[lit-ideas] The Moxie of the Maven
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 9 May 2009 20:54:55 EDT
In a message dated 5/9/2009 2:01:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
dolphinw@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
-Wm. Dolphin
who has never considered himself a grammar maven
---
I too, like R. Paul, was impressed by Mr. Dolphin's explanation, never mind
if I followed it. I am with Judy that commas are on the whole _otiose_.
But anyway, checked with the OED to find 'maven' is "notably Americanism"
Yddish.
Yiddish meyvn (plural mevinim) expert, connoisseur < Hebrew mebin person
with understanding, teacher, participle of hebin understand, attend to,
teach.
Nice to learn. Reminds me of 'moxie', which I've learned via D. Potter's
_Pennies from Heaven_. The brits say, 'cheek'. Indeed, one OED quotes uses it
in Ursula's similar context:
1991 Eng. Today Oct. 57/2, I have in mind such English language mavens as
William Safire and Robert MacNeil.
Cheers,
J. L. Speranza
Buenos Aires, Argentina
**************Remember Mom this Mother's Day! Find a florist near you now.
(http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=florist&ncid=emlcntusyelp00000006)
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts:
- » [lit-ideas] The Moxie of the Maven - Jlsperanza
