Amanuensis

Amanuensis (plural: amanuenses ) is an obsolete name for a secretary or writing assistants of a scholar. The term is of Latin origin and can be literally translated as " manual worker " or " henchman " translated.

Etymology

With amanuensis a slave was called in ancient Rome, which was to " shake hands " in his service to his master for manual work. Later the term was applied especially to a narrowly trusty servant, often a freedman who served his Lord as a personal secretary.

Amanuenses since the Early Modern

In the academic area

In the academic field of amanuensis designated a writer who supported a disabled or injured person in a written examination or creating written work.

The term was also used for scientific staff in libraries, archives, museums and research assistants who conducted research on one 's own academic work.

In chemistry or physics, the term referred to a technically trained laboratory assistant who was responsible for the preparation of tests, experiments and maintenance of the instruments.

In Denmark the title from 1960 to 1972 was performed for auxiliary professorships. In Norway, the equivalent to U.S. Assistant Professor is accorded the title amanuensis while Førsteamanuensis (ie "first" amanuensis ) is the equivalent of the U.S. associate professor. So the amanuensis can be compared with the junior professorship and the Førsteamanuensis with the W2 professorship in Germany.

In other areas,

In the 19th and early 20th century amanuensis was the job title for male secretaries, who were on ships or trains, travelers to the higher classes of travel for services. In the English-speaking world sometimes use the term for employers, mostly unskilled, workers at the lower end of the hierarchy, see factotum.

Significant amanuenses

While the term is rarely used since the early 20th century, the secretaries and close associate of scientists and scholars were commonly referred to as in earlier writings. Working as amanuensis was next to the house of the teacher, since the early modern period, a conventional career start for young graduates.