And biologists.

I meant to say that english speakers do the same thing, not that using french was the same thing.

Is there really a difference?

Oh, my bad.

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/39167.html - Stephen King.

I don't even care if people try and use Latin to try and sound intelligent, its when they try and use it to argue/debate that it gets tiresome.

I agree with this. Don't use a more obscure, unfamiliar, word when a more colloquial word would be adequate (lol, did I just do that with "colloquial?").

But Stephen King's advice has to be applied and evaluated differently depending on the intended audience, or is he referring to the author? Reading his quote again, I get the impression he is talking about the author having to hunt for a word in the thesaurus. But the topic at hand is about the audience, IMO. If the author is writing for himself, go ahead and use big words, who cares? This discussion is only relevant in the context of authors communicating a message with an audience.

I sometimes use words not usually used, but never any that peopled wondered what the hell they meant.

Words that no one knows the meaning to are worthless.

Maybe he should write Hallmark cards instead of crapping out bad film adaptations of his work.

I dunno, I often find myself looking through a thesaurus for the right word, but that's mostly because I have a terrible memory rather than because I'm trying to find something "more impressive". I'd sooner find a short word that means what I want than a long word that doesn't. That doesn't mean that I'm averse to using long words on principle, but not as an aid to trying to sound more impressive: they'd only make my long, rambling and tangled sentences more obscure anyway. I'm not sure what I dislike more, unnecessarily flowery language or a habit of indulging in the gratuitous use of jargon in an attempt to bamboozle people. Seen an awful lot of that while I've been working in computing.

The "correct brittish accent" makes you sound quite smart

"I do not frequent coffee houses."

_{Like anything else, large words have their place and there are appropriate times to use them. But it's when someone is either over compensating, or trying to be consdescending, is when it's annoying. Most of the time one can tell if someone is being genuine, or just a jerk.}

True, there are some forums where you must always use 100% correct perfect stylized punctuation or you're written off as some slack-jawed unintelligent redneck yolkal. On the other side of the coin as you say, if you use good grammar and correct punctuation you're written off as some grammar nazi elitist snob.

Took me about a year or two in order to familiarize myself with the beth forums to make sure I don't slip up. People here seem to be a bit more tolerant and don't immediately pounce on you if you miss use something.


Words to live by, I use a thesaurus on occasion, but only to broaden words so i'm not repeating things. Annoys the reader, and me the writer, to use the word evil 10 times when you can insert different meanings. However, when you deal with words like "intransigency" and "contumacious" it just makes you out to be an ass imho. Don't mind fancy language but I do feel that people make up words just to make them sound more intelligent.

Yeah, I think academic writing (sometimes) and in-house communication with jargon is an exception to my dislike for big words.

If the internet has taught me anything, it's that anyone speaking with a British accent online, they'll promptly be accused of "faking" the accent.

Hipsters ending communications with "cheers."

But I do sometimes catch myself repeating what I think of as British phrases, like "oi!" instead of "hey!" or "what are you on about?" I can't think of any others right now, but there might be more I'm not remembering.

Yeah, i well know those words, i bet english speaking people would have no trouble following a conversation by finnish IT professionals talking shop

Contrafibularity. A very complex word that means so many things that it can't even be defined.

A good friend of mine who's in the IT field used to work with some Finnish chaps. Nice bunch of guys. I think this was his experience, but they were much more interested in teaching him as many rude words as they could think of.

Marvelous example!

http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1995/12/03

I just use whatever words I already know. If someone is using big words they don't know just to look smart, chances are they are going to use the word incorrectly and look foolish instead.

*pounce*

I rarely see the issue the O.P. is talking about. If anything most online forums I visit are more like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clYwX8Z43zg.

I don't think it does you any good to be spouting out big words willy nillily. Using words like replemishing, probleming, condensity and frightenedness are too long and complicated. Syllables count is too high on those. I just don't understand why some people would want to overcomplicate words.

I use "big" words from time to time myself (not really big or unheard of, just generally not used in casual conversation). But only if I can't think of another word that fits in it's place. I haven't met anyone who does it simply to sound smart though, they seem to use it appropriately enough.

Uh, I don't think I've ever heard contumacious used before, but intransigent isn't particularly uncommon. I hear it a lot in reports about progress, or lack thereof, in negotiations.

Personally, if expressing my point accurately requires a choice between using one "big" word or using several smaller words that may not be as exact in the end I'll choose the big one.