The other day, I heard the word ‘sophisticated’ used with ‘people’. My dictionary gave these definitions of the past participle of the verb ‘sophisticate’:
- experienced in worldly ways; informed; knowing aware
- lacking in natural simplicity or frankness
- artificial
- misleading
- of mechanical or electronic devices, complex and advanced in design: sophisticated missiles
But, my old dictionary says this about the verb ‘sophisticate’ following from the entry word Sophism (a spurious proposition; a specious but fallacious argument; a fallacy designed to deceive):
to pervert; [as in twisting the truth or corrupting morals]
to wrest from the truth; [as in misleading propaganda and spin]
to render spurious by admixture [as in adding cheaper stuff to wine]
Sometimes it pays to check out older sources; they may give you a clearer view of an idea.
