Word of the Day: June 11, 2023

redux

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adjective | ree-DUKS

What It Means

Redux is an adjective that means “brought back,” and it is usually used to describe an event or situation that closely resembles something from the past. Redux is always used

Examples

“The seismic shift in our economic structure—a world of tech oligarchs with oceans of uber-serfs driving their gig economy—is feudalism redux, according to Joel Kotkin, whose next book is called ‘The New Feudalism: The Coming Global Return to the Middle Ages.’ ‘Following a remarkable epoch of greater dispersion of wealth and opportunity, we are inexorably returning towards a more feudal era marked by greater concentration of wealth and property, reduced upward mobility, demographic stagnation, and increased dogmatism,’ Kotkin wrote on his website.” — Petula Dvorak, The Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News, 31 Dec. 2021


Did You Know?

In English, redux describes things that have been brought back—metaphorically, that is. For example, if the relationship between two nations resembles that of the United States and the Soviet Union in the late 20th century, one might call the situation a “Cold War redux.” But a dog brought back home after running away would likely not be called “Buddy redux” going forward. The Latin redux did historically have more literal application, however. For example, the Romans used this sense of redux to characterize the goddess of chance, Fortuna; Fortuna Redux was trusted to bring those far from home back safely. Today, redux is also increasingly used as a noun with a meaning something similar to or echo, as in “His latest movie was just a poor redux of his earlier, more visionary work.”


Larger Vocabulary = More $$

Not enough people realize that it is our ability to use our language that will determine our place on the social pyramid–and that will also control, to a great extent, the amount of money we will earn during our lives. Research has shown over and over that a person’s vocabulary level is the best single predictor of occupational success (more info). Ready to reach the top? Subscribe and receive a new word daily via TXT!


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Facts & Statistics

"A person may dress in the latest fashion and present a very attractive appearance. So far, so good. But the minute he opens his mouth and begins to speak, he proclaims to the world his level on our social pyramid...Our use of our language is the one thing we can't hide."

Earl Nightingale (one of the greatest self-improvement authors of all time) conducted of a 20-year study of college graduates. "Without a single exception, those who had scored highest on the vocabulary test given in college, were in the top income group, while those who had scored the lowest were in the bottom income group."

Another study by scientist Johnson O'Connor, who gave vocabulary tests to executive and supervisory personnel in 39 large manufacturing companies:

Presidents and VPs

236 out of 272

Managers averaged

168 out of a 272

Superintendents averaged

140 out of 272

Foremen averaged

114 out of 272

Floor bosses averaged

86 out of 272

In virtually every case, vocabulary correlated with executive level and income.

In a "Reader's Digest" article titled "Words Can Work Wonders for You", author Blake Clark told a fascinating story of a salesman in his 50s who scored in the bottom 5% of a standardized vocabulary test. He worked himself into the top 45% and became a vice president of the company.

You can reach the top! We may not all be brilliant enough to be the top in our fields, but we can certainly be in the top 5%–including you.

"Let's face it, from the earliest times, the favored class of people has always been the educated class. They can make themselves recognized instantly, anywhere, by the simple expedient of speaking a few words. Our language, more than anything else, determines the extent of our knowledge.

Step out, and make something more of yourself!