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A discussion arose in our office which brought about remembrance of an old term used by William F. Buckley, Jr. — from his old National Review days — in his "Word of the Day." We can't find the term on the Interwebs, so we come to SE:ELU in hopes of enlightenment.

The definition, as we recall is:

"Being ignorant of something of which you have neither reason nor expectation to have any knowledge."

I'd really like a reference to Buckley's WotD if possible since it will be used frequently in my geek- and academic-heavy office!

FumbleFingers
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Sam
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  • I'm guessing; .1. pig-ignorant .2.incorrigible.3. purblind. – Hugh Jun 11 '15 at 13:48
  • @Hugh - are you guessing, or can you provide a reference? We are really hoping for that since Buckley's WotD was very popular back in the day and we'd like to make use of that resource as well if possible. I've updated my question to reflect that. – Sam Jun 11 '15 at 13:51
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    I suppose there might be some justification for *pig-ignorant* (we don't exactly expect pigs to know much). But *incorrigible* usually applies to behaviour which is Incapable of being corrected, not lack of knowledge. And I only know *purblind* as pejorative dim-witted, stupid, so for me at least it doesn't carry associations of [naturally] unaware of knowledge one wouldn't be expected to have anyway. – FumbleFingers Jun 11 '15 at 14:05
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    So to translate, you don't know about something that you probably aren't expected to know about? You may be literally a rocket scientist, but not know about gene sequencing? (because that's specialized knowledge outside of what you'd be expected to know)? Is that the meaning of the word? So it wouldn't really be a synonym of 'ignorant', right? – Mitch Jun 11 '15 at 15:23
  • Right...it's kind of like listening to certain AM Talk Radio Hosts...they chatter on in ignorance, wholly un-aware of their own ignorance of the matter, but because they were given a pulpit (microphone with air-time) they think that people want to hear their opinion. So, we would say, "That is really [insert WFB word here]." – Sam Jun 11 '15 at 16:13
  • I can’t find anything connecting them with WFB’s “word of the day,” but some argue that “clueless” and/or “oblivious,” although not attributable to him, would be applicable to him. – Papa Poule Jun 11 '15 at 16:58
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    Apparently OP's target word has to be more nuanced or unique than unconversant. Which probably rules out *ignoramus*, since it's easy to find online definitions for that. But I doubt I'd find the variant *ignoramo* in many dictionaries, so that could be a contender (except Buckley probably never featured that one! :) – FumbleFingers Jun 11 '15 at 18:29
  • Still only guessing (I don't know the series): pontificate means to discourse outside your proper field, http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/pontificate – Hugh Jun 11 '15 at 18:56
  • One more:Re: Mirabella ".... from those shows on which journalists and commentators are invited to be pundits — to pontificate regardless of expertise. " Answered by Google[Buckley National Review 'pontificate' word of_the_day} – Hugh Jun 11 '15 at 19:09
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    As described in the comments on some answers, the user has additional requirements that haven't been edited into the question (and are still a little unclear.) I'm therefore flagging this question for closure until it is edited into a clearer form. – user867 Jun 11 '15 at 23:54
  • @user867 -- there are no new requirements...this really shouldn't be so hard. I'm seeking a WORD (thus, the tag) referenced by a UNIQUE AUTHOR (William F. Buckley, Jr.), and it's from a UNIQUE SOURCE (WFB's Word of the Day). The definition is "as we recall it" so it's not cast in stone. Fortunately, I think we have an answer. – Sam Jun 12 '15 at 13:43

6 Answers6

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I was surprised how few online dictionaries specifically list this one...

unconversant - not conversant, unfamiliar, not well-versed
...from negated...
conversant - familiar by use or study (usually followed by with)

In my experience, when people say they're unconversant with X (or not well-versed in X), there's usually the implication that this lack of knowledge is only to be expected (because X is an obscure fact or field of study, for example).

Perhaps that implication flows naturally from the fact of using a relatively obscure term to describe one's ignorance (i.e. - whilst disclaiming specific knowledge of X, the speaker conveys to his audience that he's not "ignorant" in general).

FumbleFingers
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  • Not many people know that. – Edwin Ashworth Jun 11 '15 at 14:28
  • @Edwin: I can't believe anyone would be unconversant with Michael Caine's contribution to this issue! :) – FumbleFingers Jun 11 '15 at 14:32
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    That's close, but this is more-specifically, a person who is Ignorant of their Ignorance. – Sam Jun 11 '15 at 14:45
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    @SammyB: Then you should amend your question text to clarify, because I don't see any way to infer that from the question as currently framed. Perhaps you're looking for a one-word synonym for *blissfully ignorant, in which case unenlightened* or *benighted* might come close. – FumbleFingers Jun 11 '15 at 14:51
  • @FumbleFingers - Do you have suggestions for clarifying? As written, it seems pretty clear that I am looking for a "term" (i.e., single word) that was already coined and used by a specific person. The definition of the term is open to interpretation, but is clearly highlighted by the mark-down text. – Sam Jun 11 '15 at 15:00
  • @SammyB: Well, it so happens I followed up my definition with discussion centered on contexts where the speaker is aware of his ignorance, but obviously you could say You'll have to excuse John's bad manners - he is unconversant with our ways - where in all probability John has no idea of his own ignorance, and very likely the speaker doesn't find this surprising anyway (in whatever the circumstances are). So if my answer doesn't work for you because it admits of the possibility that one might know he's unconversant, you should include that restriction in the question. – FumbleFingers Jun 11 '15 at 15:20
  • No, I saw that. To follow on with your example: it's not that the person is unconversant in 'our ways' but that they are speaking as if they are aware or "conversant." Plus, I'm looking for a word used by William F. Buckley, Jr. so it is likely a bit more nuanced or unique than unconversant. – Sam Jun 11 '15 at 16:07
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    @SammyB: Now I'm really confused! I've no idea why you think Buckley's words are likely to be "more nuanced or unique" than conversant. But putting that aside, you still haven't edited your question to reflect the requirement that the person thus described should be unaware of his ignorance. And you seem to have just added the further constraint that he should act as if he does* know* whatever it is that he doesn't know. So maybe he's just a bluffer. But where does the couldn't be expected to know element come in? – FumbleFingers Jun 11 '15 at 18:19
  • Don't over-think it Fumble. – Sam Jun 12 '15 at 13:39
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    @SammyB: Well, you're not exactly helping here. I've asked you twice to *edit your question text*, rather than leave potentially ephemeral comments to clarify the intended meaning of your target word. – FumbleFingers Jun 12 '15 at 13:48
  • And I'm saying, there's no need. It's just a question with an answer. I'm not asking for anything other than a word with a source. – Sam Jun 12 '15 at 13:51
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How about layman?

A person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject: 'the book seems well suited to the interested layman' -- Oxford Dictionaries

Dave
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I seem to remember Buckley distinguishing between ignorance and nescience. Ignorance was not knowing something you should know. Nescience was not knowing something that there was no reason for you to be expected to know.

I never have been able to validate this distinction when I looked in dictionaries, even old editions. I thought one of my pet peeves had struck again. Where ignorant people pervasively misused 'nescience' to the extent that, instead of steadfastly expecting these people to get it right, the dictionary editors insidiously made the incorrect usage correct, thereby causing a significant spike in the number of "knowledgeable scholars" in the general population.

Wait! What? I'm describing our current education system and society in general.

DMC
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I think I may have found the term the OP is searching. It is without doubt a word I have never heard of before. It's worth citing the entire Wikipedia article

Ultracrepidarianism

Ultracrepidarianism is the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one's knowledge.

The term ultracrepidarian was first publicly recorded in 1819 by the essayist William Hazlitt in an open Letter to William Gifford, the editor of the Quarterly Review: "You have been well called an Ultra-Crepidarian critic." It was used again four years later in 1823, in the satire by Hazlitt's friend Leigh Hunt, Ultra-Crepidarius: a Satire on William Gifford.

The term draws from a famous comment purportedly made by Apelles, a famous Greek artist, to a shoemaker who presumed to criticise his painting. The Latin phrase "Sutor, ne ultra crepidam", as set down by Pliny and later altered by other Latin writers to "Ne ultra crepidam judicaret", can be taken to mean that a shoemaker ought not to judge beyond his own soles. That is to say, critics should only comment on things they know something about. The saying remains popular in several languages, as in the English, "A cobbler should stick to his last", the Spanish, "Zapatero a tus zapatos", the Dutch, "Schoenmaker, blijf bij je leest", and the German, "Schuster, bleib bei deinem/deinen Leisten" (the last two in English, "shoemaker, stick to your last")

Mari-Lou A
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    The question neither says nor implies anything about 'the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one's knowledge'. – jsw29 Nov 15 '20 at 17:31
  • I based the answer on the fact it was a word of the day, so the word had to be rare or highly unusual. Please note that you omitted the key element of the definition, i.e “giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one's knowledge.” The OP's personal definition says "Being ignorant of something" I think the two are not completely at odds with one another. – Mari-Lou A Nov 20 '20 at 10:56
  • When somebody here seeks help in remembering a specific word there is always a dilemma whether one should try to guess what is on the person's mind (even if it is not well explicated in the question), or to answer it solely on the basis of what is explicitly stated in the question (even though it might not be quite what the OP wants). If one takes the first approach, this answer is indeed the correct one, as is manifested by the OP's acceptance; the point of my comment was that it is problematic if one takes the second approach. – jsw29 Nov 20 '20 at 17:05
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The Lexicon: A Cornucopia of Wonderful Words for the Inquisitive Word Lover By: William F. Buckley Jr.

This boon to logophiles, culled from Buckley: The Right Word, presents the author’s most erudite, outré, and interesting words - from prehensile and sciolist to rubric and histrionic - complete with definitions, examples, and usage notes. Introduction by Jesse Sheidlower; illustrations by Arnold Roth.

Google Books gives the definition of sciolist (in William Buckley’s lexicon) as:

sciolist (noun) One whose knowledge or learning is superficial; a pretender to scholarship. “I don’t believe you. You are an unaccomplished fake. An academic sciolist.”

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sciolism#English

sciolism - 1st appearing in early 1800s.

The practice, or an instance, of expressing opinions on something which one knows only superficially or has little real understanding of.

In the search, I came across this interesting study: The Dunning–Kruger Effect: On Being Ignorant of One’s Own Ignorance

https://www.demenzemedicinagenerale.net/images/mens-sana/Dunning_Kruger_Effect.pdf

tblue
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The only phrase linked to Buckley that I could find was pontificate:

... from those shows on which journalists and commentators are invited to be pundits — to pontificate regardless of expertise. Buckley

pontificate defined here by Cambridge on line, example.

Mountebank, charlatan, sophist, phony and phoney are not pithy enough to be memorable. But from skimming some of the Articles, I have two suggestions and hope one of them has the right ring to it: the first describes the blague, the other names the blaguer.

spe·cious (spē′shəs) adj. 1. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious: a specious argument. specious - Oxford Dictionaries

poseur: a person who pretends to be what he or she is not : MW

If you find someone who genuinely remebers the Word of the Day I hope you''l post it.

Hugh
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