell to Arms because of the ways the two aurthoprs express themselves. Fitzgerald uses a more reflective style of writing while Hemingway uses a more self-interest style with its theme, characters, and plot. The styles in which the characters are described are very different in both of the books. The Great Gatsby also has a totally opposite theme than A Farewell to Arms because the themes that are employed by Fitzgerald’s book, are more about corruption of American youth and the education of young Americans while in Hemingway’s book, the themes are related to war and love. The plot from A Farewell to Arms is also very much different from the plot in The Great Gatsby . These two books could never be compared due to their style in which the author has written them.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Book Summary

Book Summary Beginning chapter one with citing one of the ten commandments, â€Å"Thou shall not steal,† Wayne Grudem sets the stage of what is about to come; a black and white analysis on how having business success does not necessarily make you fall short of being a â€Å"good† Christian. As a well-known, very credible Christian theologist, one may wonder why Grudem would venture out to right a book solely about business. â€Å"Business for the Glory of God,† looks at business ownership, profitability, money, competition, and borrowing and lending, just to name a few topics.This essay will take a look at a few of the controversial topics, and share insight of why they may or may not be feasible arguments for why business is, â€Å"a gift from God. † When Grudem speaks of the commandment that states, â€Å"Thou shall not steal,† he uses this as evidence that by stealing, one must have their own possessions, and if we did not have possessions, this commandment would make no sense. This is a reasonable assumption, therefore it can be a good way to begin discussing how ownership is not so bad; on the contrary, if Grudem is unable to offer clear, factual information, his credibility may waiver.Chapter one continues with Grudem’s discussion of how ownership is not synonymic for greed, and if one is selfless and realizes that God is the real business owner, he has not sinned. The points that Grudem makes are quite valid, and are very simple, and to the point; the issue with this, is that these may seem like simple subjects, however the responses are more analytical than what is given. When speaking of ownership, the only viewpoint is one attempting to prove that business ownership is not a sinful act; without overcoming specific objections that this may be a sinful act.While the writer makes valid arguments, he tends to only cater to what he believes, instead of being philosophical on the subject. This can lead to the reader questioning the content being read, and frankly can lead to distrust in the content overall. A similar argument would be, â€Å"The world was created in six days overall, because the Bible said so. † Though this may be feasible to someone who acknowledges that the Bible is accurate, it is not a proper argument for those who look for a deeper understanding of the matter.Chapter four’s focus is commercial transactions; the beginning of the chapter reads, â€Å"Buying and selling are fundamentally good and provide many opportunities for glorifying God, but also many temptations to sin. † On the topic of buying and selling, Grudem discusses how selfish motives can easily lead to a sinful nature. When a business or individual is making a profit from their company, and they do not share the profits accordingly with their partners, they have encountered a sinful nature. Also, when a business begins focusing on their profits only, they have â€Å"idolized† money , and forgotten their original business promises.Grudem speaks of many good points on how buying and selling is essentially trading, so that we can get what we need. This is obviously what makes our economy, and allows us to provide for our families accordingly. Unfortunately, an unaddressed concern would be price gouging. For a typical, middle class American, there are a lot of products and services that are necessary that are outrageously expensive due to circumstances. One example of an unethical, non-Christian business practice would be pricing generators at a higher price due to power outages.This is unfair to the consumer who needs the product, and demonstrates the seller’s greed. Profits allow businesses to succeed; if there was no money earned for one’s labor, a business would be unsuccessful. Reasoning as to why profits are not against what Christianity stands for, is because if we make something and sell it for a higher price, we are generally selling the val ue that we have added to a product. Mass merchandisers, such as Wal-Mart, have the ability to sell items at low prices, because they can financially order items in very large quantities.The discounts that they receive on their merchandise are evidential to the buyer, who chooses to buy their items because they are the cheapest. It becomes a pattern; and being that consumers are primarily focused on the cost point, Wal-Mart has become somewhat of a monopoly. There is no physical value added to purchasing things from Wal-Mart, but there is value in saving a dollar or two. Due to the fact that privately owned supermarkets barely stand a chance against a mass merchandiser, â€Å"mom and pop† places are forced to close, with the inability to compete.Though price is a consumer’s primary concern, if there were lower costs of living, small businesses would have a lower overhead cost, and would not be forced to raise their prices for consumers. This is not insinuating that mass merchandisers are being sinful with their low prices; this simply demonstrates how the government’s involvement in protecting small businesses can drive the economy. In chapter eight, Grudem discusses competition; this is probably one of the most controversial subjects surrounding one’s idea that businesses are synonymous with greed and corruption.Competition can be defined from several different view points, and can be either positive or negative. One example of friendly competition would be a children’s basketball game. Children are encouraged to be aggressive, and to win, however, they realize that the game is to be played fairly, and friendly. Teams know that at the end of the year, the best teams â€Å"win†, and are awarded accordingly, which is another motivator for friendly competition. Competition takes place through all business standpoints, and sometimes goes without notice. In my workplace, there is friendly competition amongst employees who a re selling phones.Being that our pay is based on what we sell, this friendly competition can turn ugly very quickly; it just depends on your mindset. Being a Christian, I do not participate in unethical behavior that can hinder someone else, or me. I always make an attempt to treat each associate fairly, and I refrain from using foul or negative language. The unfortunate part is that not all associates will feel the same way about this, and this can lead to a tense environment, and ultimately employee remorse. This example demonstrates the positive and negative aspects of competition from a Christian viewpoint.Throughout his very short, theological book, Grudem tends to make a black and white analysis of topics pertaining to business. Throughout my reading, I found that his points were very valid; however, they could be contradicted very easily. To a common reader who may not have much knowledge on Christian theology, it would be feasible that they search for further explanation. Th is book would benefit from the author having more of a philosophical mindset, and sharing both views on the matter with conclusive evidence as to why his viewpoint is correct. In this instance, the reader yearns for more information and ultimately, a better argument.The writer begins each chapter with stating that all â€Å"can† lead to sin if you let it, but he does not elaborate enough. For my educational purposes, I found this book very helpful in its attempt to shed light on a commonly overlooked topic in the Christian world. I was able to see Grudem’s points very clearly, and more importantly, I was able to gain information that can help me in my profession. WORKS CITED Grudem, Wayne. Business for the Glory of God: The Bible’s Teaching On the Moral Goodness of Business. Wheaton, IL: Good News Publishers/Crossway Books, 2003

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Descriptive Essay

Descriptive Portrait: My Grandmother When I picture my grandmother, I envision shiny grey hair, bright blue eyes, and the softest hands I have every felt. She is 94 years old and has 12 children. Virginia Irene Dill has raised many children, and that makes her the strongest person I know. When I walk through the door of her 75 year old home, I think of all the pain and joy my grandmother went through there. After so many years, our time together was not quite the same as it used to be since ten years ago when she started to fall ill due to old age. Despite the fact that her body does not allow her to do as much as she used to, I still remember her and the times we had together. Listening to the wonders of the world and the changes that have occurred, I have enjoyed hearing her stories. I enjoy most learning about my aunts’ and uncles’ crazy past. Our time together is special and the bond we hold is sacred. She holds the key to my history and is an example that a little hard work and a whole lot of patience is needed to make it in life. My grandmother’s small soft hands always surprise me. When I think of all the hard work that she had done including cooking, cleaning, and taking care of all her children, I cannot believe her hands could be kept so soft and manicured. She always wears a ring that my father bought her and she always tells me the story of when she received the ring The bright, shiny, silver ring holds an outer ring with jet black beads surrounded by sharp red beads, circled below with a turquoise stone, and pearly speckles. As I stand next to her, I feel like a giant. She is only five feet tall and is such a small, sweet lady. When I hug her, I feel safe and warm inside. While with her, I feel happy that she is a part of me She is a strong, sweet, and patient woman, and knowing this, it makes me happy to know that I have the potential to be like her. Her and I sit in her living next to the warm wood stove and have long talks about the past. We talk about my father and my grandfather, whom I never had the chance to meet. I always enjoy learning about my past, but the stories about my aunts and uncles and the mischievous things they did were always exciting to me. These stories always made me laugh like a young child when I hear them. Now ill due to old age, her face looks different. She is ghostly pale and calm as a cold winter breeze. I miss her smile and touch. Her hands and body are not as strong as they used to be, and most of the time, she looks tired. The smell of her oatmeal cookies no longer fills the room when I go to her house. The smell of fresh lotion scent has diminished, but most of all, I miss the long talks and warm hugs. I will always remember my grandmother and the impression she has made in my life.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The struggles of The Current Economy †Economics Essay (200 Level Course)

The struggles of The Current Economy – Economics Essay (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers The struggles of The Current Economy Economics (200 Level Course) The article on the 09/08 WSJ summarizes the struggles the current economy is going through. There is too much supply of goods and services and not enough demand for them. Thus creating an oversupply. The massive layoff’s the economy has experienced has also contributed to the fall in demand as people trim their expenses in times of uncertainty. While most US companies are trimming manufacturing and closing plants foreign car makers are expanding their markets in the USA since they have lower manufacturing costs. And at the same time creating a price war with the local manufacturers. Consumers now have a wider choice than before. A slump in the business real estate market has caused a lot of business lots and office spaces to be vacant. A good indicator of oversupply is the telecom industry which had built itself up during the internet boom in the 90’s. The build up of extra transmission medium ended up causing an overcapacity. Overall the economic slowdown has benefited bargain hunters who are acting quickly to acquire companies that want to avoid liquidation or are in bankruptcy proceedings. Research Papers on The struggles of The Current Economy - Economics Essay (200 Level Course)Twilight of the UAWThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationDefinition of Export QuotasBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfPETSTEL analysis of IndiaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2

Monday, October 21, 2019

Illinois State Unit Study - Geography, State Symbols Facts

Illinois State Unit Study - Geography, State Symbols Facts These state unit studies are designed to help children learn the geography of the United States and learn factual information about every state. These studies are great for children in the public and private education system as well as homeschooled children. Learn All About Illinois with These Resources Print the United States Map and color each state as you study it. Keep map at the front of your notebook for use with each state. Print the State Information Sheet and fill in the information as you find it. Print the Illinois State Outline Map and fill in the state capital, large cities and state attractions that you find. Answer the Following Questions About Illinois State Capital What is the capital?Capitol TourState Flag Why was Illinois added to the flag?State Flower What is the state flower?State Prairie Grass What is the state prairie grass?State Animal When was the state animal made official?State Bird Who selected the state bird?State Fish How big does this fish get?State Fossil What is the Tully Monster?State Mineral What is this mineral used for?State Tree What was the state tree changed to?State Insect Who suggested this state insect?State Song Who wrote the state song?State Dance What is the official dance?State Seal What was changed on the new seal? Printable Illinois Worksheets Illinois Printable Pages - Learn more about Illinois with these printable worksheets and coloring pages. Did You Know... List two interesting facts. Word Search - Print out the word search and find the state related words. Illinois State Symbols Game - Test your knowledge of the symbols. Do You Know? - Fun facts about Illinois. Route 66 Printables Historic Route 66 - The official website of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway.Chicago, Illinois is where the Mother Road begins. Government - Learn about the three branches of government; executive, legislative and judicial. Envirofun - Learn about the environment and have some fun with: Middle Riddle: A picture riddle with an environmental message.How to Put Worms to Work for You: How to build a compost binMake a Water Cycle WheelLitter Hunt At Home in the Heartland Online - Family life in Illinois from 1700 to the present. Meet real people and share in their decision making. Shedd Aquarium - Explore the animals at the Shedd Aquarium. Dont miss the interactive story of Kayavak. Chicago Fire - Learn about this amazing fire that destroyed thousands of buildings and read about one young girls narrow escape. Willis  Tower - Learn about the second tallest building in North America. Print and color the pictures in the coloring book. Robert Pershing Wadlow - Meet the gentle giant. Odd Illinois Law: Catching fish with dynamite was forbidden.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Merriam-Websters 2018 Words of the Year

Merriam-Websters 2018 Words of the Year Merriam-Webster’s 2018 Words of the Year Merriam-Webster’s 2018 Words of the Year By Mark Nichol Toward the end of every calendar year, Merriam-Webster, like other major dictionaries, shares a list of the words most frequently searched for on its website. As usual, this search traffic is largely driven by public discourse, as people look up words they see and hear in the media and in conversations, seeking to learn definitions of unfamiliar words or to clarify for themselves the meanings of words they know (or think they know). This post discusses Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2018 and ten runners-up. The Word of the Year, justice, was newsworthy in several contexts. The primary sense is that of administration or maintenance of fairness and lawfulness, and increasing concern about social justice has brought the concept, and the term that represents it, to the forefront in our society. But justice is a job title as well as a concept, referring to a judge on a national or state supreme court or similar body, and the controversy over confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court also led people to check the definition. (The senior member of a supreme court is often titled â€Å"chief justice,† while the others are designated â€Å"associate justices.†) Finally, on a more trivial note, the Justice League is a team of superheroes created for DC Comics and appearing in various media, including a film released late last year. The runners-up include nationalism, which has figured prominently in the media as the concept gains traction throughout the world, including in the United States, where President Donald Trump recently unabashedly identified himself as a nationalist. However, he, like many people, appears to be unclear on the concept: Nationalism is often conflated with patriotism. However, while the latter term refers to pride in one’s country, nationalism denotes loyalty to a nation at the expense of international (and intranational) harmony. Nationalism is closely associated with fascism, a political philosophy that incorporates dictatorial control and centralization of authority and brutal suppression of individuals and groups deemed undesirable or resistant to fascists’ goals. In summary, to be called a nationalist is decidedly not a compliment, and to call oneself a nationalist does not invite compliments. Pansexual, incorporating a Greek prefix meaning â€Å"all,† refers to a conception of gender identity and sexual orientation as something that occurs along a spectrum, rejecting the idea of binary categorization. Lodestar, originally denoting Polaris, the North Pole Star, which for millennia has served as a navigational aid, now refers more broadly to a guide, inspiration, or model. (Lode is a Middle English word meaning â€Å"course† or â€Å"way; it’s seen also in the context of mining: A lode is a deposit of ore.) The term had a vogue this year after it was used in an anonymous op-ed in the New York Times purportedly written by a senior Trump administration official. Because Vice President Mike Pence is known to use the fairly obscure term, some people suspected him of being the author. An epiphany is an appearance or manifestation, but the term is most commonly employed to refer to a realization or revelation. Its popularity as a search term early this year likely resulted from the Christian holiday by that name, which on January 6 commemorates the visit of the Magi, or Three Wise Men, to where the infant Jesus lay; it derives from the Greek verb epiphainein, meaning â€Å"manifest.† Feckless, used by a television commentator to criticize Ivanka Trump for, in her role as adviser to her father, failing to criticize the Trump administration’s immigration policies, employs the root feck, of Scottish origin, meaning â€Å"value† or â€Å"worth.† Essentially, it is a rare synonym for worthless. Laurel, the word for a tree whose foliage was used to crown victors in athletic events in ancient Greece, became a hot search term when a debate erupted online about which of two words was being enunciated in an online dictionary’s pronunciation sound file. By extension of its original definition, the term came to apply to the celebratory object itself and to figurative honors; one idiom based on the term is â€Å"rest on (one’s) laurels,† which alludes to someone who, upon achieving an honor, refrains from attempting feats that bring further recognition. (Usage generally pertains to one who does not rest on one’s laurels, meaning that person does seek other honors.) Pissant was frequently looked up after a radio personality described a famous football player’s daughter with the word, which is a derogatory dialectal term formed from piss and ant. (This word is not to be confused with puissant, a rare term meaning â€Å"powerful† and etymologically related to power and potent. All three words derive from the Latin term posse, meaning â€Å"able,† which survives in English as the term for a group deputized to pursue a fugitive or, more loosely, to denote one’s entourage.) The death this year of Aretha Franklin, best known for her rousing rendition of the song â€Å"Respect,† prompted look-ups of that word, which literally means â€Å"look back.† (The second syllable of that word, meaning â€Å"look,† is also the root of spectacle, spectator, inspect, suspect, and so on.) Maverick is a term often applied to the late John McCain, a US senator and presidential aspirant, for his frequent opposition to party-line politics. The word, describing someone who often acts without regard for group or party loyalty, derives from the surname of a gentleman who, after taking a small herd of cattle as payment for a debt, neglected to brand them, rendering them vulnerable to appropriation by other ranchers, who rounded them up on the open range and applied their own brands to the livestock. Since then, the word has been a synonym for independent, though â€Å"stolen from a careless owner† would be a more appropriate association. The death of Marvel Comics mogul Stan Lee this year resulted in references to excelsior, the word with which Lee typically signed off in the columns he wrote for his company’s comic books. Though the primary meaning of the word is mundane- it was a trademark for a brand of wood shavings used as protective packing material and later a generic term- its origin is the Latin word meaning â€Å"higher†; excel, excellent, and so on are related. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Precedent vs. PrecedenceQuiet or Quite?