Comments on: The big problem with big words (hint: they make you look stupid)

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 08 May 2018 20:03:57 +0000

When I was a little girl I cannot read big words that’s is the disability I have

By: 2 cents

2 cents — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 23:53:06 +0000

I think that the real truth is that people are so insecure that they can not stand when anyone says something that makes them feel less special or smart. People can understand what is said when big words are used by the context but their ego’s get in the way of just moving forward and listening. They lose focus and start being judgemental because they have no tolerance for people that aren’t like them. They are enabled by articles like this and authors like this because he is a fellow “hater”. He is the “wordsmith” he brags but then contest using big words is bragging? Lol.. People nowadays are so entitled. Also in truth there are many studies on teachers and professors grading unfairly as a result of bias and preconceptions as well as rushing to complete their work quickly. Let’s just dumb it down for our professors to make their lives easier? No, how about they take a moment to think about what is being said in case their is depth added with purpose by the word selections used. Incredible amounts of research shows that people with higher levels of vocabulary make more money get better jobs have more successes careers. In reality, people like to see people on tv and in places where it’s “glorified” to use big words as being admirable because they are at a distance and not thought about on the same level as them. When someone they know is right next to them using big word they feel threatened and now that person is pretentious and deserves to be judged. No, how about that person reads in retains information better so they naturally use the words that are in their head because they are their more often from reading so easier to access in their minds. Every body else doesn’t read so they sound like foreign language to them and now the educated foreigner is the problem child all of the sudden! lol. Get real get a life grow up act like adults please. Thanks.

By: Eva

Eva — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 01:07:42 +0000

I didn’t realize that I ever used “big words” until someone said “Why do you use such big words? Are you trying to sound smart?” I wasn’t. I just have a decent vocabulary.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 05:13:14 +0000

I agree, I think people dislike the “high-complexity” because they don’t understand it, therefore making them angry and less likely to vote for it. If a University is deliberately denying people for “high-complexity” essays, it sounds like a conspiracy to only get dumb students that cannot question what is being taught. This is the same garbage being spread about “cuss” words, and using them frequently somehow makes you smart, or smarter. Using cuss words doesn’t mean your smart; cuss words just make you appear to have no knowledge, or control of the English language. Cuss words are the “Double Plus good”, or “Double Plus ungood” of a scentence, example: @@@@ yes! @@@@ no!

By: Elisha

Elisha — Mon, 08 May 2017 17:19:57 +0000

Some words are too big for somebody to even remember after 5 seconds.I would rather desist from using such words.

By: Thanh

Thanh — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 15:00:09 +0000

smart = knowing many things
smart aleck = knowing many things + *needing* to show people you’re smart
wise = knowing many things + making it easier for people to understand

The point isn’t to avoid using *any* big words.

The point is to avoid using *unnecessarily* big words, when smaller words still get the *idea* across.

“If you can’t explain it simply, then you don’t understand it well enough.”
– quote (mis)attributed to Albert Einstein

By: Naomi

Naomi — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 23:44:16 +0000

I don’t think it means depressed, more anticipating t c you. Could b in a good way

By: Naomi

Naomi — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 22:38:27 +0000

Ryan I like what you say and I agree.

By: David

David — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:47:59 +0000

I agree with you Ryan, sometimes when you have to explain a certain aspect of a situation, it is better to use a more complex word to better articulate the meaning. Take Greek for example, there are many words that means love(e.g. Love meaning brotherly love vs intimate sexual love), but all mean different type of love. Which has drastic effects on the meaning of the sentence. Similar to “said,whisper, shout” each has a different connotation and can change the tone/meaning completely

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 13:34:35 +0000

I forgot to add that using big words can significantly reduce the amount of words you use and thus, the amount of time it takes your readers to get the jist of what you have to say. ie. “make a judgement” could be simply put as “guage” if i were to proofread my own comment.