When & Where: Retinue was a word I read/heard in a reading at church this morning. It was from 2 Kings 5:14-17. In the reading, Naaman, a man with leprosy, jumps into the Jordan at the behest of Elisha and his leprosy was cleared. It said that "Naaman then returned with his retinue to the man of God (Elisha)."
Level of Familiarity:
I have heard this word before but I have never realized that it was unknown to me. Perhaps in prior exposures it was used in a more comprehensible context? In this instance, I was unable to discern the meaning from context. My guess is that it refers to something like a posse, but there was no indication Naaman had one in this passage.
What it Means: Merriam-Webster defined retinue as "a group of retainers or attendants." (When I read this, I also searched for a definition of "retainers" which refers to a servant or an employee)
Reflective Commentary: I was glad to see that my assumption about the meaning of the word was correct, though I didn't classify the members of the group as employees. However, if I had seen the word void of context, I am not sure the correct association would have been triggered in my mind. After I heard retinue in the reading, I began to notice many other words that are part of the mass (in which I have been participating since I was a small child) that I don't know and have never thought to investigate (e.g., "consubstantial"). This made me think about all of the texts in our lives that become so familiar and even comforting--like prayers, the pledge of allegiance, etc.--even when we don't actually understand what it is we are saying. It makes me wonder if it's not the words that are important at all but the community in which they are said?
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