meaning

[Roselin]

I have two questions.

1)When I say that someone is capricious , what does it tell about the person concerned ?

2) Can demeanour be reticent ?

[Greg Forbes]

(Not a teacher)

Someone who is capricious is apt to change his/her mind suddenly and behave in an unpredictable way. "Whimsical" has a similar meaning.

Reticent (as in the sense of restrained or uncommunicative) should be an acceptable adjective for demeanor.

[Roselin]

Thanks a lot ,Greg!

[David L.]

Reticent (as in the sense of restrained or uncommunicative) should be an acceptable adjective for demeanor.

I'm doubtful. 'demeanour' is outward behavior or bearing or appearance, whereas 'reticent' relates to 'verbal communication'.
Are we thinking body language here?

shy/somber demeanour

[Raymott]

Reticent (as in the sense of restrained or uncommunicative) should be an acceptable adjective for demeanor.

I'm doubtful. 'demeanour' is outward behavior or bearing or appearance, whereas 'reticent' relates to 'verbal communication'.
Are we thinking body language here?

shy/somber demeanour

One can be reticent to engage in verbal communication, and this can show in one's demeanour. I don't have a problem with the term, and a Goodle Search of "reticent demeanour" throws up any number of acceptable and well-written sentences.
In live communication, body language cannot be separated from purely linguistic acts, although this tends to annoy linguists.

[David L.]

a Goodle Search of "reticent demeanour" throws up any number of acceptable and well-written sentences.

92 in total.

"had went" throws up 240,000,000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a Brit. Eng. speaker, I also have - shall we say - reservations about the 'acceptability' of that bit of grammatical collocation.

[MrPedantic]

2) Can demeanour be reticent ?

"Reticent" derives from the Latin verb "reticere", "to keep silence"; its meaning in English has developed into "disinclined to speak", "reserved", "delicately discreet".

"Demeanour" on the other hand relates to your manner of comporting yourself.

A "disinclination to speak" certainly relates to comportment; you could say that a person's demeanour, in the form of certain facial expressions, usually indicates that they are "being reticent".

Best wishes,

MrP

[Roselin]

I am happy to read the discussion that is going on between you teachers on the word demeanour and reticent....

[Raymott]

I am happy to read the discussion that is going on between you teachers on the word demeanour and reticent....

Yes, it certainly gives you an insight into the minds of some of the more excitable teachers.

[David L.]

Yes, it certainly gives you an insight into the minds of some of the more excitable teachers.

Oh,...some posts more than others. !

Though...perhaps...what some people see as 'excitable', others see as having delicious fun. Choose your person and take your pick.