Monday, 2 November 2015

A generic word for any 'specialized genre'

Obscure



I think the meaning is (a) well-known, and (b) has a wide application, so I will skip the definitions.



It is specifically applicable, given your description. The New American Dictionary states:




Obscure often expresses dissatisfaction at one's inability to identify something.




Two points:



  1. genre itself is specific (or specialised1), and that you are going to give a [specific] genre is the expectation of the listener.


  2. You are trying to identify a genre, but you can't. So you want to express all that in one word.


Consider:



The foreign word is foreign, unknown, obscure (sorry). You will have to stop and explain what it means to the other person.



Note



  1. Your title 'specialized genre' is redundant because genre is specific. Your description is completely understood.

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