anointment

English translation: sacred oil-ritual in crowning of a new king/queen sanctioning their succession,or widely used metaphor from this,often political

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	anointment (/ing) (ritual or political)
Selected answer:	sacred oil-ritual in crowning of a new king/queen sanctioning their succession,or widely used metaphor from this,often political
Entered by:	DGK T-I

11:08 Jul 10, 2003

English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]

English term or phrase: anointment

Can anyone tell me if "anoitment as Prime Minister" is a standard collocation in English or not. We're talking here of Palestinian's Prime Minister Abu Mazen. I don't know if the author chose the word "anointment" to emphasise the religious nature of the appointment, or if "anointment" is a near-synonym of "appointment" and is frequently used in this context. My translation will vary accordingly. I give you the source text so that you get an idea of the register:

Out of th ashes of Iraq, Colin Powell arrived in Jerusalem on 10 May to cajole Israel and the Palestinian Authority "to constitute the beginning of the road map process" The text was finally released into public domain on 30 April after Mahmud Abbas' anointment as Palestinian prime minister"

Thank you everyone

Pamela

lapamela KudoZ activity Questions: 269 (7 open) Answers: 55
Local time: 08:25

Supplementary to the above

Explanation:
as can be seen below, 'anointment' is perfectly acceptable as a noun (although anointing isn't given here, I think it's acceptable too :-)

"anoint [ə'nɔýnt]
verb [transitive]
1 to smear or rub over with oil or an oily liquid

2 to apply oil to as a sign of consecration or sanctification in a sacred rite
[ETYMOLOGY: 14th Century: from Old French enoint, from enoindre, from Latin inunguere, from in-2 + unguere to smear with oil]
a'nointer noun
a'nointment noun"

Also used as a metaphor for a process as well as literally.

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Note added at 2003-07-10 13:06:13 (GMT)
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http://www.deepblacklies.co.uk/new_world_order_1.htm
\"Apart from a permanent “Steering Committee” of top-notch kingmakers, delegates are selected according to merit. There is no formal membership list. Britain’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair, attended the 1993 meeting. The 1997 meeting saw former Pentagon Chief of Staff Colin Powell, as a keynote speaker. His presence is said to signal his “anointment” as the future US president. Prior to his election, President Bill Clinton attended the 1991 meeting at Baden-Baden in Germany. Until then Clinton remained an obscure state governor unknown by the vast majority of Americans. \"

http://www.sourceuk.net/articles/f01641.html
Clearly, the possibility of a leadership battle is in the air but won’t be further ventilated until after the election in case Blair looks like a half-hearted Premier.

At present, few commentators would disagree that, sooner or later, Blair’s successor will be either Blunkett, Brown or Straw. But we should remember that other iron law of politics - what I call the danger of premature anointment [main meaning obvious despite slight rude joke]. Who now remembers that John Moore and Bryan Gould, for instance, were once regularly thought of as leaders, respectively, of the Conservative and Labour parties?

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld19989...
\"In the context of this Bill, I conclude by reminding the Government Front Bench that they hold their offices by appointment, not by anointment\"

http://www.smlawpub.co.uk/online/planning/planbull_jun02.cfm
One of the stranger consequences of the Prime Minster’s springtime reshuffle of cabinet responsibilities has been the transfer of planning functions from the short-lived Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). The present incumbent, Mr Prescott, has done the job before, of course, when he was Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, so this change is a resumption rather than a fresh anointment.

It is equally possible that someone we have barely heard of or thought of as a leader could come from nowhere and capture the crown. Geoff Hoon, Charles Clarke, Stephen Byers, Patricia Hewitt, Ruth Kelly all come to mind. After all, who would have tipped Tony for the top in the early 90s?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTG...

Mr. Manley was tapped as a kind of chief operating officer for Mr. Chrétien\'s government in a January cabinet shuffle, when he was made Deputy Prime Minister, minister for infrastructure, minister for Crown corporations, political minister for Ontario, and chairman of cabinet\'s economic, social policy, and security committees.

Some analysts viewed that move by Mr. Chrétien not only as a selection of a second-in-command, but also the anointment of his successor.

and many more.......

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Note added at 2003-07-10 13:24:31 (GMT)
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It turns out that anointment to talk about a Christian or OT Jewish context - it can also be specifically used referring to Muslim, Sikh & Hindu transfers of

This is \'Asian Times\' talking about India, it\'s Muslim Emperors, & Hindus
power:http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/DI14Df04.html
While there are theories that Muslim separatism and antipathy to \"Hindu India\" dated back to medieval times or to the anointment of Aurangzeb as Mughal emperor instead of Dara Shikoh, Dixit thinks that the half century from 1803, when Muslim political power

news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/south_asia/2249496.stm
A look at the some of the key figures in politics in Indian-administered Kashmir, not all of whom contested the elections. ... Observers say with the anointment of his son, Omar, as the leader of the National Conference party, Farooq ... Sayeed has the distinction of being India\'s first Muslim home minister. ...

www.sikh-uni.ac.uk/01/lectures/sem2000/tutorials/tutor_07.h...
Guru Nanak [a Sikh religious leader or holy man] was born in a Muslim family. Guru Nanak did not marry. ... Indian historian was critical of the fact of anointment as a Guru in the young ages of ...

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Note added at 2003-07-10 13:25:52 (GMT)
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typo.error \'.........Muslim, Sikh & Hindu transfers of power \'

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Note added at 2003-07-10 13:34:59 (GMT)
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/keyword/hu
BEIJING - China\'s communists gave every indication that they had appointed Hu Jintao to lead the nation, but did it in a Byzantine, secrecy-cloaked manner at odds with their claims to be flinging open their doors to the outside world. (AP Video) (Reuters) Formal anointment of the little-known career party man poised to lead the world\'s biggest nation was expected later Friday — even though the decision to seat Hu in the chair now occupied by Jiang Zemin has almost certainly already been made. As Jiang withdrew from the inner circle, delegates at the close of the party\'s congress also...

and just to totally prove it\'s a standard metaphor,
FOR A PRESIDENT OF SYRIA (Arab neighbour of Palestine, you know...

http://web.nps.navy.mil/~relooney/3040_1688.htm
Cover Story: The Asad legacy, by David Butter
Date: 16 June 2000
The anointment of Bashar Asad as President of Syria is a unique example of dynastic succession in an Arab republic. David Butter considers how secure the new leader\'s position is in light of this anomaly and the country\'s violent past, and asks whether he can deliver the economic reforms Syria so badly needs.

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Note added at 2003-07-10 13:56:53 (GMT)
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for a Muslim PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/06/21/stories/01210001.htm
The operation for the anointment of Gen. Musharraf appears to have started on Tuesday. Of course, the legal managers of the military establishment were working on several scripts in the last few weeks to find ways to install Gen. Musharraf as the President.

and last of all, for the poor old UNITED NATIONS (so it covers us all :-)

http://canadian.blogspot.com/2003_03_21_canadian_archive.htm...
By now the UN has become an experiment in self-anointment. It\'s a brazen attempt to see how a conclave of functionaries, of zero economic and military weight and often zero legitimacy, whether they represent unelected governments or unelected non-governmental organizations, can bind the hands of functional, legitimate, and sovereign entities, such as the United States.

Above is conclusive evidence that \'anointment\' is a standard standard widely used metaphor virtually wherever English is used, including when referring to Muslim Arabs(such as the President of Syria), other Muslims(eg: the President of Pakistan or the historic Emperor of India), a Sikh holy man.....

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Note added at 2003-07-10 13:59:13 (GMT)
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for a Muslim PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/06/21/stories/01210001.htm
The operation for the anointment of Gen. Musharraf appears to have started on Tuesday. Of course, the legal managers of the military establishment were working on several scripts in the last few weeks to find ways to install Gen. Musharraf as the President.

and last of all, for the poor old UNITED NATIONS (so it covers us all :-)

http://canadian.blogspot.com/2003_03_21_canadian_archive.htm...
By now the UN has become an experiment in self-anointment. It\'s a brazen attempt to see how a conclave of functionaries, of zero economic and military weight and often zero legitimacy, whether they represent unelected governments or unelected non-governmental organizations, can bind the hands of functional, legitimate, and sovereign entities, such as the United States.

Above is conclusive evidence that \'anointment\' is a standard standard widely used metaphor virtually wherever English is used, including when referring to Muslim Arabs(such as the President of Syria), other Muslims(eg: the President of Pakistan or the historic Emperor of India), a Sikh holy man.....

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Note added at 2003-07-14 20:41:05 (GMT) Post-grading
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NB. The asker\'s text is in English, and the author has an excellent command of educated English, and may be writing for an Arab and/or general international English readership. For a superb discussion by the Arabic kudos sector of Proz, of what equivalence there is and isn\'t in Arabic, to the English sacred ritual or political metaphor of \'anointment\' please see: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/477011 or search kudos for: \'anointment\'.

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Note added at 2003-07-14 20:52:07 (GMT) Post-grading
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There isn\'t any doubt about it\'s use as a political metapho in English, by some writers & speakers.

Selected response from:

DGK T-I
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:25

Grading comment

Thank you very much for the excellent explanation and reference. And thanks to everyone who answered my question. You all have been terribly helpful.
Pamela
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +3

No, it is not a standard collocation

Chris Rowson (X)

3 +4

to emphasize the importance of the passing of power

RHELLER

5 +2

to emphasize that he was the <chosen one>

Marian Greenfield

3 +4

no, it's not

Armorel Young

5 +2

Supplementary to the above

DGK T-I

No, it's not the normal term

John Bowden

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

3 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

to emphasize the importance of the passing of power

Explanation:
CORONATION

1) anoint. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
...Inflected forms: a·noint·ed, a·noint·ing, a·noints1. To apply oil, ointment, or a similar substance to. 2. To put oil on during a religious ceremony as a sign of...

4) coronation. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001
...the anointing of Saul and David by Samuel, helped to alter the concept of kingship, because anointment was thought to endow a prince with divine blessing and some...

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Note added at 2003-07-10 11:15:51 (GMT)
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Rabbi A. Leib Scheinbaum Hebrew Academy of Cleveland Parshas ... he should focus his words on the origin of their ... brethren - upon whose head the anointment oil has ...

www.shemayisrael.co.il/parsha/peninim/ archives/pninim59/emor59.htm

Webster\'s Definition of \"Anointed\"
Main Entry: anoint - Pronunciation: &-\'noint - Function: transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French enoint, past participle of enoindre, from Latin inunguere, from in- + unguere to smear
1 : to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance
2a : to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration
b : to choose by or as if by divine election;
also : to designate as if by a ritual anointment

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Note added at 2003-07-10 12:20:30 (GMT)
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it is rare but there are more examples:
Indeed, with the shocking American dismissal of Butros Ghali and annointment of Kofi Annan last year, the very independence of the U.N. is more in question than ever.

http://www.middleeast.org/archives/9-7-97.htm

I\'m sure it was a mis-speak for him but it was actually the cold unvarnished truth. This isnt about the people; it\'s a selfish campaign for the clinton-gore annointment

http://www.rushonline.com/fl-misc.htm

At the time of the dinner, according to the Bush campaign\'s timeline of Cheney\'s odd self-annointment as the veep nominee, Cheney was not yet a candidate in the vice-presidential selection process

http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2000/07/27/cheney/...

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Note added at 2003-07-10 12:24:34 (GMT)
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The Qaaiiu institution has political importance, even though the Qaaiiu himself does not possess political power as such and religion is distinctly separated from politics. The Qaailu village is the spiritual centre, where political debates are organized for the candidates for the Gadaa offices. Thus he plays both a spiritual and political role in the Gadaa system. For instance, during the fifth year of the Gadaa period, the Gadaa class in power honours the Qaaliu by taking gifts and making their pledges of reverence. This is the Muuda or annointment ceremony.

http://www.oromoliberationfront.org/Oromia Briefs.htm

Reference: http://www.bartleby.com/cgi-bin/texis/webinator/sitesearch?F...

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 01:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 1252

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

to emphasize that he was the <chosen one>

Explanation:
I would say this emphasizes the passing of power, but rather an appointment by the <ins> of an <in>.
'
Annointment gives the idea of back-room politics.

Marian Greenfield
Local time: 03:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 732

19 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

No, it is not a standard collocation

Explanation:
No, it is not a standard collocation in English, at least not for prime ministers. A google search for "anointment `prime minister´" gave me 234 hits. This first was a usage of this collocation in "The Hindu". I then tried the same search for .uk sites, and got 13 hits. Looking at these, though, it is clear that it is not used on .uk sites in the same way as in your context. See the reference for a trenchant example from the House of Lords (search the page for "anoint".)

Maybe it is to become a standard for Palestine, but it certainly seems rather odd to me, thus far.

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Note added at 2003-07-10 12:16:47 (GMT)
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A quote from my reference: \"Finally, I have been trying to get my brain around the rather arresting metaphor of the noble Baroness, Lady Williams of Crosby, that election is necessary as a type of anointing. There is certainly no shortage of anointment. Perhaps I may ask: are all full-time politicians always in touch in a way they would like the term to be understood?\"

The ironic/learned tone adopted by the noble Lord is pretty much typical of what I would expect in the context of any use of either \"anointing\" or \"anointment\". (I.e. somewhat removed from life as we know it.)

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Note added at 2003-07-10 12:25:40 (GMT)
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As you can see, many of us wonder if it is a typo. But my reference shows that the form \"anointment\" is used by highly literate English people, if in a different context, and in a rather rarefied way.

Reference: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld19990...

Chris Rowson (X)
Local time: 09:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 243

26 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

no, it's not

Explanation:
To answer the question in your first sentence, it is not a standard collocation in English and couldn't be used in any Western society. My first instinct was to see it as a misprint for appointment, which would be the standard phrase. Any reference to anointing has highly religious, principally Jewish, overtones, so I'm puzzled as to why it should crop up in a Palestinian context.

The more I look at it, the more I'm inclined to think it's a typo.

Armorel Young
Local time: 08:25
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 597

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

John Bowden

14 mins

agree

Fuad Yahya

31 mins

agree

DGK T-I: It could equally well be a typo for 'appointment' if the asker is not confident of the text.Don't agree at all that it couldn't be used in a western society(because of wry reference to coronation)but DO agree that if text is Pal.Arab origin for Palestinia

40 mins

agree

Chris Rowson (X): Yes, except that for me the religious overtone is Christian - all that anointing of crowned heads. Maybe bishops/archbishops, too?

47 mins

-> I agree - but it's only Christian because the Christians picked it up from the Jews - all that anointing of kings of Israel in the Old Testament (and as far as I know the Arabs never picked it up at all, which is why this Palestinian context puzzles me)

42 mins confidence:

No, it's not the normal term

Explanation:
I agree with Chris and Amorel - in fact, as far as I know, the noun from "anoint" is "anointing" - I've never hear "anointment" at all. It would certainly not be used in a secular context, so I think it's a typo for "appointment".

John Bowden
Local time: 08:25
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in pair: 140

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Supplementary to the above

DGK T-I
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:25
PRO pts in pair: 401

Grading comment

Thank you very much for the excellent explanation and reference. And thanks to everyone who answered my question. You all have been terribly helpful.
Pamela

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anointment

English translation: sacred oil-ritual in crowning of a new king/queen sanctioning their succession,or widely used metaphor from this,often political

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