Re: USAGE: Amateurs (was: Language of saurian/reptilian beings)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jan van Steenbergen [mailto:ijzeren_jan@YAHOO.CO.UK]
> Sent: Friday, 2002 September 27 9:30
> To: CONLANG@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU
> Subject: [CONLANG] USAGE: Amateurs (was: Language of
> saurian/reptilian beings)
>
>
>  --- John Cowan wrote:
>
> > Mild usage note:  In English, "amateur" implies that one actually
> > practices the art mentioned: an "amateur poet" is not
> merely one who
> > loves poetry, but one who actually writes poems, though not
> for money.
> > It may also suggest incompetence in the art, but by no means
> > necessarily so.
>
> In such a case one would rather call somebody a "dilettant",
> I believe.
Dilettante is interesting becauses it either indicates admiration of
"the arts" or an art, but has a second meaning that indicates the person
"dabbles" or "has a superficial interest in an art or branch of
knowledge" (merriam-webster).

Both meanings probably apply to me with several branches of knowledege.
;)