Do Big Words Impress You?

#1

Do big words impress you?
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[size=1]Another inspiration coutesy of the “Quest for the Longest Thread”!

We’ve all been in the situation, where someone wants to impress someone with the breadth of their knowledge, and actually possessing the breadth of a tightrope, they substitute words which most of us need to refer back to that little dictionary [/size][/size]in our heads [font=Garamond][size=2][font=Verdana]of rarely encountered words, or for the younger of us, a real dictionary.

Just as an example, a colleague in my company recently (past 3 months) submitted a full A4 length letter to a vendor, which the vendor faxed back with “???” scrawled across it. After approximately 20 minutes of mine & another colleagues time, deleting cross talk & substituting normal words for rediculous words, the letter read…

  1. We’ve given you guys an order with quantities & item descriptions. (please see attached original order)
  2. You’ve sent us the wrong quantities of some items.
  3. Please refer to the original quantites & compare this to what you have sent us. Please pickup/deliver the difference.

This letter was to a basic electrical vendor, the vendors assistants unlikely to be highly educated, hence the “???”.
I feel that this Colleague is obviously a moron, as he can’t adapt his style of writing to suit the purpose!
Additionally, he’s spent way too much time writing a letter, which I & most of my colleagues, and most intelligent people for that matter, would type/scrawl across 3 lines & fax, or better yet, make a 30 second telephone call to the vendor.

Are you guys impressed by people like this?

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#2

I don’t mind large words when used CORRECTLY! :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#3

Prexactly (Thats my big word, I made it up from precise and exactly, are you impressed?) :Z I think people (males) who over use big complicated words, are trying to make up for other areas of their life that aren’t so big.

#4

NOT AT ALL ESPECALLY IF YOU CANT SEE THEM…

#5

shrugs

#6

debro, what did the original letter say?

#7

Depending on the situation, complicated language is the preffered language. I know from my student job that the average Joe doesn’t like to be talked to with long and complicated words and sentences. On the other hand, most of my fellow students and teachers/proffessors do like to be talked to just in this way.

So no it doesn’t impress me, but it doesn’t bother me either.

#8

When i was still in school we could hang up advertisements on some billboard in the hallway. One of them read (transalated):

SEX
Now that i have your attention. For sale: 2 couches, a computer, etc.

#9

I actually like more sophiscated words. And I find myself using big words a lot even in casual conversation. But only if it is used correctly. Use it correctly, and you sound like someone respectable. Use it incorrectly (i.e., if you try to be someone who you are not), and it starts to sound comical. :wink:

#10

Guess what… they still use that… :slight_smile:

#11

Ofcourse, it still works! :iagree: :stuck_out_tongue: :bigsmile:

#12

Big LCD monitors impress me.

#13

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

When discussing technical issues, one large word can be used in places of many. Succinct is good, and technical language & words have their place, no denying it.

But as stated above, there is a time & place for everything. Intelligent people can change their vocabulary to suit the situation. You shouldn’t talk technical to laymen. It just confuses them.

It bothers me when people try to talk down to other people by using a vocabulary/style which is incredibly formal.
Spending vast amounts of time writing a formal letter, suitable for the Queen of England, to a vendor which is a layman is a rediculous waste of everyone times.

Unfortunately, my colleague across a few desks, informs me that he’s eaten :confused: (hopefully, just a figure of speech) the copy of the letter/fax he received, so I am no longer able to reproduce it.
I can’t ask for a copy of the letter from the originator either, as I hesitate to provide the excuse that “I want to post the letter to a public forum on the internet, to demonstrate that he is a pompous buffoon”. I do have to work with this guy, even though it’s (thankfully) rare.

#14

[quote=“Dee-ehn”]

[/i]
Guess what… they still use that… :)[/QUOTE] Guess what! It only works once. It doesn’t work on me anymore…I just ignore any posts on bulletin boards which post SEX.

#15

Its still there printed in white i just wanted to know who would highlight it…