Master naturalist

[a non-amos]

The word "naturalist" has different connotations in different places.  I am told that in the UK this is a nudist.

Here in the US, having a cert as a Master Naturalist means you speak with some authority in identifying the local flora and fauna and how they work together.  It is unfortunate that they sometimes speak with more authority and knowledge than the National Park Service Rangers.  Rangers are stretched to the limit and beyond.

My lovely bride has her final exam tomorrow morning.  Success is all but guaranteed.  Sources tell me that she had been a shoe-in from the time she walked in and took the first course.  Since then she has studied much in tree identification, butterflies and other insects, spiders, various amphibians, flowers, various reptiles, mammals, birds of prey, other birds, anything that might be venomous, and anything that isn't.

I respect her need for last minute study and review, but seriously she has it nailed.  The only thing left to me is to plan the victory celebration.

If you watch too much television you might be tempted to "say it with flowers" or chocolates or whatever they are selling.  I intend to say it by actually saying it, followed by some creative cooking etc. and then again with a load of baklava delivered to her office on Monday.

If you haven't already noticed, I am extremely proud of my lovely bride.

- A

[yelnats]

I think 'naturist' is the synonym for nudist, whereas 'naturalist' is the nature expert. We have a "Field Naturalists Society" here in Australia and they are not nudists.

I think "Naturist" is more of an English expression, also used in southern Spain. There were lots of resort developments spread along the Spanish coast and we decided to look at one without realising the true meaning of naturist resort. We didn't get far before we realised the man walking down the street with only shoes and the newspaper was a 'naturist'!

[pat]

I thought the expression was shoo-in.

[TRex]

I thought the expression was shoo-in.

Ditto

[a non-amos]

I'm not sure I ever saw it spelled, but I have certainly heard it often enough.

I guess I learn something new every day.

[Alan W]

I'm not sure I ever saw it spelled, but I have certainly heard it often enough.

Even if you did see it in writing, non-A, there's a fair chance it would have been written as "shoe-in". This (mis)spelling is listed in the Eggcorn database, with the comment that it's very common in journalistic writing and "nearly mainstream".

It seems the expression originated in racetrack slang, for a race that was fixed, or the horse that was the beneficiary of a fix. A quote from the New-York Tribune of 26 June 1910 (via the StackExchange English Language & Usage site) explains:

Most of the "regulars" are deeply suspicious of all steeplechase races of late years, and, whenever the favorite falls at one of the obstacles and a long priced leaper wins the race, they loudly call the race a "shoo-in" (a fixed affair, that is, in which the steeplechase racers have arranged to drop to the rear of the "meant" jumper and "shoo" him to the wire, they previously, of course, having got their money down on the horse thus generously treated).

[mkenuk]

From 'The Guardian's' preamble to the Scotland-England World-cup qualifier a few days ago:

England are well clear at the top of Uefa Group F, a section they’re odds-on favourites to win. And no wonder: they haven’t lost a tournament qualification match for nearly eight years, for goodness sake! Top place should be a shoo-in, whatever happens today.