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Posted By: cuccuzi non-meddlesome - 09/25/07 11:12 PM
Is there a word in English which means non-meddlesome? What word is used to describe one who does not interfere in the affairs and business of others?
Posted By: Zed Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 12:01 AM
Hmmm, I can think of a bunch of almosts.
Reserved is more about preserving your own privacy. Uninterested, and distant have the aspect of don't care added.
Disinterested or detached both indicate impartiality rather than just the act of not interfering.

Anyone got anything better?
PS Welcome and good question.
Posted By: tsuwm Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 12:05 AM
sure: unintrusive, inofficious, hands-off, unengaged

-joe (laissez faire) friday
Posted By: Zed Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 12:11 AM
Yikes I knew it had been a hard day but I missed completely on all those.
Oh well, I'll stop AWADing and go home and make pickles.
Chow

PS I like unintrusive best, it has the same emotional tenor as non-meddlesome but sounds less awkward.
Posted By: Hydra Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 05:43 AM
The word "laissez-faire" comes to mind. Kind of.
Posted By: themilum Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 10:24 AM
Originally Posted By: Hydra
The word "laissez-faire" comes to mind. Kind of.


Yeah Hydra, it also came to Joe Friday's mind intermittently. (see above)
Posted By: tsuwm Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 12:19 PM
I just knew some folks didn't bother to read those intercalations.

-joe ('Mickey') friday
Posted By: Darmatage Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 01:44 PM
"Aloof" is the complete opposite, though it connotes anti-meddling, not neutrality.
Posted By: cuccuzi Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 02:10 PM
I was interested in finding a word which does not express the thought in terms of a negative...i.e. not having un, dis, in, or non etc. as prefixes. Laissez-faire and hands off are close to what I want, but I thought perhaps there would be some eloquent sounding word which actually captures the virtue of not trying to influence the decisions of others...
Posted By: Buffalo Shrdlu Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 02:13 PM
enabling.
supportive.
parent.
Posted By: Darmatage Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 02:13 PM
Neutral?

It sounds like you want a word that connotes benevolence, though western culture (outside of Star Trek) tends to ennoble involvement.
Posted By: tsuwm Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 02:15 PM
Originally Posted By: Darmatage
"Aloof" is the complete opposite, though it connotes anti-meddling, not neutrality.


I'd have thought that aloof was more along the lines of hard-hearted, haughty, incurious, and indifferent.

-joe (cold-fish) friday
Posted By: Darmatage Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 02:28 PM
Yah. "Removed"-- unwilling to get involved through haughtiness, etc. Neither benevolent nor neutral. Exactly.
Posted By: Zed Re: non-meddlesome - 09/26/07 11:45 PM
Observer?
Posted By: TheFallibleFiend Re: non-meddlesome - 10/01/07 05:08 PM
According to Plato, perhaps just "just."
Posted By: TheFallibleFiend Re: non-meddlesome - 10/01/07 07:49 PM
I notice there are a few references to "Monroe Doctrinesque" on Googol.

Also, I don't see an adjectival form, but perhaps you could call someone a cincinnatus (after the roman dictator), but that reference might be too obscure and there is room for the reader to ascribe some other intention to the mention.
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