Difference between Artist and Artiste

Let's talk about...whatever!
This topic has expert replies
Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

Difference between Artist and Artiste

by mankey » Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:15 am
Hi

Will appreciate if some expert could highlight the difference between artist and artiste? Will appreciate if usage could also be shown for both the words.

Thanks
Mankey

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 273
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:37 am
Location: Raleigh, NC
Thanked: 154 times
Followed by:74 members
GMAT Score:770

by Whitney Garner » Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:12 pm
mankey wrote:Hi

Will appreciate if some expert could highlight the difference between artist and artiste? Will appreciate if usage could also be shown for both the words.

Thanks
Mankey
Hi Mankey!

The term "artist" can be (and is) used for anyone involved in either the fine-arts (painting, sculpture, literature, etc) or performing arts (dance, music, acting, etc).

However, the french translation, "artiste", is typically used in one of two ways in the English language:
(1) a response to the use of "artist" primarily for visual-arts practitioners, the term "artiste" focuses more specifically on individuals in the performing arts.
(2) alternatively, some use the term "artiste" to indicate someone who believes themselves to be a great artist or performer while the world would disagree. Think of this use as a derogatory comment on someone's delusions of artistic grandeur.

But "artiste" is the literal French-to-English translation or "artist" so it is permissible to use them synonymously.

Did you happen to have a GMAT example that required this distinction? I would suspect that if it was found online, it might have been a typo (I doubt the GMAT would test this VERY squishy distinction).

:)
Whit
Whitney Garner
GMAT Instructor & Instructor Developer
Manhattan Prep

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Math is a lot like love - a simple idea that can easily get complicated :)

Legendary Member
Posts: 627
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:12 am
Thanked: 4 times
Followed by:1 members

by mankey » Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:47 am
Thanks Whit for the help. No, it was a very general query, not very specific to GMAT.

Mankey