It seems to be a quiet day, so…

[EmilyMiller]

…I used “epitrochoid” in a story today. It’s in my Geek Pride contribution, so maybe forgivable . Also everyone will have forgotten about this thread by the time it’s published. I may be dead by then.

What’s the most pretentiously recherché and exclusionary / elitist word you have used recently and how smug did you feel about using it?

As a subsidiary question, have you discussed your aberrant and antisocial lexical behavior with your therapist?

Em

 

[HordHolm]

…I used “epitrochoid” in a story today. It’s in my Geek Pride contribution, so maybe forgivable . Also everyone will have forgotten about this thread by the time it’s published. I may be dead by then.

What’s the most pretentiously recherché and exclusionary / elitist word you have used recently and how smug did you feel about using it?

As a subsidiary question, have you discussed your aberrant and antisocial lexical behavior with your therapist?

Em

I used 'susurration' in something I submitted a couple of days ago to a magazine. I was quite pleased with that one.

As for my antisocial lexical behaviour... my wife is a PhD linguist so I get all the therapy I need (and far, far more) at home.

 

[EmilyMiller]

As for my antisocial lexical behaviour... my wife is a PhD linguist so I get all the therapy I need (and far, far more) at home.

I am 100% certain the double entendre is strong in this one .

Em

 

[AlinaX]

I adore susurration...

 

[EmilyMiller]

I adore susurration...

Onomatopoeia .

Em

 

[HordHolm]

I am 100% certain the double entendre is string in this one .

Em

Oh certainly not, no, never. I would never do that, ever.... Mind you, she loves that line from Ross in Friends, "linguists are wild!"

 

[MrPixel]

Hmm. Used to be that using $20 words would get you some change back. Not any more.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Mind you, she loves that line from Ross in Friends, "linguists are wild!"

I guess I should watch Friends. Would help me to commune better with people here .

I was minus three when it aired!

Em

 

[NoTalentHack]

I guess I should watch Friends. Would help me to commune better with people here .

I was minus three when it aired!

Em

I would avoid it. It... has not aged well in a lot of places.

 

[HordHolm]

I guess I should watch Friends. Would help me to commune better with people here .

I was minus three when it aired!

Em

It's ok - she got it from re-runs.

And to add to the linguistic geekiness the first words she ever said to me, as I emerged from a classroom for a very well-earned smoke break to find her standing waiting to confer with the new native speaking teacher (we're in Poland), were, "do you really always use a gerund after a preposition?" Needless to say it was... mild conversation at first sight.

 

[MrPixel]

Ohgawd... that's strange... the list of "Similar threads" at the bottom of the page links to a couple of the nastier threads in the Politics section (he says, knowing that all of Politics is OMFG nasty!). What in the heck is in here that could have triggered that?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Ohgawd... that's strange... the list of "Similar threads" at the bottom of the page links to a couple of the nastier threads in the Politics section (he says, knowing that all of Politics is OMFG nasty!). What in the heck is in here that could have triggered that?

That’s really odd isn’t it?

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

I would avoid it. It... has not aged well in a lot of places.

I can’t say that it’s on the top of my list TBH.

Em

 

[NoTalentHack]

You know, I honestly have no idea? I don't go out of my way to use fancy words, but I do have a pretty good vocabulary. I have no idea if I'm being a pretentious jerk or not.

I did use "allele" in "In Health," though. But that's more technical than clever.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I did use "allele" in "In Health," though. But that's more technical than clever.

Now that just seems quotidian to me, then I was [briefly] a Biologist.

Em

 

[NoTalentHack]

Ohgawd... that's strange... the list of "Similar threads" at the bottom of the page links to a couple of the nastier threads in the Politics section (he says, knowing that all of Politics is OMFG nasty!). What in the heck is in here that could have triggered that?

Probably "elitist." That's a popular buzzword for certain very, ahem, passionate folks.

 

[djrip]

I managed to include 'palimpsest' in my Valentine's day entry.

 

[John_Vandermeer]

Not sure it counts, but I included a bunch of (male genital) anatomical and associated medical terms, some of them in Latin, in one of my series. Everything from epididymis to corpus cavernosum to bulbourethral gland. Then again, all that is just professional language for my MC, who is an andrologist, and she just thinks like that (she is also a bit of a closeted castratrix that will have to stay closeted. Lit rules and all...).

 

[EmilyMiller]

Not sure it counts, but I included a bunch of (male genital) anatomical and associated medical terms, some of them in Latin, in one of my series. Everything from epididymis to corpus cavernosum to bulbourethral gland. Then again, all that is just professional language for my MC, who is an andrologist, and she just thinks like that (she is also a bit of a closeted castratrix that will have to stay closeted. Lit rules and all...).

I’ve had people complain about me using glans. And I gratuitously use frenulum as I like the word, it just rolls off the tongue .

Em

 

[HordHolm]

I’ve had people complain about me using glans. And I gratuitously use frenulum as I like the word, it just rolls off the tongue .

Em

Not sure if I should rise to that...

 

[Zootonius]

I try to eschew lexical obfuscation.

Which is a fancy way of saying I have to hide the shortcomings of my vocabulary. The fanciest word I used of late is balustrade.

 

[Zootonius]

I’ve had people complain about me using glans. And I gratuitously use frenulum as I like the word, it just rolls off the tongue .

Em

A had a comment complaining about my using the word 'rod.' If he found that word offensive you have to wonder how he could read any story here.

 

[HordHolm]

I try to eschew lexical obfuscation.

Which is a fancy way of saying I have to hide the shortcomings of my vocabulary. The fanciest word I used of late is balustrade.

Hey, balustrade is great! I can't remember the last time I even saw the word, let alone used it myself.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Hey, balustrade is great! I can't remember the last time I even saw the word, let alone used it myself.

Apropos of nothing, I consistently misname this work Balustrade.

It is of course really Belvedere.

Em

 

[Zootonius]

Apropos of nothing, I consistently misname this work Balustrade.

It is of course really Belvedere.

Em

Don't tell me you're an MC Escher fan?