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

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

I heard somewhere the sign of true intellect is the ability to convey complex ideas as simply as possible

So I try to keep my word count down and my verbiage to a minimum. No need to show off

 

[No1]

But having a greater mastery of language is indicative of higher intelligence.

No.

I heard somewhere the sign of true intellect is the ability to convey complex ideas as simply as possible

So I try to keep my word count down and my verbiage to a minimum. No need to show off

It is. But I don't do it because I'm trying to prove that I'm smart. I'm just trying to convey my points, and that's how most people I hang around were taught. It's actually harder to convey ideas succinctly than to use wide-ranging vocabulary. Most fields that focus on communicating ideas have transitioned to speaking in plain english. I.E. using legalese is frowned upon. I remember when I was posting on SOHH back in '08 someone once told me to stop posting like I was writing a research paper. The guy had a point. There are some people who speak like that naturally, others who do so to cover up their poor communication skills and others that do so to appear smart. The latter category is much more prevalent, and it usually only impresses an audience not used to people using that sort of language so they mistake above average verbiage for strong arguments.

 

[kp404]

The most simplistic words arranged in the right ways can have a better effect on friends then showcasing your mastery of 4 syllable words and intricate phrases, friends.

great point

 

[Danie84]

My passive and active vocabulary goes in tandem

 

[Kritic]

My passive and active vocabulary goes in tandem

see the way my vocab is set up...

 

[newworldafro]

I did a thread like this in Higher Learning......... and they gave me the Passion of the Christ Yeezus treatment .....

http://www.thecoli.com/threads/high...ord-define-use-in-sentence-keep-4-life.13421/

and these supposed to be the ........... " " intellectual " " ..... posters.... .....




good thread

 

[Fillerguy]

Code switching, useful skill in life

 

[newworldafro]

Freestyle rapping is the ultimate showcase for mixing common talk, slang, and "big" words .....

 

[bigDeeOT]

I would like to expand my vocabulary. When I read books on my kindle its convenient to have the in-app dictionary define words for me I don't understand. I try not to gloss over words without understanding them.

Also whenever I let auto correct spell a word for me I backspace the word and try to type it out on my own. That way I know I can actually spell it. Sometimes I catch myself not knowing how to spell simple 5th grade level words.

 

[UserNameless]

My vocabulary isn't as vast as the typical newspaper writer/blogger per se, but I still find that I don't use about 2/5th of the words that I know... Do you avoid using big words or just find few occasions to use your full vocabulary?

Most newspapers are written on a sixth grade level.

Reporters are encouraged to use a conversational tone and vocab.

If we're talking about such periodicals as the Atlantic, New Yorker...even the NY Times, then that's a different story.


But Precision is key.

Always use the word that has the definition closest to what you're trying to convey. Whether "big" or "small."

Precision.