In the classical arts sense, an amanuensis was an assistant who took dictation from a writer or copied manuscripts. Julius Caesar is believed to have used three amanuenses in continuous cycles while working on his “Gallic Commentaries,” and the poet Milton employed his daughters in the position. More recently, however, the word has acquired a new usage in regards to disability accommodations. “Man” is the Proto-Indo-European root for the word “hand,” so an “amanuensis” could be a replacement for a hand. Some university disability offices offer students the option for an amanuensis who can help perform fine motor skills such as operating a microscope.