I think the best way to create a new word is to put two words together that hate each other spitswallow earsilence Sickwell Sphereflatic wetburn Knotwell chewbite
This comment is very prescriptive. I myself prefer non-presciptive grammar. That is why I will continue to say things like "I done posted the problem with the word JuanValdez" and leave it to the prescriptivist to figure out what is wrong with that statement.
http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=antitheist looks like JuanValdez is on the money... personally, my favorite words happen when you add the suffix "esque" to something... This thread is starting to show signs of a heypartneresque failure.
If anyone was wondering, as I was: I think he's just mad because I called his post boring, only to follow with an even more boring post. But, I've thought about the issue more and I can't shake the feeling that anti-theist won't cut it either. An anti-theist -- the way I use it -- is someone who hates God or hates religion itself. It doesn't really address folks who hate people who ascribe to a religion, though I imagine the 2 phenomena often occur together. So, I think some space is still open for a word like 'religicist'. I've also been thinking about what it is about the structure of this and other words that separates the idealist ones like 'environmentalist' from professional ones like 'scientist.' I'm thinking more and more that the difference is merely idiomatic and established by long usage. Why doesn't 'scientist' mean someone who believes science is right/good? Why doesn't 'environmentalist' refer to someone who makes money working with environments? Usage only. So, I don't think I hit it just right on the first pass but there is still something not right about 'religicist'. I think it doesn't adequately specify its position on religion or what particular question regarding religion it deals with. Btw, I thought of another related word: sectarianism.
You are correct JV. [-ist] can and does have more than one meaning. There are no rules on what bases take what affixes traditionally. Even in the most strict rule of grammar time has shown that the correct usage will eventually be broken or changed. Take, for example, my tester sentence: "I done posted the problem with the word JuanValdez." The reason it violated standard usage, FYI, is that "done" is functioning as a modal in the sentence. But even so, why should we think it incorrect, just because it has not traditionally been seen as a modal? It clearly communicated its message, and that is, after all, the purpose of writing. SURE, I responded to the "boring" remark. Who wouldn't? But I also wanted to communicate, in my own way, that grammar is fluid.
I got it Juan -- Marilyn-Manson! Oh, but he believes in Satan or something so that won't work either.
http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42512 yeah baby. but I have been using that term is speach for a while
kbm, WOW ... that was a very insightful post. I see what you're saying, and looks like anti-thiest already covers it. JuanValdez ... again, great post on topic. I appreciate it. off_welfare, no need for the snide comments man, I wasn't trying to start anything or trying to be all snooty ... I just asked a question to see if anyone knew. Obviously, stuff like this is possible, otherwise how would new words get introduced in the vernacular?! --rockit
This post is just for the interest Juan and others might have about the [-ist]. I know that I could not explain it how the oxford english dictionary can. Note that oxford uses cryptic abbreviations. (F) stands for french. (N and NS) noun and nouns repectively. If you need help with an abb., post here and I'll look it up. I don't think you can find it at oxford english dictionary online. ist, suffix corresponding to F. -iste, L. -ista, Gr. -irs–|, forming agent-nouns from verbs in -¬feim (see -ize), consisting of the agential suffix -sg| added to the verb-stem, as in baps¬f-eim to dip, bapsir-s–| dipper, L. baptista, F. baptiste baptist. Cognate to the suffix -irl¾|, -ism. Examples of the Greek use are 2cxmirs–| combatant, competitor, kocirs–| calculator, pokelirs–| warrior, rouirs–| clever man, sophist; jihaqirs–| player on the cithara, ktqirs–| player on the lyre, stlpamirs–| drummer; +ssijirs–| a partisan of Athens, one who Atticizes, !kkgmirs–| a Hellenizer, one who speaks Greek; Kajxmirs–| one who sides with or imitates Lacedaemon, or uses laconism. A few words of this form were taken into Latin during or soon after the classical period, e.g. citharista, cymbalista, danWsta (usurer), grammatista, logista, lyrista, petaurista (rope-dancer), sophista, tympanista; the number of these was greatly increased by Christian writers, in the latinizing of scriptural and ecclesiastical terms, such as agZnista, baptista, catUchista, collybista, euangelista, exorcista, psalmista, tocista. In later use, -ista became a favourite formative of names denoting the observers of a particular rite, the holders of special religious or philosophical tenets, or the adherents of particular teachers or heresiarchs; hence such names as Catharista, Origenista, PlatZnista, and in scholastic use Scotista, ThZmista, nZminQlista, reQlista, etc. Hence the suffix (with the needed adaptations, F. -iste, Eng. and Ger. -ist, etc.) has passed into the modern languages. In English, its use has received a wide extension, it being now used not merely as the agent-noun of verbs in -ize (beside -izer), as in plagiarize, plagiarist, and in association with nouns of action or function in -ism, as in altruism, altruist, but also, on the analogy of these, in a multitude of terms, having no corresponding words in -ize or -ism, which denominate the professed followers of some leader or school, the professional devotees of some principle, or the practisers of some art. In some cases, the form in -ist approaches closely to the native agent-noun in -er, being distinguished only by the more professional or systematic sense which it implies: cf. conformer, conformist; copier, copyist; cycler, cyclist; philologer, philologist. Many of the ns. in -ist give rise to adjs. in -istic, -istical; but words of modern formation are to a great extent used adjectively unchanged, as in the royalist party, a Bonapartist plot, nonconformist principles. The following are the chief modern English uses of the suffix: 1. Forming a simple agent-noun derived from a Gr. verb in -¬feim, and often accompanying an Eng. verb in -ize. Such are agonist, antagonist, baptist, catechist, epitomist, evangelist, exorcist; apologist, plagiarist, ostracist, syllogist. 2. Designating a person who practises some art or method, or who prosecutes, studies, or devotes himself to some science, art, or branch of knowledge, originally expressed by a word of Greek formation in -ia (Eng. -y), -la(s) (-ma, -m), -g (-e), etc., but in later examples, also by words of Latin or other origin. Such are archæologist, chronologist, economist, etymologist, genealogist, geologist, meteorologist, mineralogist, mythologist, philologist, physiologist, zoologist; alchemist, algebr(a)ist, anatomist, botanist, chemist, metallurgist, microscopist, phlebotomist, physicist, physiognomist, theorist; academist, chirographist, monopolist, rhapsodist, symmetrist; bigamist, monogamist, polygamist; dogmatist, dramatist, epigrammatist, schematist, etc. To these may be added (from L. sources) annalist, capitalist, journalist, memorialist, mineralist, moralist, satirist, scientist (L. scientia), etc. These have a possible verb in -ize, often in use, e.g. anatomize, botanize, dogmatize, dramatize, economize, geologize, journalize, monopolize, moralize, theorize, etc. 3. Designating an adherent or professor of some creed, doctrine, system, or art, which is usually denominated by a cognate -ism: e.g. altruist (a professor of altruism), animist, atheist, Chartist, deist, egoist, egotist, hedonist, monotheist, pædobaptist, polytheist, ritualist, ventriloquist, etc.; with a large number derived from personal names, as Bonapartist, Brownist, Buddhist, Calvinist, Darwinist, Hattemist, Scotist, Spinozist, Thomist, Wycliffist, and nonce-words without limit, as Lambist, Lockeist, Stuartist, Weismannist, etc. b. Formed on an adjective (usually also with a cognate n. in -ism and often an adj. in -istic), as devotionalist, externalist, fatalist, formalist, humanist, idealist, imperialist, loyalist, materialist, naturalist, nominalist, opportunist, pluralist, positivist, purist, rationalist, realist, royalist, socialist, universalist. 4. Formed from other ns. (chiefly Latin) without accompanying words in -ize or -ism, and denoting one whose profession or business it is to have to do with the thing or subject in question, as amorist, artist, canonist, casuist, colourist, decretist, dentist, duellist, fashionist, florist, humorist, jurist, linguist, medallist, novelist, numerist, oculist, opinionist, organist, querist, statist, tobacco(n)ist. Also from names of languages, as Americanist, Anglist, Germanist, Hebraist, Hellenist, Latinist, Orientalist. Sometimes, from vbs., as conformist, computist, controvertist, favourist, impartist, separatist, speculatist. b. These lead the way to modern formations from current words of all kinds and even from phrases; as balloonist, billiardist, bimetallist, 'celloist, cocainist, cyclist, fetishist, footballist; with such nonce-formations as hammerist, selfist, truthist; great aukist, physical forcist, red tapist, second adventist, etc. Words in -ist are treated, according to their importance, in their alphabetical places, or under the Main words on which they are formed; the following are illustrations of some of those of more trivial or ephemeral character, nonce-words, and the like. 1884 Pall Mall G. 17 Sept. 11/1 Associations of amateur *balloonists. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1897 Pall Mall Mag. Feb. 196 Chalmers the *'celloist and orientalist. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1897 Westm. Gaz. 22 Jan. 8/1 A considerable proportion of chronic *cocainists have fallen under the dominion of the drug from a desire to stimulate their powers of imagination. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1862 Literary Churchman VIII. 207/2 If by any chance the Benedicite should be used, the *Consecutivist would be completely bewildered. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1869 Contemp. Rev. XII. 278 The obstructive Conservative in art may just as naturally be a classicist as a mediævalist or *dark-ageist. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. App. 558 This time we for once get the *Godwinist version. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1900 Daily Express 20 June 5/2 The gem of the collection is a great auk's egg,+and is regarded by *great aukists as the finest specimen of its special type of marking in the world. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1857 Reade Course of True Love 48 The *hammerist [i.e. field geologist] can jump out of his gig at any turn of the road. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1850 tr. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. (1863) III. iv. ii. ii. §36. 390 The Dutch sects of Verschorists and *Hattemists having been better known among us. 1876 Johnson Univ. Cycl., Hattemists, the followers of one Pontianus van Hattem, a Dutch minister of the eighteenth century who was excommunicated for Spinozism. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1892 Pall Mall G. 19 May 6/1 Philosopher—artist—and general *impartist Of cynical views on society. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1898 Daily News 3 Jan. 6/4 The Prince was not disposed to reject contemptuously those *Lamaist miracles of which he heard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1868 Sala Lamb's Wks. I. p. xiv, There have not been any *Lambists; on no particular shoulders did the mantle of his idiosyncrasies descend. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Literature Wks. (Bohn) II. 106 'Tis quite certain, that Spenser, Burns, Byron, and Wordsworth will be Platonists; and that the dull men will be *Lockeists. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1848 W. E. Forster 26 May in Wemyss Reid Life (1888) I. vii. 247 The *physical forcists have gained a strength in my absence which [etc.]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1890 J. W. Brown Ital. Campaign i. iv. 103 The Protestant movement+was prejudiced by *Plymouthists and their sectarian spirit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1842 R. Ford Let. in Smiles Mem. J. Murray (1891) II. xxxvi. 491 [They] yield not in+insolence to any kind of *red-tapists. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1897 Westm. Gaz. 29 Dec. 2/1 The colony of German ‘*Second Adventists’, just outside the Jaffa Gate, has done far more than anything else to spoil the approach to the Holy City. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1898 Daily News 10 Oct. 7/4 There were six heats, and the *semi-finalists were Gandin, Deltour, Ashe, and Machenry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1889 Daily News 4 Oct. 5/1 The true *Stuartists+were all for the propagation of the faith, according to the profession of the Order of the White Rose. 1897 Westm. Gaz. 5 Feb. 10/1 Our Stuartist and ‘White Rose’ ladies and gentlemen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1896 Life A. J. Gordon 315 Not that one should be a pessimist+he should, above all else, be a *truthist. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1890 Times (weekly ed.) 10 Jan. 7/3 There are [in biology] pure Darwinists, Wallaceists, *Weismannists, Lamarckites, and Romanesists.
