You've probably come across an ultracrepidarian at some point in your life, even if you've never encountered the term itself.
So, what exactly is an ultracrepidarian and where did the term originate? "Ultracrepidarian" refers to someone who offers opinions beyond their own knowledge. The term is attributed to English writer William Hazlitt, who used it in an 1819 letter to refer to critic William Gifford, whom he called an “ultra-crepidarian critic.”
"Ultracrepidarian” originates from the Latin phrase sutor, ne supra crepidam, which translates to “shoemaker, not beyond the shoe” or "let the cobbler not go beyond his shoe." The story behind this phrase dates back to Ancient Greece. As the legend goes, the renowned painter Apelles is said to have made changes to one of his works of art after his shoemaker pointed out a mistake on one of the sandals. However, when that same shoemaker began to critique the appearance of the legs featured in Apelles’s painting, the artist grew angry and told him to mind his own business and to keep to his own expertise: shoes. Thus, the phrase sutor, ne supra crepidam was born.
With the rise of the Internet and social media, today’s world provides endless platforms for people to give their opinions on everything, which can be detrimental when there is no evidence to back them up. While it may be tempting to be an “ultracrepidarian,” especially online, pausing to reflect on your own knowledge about a subject may help to avoid the spread of misinformation.
What did you just call me?
- The English language is full of obscure and outdated words to describe people behaving strangely or improperly. For example, a "fustilugs" is a large, slow-moving, and clumsy individual.
- On the other hand, a "flibbertigibbet" is a silly, frivolous, gossipy, and overly talkative person, typically a young woman.
- For an incredibly niche insult, try "knipperdolling," which means a religious fanatic. The term comes from the name Bernhard Knipperdolling, a prominent Anabaptist leader in 16th-century Germany.
