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There's an interesting article in Mother Jones on how to pronounce "omicron". (Apparently, both short and long Oh versions are correct.) This sentence appeared near the end

And while we await the official NPR and Associated Press takes, the typical arbiters of newsreader styles, there’ll be take-havers. There always are.

What is a take-haver? I'd never heard of it before.

BTW, I tried to google "define: take haver" or "meaning: take haver" with no luck at all.

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  • So what's the etiquette on answering your own question within the question? It was/is a genuine question. Do i need to split off my answer as a separate post?
    – Martin F
    Dec 3, 2021 at 7:12
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    You can answer your own question.
    – Xanne
    Dec 3, 2021 at 7:26
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    I suspect that you had no success googling "take-haver" because it isn't an established word or phrase and that the writer made it up on the fly. I'd be pleased to be proved wrong but only if supported by evidence.
    – BoldBen
    Dec 3, 2021 at 7:31
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    From PC Magazine, 1989: Liddle is one of those eminently quotable people who have a take on just about everything. 30 years later, calling Liddle a "take-haver" doesn't sound ridiculous.
    – FumbleFingers
    Dec 3, 2021 at 12:15
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    The important thing to remember about omicron is that it's a Greek word that means "little O" (micron, natch; there's also a mega). The stress is on the first syllable, and it should be the same vowel you use to say omega. For most English speakers, that's /o/. Probly most American speakers will say /kran/ at the end, but that's not stressed so it doesn't matter.
    – John Lawler
    Dec 3, 2021 at 17:08

2 Answers 2

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It means One who has an opinion (a "take") on something.

It is probably not an established word or phrase, so the search for a meaning/definition bore no fruit.

However, here are some more examples --all rather obscure-- of actual use:

From movetoamend (I think they're saying "here's a good opinion...")

the best take haver: I’m no one. I don’t want to be anyone. I just want to see the ruling class overthrown and punished.

From metaphoricalmoose (I'm uncertain what was meant.)

the good take-haver: what if we kissed at the neighborhood high voltage box

From shitliberalssay (This one is sarcastic.)

The Good Take Haver has logged on

From twtext (If there good ones, then, surely, bad ones too.)

N. Bourbaki, Bad Take Haver: WARNING: extremely nerdy thread incoming.

I conclude that it is still a very obscure word/phrase but, perhaps with help from Mother Jones herself, it will become an established one, albeit confusing (or annoying) to some ears.

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  • I agree that this is the intended meaning, but I think the term "take-haver" is somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
    – Casey
    Dec 3, 2021 at 23:22
  • As for the "the good take-haver has logged on," if you keep clicking the links it's a screenshot of someone saying "social democracy is to the left of Marxism." "The good take-haver has logged on" is meant to be sarcastic mockery of what the poster believes to be a stupid take. You might take it as a online-jargon way to say "here comes someone with a brilliant opinion," or something like that that.
    – Casey
    Dec 3, 2021 at 23:24
  • @Casey -- I agree with you, but i'm not sure we need to examine the motives for people's usage.
    – Martin F
    Dec 4, 2021 at 0:07
  • Well, no rule that you have to; I just felt I could offer some elucidation where you said there's no context so we have to guess what they meant.
    – Casey
    Dec 4, 2021 at 1:37
  • The answer is in the Question Quote itself ".... we await the official NPR and Associated Press takes, .... , there’ll be take-havers ...." & so, you could update your answer to confirm, rather than assume, that this is the exact intended meaning.
    – Prem
    Dec 4, 2021 at 3:43
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OED

haver (n.) 1. A person who has something (in various senses); (in early use) esp. an owner, a possessor.

1944 C. M. Case Ess. Soc. Values 50 This time binder, memory holder, experience haver, status seeker, ideal cherisher remains always the same.

2005 J. Vandever Brontë Project (2006) 149 She was a haver of affairs, not a carrier of torches.

A take-haver is thus someone who takes (or purports to take) ownership of something, i.e. in this case, the "correct" pronunciation of "omicron".

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    I think the term of art here is "take" more than "haver."
    – Casey
    Dec 4, 2021 at 16:45

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