| Pundit (politics) |
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ORIGINS The term originates from the India n term Pandit , which refers to someone who chanted memorized holy texts at various events. PAST ENGLISH USE The Oxford English Dictionary cites the first English Language use of the word "Pundit" as referring to an official of the Supreme Court in Colonial India who advised the English Judges on questions of Hindu Law. In Anglo-Indian use, "pundit" also referred to a native of India who was trained and employed by the British to survey inaccessible regions beyond the British frontier. By extension, the word came to refer to, "A learned expert or teacher" CURRENT USE In the English-speaking West, ''pundits'' write signed articles in print media, and appear on radio, television, or the internet to opine on current events. Television pundits are sometimes called Talking Head s. Sports Commentators and analysts are also commonly referred to as pundits. In the strict use of the term, a "pundit" has recognized expertise in a particular field. The term, however, increasingly refers to popular media personalities who express opinions without necessarily holding recognized expertise in the area they opine on. In recent years in the US, with the increased popularity of television and radio pundits such as Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh , pundits are increasingly seen not as experts, but as ideological partisans who tend to do more ranting than measured commentary. They are often accused of being politically biased, and of using Informal Logic in Fallacious ways. This perception has caused the term "pundit" to take on derogatory overtones, with more of the sense of an arrogant loudmouth than an educated commentator. Thus, the term has begun to take on a negative connotations and is often used as an Term Of Disparagement . There is a perception that the popularity of punditry has become harmful to journalism, as many perceive it as another example of news devolving further towards entertainment and away from reporting. For a partial listing of pundits in the print media in North America , see the article newspaper Columnist s. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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