DuckHairback wrote:
Hello. I've notice in other threads a couple of people have mentioned that they don't like when some of the people writing here use long, uncommon(?) words that many others might not be familiar with.
I know that I am one of those people. Growing up my vocabulary was always some way ahead of my peers. I don't think about it. I'm not trying to be clever or make anyone feel inadequate. I don't even notice I'm doing it.
But people have said to me that the language I use alienates people. And I wonder if it does add to the various ways in which I put people off in social situations.
For me, I think it comes from a desire to be precise. I choose my words very carefully and I often find that the lengthier, multisyllabic words carry nuance that isn't there in shorter words. I want to be precise because I'm scared of being misunderstood, as I feel I have been all my life.
So what do you think? Is there value in simplifying your language for others? Is there an obligation to do so? Why isn't that 'talking down' to people? If your goal is to be precise, but you end up turning people off, did you fail?
I like it when people choose their words in order to more exactly communicate their meanings. Trying to interpret what they actually meant to say is often difficult.
29 Jul 2022, 11:00 pm
