Diversivolent - Wordsmith.org

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diversivolent desiring different things. ORIGIN Latin diversus 'diverse' and volens, velle 'to wish'.

I came across this word in The White Devil by John Webster, which quite a few online dictionaries cite as a source. It could be a printing error, but the footnote in my copy of The White Devil defines "diversivolent" with two words: "Desiring strife."

It's used by the verbose, pettifogging lawyer in the trial of Vittoria:

Quote:

LAWYER
Most literated judges, please your lordships
So to connive your judgments to the view
Of this debauch'd and diversivolent woman;
Who such a black concatenation
Of mischief hath effected, that to extirp
The memory of 't, must be the consummation
Of her, and her projections�

If "diversivolent" means "desiring many things" or "avaricious", the lawyer's speech makes sense. So why "desiring strife" ? Is this a forgotten meaning of the word? And if yes, whose strife? Your own (like a death wish) or someone elses?

B&M OED defines it as "desiring strife or differences." And what is strife but violent differences?

This is a casebook study of bad forensic rhetoric. The lawyer calls the judges "literated" to gain their favor and then asks them to "connive" their judgments. Next he hurls out a mass of absurd inkhorn terms and grotesque sounds in a periphrastic and confused syntax. His eloquence is crowned by the rime of "concatenation" with "consummation." The lawyer's exordium prepares the audience not for his arguments but for Vittoria's abrupt interruption: "What's all this?"
- H. Bruce Franklin, The Trial Scene of Webster's The White Devil Examined in Terms of Renaissance Rhetoric

"Vittoria is a white devil, she may be the white devil of the title. She is not, however, the only cadidate for that office." - ibid.

Webster goes on to use "diversivolent lawyer."

Thanks tswum.

It's apparent that Webster is poking fun at lawyers. But still, why the footnote: "Desiring strive"? Presumably, then, a printing error?

We'll, it's not a printing error.

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The work is rich in the language of ambiguity and treachery. Take something as simple as the adjective "diversivolent," which one of those haughty lawyers invokes. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it means "desiring strife or differences." The example of usage the OED cites is, not surprisingly, Webster and this play. It's a good bet that the word he reached for to characterize these dubious endeavors can be found nowhere else in literature.

Fal>B&M OED defines it as "desiring strife or differences."

Hyd>According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it means "desiring strife or differences."

say, Fal, do you suppose Hyd just enjoys the sound of this own keystrokes?!

Heh. Been a while since we've had a case of chopped liver -- or as it's called in some circles, mantling -- around here.

You're now fully intitiated, Hydra.

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B&M OED defines it as "desiring strife or differences."

Quote:

We'll, it's not a printing error.

The work is rich in the language of ambiguity and treachery. Take something as simple as the adjective "diversivolent," which one of those haughty lawyers invokes. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it means "desiring strife or differences." The example of usage the OED cites is, not surprisingly, Webster and this play. It's a good bet that the word he reached for to characterize these dubious endeavors can be found nowhere else in literature.

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say, Fal, do you suppose Hyd just enjoys the sound of this own keystrokes?!

tswum, I read and made note of Faldage's post, and the source, but I could not at first find it. When I found the above discussion in an article, I posted it as corroboration of the vague and still unclarified "desiring strife" definition for "diversivolent".

My last post in no way proves that I overlooked Faldage's post.

And the quote does add to Faldage's citation, and the discussion of the word, since the source quoted postulates that perhaps Webster's use of the word is the only one in all literature�which would (if true) add to the file on diversivolent the honor of being a hapax legomenon.

Discussing words is what these forums are for.

tswum, why go out of your way to be rude when you have insufficient evidence to prove me guilty of what is, at any rate, a trifling error?

..and I prolly wouldn't have even noted it hadn't there been the extra (and unneeded) emphasis put on it.

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..and I prolly wouldn't have even noted it hadn't there been the extra (and unneeded) emphasis put on it.

What the problem, tswum, having a bad day?

Ah, shucks, Hydra. Lighten up. Every message board has its conventions.

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Ah, shucks, Hydra. Lighten up. Every message board has its conventions.

There's nothing wrong with conventions�but tswum is nitpicking when there are no nits (see above). And then, to have at least something to nag Hydra (me) about, resorts to criticising me for the monstrous crime of using bold text.

This kind of antisocial nitpicking actually expresses a latent, neurasthenic hostility to on-line communities�the unconscious mind actually begins to covertly resist sitting for long periods in an unventilated room in front of the computer.

Hydra prescribes some fresh air, and a bit of healthy interaction with 3-dimensional people to bring one back down to earth.

Doctor's orders, tswum.

Edit: By the way, no duplicity here. I (Hydra) have had a makeover, and will now be posting (sometimes, but not always, in bold text) as the mystical number string 251413913519.

The webster in question, by the way, is John Webster (one of three cited in the OED) and the work, The white divel [sic], dates from 1612.

The webster in question, by the way, is John Webster

We have developed a convention here of acknowledging (by some kind of quote indication) that someone else has posted what we just said; though sometimes the newer post-er has genuinely not seen the previous post, thus the reminders. Kind of like being in a face-to-face group: no one would appreciate their input being restated by someone else, as though the original speaker had never opened his mouth.

As to the original topic: it takes no stretch of my imagination to think that divers(i) means different, or difference. But does the end of the word have some significance (that is, root)? I tried *volent in Onelook, but it gave me only a short list:

1. benevolent
2. diversivolent
3. frivolent
4. malevolent
5. multivolent
6. omnibenevolent
7. statuvolent
8. unbenevolent
9. volent

It tastes like it ought to mean wish.

As Hydra mentions in the original post, these words are from the participle volens of the verb velle - "to be willing , to wish, want; to will, ordain; to suppose, maintain that" ( Latin Dictionary .

There are also some words from volare - "to fly" - e.g. volant (not volent).

As Hydra mentions in the original post AUGH!

So he did! [smacking forehead e] Thank you.

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Heh. Been a while since we've had a case of chopped liver -- or as it's called in some circles, mantling -- around here.

How and why did the act of posting something that's already been posted in a post you overlooked come to be called "mantling" ?

(Just wondrin')

> How and why

that's worthy of an epic search.

They use it on the wordorigins board. I believe it comes from "mantle of invisibility."

"Mantle:" A reference to a 'mantle of invisibility,' a term used on this board for someone whose post is ignored by a later poster and the same facts/comments repeated as if the original poster were invisible. - Dave Wilton

you quintessentially mantling me or merely expanding, mr. tsuwm?!

..and best of the season to you also, Rhonda.

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy! [/help me]

That doesn't follow, Asp.

heel!

To get back to the thread, I note that "Diversivolent" gets only four hits in OneLook. For what it's worth (perhaps not much), that's a sign the term is very obscure or is of Type 3

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