Colporteur

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Dr. Goodword
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Colporteur

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:23 pm

• colporteur •

Pronunciation: kahl-por-têr • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A traveling peddler or distributor of literature, especially literature of a religious nature.

Notes: The activity of a colporteur is colportage which, despite sounds and appearances, has nothing to do with the output of the American composer, Cole Porter, or the carrying of coal. The noun may also be used as a verb, e.g. to colporteur religious tracts around the countryside.

In Play: Today's word is most widely used in reference to the distribution of religious literature: "Intrepid colporteurs bore the Bible to every bar and other house of shady character in the city on their quest to vanquish Satan from every den of iniquity they could find." However, this word may refer to any sort of book peddler if not any sort of peddler at all, "He colporteured encyclopedias from door to door all summer in St. Louis."

Word History: Today's word is an alteration of Old French comporteur from comporter "to conduct, peddle". The M became L by analogy with col "neck", since peddlers of yore bore their wares on trays suspended from straps around their necks. Latin portare "carry" is the origin of our borrowings porter, port, and comport. Collar is related to the French word for "neck" mentioned above. Col and collar are offspring of Latin collum "neck", a word with a rich etymological heritage. The same original PIE word was prefixed in Old English to become hweogol, which later was reduced to wheel. With a suffix -s, it became Russian koleso "wheel" and German Hals "neck". We can also see it in Russian and Serbian okolo "around".
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bailey66
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Re: Colporteur

Postby bailey66 » Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:29 am

peddler with a tray hanging from his neck
My mind went instantly to the cigarette/cigar girls (sorry pc police- this was in an era of long ago, before women's lib) in the movies of the mafia clubs from the 30's. Btw it was long before MY time, reports to the contrary, notwithstanding. And of course even the mob didn't exist then (ahem).

Mark pretty-old-anyway Bailey
In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, Isa30:15

LukeJavan8
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Re: Colporteur

Postby LukeJavan8 » Thu Nov 06, 2014 2:09 pm

no mob, right! My mind went to the cig girls as well, so
be aware, you are not alone, as well as the Phillip Morris
boy/man: "Call for PHILLLLIP MORASSSSE". And
the traveling Fuller Brush salesmen from door to door
when I was a kid, mentioned in some other thread
recently.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Philip Hudson
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Re: Colporteur

Postby Philip Hudson » Fri Nov 07, 2014 7:00 pm

One American-made religion created itself and now finances and propagates itself by colportage. They began as the Millennial Dawn Society and now style themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

LukeJavan8
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Re: Colporteur

Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:45 pm

I still see LDS missionaries on their rounds as well, in this
part of the country.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Philip Hudson
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Re: Colporteur

Postby Philip Hudson » Sat Nov 08, 2014 1:33 am

But the LDSers don't ask for cash.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

LukeJavan8
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Re: Colporteur

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Nov 08, 2014 1:07 pm

true that.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----


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