• Monument@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    An ex once told me her mother wasn’t a fan because talking to me was like talking to a thesaurus.

    Yeah, well, Donna, your daughter decided to start fucking me because I was the only person who could consistently beat her at words with friends.

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      There’s an episode of Northern Exposure where a young woman says to Ed “give me your words” in a very sexual way. It’s outrageously funny, and simultaneously insightful.

      If you’ve never watched it, the writers are all about studying people, warts and all. Very thought-provoking.

    • MutilationWave@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      I had a girlfriend try to make me speak differently because I embarrassed her by using big words in front of others. The company you keep eh?

        • MutilationWave@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          4 months ago

          Back then I was a mess socially. I’m still an introvert but I code switch like a pro. I only break out the big vocab with close friends who know I’m not trying to look smart.

    • MutilationWave@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      I’ve noticed that many fluent English speakers who had a different native language come across as better speakers than English natives.

      • Wilzax@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        4 months ago

        Balderdash, the specificity employed in this context was superfluous in comparison to the minimum required for conveying his emotional response to the situation.

    • OpenStars@discuss.onlineEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      Consecrated fecal material, I entertained the notion that I had embarked upon this adventure without companions!

  • Zexks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    My oldest bitches about me doing this constantly. ‘We haven’t learned that yet’. ‘Sorry it’s all the voices gave me’.

  • _number8_@lemmy.worldEnglish
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    4 months ago

    i like when people use big words cause then i can learn a new word. it’s nice knowing words to say stuff with

  • Infynis@midwest.socialEnglish
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    4 months ago

    I write a lot of fantasy, and that definitely affects my practical vocabulary. I don’t think the specificity is needless though, especially in English, this Frankenstein of cognates and loaner words. You have so many options because the human experience is so diverse and multifaceted. Clarity helps, and it makes language more beautiful, something we should all strive for

  • toynbee@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    There was a Basic Instructions comic about exactly this, but unfortunately the only thing I can remember about it is that the protagonist describes someone’s hair as “turgid” and “basic instructions turgid hair” isn’t getting many relevant results.

    Also, is “chariots chariots” related to the rest of the post or am I just oblivious?

    edit: s/coming/comic

    • unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      Reminds me of my lawyer relative talking about defending a case involving undercover cops and strip clubs. “Turgid” is a legal concept, I guess. Honestly I think that’s very stupid.

      • toynbee@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        4 months ago

        Apparently it can mean “excessively embellished in style or language,” so I guess if you were to describe a legally contested situation in a … Turgid manner, it could distort any case made based on your testimony? IANAL, so that’s just a wild swing at the appropriate application based on one web search.

        Preemptive aside: I’ve seen lots of jokes made, so for anyone not familiar, IANAL is neither sexual nor any kind of innuendo or entendre.

  • BluesF@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    Damn, no one ever put it into words like that but this describes me perfectly