I am 2 confused 1

[Ladyazh]

Oy, vey! We are having a discussion about "maven".
M-W says
one who is experienced or knowledgeable : expert; also : freak 4a

People are trying to determined if one who knows a lot about little is a maven OR/AND a the one who knows a little about everything is a maven. What is your take on this?
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Unrelated to above.
I said I liked that glowing glasses and my opponent assumed I was talking about eye glasses but I was talking about drinking glasses.
Should I had said 'drinking glasses'?

 

[CajunCenturion]

I'm still trying to get past the "2" in the thread title.

However, I think it's the former and not the latter. A maven has a specific area of expertise.

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[AnotherHiggins]

>if one who knows a lot about little is a maven

Maybe. "Maven" has a connotation of enthusiasm about it. Example: Memorizing a book on the civil war might make someone an expert on the subject, but they aren't a maven if they aren't a civil war enthusiast.

>OR/AND a the one who knows a little about everything is a maven

Absolutely not. Being a "jack of all trades" or being great at trivia does not has nothing to do with being a maven.

Question: Did you use the numeral "2" in your subject because you are confused by the definition using "also : freak 4a"? Just to make sure it is clear, they are referring to definition 4a of the word "freak" (4 a : an ardent enthusiast <film freaks>).

Back to the word Maven: have a look at some of the various definitions available at OneLook to get a better handle on the word.

From their front page:
-someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field

From Encarta® World English Dictionary:
-expert or enthusiast: an expert or knowledgeable enthusiast

From Compact Oxford English Dictionary:
-an expert or connoisseur

From Cambridge International Dictionary of English:
-a person with good knowledge or understanding of a subject



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[Ladyazh]

I used 2 because there is 2 subjects in 1 post which means me confused on 2 subjects. I know it is Monday...sorry.

 

[traingamer]

Can't I be a trivia maven?

The established definition applies maven to a particular field or subject matter. While I could possibly be described as a boardgame maven, I'd never be confused for a chess maven!

Greg
"Personally, I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught." - Winston Churchill

 

[Ladyazh]

From Cambridge International Dictionary of English:
-a person with good knowledge or understanding of a subject

See,
good knowledge OR understanding of a subject.

Good knowledge is not even an expertise,
add 'OR understanding of a subject' and it reduces 'mavenism' to a simple 'familiarity with a subject' - far apart from 'someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field'...

 

[MicroZealous]

Maven Bacis Teaches Typing"

(groans) . . .

 

[r937]

a specialist is someone who knows more and more about less and less, until eventually he knows everything about nothing

a generalist is someone who knows less and less about more and more, until eventually he knows nothing about everything

let's hear it for pragmatists!!


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