demoticistn.
/dᵻˈmɒtᵻsɪst/, U.S. /dᵻˈmɑdəsəst/ 1. A person who uses, or advocates the use of, vernacular language or ordinary colloquial speech; spec. an advocate of using demotic Greek in writing as well as in speech and in formal contexts as well as informal.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > register > [noun] > colloquial language > one who uses
colloquialist1821
demoticist1901
1901 Rep. Commissioner Educ. 1899–1900 (Washington) II. 1317 It is difficult to decide whether such writers as Damberges and Drosines should be classed here or with the demoticists. Their language is indeed based on the katharevousa, but is nevertheless much influenced by contributions from the demotic.
1911 Year's Work Class. Stud. 188 The use made in the syntax of the writings of the modern demoticists..is..quite fresh and very interesting.
1964 J. T. Pring in D. Abercrombie et al. Daniel Jones 358 Most of the advocates of revised orthography have been demoticists.
2010 I. Loulakaki-Moore Seferis & Elytis as Translators 333 Translations like those of the older generation of demoticists aimed at creating texts accessible to everyone in order to cure the literary poverty of the newly formed Greek state.
2. Egyptian History (originally and chiefly U.S.). Usually with capital initial. = Demotist n.
ΚΠ
1931 Amer. Jrnl. Semitic Langs. & Lit. 47 297 While he will certainly be best remembered as a demoticist, he also did important work in practically every branch of Egyptology.
1973 Jrnl. Near Eastern Stud. 32 153 Copticists have been as imprecise in translating Coptic idiom as Demoticists have been in rendering the Demotic.
2000 R. David Experience of Anc. Egypt viii. 85 Demoticists have also made a significant contribution to our understanding of Egyptian civilisation.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1901