amanuensis:

(plural: amanuenses; pronunciation: the letters ‘nu’ rhyme with the word “new”)

an amanuensis (L) helping a student (R) in an exam

(old or formal usage)  a person whose job is to write down what another person says or to copy the text another person has written, especially during the making of a book; a secretary; a person who takes down dictation; a scribe; a copyist;

In the present usage, a person who helps another person in writing down some information, for example, an educated person who helps a disabled or crippled person by writing down the answers dictated by that person in an examination.

Stephen Hawkins and his amanuenses (assistants)

In this picture we see Stephen Hawking, one of the most famous contemporary physicists, , with his assistants.  He is crippled by a disease and cannot write or speak.  One of his assistants (amanuensis) writes down the notes he dictates through his synthesizer, an electronic machine that changes his body movements, such as blinking, into sounds that his amanuenses understand!
e.g.

There are so many documents to be made into copies that our office needs not one amanuensis but several to make copies of them.

These days, amanuenses are not needed any more because busy bosses are all using electroinc devices such as tape-recorders and voice recorders to copy down their dictations!

About the Author:BC Kumar

BC Kumar, an English Language Teacher, taught in numerous countries including Ethiopia, Oman and India, shares his knowledge and passion for the English Language. Disclaimer: This is a free educational website and all content has been compiled by the author. All copyrights to images and videos belong to their respective owners.

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