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"Ignorant" thoughts on being "stupid".
Just thinking over here.....
BEMUSED
Miriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition
stupid: lacking intelligence or reason
ignorant: destitute of knowledge or education; lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified.
Can we talk? Really! For years, out of dictionaries and/or upbringing, we have used these words without knowing what they really mean. Just off the cuff we call someone stupid or ignorant. Most people think these two words mean the same thing. But really, what is the difference between "stupid" and "ignorant"? And are we given accurate definitions of these words?
I have asked several people this dumb question and no one can really say. They gave the same intonations in meaning that Webster gives. Almost all of them! But I question them, and I question Miriam Webster on several words.
When we call someone “stupid”, what we are saying is that a person cannot reason or think intelligently. When we call someone “ignorant”, we are saying that the person cannot comprehend or retain knowledge of something that is presented to them.
What ever happened to finding the definition of a word by the root word? Take the word "ignorant" for instance. The root word is "ignore". To ignore something is to have knowledge, or education, or comprehension, BUT the person chooses to "ignore" it. If you choose to ignore something, then how can it be that you are "destitute of knowledge or education", or "lacking knowledge or comprehension"? You cannot ignore something if you’re “stupid”, contrary to Miriam Webster. The definition of “stupid” should be what Webster defines as “ignorant”.
Let’s take the word “amuse”. Upbringing, and Webster, tells us this means “to entertain”. To dissect a word we have to go to the root word, “muse”. To “muse” is to think. So what would “amuse” mean? To “not think”!
I’m thinking that maybe Webster might have been a little stupid….or maybe ignorant…….
Or maybe bemused, such as I!
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| Reviewed by Tom Hyland |
5/19/2009 |
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SO - BEAR PAW IS REALLY A 'HAIR-SPLITTER' HUH?
I agree with you, Kiddo! I often use both the dictionary and thesaurus in Word.
I have always believed that 'stupid' meant - incapable of understanding, whereas -
'ignorant' - meant simply uninformed - as in - did not know - I was ignorant of the facts of the case.
ERGO - I AM NOT STUPID, JUST ILL-INFORMED.
RE: amuse - the Prefix a- means to, or toward - while ab- means away, or from.
so - a-muse - to cause someone to to muse, or to think, or to be distracted, to take their mind off of something else.
be-muse - to cause someone to be confused, or puzzled.
as ole Willie Shakespeare (is that really an Indian name?) - used to say:
"What's in a name? (word)? Peace - TomKat...
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| Reviewed by Anne Brooks |
10/3/2005 |
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| Great article: I like the way you turn towards etymology of the words to expose and develop the article.Education "pulls" towards awareness(ducere-"conduire" in french)and ignorance can harm(nocere ,"nuire" in french).But you seem to question what real"intelligence "is??Anne pawlak. |
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| Reviewed by Tom Mutchler |
5/28/2003 |
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yes, amusing...btw, I found out that your company is in Lompoc...it's where I live...maybe we can get in touch sometime :-)
take care
Tom |
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| Reviewed by Debby Rosenberg |
4/17/2003 |
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| very amusing...something I would expect George Carlin to jump all over - good insight into the english language...and its intrepretation..maybe the world gets messy because none of us speak the same language- ha ha...just a thought... |
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