Word: layperson (noun)

Associations

The word "layperson" means a person who is not an expert or specialist in a particular field. It is often used to describe someone who does not have professional or technical knowledge about a subject.

• "The doctor explained the diagnosis in simple terms so that the layperson could understand." Here, "layperson" means someone without medical knowledge.
• "The scientific article was written for laypeople, so it avoided technical jargon." This means the article is for ordinary people, not scientists.
• "A layperson might find legal documents confusing because they lack legal training." This shows a non-expert in law.

Synonym: "non-expert" or "amateur." The difference is "layperson" is often used in formal or professional contexts to highlight the contrast between experts and non-experts, while "amateur" can sometimes mean someone who does something for fun, not professionally.

Substitution

Instead of "layperson," you could say:

• non-expert (more general)
• novice (means beginner, less experience)
• outsider (someone not involved in a specific group)
• ordinary person (emphasizes normal people)

Each substitution changes the tone slightly. For example, "novice" focuses on lack of experience, while "outsider" emphasizes not belonging to a group.

Deconstruction

"Layperson" has two parts:

• "lay" comes from Old English "lǣg," meaning "not ordained" or "not clergy," originally used to describe non-religious people.
• "person" means an individual human being.

So, "layperson" literally means a person who is not a member of a specialized group (originally non-clergy), now used for non-experts in any field.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you were a layperson in a new subject or activity?
• How would you explain a complex idea to a layperson?
• Why is it important to use simple language when talking to laypeople?