When major city newspaper headlines use really big rarely used words

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Maybe I'm just illiterate, but I don't remember the last time I had to use this word for anything, nor heard it used by anybody I know.

This makes me happy, of course, to see a newspaper do this. :)

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 6 April 2003 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I wrote this big long post about how a woman I know heard the word "calibrate" on TV and said they should have a glossary for all the "big words" they use when covering the war...but it made me sound like an elitist bitch. Maybe I am, though. I'm always surprised when I have to explain the words I'm using in normal conversation--this happens regularly with certain people. And I don't think it's because I'm so fantastically intelligent. It seems that some people get intimidated by anything but the most simple language.

Once in a while when reading bits of the Wall Street Journal, I have to look up a word. That always pleases me. The New York Times is pretty good with using interesting vocab as well.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Sunday, 6 April 2003 03:11 (twenty-two years ago)

In a report at work I used the word 'caesurae' (I was talking about how our software development procedures had gaps and stumbling points in them). No one understood it. My first thought as to what to use instead was 'lacunae', but I resisted. I know Julia's experience.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 6 April 2003 09:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Ideally, a newspaper does away with unneccessary big words because they're trying to speak to ALL people. One Editorial Writer I work with says that he worries more about big ideas than big words, while a certain columnist holds firm that if a word is in the dictionary, sooner or later, he's going to use it.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Sunday, 6 April 2003 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

ha, I was very pleased a while ago when I legitimately used 'antidisestablishmentarianism' in conversation with, I believe, The Pinefox.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 6 April 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

It pisses me off every time Stuart Mcconie uses the word 'segue'. He says it every week at least one thousand times when he is doing his radio programme. His programme is the Critical List and I know he has to make connections, as it is a listomania's dream of a programme but he needs help. Anyone out here willing to help Stuart use a Thesaurus without damaging his confidence? Segue Segue - just say it a few times to yourself and you will know what I means - segue segue segue. It gets you in the end and you will have to drop it into intelligent dinner conversation once you have wrapped your lips around the word once or twice. Hmmmm S e g u e..

― kayT (kaytee), Sunday, 6 April 2003 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I just heard someone say this on the radio the other day, but I thought it was cute: "oh hey, good segue...." in a tone of pleased surprise, like it was not something that happened often.

― isadora (isadora), Sunday, 6 April 2003 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

B-but it's reconnoitre

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 6 April 2003 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

(sorry)

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 6 April 2003 22:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha! Seattle times rephrased their headline!

Tentacles Of Illiterate Status Quo : 1
Nice Big Words : 0

― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 6 April 2003 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

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