Is there a word/term for someone who teaches themself?

Autodidact

The best that I can think of is: SELF-EDUCATED.





David

Ahhh! that's it! Thanks

Robert, I wonder whether u might consider
suggesting to the denizens of A2K
that thay tell us something about themselves
on a free and voluntary basis, by contributing
some remarks to their respective Profiles ?

Its nice to have some idea of to whom we r addressing ourselves; at least the gender.





David

I think we have a winner!

SO STIPULATED!





David

Yup, I didn't go to school so that's why I know the word.

automath is another term. However it too has been corrupted by computer speak.

"self-taught" is easier to understand.

Agreed, sounds like the goal of "self taught" is more to communicate rather than impress, neh?

Both are just as easy to understand once you learn the meaning and just as hard to understand if you don't.

Will u communicate to me what "neh" means ?

Is that an American word ?

Hen spelled backward ?
Is that a secret code to Robert?

Autodidact is the word I've always used, but I have a tendency to be pretentious, I admit. Self-taught is a much better way to express the same thought. My rule of thumb: Never use a $25 word when a 10 cent word will do the same job.

Different strokes for different folks. English speakers tend to think the Latin-based words are more complicated, while those coming from experience with other Romance languages may find them much more natural and their more colloquial equivalents more difficult.

For example, "masticate" is the normal every day way to say "chew" in many languages. Autodidact is the same for me, that's just a literal translation of the easiest way to say it in other languages that I speak. Plus it has variations that don't work as well with "self taught".

In any case, I was pretty sure that the original poster was not asking for "self taught" and was pretty sure this is the term the user was seeking, I agree with the notion that it's pointless to opt for sesquipedalian* vocabulary just to try to impress people, mainly because it doesn't do that very well and tends to make them defensive, but at the same time I think most people have a silly defensive reflex when they encounter words they don't know.

The words aren't ever exactly the same, they have different textures. Calling a woman "callipygian" is just not at all the same thing as saying she has a "nice ass". I wish people would strive to elevate their vocabularies instead of trying to bring that of others down to their level (when I was younger I had to make a conscious effort to be more colloquial just to fit in). I hate the guy who sounds like he just found a thesaurus as much as the next guy, with big words shoe horned in awkwardly (and often incorrectly) where smaller words would do, but the derision of extensive vocabulary is more than just that. It's sometimes an extension of anti-intellectualism that seeks to mock those who know what you don't.

[/rant]

* yes, I could have used "big word" vocabulary, or "wordy" vocabulary, but that is not what I wanted to say. There's a perfectly good word for exactly what I wanted to say.

I'm with Robert.

Autodidact is a word I have known since childhood, and was the natural answer for me.

I think that is the way of words....when you know them, they are as simple, plain and natural as the nose on your face....when you don't, they can appear as strange as cameleopards.

I'd never seen camelopard before... so you must be stuck up.

I picked it up from reading too much James Clavell in my yout'.
Its a Japanese idiom that is the same as "eh? or No? as an affirmative response after a statement.

Its cold out Neh?
Its cold out no?
Its cold out eh? ****, it aint ever warm out eh?

I have always thought of autodidact as a noun and self-taught as an adjective.

In teaching technical subjects please stay away from words greater in denomination than 2$. The significant sized minority of students today are foreign and english is a second language.

The use of any ref to any kind of "didact" or "math" will be confused by even the merkins. AUtodidact is a word , like many others that should be used in written communication when it really is the BEST way to describe the concept. It really shouldnt be used in classroom speech. I wanna get my students through the year on their main subject and I will only correct their vocabulary usage when it is dead wrong. If a kid wants to sound pompous, he will find out in his professional career that "fine" speech is aways suspect.

Become a teacher, youll find out.