Comments on: Why Do People Choose to Use Long Words?

By: Joanna

Joanna — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:23:26 +0000

Hi 11;00 typer I do know what you mean about people using sophisticated words when plain would do – when plain words would be better – I suppose the question I was trying to explore was what really drives people to do this when a lot of the ‘advice’ says not to (especially in writing, I’m not sure about the TV!) I think in part it must be the belief that you’ll appear more intelligent or sophisticated as a result, even if the evidence suggests otherwise.

Wade, it’s just a different way of text-talking… ‘zation’ was being used as an example of additional endings that get put on to words to make them longer… and more complicated

By: 11;00 typer

11;00 typer — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:13:21 +0000

Yea, I am serious.
Never mind guy,
Im talking about stupid TV that these ignorant people say thing’s like they don’t know what thier talking about?
Im not Into impressing other’s,
Just talking simple, and see where they are when im talking to them guy ok,
Typer,

By: Wade

Wade — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:50:47 +0000

This is in response to the previous message.
Are you serious?? Is this message real or is someone making an ironic statment by having no sentence structure, paragraph structure, or really any type of cohesive thought whatsoever. Words are out of place, not in existence and forget about apostrophes here because there are completely forgotten. What is with the question mark at the beginning of the, I assume paragraph?? What is a zation?? I could not find that word anywhere in any language.

By: 11;00 typer

11;00 typer — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:05:02 +0000

Like alot of people out there?
I see this going on in the dumb media, or lazy people that dont have a clue to what thier talking about?
Like the dumb thing of people saying that a the guy that does the Weather on TV, or Radio is some sophisticated word like a meteorologist,
and not a plain word like the weatherman,
Like it used to be,
Get’s on my nerve’s big time,
and all these ignorant people putting a zation on the end of word’s like customazation their trying to act or be something they arnt in front of a silly camera,
I mean I started seeing this about 3 yrs ago,
And its totally stupid to most people that know better,
Mannn people start using plain language,
And PLAIN WORD’S IN YOUR TALK OK,
Quit trying to be Mr, or Mrs Cool,
Or Ive made it,You Think, So I can act like a nerd that don’t know anything anyway,
Plain normal word’s for plain people

By: Joanna

Joanna — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:12:09 +0000

@ winter, I think my answer is that it depends on your intention – what it is you want to communicate, and to whom. Shorter words might communicate more powerfully with a wider group of people. Hope that helps

By: Winter

Winter — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:47:12 +0000

I think this was mentioned earlier, but most often a long word is capable of carrying meaning (and possibly weight) that a shorter word cannot. As such each word is to a very great extent, unique. If you agree with this, then there can never be a long word used just for the lengths sake unless it is not perfectly used in the first place. Do you think I am right in this analysis?

By: Joanna

Joanna — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:33:32 +0000

@ Winter thanks for chipping in – as I think I said earlier in this comment thread the piece wasn’t directly about fiction where vocabulary, as you say, does change according to character and setting. And your search for the right word for the picture you have in mind isn’t what you’d call using an unnecessarily long word for effect… it’s the search for the right word;-) I love our language and vocabulary too (including some very short but obscure words!) – it’s the use of unnecessarily complex and difficult words to make you look intelligent that I was talking about here

@ Wade, don’t worry, the dictionaries are safe yet… This piece is just about the use of unnecessarily long words for perceived benefit to the writer.

By: Winter

Winter — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:44:12 +0000

This is largely in response to the previous comment:
Long words are a burden to only a certain portion of society. There is another, of which I am a part, who thrive on these words. So, simply deleting the words will only cause another problem. People will probably find it more difficult to express themselves wholly. And through lack of expression, we may actually become more shallow people. If you take this particular course of action to an extreme, we might as well revert back to Neanderthal language, that is after all the simplest is it not? As you said, english was not created overnight. The words were obviously created due to a necessity, somebody thought they were necessary to express perfectly what they were trying to put across. So the lack of those words will result in the reduction of the ‘power’ of expression that the english language is capable of.

By: Wade

Wade — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:54:39 +0000

Good idea, in fact I suggest we toss out half of the English language. Basically that is what we would be doing in order to accommodate those who take for granted the wonderful language they speak. Too few care to truly pay homage to their spoken language and allow themselves a vernacular of abysmal proportions. The English language was not created overnight and as such should not be viewed as something meaningless and open for simplicity. If using long words is such a burden on society, it may be appropriate to cut each dictionary in half and do away with all thesaurases. I would have felt alot better about an article entitle, “Profanity, Pollution to the English Language”.

By: Winter

Winter — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:45:09 +0000

Personally, I found that there are times (which occur rather frequently) when I feel the ten cent word isn’t appropriate. I find that each individual word puts across a different picture , so when the less complicated word does not put across the right picture I refrain from using it. I do not actively attempt to make my writing more complicated, essentially, I write with only the image of what I put across in mind, and don’t think about the language itself that much. I’m not sure how much this applies to other people though. The only times I search for different words (as in, by using a thesaurus etc) is when I find that I am using a certain word very frequently.
I also agree strongly with what Ray said earlier, when writing fiction, the vocabulary needs to be changed as per the character and setting, as well as the mood. If a person is deep in thought, he or she is more likely to use long words than otherwise, (this is what I have found anyway) so this too needs to be accounted for. Also, sticking to simple language limits the vocabulary and consequentially mean that the frequency of the words you use will increase. This, if not done well can make your work very repetitive. Well all in all I prefer the usage of a reasonable amount of ‘twenty dollar’ words over a piece with only simple language.