Vagaries

[JPablo]

Random House gives va·gar·y n., pl. -gar·ies.
1. an unpredictable or erratic action, occurrence, course, or instance: the vagaries of weather; the vagaries of the economic scene.
2. a whimsical, wild, or unusual idea, desire, or action.
[1565–75, in sense “wandering journey”; appar. < L vagari to wander]
—Syn. 2. caprice, whim, quirk, crotchet.

Oxford Superlex only gives "vagaries" (ie., the plural form) and it gives "caprichos" "rarezas, manías".

Is this a word mainly used in plural?

Or is there any good examples of its usage in singular?

[chileno]

Un poco extravagante?

[JPablo]

Buena idea, "extra-vagancias" me gusta, pues parece tener también una etimología similar...

Gracias, Chileno.

(Aunque 'extra-vagancia' también sería una 'flojera extraordinaria' ... just kidding!)

[poli]

This is a tough question, but as a native speaker with a better-than-average command of the language, I should know. The best I can do is use an example.

Politicians are often purposely vague. They use vagueries as a means of
answering a question without actually answering it.

An especially especially sharp interviewer (David Gregory in the United
States) will point out a politician's vaguery and demand that they clarify
themselves. Often the politician will do so with other vagueries.

Of course vague has the same roots a vago, but as cognates , they have
diverged over the centuries.

A vaguery is a verbal slight of hand or a verbal card trick. A dull blah blah as a means of not answering a sharp question. I hope this clarifies my vagueness.

[JPablo]

Hey, Poli, thank you very much. Your answer was not vague at all, it was pointed, i.e., to the point and laser precise. I'd say 'magisterial' in a mastery way.

[chileno]

I see.... I took it wrong.

[JPablo]

Well... I think you took the other meaning of vagueries... I don't think that other option you gave is wrong.
(Well, now you make me think... but it seems to me that is other option in a different context...)

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Is this a word mainly used in plural?

Yes - BNC gives 2 examples in sg., and 165 in the plural.

[ceri]

@ Poli & JPablo,
I don't know for sure but maybe the plural form vagueries is more preferable? I've heard of it several times, as in a sentense like:
Forgive the vagueries but it was a long time ago.
or phrases like:
the vagueries of memory
the vagueries of history
the vagueries of (blah blah) law

And I think better words to describe an ambiguous and roundabout form of speech would be circumlocution or periphrase? As a not-so-authentic native speaker(spending most of my life in Asia) and young student of languages, I may be probably wrong.

Jess

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by ceri

the vagueries of memory
the vagueries of history
the vagueries of (blah blah) law

Yes, except that the spelling is not right - it's vagaries

(from Latin vagor - vagari to wander)

[ceri]

Whoops, that's embarrassing.
Muchas gracias, Perikles!!

Originally Posted by Perikles

Yes, except that the spelling is not right - it's vagaries

(from Latin vagor - vagari to wander)

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by ceri

Whoops, that's embarrassing.
Muchas gracias, Perikles!!

You are welcome - don't be embarassed, it is quite understandable to assume it has some connection with vague, which it doesn't.

[JPablo]

Well thank you, Perikles (165 vs 2 is quite a statistic!) and thank you, Ceri, for the examples.

And yes, it is vagaries, but then again, (even if "por carambola") it does have something to do (even if slightly more remotely) with "vagari," as "vague" comes from [1540–50; (< MF) < L vagus wandering]

(El mundo es un pañuelo...)