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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage
Amateur v. Dilettante
I don't quite grasp the fine difference between "amateur" and "dilettante" and the dictionaries, who treat them mostly as synonyms, are not much help.
This is my understanding:
amateur= (from its etymology) is a lover of a certain field such as art, science, also crafts or any profession. The amateur lacks formal training in the field he cherishes, but he does his best to acquire skill, knowledge and experience, mostly by himself.
I referred to "he"because I have a particular amateur in mind: Woody Allen as a clarinetist.
dilettante= someone who is supposed to know more than she does, or to have acquired a superior skill in a particular field, such as cooking or even a specialized area of his or her profession.
The amateur is a good guy, because he is passionate about his hobby. People admire his efforts and also his candor.
The dilettante is criticized, even ridiculed, for his/her lack of competence.
Am I right, or am I wrong?
This is my understanding:
amateur= (from its etymology) is a lover of a certain field such as art, science, also crafts or any profession. The amateur lacks formal training in the field he cherishes, but he does his best to acquire skill, knowledge and experience, mostly by himself.
I referred to "he"because I have a particular amateur in mind: Woody Allen as a clarinetist.
dilettante= someone who is supposed to know more than she does, or to have acquired a superior skill in a particular field, such as cooking or even a specialized area of his or her profession.
The amateur is a good guy, because he is passionate about his hobby. People admire his efforts and also his candor.
The dilettante is criticized, even ridiculed, for his/her lack of competence.
Am I right, or am I wrong?
Top answer
[nq:1]This is my understanding: amateur= (from its etymology) is a lover of a certain field such as art, science, also ... experience, mostly by himself. [/nq] Below is my understanding as a native speaker.
- [nq:1]This is my understanding: amateur= (from its etymology) is a lover of a certain field such as art, science, also ...
- experience, mostly by himself.
- [/nq] Below is my understanding as a native speaker.
- You can decide whether I am an amateur or dilettante when it comes to English.
- Amateur: someone who does something mostly for pleasure, rather than renumeration.
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18 Answers
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[nq:1]This is my understanding: amateur= (from its etymology) is a lover of a certain field such as art, science, also ... experience, mostly by himself. I referred to "he"because I have a particular amateur in mind: Woody Allen as a clarinetist.[/nq]
Below is my understanding as a native speaker. You can decide whether I am an amateur or dilettante when it comes to English.
Amateur:
Below is my understanding as a native speaker. You can decide whether I am an amateur or dilettante when it comes to English.
Amateur:
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[nq:1]dilettante= someone who is supposed to know more than she does, or to have acquired a superior skill in a ... hobby. People admire his efforts and also his candor. The dilettante is criticized, even ridiculed, for his/her lack of competence.[/nq]
To the best of my understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what the word means in both the Swedish and the Danish form), a di
To the best of my understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what the word means in both the Swedish and the Danish form), a di
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[nq:1]To the best of my understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what the word means in both ... he or she actually does. In case that field is something like medicine, the dilettante actually risks other people's lives.[/nq]
You could be right, but I think of that example as a poser or poseur, not as a dilettante.
Robert
You could be right, but I think of that example as a poser or poseur, not as a dilettante.
Robert
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[nq:1]I don't quite grasp the fine difference between "amateur" and "dilettante" and the dictionaries, who treat them mostly as synonyms, are not much help.[/nq]
An amateur Xer is someone who does X for pleasure rather than profit. Nothing is being said about his competence or lack thereof.
A dilettante is someone who flits lightly between several pastimes and takes none of them very
An amateur Xer is someone who does X for pleasure rather than profit. Nothing is being said about his competence or lack thereof.
A dilettante is someone who flits lightly between several pastimes and takes none of them very
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[nq:1]Amateur: someone who does something mostly for pleasure, rather than renumeration.[/nq]
Oy!
Oy!
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[nq:2]Amateur: someone who does something mostly for pleasure, rather than renumeration.[/nq]
[nq:1]Oy![/nq]
OK, I'm definitely a dilettante! That settles it. Argh! :-)
Robert, I swear I typed that differently...
[nq:1]Oy![/nq]
OK, I'm definitely a dilettante! That settles it. Argh! :-)
Robert, I swear I typed that differently...
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[nq:1]Below is my understanding as a native speaker. You can decide whether I am an amateur or dilettante when it comes to English. Amateur: someone who does something mostly for pleasure, rather than renumeration.[/nq]
Oy! That's amateurish, I'd say.
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
Oy! That's amateurish, I'd say.
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/
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[nq:1]An amateur Xer is someone who does X for pleasure rather than profit. Nothing is being said about his competence or lack thereof.[/nq]
Winston Churchill was an amateur painter.
[nq:1]A dilettante is someone who flits lightly between several pastimes and takes none of them very seriously. It is usually applied pejoratively, and hints at a lack of competence due to the lack of commitme
Winston Churchill was an amateur painter.
[nq:1]A dilettante is someone who flits lightly between several pastimes and takes none of them very seriously. It is usually applied pejoratively, and hints at a lack of competence due to the lack of commitme
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[nq:2]An amateur Xer is someone who does X for pleasure rather than profit. Nothing is being said about his competence or lack thereof.[/nq]
[nq:1]Winston Churchill was an amateur painter.[/nq]
But was he also an amateur writer? Not according to the Nobel Committe, who granted him the prize for literature, regardless of the amount of money, if any, he made from his writing.
[nq:1]Winston Churchill was an amateur painter.[/nq]
But was he also an amateur writer? Not according to the Nobel Committe, who granted him the prize for literature, regardless of the amount of money, if any, he made from his writing.
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[nq:1]Amateur: someone who does something mostly for pleasure, rather than renumeration. They may indeed have formal training.[/nq]
IIRC, the most recent renumeration I was involved with was when they counted me in the national population census. The most recent time I was remunerated was about three years ago, when I retired from work.
(Merely a yellow flag in case the OP didn't read
IIRC, the most recent renumeration I was involved with was when they counted me in the national population census. The most recent time I was remunerated was about three years ago, when I retired from work.
(Merely a yellow flag in case the OP didn't read
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