Pluperfection

OK, by now we all know that Chris Matthews described the President as "pluperfect" the other day, but for those of you who missed it, here it is again:



Now, quick quiz for all you Catholic school graduates: what does "pluperfect" mean to you?

Answer: Of or being a verb tense used to express action completed before a specified or implied past time.

As in, I had arrived before the other guy arrived.

"I had arrived" is the pluperfect there.

According to the online dictionary DIH consulted "pluperfect" can also mean "supremely accomplished," but come on, has anyone ever used it that way before?

Chris, we're all real proud you passed Latin I. Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres forever, dude!

But whatever you do, don't describe anyone as "genitive" or "dative." Otherwise you might come off as "accusative," and you wouldn't want that.

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