Sometimes we don't even think some actions have a word attached to it. I thought scribe was the word one used to describe a person writing out for another. You just enriched my vocabulary with one more word.Thank you.
I can vouch for all your previous secretaries and myself that you are the clearest when giving dictation. Your command over English language is amazing and I have learnt so much from you (Amanuensis included) these past 10 years - I am happy to be your Amanuensis - If I qualify to be one -Thank you
You are my mainstay Maya. Have no doubts about that. You have been my amanuensis all the time. Taking down long hand and typing to my dictation, doing independentcorrespondence!! What more do I need? I was lucky to find you.
Dear W Bro, From Serendipity to Amanuensis. My vocabulary is improving and I am trying to use them so that I do not forget the words.
Coming to Amanuensis, in Kerala all Lawyers have an assistant called Gumasthan. Without having seen a Law college, he is well versed in all the loop holes of law. Lot of stories of cases won in the court where the Gumasthan prompts the lawyer during trial.
Another incident I can never forget. While working in erstwhile Bombay part of my duties ( unofficial) was to see of my country cousins at the airport and ensure that he boarded the right flight to Thuppai. On one occasion I had escorted one of them and then the immigration form had to be filled. Sitting on one of the tandem seats I started filling it for him. As I finished another passenger requested me to fill up for him, which I gladly did as a social service. The moment I finished, I was surprised to see a long queue in front of me. I had to excuse myself and vanished from the site. I wished that instead of seeing of my country cousins and filling up forms, I should have also taken a flight, but a lot of my relatives told me, only those who do not get a job in India go to the Gulf and I believed them. OWHATAFOOLAMI
Nani's father. He did this job to H.H. Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Maharaja of Mysore and Sri R.K.Narayan besides many other great personalities of those days.
Very interesting article on Amanuensis. I believe the latest version of this age old practice is what we term as "minutes of the meeting" where the important points with action owners and timelines are to be captured and circulated to stakeholders as soon as the meeting is over. It does require a certain amount of skill and is not something that can be fulfilled easily by everybody. Carbon sheets seem to be of a bygone era!! Still remember a famous brand called Kores I think.
I was also anticipating something related to mothers considering today is mothers day or maybe it will be included as part of the next week's edition.
As usual there are very little Sunday’s when I don’t learn something new from FC. This FC I learned a new word amanuensis and it’s meaning and even from where it was derived from. Now that I know what amanuensis means, I remember acting as an amanuensis to my father’s late eldest brother (several years older than him) and writing out letters that he wanted written and sent to his old friends at different places in India.
Of course, I remember when photocopying first came out, (the first photocopying service that was started by an old friend of mine in Cochin was aptly called copycat sometime around 1984 or so) it was a true change as we could then avoid typing out (without any mistakes) what was in the original to make a copy and submit wherever one intended.
Thank you, Pras for making FC so educative and purposeful.
Wow !!!another word added to my dictionary “Amanuensis”.... I remember during childhood when the postman used to bring letters from our native place my grandfather used to make me read it for him. Can’t forget the happiness in his face 😊.... Recently my student too shared his experience of how nice he felt when he became someone’s writer for the exam.it’s happiness which you can’t put in words😊
Sometimes we don't even think some actions have a word attached to it. I thought scribe was the word one used to describe a person writing out for another. You just enriched my vocabulary with one more word.Thank you.
I can vouch for all your previous secretaries and myself that you are the clearest when giving dictation. Your command over English language is amazing and I have learnt so much from you (Amanuensis included) these past 10 years - I am happy to be your Amanuensis - If I qualify to be one -Thank you
You are my mainstay Maya. Have no doubts about that. You have been my amanuensis all the time. Taking down long hand and typing to my dictation, doing independentcorrespondence!! What more do I need? I was lucky to find you.
Dear W Bro, From Serendipity to Amanuensis. My vocabulary is improving and I am trying to use them so that I do not forget the words.
Coming to Amanuensis, in Kerala all Lawyers have an assistant called Gumasthan. Without having seen a Law college, he is well versed in all the loop holes of law. Lot of stories of cases won in the court where the Gumasthan prompts the lawyer during trial.
Another incident I can never forget. While working in erstwhile Bombay part of my duties ( unofficial) was to see of my country cousins at the airport and ensure that he boarded the right flight to Thuppai. On one occasion I had escorted one of them and then the immigration form had to be filled. Sitting on one of the tandem seats I started filling it for him. As I finished another passenger requested me to fill up for him, which I gladly did as a social service. The moment I finished, I was surprised to see a long queue in front of me. I had to excuse myself and vanished from the site. I wished that instead of seeing of my country cousins and filling up forms, I should have also taken a flight, but a lot of my relatives told me, only those who do not get a job in India go to the Gulf and I believed them. OWHATAFOOLAMI
You had me in splits Bro. Thank you for sharing your real life experiences 🙏
Prasanna, do you remember one of your class mates whose father was an Amanuenses of one of the popular Indian English novelist?
No, please refresh my memory and give me the details and i will mention in my next issue.
Nani's father. He did this job to H.H. Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar Maharaja of Mysore and Sri R.K.Narayan besides many other great personalities of those days.
Please check this with Nani.
Viswa
Yogamasterji.com
Thank you Vishwa. Will check
Very interesting article on Amanuensis. I believe the latest version of this age old practice is what we term as "minutes of the meeting" where the important points with action owners and timelines are to be captured and circulated to stakeholders as soon as the meeting is over. It does require a certain amount of skill and is not something that can be fulfilled easily by everybody. Carbon sheets seem to be of a bygone era!! Still remember a famous brand called Kores I think.
I was also anticipating something related to mothers considering today is mothers day or maybe it will be included as part of the next week's edition.
Thanks buddi.Yes I will write on Mothers
This is my favorite Filter Coffee post ever!! Love the mix of Mysore memories and etymology.
Thank you Sid.
In the south or Deccan we speak Dhakini and not pure Urdu. Though in Hyderabad where my mother was born and brought up she spoke wrote and read pure Urdu. My maternal aunts and uncles do. Not so much the next generations they speak more Dhakini. https://www.google.co.in/search?q=dhakni+language&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-in&client=safari
Thank you Subahu for sharing this. Very interesting indeed.
Sorry Dakhini
As usual there are very little Sunday’s when I don’t learn something new from FC. This FC I learned a new word amanuensis and it’s meaning and even from where it was derived from. Now that I know what amanuensis means, I remember acting as an amanuensis to my father’s late eldest brother (several years older than him) and writing out letters that he wanted written and sent to his old friends at different places in India.
Of course, I remember when photocopying first came out, (the first photocopying service that was started by an old friend of mine in Cochin was aptly called copycat sometime around 1984 or so) it was a true change as we could then avoid typing out (without any mistakes) what was in the original to make a copy and submit wherever one intended.
Thank you, Pras for making FC so educative and purposeful.
Thank you Shahji for sharing your experiences of being an amanuensis. Much appreciated.
Wow !!!another word added to my dictionary “Amanuensis”.... I remember during childhood when the postman used to bring letters from our native place my grandfather used to make me read it for him. Can’t forget the happiness in his face 😊.... Recently my student too shared his experience of how nice he felt when he became someone’s writer for the exam.it’s happiness which you can’t put in words😊
Thank you Yogita for sharing your experiences of being an amanuensis.