Understanding Trumpocalypse - Learn Vocabulary

Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. These words will echo in the hearts of 324 million Americans today, some shell-shocked and downcast, others delirious with joy. The sheer divergence of emotions over the surprise result is a poignant signal of how deeply divided the nation is, after a polarising two-year election campaign. Bigotry, patriarchy and racist rancour, which reared their ugly heads throughout this season of incivility, may find no welcome catharsis with the apotheosis of Mr. Trump. According to the exit polls, 58 per cent of whites and 21 per cent of non-whites voted for Mr. Trump, whereas 37 per cent of whites and 74 per cent of non-whites voted for his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. He also scored higher with men than women, and with those voters who did not have a college degree. In other words, blue-collared white men and women thronged to Mr. Trump in droves, angry about their perceived impoverishment and disenfranchisement inflicted by the country’s political and financial elites. It had left them with only one option: to throw a metaphorical grenade at these power centres.

At the heart of the shock result is the shock itself, which stemmed from what most analysts have been calling the vote of the “silent majority”. Why did the U.S. media and pollsters fail to see which way the wind was blowing? They apparently did not suspect, when poll results suggested that Ms. Clinton was the more acceptable candidate, that some of the respondents to these polls may have been unwilling to admit to being supporters of Mr. Trump. It is likely for instance that women, 42 per cent of whom voted for Mr. Trump, were reluctant to reveal their preference after Mr. Trump was exposed for boasting about sexual assault and faced allegations of the same. What was not taken proper note of was that in almost every swing State, there were between 11 and 18 per cent “undecided” voters in late October — a significant number of people that tilted the election in favour of Mr. Trump. Insofar as this election reflected expressions of frustration that went against the grain of political correctness, the Trump victory resembles Brexit. However, in his victory speech Mr. Trump has appeared to quickly move past campaign recrimination, the conciliatory tone of which may go a little way in calming nerves at home as well as of anxious world leaders watching the election from afar. If indeed he presents a softer, more collaborative face at home and abroad, the Divided States of America may yet hold firm and lend strength to the global order, as it has done in the past.

1. Delirious (adjective) (बेसुध) – in an acutely disturbed state of mind characterized by restlessness, illusions, and incoherence, affected by delirium
  • Synonyms – deranged, deviant
  • Antonyms – balanced, rational
  • Ex: When my little sister caught the flu, she became delirious from the fever.

2. Poignant (adjective) (मार्मिक)– evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret
  • Synonyms – emotional, pathetic
  • Antonyms – unemotional, wonderful
  • Ex: Because the poignant movie reminded me of my painful childhood, it made me cry.

3. Bigotry (noun) (कट्टरता)– intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself
  • Synonyms – discrimination, injustice
  • Antonyms – fairness, tolerance
  • Ex: The bigot was a lonely old man who thought everyone was inferior to him.

4. Patriarchy (noun) (वृद्ध पुस्र्ष का आधिपत्य)– a system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is reckoned through the male line
  • Synonyms – patriarchship, patriarchism
  • Ex: For over a hundred years the country has been ruled through the patriarchy of kings.

5. Catharsis (noun) (साफ़ हो जाना)
– the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions
  • Synonyms – ablution, cleansing
  • Antonyms – dirtying
  • Ex: I hope this therapy will be cathartic for me and allow me to release some of my frustrations.

6. Apotheosis (noun) (गुणगान)– the highest point in the development of something, a culmination or climax
  • Synonyms – elevation, idolization
  • Ex: I consider the apotheosis of my career to be when I received CEO of the company.

7. Thronged (verb) (भीड़) – (of a crowd) fill or be present in (a place or area)
  • Synonyms – cramped, mobbed
  • Antonyms – deserted, empty
  • Ex: When the game ended, a throng of fans carried some of the winning players off the field.

8. Perceived (verb) (माना जाता है) – become aware or conscious of (something), come to realize or understand
  • Synonyms – anticipated, noticed
  • Ex: Sometimes I am so concerned about how others perceive me that I do not always listen to my own voice.

9. Impoverishment (verb) (दरिद्रता) – to make poor in quality, productiveness, etc., exhaust the strength or richness of
  • Synonyms – debt, deficiency
  • Antonyms – abundance, comfort
  • Ex: The impoverished girl knew she did not have enough money to attend college.

10. Reluctant (adjective) (अनिच्छुक) – unwilling and hesitant, disinclined
  • Synonyms – hesitant, afraid
  • Antonyms – bold, careless
  • Ex: Though he was reluctant to try the sushi, the man found it to be quite delicious.

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