Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice...

In my interpersonal communications class they talk about self discovery and "self communication". One principal of self-communication is INTRApersonal communication, wherein one thinks about the very thoughts they are thinking about at that very moment they are thinking them. (whereas some people really don't think about their thoughts) Anyway, it really made me think!



I felt like they were describing me! Lol!

So here I am, thinking about my thoughts, which are that we have some really great words in the English language and its a shame I don't take advantage of them more. Sort of like cooking only with salt & pepper. I like a little bit more "flavor" and "spice". So then I started thinking of myriads of words I really love and would/should use more often... Myriad being one of them.

I don't know why, but words get me excited like cooking with spices does. I was ecstatic to use the word "penitential" the other day in describing my Sunday post. I mean, how often does *that* word come up, right? Then immediately, I thought of a few others...



Juxtapose

Commingling

Auspicious

Insidious

Incredulous

Ambiguous

Equivocal

Antiquate





I began to make a list- in my blackberry of course - of "words to use more often". Lame, I know.

I mean on the one hand I should want to keep things simple. I would never want come off as a wiseacre or anything. Like I really HATE when people use BIG WORDS just to show off or try to ACT like they are super educated or superior, and talk over everyone else's head.



But on the other hand, I am so drawn to words I find myself wanting to know more; to learn more. Of course the ultimate desire is then to put these words to use, apply it to practicum.



Perhaps I shall just make use of these words in moderation as not to overwhelm anyone, hehehe.



What about you? Are there words you just LOVE to use? Or wish you had the opportunity to use more?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm definitely going to put practicum on the list :) .

greenolive said...

I'm pretty simple as are my words. I don't even know the meanings of some of the words you just put out there. I also don't use many spices in my cooking so I guess I'm just dull and boring.

Alice in Wonderland said...

Daily I write on your post, but to no avail. AS far as I am aware you have never once responded to one of my musings. You were the very first person that I ever had any communication with, and you came very highly recommended from many people whom I correspond with on a daily basis. I was just musing on this fact and why you still continue to ignore me. Could it be that I am English?
Hum, I wonder why that could be?

tadonn! said...

Judicious, use of laudatory language is appropriate in particular social realms. Then, of course, you have to account for the lexicon of the participants in the conversation. Interests may wain when unfamiliar words are unabashedly heaped upon the audience. I find myself juxtaposed in two realms at times. One of a professional manner and the other is a corpulent, russet colored neck world. HAHA I love the word corpulent!

tadonn! said...

Judicious, use of laudatory language is appropriate in particular social realms. Then, of course, you have to account for the lexicon of the participants in the conversation. Interests may wain when unfamiliar words are unabashedly heaped upon the audience. I find myself juxtaposed in two realms at times. One of a professional manner and the other is a corpulent, russet colored neck world. HAHA I love the word corpulent!

Susie said...

I love plethera. It makes me sound so smart:-) Hee, hee, hee.

Puphigirl said...

I love both myriad and plethora. I also love to use ostentatious, ubiquitous and facetious.

Alice in Wonderland said...

Emma, Please don't take my comment the wrong way. Nothing mean was meant of it. It was just when I first started posting, I was really shy and didn't know quite what I was doing, so a couple of friends recommended that I started to write on your blog. But then I got a bit disheartened because I wasn't getting any feed-back. I didn't mean anything bad or unrespectful to you. Yours is the first post that I read everyday. And I'll still keep on posting to you!
Good-Luck at the Dentist!
Big Hugs

okeydokeyifine said...

Not me. I play to the crowd. In work I try to use the most simplest terms with my patients. Sometimes a doc or a co-worker will use a term I have not even thought about simce school. I recognize it and then try to figure out a way to use it in laymans' terms. One nurse LOVES to use big words to impress us lowly pions. Well, one day she gave report to me and described the symptom of the patient. Immediately a medical term popped into my mind and I wrote it on my paper. The next morning I gave report to this same nurse and used the medical term. She said "That's the word I was searching for." I guess it really bugged her not to remember the term. Some times I don't even try to remember the correct term as long as I get the meaning across. I guess I like words and all but I am more comfortable with the regular, simple words,... that is until you get me in a word game, then watch out. I will use every medical term I can to stump you. hahahahaha

Ruthykins said...

nursemom will use medical terms, but once i got her. we were playing dictionary dabble and i said something had to do with simple squamous cells and she voted for me. oh, yeah, the hunter has become the hunted. anyway, i don't use big words that often when i am just talking to people. i hate when teachers use big words when they are teaching. i think that if you are teaching then you should be making the student understand and not just show off. one time i asked a question and the teacher starts in on this long explanation and he used the word pedagogical. now, i'd learned that word before, so i knew what he was talking about. he stopped and asked me if i knew that word. i said yes and that it had to do with teaching. he seemed impressed. i just couldn't help thinking why was he using words that he thought i wouldn't understand? that's not being a good teacher. anyway, this was many years ago, but it still bugs me. i also impressed him by knowing the word caduceus.
so basically i think language can be great and fun, but obfuscation will get you no where with certain crowds. also, i like the way your thoughts fluctuate.

Anonymous said...

My Dad was an English teacher so big words are in my vocabulary. I find that I'm able to turn them on and off for whichever is appropriate in the current conversation.