[Millou]

Ok so I went to a few subforums and decided to post this topic here...

Anyone know what this word: Toynbeesque means? I looked it up in a few dictionaries, googled it, ... but I couldn't find the meaning of this word.
I asked a few friends and their reaction was

[boka]

Might be some sort of neologism i.e. Toynbee with the -esque suffix.

Googling gives me Arnold Toynbee, economist.

[Prot]

Where'd you hear that from? beesque could be a typo of bisque? I dunno haha

[HERMIT]

Might be some sort of neologism i.e. Toynbee with the -esque suffix.

Googling gives me Arnold Toynbee, economist.

That's probably your clue right there.
From what little that I was able to glean about him, economist Arnold Toynbee was a proponent of social reform, in which his ideas encouraged the wealthy class to be actively involved in the improvement of the working/lower class via education education and social aid. His ideas promoted not so much a 'trickle down' effect from the upper to the lower classes, but rather a "hands on" approach in which the wealthier class actually lived and worked with the lower classes so as to better understand their living conditions and their plight.

So maybe when somebody uses the adjective "Toynbeesque", maybe it is in reference to an idea or action that is reflective of this kind of social ideology / reform.

But hell, what do I know. I'm just a lowly hermit that lives in relative squalor.
But it sure would be really cool and Toynbeesque for some of those people that earn over 100K to come over to my neighborhood and help learns me some new things.

[Millou]

I also googled Arnold Toynbee the result was this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_J._Toynbee
a historian, so now I'm more confused haha...

I read it in a ph.D about Graphic Design in HK in the 50s-60s...

[Lie]

It's usually used to relate to Arnold Toynbee as you guys have noted, and particularly what is considered his most impressive feat--having written an entire twelve-volume chronicle of the rise and fall of various civilizations. Ordinarily when someone calls something Toynbee-esque they mean that it's a tremendous feat, or that an individual him/herself has accomplished a tremendous feat. Could also be used simply in calling something a large, comprehensive list.

[Millou]

^ thanks.

you are my n#1 of today!!