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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
TEd Remington used this word correctly over a year ago, but I don't remember seeing it then. I just encountered it in an "engines" episode about a museum "docent" not understanding why a spinning skater with her arms outstretched, spins faster when she brings them to her sides.
docent n. 5Ger, earlier sp. of dozent, teacher, lecturer < L docens, prp. of docere, to teach: see DECENT6 1 in some American universities, a teacher or lecturer not on the regular faculty 2 a tour guide and lecturer, as at a museum
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
My first encounter with this word was about six years ago on Pier 39 in San Francisco where I was standing watching the sealions. There was a notice saying that docents were available to give information about the beasts. What in the world is a docent, I thought. I did take the trouble to find out, but still have not found the word to be in use outside the United States.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
"Docent" is a term very frequently used in Europe, and is beginning to be copied in U.S.
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
I don't know about your "recently," wwh.
We've had docents available to the school system here in Chesterfield for at least twenty years--docents provided by the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
How recent is recent?
And it is a good to have a decent docent.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Just curious... what "recently"??
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Why, AnnaS! The recently imbedded in beginning! Put on your Xray glasses! You'll see it there.
What is the form of dyslexia called that replaces words on the page with ones not apparent?
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
I can be way too literal sometimes...
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742 |
>"Docent" is a term very frequently used in Europe.
That seems somewhat unlikely, given that, for the overwhelming majority of its inhabitants, English is not their first language.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
English is not their first language.
It's pretty much straight Latin. The nominative singular is docens but the root is docent-.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742 |
>It's pretty much straight Latin.
Resisting the temptation to make Ricky Martin jokes, I suspect that my little nitpick would still stand. I still think it likely that the word "docent" would have been modified from that exact form in many, if not most, of the European languages in which it appears.
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