Big words & word simplicity

I’ve noticed that a lot of the KMC’ers in here and a lot of people I’ve come across in my personal life, as well, like using “big” words a lot. And it’s probably to sound boastful or to come across as more learned than the other/s and while in front of others due to a lack of high esteem, or something. Not that I have a problem nor understand “big” words, I just think that simple words should always be used in place of seemingly complicated ones when they express the same or almost the same meaning. I always use simple words.

The great purists and masters of speech, exemplars of style, used short, simple words that all could understand.

See me, I like getting my messages to as many people as possible and long or “big” words are not really understood by those who’ve had to hustle for a living from an early age. Though education is free, a lot never get past the “3 R’s”. And these are the people who we have to deal with most in life; people on who the world depends on for the simple things in life. Your normal everyday people.

Simple words are understood by the layman and by the brainiacs so why not use it universally all the time. I think using a language that both classes understand is the best way to communicate, to me.

It’s a fact that nearly all clear words are short and that long words are misunderstood by more people, more often, leading to confusion.

Shakespeare said: “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.”

So just a suggestion on word simplicity: Most brief words are half short but they could be twice as strong as a longer word can be of the same meaning. Try using them.

I use big words, then purposely misspell them.

It's fun and it makes you think.

the cat sat on the mat

So, I cannot use "big words" now because I might come off as trying to look smart? That's preposterous, for Christs sake. I think it's just an excuse to boast using simple words for people who cannot comprehend a stable diction in their sentence structures.

I think people who utilize differential words should remain that way. It's how certain people speak. If you're on-line and you do not know the meaning of a certain word, you can always google it.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
I’ve noticed that a lot of the KMC’ers in here and a lot of people I’ve come across in my personal life, as well, like using “big” words a lot. And it’s probably to sound boastful or to come across as more learned than the other/s and while in front of others due to a lack of high esteem, or something. Not that I have a problem nor understand “big” words, I just think that simple words should always be used in place of seemingly complicated ones when they express the same or almost the same meaning. I always use simple words.

The great purists and masters of speech, exemplars of style, used short, simple words that all could understand.

See me, I like getting my messages to as many people as possible and long or “big” words are not really understood by those who’ve had to hustle for a living from an early age. Though education is free, a lot never get past the “3 R’s”. And these are the people who we have to deal with most in life; people on who the world depends on for the simple things in life. Your normal everyday people.

Simple words are understood by the layman and by the brainiacs so why not use it universally all the time. I think using a language that both classes understand is the best way to communicate, to me.

It’s a fact that nearly all clear words are short and that long words are misunderstood by more people, more often, leading to confusion.

Shakespeare said: “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.”

So just a suggestion on word simplicity: Most brief words are half short but they could be twice as strong as a longer word can be of the same meaning. Try using them.

Big words like the following?

Boastful
Personal
Seemingly
Complicated
Exemplars
Layman
Universally
Communicate
Simplicity

Marmalade is quite a big word.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Marmalade is quite a big word.

Delicious, too.

Originally posted by BackFire
Delicious, too.

Yuck, I hate marmalade. Jam, friends! Eat lots of Jam! Marmalade only comes in orange. Psst, I can buy Orange Jam.

While I agree, to a point, I also must state that sometimes "big" words are just a part of their normal vocabulary. I work in a field where the choice of words must often be precise, and saying something without "big" words is not a wise one. Language should be dependant on two things, the audience and the ability to say what is needed with "smaller" words is possible. I, at times, will forget that everyday people do not always speak as I do, and will begin speaking in my professional babble. Scientists often become so enmeshed in their work that they have difficulty doing so, and so they become more reclusive and avoid speaking to people, my father-in-law is an excellent example of this.

Remember a strong vocabulary is a strong asset, try increasing yours as well as reminding others when they "wax verbose" 😉 couldn't help that one.

Originally posted by Seraphim XIII
Yuck, I hate marmalade. Jam, friends! Eat lots of Jam! Marmalade only comes in orange. Psst, I can buy Orange Jam.

I like Jam, too. Also delicious, and a nice small word.

Originally posted by BackFire
I like Jam, too. Also delicious, and a nice small word.

Three letters, one syllable. It's perfection!

JAM!

Hey! I like big words, they make me happy. 👀

hippopotomonstorousosquipedaliaphobia is the fear of long words.

You forget pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

EDIT: Whoa, I actually spelt it correcly this time too!

Originally posted by LifeInSepia
hippopotomonstorousosquipedaliaphobia is the fear of long words.

Originally posted by Seraphim XIII
You forget pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

EDIT: Whoa, I actually spelt it correcly this time too!

but think of the irony!

You think those are bad?

Methionylglutaminylarginyltyrosylglutamylserylleucylphenylalanylalanylglutaminylleucyllysylglutamylarginyllysylglutamylglysylalanylphenylalanylvalylprolylphenylalanylyalylthreonylleucylglcycylaspartylprolylglicylisoleucyglutamylglutaminlserylleucyllysylisoleucylaspartylthreonylleucylisoleucylglutamylalanylglyclyalanylaspartylalanylleucyglutamylleucylgluycylisoleucylproluylphenylalanyserylaspartyprolylleucelalanylaspartylglycylprolylthreonylisolleucyglutaminylasparaginylalanythreonylleucylarginylalanylphenylalanylalanylalanylglycylvalylthreonylprolylalanylglutaminylcysteinylphenylalanylglglutamylmethionylleucyalanylleucylisoleucylarginylglutaminyllysylhistidylprolyuthreonylisoleucylprolylisoleucylglycylleucylleucylmethionyltyrosylalanylasbaraginylleucylvalylphenylalanylsparaginyyllysylglycylisoleucylaspartylglutamylphenylalanylyltyrosylalanylglutaminylcysteinylglutamyllysylvalylglycylvalylspartylserylvalylleucylvallalanylaspartylvalylprolylvalvlglutaminylglutamylserylalanylprolylphenylalalrginylglutaminylalanylalanylleucylarginylhistidylasparaginylvalylanalprolylisoleucylphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolyprolylaspartylalanylaspartylaspartyspartyleucylleucylarginylglutaminylisoleucylalanylseryltyroslglycylarginylglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrosylleucylleucylserylarginlalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanylglutamylasparaginylarginylanylalanylleucylprolylleucylaspaaginylhistidylleucylvalylalanyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparagimylalanylalanyprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglycylphenlalanylglycylisoleyucylserylalanylprolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalanylisoleucylalspartylalanylglycylalanylalanylglycylalanylasoleucylserylglycylserylalanylisoleucylbalyllysylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylglutaminylhistidylasparaginylisoleucylglutamylpronylglutamyllysylmethionylluecylalanylalanyoeucyllysylvalylphenylalanylvalylglutamilylprolylmethionyllysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine

^ That is an actual word.

Originally posted by BackFire
Delicious, too.

Is the added ingredient crime?

The real word for Tobacco? ACETYL_SERYL_TYROSYL_SERYL_ISO_LEUCYL_THREONYL_SERYL_PROLYL_SERYL_GLUTAMINYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_VALYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_LEUCYL_SERYL_SERYL_VALYL_TRYPTOPHYL_ALANYL_ASPARTYL_PROLYL_ISOLEUCYL_GLUTAMYL_LEUCYL_LEUCYL_ASPARAGINYL_VALYL_CYSTEINYL_THREONYL_SERYL_SERYL_LEUCYL_GLYCYL_ASPARAGINYL_GLUTAMINYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_GLUTAMINYL_THREONYL_GLUTAMINYL_GLUTAMINYL_ALANYL_ARGINYL_THREONYL_THREONYL_GLUTAMINYL_VALYL_GLUTAMINYL_GLUTAMINYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_SERYL_GLUTAMINYL_VALYL_TRYPTOPHYL_LYSYL_PROLYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_PROLYL_GLUTAMINYL_SERYL_THREONYL_VALYL_ARGINYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_PROLYL_GLYCYL_ASPARTYL_VALYL_TYROSYL_LYSYL_VALYL_TYROSYL_ARGINYL_TYROSYL_ASPARAGINYL_ALANYL_VALYL_LEUCYL_ASPARTYL_PROLYL_LEUCYL_ISOLEUCYL_THREONYL_ALANYL_LEUCYL_LEUCYL_GLYCYL_THREONYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_ASPARTYL_THREONYL_ARGINYL_ASPARAGINYL_ARGINYL_ISOLEUCYL_ISOLEUCYL_GLUTAMYL_VALYL_GLUTAMYL_ASPARAGINYL_GLUTAMINYL_GLUTAMINYL_SERYL_PROLYL_THREONYL_THREONYL_ALANYL_GLUTAMYL_THREONYL_LEUCYL_ASPARTYL_ALANYL_THREONYL_ARGINYL_ARGINYL_VALYL_ASPARTYL_ASPARTYL_ALANYL_THREONYL_VALYL_ALANYL_ISOLEUCYL_ARGINYL_SERYL_ALANYL_ASPARAGINYL_ISOLEUCYL_ASPARAGINYL_LEUCYL_VALYL_ASPARAGINYL_GLUTAMYL_LEUCYL_VALYL_ARGINYL_GLYCYL_THREONYL_GLYCYL_LEUCYL_TYROSYL_ASPARAGINYL_GLUTAMINYL_ASPARAGINYL_THREONYL_PHENYL_ALANYL_GLUTAMYL_SERYL_METHIONYL_SERYL_GLYCYL_LEUCYL_VALYL_TRYPTOPHYL_THREONYL_SERYL_ALANYL_PROLYL_ALANYL_SERINE

maybe...but whats the real word for tomacco?

It differs from person to person. I have known a lot of people who use large words to overcompensate for there short comings, and also know people who use large words because there parents used large words and that’s just how they speak. Online it is very common for people to use large words to create a false image of intelligence or power that could only be gained online because of age, speech problems, or other conditions.

It is fairly easy to tell the difference between someone who is using the words to look perspicacious because if you read closely there words will be opaque from there intent.

I don't use uncommon words because I personally find it annoying when some one uses a word like dolt, pecuniary, punctilious, Laconic, and so many more.