My vocabulary is too high
NowhereWoman
Velociraptor
Joined: 1 Jul 2009
Age: 57
Gender: Female
Posts: 499
Location: Los Angeles, CA
I've always had an above-average vocabulary too and it has actually worked against me a bit...for example, people assume I'm very bright, and I am definitely very, very average (IQ of 127, IIRC?). Therefore, they have always expected great things from me. "You're SO SMART, why aren't you an engineer or nuclear physicist or doctor or something?" Because although I know eighty bajillion (which isn't a word, BTW, LOL!) words, I'm kind of a dope! Hope that answers the question!
I have also had the unfortunate experience - over and over and over again - of people thinking I'm being condescending or putting on airs by using ten-dollar words. I find myself making deliberate grammatical errors and using ridiculous slang in order to not seem like I'm acting affected and snobbish.
OTOH, a large vocabulary is FUN...at least to me. I love words, I love saying many different words to myself, I love searching the original meanings of words in their original languages and imagining how the root word evolved into the word I use today, step by step. I imagine the original word spoken in its original accent and I try to imagine a person speaking it that way and what his or her life might have been like, and conversations might have been like. Weirdly, I find that great fun.
I wouldn't say, overall, that having a large vocabulary is "bad," but neither is it inherently (or in any way, really) "superior" or even, in many cases, useful. For me it's useful, but I'm a writer and editor. Knowing lots of words helps make my writing more natural and interesting, as repeating the same words, particularly if you do so in close proximity (for example, in the same paragraph...or, ouch, the same sentence!) sounds very amateurish. So I guess in that way it's served me well. But that's about the only way. (Besides the self-entertainment I described.)
FWIW, my vocabulary will never make up for the fact that I can't count past 10 unless I take off my shoes! (Let me know if you get the joke...)
I say, just enjoy it. People have areas they excel in, others they're not quite as hot in, and a few they utterly fail in. Vocab is one of your strengths so just enjoy or at least accept it.
One: People will not really get your disability and judge you by abilities measurable to them such as expression, rationality and IQ. High functioning and low functioning just is about cognitive functionality. It has nothing to do with social functionality which many people on this site err about.
My example: Everyone wants to send me off to college after I became unemployed, while I have doubts of if I will even make it. The people tend to evaluate me by a high IQ score and how broad my knowledge supposedly is. You will have to deal with that because it is obviously not going to go away any time soon. I recommend you a teaspoon of apathy. Apathy keeps you from getting frustrated over these things. But too much apathy can mess you up badly.
Ignore what the NT say about you. Its their pride and jealousy flowing up to their heads and forcing them to say nonsensical BS.
I have also had the unfortunate experience - over and over and over again - of people thinking I'm being condescending or putting on airs by using ten-dollar words. I find myself making deliberate grammatical errors and using ridiculous slang in order to not seem like I'm acting affected and snobbish.
OTOH, a large vocabulary is FUN...at least to me. I love words, I love saying many different words to myself, I love searching the original meanings of words in their original languages and imagining how the root word evolved into the word I use today, step by step. I imagine the original word spoken in its original accent and I try to imagine a person speaking it that way and what his or her life might have been like, and conversations might have been like. Weirdly, I find that great fun.
I wouldn't say, overall, that having a large vocabulary is "bad," but neither is it inherently (or in any way, really) "superior" or even, in many cases, useful. For me it's useful, but I'm a writer and editor. Knowing lots of words helps make my writing more natural and interesting, as repeating the same words, particularly if you do so in close proximity (for example, in the same paragraph...or, ouch, the same sentence!) sounds very amateurish. So I guess in that way it's served me well. But that's about the only way. (Besides the self-entertainment I described.)
FWIW, my vocabulary will never make up for the fact that I can't count past 10 unless I take off my shoes! (Let me know if you get the joke...)
I say, just enjoy it. People have areas they excel in, others they're not quite as hot in, and a few they utterly fail in. Vocab is one of your strengths so just enjoy or at least accept it.
Good post. I'm the same way.
I like rich vocabularies, too. The main problem is, you can't really keep one if you can't access any environment where its use is acceptable.
_________________
The red lake has been forgotten. A dust devil stuns you long enough to shroud forever those last shards of wisdom. The breeze rocking this forlorn wasteland whispers in your ears, “Não resta mais que uma sombra”.
Hah, exactly what happens to me.
I also have struggles with expressing myself without technical terms. It's how I speak and I can't change it.
_________________
btbnnyr
Veteran
Joined: 18 May 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,359
Location: Lost Angleles Carmen Santiago
Having a large vocabulary sure comes in handy when you're playing Scrabble. Over the years I've had to dumb down my language to fit in, even went so far as to subject myself to those ridiculous sitcoms which seem as if they were written for dopes. I rarely "turn myself down" these days especially since I'm trying to get as high a score as possible with computer Scrabble.
_________________
One Day At A Time.
His first book: http://www.amazon.com/Wetland-Other-Sto ... B00E0NVTL2
His second book: https://www.amazon.com/COMMONER-VAGABON ... oks&sr=1-2
His blog: http://seattlewordsmith.wordpress.com/
I often find myself having to explain words to people when I speak. However, a substantial vocabulary is a great thing to have and a great thing to treasure and add to.
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There's such a thing as "too much of a vocabulary for the occasion," though.
One has to seek to speak appropriately to the situation.
If you're going to the candy store, you shouldn't talk about Nietzsche.
If you're at a philosophical convention, you shouldn't talk about cotton candy.
This was something that was very very isolating for me as a child. I always spoke "inappropriately" in that I would speak in a manner not befitting of my age/size/social status/gender. My syntax, diction, and inflection were always too "antiquated" too "rigid" and too "pedantic" or "bookish". I detest this however, and, were I given the option, I would speak in as highfaluting a manner as I would like. I believe part of my lexical propensity is due to the fact that I derived most of my language from books and adopted the speaking habits of the written word as opposed to the verbal language of my peers. I digress!! !
I meant to state that I find such an idea to be very depressing- one must not speak of heady things as one chose or how one choses, but rather on the basis of environmental cues and context. How depressing. However, that might be an Aspie thing to say I am not sure...
Even when I was in college, my professors commented on how "naturally academic" my speech and writing patterns were.
I would LOVE to speak this way to every soul I meet in a day. However, I have come to the devastating conclusion that 99% of people around me would take away nothing of our conversations were I to do so.. : (! !! !
I find code-switching helps. (Toggling back and forth between the preferred and then "socially-acceptable" lexicon/script based on the people/surroundings)
I find it rather painful and oh-so disappointing to "turn myself down" or "dumb down". For me the richness of vocabulary my vocabulary and of my companions (during conversation) evokes great pleasure and provides me great spiritual sustenance.
btbnnyr
Veteran
Joined: 18 May 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,359
Location: Lost Angleles Carmen Santiago
I have not thought of high vocab as sign of intelligence, people who speak in plain language and get to the point seem more intelligent to me that people who use lots of big words or flowery language.
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Drain and plane and grain and blain your brain, and then again,
Propane and butane out of the gas main, your blain shall sustain!
Advice: Tell your therapist exactly what you wrote here. Tell her/him how much this issue bothers you.
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