17 Nov 2017-The Hindu Editorial-Vocabulary

The contours of a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe are still not clear

Zimbabwe’s prolonged political crisis reached the boiling point earlier this month when President Robert Mugabe dismissed the Vice-President, Emmerson  Mnangagwa. A battle to succeed the 93-year-old liberation hero-turned President had already been brewing within the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), with the old guard backing Mr. Mnangagwa, himself a freedom fighter, and ‘Generation 40’, a grouping of younger leaders supporting Mr. Mugabe’s 52-year-old wife, Grace. Ms. Mugabe, known for her extravagant lifestyle and interfering ways, has been vocal in recent months about her political ambitions. Mr. Mugabe was seen to have endorsed her when on November 6 he dismissed Mr. Mnangagwa. But Mr. Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980, erred on two counts: he underestimated the deep connections Mr. Mnangagwa has within the establishment and overestimated his own power in a system he has helped shape. In the good old days, Mr. Mugabe was able to rule with an iron grip. But those days are gone. Age and health problems have weakened his hold on power, while there is a groundswell of anger among the public over economic mismanagement. So when he turned against a man long seen by the establishment as his successor, Mr. Mugabe left little doubt that he was acting from a position of political weakness. This gave the security forces the confidence to turn against him and make it clear they didn’t want a Mugabe dynasty.

The military doesn’t want to call its action a coup d’etat, for obvious reasons. A coup would attract international condemnation, even sanctions. But it is certain that the army chief, Gen. Constantino Chiwenga, is in charge. His plan, as it emerges, is to force Mr. Mugabe to resign and install a transitional government, perhaps under Mr. Mnangagwa, until elections are held. If Mr. Mugabe doesn’t resign, it will complicate the process. He has not been seen since the army took over the capital, Harare. Any attempt to hurt him could backfire. Even if he agrees to resign, the transition may not be smooth. However inept and dictatorial Mr. Mugabe’s regime had been, a coup will remain a coup irrespective of what the plotters call it, raising questions of legitimacy about the new government. Also, Mr. Mugabe can still tap into his support base among the black working class, which has provided him a buffer against public anger towards his government. Across Africa, he continues to be seen by many as an anti-colonial hero. His successor, who will be picked by the generals, will inherit huge challenges — a dysfunctional economy, massive unemployment, a broken ruling party and a united opposition. Besides, the military has shaken up the civilian supremacy over the armed forces by staging this coup. The biggest challenge for the new leader will be to make sure that the military stays in the barracks.

1 CONTOURS  <KON /TORS > ::  रूपरेखा 

 [Noun]           

Meaningà             An outline representing or bounding the shape or form of something

 Synonymà                        Outline ,shape ,curves ,figure ,form    

Exampleà              the perfect contours of  his/ her body

Antonymsà           crooked ,straight  ,  dullness

2.PROLONGED <PRO /LONGED > :: लंबा

 [Adjective]

Meaningà              continuing for a long time or longer than usual;.

 Synonymà                        lengthy ,extended , protracted, sustained

Antonymà             Short ,Brief

Exampleà                  The region suffered a prolonged droughtà(सूखा /अकाल)

3. BREWING <BRU / ING > ::     तैयार करना

 [Verb ]=  present participle: brewing

Meaningà                   To start to exist or happen

 Synà                                                develop, form, gather, loom , start, 

Antonymsà                 

Exampleà                     The crisis had been brewing since the start of the year.

.

4.ERRED < ERD > :: गलती

 [Verb]=formal=past tense

 Meaningà                   be mistaken or incorrect; make a mistake

Synà                        Blunder ,make a mistake ,be in wrong, sin

Exampleà              the judge had erred in ruling that the evidence was inadmissible=(Evidence not accepted in court)

Antonymsà              be right, innocent, well behaved

5.Coup d’ etat <KUP /DEE/ TET > :: तख़्ता पलट/ आकास्मिक शासन परिवर्तन

 [Noun] French word

Meaning à             The violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a                   small group

Syn à                       Seizure of power ,coup ,overthrow ,takeover

 Antonymsà          Election

Exampleà                          Revolutionries carried out a  coup d-etat and overthrew the government.

                 

6.TRANSITIONAL <TRAN /JJE/ SHN /AL> < ट्रान/ ज़्जी /शन /अल >::  संक्रमणकालीन(तब तक / बीच का समय / 

 [Adjective]

Meaningà                   relating to or characteristic of a process or period of transition=.(period of change/meantime )

Synà                                 Intermediate ,middle ,midway ,intervening ,interposed

Exampleà                    "a transitional government was appointed"

Antonymsà                                tentative, temporary

7. PLOTTERS <PLO /TER/ S > :: षड्यंत्रकारियों

[Noun]=plural

Meaningà             Someone who secretly makes plans to do something illegal or harmful; a conspirator.

Synonymsà          Conspirator ,planner ,intriguer ,schemer , Machiavellian

Exampleà              “The trial of alleged coup plotters" or "The plotters had intended to assassinate the president".

Antonymà             Fans

8.LEGITIMACY  < LAE /JI /TEE /MAE /SI > :: वैधता

[Noun]

Meaning à             Conformity to the law or to rules.

Synà                                    Legality ,rightfulness, ; permissibility, 

Antonymsà            Illegitimacy, unlawfulness, wrongfulness

Exampleà                   Rrefusal to recognize the legitimacy of both governments"

9.BUFFER < B /FR > ::  प्रतिरोधक 

 [Noun]

Meaningà              A person or thing that reduces a shock or that forms a barrier between incompatible or antagonistic people or things.

Synà                                    Barrier ,shield ,absorber ,screen ,safeguard

Exampleà              “family and friends can provide a buffer against stress"

Antonymà                           Expose

10. DYSFUNCTIONAL < DIS /FUN / SH / NAL > :: बेकार

 [Adjective]

Meaningà              Not operating normally or properly.

Synà                                   Broken ,defective, unfit ,non-performing ,inhibited

Exampleà              "The telephones are dysfunctional"

Antonymà                          Functional ,operational