Do you know the meaning of this word?

[MrTiddlesTheCat]

Help me settle a very minor disagreement. Do you know the meaning of the word below without looking it up?

Syncretism

YABU - yes I know
YANBU - nope, not a scooby

no clue. I am a published author, btw (science)

I know both its meanings - the linguistics one mainly due to helping my daughter learn Classical Greek and the religious one because I have an interest in Ancient Egypt and I've seen it in texts about the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptian gods.

These are obviously highly specific interests though and I really can't recall having seen the word elsewhere (and as a lawyer turned translator, I would say that I've come across quite a lot of unusual words in my time 😁).

He sounds like a right dick.

Agree.

Not a clue I had to look it up. I've always been a bookworm and generally have a broad range of language

No idea, and I have a good degree in English Language & Literature, and a decent personal vocabulary.

No, but I'm a scientist turned engineer. I have lots of postgrad and professional qualifications, but oddly that word has never come up.

I e just looked it up and I'm still a bit hazy!

i looked it up. I have a degree in religious studies. I. Hadn’t heard the word until today

No.

My analysis of syncretism was propinquitous to the meaning published in the online lexicographical source that I inspected subsequently.

I feel unable, therefore, to be able legitimately to partition my answer in a binary fashion in the way you propose in your survey.

You're my teacher aren't you?

I do now, because I just looked it up.

Yes, and you get a D- for your last hand-in.

No, and I'm a pretty wordy person (languages teacher). It seems an absurdly obscure word to use when teaching foreigners English. Any decent language teacher has a very good, pretty much automatic filter for the level of vocabulary that's suitable for their students. I seriously doubt that 'syncretism' was suitable and I suspect you're right about his motives for using it!

Not a clue.

Nope!

I've never heard it before and consider myself good with words - I read broadly and am educated to post-grad level.

Yes, it was often used in our secondary school classes. Not in the UK though...

I have higher level qualifications of various sorts in physics, medicine, education, music - and theology. If it weren't for the latter I would not have known the word.

What a eejit.

If native English speakers can live their life without knowing it, those learning as a second (or 3rd) language definitely don't need to know it.

Teach stuff that's relevant to getting the message across.