# Does the Avg. American Student Have a Smaller Vocabulary . . .

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-avg-american-student-have-a-smaller-vocabulary/559879
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [November 8, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-avg-american-student-have-a-smaller-vocabulary/559879 "2010-11-08T06:01:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
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### Author: ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-avg-american-student-have-a-smaller-vocabulary/559879/3 "2010-11-08T13:32:29Z")

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> [@GuyfromLansing](#):
>
> In the second paragraph of the answer, I think the author meant to write “etymologists,” those who study words and word origins. The writer wrote “entomologists,” or those who study insects.
> 
> "Despite being plainly absurd, your factoid has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and even science journals, each typically citing other such appearances as backup. At times it’s been attributed to Gallup polls or even entomologists. "
> 
> Given the context of the article, vocabulary, I’m guessing they meant “etymologists.”
> 
> Thanks.

No, Cecil said and meant entomologists. Note the word “even” – it wouldn’t be surprising if the factoid were attributed to etymologists, but it IS surprising that it was attributed to insect-ologists.

You’re not alone in thinking that Cecil goofed (Cecil NEVER goofs), so I actually have the source: the entomologist was named Cole Gilbert. He was cited in Harper’s August 2000 (when the factoid was again published), but for a different nearby fact on the luminescence of fireflies. An article in the Oct. 2000 in the _Vancouver Sun_ cites him as the source of the vocabulary figures. So it was a goof on the part of the Vancouver Sun, but an amusing one.

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