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#10184 11/12/00 12:57 PM
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Jackie Offline OP
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Rupert Brooke wrote to a friend in 1914, and used the word
polypist. He wrote, "...so polypist and yet benevolent...". He added what to me was an amazing and
amusing note: "=of many faiths, not bespattered by a parrot, O Greekless!"

Did he make this word up, or perhaps mis-spell a real word?
I can't find it, nor come up with anything close to it.


#10185 11/12/00 02:57 PM
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This looks to be to be a home-made word, probably inspired by the epithet "papist" converted to a pun by substituting "poly" (many, diverse, varietous) for "pap" (referring to the Bishop of Rome). I especially appreciate the comment on parrot urine, however.



#10186 11/13/00 08:31 AM
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old hand
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polypist was most probably composed from poly ( greek, =many) and pisteuo (greek,= I believe)


#10187 11/13/00 11:11 AM
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Jackie Offline OP
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Thank you, wsieber! Certainly sounds likely.



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