Here Come the Candidates

Here Come the Candidates Here Come the Candidates Here Come the Candidates By Maeve Maddox The first Tuesday in November is known as Election Day in the United States. It is the day on which political candidates are voted in or out of office. The word candidate is an example of how ancient customs become embedded in language. In ancient Rome, a person running for an elected office wore a brightly bleached toga. Candidatus means white-robed. The word for the clothing became attached to the person. The Latin noun candidum, meaning white, pure, or sincere, came from a verb meaning to shine. Our word candle is related to these words. The adjective candid shares the same etymology. A candid person is honest, forthright, and free of deception. A candid photo is one that is not posed. Candid Camera was a popular television show produced by Allen Funt that began as a radio show, Candid Microphone, in 1947. It was perhaps the earliest reality show. Funt and his assistants would set up a hidden camera and play various tricks on passers-by, recording their spontaneous reactions. The protagonist of Voltaires little book of the same name is called Candide because of his innocent, open nature. George Bernard Shaws play Candida features a woman of that name who is motivated by honesty and self-awareness. Lets hope that all those candidates who win on Election Day will be candid with their constituents. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesEmpathy "With" or Empathy "For"?Dissatisfied vs. Unsatisfied