I have no memory of where or when I learned the word penultimate, but it is an integral part of my vocabulary and so it is available to be used whenever I find it appropriate to do so. However, it is one of the less frequent words in the English language and so it is also a word that I do not often have an appropriate use for. I could, of course, make a point of using it, but the very act of making that point would be, in fact, an act of pretentiousness. When one is learning a new word it is a good idea to work it into as many conversations as possible so that it can be absorbed into one's vocabulary, but once it has been absorbed, that effort does turn into pretentiousness. I do use the word penultimate unpretentiously now and then, though, and I don't think that casual use has ever elicited the accusation of pretentiousness. "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 8:18:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Reply-to: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent from the Internet (Details) table end I learned the word penultimate when I was learning Braille shorthand many many years ago. I always thought, "who in the hell is going to use that word in a letter?" There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book, Books are well written or badly written, That is all, -- Oscar Wilde,The Picture of Dorian Gray block quote ----- Original Message ----- From: Cindy To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 6:51 PM 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 Wish List: https://wiki.benetech.org/display/BSO/Bookshare+Wish+List Books Being Scanned List: https://wiki.benetech.org/display/BSO/Books+Being+Scanned+List --- 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 To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.. ************** An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! 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