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    A word that we now use in a negative and perhaps dismissively "categorizing" sense was invented by an 18th-century-born man to refer to something involved with a revolutionary technology devised in the West along about the mid-15th century. The modern understanding is associated with a famous U.S. political journalist. What is the word, who was the journalist, and what other, somewhat negative word also started out as a technical term in the field in question?

    Question #75708. Asked by lanfranco. (Feb 10 07 6:15 PM)


    queproblema

    		Well, the first thing through my mind was "printer's devil," and I'll go ahead and throw that out. It fits if you mangle it long enough. It's interesting even though it's not what you're looking for.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer%27s_devil

    Today the term means a mere apprentice in a printing office. Well, I added "mere" to Merriam-Webster 11th. He's certainly not a pressman!

    I'm pretty sure the revolutionary technology would be the printing press, operated by Gutenberg by 1450.

    So many journalists--I can't remember the name of the guy who always ended his column with "Earl's Pearls."

    Feb 10 07, 7:17 PM
    lanfranco

    		You're on the right track, qp, because printing is the profession that I had in mind.

    Think about printing terms that have acquired metaphorical meanings.

    Feb 10 07, 7:50 PM
    wendypj

    		That would be sterotyping, the journalist would be Walter Lippman and the other technical term is cliche, which is the French word for the printing surface of the sterotype.

    Welcome back Frankie!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotyping

    Feb 10 07, 8:11 PM
    queproblema

    		Very good, Wendy, I'll digest it a little more when my granddaughter goes home. She keeps trying to type and press Ctrl, etc.

    Feb 10 07, 8:33 PM
    wendypj

    		I couldn't have done it without you finding printing to be the profession m'lady. At least this was less stressful than the last couple of questions we have been working on!!

    Feb 10 07, 8:49 PM
    lanfranco

    		Good grief, my own questions are getting away from me -- which is just as well, since I've been feeling like death warmed over this week.

    Wendy, you get the silver stereotype, but I'll give a little electroplated cliche to qp. What you do with these things is entirely up to you.

    Feb 10 07, 8:56 PM
    queproblema

    		Well, I remembered Frankie had mentioned her father was a newspaperman. And I fully appreciate how printing changed the world.

    Thank you, Frankie! My very own cliche, electroplated yet. Of course I'll put it to use right away: Give Wendy and me an inch, we'll take a mile. Just you and Peasy don't go stereotyping us.

    Feb 10 07, 10:28 PM
    peasypod

    		I love the way you fish, qp. ;)

    Feb 10 07, 10:40 PM

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