What you have said is very correct. Ideally, spelling mistake, grammar error should not be there. However sometime it happens. The worst part is not understanding the correct meaning of two similar kind of words.
Anyways, the major difference between naturist & naturalist, what I think is that the naturists are passionate about clothes free lifestyle. The naturalists may not prefer the clothes free lifestyle.
Please correct me, if my above understanding about naturists & naturalists, is not in line.
So nudist carries stigma and naturist carries general vagueness/hiddeness. There's something in me that enjoys the hidden aspect of the word, an unintended parallel to the hidden aspect of it in many of our lives. I vote to destigmatize nudist and let naturist stay hidden amongst the waves and sand dunes.
Much of the English-speaking world is probably ignorant of the difference between the terms naturalist and naturist, and that probably includes many naturalists as well, but I suspect that only naturists care about it. We naturists frequently have discussions on internet fora (forums ?) about whether we should call ourselves naturists or nudists, as if it were an important distinction, but no one else cares. Why this may be important to anyone is a mystery to me.
Instead of spending time in what seem to me to be silly discussions of semantics I think we should discuss ways to improve our dismal public image. Most of the population knows nothing about naturism and would probably accept it more if they had more information about it, but most of us are too timid to reveal our clothes-free nature to others, so we fail to promote our lifestyle. We don’t admit we’re naturists because we have such a dismal image, which we do nothing to rehabilitate. It’s a sad situation.
Almost everyone is simply unfamiliar with the word "naturist" in the sense that we use it. That makes it very easy to confuse with "naturalist". It's obvious what naturists should do about this - speak much more often with others about an interest in NATURISM, and be clear how it's different from "naturalism".
Of course, as we know, most naturists are typically afraid to discuss their interest in naturism with others. So they shouldn't be surprised by the confusion. Even some AI grammar checkers think "naturist" is a misspelling of "naturalist". We have nobody to blame but ourselves.
A second problem involves the term "nudist". Most people know that means someone who sometimes or often goes naked. But they're hazy about what it means. Is it someone who hangs out in "colonies" with others who don't wear clothes? Is it someone who likes to shock others by going naked? Personally, I see little difference between "nudist" and "naturist", although some want to think there is a meaningful difference. If we'd just stick to the term "naturist" and explain what it means to others, we'd avoid the confusion and be a lot better off.
Through love of the outdoors, care for the environment, and admiration of nature, I believe most naturists are naturalists, though the converse is not the case.
On a different note, I once looked up "naturist" in an old version of the Oxford English dictionary and the definition was "an alternate of 'naturalist'". I was disappointed.
I have found that the Brits often have different definitions for words than the Americans do. One case in point is "homely." In American English it means ugly. To the Brits it is an alternative to "homey" - nice or comfortable.
From a fellow pedant and apostrophe evangelist: Let me take advantage of the relaxed nature of the season to play devil’s advocate. A naturalist could well be someone who lives naturally, as nature intended, au naturel. And a naturist could well be someone (like Attenborough) who studies nature.
Perhaps we’ve actually been getting it wrong all this time?
What you have said is very correct. Ideally, spelling mistake, grammar error should not be there. However sometime it happens. The worst part is not understanding the correct meaning of two similar kind of words.
Anyways, the major difference between naturist & naturalist, what I think is that the naturists are passionate about clothes free lifestyle. The naturalists may not prefer the clothes free lifestyle.
Please correct me, if my above understanding about naturists & naturalists, is not in line.
So nudist carries stigma and naturist carries general vagueness/hiddeness. There's something in me that enjoys the hidden aspect of the word, an unintended parallel to the hidden aspect of it in many of our lives. I vote to destigmatize nudist and let naturist stay hidden amongst the waves and sand dunes.
Today it could be a rampaging spell checker. Misspell naturalist and naturist might be the closest match.
Much of the English-speaking world is probably ignorant of the difference between the terms naturalist and naturist, and that probably includes many naturalists as well, but I suspect that only naturists care about it. We naturists frequently have discussions on internet fora (forums ?) about whether we should call ourselves naturists or nudists, as if it were an important distinction, but no one else cares. Why this may be important to anyone is a mystery to me.
Instead of spending time in what seem to me to be silly discussions of semantics I think we should discuss ways to improve our dismal public image. Most of the population knows nothing about naturism and would probably accept it more if they had more information about it, but most of us are too timid to reveal our clothes-free nature to others, so we fail to promote our lifestyle. We don’t admit we’re naturists because we have such a dismal image, which we do nothing to rehabilitate. It’s a sad situation.
Almost everyone is simply unfamiliar with the word "naturist" in the sense that we use it. That makes it very easy to confuse with "naturalist". It's obvious what naturists should do about this - speak much more often with others about an interest in NATURISM, and be clear how it's different from "naturalism".
Of course, as we know, most naturists are typically afraid to discuss their interest in naturism with others. So they shouldn't be surprised by the confusion. Even some AI grammar checkers think "naturist" is a misspelling of "naturalist". We have nobody to blame but ourselves.
A second problem involves the term "nudist". Most people know that means someone who sometimes or often goes naked. But they're hazy about what it means. Is it someone who hangs out in "colonies" with others who don't wear clothes? Is it someone who likes to shock others by going naked? Personally, I see little difference between "nudist" and "naturist", although some want to think there is a meaningful difference. If we'd just stick to the term "naturist" and explain what it means to others, we'd avoid the confusion and be a lot better off.
Through love of the outdoors, care for the environment, and admiration of nature, I believe most naturists are naturalists, though the converse is not the case.
On a different note, I once looked up "naturist" in an old version of the Oxford English dictionary and the definition was "an alternate of 'naturalist'". I was disappointed.
I have found that the Brits often have different definitions for words than the Americans do. One case in point is "homely." In American English it means ugly. To the Brits it is an alternative to "homey" - nice or comfortable.
From a fellow pedant and apostrophe evangelist: Let me take advantage of the relaxed nature of the season to play devil’s advocate. A naturalist could well be someone who lives naturally, as nature intended, au naturel. And a naturist could well be someone (like Attenborough) who studies nature.
Perhaps we’ve actually been getting it wrong all this time?