How is your vocabulary? How frequently do you learn new words?

Question

Rosexøxø · Accepted Answer

I only

learn and look into new words that arise.

I wanted to incorporate a few new words I really was fond of, but I thought to myself- how many people would think I was being too extra or didn’t even know that word? I’d hate to embarrass them or have to explain it to them, and also, it just didn’t seem right to use it when talking about buying a candy bar at the dollar store. Why would anyone need a 50 dollar word when talking about basic candy, in day-to-day conversation? Lol

So I realized, then: yeah, I could update ALL my words to be more profound, but what would be the point? The goal of them was to simplify explanations to other people, by essentially using less words, but if people don’t know them, then we take up more time and use more words to explain it to them, and possibly use a more layman’s term, type of word, anyways. In addition.

I figure, if I can convey what I’m trying to say in the easiest/basic words that can be understood by others, then I’m a great communicator. Communicators ensure their listeners/receivers know what they’re talking about. Mediocre communicators, say what they say, and don’t really try- they just expect others to know, I suppose.

Even when it was the appropriate setting to use big words. It felt wrong because we were in a rush, so instead of saying a bigger word, I just had to talk simple and show them: hey, I mean business, let’s get this project done and we’ll all get back home.

So maybe if I were a writer or philosopher. Someone who creates laws/ articles/ formulas in science- then yeah, I should have a larger vocabulary and use it. Authors and poets should, too.

But I don’t see it as necessary to upgrade my entire vocabulary, or learn and memorize new words, always.

My vocab. hasn’t failed me this far in life. 🤷‍♀️

How’s my vocab?

It’s pretty average.. lol but I have learned a few exceptional or interesting words. See, I could’ve also said intriguing instead of interesting, but they almost seem the same in letter count and pretty synonymous. Why would I go out of my way to endorse and promote bigger words? What’s the gain or benefit?

I suppose people in spelling bees or those who wish to exercise their brain more, could do so. That would be very nice.

Also most people learn two languages anyways lol their language and the language of their work. Doctors have their own set of terms that must be learned. Medical language. Police/ EMT/ and other emergency responders. All major careers have their language/dialect/lingo

so most people can be bilingual or trilingual, in that sense 😂.

They would, then, obviously have a bit more of an extended vocabulary bank than others. Theirs would also just be varied, compared to others and their own careers- and set of known languages.

jennifer_bloom · Accepted Answer

My vocabulary has been incredible ever since I was 10 years old but the result was I got bullied at poetry competitions and class room discussions because people hated the girl who knew all the big words. I got banned from writing about my favourite topics cause people were jealous of my writing skills. I got banned from sharing my writing in creative classes cause I was viewed as somebody who made other writers feel dumb and I had TA’s lie about the number of correct answers I got on tests and assignments cause they were jealous I knew all these big words. I also had five teachers accuse me of plagiarism and three of them went out of their way to humiliate me in front of the entire class when I was innocent of all cheating.

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

The new "words" I learn at this point are primarily just whatever slang young people are using now.
Otherwise, my vocabulary is mostly set; even if I learn new words, I likely will use other equivalent words that I've used for years.
However, some words that I read in various sources I have to see them several times to have them sink in and then use them; often, these words are words that I know the meaning now, but still would not use in a sentence that I would compose.

One particular word that I learned a few years ago that I noted as a new word in my vocabulary was "sartorial".
Also, some terms from literature:
bildungsroman
roman à clef
conceit

Yesterday, I learned a word from philosophy: "telos".
It was in this Wall Street Journal letter to the editor:

TITLE: Disrupting the Biological Telos of America’s Children
SUBTITLE: 'Our beautiful children are being persuaded that becoming the woman or man that they were born to become is a source of misery.'
April 7, 2023 10:16 am ET
www.wsj.com/.../disrupting-the-biological-telos-of-americas-children-trans-surgery-kids-gender-52b08cc1

That a mother, a father, a pediatrician, an internist, a surgeon and two clinical psychologists would disrupt the natural growth and development of a child with hormones and permanent surgery shows the frightening power of cultural contagion in our time (“My Child’s Gender Transition,” Letters, April 4).

If our beautiful children are being persuaded that becoming the woman or man that they were born to become is a source of misery, and we respond with agreement, giving them permanent surgical interventions that go against their biological telos, we are insane. The father’s letter deepens my sorrow over this cultural insanity, which is harming a generation of children born in the wrong time and place.

D_Bone_Steak · Accepted Answer

Very hard to explain since I probably speak teenage-level Japanese as well as this language. I just cracked open a Jorden Peterson book and I find myself having to use the dictionary to learn a plethora of new words. I guess it would be great to have a spectacular vernacular, but I like to keep it based and just say something like vadge. Check this out.

Bussy.

Just random words like that throws off all the intellectuals that already know all the big words. When they go to look it up they'll be like "WTF?" It's also good to tone down the use of big words here... I've noticed it pisses some people off. Even if you do it around a person that's doing the same thing... they know what you're doing. It's like when I forced myself to read Mein Kampf... I felt like the fucker was using all those gigantic words just to try and sound smart.

Fuck all that... I'm here to fucking chill and the only reason I write so much is because I was trained to type 95WPM in the military and I'm not sitting on my phone chicken-pecking the shit out of that screen like a monkey that sometimes eats it's own poop.

That was one minute...213 and going amount of words it says... and counting I guess. Time for me to just STFU.

BCRanger10 · Answer

Fairly extensive. I really like the Dictionary App's Word of the Day. I've asked a couple of questions based on it...

Are you a toxophilite?

Do you suffer from nomophobia?

I've also asked a couple of questions about the word "MacGuffin", but they always seem to flop. Makes me sad.

EricSummer · Answer

If you use short words you need to learn just a few. You can say all with short words in your talk and in what you write. It can be a bit odd, but they will get what you want to say. From time to time it is good to learn a new word, that is clear as well, but you do not need new long words all the time.

sage2021 · Answer

It's improved since listening to tv programs that have intelligent people on them.

One word I wish was never said us the word mitigate! Just about everyone uses it constantly. And what cracks me up is when the person is saying mitigate, they act like they invented it.🙄

That word was used a lot when COVID was here. Dr. Fauchi said it back then, and now people use it for just about everything!

Potteplante · Answer

My English vocabulary is pretty decent I'd say. It's not as good as my Icelandic and Danish vocabulary but I've always gotten by with it.

I learn new words almost daily - it's a part of my journaling routine, right now it's centered around old Norse.

Z1pTD · Answer

It's decent but it's definitely gone downhill in the last year. During HS I had a good vocabulary because I was that one fb player who would be caught writing and selling poems lyrics short stories etc (which in hindsight is kinda cringe but also very comical)
And then I spent a year /actually/ trying to write and make money off that so ofc my vocabulary skyrocketed
AND then after a year I had to get a real job and here I am with an acceptable but depleted vocabulary that my HS and writer self would be crying ab if I wasn't too busy

FunkyMonkee · Answer

I tend to have a fairly large lexicon but, in today's world, not many people use "bigger" words (so many people today don't even know the difference between there, they're and their or, to, too and two) so, I just don't learn newer ones, anymore. I don't know what they're learning in school anymore but it sure ain't the basics!!

Lliam · Answer

I have a great vocabulary in so much as knowing the meaning of words. I just have trouble sometimes coming up with the words I want when speaking or writing. Sometimes I have to scan my memory banks or even use an on-line thesaurus to come up with exactly what I want.

Christsdisciple15 · Answer

I think my vocabulary is quite extensive and I learn new words sometimes through crosswords so I’ll say every other week!
But often I’ll forget what the words I’ve learnt mean and will have to google them to double check if I’m using them right

The_Shadow_Dweller · Answer

I use the wordwise in Kindle to retrieve the new words I see when readong the doc. Seems to work for me as I note them down in Notion or on a paper.

10 to 15 words every 2 days, I guess.

And thanks to this, my vocabulary is pretty good.

LickSmack · Answer

I Love language. (One of my stronger subjects in school) Reading books, particularly classics, is a sure way to broaden the vocabulary. I don't know as much as I'd like, but as I learn, I'll continue to stretch.

Static_In_The_Attic · Answer

Knowledge is power & communication is the key & as for me I always like adding new words to my vocabulary especially words like Collywobbles, Catawampus & Floccinaucinihilipilification.

DancingQueen16 · Answer

I think my vocabulary is pretty big because as a child I watched a lot of educational tv shows that had to do with grammer

Kylie_M · Answer

I think my vocabulary is pretty advanced. I read a lot so I pick up a lot of words from that. I'd say I learn a new word on average about every day from school (especially in classes like biology) and other stuff.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

Once you are fluent in a language it's getting rarer and rarer, unless you go into professional dictionaries (e. g. medical English). I recently learned a new English word: "Romper". :-D

slatyb · Answer

My vocabulary is excellent. The last new word I learned was "gormless", seen in "The Epicure's Delight" by Kate Christensen.

Boomchakalaca · Answer

My friend has excellent vocabulary and every-time i text him, i’m learning a new word each day. Its kinda annoying cuz i hav to google words like “cadence”

Paige90 · Answer

My vocabulary is exceptionally good. Also, I don't say "like" in every sentence which indicates a low IQ.

OfMiceandMen · Answer

Vocab is not too bad. I pick up on some new words once in awhile.

Anonymous · Answer

I am not good in English, although i am doing mphil but still i have bad vocabulary when it comes to English and i am not ashamed of it as it is not our native language. Still learninh words when i read something.

Tina19 · Answer

I had this habit of reading dictionary since childhood because i was interested in learning new words so since then it's one of my hobby

BungusHighFivePizza · Answer

What u mean with this vacabularians? Just talk normal.

Miristheiss · Answer

Almost daily, at least weekly. Usually new German words I will encounter.

RockyHammock · Answer

Lmao, I dont mean to brag, but I've used all the words in your question before

Legendarylegacy13 · Answer

Well, I don't think there are any more cursing words unless I learn another language.

exitseven · Answer

It is pretty good. I learn new words every day.

AnusNdaPainus · Answer

Only when I travel apparently other people in America speak a different kind of English than we do in the south

Still-alive · Answer

Pretty much weekly if not daily. I use more and more too i found. Language can be a very useful too to convey ideas if used well.

RoastedToast · Answer

My vocaburary ish amazing. I dun need to learn anything else. Engrish? Completed it mate

Anonymous · Answer

I stopped learning after school. Its going backwards

noohair · Answer

I just try to not use the word, "like". It has been like totally overused.

ChefPapiChulo · Answer

Improving sentence structure is more important than having a large vocabulary.

Inquisitive98 · Answer

I should be incorporated more luxurious words into my speech. I am intellectually deficient.

Anonymous · Answer

Mines impeccable haha  Honestly it depends on who and my environment.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Somewhat splendiferous.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

I like to learn new words.

SawerBrown · Answer

I think inhaveca fairly good vocabulary.

BarryLiverstone · Answer

I daily play wordle. I’m average in my lexicon

Imsmurter1 · Answer

I enjoy growing my vocabulary

EaterPeter · Answer

Ok, new word every couple of days

LovrUFFAllls · Answer

I learned bad words ever day!

Sabretooth · Answer

Once in awhile.

alearningboy · Answer

not much i think

eagle1951 · Answer

almost every day

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