Is there a word for someone who is more than a layman but not an expert?
January 13, 2014 11:23 AM Subscribe
What words or short phrases describe someone who is a fair bit more knowledgeable about some field than the general public, but is well short of being an expert or full professional? Ideally I'm looking for words that fit the idea that such people are often better communicators, teachers and helpers to laypeople in common situations than many true experts would be.
Experienced? Journeyman? Seasoned?
posted by Schielisque at 11:24 AM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Schielisque at 11:24 AM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
Journeyman
familiar with
well versed in
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:28 AM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
familiar with
well versed in
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:28 AM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
aficionado
scholar/student
buff (what a funny word in isolation, but works sometimes in context, e.g. "film buff")
posted by payoto at 11:29 AM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
scholar/student
buff (what a funny word in isolation, but works sometimes in context, e.g. "film buff")
posted by payoto at 11:29 AM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
hobbyist
posted by katyggls at 11:31 AM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by katyggls at 11:31 AM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
autodidact
posted by travelwithcats at 11:35 AM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by travelwithcats at 11:35 AM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: -nut (huh, that one works a lot like buff does: health nut, computer nut)
devotee
connoisseur
fan
I think different topics/industries/areas work better with different words.
posted by mochapickle at 11:36 AM on January 13, 2014
devotee
connoisseur
fan
I think different topics/industries/areas work better with different words.
posted by mochapickle at 11:36 AM on January 13, 2014
And again, depending on the topic: student or scholar (of)
posted by mochapickle at 11:38 AM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 11:38 AM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
Savant
posted by Rob Rockets at 11:42 AM on January 13, 2014
posted by Rob Rockets at 11:42 AM on January 13, 2014
Journeyman or, if you don't need it to be a noun, "proficient."
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:01 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:01 PM on January 13, 2014
Best answer: The term I see in CVs to describe this trait is "a working knowledge of x".
posted by like_neon at 12:09 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by like_neon at 12:09 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
Practitioner.
posted by Houstonian at 12:18 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by Houstonian at 12:18 PM on January 13, 2014
Super-user.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 12:25 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by BigLankyBastard at 12:25 PM on January 13, 2014
Enthusiastic amateur.
posted by embrangled at 12:35 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by embrangled at 12:35 PM on January 13, 2014
In the digital camera market, "prosumer" (fusion of professional and consumer).
posted by snorkmaiden at 12:38 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by snorkmaiden at 12:38 PM on January 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
Antonio Gramsci's concept of the "organic intellectual" might fit--they're folks from any class or educational background who articulate important points of view that not everyone can express well.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 12:39 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by Monsieur Caution at 12:39 PM on January 13, 2014
dilettante
posted by BurntHombre at 12:42 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by BurntHombre at 12:42 PM on January 13, 2014
It's an ugly neologism, but I immediately thought of prosumer as well.
posted by Rock Steady at 12:52 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 12:52 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
Popularizer?
posted by MonkeyToes at 12:54 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by MonkeyToes at 12:54 PM on January 13, 2014
Dangerous.
posted by destructive cactus at 1:24 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by destructive cactus at 1:24 PM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]
"Early adopter". Typically the first kid on the block to get and become fanatical about X
also "Evangelist". From guy Kawasaki's early years with Apple.
posted by Gungho at 1:33 PM on January 13, 2014
also "Evangelist". From guy Kawasaki's early years with Apple.
posted by Gungho at 1:33 PM on January 13, 2014
Adept?
posted by humboldt32 at 2:31 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by humboldt32 at 2:31 PM on January 13, 2014
The term "dilettante" used to convey this very well, but in modern usage is often considered sort of a pejorative.
posted by randomkeystrike at 3:03 PM on January 13, 2014
posted by randomkeystrike at 3:03 PM on January 13, 2014
guru?
posted by jabes at 4:56 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jabes at 4:56 PM on January 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I say "conversant in [topic]" and "extra-educated layperson" or "over-educated layperson." A bit more casually, "[topic]-geek" works surprisingly well.
/being this kind of person was a significant component of my prior job
posted by desuetude at 5:22 PM on January 13, 2014
/being this kind of person was a significant component of my prior job
posted by desuetude at 5:22 PM on January 13, 2014
Best answer: enthusiast
I'd also have to say that I'd consider a person who has studied and studied and worked with and learned everything he could find about a given subject an expert, whether he has a degree in it or not.
Would you eat a wild mushroom recommended by: a person who taught a class in mycology or a person who'd been eating that wild mushroom all his life?
There are a whole bunch of examples that come to mind quickly, but I'll let it go with mushrooms. My Polish friend, Wieslaw Wisniewski, a great astronomer, who's gone on to his final reward (flying around on asteroids, probably) was an expert and then some on wild mushrooms - oh. Lordy, was he ever. No mycology degree, though.
posted by aryma at 7:41 PM on January 13, 2014
I'd also have to say that I'd consider a person who has studied and studied and worked with and learned everything he could find about a given subject an expert, whether he has a degree in it or not.
Would you eat a wild mushroom recommended by: a person who taught a class in mycology or a person who'd been eating that wild mushroom all his life?
There are a whole bunch of examples that come to mind quickly, but I'll let it go with mushrooms. My Polish friend, Wieslaw Wisniewski, a great astronomer, who's gone on to his final reward (flying around on asteroids, probably) was an expert and then some on wild mushrooms - oh. Lordy, was he ever. No mycology degree, though.
posted by aryma at 7:41 PM on January 13, 2014
dabbler
posted by cincinnatus c at 1:37 AM on January 14, 2014
posted by cincinnatus c at 1:37 AM on January 14, 2014
I came to say sophmore, but really this is exactly what a "journeyman" is.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:58 AM on January 14, 2014
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:58 AM on January 14, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. It's good to have a range of options to weigh up, and I'm pondering the nuances that go with a lot of the suggestions.
I'd esp like to double-check the shades of meaning and associations that "maven" has for people. According to my dictionary it means "expert", but I suspect that doesn't capture how people really understand it.
Would I be right in thinking that "maven"...
- Brings to mind someone who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic?
- Does not necessarily imply being a professional or formally trained?
- Suggests a good communicator? Someone who not only knows, but enjoys actively sharing their knowledge, and does so frequently?
Also, is it a word that people are generally familiar with? I'd hesitate to use some of the other words that were suggested because they seem dated or not in common use nowadays. Not sure if that is true of "maven" also.
And does it have any negative connotations?
posted by philipy at 10:19 AM on January 16, 2014
I'd esp like to double-check the shades of meaning and associations that "maven" has for people. According to my dictionary it means "expert", but I suspect that doesn't capture how people really understand it.
Would I be right in thinking that "maven"...
- Brings to mind someone who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic?
- Does not necessarily imply being a professional or formally trained?
- Suggests a good communicator? Someone who not only knows, but enjoys actively sharing their knowledge, and does so frequently?
Also, is it a word that people are generally familiar with? I'd hesitate to use some of the other words that were suggested because they seem dated or not in common use nowadays. Not sure if that is true of "maven" also.
And does it have any negative connotations?
posted by philipy at 10:19 AM on January 16, 2014
Does not necessarilyi imply being a professional or formally trained?
I think I've only really heard it in the context of "fashion maven" and I always thought it meant a sort of fan and trendsetter at the same time. But apparantly it means expert in the field. So it's maybe not the type of person you're describing. It's a great word, though, and it would describe the "full professionals".
posted by billiebee at 11:26 AM on January 16, 2014
I think I've only really heard it in the context of "fashion maven" and I always thought it meant a sort of fan and trendsetter at the same time. But apparantly it means expert in the field. So it's maybe not the type of person you're describing. It's a great word, though, and it would describe the "full professionals".
posted by billiebee at 11:26 AM on January 16, 2014
philipy: - Brings to mind someone who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic?
- Does not necessarily imply being a professional or formally trained?
- Suggests a good communicator? Someone who not only knows, but enjoys actively sharing their knowledge, and does so frequently?
If this is what you are going for, I'd say "guru" is a better fit. I don't necessarily think of a maven as a teacher.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:12 PM on January 16, 2014
- Does not necessarily imply being a professional or formally trained?
- Suggests a good communicator? Someone who not only knows, but enjoys actively sharing their knowledge, and does so frequently?
If this is what you are going for, I'd say "guru" is a better fit. I don't necessarily think of a maven as a teacher.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:12 PM on January 16, 2014
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posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:23 AM on January 13, 2014 [2 favorites]