WORD OF THE WEEK: Inveigh vs. Inveigle

Last week, we looked at (and later this week, we'll study more) some of the principles of conflict resolution. Today, I want to compare and contrast two words that I DON'T recommend for peaceful problem-solving.

Inveigh (in-VAY) – (v.) to attack with words, or commit violent denunciation; etymologically, it comes from the Latin invehere, meaning "to carry against" (approx. 1486).

Inveigle (in-VAY-gil) – (v.) to win over by wiles; to acquire by ingenuity or flattery; to lure (as in, "She inveigled her way onto his team with flirtation"). Derived from the Latin aboculus, literally meaning "without eyes" (1490s–1540s), it means "to blindly win over by deceit; to seduce."

As they are written today, these words seem to have grown from the same root word, but the fact is that they come from two different word branches that have since grown together. Both refer to unflattering and controversial means of progress—one by outright conflict and the other by sly wiles. If you want to meet your own needs and care not for the bigger picture of your actions, you may attempt to inveigle the other party dishonestly. If that doesn't work, you may resort to inveighing the other party outright, a true sign of someone who is completely self-unaware.

However, if true peacemaking is the goal of your own personal conflict resolution, you may eventually (if not immediately) look for a longer-term solution—that also happens to sometimes take a little longer to work out: You may invoke a real response to lasting change by following the steps of honest self-awareness and respect for all involved through getting in touch with yourself and your wants, then listening to the other party.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009