I am a librarian and someone posted this question on a listserv to which I subscribe because there is a children's book about a boy who collects words. Logophile doesn't really seem to cover it. I was thinking of something akin to philatelist.
This comes close.
Quote:
lexiconophilist n. One who loves dictionaries and other books of words.
Or nerd.
The words most often connected with book collectors are bibliophile and bibliomaniac. The former has a positive connotation, but the latter a negative one.
quili: Logophile doesn't really seem to cover it.
daleh: logophile
-ron o.
tsu, nah you're right it doesn't. Somewhat parallel to routine, which doesn't quite cover algorithm but so far it's as close as we've come
lexilist?
hmmm would a collector of lists be a listilist?
wordude?
yup. just with the hip spelling. ;¬ )
Isn't the problem here that words are abstract and not concrete objects that can be collected like, say, postage stamps, postcards, and coins, and that therefore there are not likely to be any words for word collecting, but rather for a lover of words and, at the very most, a collector of dictionaries?
;-,) I like your graphic improvement.
In the academy of Lagado, words are objects, and collected as such. So perhaps you could coin your own word from Swift:
Quote:
The other project was, a scheme for entirely abolishing all words whatsoever; and this was urged as a great advantage in point of health, as well as brevity. For it is plain, that every word we speak is, in some degree, a diminution of our lunge by corrosion, and, consequently, contributes to the shortening of our lives. An expedient was therefore offered, “that since words are only names for things, it would be more convenient for all men to carry about them such things as were necessary to express a particular business they are to discourse on.” [...] Many of the most learned and wise adhere to the new scheme of expressing themselves by things; which has only this inconvenience attending it, that if a man’s business be very great, and of various kinds, he must be obliged, in proportion, to carry a greater bundle of things upon his back, unless he can afford one or two strong servants to attend him. I have often beheld two of those sages almost sinking under the weight of their packs, like pedlars among us, who, when they met in the street, would lay down their loads, open their sacks, and hold conversation for an hour together; then put up their implements, help each other to resume their burdens, and take their leave.
But for short conversations, a man may carry implements in his pockets, and under his arms, enough to supply him; and in his house, he cannot be at a loss. Therefore the room where company meet who practise this art, is full of all things, ready at hand, requisite to furnish matter for this kind of artificial converse.
—Swift, Gulliver's Travels, Chapter V.
Wasn't the deaf mute language invented yet in Swifts time? Or would that corrode the hands too much?
Verbalegist or logologist.
Words are not intended to be collected.
They must be shared; spread about as seeds.
What do you call one who hordes words?
Not even a tiny collection of strictly private favourites, such as f.i.
kailaidepoddowiet and solaliseila?
> kailaidepoddowiet and solaliseila
ok, start sharing.
I suggest logolept (a word maniac; verbivore, logophile)
or
logolatrist, from logolatry (worship of words)
It was ParkinT who said words must be shared. I could tell of course, (maybe) but I'm afraid some logocleptomaniac might take them.
yeahbut, what goods a word if nobody else can use it? or no one else knows what it means?
hmmm..... (starts thinking....)
OK.
First word means: We got to go.
Second word means: Stay awake till I get there.
It was shared between my two sisters and brother and me, to avoid our mother from knowing that we never slept right away when we had gone to bed , but invented our daily radioplay in unlimited episodes. My elder brother came up half an hour later as he was a few years older.
We still use them in letters.
So, kailaidepoddowiet! Yeh! stupid, but it was infinite F U N!
heh.
thanks for sharing!! great words! :¬ )