Here's a little from the site tsuwm sent us to:

"Well, the most important differerence is that Bildungsroman is relatively common in English and Entwicklungsroman is so rare that only a few hardcore types will know what it means.

The words, which are so close in meaning as to be almost synonymous, both refer to types of novels common in German literature that discuss the personal development of a single person, typically in youth. A Bildungsroman, from German Bildung 'education; formation' and Roman 'novel', focuses on the esp. moral and spiritual development of the main character. The definitive example is Goethe's Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (in English, Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship), which greatly influenced later German novels. A more recent example is Thomas Mann's Magic Mountain. "

tsuwm was giving us a chance to learn "Entwicklungsroman." I didn't. I just remember that he'd try to teach us about it.

Here's the site url he gave us:

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/?date=19970825

You know, it's a great feeling to realize I don't forget everything we discuss! In other words, what's opposite a 'senior moment' for we seniors?

(And I still would like to know a workable opposite for 'inert.' I don't forget my questions to you, wwh!)

Re: only a few hardcore types
tsuwm pretty much declared himself to be one of those types.