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#31703 - 06/11/01 12:35 AM Philosophaster & Newscaster
Many Vices Offline
stranger

Registered: 06/11/01
Posts: 1
Loc: MA
In AWAD News 33, someone wrote a post saying that the "-aster" of "philosophaster" was a pejorative suffix, and then claimed that the word "newscaster" made sense. To me, this seems like a bit of morphological confusion, because a newscaster is quite literally "one who casts news," while a philosophaster isn't one who "asts philosophs." And the word doesn't morphologically break into "newsc" and "aster." Am I wrong? To me it's like saying the words "dentist" and "desist" are etymologically related simply by the shared "-ist." I don't see much, if any, relation between the two, but I'm willing to hear arguments to the contrary.


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#31704 - 06/11/01 01:15 PM Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster
Faldage Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 13654
the "-aster" of "philosophaster" was a pejorative suffix, and then claimed that the word "newscaster" made sense.

I wouldn't necessarily be looking for too much deep linguistic meaning in an email from someone called Jellybean Stonerfish*.

You'd also have to consider that perhaps a philosophaster was someone who phasted philosoes, much as a poetaster is someone who tastes poes.

*But then, I'm not so sure about taking advice from someone called Faldage, either


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#31705 - 06/11/01 02:52 PM Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster
tsuwm Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/03/00
Posts: 10463
Loc: this too shall pass
I would venture the opinion that mr. jellyfish is a philologaster.[smle]

I guess that would be an empty smile...

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#31706 - 06/12/01 09:03 AM Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster
AnnaStrophic Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 6511
Loc: lower upstate New York
I would venture the opinion that mr. jellyfish is a philologaster.

And if jellyfish have feet, he'd be a pederaster.


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#31707 - 06/24/01 11:10 AM Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster
inselpeter Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/14/01
Posts: 2379
Loc: New York City
A philosophaster is a star philosopher.


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