Erudition, fancy ideas and long words

[Melancholy Man]

Over the past couple of days, three separate Orgers have, apropos of nothing, seen fit to mock my prose and choice of words. Not actually to comment on my argument, but to praise ignorance over knowledge.

It's particularly rich as, I'm sure, at least one of this triumvirate of witlessness, semi-literacy and venom, this week, took the line that no dissent over moderation decisions is justified and that the forums aren't here as personal soapboxes. Furthermore, one also has a habit of seeing any criticism of our belovéd leader in Bute House as anti-Scots bigotry, whilst waving it about when British Muslims are discussed.

I don't have a problem with being mocked on the Internet, although am grateful to t'other Orgers who've called this tactic for what it is - low personal morality. This message is just friendly advice:

... Open University is starting again soon. Sign up. Ewes will derive great satisfaction from expanding your knowledge and learning how to think, as opposed to what to think. Who knows, it may take these chips off your shoulders about those who have made the effort to improve their minds through study or background reading.

[teenybash]

Now don't you be getting annoyed too much MM or I'll be forced to sit you down and make you have a cuppa to calm your nerves. Be good now and don't pay a bit o' notice.;)

[justine]

I would not worry to much MM they will get over it soon.:roll:

[blowfish]

... Open University is starting again soon. Sign up. Ewes will derive great satisfaction from expanding your knowledge and learning how to think, as opposed to what to think. Who knows, it may take these chips off your shoulders about those who have made the effort to improve their minds through study or background reading.

I had at first decided not to feed your ego and reply to this irrelevant post. I am sure if you were chocolate that you would eat yourself. However you once again come out with a generalisation aimed at all persons who challenge your pseudo intellect.
I am University educated but do not feel the need to boast to people that I have achieved a higher education.

I am sure you do not use the words you post in general conversation, so I do not see the reasoning behind using them on these boards.

"Ewes" - I did not think that female sheep could get a place at university, I'm sure there is a college at Woolwich.

I usually have salt and vinegar with my chips.

YAWN! this thread bores me already and will be ignoring this egotistical, bumptious tosh

[Sapphire2803]

*snip* triumvirate *snip*

You have my admiration MM. I have never seen anyone manage to use that particular word in an internet post. :D

I am truly humbled and awed by your obviously superior intellect and lexical dexterity. ;)

[Melancholy Man]

Getting angry about Internet posts is silly, but thanks y'all. I'm looking at the white-horses on the edge of the Atlantic, sipping chamomile tea and about to go out for a cool-down after battling out to the Halladale turn on the bicycle.

And, right on cue, along comes an Orger who thinks he was being included in the triumvirate! What makes him think that?

[TBH]

It wisnae me.

[justine]

And for those who dont have a particular high iq

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumvirate

[Kenneth]

Over the past couple of days, three separate Orgers have, apropos of nothing, seen fit to mock my prose and choice of words. Not actually to comment on my argument, but to praise ignorance over knowledge.

It's particularly rich as, I'm sure, at least one of this triumvirate of witlessness, semi-literacy and venom, this week, took the line that no dissent over moderation decisions is justified and that the forums aren't here as personal soapboxes. Furthermore, one also has a habit of seeing any criticism of our belovéd leader in Bute House as anti-Scots bigotry, whilst waving it about when British Muslims are discussed.

I don't have a problem with being mocked on the Internet, although am grateful to t'other Orgers who've called this tactic for what it is - low personal morality. This message is just friendly advice:

... Open University is starting again soon. Sign up. Ewes will derive great satisfaction from expanding your knowledge and learning how to think, as opposed to what to think. Who knows, it may take these chips off your shoulders about those who have made the effort to improve their minds through study or background reading.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahha ahaha haha.

Why use the word apropos? Sorry, but WHY? How many people would use that word, ever? Why put an accent on the 'e' of beloved? Im not praising ignorance over knowledge, I just think the words you use min, cheez oh! Why, why, why, who speaks like that!!!!! That's the words you use in essays, I should know, because you may think I am a numbskull, but im sorry, nobody speaks like that on a forum unless they really do want to, hate to say it, but show off! It's like you're using these words to make your arguments more valid, and giving them an air of pomposity, almost! If you want to make your arguments clear, then make them clear, make them easy to read! But thats only if you really are confident in what you say!

For your information, I got an A in Higher English, and also a B in my Advanced Higher History, and consider myself to be fairly intelligent. So yes, I read books, I know how to use the English language and how to spruce up my essays with fancy words, and even the odd bit of Latin here and there (oh yes you read correctly, Latin) but anyone who talks like that all the time...please. This isnt an exam.

[TBH]

And for those who dont have a particular high iq

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TriumvirateHaving a large vocabulary is no measure of I.Q.

[justine]

Having a large vocabulary is no measure of I.Q.
i know,just so everyone knows what triumvirate means

[Melancholy Man]

Having a large vocabulary is no measure of I.Q.

Do you want a piece of me?

[changilass]

Sorry but the use of beeg words just to put someone down shows a lack of intelegence if anything.

If you don't have the intelect to make your posts understandable by the majority then your beeg words may well go in the bin for all the use they are.


Jargon is fine in its place, bog standard, understandable words work for me in all other cases.

[TBH]

Do you want a piece of me?
Who sir, me sir?

[balto]

wouldnt worry about they will find somwthing else to moan about.

[changilass]

Yes, you Bunter.



Very well. Where have I done this?



Did I say you had done this???

Get over yoursen, not every part of every post is specifically aimed at you.

If , however, you think the cap fits, then have the decency to ask permission afore snatching it and sticking it on your head.

[mccaugm]

I for one am glad that someone uses the language of this country
imaginatively. Why should we use unsophisticated words when flowery ones are far more appealing. I would rather someone do this than use Caithness twang in a post, which I am only now getting my head around. I do not mind Caithness "twang" as spoken dialect but not written down. I love when people use words I do not know as it increases my vocabulary, which can only be a good thing. Otherwise we succumb to the "dumbing down" this country apears to be heading for.

[Melancholy Man]

Kenneth, I was not talking to you when you engaged full sarcasm mode. If you didn't understand a reference or word, you should have said so and I would have been happy to explain. When I use a specific word, it's to refer to a specific concept or idea. I no more feel a desire to use simpler words here than I do to not distinguish between salt and fresh water.

[Melancholy Man]

Get over yoursen, not every part of every post is specifically aimed at you.

It was a perfectly civil question. Lest you've failed to notice, this thread is about me. More specifically, it's about Orgers mocking me because of my word-choice.

Did you think you were responding to another thread?

[hotrod4]

I like big words! One of the only reasons i still come on is to wonder what MM's big word of the day is!!! Personally I think he gets paid by Wikipedia to publish big words so people will visit their site!! ;)

If you have a big WORD and know how to use it then fine,if you like little words then thats fine too! ;)

[Melancholy Man]

Discombobulation.

[Metalattakk]

Well I for one welcome our new sesquipedalian overlords.

[Melancholy Man]

A new word!

[Kenneth]

No no I like big words too, like I said, I use them, but not in the bloomin Caithness.org forum! I mean you actually put an accent over the e of beloved! If you dont get how to say 'beloved' without an accent in that context then you dont deserve to understand it in the first place.

[Sapphire2803]

Discombobulation.



That is my absolute favourite word EVER!! :D

Although why I felt a sudden urge to announce that I'll probably never know :confused

[TBH]

I must say that although Melancholy Man has captivated my cognizance with his syntactical affectations, unfortunately, Pleonastic sesquipedality impresses no-one. It can, in fact, detract the reader from the quintessence, so, in my humble opinion, an anomalistic word should never be used when an aphoristic, quotidian word suffices.
Although non-prevalent words are, on occassion, requisite, they must be engaged sedulously as valid asseverations and animadversions can be vitiated by adventitiously selected semantic equivalents.

[Sapphire2803]

I must say that although Melancholy Man has captivated my cognizance with his syntactical affectations, unfortunately, Pleonastic sesquipedality impresses no-one. It can, in fact, detract the reader from the quintessence, so, in my humble opinion, an anomalistic word should never be used when an aphoristic, quotidian mot juste suffices.
Although non-prevalent words are, on occassion, requisite, they must be engaged sedulously as valid asseverations and animadversions can be vitiated by adventitiously selected semantic equivalents.

I do hope you chewed that dictionary thoroughly before you swallowed it, they can cause all sorts of problems if they're not properly masticated. ;)

[Kenneth]

hear hear TBH haha

Aw shucks MM, I love ya really!

[Gizmo]

And for those who dont have a particular high iq

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumvirate

Thanks, us stewpid fowk are eternally grateful ;)

[wifie]

Have to say I am NOT uni educated but have a string of 'O' grades and Highers seein as some are comparin academic brilliance. I love words and if I see a word I don't understand I look it up. I think it is a great idea to use yer vocabulary if you have a good one cos what would be the point of words otherwise?
MM keep up the good work - I luv ya! :)

[silverfox57]

having read rules on joining forum,can not find any rule to say ,you must have higher degree in English,or need a PhD in forum etiquette,as enjoy posting hope most under stand my posts,some little words,like sorry.or thanks, means more than all your big words.

[northener]

wud rthr c bgwrdz van kintxt spkin psts on frms u no wit a min

cmnd of lngwige is kool

[northener]

I was called 'crepuscular' on this forum a few weeks back.

I'd never heard the word, so restrained myself from punching the poster and looked it up. I didn't feel that the poster was out to belittle anyone or show some implied superiority by the use of a relatively little used word.

I like to learn new words, the mind should be expanded - not closed down.

And cheers Helen....I certainly am crepuscular!

[Tighsonas4]

anyone remember the song . its not what you say its the way that you say it [lol] if we were all professors who would empty our rubbish bins.
are some intoxicated by the exuberance of there own verbosity lol tony

[northener]

.............................
are some intoxicated by the exuberance of there own verbosity lol tony

It's a heady brew, Tony.

[trix]

anyone remember the song . its not what you say its the way that you say it [lol]

is at fie 'e 1940's as weel tony? :lol::Razz

[mccaugm]

Discombobulation.

I love that word....it sounds so funny.

[Sapphire2803]

I was called 'crepuscular' on this forum a few weeks back.

I'd never heard the word, so restrained myself from punching the poster and looked it up. I didn't feel that the poster was out to belittle anyone or show some implied superiority by the use of a relatively little used word.

I like to learn new words, the mind should be expanded - not closed down.

And cheers Helen....I certainly am crepuscular!


I prefer vespertine meself :lol:

[northener]

I prefer vespertine meself :lol:

OK, without looking it up, I'd say that that is 'waspish' or 'stinging'. (Italian 'vespa' is wasp).

Or possibly of the evening..as in vespers - the evening prayers.

[wifie]

Man northener you are crepuscular! :eek: Perhaps Sapphire is talkin of herself!

[Welcomefamily]

There nothing wrong with big word MM, even Ive been known to use them, as long as they are used in context they fine.
Yer tis import ent to set yer level to yer listner otherwise they be thinking its a load of claptrap.

[Torvaig]

Who decides which words are "big" words? I certainly wouldn't think "apropos" is out of context on a forum. It would be an insult to dumb down for the org population as no matter the level of anyone's intellect, if they are capable of using a computer and are reading these threads they are certainly capable of using a dictionary.

If people are interested in knowing what someone is talking about, regardless of the words used, they will use their dictionary and appreciate learning something new.

It is the same with discussing politics or engineering or cars or any other subject that we don't all know about; if we want to learn we will read; if we don't, we will move onto the next thread.

I hope there always be people who enjoy airing their knowledge; that's no bad thing. We all have something new to learn, be it academic or otherwise....

[rockchick]

Successful writing techniques include writing to the level of your reader. Deliberately using obscure words, which most of your readers are not going to be familiar with, lessens your ability to communicate with your reader and makes you a worse writer.

A large vocabulary is just a pile of words unless you know how to use them effectively.

[Lolabelle]

And for those who dont have a particular high iq

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumvirate


That would be me!!!!!!LOL

I looked it up and I like it!
I think that I shall make if my "word of the week" and try to work it into a conversation at least once this week.

Last weeks was "enigmatic" and I managed to get it in yesterday at a wedding [lol]

[MadPict]

I enjoy the words of the day thrown up on this site -
http://www.wordspy.com/


social notworking pp. Surfing a social networking site instead of working. Also: social not-working.
—social notworker n.

[mccaugm]

Successful writing techniques include writing to the level of your reader. Deliberately using obscure words, which most of your readers are not going to be familiar with, lessens your ability to communicate with your reader and makes you a worse writer.

A large vocabulary is just a pile of words unless you know how to use them effectively.

You are effectively saying that we must "dumb down". How do you know who your "reader" is, they could be anyone with varying intellectual capacities. I have a fairly extensive vocabulary but am always keen to learn something new.

[MadPict]

Heh - just had this vision of the builders in Harry & Paul as forum users. They speak 'all posh like' until they sit down at the keyboard, then become transmogrified into glaikit neep dockers....

Except for MM ;)

[Julia]

Having a large vocabulary is no measure of I.Q.

You beat me to it, you can be the world's worst at spelling and still have a high Intelligence Quotient


Discombobulation.

I have a friend who's very good at this!


I must say that although Melancholy Man has captivated my cognizance with his syntactical affectations, unfortunately, Pleonastic sesquipedality impresses no-one. It can, in fact, detract the reader from the quintessence, so, in my humble opinion, an anomalistic word should never be used when an aphoristic, quotidian word suffices.
Although non-prevalent words are, on occassion, requisite, they must be engaged sedulously as valid asseverations and animadversions can be vitiated by adventitiously selected semantic equivalents.

Haven't you just quoted the lyrics from an early Eminem rap?


I enjoy the words of the day thrown up on this site -
http://www.wordspy.com/

I am going to have a wee lookie to see if I can increase my vocuabularly [lol]

[Welcomefamily]

You are effectively saying that we must "dumb down". How do you know who your "reader" is, they could be anyone with varying intellectual capacities. I have a fairly extensive vocabulary but am always keen to learn something new.

I suppose we could ask orgers to grade them selves on a scale of one to twelve as indicated by the SCQF as to their level of intellectual ability, :~( or we leave it to an individuals judgement based upon the post.

If ones replys to your post was seen to be what one can only discribed as "a down to earth manner" in its fluency or comprehension than hopefully one would respond in such a manner as to give the impression that one had the lingusitic ability to hold intercourse with those of a lesser ability.

How ever yer culture and social divers city across the org is what makes yer crack good.

[Melancholy Man]

Shibboleth.

[Rheghead]

You beat me to it, you can be the world's worst at spelling and still have a high Intelligence Quotient

rubish, aye disagrie!

[rich]

MM I greatly enjoy your posts. But I wish you would stop saying "it is Rich." It is not Rich.
It's me who is Rich - at least I was last time I looked in the mirror....

[rich]

MM you made the following intriguing remark at the beginning of this thread. It is as follows:

".... one also has a habit of seeing any criticism of our belovéd leader in Bute House as anti-Scots bigotry, whilst waving it about when British Muslims are discussed."

What exactly is being waved about here?
Is this a case of indecent exposure?
MM I have to tell you that if you start waving it about on the Caithness Org your posts will be removed in handcuffs.
We dont put up with that sort of thing here!

[Melancholy Man]

Aye, rICH, because of forum rules I couldn't be specific!

[rockchick]

You are effectively saying that we must "dumb down". How do you know who your "reader" is, they could be anyone with varying intellectual capacities. I have a fairly extensive vocabulary but am always keen to learn something new.

I did not mean to imply that Orgers are folk of lower intelligence, they're not. I was pointing out that there are different levels of writing, and you should use what is most appropriate for your target audience. When one is writing for the general public one writes at a different level than you would for, say, a scientific paper. Think of a newspaper editorial...they communicate sometimes quite complex messages at a level that most readers can hear and understand. They don't throw in £50 words just to show how clever they are...they use the most concise wording to convey what they are trying to say.

[Kenn]

I wonder what paper you read to say that the reporters are concise in their use of language?
Most papers are verbose, ungrammatical and rarely give any in depth detail which is why I stopped wasting money on them some time ago.

[ywindythesecond]

Just checked out this post. It is disgraceful that no-one has pointed out to MM that he used an accented é http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent) instead of a grave è http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent) in “beloved”.

[TBH]

I think MM shows what Wendy Alexander does in her spare time.

[rockchick]

I wonder what paper you read to say that the reporters are concise in their use of language?
Most papers are verbose, ungrammatical and rarely give any in depth detail which is why I stopped wasting money on them some time ago.
I read "The Independent", since you ask...and their editorials seem to be written with someone with a brain. Having said that, if you're including the Daily Mail, the Sun etc. in your version of "most papers" I'd have to agree with you. Most aren't worth the paper they're printed on...the Herald (which I can't get where I live) and the Times are other exceptions.

[Lolabelle]

I have just been reading through this thread, from beginning to end, and came to the conclusion that I don't care if people use big words, or even if they use words I have never heard of, I don't even care if they can't spell.
If I am interested enough in the content, I will look up the words I don't understand and learn something, I do notice spelling mistakes, but usually as a reassurance that I am not the only one who isn't the worlds bestest speller.
To be honest, I am more interested in what someone is trying to say rather than how they say it. But that is just me.

[MadPict]

Just checked out this post. It is disgraceful that no-one has pointed out to MM that he used an accented é http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent) instead of a grave è http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent) in “beloved”.


Touché......[lol]

[helenwyler]

Just checked out this post. It is disgraceful that no-one has pointed out to MM that he used an accented é http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acute_accent) instead of a grave è http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_accent) in “beloved”.


Nothing wrong with his using an accented e (alas, I have none).

I think you mean he wasn't acute enough to use a grave ;).

[TBH]

I was at the Café today. It was Nice.:D

[wifie]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh I'm telling! Please Miss! TBH used NICE! :roll:

[rockchick]

Saw this, which made me think of this thread:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7654511.stm

[Tristan]

Interesting article but he does seem a bit of and odd duck.

[Melancholy Man]

Gosh I walked into that one.