Originally Posted By Liberty Belle One of my friends' husbands recently pointed out that I use "fancy" words. (His actual words were "stop using big words, it scares the boys away!" He's a good friend...) Since then, his wife and another friend who we both work with have been shaking their heads at me every time I use a word that they count as big, fancy or pretentious. Now, I maintain I don't use ridiculously long or fancy words, and I'm sure I'm always easy to understand! Some of the words that they have objected to over the last week include: rambunctious, hyperbole, pithy, chagrin, apropos, myriad. My friend said "why do you use 'hyperbole' when 'exaggerated' would do?" I said "why do you use 'brilliant' when 'very nice' would do?" So! Anyone else like "big" words? Or am I indeed pretentious?
Originally Posted By Tandelothien My question is: Do you want a guy too stupid to understand you and why should you have to change who you are to nab a man?
Originally Posted By LadyKluck I adore "fancy" words! Especially when the people you're using them on don't have a clue what you're saying to them. I especially love medical terminology. That really freaks people out!
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>My question is: Do you want a guy too stupid to understand you and why should you have to change who you are to nab a man? << Haha, that's exactly what I said! We have a bit of a brother-sister relationship. I actually thought it was funny, although I might not have made it sound that way in my post! Ooh, medical terminology... I must say, the big words thing has never been deliberate before, but now that it's kind of become a "thing" with my work friends I feel like I should deliberately introduce big words into every sentence just to bug them! Obviously there's not enough to do in my work day if I'm developing these little schemes
Originally Posted By MissCandice This is a pet peeve of mine. Why shouldn't ladies who are intelligent and have a good vocabulary present themselves as being intelligent? Sometimes a $10.00 word gets the point across better than any old .50 word. So I say use those big words and if it scares guys away then they are not guys you would want anyway.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I adore words, and love to hear and use a rich vocabulary. However the best advice is to always know your audience and use the appropriate lexicon for their appreciation. That is the sign of a good communicator.
Originally Posted By chickapin It's not a "big" word, but DH claims he knew we had a future together when I used the word "ilk" on our first date! (ie:--something of that ilk...)
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost >>>I adore words, and love to hear and use a rich vocabulary. However the best advice is to always know your audience and use the appropriate lexicon for their appreciation. That is the sign of a good communicator.<<< Just make sure that they are legal LEXICONS or you will get in trouble with homeland security and immigration. Aren't those the guys with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Liberty Belle, in a word dominated by "text speak" your choice to use a richer vocabulary is exemplary. Keep at it! Well, except for 'apropos'. That one just has a built-in annoyance factor and really should go away. But maybe I'm just being pithy.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Pithy, pithy, pithy...I could say that all day...what a great word.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney Yes, I appreciate when people speak articulately, and use words that sound like they actually read something other than texts. Occasionally I have to look a word up, and that is good for me!
Originally Posted By Mary Poppins In grade 6, we students were exhorted to learn a "big" world a day. That was all very fine and good but what have you got at the end of it all? 365 words that you can't use in conversation because the other party won't understand them. The dilemma is, when to use these $2.00 words?
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle >>Sometimes a $10.00 word gets the point across better than any old .50 word<< I think that's what it comes down to, for me! I'm an ex-journalist, I like words and I like writing. The other day my teaching partner (in her 50s) was complaining that teachers under 30 don't know how to teach grammar properly. Grammar's not only my favourite part of the day, but it's my students' favourite too! I'm attempting to slowly turn them all into super-geeks. >>I thought the words were "I like big butts and I cannot lie?"<< Shake that healthy butt! >>Liberty Belle, in a word dominated by "text speak" your choice to use a richer vocabulary is exemplary. Keep at it!<< Thanks 2oony! But we will have to agree to disagree on apropos
