pedantic sounds like VEDANTIC. Any body who follows Vedas is usually a v. conservative and bookish person.
rhymes pendant. pendant is a small thing but when it is lost you are damn worried. so worrried about small things
we distribute PEDAS when we want to SHOW OFF OUR LEARNING after exam results!! lol
ped - to do with a child; pedantic = ped + anti + c; therefore not childlike; showing off bookish learning
ped(tree) + ant >>> we see ants crawling on tree.. they are considered to follow their trivial tendency of walking in line.. same is here.. someone following his trivial knowledge..
think "frantic-antic" or doing something with urgency...
similar to pandit and tantric...having the traits of both.
PEN FRANTIC - the teacher is writing too much on the board you can't copy fast enough