Allotria

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See also: allotria

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀλλότρια (allótria, strange or foreign things), neuter plural substantive of ἀλλότριος (allótrios, foreign, strange), from ἄλλος (állos, other), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos (other).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʔaˈloːtʁia/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Al‧lo‧tria
    • (antiquated) Hyphenation: Al‧lo‧t‧ria

Noun

Allotria n (strong, genitive Allotrias, plural Allotria)

  1. (uncommon) tomfoolery, monkey business, foolish behavior
    • 1920, Konferenzen mit den Lehrern der Freien Waldorfschule 1919 bis 1924, GA: Rudolf Steiner, 300a, p.72:
      Das ist dann die Zeit, die zu den Allotria der Kinder führt. In der Zeit, in der man als Lehrer mit den Kindern zusammen ist, sollte man nie irgend etwas anderes machen.
      This is then the time leading to the buffoonery of the children. In the time when, as a teacher, one is together with the children, one should not do anything other.
    • 1924, Thomas Mann, Der Zauberberg [The Magic Mountain], volume 2, Berlin: S. Fischer, page 382:
      Es war richtig: Demoralisation, Lethargie, Stumpfsinn hatten um sich gegriffen; die Gäste trieben Allotria wie eine unbeaufsichtigte Schulklasse.
      It’s been right: Demoralisation, lethargy, inertitude of intellect have become all over the place; the guests were doing wass, like a school class missing supervision.

Declension

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Further reading