[bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]writers who use big words
- From: Cindy <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 19:21:04 -0700 (PDT)
lol. When I did explain to my daughter the meaning of the word I also said that
I hadn't known what it meant until my husband (her father) explained it when he
used it. I find it much easier to say than next to last--and it also has a
prettier sound. II wonder if my son-iin-law might not have occasion to use it
as he plays hockey and enjoys watching other sports.Talking about where games
are played or scores who the goalie was or will be or who the pitcher is to be
in the penultimate game of the season or some such the word might com in handy.
smile I'll never know, though, unless he appens to use the word around me. He's
a good goy, actually--a wnderful husband and father.
Cindy
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--- On Sun, 7/5/09, Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx <Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx <Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]writers who use big words
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sunday, July 5, 2009, 5:41 PM
If you read a lot then you are naturally going to have a larger vocabulary than
those who do not. I have spent my life as a fanatic reader, so my own
vocabulary is bound to be in the upper percentile, but if I just try to
express myself as clearly as I can without trying to be pretentious then I find
that it is rare that anyone thinks I am trying to be pretentious. If I use a
word that is not understood then I am, of course, failing in being as clear as
I want to be and it is not unusual that I do find myself using a word that I
assume will be understood and it is not. In those cases I have to stop and
explain what I mean. If it is done in a matter of fact way without any attempt
to belittle the person who did not understand then there is usually no
assumption of pretentiousness then either. In fact, right after I had explained
some of my terminology to someone once, that person compared me with praise to
a certain other person by saying that what she
liked about me is that when she did not understand something I just explain it
while the other person would have tried to make her look stupid. It is when one
tries to emphasize the fact that one knows an esoteric word that one is most
likely to be accused of pretentiousness and, infact, in that case the
accusation is correct. In the case of the two examples I mentioned pertaining
to myself, I am far from convinced that there is any such thing as an id and
because I was emphasizing it in order to be facetious my use of it did elicit a
comment. The comment was that it was a big word. I fail to see how a two letter
word is a big word. In the case of the word recondite, the two people I
mentioned were highly enough educated to be proud of it and so were surprised
that they did not know the word themselves. The one who expressed surprise that
I knew the word and knew how to use it was the type who found it very hard to
admit that anyone might know something
that she did not, but yet, was confronted by the fact that she had just
resorted to a dictionary and my own knowledge was confirmed.
"If you
tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine."
Che Guevara
The Militant: http://www.themilitant.com/txtindex.shtml
Pathfinder Press: http://www.pathfinderpress.com
Granma International: http://granma.cu/ingles/index.html
_
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Subj:
[bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]writers who use big words
Date:
7/5/2009 8:11:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:
kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx
Reply-to:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent from the Internet
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table end
Hi, Cindy, Kim here, I've had problems with people thinking I'm stuck up
because of my vocabulary. I really don't feel stuck up at all and I don't
despise
them, contrary to their beliefs. Maybe they're too embarrassed to admit they
don't know the particular word I'm using, but I think we learn if we ask
questions.
Penultimate is a good word. When I was in junior high or high school (I forget
which) I read a story "Rappacini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (or
was it "The Cask of Amontillado" by Poe, again I forget which one) that I came
across the word Verisimilitude. Now there's a double-barreled word for you.
It simply means "similar to the truth". Now you can be wise and all-knowing and
say that in your opinion Author Z's book The Fribble (made-up title of
book) lacks verisimilitude. I like that word and hope you do as well. Regards,
Kim.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Cindy
Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 4:52 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]writers who use big words
My husband taught me the word penultimate and I use it when appropriate. I used
once at supper with my daughter and son-in-law; my daughter (a well-educated
pediatrician didn't know what it meant (of course, I was also well educated and
an avid reader but I hadn't come across it before-or if I had I hadn't
paid much attention. I told her what it meant but my son-in law, who wasn't in
a very good mood, said anyone who used it was being pretentious.. Now I'm
careful what I say around him
When I was teaching, or when I'm talking to children, I try to speak normally
and use a good vocabulary, explaining the meaning of words if necessary but
not "dumbing down" my vocabulary
Cindy
Wish List (i.e., books wanted added to the collection) and books-being-scanned
list available at sites below
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--- On Sun, 7/5/09, Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx <Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx> wrote:
block quote
From: Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx <Rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]writers who use big words
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sunday, July 5, 2009, 8:39 AM
What gets to me is what some people consider a big word. Once, in an effort to
be facetious, I made reference to my id and then I was accused of using
a big word to impress. Id is a big word? Then, at least twice, in casual
conversation I used the word recondite. Both times the person to whom I was
talking
reached without comment for a dictionary to look up the word. One of them then
expressed surprise that I had used it in a way that I obviously knew what
it meant.
"If you tremble with
indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine." Che Guevara
The Militant:
http://www.themilitant.com/txtindex.shtml
Pathfinder Press:
http://www.pathfinderpress.com
Granma International:
http://granma.cu/ingles/index.html
_
table with 2 columns and 6 rows
Subj:
[bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]writers who use big words
Date:
7/5/2009 10:03:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From:
akp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Reply-to:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent from the Internet
(Details)
table end
Hi all,
I love being able to look up the occasional word. Taylor Caldwell is one of
those writers who uses big words naturally, as if she figures her readers
will know what on earth she's talking about! I had to resort to the dictionary
for "efulgent" Anybody heard of efulgent? I also looked up "Lambent",
any takers on that one? I better retake the SAT's I could probably get a better
score now after fourty years. <smiling>
Ann P.
--
AAnn K. Parsons
Portal Tutoring
Email: akp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Web Site: http://www.portaltutoring.info
blog: http://www.samobile.net/users/akp
Skype: Putertutor
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost." JRRT
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