Do you like non-fiction? I struggle with it. My book club selection this month is The Glass Cage: How Computers Are Changing Us, by Nicholas Carr. I can only read it in small doses because it is both dry and disturbing.
Guess who suggested the club read it? Me!
The Glass Cage has given me lots to think about as well as new vocabulary. If you like learning about new words, check out Kathy’s Wondrous Words Wednesday meme. Bloggers share new words from their reading or celebrate words they love.
Here’s the excerpt for my word this week:
From my putative friends, I received no sympathy. They found my struggles [with driving a manual transmission car] a source of endless, uproarious amusement.
putative \ˈpyü-tə-tiv\ from Latin putatus, past participle of putare to think
- commonly accepted or supposed
- believed to exist or to have existed
Thanks Merriam-Webster!
Putative is a synonym for a word I’ve previously featured on Wondrous Words Wednesday, ostensible, which means seeming to be true or real but possibly not.
Word Nerd Workout
Can you think of another synonym for putative?
I’ll be sure to follow up with a review of The Glass Cage in coming weeks- hopefully I’ll get through it! How do you feel about non-fiction? Any good recommendations?
Thanks for stopping by! Don’t forget to visit Kathy’s Wondrous Words Wednesday meme.
Interesting. I don’t recall reading this word before. And I’m glad you reminded us of “ostensibly” because I need to use that one more. I love nonfiction but only bc I’m very selective and tend to pick books I know I’ll love (Quiet, Daring Greatly, memoirs…)
I have Quiet sitting on my shelf – got it for my introverted son about a year ago. I should read that, shouldn’t I?
Hm, would assumed work as a synonym for putative? I think I understand the word but I can’t imagine having putative friends.
I’ve found that I like narrative nonfiction and memoirs. I struggle with the type of nonfiction you described.
I think assumed fits beautifully. I think what the author meant by “putative” friends is something like, “those people who are supposed to be my friends but who took pleasure in laughing at my struggles while I learned to drive.” Make sense?