What Does Turgid Really Mean?
by “Turgid” has come up as a “trending topic” in internet searches and it just may have to do with the fact that no-one knows what is means. Is it just a funky word right now?
The DiamondBackOnline article Verbally Off Course is not so verbally off course with the use of ‘turgid’ in the following sentence -
“Maddening staccato flutes and the turgid interplay between Ghostface and Bailon only exacerbate the listener’s pain.” It’s complicated and flowery language but the relevance and the use of ‘turgid’ is appropriate.
‘Turgid’ is defined by the Encarta English dictionary as ‘pompous, boring, overcomplicated, distended or swollen’
However the reference to ‘turgid’ in the headline ‘Turgid Woking FC victory gives Watkins a headache’ misses me altogether. I am not a footy fan so I may be wrong here but how can a football club victory be pompous, boring, overcomplicated, distended or swollen?
I can understand how the turgid masses released from an asylum could be ‘boring, overcomplicated, extended or swollen’ but not ‘pompous’ – there is nothing pompous about the inmates of asylums.
A reference to the Ashes Turgid Ending leaves me wondering – does sport have a different definition of ‘turgid’ or am I just missing the point? How can a game have a ‘pompous, boring, overcomplicated, distended or swollen’ ending?
Maybe turgid is becoming a funky sort of reference to male hormonal states! Distended and swollen, driven by a pompous ego; and perhaps the reason that sports are usually boring and overcomplicated. Perhaps that is how this wonderfully powerful word – just say it and it’s got grab – is being subsumed into the sporting dialogue.
I am intrigued that vegetables can also be described as ‘turgid’ – though I guess they could be distended or swollen with water, vitamins and other goodies!
Image from www.jennydavidson.blogspot.com
Isn’t language wonderful! One word and so many uses!
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