But Mochi Doesn't Wear Loincloths!

I have only two things to say.

One is: 'Diplomacy is not synonymous with talking,' and the other is:

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Diplomacy ≠ Talking? Diplomacy ≥ Talking? Diplomacy < Talking?

Alright, children, bubble tea is not synonymous with tapioca; religion is not synonymous with faith; politics is not synonymous with guanxi; and cole slaw in Kotzebue is not synonymous with Matanuska Valley cabbage. But I would expect to encounter a fair bit of the latter in any of these cases should I find myself confronted with the former.

I understand (perhaps) (in the most gracious reading) that what Ms. Rice meant to say was something like 'Diplomacy is not coextensive with talking,' mixed with a more minatory something akin to 'We have reconceived the notion of diplomacy such that a range of things from threats to preemptive strikes can now be put in the overlappy middle bit of a Diplomacy/War Wenn diagram.' She just didn't think Americans would understand 'coextensive,' 'reconceived,' or 'Wenn diagram.'

And more power to her: we don't. But I assume the esteemed Secretary did fairly well on her GRE, and even if it were more years ago than her youthful looks would imply, putting that zingy soundbite in the lamentable form she chose makes one want to ask, 'If not synonyms, then what are they? You've juxtaposed them; it seems you've counterposed them. Now tell us the nature of their relationship, if it is not one of synonyms. Diplomacy is to Talking as _________ is to what, Ms. Rice?'

To help her and us out, here are some choices of sample GRE analogy questions from this site.

COLOR: SPECTRUM::

a. tone: scale
b. sound: waves
c. verse: poem
d. dimension: space
e. cell: organism

HEADLONG:FORETHOUGHT::

a. barefaced: shame
b. mealymouth: talent
c. heartbroken: emotion
d. levelheaded: resolve
e. singlehanded: ambition

SEDATIVE: DROWSINESS::

a. epidemic: contagiousness
b. vaccine: virus
c. laxative: drug
d. anesthetic: numbness
e. therapy: psychosis

I don't want to sound unduly cynical, but I suspect Ms. Rice is hinting that for the departing administration it may be that

diplomacy: talking :: gladiator: kagami mochi.