Mendaciology
The Study of Lies
The Latin word for lie is mendacio. In English that old word still exists in the word “mendacity” and it floats about in other languages too, like Spanish.
The study of lies might naturally be called Mendaciology. Imagine a world with a course, if not a degree, in Mendaciology.
The course would be fun. I can imagine an extra credit final exam question which challenges a student to tell ten fiat lies in four words.
The A+ student would know he could do it with one. You simply have to set up the context right. But having been ordered to do it with four, he does this:
He has to pick ten deceits with ten motives and then lie about them all with four words. Let’s start with the answer and go backwards.
“Trump is your friend.”
First let’s do ten motives.
- stealing money
- stealing an election
- embarrassing an opponent
- stacking the courts
- replacing underlings with sycophants
- destroying the democracy
- destroying the economy
- taking credit for not stealing money
- taking credit for not stacking the courts
