English Word Erudite example essay topic

Erudite is a misunderstood word. Several adult, when asked to define erudite were found to be sadly misinformed. One adult answered that erudite was like", Fred Astaire, with a top hat". Another misinformed adult said that an erudite man is one that, "thinks he is better than everyone else". Answers such as these are most obviously wrong. One fifth of the adults surveyed answer with a resounding, "I don't know".

While only three out of ten adults were truly erudite in their answers. My search for information was tedious. My investigation brought me to the library and to my computer. I had many difficulties is my hunt. In the internet quotation searches, the word erudite brought up a page stating their were no sources or quotations using the word erudite. As my search continued I was forced to use a synonym in lieu of the word erudite.

After I started to use a synonym for the word erudite my efforts were rewarded. The first topic I researched was the definition of the word erudite in the The Unabridged Dictionary. I looked in the American Heritage Talking Dictionary, Webster's Deluxe Unabridged Dictionary, and Bambard's Dictionary of Etymology. In these sources I looked to find the etymology, and the first definition of the word erudite. The first definition of the word erudite was, "having extensive knowledge". Erudite comes from the Latin adjective eruditus which means "well instructed", from the past participle of the word erudire " to train or educate".

The verb is in turn formed from the prefix "ex" which means "out of" and "the adjective, "rud is", which means "untaught" or untrained. This is the original source for modern day word rude. The English word erudite is first recorded in a book written before 1425. In 1425 the definition was "equipped with the senses, instructed and learned".

Erudite meaning" learned" was rarely used at that time except in a sarcastic manner. However at the turn of the nineteenth century the word erudite seems to have been restored to a favorable meaning. The second topic I researched was identifying additional meanings and adjectives for the word erudite in the Thesaurus. I looked in the American Heritage Talking Thesaurus and Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition. 1995.

In these sources I looked to find synonyms for the word erudite. Finding these synonyms helped me later on in my report during internet searches. Some synonyms I found were: knowledgable, erudite, scholarly literate, taught, educated, well-educated, well-read, well-taught, well-tutored, cultivated, cultured, learned, lettered. The third topic I researched was erudite and its concordance to the bible. Some sources I used were Bible Gateway, and my local librarian. In theses sources I looked for bible verses that contained, or made reference to the word erudite.

The verse I decided to use was one were G-D asks king Solomon was "gift" he wants. Solomon asks to be wise (erudite), so he may rule correctly. G-d answers him that because he didn't ask for riches, or immortality, or protection from his enemies, G-d will grant him wisdom. G-d also says (for the same reason) that he will grant to Solomon, riches, immortality, and protection from his enemies. The fourth topic I looked into, as the survey of people who knew the definition of the word, erudite. The sources I used were my friends and family.

Through this survey I found that things are not always what they seem, and smart people are sometimes not truly erudite. Only three adults truly knew the meaning of the word erudite. Two adults answered, "I don't know" when asked for an explanation, these adults also said that they had never before heard the word. Four adults were utterly incorrect, with answers like, "someone who thinks they are better than everyone else" and, "some with great speaking ability".

One adult was completely unsure and refused to answer. The fifth topic I researched was that of erudite a quote from a book of quotations. My sources were web and web The quote I chose is found in Proverbs 20: 14-16. My quote reads, "There is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of an erudite man a precious jewel.

In my thinking this quote is saying that material possessions mean nothing, if you don't have knowledge. It is also saying that knowledge is hard to come by, "there will always be gold, and rubies, but a smart or a erudite man, is quite rare, and a true find. My seventh source and topic was the Oxford English Dictionary. In this source I looked to find the history of my word. I had some difficulties in obtaining this although in the end I was successful.

In the Oxford English Dictionary I found that erudite originally was Latin, and was spelled erudire. Erudire meant, "to train". As time moved on so did the meaning of erudite, yet as early as 1773, erudite began to be defined as knowledgeable or intellectual. We know this from a sentence quoted in the Oxford English Dictionary", your Latin lecture is as good Latin as the erudite Germans speak or write".

In this sentence, written in 1773, the definition of erudite is most clearly knowledgeable. I felt this project was very informative. I was surprised by the surplus of media regarding this difficult topic. I was quite shocked by he magnitude of information. Through this report I feel I learnt a lot about research and presentation. At time during the completion of this report I became aggravated, I was unsure of what to write and how to phrase things.

I also at times suffered from writers block. Overall I felt this was a worthwhile report.