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Glite Dictionary
⛪ Christian holiday 🏛️ US Capitol event
January 6

January 6

6.5
A violent attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 that threatened democracy
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : 6 de enero
  • Many people remember the events of January 6 vividly.

Examples

  • What happened on January 6 changed American politics forever.

  • Many politicians still refer to January 6 when discussing threats to democratic institutions.

  • News reports compared the security failures during January 6 to other recent acts of political violence.

  • Survivors testified about the chaos they experienced inside the building on January 6 during congressional proceedings.

  • The investigation into the events of January 6 has revealed new evidence about the planning that took place.

  • Many people believe that the repercussions of the January 6 attack will be felt for years to come.

  • Politicians continue to debate the implications of the January 6 insurrection on democratic institutions.

Surface Forms

January 6 singular
January 6th singular

Morphology

January + six

Although the words literally compose a date ('January' + 'six'), the specialised meaning as a label for the Capitol attack is a culturally specific, metonymic use that cannot be derived from the constituent meanings alone. An average B1 learner who knows the words would understand the date but would not be able to infer the event-reference without prior cultural or media knowledge.

Etymology

January 6 is used in news and politics to name the 2021 event when people broke into the U.S. Capitol; the date itself now brings to mind that 'attack' on Congress. That's why saying January 6 often means the event and the political consequences that followed.