And I know there’s a word for it, but like this topic says, "tip-of-the-tongue".

It’s a word for a person who likes to argue, and instigate arguement, for the sake of sounding and appearing to be intellectual.

Help please? ???

eristic?

- PW

snob
idiot
irritating
;D

Ekkis?  ;D

agitator
provocateur
sophist
mormor

Sitran

Lawyer?

Sorry, couldn’t help it. Okay, now I’ll go look for some real suggestions.

Dang, most of those I had except for ekkis and mormor (Voo, that’s new! Where’s ekkis from? And mormor isn’t in any of my nearby dictionaries~) but none of them are it.

I know that sophist comes close, but the problem there was that while a sophist is guilty of trying to deceive for a variety of reasons (and sound plausible about it), this is a specific term for a person who’s doing some of the above with all the abrasiveness they can muster. Intentionally mean about it to keep the arguement aflame. Not all sohpist are goading, but this type is purposely aiming to be. Not a petty insulter, more like a harsh, verbose bully, all brow-beating vinegar and no honey. And while the agitator is all the goading, they’re defined as doing so to be a pain, not to be a pain and look intelligent in being so.

...Lawyer is getting warmer, though, I must admit.  ;D

I hope I’m not sending you guys on a wild goose chase.  :-[

pedagogue?
pedant?
devil’s advocate?
bear-baiter?

quibbler
caviler
equivocator
nitpicker

muck-raker
stirrer
provoker
agent provocateur

I hope I’m not sending you guys on a wild goose chase.

The Agora Fora are the favourite stomping grounds of wild goose chasers - some of the best!!!    ;D

Belligerent

Synonyms for BELLIGERENT are BELLICOSE, PUGNACIOUS, QUARRELSOME, and CONTENTIOUS

Merriam Webster suggests that BELLIGERENT implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities <belligerent nations>. BELLICOSE suggests a disposition to fight <a drunk in a bellicose mood>. PUGNACIOUS suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat <a pugnacious thug>. QUARRELSOME stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause <the heat made us all quarrelsome>. CONTENTIOUS implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling <wearied by his contentious disposition>.  

~Shannon

[quote author=Ratheripe link=board=what;num=1051205291;start=0#6 date=04/25/03 at 01:39:55]Dang, most of those I had except for ekkis and mormor (Voo, that’s new! Where’s ekkis from? And mormor isn’t in any of my nearby dictionaries~) but none of them are it.

Ekkis is the nickname for one member of the Agora, but he hasn’t been posting as often as usual for the last couple of weeks or so.  Where is he from?  His profile says "Lalaland", but I’ve heard he is living in LA, and hales from Sweden.  (If I am not right about those things, someone here will set me straight soon enough!)Mormor is, I think, the Swedish word for grandmother.  Specifically, your mother’s mother.  Apparently, someone has a grandmother that can be difficult to get along with!  

~Shannon

Sorry about the mormor suggestion.  I’m trying to use more Swedish in my everyday language.  I think Ekkis might be my grandmother.

I know just that sort of person:

relentlessly self-righteous

indomitable

rigorously uncomprimising

socio-pathic

(now it sounds like my ex-girlfriend)

domineering

Something that ends in -maniac like syllogomaniac* (not a real word)

Sitran

[quote author=Sitran link=board=what;num=1051205291;start=0#13 date=04/25/03 at 19:15:53]Something that ends in -maniac like syllogomaniac* (not a real word)

Are you looking for the word?  Were you thinking of megalomaniac?

-Tim

Yes, it was something like ‘alexiphemiac’!  But the opposite!

Sitran

Hey, Ratheripe, how about…..?

Polemicist

And if not that, what about some form of these?

logolept
logolatry
logomachy
logomania

Sitran