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When does someone cross the line between correctly and carefully articulated language and downright verbosity?
To me, ‘big words’ as my nephew likes to call them, are acceptable as long as they have meaning. So…not Claudius in Hamlet, who spends a great portion of the play prattling on about nothing before (SPOILER ALERT) getting stabbed accidentally. BUT this is not a Hamlet thread.
Unfortunately, as case and point above, using ‘big words’ or overly descriptive language doesn’t make you smart or give nonsense meaning….or does it? How easily fooled are you into nodding at someone comments just because they sound well structured as opposed to actually being well thought out?
How are your perceptions of a person altered by the kind of language that they use? And how effective has it been, or is it, on you personally?
Aaaand…..go!
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I can be pretty verbose myself. I know a lotta them two-dollar words, too. So I can talk the talk when I want to. I can usually spot someone that just likes the sound of his own voice as well. Two phrases come immediately to mind: "It's better to keep quiet and be thought stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." and... "Never bullshit a bullshitter..." (Damn. Claudius gets stabbed? Hell. Thanks a lot, Betty. There's yet another play I have no more desire to go see.)
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MrNudiePants wrote:
(Damn. Claudius gets stabbed? Hell. Thanks a lot, Betty. There's yet another play I have no more desire to go see.)
I put in a spoiler alert! It alerts to a spoiler! You were alerted! To the fact that there was indeed a spoiler.....NB <<<<verbosity
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Good thread Betty. I've noticed a lot of people use the same method to make themselves sound smarter than they are. 
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Agreed- big words doesn't mean big brain. Plenty of dumbasses out there try to talk themselves into making sense- but don't LOL. I guess I use big words when I think I need them, but drop them when I don't. It all depends on who I'm around at the time, and what I need from them.
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 Aaw! Come on guys. It took me ages to learn supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, even though the sound of it is simply quite atrocious. And now you tell tell me you won't be impressed??? 
"Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English." - Korben Dallas, from The Fifth Element "If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience?" - George Bernard Shaw
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mercianknight wrote: Aaw! Come on guys. It took me ages to learn supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, even though the sound of it is simply quite atrocious. And now you tell tell me you won't be impressed??? Only if you say it loud enough you always sound precocious...
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MrNudiePants wrote:mercianknight wrote: Aaw! Come on guys. It took me ages to learn supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, even though the sound of it is simply quite atrocious. And now you tell tell me you won't be impressed??? Only if you say it loud enough you always sound precocious... Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay
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Jillicious wrote:MrNudiePants wrote:mercianknight wrote: Aaw! Come on guys. It took me ages to learn supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, even though the sound of it is simply quite atrocious. And now you tell tell me you won't be impressed??? Only if you say it loud enough you always sound precocious... Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay LOL, y'all crack me up! I enjoy language, words, learning new ones and such. I agree though, that there would be certain times where one speaking smartly would have it's advantages. On that note, we (hubby and I) have a couple of friends that tend to make use of those big, educated type words and language a lot...it can get annoying at times, ya know? You just wanna say, "look man, we're hanging out...drop the 'smart guy' act already" lol. Anyway, good subject for discussion :).
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My first reply in months  I am often accused of using too many "big" words, or inordinately flowery prose. Even while trying to simplify my language, I tend to be inappropriately verbose. There is a part of me, however, that revels in the correct use of an appropriate word. I really don't want to read "He liked the smell of her hair." I would much rather immerse myself in "The scent of her locks wove chains around his cock, forging a link that would forever tease his tortured mind with the aroma of her unbridled, debauched, desire." Whether I use words correctly or not, (or use too many of them); it is an aspiration which reflects personal admiration for those who tickle my brain in the most wonderfully subtle ways. I hope someday to be able to wield words with accuracy, and clarity; not to appear intelligent, but to communicate richly. Besides, despite what we all hear, Sometimes bigger IS better. (And longer is not bad either. ;-)
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Glad to see you back NobeUddy! Your words always work well for you here.
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Heck, if I used big words nobody I know would understand me...come to think of it, even using small words nobody understands me... I think more important than the size or number of words is using them appropriately...nothing worse than someone who uses big words without knowing what they mean...
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Good point Alan.
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chefkathleen wrote:Good point Alan. About nobody understanding me? Or, about incorrect use of words???
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Exakta66 wrote:chefkathleen wrote:Good point Alan. About nobody understanding me? Or, about incorrect use of words??? Yes.
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gypsymoth wrote:Exakta66 wrote:chefkathleen wrote:Good point Alan. About nobody understanding me? Or, about incorrect use of words??? Yes. LOL Welcome back, Nobe! 
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gypsymoth wrote:Exakta66 wrote:chefkathleen wrote:Good point Alan. About nobody understanding me? Or, about incorrect use of words??? Yes. 
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WellMadeMale wrote:gypsymoth wrote:Exakta66 wrote:chefkathleen wrote:Good point Alan. About nobody understanding me? Or, about incorrect use of words??? Yes. Guess you have your answer!
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Exakta66 wrote:chefkathleen wrote:Good point Alan. About nobody understanding me? Or, about incorrect use of words??? I'm sorry -- What?
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I don't think I'm that verbose, but I guess it depends on who the audience is. I don't think it makes someone sound smarter unless you don't know the words the other person is saying, and just feel like you'd rather nod in agreement instead of asking for clarification. Having said that, there are some great descriptive words in the English language. We should be using them! The only time it annoys me is when a person is talking in circles, but not making a point. I think we've all been guilty of that on occasion, some more than others.
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Part of my job is a lecturer, so I at times tend to be long winded. Or incredibly descriptive and use many examples to try to get my point across. That is all part of the job of attempting to get ESL students to understand you. But... my impressive vocabulary went on vacation in 2003ish and has not returned, as what is the point in using big words when no one understands you??? KISS method works... and as my sister told me the other day? "For you? Your KISS is not keep it simple stoopid, it is keep it short stoopid!!!"
Living life and enjoying life are two different things... just need to figure out how to do both at the same time to live it right! Woman... GO FLY A KITE!!!!! Take a slideshow walk with me on a walk through the parks of Inner Mongolia, China. Then enjoy the tale of a very traditional day in the life of a white Woman in China.
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Intelligent people have large vocabularies. But do not lay too much stress on intelligence its overated by far, some intelligent people are unpleasent or even nasty. What counts is character.
Shakespeare was verbose but his verbosity is pure music and very poetic thats why it is so loved. He could also be short and to the point.
'The rest is silence.'
Long words can impress us but not in themselves, they must have meaning, or beauty, but today we have more gobbledegook than ever especially in the world of advertising.
Remember who you like will depend on your own parameters perhaps they need enlarging, pehaps you are far to critical. I find it is very easy to pick holes in others, we need to take a good look at ourselves.
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Betty-Bea wrote:When does someone cross the line between correctly and carefully articulated language and downright verbosity?
To me, ‘big words’ as my nephew likes to call them, are acceptable as long as they have meaning. So…not Claudius in Hamlet, who spends a great portion of the play prattling on about nothing before (SPOILER ALERT) getting stabbed accidentally. BUT this is not a Hamlet thread.
Unfortunately, as case and point above, using ‘big words’ or overly descriptive language doesn’t make you smart or give nonsense meaning….or does it? How easily fooled are you into nodding at someone comments just because they sound well structured as opposed to actually being well thought out?
How are your perceptions of a person altered by the kind of language that they use? And how effective has it been, or is it, on you personally?
Aaaand…..go!
XX
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I like when people use big words. Especially if I haven't heard them in a while or actually heard them in a conversation before. I like to point out the word and say "oooo fancy." I doesn't impress me though. It just means you paid attention in English class and you have a decent memory. I compare it to a mediocre carpenter with the best tools still won't be as good as a great carpenter with decent tools. Tools being the words. Sometimes I think it's funny when people use them because they think I won't know what they are saying. That just tells me they're getting annoyed and I can get under their skin If I wanted to. Woman wrote:Part of my job is a lecturer, so I at times tend to be long winded. Or incredibly descriptive and use many examples to try to get my point across. That is all part of the job of attempting to get ESL students to understand you. But... my impressive vocabulary went on vacation in 2003ish and has not returned, as what is the point in using big words when no one understands you??? KISS method works... and as my sister told me the other day? "For you? Your KISS is not keep it simple stoopid, it is keep it short stoopid!!!" Obviously you don't listen so good. Your posts are like a novel I swear...
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"Obviously you don't listen so good. Your posts are like a novel I swear..."
ehh, to each his/her own. I allow verbosity if the source from which it is used entertains the subjective impression that it comes from an intelligible source. If so, then i will look the word up and use it as well. Honestly, how many times have you seen a word that says what you want to say in another way, and the dictionary will not satisfy your curiosity.
Otherwise, you can instinctively ascertain whether or not one is reaching beyond their mental grasp.
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Some people just want their information in 140 character tweets. Other people don't find it to be a monumental waste of time to exercise their brains with something as difficult as reading, comprehension and retention. If you're at a website which specializes in the typewritten word, complaining about verbosity...  As Ev notes above - to each their own.
The best thing you can do for your fellow,
next to rousing his conscience, is - not to give him things
to think about, but to wake things up that are in him...
to make him think things for himself - George MacDonald
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eviotis wrote:"Obviously you don't listen so good. Your posts are like a novel I swear..."
ehh, to each his/her own. I allow verbosity if the source from which it is used entertains the subjective impression that it comes from an intelligible source. If so, then i will look the word up and use it as well. Honestly, how many times have you seen a word that says what you want to say in another way, and the dictionary will not satisfy your curiosity.
Otherwise, you can instinctively ascertain whether or not one is reaching beyond their mental grasp. I think you are the one guilty of not appreciating sarcasm this time eviotis :) I actually like Woman's posts. But I like needling her more.
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Ahhh.... pookie!!! Nope, I agree... I finish writing some of my posts, go back read, and think this will help explain this, so I toss it in. And then again. And again. I seem to suffer from verbal diarrhea when I talk with native English speakers than not in discussing topics. But the good news is, when I re-read some of my posts before I actually post? They are actually shorter than when I started sometimes too!!!! LOL!!!
Living life and enjoying life are two different things... just need to figure out how to do both at the same time to live it right! Woman... GO FLY A KITE!!!!! Take a slideshow walk with me on a walk through the parks of Inner Mongolia, China. Then enjoy the tale of a very traditional day in the life of a white Woman in China.
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From the simple folks point of view if you care about us simple folks LOL, : ) I think it's all entertaining and some times intelligent.
Torture the data long enough and they will confess to anything.
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Woman wrote:I seem to suffer from verbal diarrhea... Much better than the other kind...
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"I think you are the one guilty of not appreciating sarcasm this time eviotis..."
i got it, just giving my two cents as if we were sitting around talking shit at happy hour.
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