Innocent Words You Just Can't Trust About People You Don't Kno

[erwbol]

It seems there are no nouns, adjectives, and adverbs left that are safe to use.

[paul secor]

Keep in mind that these words only apply when applied to somebody you don't know yet. They may very well turn out to be that, but until then, you get that red flag feelin'.

Exactly. Depends on who's using them.

[.:.impossible]

It seems there are no nouns, adjectives, and adverbs left that are safe to use.

What do you think emoticons are for?

[paul secor]

The People - perhaps not used all that much today, but there was a time when it was used as a means of gaining political power or to sell someone or something. I used to figure that anyone who talked about "the people" had no interest in individual persons.

[BillF]

The People - perhaps not used all that much today, but there was a time when it was used as a means of gaining political power or to sell someone or something. I used to figure that anyone who talked about "the people" had no interest in individual persons.

Our Leader is particularly fond of referring to The British People when advocating policies that are alien to me and everyone I know.

Edited June 10, 2015 by BillF

[king ubu]

Fab thread here.

Guess as a non-native, one might be more prone to use one or the other of these words, without having the appropriate alarms going off all the time.

But in many cases, I would assume, it might depend on the context as well?

[A Lark Ascending]

Our Leader is particularly fond of referring to The British People when advocating policies that are alien to me and everyone I know.

I think that has now been superseded by 'The Working People'.

*************************

There's an ever changing dictionary of educational jargon that floods out of academia.

Some time in the late 80s/early 90s everything became 'problematic' (and if it didn't the academics would find ways to make it so).

'Accountability' seemed to become the buzzword about seven or eight years back.

I was at a university meeting last night about training teachers and came across a new one. 'Performability'. I think it meant the capacity of a trainee teacher to perform to the exacting standards now expected. We were told this is problematic. [Let me say I love the people I work with at that university and they are very practical and down to earth when training teachers; but they seem to be required to invent a new language as a way of enhancing the significance of what is being done].

[BillF]

Our Leader is particularly fond of referring to The British People when advocating policies that are alien to me and everyone I know.

I think that has now been superseded by 'The Working People'.

No, he still uses The British People to mean "fellow xenophobes". The Working People, as you've rightly pointed out, are a new entity - no longer the working class and untainted by the curse of scrounging.

[Jazzmoose]

Some time in the late 80s/early 90s everything became 'problematic' (and if it didn't the academics would find ways to make it so).

Only, as I remember, if you didn't think outside the box...

[Leeway]

"That's amazing!" - applied to things decidedly not amazing. A sort of reality inflation.

"I hear you" - a weasel phrase designed to avoid concurrence or opposition.

[A Lark Ascending]

Some time in the late 80s/early 90s everything became 'problematic' (and if it didn't the academics would find ways to make it so).

Only, as I remember, if you didn't think outside the box...

Or clear the decks for blue sky thinking.

[johnblitweiler]

The word "innovator" has become meaningless and useless. Which is OK for me, I never used the word much, there aren't a great many people who are really and truly innovators. Same goes for "deep" and "profound."

[Shawn]

I know a guy that describes almost every album and band as "brilliant". I've tried to point out to him that he's misusing the word, but then he just gets pissy.

[stephenrr]

I will punch the next person who tosses off "It is what it is"...Words are the only tools we have to express ourselves...cliches are lazy, missed opportunities to paint a verbal picture. I'm afraid we're raising an entire generation of boring, tiresome net-addicted illiterates.

[Shawn]

As someone that grew up in mostly rural areas in the pre-internet days I'm telling you that people aren't any dumber now than they were 30 years ago.

[JSngry]

As someone that grew up in mostly rural areas in the pre-internet days I'm telling you that people aren't any dumber now than they were 30 years ago.

I totally concree with that, It's like, if trees went blind, they'd not know they were the forest, isn't that the old saying?

[David Ayers]

My list of words really was from the Bobby Hackett entry in the Mosaic catalog. It's only a short entry. Leaves even da bastids in the dust.

[erwbol]

As someone that grew up in mostly rural areas in the pre-internet days I'm telling you that people aren't any dumber now than they were 30 years ago.

Nor are they more xenophobic and intolerant.

[A Lark Ascending]

As someone that grew up in mostly rural areas in the pre-internet days I'm telling you that people aren't any dumber now than they were 30 years ago.

Absolutely. I'd say the kids I teach are much sharper than I was at their age (not more or less intelligent...but sharper). They don't automatically absorb the cultural prejudices handed down by their elders (although they have the same trouble we all did resisting the cultural onslaught of big business).

I would now like to announce the prize winner:

'Art'.

Edited June 11, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[danasgoodstuff]

The word "innovator" has become meaningless and useless. Which is OK for me, I never used the word much, there aren't a great many people who are really and truly innovators. Same goes for "deep" and "profound."

But Ornette is all that, and a bag of chips!

[page]

I apologize for the use of the word "awesome" when that has been really annoying, any good synonyms for that one? My reply to the original question would be "whatever" used as a single reply. I hate that word. It shows that someone doesn't care really. As a lover of language I'm always interested in synonyms and learning to say something a different way. To me that is fun, interesting. I sometimes use 'lol' in my reply, but I do not mean the "laughing out loud" like people use that for, but a really old fashioned Dutch word for "fun" and I use it when a post makes me smile. Sorry, it has become sort of a habit.
In my language people sometimes ask things while just saying one word like "So?" In Dutch that would be "Want?" or "Dus?" Without really forming a friendly question, it is kind of demanding. I really do not like that.
When I write, poems or lyrics, in my own language, I often use Flemish words which have a sense of elegance as well as simplicity I really like. That is fun. Language is fun anyway, even the words I do not like are part of language and show things about how people grew up or where they are located. That is interesting to learn about. I'm still proud of my own language and will continue exploring how to express both verbally as well as in writing. English is a great language and I've learned so much just by being here and reading what other people have to say. Slang or any kind of other way of speaking is also nice to pick up on. I often miss out on humour as a non-native speaker, but I'm learning every day.
Thank you all for that!
Kind regards, page

Edited June 11, 2015 by page

[Tim McG]

No apology necessary, Page.

I am certain if we English speakers went to Finland with a modest understanding of the Finnish language, we would do the same or worse in that regard.

Seems to me that you have an excellent understanding of the English language and probably better than many who were born in America...."awesome" you might say.

Edited June 11, 2015 by TimMcG

[erwbol]

I don't share Page's enthusiasm for the Dutch language. I only read English language books, watch no Dutch television channels, no radio. I only listen to the BBC (online through a VPN). Get the news off the internet for free. By now my Dutch spelling must be worse than my English spelling, and I couldn't care less.

I live here, but have little love for this country.

[johnblitweiler]

The word "innovator" has become meaningless and useless. Which is OK for me, I never used the word much, there aren't a great many people who are really and truly innovators. Same goes for "deep" and "profound."

But Ornette is all that, and a bag of chips!

Of course. He is the exception.

[Jazzmoose]

My reply to the original question would be "whatever" used as a single reply. I hate that word. It shows that someone doesn't care really.

But that is exactly what the phrase is intended to convey. And yeah, it bugs me too.