Professor Gary Martin introduced me this new word ‘ruditude’ in one of his columns in The Daily Telegraph.
This is a portmanteau word.
We’ve discussed this before, but in case you’ve forgotten — portmanteau is an old word for a suitcase, and a portmanteau word is one that packs two words into one, small, ‘verbal suitcase.’
In the case of ‘ruditude’ those two words are ‘rude’ and ‘attitude’—so ‘ruditude’ means ‘a rude attitude.’
From what Professor Martin writes this word names a very particular sort of behaviour.
It doesn’t mean the explosive, noisy, aggressive sort of rudeness.
Instead, is means the quiet, subtle, ignoring sort of rudeness.
And Martin provides some examples.
Someone who simply ignores your invitation to come to a birthday party.
Not accepted, not rejected, no apology for a prior engagement—just ignored.
Someone arrives late for dinner—but there is no apology and no excuse, they just expect their rude lateness to be accepted.
Someone promises to call you back and they never do.
They are not just late in responding, but (however long you wait) you never get that promised response at all.
This is the sort of rudeness which seems to have become acceptable and common in the 21st century.
What has died is good, old-fashioned courtesy.
Many people seem to feel they owe no one else any consideration or any courtesy these days—a rude attitude, therefore an expression of ‘ruditude.’
So, will this new word catch on?
My own guess is—probably not.
With all due respect to Professor Martin, outside of his column I have never encountered this word, and I never expect to.
It is not a euphonious word—it doesn’t roll easily and comfortably off the tongue.
And it’s meaning is not immediately clear—so if you used it, you would then have to explain it.
Both of those things make it unlikely to catch on.
Tonight I will be a panellist on the quiz show 'Quizzical' in Sky News -- 8:30pm (AEST)
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