Sunday, August 23, 2009

Draughtsman


English has perfectly good words to describe a "painter," "sculptor," or "animator." Why don't we have an ordinary word for someone who draws?

(By the way, these hands are by the supreme drawdiddler John Sargent.)
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30 comments:

  1. Don CoxAugust 23, 2009 at 8:00 AM

    Simply because the word "drawer" is already in use for something else. Perhaps the way out is to use two spellings, "drawer" and "dror" - like "program" and "programme", or "artist" and "artiste".

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  2. AndrewAugust 23, 2009 at 8:49 AM

    I'll vote for "drawdiddler", haha!

    I always hated the word drawer (which I suppose is a weird thing to hate, a word.) It never felt like it properly worked as a definition, and at least to me, never sounded right in that context.

    Today, the captcha suggests the word "mismim" as an alternative.

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  3. Susan AdsettAugust 23, 2009 at 9:23 AM

    Don: would drawerre work? Although drawdiddler certainly has it's charms...

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  4. jeff jordanAugust 23, 2009 at 9:38 AM

    DRAWRER--Mike Myers on SNL as Simon, who does DRAWRINGS in the tub. Don't look at his BUM...........

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  5. Peter UnderhillAugust 23, 2009 at 9:49 AM

    Draughtee? Draftist? Draughticator?
    Whatever the word, we Brits would probably spell it differently.

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  6. Erik BongersAugust 23, 2009 at 10:11 AM

    I vote for simply "drawer".
    And then rename that piece of furniture to... a slider, a shifter, a puller?

    Hey,I just double checked Webster's:
    drawer : 1 : one that draws: as a : a person who draws liquor
    b : draftsman
    c : one that draws a bill of exchange or order for payment or makes a promissory note

    So the word 'drawer' IS already assigned to this!
    We just need to revive it's usage!

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  7. Erik BongersAugust 23, 2009 at 10:16 AM

    I will put it on my bussines card:

    Erik Bongers,
    Belgian comical book drawer.

    (it used to be "Belgian comical bookmaker", but somehow that always caused problems at customs)

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  8. ericAugust 23, 2009 at 10:45 AM

    haha, whats wrong with draughtsman? or illistrator? picky picky....

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  9. Dan GurneyAugust 23, 2009 at 11:58 AM

    It's interesting how words about drawing tend in English to associate with the pejorative: "He's a sketchy character." "It's not finished yet; it's only a draft." "There's a chilly draft coming from the window." "You want that in a bottle or on draft?"

    Time for the creator of Dinotopia, with the assistance of his blogfellows to coin a new word! Add to your legacy...

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  10. r8rAugust 23, 2009 at 12:34 PM

    What? Is 'doodler' out?

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  11. r8rAugust 23, 2009 at 12:35 PM

    'scribbler'?


    'scrivener'?

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  12. kev ferraraAugust 23, 2009 at 1:21 PM

    The words "graphic" and "diagram" have deep connections to drawing etymologically.... drawing, outlining, tracing, to scratch on clay tablets, etc.

    Also the word "line" can be used.

    Graphicist, sketchographer, Linearist, Lineographer, Delineator, Diagrapher, Pictographer, etc.

    Or maybe the name of the implement can be in the name, Pencilist, Crayonist, Implementor, Charcoalaholic...

    kev

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  13. Justin FeiereiselAugust 23, 2009 at 1:28 PM

    From Chasing Amy:
    Holden: Sorry about him, he's, uh, he's dealing with being an inker.
    Alyssa: Oh... you trace.

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  14. AnonymousAugust 23, 2009 at 2:02 PM

    HA HA! We have a word for "people who draw" in spanish :)

    Dibujante. It have the same origin like dibujo (the object). And dibujar (the verb, to draw).

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  15. Tyler JAugust 23, 2009 at 2:45 PM

    I have to agree with eric here, 'draftsman' and 'illustrator' fit the bill to me (although I can see where draftsman is too gender specific).

    To me, drawer has always sounded like a word that kids would make up, but so does 'stunk.'

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  16. UnknownAugust 23, 2009 at 3:31 PM

    In our area the kids tend to pronounce it "drawling", so maybe we could be drawlers.

    Fun topic, although we are a persecuted bunch. Using the same word to describe drawing liquor. Hmph!

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  17. JorisAugust 23, 2009 at 3:45 PM

    In Dutch, like Spanish, we have a word for it; 'tekenaar', as 'to draw' is 'tekenen' in Dutch.

    I'm all for reviving the use of the word drawer for this. Altough I love drawdiddler.

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  18. CaterisAugust 23, 2009 at 4:06 PM

    I think Draftsman would have been the correct word if people like architects hadn't taken it as their own already.
    If I told someone I was a draftsman, they'd start thinking blue paper and numbers and metal compasses.

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  19. António AraújoAugust 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM

    In Portugal we have no less tahn two words for it:

    "Desenhador" or "Desenhista", where "desenho" is the word for "drawing".

    Strangley enough, though, both words sound kinda weird, in the sense that if you say you are a "pintor" (painter) everyone understands what you mean, but if you say you are a "desenhador" most people look at you funny... like you are some sort of poor relation, or as if they are wondering what on earth you actually do.

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  20. Tristan AlexanderAugust 23, 2009 at 6:34 PM

    I usually just say "Artist", but since that covers SO much, maybe "sketch artist"?
    While "Drawdiddler" is fun, it sounds a bit naughty to me (diddle has conotations). lol

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  21. ColeAugust 23, 2009 at 11:50 PM

    Drawtographer.

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  22. NortonVirusAugust 24, 2009 at 1:02 AM

    drawctor...like doctor...
    No.
    draw-ologist!...no...

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  23. RobertoAugust 24, 2009 at 2:31 AM

    Crayologist. Delineator. Depictor. Descibbler. Draftinista. Drawmatist. Drawrite. Formalator. Limnalist. Linemaker. Leaderer or Leadwrite. Mapster. Marker. Pencilator. Sketchinographor. Sketchaholic. Tracewrite.
    Old English was dragan, for one who drags, so how about Drawgan or Drawganer… or Drawnatopier! -RQ

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  24. J MAugust 24, 2009 at 5:01 AM

    I've seen the term "drawer" a few times. Even if it is semantically correct, it still makes me think of the artist as a piece of furniture.

    Roberto's list is great, I would add "pencil pusher".

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  25. AnonymousAugust 24, 2009 at 7:16 AM

    I say drawer, ofcourse people think Im crazy.

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  26. jesusest@gmail.comAugust 24, 2009 at 1:03 PM

    I say draftsman, although English is not my first language, when I say draftsman every body understand

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  27. MoaiAugust 24, 2009 at 9:42 PM

    I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that it was only somewhat recently that I realized that "draught" was an alternate spelling of "draft." Before, I was pronouncing it "drot" in my head.

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  28. UnknownAugust 26, 2009 at 8:22 AM

    Hmm... That's a hard one, one that's plagued me a bit in my time. I've started going with "Draughtsman", but as a woman I find it hard to refer to myself that way. "Draughtswoman" is a bit rediculous. I could call myself drawdiddler (which I find hilarious), but then I might not be taken seriously.

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  29. JeanTravelingOctober 22, 2012 at 3:04 AM

    Drawdiddler - Dibujante - Tekenaar - Desenhista

    All wonderful words.

    I usually just say 'artist' - it covers all the things I do.

    Dan Gurney, about the pejorative words you mentioned . . . I was with you till you mentioned 'draft' beer, which is always superior to the stuff that comes in a bottle:-)

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  30. Sandeep Singh NegiDecember 28, 2022 at 10:31 AM

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    ReplyDelete

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