Paul Schleifer

According to www.etymonline.com, mordant enters the English language in the “late 15c., ‘caustic’ (of words, speech), from Middle French mordant, literally ‘biting,’ present participle of mordre ‘to bite,’ from Latin mordere ‘to bite, bite into; nip, sting;’ figuratively ‘to pain, cause hurt,’ which is perhaps from an extended form of PIE root *mer- ‘to rub away, harm.’” That a word meaning “caustic” comes from the French somehow doesn’t surprise me.

The first definition in the OED reads, “Of a person, his or her wit, a remark, etc.: having or showing a sharply critical quality; biting, caustic, incisive.” The late 15^th century source is a translated work by William Caxton. There are also some definitions involving not a person but a thing which is biting or caustic.

Today is Siblings Day. Didn’t know? I’m not surprised by that either.

Siblings Day was conceived by Claudia Evart, whose older brother and sister both died at relatively young ages. The Siblings Day Foundation website says this: “After the tragic deaths of both siblings at young ages, Evart realized how important and precious sibling relationships are. She continues to share her personal memories of her siblings to inspire others to honor their siblings on National Siblings Day and throughout the year.”

Unlike Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Siblings Day is not an official national holiday. For it to become a national holiday, the President of the U.S. would have to make a presidential proclamation, and no president has yet done that. Bill Clinton gave a Presidential Message regarding Siblings Day in 2000, and George W. Bush did the same in 2008.

The Siblings Day Foundation, a 501c3 tax-exempt organization, has been pushing for Siblings Day to become a national holiday since 1997. There is even a change.org petition trying to get 200,000 signatures. On the other hand, there is another petition to make it Only Child and Siblings Day so that people who do not have any siblings will not feel left out by a National Siblings Day (and I’m starting a change.com petition to combine Mother’s Day and Father’s Day into one day called National Parent’s or Guardian’s Day so that people without a mother or father or both will not feel left out; JK).

The Siblings Day Foundation suggests the following for celebrating the day: “Siblings Day can be celebrated by sending a card or gift or making a dinner invitation to your siblings on April 10th as done on Mother’s and Father’s Day.  This day does not necessarily have to be attached to a monetary gift.  Individuals can do something special like a good deed or favor, errand or chore for their brother or sister” (https://siblingsday.org/fact-sheet). I’m afraid that, once again, I have dropped the ball on this Siblings Day, once again. Besides which, I am not sure how my siblings, of which I have four, two male and two female, would react if I followed the Foundation’s advice. For one thing, the closest sibling is two and a half hours away, and the others are quite a bit further, so taking my sibling out to dinner is a non-starter. If I sent them a card, they would probably question its provenance. And I’m also far too far away to do a chore for them.

But there’s a more serious reason that I have not done anything for Siblings Day (once again), and that is love. Perhaps you are familiar with Gary Chapman’s The 5 Love Languages. According to the www.amazon.com review, “While working as a marriage counselor for more than 30 years, he identified five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.” Perhaps you have read his book, or one of the many variations of his book (The 5 Love Languages for Singles, The 5 Love Languages for Men, The 5 Love Languages Small Group Workbook, etc.). I have not, but my having not does not prevent me from having an opinion, of course. And I would assert that Chapman is somewhat mistaken in limiting the love languages to 5. There has to be at least 6 because the love language that I and my siblings spoke to each other and continue to speak to each was and is vitriolic sarcasm.

So for next year’s Siblings Day, someone suggest how I can express my mordant love for my siblings.

 

The image is an old photograph of me, my grandmother, and my siblings. I’m guessing it’s from about 40 years ago, maybe a little more, but I’m not sure. I’m the good looking one.