How Trivial and Medieval!

by J.E.G. Dixon (May 2014)

Words of the first class are legion. We will limit ourselves to citing three only: decent, nice, and silly. The original meanings and definitions I give here are from the OED

decent: becoming, suitable, appropriate, or proper to the circumstances or special requirements of the case.

nice: foolish, stupid, senseless.

Words of the second class more often than not reflect a prejudice or ignorance on the part of the people who begin to misuse an ancient word and confer on it a pejorative meaning. I propose to discuss two words of this class. They are: medieval and trivial.

Collins Dictionary: old-fashioned, primitive.

Collins Thesaurus: old-fashioned and unenlightened.

I will present an analysis of the three components. (I confess I forget the source of this analysis.)

General Grammar, Aristotelian Logic, and Classical Rhetoric comprise the first three rules-based subjects of the 7 Liberal Arts and Sciences. As these disciplines are learned and practiced together, they form the overarching, symbiotic system for establishing clarity and consistency of personal thought called the Trivium.

[1] Grammar. Answers the question of the Who, What, Where, and the When of a subject. Discovering and ordering facts of reality comprises basic, systematic Knowledge.

[3] Rhetoric. Provides the How of a subject. Applying knowledge and understanding expressively comprises Wisdom or, in other words, it is systematically useable knowledge and understanding.

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