gmf@uvacs.UUCP (08/19/84)
[insect spray]
About the meaning of "maven" or "mavin":
My two newest dictionaries give:
"mavin ... an expert, esp. in everyday matters." (The Random House College
Dictionary, Revised Version)
"maven,mavin ... an expert or connoisseur, often esp. a self-proclaimed one."
(Webster's New World, Second College Edition).
"Leo Rosten's Treasury of Jewish Quotations" (copyright 1972) gives in the
glossary: "Yiddish for a true expert, a seasoned judge of quality,
a connoisseur."
However, the point made by Dick Binder is (I think) well taken, given
that the common usage is as he says (I didn't know it was). Compare the
changing meanings of the word "hacker".
Gordon FisherJoSH@RUTGERS.ARPA (08/20/84)
From: JoSH <JoSH@RUTGERS.ARPA> Websters' defines "maven" (also "mavin" or "mayvin") as "n [Yiddish "meyvn", fr LHeb "mebhin"]: one who is experienced or knowlegeable: EXPERT" No mention is made of sex. In common usage in my experience, "maven" is used interchangeably with "expert". The word "master" derives from the Latin "magister" through the French, not Hebrew. The feminine form of "master" is "mistress". --JoSH -------