So how large is your passive vocabulary compared to your active vocabulary?

[Exiled Martian]

Showcasing this mastery when it isnt necessary or in the face of a friend you know does not understand, is a demonic red flag.

Guess to a certain exent you got a valid point! for me It all boils down to;

Risk Vs Reward

If There is always a simpler word to choose.
Why risk using a rare word when a simpler word will suffice/ do the job per se

Risk = the listener won't understand, the listener might think you're stuck up, you might screw up its meaning or pronunciation.

At the end of the day...it's all derivative variable factors I guess!

 

[Mr. Somebody]

It doesn't matter whether you think it's "necessary". The point is that having the ability to articulate is an indicator of intelligence. Moreover it is necessary so long as the professional world goes. Beyond a certain level everyone can articulate, and if you can't, you're at risk for embarrassment and confusion.

Not talking about the ability, talking about when it is and isnt used. Do you use 5 syllable words to order BBQ wings. Ok you understand now.

 

[Mr. Somebody]

Guess to a certain exent you got a valid point! for me It all boils down to;

Risk Vs Reward

If There is always a simpler word to choose.
Why risk using a rare word when a simpler word will suffice/ do the job per se

Risk = the listener won't understand, the listener might think you're stuck up, you might screw up its meaning or pronunciation.

At the end of the day...it's all derivative variable factors I guess!

When you write emails in business you dont go out of your way to use advanced words that people dont understand because showcasing your mastery of vocabulary in business is not as important as the bottom line, money. If you're in a scientific environment using large words can help shortcut from point a-b when discussing particular topics but may not be necessary when you're talking about going paintballing with friends that weekend. Friends have to know when to turn it on and turn it off. Having to constantly remind others and yourself that you are intelligent to me, is a sign of insecurity.

 

[godkiller]

Guess to a certain exent you got a valid point! for me It all boils down to;

Risk Vs Reward

If There is always a simpler word to choose.
Why risk using a rare word when a simpler word will suffice/ do the job per se

Risk = the listener won't understand, the listener might think you're stuck up, you might screw up its meaning or pronunciation.

At the end of the day...it's all derivative variable factors I guess!

I tone down my language in front of some friends but there's no morality involved in doing so. That is, there's neither right nor wrong in using simpler or more complex words, terms and concepts to communicate. There is just more utility in communicating one way versus another in certain contexts. In truth, I actually prefer using higher parlance because I parse ideas out better when I conform to higher syntax rules. Dumbing down my speech usually dumbs down my thinking too.

 

[godkiller]

Not talking about the ability, talking about when it is and isnt used. Do you use 5 syllable words to order BBQ wings. Ok you understand now.

This is more a question of social awareness than anything else. In earnest, it is perfectly acceptable to use 5 syllable words whenever you want. It just might not be wise to do so when ordering BBQ.

 

[Mr. Somebody]

This is more a question of social awareness than anything else. In earnest, it is perfectly acceptable to use 5 syllable words whenever you want. It just might not be wise to do so when ordering BBQ.

Even now, you're using vocabulary to play semantic games when its obvious you're intelligent enough to understand my point.

Its so demonic, friends.

 

[Kritic]

i'm lacking in vocab. i used to be way better at it but now it's just not that important to me.
i'm in btwn. i don't have the ghetto twang and don't switch up while talkin to any one whether ghetto or professional. i talk in a constant manner. what i really hate is when some white ppl talk to me and they dumb down and start sounding ghetto. then i start speaking and they immediately switch up and start talkin like themselves...
i also hate that when talkin to some black ppl and they start talkin like negropeans.

my bytch switches up when talkin to middle class or rich ppl. i ain even know white ppl switch up when talkin to each other.

 

[Blackking]

The way I normally speak is ok..

but I surprise myself in meetings and work related things. Even in classes I'm usually the best speaker, by far.... because of that i don't even get nervous anymore.

They would never guess I can use nikka and shyt to mean 75 different things and expressions.

Side note: if you hit people with a word they don't understand..... THEN keep it moving and don't even try to explain it.. it looks even better. The reaction is even better.

 

[Blackking]

CAC talk to me and they dumb down and start sounding ghetto. then i start speaking and they immediately switch up and start talkin like themselves...
i also hate that when talkin to some black ppl and they start talkin like negropeans.

my bytch switches up when talkin to middle class or rich ppl. i ain even know white ppl switch up when talkin to each other.

this is some real shyt.

just today, a white dude asked me a question about some ghetto media shyt - that's disrepetful -because we were actually working on a huge million+ project that had nothing to do with it.

He was like, I bet (my real name) knows about that, lol" everyone chuckled. That shyt wasn't funny to me .... and i didn't know bout it.

1 of my smashin partners switches shyt up around CAC... talking all vallygirl like n shyt.. That's disgusting. I'll drop a black girl QUICK if I find out shes fake like that... I might not even leave if she did some grimy shyt to me... but I can't stand that shyt.

there's a difference between proper and trying to sound white.

 

[Kritic]

what i really hate is when some white ppl talk to me and they dumb down and start sounding ghetto.

my post was never edited. i didn't say cac. i said when some white ppl....

 

[Blackking]

my post was never edited. i didn't say cac. i said when some white ppl....

lol.... i know.

but when they cross that line.. they are placed in the crakker box

 

[Kritic]

The way I normally speak is ok..

but I surprise myself in meetings and work related things. Even in classes I'm usually the best speaker, by far.... because of that i don't even get nervous anymore.

They would never guess I can use nikka and shyt to mean 75 different things and expressions.

Side note: if you hit people with a word they don't understand..... THEN keep it moving and don't even try to explain it.. it looks even better. The reaction is even better.

i used to turn heads like but now they just

i blame it on auto-correct . i just don't put that much thought into writing (and speaking) anymore.
my professional writing is excellent. i use thesaurus to up my game. . emails to customers have to go through me.

 

[Exiled Martian]

I kinda hate it when people are trying to sound overly "official" just to prove or showcase their bias flawed points at the monthly report meets......one of my biggest peeves is the use of impact to replace affect. People think it makes them sound intelligent, but it only showcases their inability to differentiate between effect and affect

Also at work recently, this lady got promoted (at our sister site in another town ) to handle simple tasks I.e admin/analytical role..... But I swear She is such a chore to deal with! she tries to use big words in her ALL emails even though she has no idea what she is talking about...(think she always looks up alternative word & inserts them for reasons unknown to God himself)

Did I mention she is a serial 'reply all' & forwarder? She sends out stupid amounts of stupid emails about stupid things (e.g fantasy football league, weak pitiful toilet humour jokes & some really awful spreadsheets that constantly need amending) . Last week I snapped yo. She was in town, in our office, sitting 2 feet away from everyone with our internal office messaging system & she was still forwarding stupid recycled HR garble that we usually hit the delete key on again & again & i was like is wrong with you! Man I had to just walk out the office & go upstairs for the rest of the day, otherwise I would have caught a case! I seriously think she has an email fetish of sort....biiitch probably hits SEND in her sleep!

/Pedantic Rant over

 

[Dirty_Jerz]

i use whatever is appropriate but i dont use words that i dont know the definition of either

 

[Beegio]

My vocab changes depending on who I'm talking to.

The most fun is when you're conversing in a foreign language, and the words you don't know in the foreign language, you substitute with English and body language.


Drunken convos using informal Japanese slang mixed with English slang was