Are you an ultra-crepidarian? I just found this wonderful word, describing the practice of giving opinions on topics beyond one's knowledge. Has anyone used it before or does anyone know anything about it?

I've never heard the word, but I sure know enough of them!

I suspect that we all have opinions about most subjects; whether or not we have knowledge has little to do with our holding the opinion.

Whether or not we express our opinions, though, depends on our personal inclination as much, if not more, than our knowledge

Richard English

I found this utterly fascinating etymology online. The original source of the tale in Pliny the Elder (By the way, the word seems to be more often spelled without the hyphen)

quote:

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... Alexander the Great's favorite artist, Apelles. It seems that when a cobbler saw Apelles' drawing of a sandal, he criticized the way Apelles had drawn the latch, and the artist promptly corrected his error.

Emboldened, the cobbler went on to disparage the way Apelles had drawn the subject's legs. At that point, says Pliny, Apelles snapped "Ne supra crepidam judicaret," or "Let him not criticize above the sole." (Crepida in Latin = "sole" or "sandal.") In other words, the cobbler was qualified to judge footwear, but not more.

Centuries later, speakers of English began using ultra-crepidarian (Latin for "beyond the sole") to describe those who give opinions on matters they know little about.

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So the word is in effect the old admonition, "Shoemaker, stick to thy last."

Wordnerd, thanks for that wonderful story! One thing is for sure--you're no "ulracrepidarian"!

In other words, the cobbler was qualified to
judge footwear, but not more.
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So, is this where putting one's foot in his mouth also comes from?

Yes, and also that's why a workman who repairs apples is known as an apple cobbler.

that's why a workman who repairs apples is known as an apple cobbler.
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I'm glad you got to the core of the question, even though your answer was seedy. Now, I'll bet Kalleh is be-cider self!

No, Kalleh is just rotten to the core!

Then there was the bad apple who was dishonorably discharged from the military for being rotten to the corps.

Old-timers may remember the cartoon of Tom Terrific and his Mighty Wonder Dog Manfred. Tom's chief enemy, Crabby Appleton was rotten to the core, and sang:

My name is Crabby Appleton, I'm rotten to the core.
I do a bad deed every day, and sometimes three or four.
I can't stand fun for anyone, I think good deeds are sappy,
I laugh with glee, it pleases me, when everyone's unhappy!

Thanks for the memory.

For this you went to Yale Law School? OY!

Many of the old cartoons had wonderful puns. Rocky and Bullwinkle had Boris Badinoff, and Beanie and Cecil had Tearalong, the Dotted Lion and Joe Fido, the police dog, whose office was down at hindquarters. Who remembers others?

Seeing as how this thread started out as something else entirely different, possibly we'd rather start a new one if you want to talk puns? (And who wouldn't?!)

Thanks to all for enjoying puns particularly the apple-based ones above. That's one fruit that certainly has appeal.

"Many of the old cartoons had wonderful puns," says Asa. "Who remembers others?"

More recently, in the Harry Potter books, the marketplace for magicians' goods is located on a street called Diagon Alley. I suspect those books are replete with wordplay, beyond my ken.

Thanks to all for enjoying puns particularly the apple-based ones above. That's one
fruit that certainly has appeal.
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Pardon my fractured French, but my French former lover provided this pun: Q: Est-ce-que votre fils est marine? A: Non, parce-qu'il est trop homme de terre. (Is your son a sailor? No, because he's too much a man of the earth/because he's too much of a potato. Well, you see, pomme de terre means "earth apple." There, I finally tied it in. Whew

Asa says, "Il est trop homme de terre." [He is too much a man of the earth.]

And Asa est trop homme de terr-ible puns.

Well done sir!