Amanuensis

/ˌæməˈnjuːənsɪs/ noun

Definition

A person employed to write what someone else dictates; a secretary or scribe who transcribes spoken words.

Etymology

From Latin 'amanuensis,' composed of 'a manu' (by hand) and the suffix '-ensis.' The term literally describes someone positioned at hand to record another's words.

Kelly Says

This single word contains an entire social relationship: one person talking, another writing, a dance of power and dependence that's completely obsolete now that everyone types their own words into their phones—making this job title almost quaint.

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