Verbophobia: who’s afraid of a big, bad word?
A friend was recently complaining about a colleague’s overuse of large words, saying that it rendered his sentences to a nearly incomprehensible level. The verbal killjoy then proceeded to state that the only reason this person used big, scary words was to make himself look (and feel) intelligent.
I took a little bit of offense to this since I am a lover and user of big words. I guess “big” really isn’t the operative word here, maybe “variety of” is a better fit. But more on that in a second.
I did a Google search and found that the hate for verbophiles (yeah, I made that up) is quite sizable. And I can understand their complaints, as I too have been around people who use large words simply because they want to appear sophisticated and smart or because they are some sort of extensively trained animatron programmed to dazzle and amaze. Daniel Oppenheimer, a researcher in the Department of Psychology at Princeton, did a study on the use of overly-complex words ironically titled “Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly” and found that pieces of writing containing strings of complex words were judged to have been written by someone who was not very intelligent. So perhaps this is some scientific evidence to back up the haters, but what does that mean for those of us who truly enjoy having an extensive vocabulary?
My favorite word is “duplicitous” and yes, I know what it means and I can use it properly in a sentence. I don’t have a private-school-merge-to-Harvard education, I was taught in West Virginia public schools and universities. It just so happens that when I was younger, I would go to the library and pick out 10 or so books at a time…and read them all. The bottom line is, if you read that much, you are bound to pick up some terms that are a bit out of the box.
I guess, on a basic level, that I can understand not wanting to read a book or hear a dialog that is littered with grandiose verbiage. It’s too much stuff to muck around in and figure out. It’s better to be an author with a creative mind for new word/phrase combinations as to invoke imagery rather than use the same old standby language (such as “meanwhile, back at the ranch”….it makes me shudder). As for me, I find that using a different and uncommon word here and there keeps my brain healthy and challenged. I don’t think about it, I just do it naturally; I don’t use big words in every sentence or because I need to impress someone, I do it because it makes me happy.
Maybe what I am trying to impart here is a tiny life lesson. If you are a hater of the verbally-gifted, take a hint from Cher in Clueless and sporatically learn a new word or two. Do it for your brain, because wrinkles are sexy. If you happen to be that guy who makes others dizzy from weaving nonsense with your rhetoric, remember that not everyone is as “cool” as you. Cut back to one big word per minute and never, ever use the word “recalcitrate” unless forced to by threat of death.
Does that pacify everyone? Good.
As a side note, while looking for a word meaning “fear of words”, I came across a website with an indexed list of phobias. Did you know that you could have a fear of flutes (aulophobia), property (orthophobia), and even fear of the great mole rat (zemmiphobia). That’s…..(checking Thesaurus.com)….numinous!
Adios!
