1 June 2014

liminality

[lim-uh-nal-i-tee]

noun Anthropology .

– the transitional period or phase of a rite of passage, usually during the middle stage of ritual, in which the participant lacks social status or rank, remains anonymous, shows obedience and humility, and follows prescribed forms of conduct, dress, etc. ‘Liminality is that awkward period in adolescence; no longer a child but not yet an adult’.

noun

– the condition of being on a threshold or at the beginning of a process. ‘Their first album took the band through a form of liminality, introducing break-through concepts to a market saturated with commercialised repetition’.

Origin:
< Latin līmin- (stem of līmen ) threshold + -al1 + -ity

Anagram

lay limit in

Today’s aphorism

Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.

– Helen Keller

On this day

1 June 1935 – DC Comics publishes the first Superman comic, created by Jerry Siegel.

1 June 1968 – death of Helen Keller, inspirational American author, lecturer and political activist. First deaf-blind person to achieve a Bachelor of Arts degree. Born 27 June 1880.