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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Philosophaster & Newscaster #31703 06/11/2001 4:35 AM Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 1 MA Many Vices stranger Many Vices stranger Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 1 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. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster #31704 06/11/2001 5:15 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 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 Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster #31705 06/11/2001 6:52 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass I would venture the opinion that mr. jellyfish is a philologaster.[smle] I guess that would be an empty smile... Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster #31706 06/12/2001 1:03 PM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 lower upstate New York AnnaStrophic Carpal Tunnel AnnaStrophic Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 6,511 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. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Philosophaster & Newscaster #31707 06/24/2001 3:10 PM Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 New York City inselpeter Pooh-Bah inselpeter Pooh-Bah Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 New York City A philosophaster is a star philosopher. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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