Intolerably pompous words

[Gd5150]

I do hate the word "milieu." Had heard it over-used in some class decades ago and ever since associate with a pompous, know-it-all grad student teaching assistant.

Thats because thats what it is.

After reading this I had to ad a few. Others would be "per se", and "ergo". "Ergo" single handedly destroyed the Matrix sequels.

[ItsOver]

"Nuance."  Non-pompous, over used word?  "Awesome."  The favorite of Valley Girls everywhere.

[Kelt]

Thats because thats what it is.

After reading this I had to ad a few. Others would be "per se", and "ergo". "Ergo" single handedly destroyed the Matrix sequels.

Words are all great. I've no problem with any of them when used in the appropriate manner.

I've more problem with people who use Facebook to make themselves appear 'deep'.

Using words like 'juxtaposition' instead of 'contrast' on Facebook makes me want to drown your children.

[albrecht]

"Gravitas" was an over-used word everywhere a few elections ago. Seemingly all at once all news talking heads n op-ed pieces used it. I wish I could buy stock in a buzzword.

[Kelt]

Maverick.

http://youtu.be/sBzXVHoF-pI

[West of the Rockies]

I heard once on NPR that in 1950 the average American college student had a vocabulary of 150,000 words.  The same study was run in 2005, and the average vocabulary was 75,000 words--exactly half of what it had been only a few generations previously.  No explanation was provided, but 1950 marks the first year that the average American home had a television set.  Could 55 years of TV be the cause of so precipitous a drop?

I am all for words (when they are used correctly and with nuance -- egads!  That word!) 😉

[FightTheFuture]

I heard once on NPR that in 1950 the average American college student had a vocabulary of 150,000 words.  The same study was run in 2005, and the average vocabulary was 75,000 words--exactly half of what it had been only a few generations previously.  No explanation was provided, but 1950 marks the first year that the average American home had a television set.  Could 55 years of TV be the cause of so precipitous a drop?

I am all for words (when they are used correctly and with nuance -- egads!  That word!) 😉

THIS-------->

[Yorkshire pud]

I heard once on NPR that in 1950 the average American college student had a vocabulary of 150,000 words.  The same study was run in 2005, and the average vocabulary was 75,000 words--exactly half of what it had been only a few generations previously.  No explanation was provided, but 1950 marks the first year that the average American home had a television set.  Could 55 years of TV be the cause of so precipitous a drop?

I am all for words (when they are used correctly and with nuance -- egads!  That word!) 😉

I'm with you on that matey.. I'm all for plain speaking, and detest management speak, or the current crop of misusing words. Random used instead of odd or strange fro example. Having said all that I love language, and it's execution. It isn't pompous to have a vocabulary, it's a sad reflection of the limitations that illiteracy imposes. I wish I'd learned Latin too, it's the core of English.

[Kelt]

I'm with you on that matey.. I'm all for plain speaking, and detest management speak, or the current crop of misusing words. Random used instead of odd or strange fro example. Having said all that I love language, and it's execution. It isn't pompous to have a vocabulary, it's a sad reflection of the limitations that illiteracy imposes. I wish I'd learned Latin too, it's the core of English.

I listen to guys like Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens, and their grasp and use of the language is absolutely beautiful.

They're not being pompous or arrogant, they're simply speaking the English language as it was taught to them.  That's not to be derided or despised; it's something to aspire to.... or 'to which one should aspire', as Fry and Hitchens would (correctly) say

Having said that, I'm serious about drowning children when it comes to people on Facebook who just try much, much too hard.

Given the topic, this is worth the investment of one hour and twenty minutes of anyone's time.

http://youtu.be/uBh3PMy4FM8

[Yorkshire pud]

I listen to guys like Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens, and their grasp and use of the language is absolutely beautiful.

They're not being pompous or arrogant, they're simply speaking the English language as it was taught to them.  That's not to be derided or despised; it's something to aspire to.... or 'to which one should aspire', as Fry and Hitchens would (correctly) say

Having said that, I'm serious about drowning children when it comes to people on Facebook who just try much, much too hard.

Given the topic, this is worth the investment of one hour and twenty minutes of anyone's time.

http://youtu.be/uBh3PMy4FM8

The delightful and brain the size of a planet that is Mr Fry. A colossus of intellect, and diction. He's on my list of people I'd love to have dinner with, although I cannot be certain that wish is reciprocated by Messrs. Fry, Radcliffe, Evans, Paxton, Dickinson, Dr Cox, and Mdms: Bush, Armatrading, Young, Kirkwood...

[coaster]

yew high-falutin folks and yer fancy talkin'

[Yorkshire pud]

yew high-falutin folks and yer fancy talkin'

Yo, s'ow we roll on da hood.

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

I listen to guys like Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens, and their grasp and use of the language is absolutely beautiful.

They're not being pompous or arrogant, they're simply speaking the English language as it was taught to them.  That's not to be derided or despised; it's something to aspire to.... or 'to which one should aspire', as Fry and Hitchens would (correctly) say

Fry is an absolute treasure, although I'd very surprised if you were able to get a word out of Hitchens these days.

If there any Bonzo Dog Band fans here, Stephen Fry took part in the reunion show they did a few years ago and sang several of Viv Stanshall's signature numbers.  I've seen some of it on video and desperately wanted to go to London to see the show in person, but the dollar/pound exchange rate was terrible at the time.

[albrecht]

I'm with you on that matey.. I'm all for plain speaking, and detest management speak, or the current crop of misusing words. Random used instead of odd or strange fro example. Having said all that I love language, and it's execution. It isn't pompous to have a vocabulary, it's a sad reflection of the limitations that illiteracy imposes. I wish I'd learned Latin too, it's the core of English.

Latin should be taught but whether it "is the core" of English is questionable. Certainly important but grammar and word-wise more likely English has a Germanic core. The Romance languages hold more to Latin roots. I agree that vocabulary and proper grammar is good. My issue, to use an over-used word, is words used inappropriately or over-used because "it sounds profound" or is a buzz-word.  I forget, Skrunk and White (?) said simplicity had benefits; just using "big words" isn't always a benefit. I always liked Bill Buckley and William Safire.

[MV/Liberace!]

I listen to guys like Stephen Fry and Christopher Hitchens, and their grasp and use of the language is absolutely beautiful.

i could listen to hitchens discussing dust.  i really hate that he died.

check out his debate against al sharpton.  i've never seen a man so decidedly trounced by another.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WXSGmW8LHY

[coaster]

Sharpton is an idiot. And a racist. And a dick.

[Gd5150]

You had me at:

I've more problem with people who use Facebook

"Gravitas"

Its funny you mentioned that because I was going bring up that exact word. It was reinvented in 1996 to describe of all people, Bill Clinton.

I love the words that come up every election that you hear once and you're like huh? And then 5 minutes later everyone at CNN MsNBC ABC NBC CBS NYTimes & FoxNews is using it every other word.

As mentioned above, Christopher Hitchens was great!

Another great orator of the English language is political commentator Mark Steyn.
“Her Majesty's government is engaging not merely in Orwellian Newspeak but in self-defeating Orwellian Newspeak. The broader message it sends is that ours is a weak culture so unconfident and insecure that if you bomb us and kill us our first urge is to find a way to flatter and apologize to you.” - Mark Steyn

The greatest of all: William F Buckley.
"I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University." - William F Buckley

[ItsOver]

THIS-------->

Ack!  A flock of sheeple!

[missing transmission]

Two of my favourite words are German and though quite ordinary appear deeply obscene

Einkaufsbummeln - does not mean shopping for bums

Elektrobootfahrten  - does not mean flatulent robot footwear

[Avi]

I am all for words (when they are used correctly and with nuance -- egads!  That word!) 😉

Oh, it's alright. You used it in the right milieu with delimited gravitas.

[Mr. Fidget]

   I like vocabulary far more than grammar, as I am sure is apparent in my posting. I think comprehension is at the core of this issue.
   Without a good basis of understanding any unknown word can make make even the most erudite nomenclature obtuse.
   I don't use the word milieu as a matter of perfunctory course. It seems that word does have a negative effect, and I've felt that effect myself... as I have heard people expound their "profundity."
   It may be the effect of the mind interpreting the phonetics of "you" as it's ending syllable. Many negative anchors are comparably placed in statements like ... f'you, I hate you, don't you... ad infinitum.
   Lazy is easy, and poking at people who have an enhanced vocabulary is often the way these more complex utilizations of english end up. If you prefer simple language, or are challenged by the complexity of language... read a dictionary.
   Attacking what is "perceived" as incomprehensible is not a very evolved position to go through life with.
   I like, and use, nuance because it is a great word to describe those areas where the information presented is far less than obvious.

mf
ps. nuance > milieu
pps. <edit> If you have not seen the flick "Idiocracy" I'd recommend it: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/idiocracy/
Re<edit> fixed link.

nu·ance

ˈn(y)o͞oˌäns/

noun

noun: nuance; plural noun: nuances

1.

a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.

"the nuances of facial expression and body language"

synonyms:fine distinction, subtle difference;

shade, shading, gradation,variation, degree;

subtlety,nicety, overtone

"the nuances of light are very effective"

verb

verb: nuance; 3rd person present: nuances; past tense: nuanced; past participle: nuanced; gerund or present participle: nuancing

1.

give nuances to.

"the effect of the music is nuanced by the social situation of listeners"



mi·lieu

milˈyo͞o,-ˈyə(r)/

noun

noun: milieu; plural noun: milieux; plural noun:milieus

a person's social environment.

"he grew up in a military milieu"

synonyms:environment, sphere, background,backdrop, setting, context,atmosphere;

location, conditions, surroundings,environs;

informal
stomping grounds, stamping grounds, turf

"the political milieu in New England"

Origin

mid 19th century: French, from mi ‘mid’ + lieu‘place

[ItsOver]

Two of my favourite words are German and though quite ordinary appear deeply obscene

Einkaufsbummeln - does not mean shopping for bums
Elektrobootfahrten  - does not mean flatulent robot footwear

Schadenfreude.  See Jorch.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

portmanteau


I think it was here(?) that someone posted a video of a couple that fell in love by listening to (or reading) Christopher Hitchens? Anyone remember that?

[Kelt]

i could listen to hitchens discussing dust.  i really hate that he died.

check out his debate against al sharpton.  i've never seen a man so decidedly trounced by another.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WXSGmW8LHY

The problem there is that in order to even approach a degree of 'debate' you need debaters of more or less equal intellectual capacity and knowledge.

If you're not smart then you better make fucking sure you go into a debate armed with a modicum of knowledge... because stupid and ignorant aren't the tools you want to be swinging around when the talking gets under way.

Mr Sharpton.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

The problem there is that in order to even approach a degree of 'debate' you need debaters of more or less equal intellectual capacity and knowledge.

St. Thomas Aquinas would have destroyed Hitchens. Even with spotting Hitchens 750 years to prepare.

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

Use whatever words you like, but just remember...

[attachimg=1]

[zeebo]

I love this thread.  I nominate: diaspora.

[Kelt]

St. Thomas Aquinas would have destroyed Hitchens. Even with spotting Hitchens 750 years to prepare.

Tyson would have smashed Ali in the opening round.

In the absence of Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, Archimedes, Michelangelo, Newton, and an non-Parkinson's Ali, we go with what we have, and comparison is a fruitless exercise in wouldashouldacoulda. Everyone has an opinion.

This is to assume, of course, that the advent of Hubble, the LHC, the Human Genome Project, and the invention of the Time Machine,  wouldn't have placed that Time Travelling Thomas Aquinas firmly in the Hitchens camp.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

This is to assume, of course, that the advent of Hubble, the LHC, the Human Genome Project, and the invention of the Time Machine,  wouldn't have placed that Time Travelling Thomas Aquinas firmly in the Hitchens camp.

I think reconciling science and technology with the concept of god (we can all live happily together) was one of the core pieces of rhetoric from Aquinas.  So none of the advances you listed would change TA's position.

Or someone that just rehashed his arguments in debate.

Some good counterarguments (Iron Chariots wiki)

[VtaGeezer]

Plethora.  I cringe when I hear it.