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

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I think that has now been superseded by 'The Working People'.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I think that has now been superseded by 'The Working People'.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

[Big Beat Steve]

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.

O.K., as another non-native speaker but very interested in language and its nuances too, may I weigh in here?

About "awesome". I fully agree with those who find it highly inappropriate in its inflationary use today. So if you seem to have used it often yourself and now wonder about synonyms, just think about it from that angle:

Consider the ACTUAL and KEY meaning of "awe" in its original sense and decide for yourself if what you think is "awesome" reallly is that "awe-inspiring" that it TRULY deserves being called that. Are there that many instances in our everyday lives where what we experience holds us that much in awe? Particularly if people make a habit of calling their morning cup of coffee "awesome" just because it tastes good - or their ride to work if for once they have not got stuck in a bad traffic jam but just were able to zip through. See what I mean? If you (not YOU in person - I don't know how you use the word exactly, but the people out there at large) use those superlatives wherever you go and move then it all gets numbed down from over-use. And if you consider everything "awesome" then in the end NOTHING is REALLY "awesome" anymore.

So why not just nuance things in your use of the langueage? Is there any shortage of words to express your appreciation, ranging from "nice" to "great" to "excellent" to "marvelous" to "cool" to ... whatever ... ("whatever" HERE meaning any number of other words that aren't really difficult to think of but no point in rattling off Webster's Dictionary )

Now, about "whatever" in the sense you complain about, I see what you mean and sometimes you no doubt are right that it just shows indifference and unwillingness to get into an exchange, but I beg to disgree in your generalization. I can think of a dozen situations where that single-word reply "whatever" sounds more like a CONCLUDING verbal shrugging of shoulders rather meaning something like "We've tried to discuss this and I have tried to make my point and get through to you but you just don't want to listen or to take up that argument to take the discussion further so I have said all I could possibly say. Make of it whatever you want but don't bug me anymore now, will ya?" You see, it's all about nuancing, and sometimes I can understand people who cut things short this way instead of getting too verbose over and over again. I've witnessed it among native speakers in quite a few cases in this sense as the culmination of an exchange which in the end turned out to be fruitless, at least to the one who cut things short with that one-word reply of "whatever".

Hope I've been able to get through to you with that ...

Edited June 12, 2015 by Big Beat Steve

[page]

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.

I'm sorry to hear that, erwbol. There are many people like you I think. The Dutch don't like and some seem to be embarrassed about their language even. I just love pretty words and expressions and all that has to do with language and yes. my own still has a special place and a preference to express in. In highschool, somewhere around age 14 I think, I had to read an excercise at Dutch class and give the answer to a question with the expression "in dubio staan', so I did. The whole class laughed at me until the teacher stated I was correct. Apparently I was the only one who had heard about this expression and was using it. I love little specifics and differences how you can say things this way or another and yes I think Dutch is a really beautiful language, so I can only pity you don't agree. I even started to write my own, Dutch, lyrics to familiar jazz songs since there are not that many supporters of Dutch jazz and really it suits. It is and has been fun. Like you I do watch a lot of BBC too. I love English as well and there is lots of my interest to watch on that channel. My spelling in Dutch isn't as good as it used to be since the spelling has changed a few times and they said simplification was needed. At the start of my teaching career it was pretty good. Now I'm not into education anymore, I sometimes just choose to write something the old fashioned way since I believe it is a loss we've changed some words to simplify. The young should know why and where these words came from, what the history behind the word or expression it is. Well. sorry, that is a "stokpaardje'' of mine, so I won't trouble you with it and it is not that I'm against progression. There are things not to like in this country, but for me it isn't the language.

Met vriendelijke groet.

page

Edited June 13, 2015 by page