Date:30/06/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/edu/2009/06/30/stories/2009063050151303.htm

Does the word ‘missent’ exist?

(V. Suresh, Kollam)

Yes, it does. Just ask the South African MP who wanted to send a message to his girlfriend. The poor man did something wrong, and he ended up sending the passionate message to his wife of 30 years! Result? The man became front page news: ‘Missent text ends MP’s marriage.’ When something is ‘missent’, it is usually sent to the wrong destination; it is sent to the wrong person/address. The word is normally used with mail (both email and snail) and text messages. It can be used with other things as well.

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“University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.”

— Henry Kissinger

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