Pundit

[Lesliej567]

This seems to be a very popular word in light of the political contests in the United States. I am interested in where it came from originally.

Thank you!

Leslie James

[Stargzer]

Online Etymological Dictionary:

pundit
1672, "learned Hindu," especially one versed in Sanskrit lore, from Hindi payndit "a learned man, master, teacher," from Skt. payndita-s "a learned man, scholar," of unknown origin. Broader application in Eng. is first recorded 1816.

Wictionary:

Etymology
From Hindi पण्डित, from Sanskrit.

Noun
Singular
pundit
Plural
pundits


pundit (plural pundits)

1. A learned Hindu, a scholar, especially having knowledge of Sanskrit, philosophy, religion and law.

2. A scholar, teacher, or learned person.

3. A professed expert in a particular field, as called upon to provide comment or opinion in the media.

Just because one professes to be an expert does not make one an expert, unless they are, as Capt. Bob Spore of the Charterboat Catherine Anne once said when he was introduced as a fishing expert at a seminar at the Baltimore Boat show many years ago: "That's ex- as in has-been and -spurt as in a drip under pressure." I have come across many such experts in my career, both government employees and contractors, and this definition seems to describe most of the political pundits these days as well.

profess
From Wiktionary
(Redirected from Profess)
Verb
Infinitive
to profess
Third person singular
professes
Simple past
professed
Past participle
professed
Present participle
professing


to profess (third-person singular simple present professes, present participle professing, simple past professed, past participle professed)

1. To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge, belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own or admit freely.

2. To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of.

3.To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's self a physician.

4. To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.

5.To declare friendship.

[Perry]

You mean that all of those political experts are scholars of Sanskrit? No wonder we don't understand them.

[gailr]

You mean that all of those political experts are scholars of Sanskrit? No wonder we don't understand them.

What is the sound of one mouth flapping?

[Perry]

[Cacasenno]

You mean that all of those political experts are scholars of Sanskrit? No wonder we don't understand them.

Personally I off the sound and since I am not proficent in labial reading ...

[sluggo]

It seems obvious looking at it here, but I never thought of the similarity of pundit to pandit, the Sanskrit honourary title. It's used in India as we would use "Doctor" or "Professor", or maybe "Sir - "

I guess used as a freestanding noun it's followed a similar path to guru.

[Perry]

And of course there is always the old standby maven from the Hebrew understand (מבין).

[sluggo]

And of course there is always the old standby maven from the Hebrew understand (מבין).

Do tell! Transliteration?