Talk:Amanuensis

Not a Dictionary
This seems to me to violate Wikipedia is not a dictionary, as it's merely an extended dictionary definition including etymology. It's about the word, rather than about the subject, as there is probably little to say about the subjects which isn't already covered in Scribe or Secretary. Should perhaps be redirected elsewhere. --Xyzzyplugh 15:35, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

I agree —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.185.151.205 (talk) 02:24, 11 October 2009 (UTC)


 * I agree. This doesn't belong here. --Bejnar (talk) 21:48, 4 March 2010 (UTC)

On the contrary, I was edified by reading this, and I think it should stay. More to the point, this page has developed sufficiently that it differs from a dictionary entry both in content and treatment. Pigkeeper (talk) 08:35, 21 August 2018 (UTC)

This does make a good encyclopedia article. But I have a problem with the mention of the word "evangelista", in the picture caption "A Mexican evangelista, or letter-writer". Wiktionary defines this word to mean evangelist or preacher, but not scribe or copyist. Could this Spanish word be the wrong one used here? RickRiffel2020 (talk) 07:36, 16 December 2019 (UTC)


 * evangelista seems to be incomplete, the Spanish entry links to https://dle.rae.es/evangelista, which lists letter writer as a meaning in Mexican Spanish. TSventon (talk) 08:34, 2 July 2023 (UTC)

Not a monk?
I don't know in english but in italian the word "Amanuense" is strongly related with who copied the books inside the monasteries (see Scriptorium). In the English page this relationship is not mentioned. Does it have a more general meaning in English than in Italian? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.42.236.84 (talk) 16:10, 25 August 2023 (UTC)


 * I think you're right that when "amanuensis" is used in English to refer to a modern secretary or someone who takes dictation, it often comes across as quasi-comical, a bit highfalutin and ironic. I've seen it in English mostly to refer to a scribal role in an ancient Roman or medieval setting, as you say in a monastery. Cynwolfe (talk) 12:24, 10 January 2024 (UTC)