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» Hatrack River Forum » Active Forums » Books, Films, Food and Culture » People who talk like they're a walking Thesaurus

   
Author Topic: People who talk like they're a walking Thesaurus
Blayne Bradley
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So ya, my brother brought up the fact that these people annoy him because they try to "act pseudo intelligent".

However, we both know and admire our law/global issues teacher (well he used to be my teacher 2 years ago in high school, now i'm in college but he's still there in grade 11), a Mr Cross.

Thing is he talks like that as well, but the difference he is so well read that it makes perfect sense he's the only person who sounds at home speaking with sophistocation.

He was a barrister in England and now teaches law and a few other subjects in my brother
s high school and manages a debating team that my brother at my urging joined.

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Teshi
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I'm the total opposite. When I speak I use a very limited vocabulary!
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King of Men
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*Searches comrade Bradley's post very carefully*
*Doesn't find the point*
*Walks out in disgust*

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Teshi
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The point is: It's only bad to use a good vocabulary if you can't carry it off. It's not intrinsicly bad.
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lord trousers
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Yeah, using the wrong words is a pretty garrulous thing to do. It's socially moot, and makes you look like a facetious erudite - totally winsome, and rather apposite.
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Rusta-burger
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Blayne, you did have a point for about one paragraph. Perhaps you should read over it and finish it off by going back to what you were saying. Or perhaps you shouldn't and we make this the most irrelevant thread ever. That's what I'm going to try to continue now.

Theres no point saying anything to KoM since he walked off but, hey, I just did!

Teshi, you have to at least give someone a chance to get used to starting using more vocabulary. Surely mocking them is just... well... not very nice.

And last but not least, lord trousers, I was going to have a crack at you but by the time I logged in just now I finally figured out you were making a joke. So I apologise for the nasty thoughts. Will you forgive me?

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lord trousers
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I will forgive you of your gamine disport, but I will never forget it. I tend to be urbane of bibulous malapropisms and supercilious flummery.

That being said, can you please forgive me of my wanton slaughter of perfectly innocent words? [Big Grin]

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Shigosei
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The English language is wonderful because it has so many different words for the same concept. Each has its own shade of meaning, so you can choose just the right one to say exactly what you want. I say that everyone should take full advantage of this benefit of the English language.

Of course, you have to be careful about your audience. It doesn't help to choose exactly the right word if the person you're talking to doesn't know what it means.

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ketchupqueen
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Yeah, tell your brother he's being lurdane. (Rhymes with "burden".)
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Rusta-burger
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This isn't good. You're all making this thread relevant! Don't you care about my cause... even a little?
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ketchupqueen
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How can I say this nicely? No. [Razz]
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King of Men
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By the way, I think the thread title should be "People who speak as though they are walking Thesaurii." 'Like' is a disgusting colloquialism in this context, and since tehre are several people, there should be several Thesaurii. Sauruses? Sauroids? Whatever.
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Tante Shvester
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quote:
Originally posted by King of Men:
By the way, I think the thread title should be "People who speak as though they are walking Thesaurii."

Make that "Ambulating Thesaurii", and you'll be getting closer.
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Carrie
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I actually graded a paper tonight that fits into this category. I had to bust out the "I do not think the word means what you think it means" quote for him: it was that terrible. It took me about four tries to get through the introduction. Scary stuff.
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Blayne Bradley
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lol, but no, I'm just saying that most people who walk around trying to act sophisticated really aren't but my old teacher however was so well read and even had a slight english mannerism that fit him perfectly, he was a fun teacher.
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dh
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My cousins all laugh at the way I talk, because I'm always using big words. I don't do it on purpose (well, not always). It's the side-effects of being a bookworm growing up. The scars never fade away.
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SteveRogers
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I have a feeling that I'm being subtley insulted somehow. Might one care to divulge the information that is being withheld from my mental complex? Because it is becoming rather bothersome for me and it may very well be an annoyance to me for the remainder of the day. So I, being the person that is typing, would greatly appreciate any assitance that could be used to introduce a solution to my problem.

(The scary part is that I talk like this in public. People think I'm absolutely hilarious. I don't quite understand why the think I'm funny when I'm being one hundred percent serious almost nintey percent of the time.)

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pH
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quote:
Originally posted by King of Men:
By the way, I think the thread title should be "People who speak as though they are walking Thesaurii." 'Like' is a disgusting colloquialism in this context, and since tehre are several people, there should be several Thesaurii. Sauruses? Sauroids? Whatever.

Simile. Like or as!

-pH

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Nell Gwyn
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quote:
Originally posted by dh:
My cousins all laugh at the way I talk, because I'm always using big words.

This happens to me too, but lately it's with a new twist - my best friend has taken to teasing me for using uncomplicated words (ie "yummy") where he feels I should be using 4- or 5-syllable words. Something about not upholding my own standards. [Razz]
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