Utah is the 45th state admitted to the Union, and there is no state remotely like it.
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03/19/11
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July 27, 2012
In a recent study, Daniel Oppenheimer, a psychologist at Princeton, wanted to see if short words were more effective than long words.
(And you thought we aren't researching the more important things.)
He took a handful of writing samples and replaced the simple words with longer ones.
In short, he created the kind of writing by thesaurus that some business people and techies employ when they want to sound intelligent.
The result? As the language got more complex, the estimation of the intelligence of the authors decreased.
Oppenheimer titled the study:
"Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly."
We can only hope it was meant to be ironical. Sorry, funny.
But Oppenheimer’s findings make perfect sense when you think about it. How can you improve on short words?
Love. Sun. Fun. Home. Grass. Food. Mom. Dad.
Short words are the words we grew up with and first uttered. Oops, spoke.
Happy is probably the best two-syllable word. Or benign, according to Woody Allen, especially if you put an it's in front of it.
Ernest Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954, five years after it was awarded to William Faulkner.
Neither writer cared for each other.
Faulkner declared that Hemingway had "never been known to use a word that might send the reader to the dictionary."
"Poor Faulkner," Hemingway responded. "Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don't know the ten-dollar words? I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use."
Although both were great writers, one might have to side with Hemmingway on this. If the idea is to stir emotions, all those trips to the dictionary might get in the way.
Some long words come in handy. If you’re a lawyer, for instance, you can throw in a few to confuse us. Works every time.
“30 days to a more Powerful Vocabulary” is the classic if you want to learn a few long and unnecessarily long words.
It helped me understand what pusillanimous meant, when it was unexpectedly spoken, with great power, by Richard Burton in ”Look back in Anger.”
However, too many long words can lead to hipomonsteresquipedalophobia, which is the fear of reading or saying long words.
That's why, as a rule, it’s best to follow Winnie the Pooh, who said:
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?”
still thinking about today...
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Hipomonsteresquipedalophobia.
There, I've said it.
"Four score and seven years ago . . . "
So what if Lincoln had simply said:
"87 years ago . . . "
Not nearly as poetic.
Not nearly as many school kids would be called upon today to recite it.
Short, easy words?
Surely nothing better to get your day off to a good start than:
"Hi, Villagers."
That pencil on the right in the picture above looks exactly like the one I used in grade school except that mine had teeth marks all over it as a result of my chewing on it.
Language is fascinating. Sometimes long words can be fun to say...like sussuration or hippopotomus or precipifoiled (yes I made the last one up but I am bound and determined to get it officially recognized as a real word). Molly the wonder dog is currently cowering under my desk due to her phonophobia being triggered by a few festive fireworks. Words don't just have to convey meaning they can be fun. I do agree that thesaurisizing (it can be a word if I want it to be) an otherwise succinct and simple piece of writing can simply muddle the meaning. I think the books of Christopher Paolini are a prime example of the need to use lengthy words outweighing the need to move the story along in a timely manner.
lotlot, what about "Hi Eye."?
Short words also are conducive to brevity, which can be a good thing, such as:
Lady goes to her local newspaper to place her husband's obit.
Lady is told she can have a 10-word obit for free.
Lady is told she will have to pay for any additional words.
Lady dictates this obit to the editor:
"John Doe, 70, died Friday. For sale: Red Ford pickup."
nachista, the Eyes have it.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
Or,
Lung disease.
Yeah, think I would go with lung disease.
Especially if the teacher were going to make me write it on the blackboard one hundred times.
Hi Lotlot....Hope you have a nice day...enjoy your words....that sing a rhyme to me ....Winnie the Pooh said,.."what about sleep?" Total Recall....say the word, but say it less like real life, and you go unnoticed; or if with feeling..than use the words to direct attention....if the words are real...than....feelings are detected by an audience...say the words with a feeling, your more opt to get noticed! Long words are Mary Poppins specialty... supercalifragilisticexpialidocious....my mother themed our bedroom for three girls with Mary Poppins quilts, pillow cases curtains; the bedroom walls were painted blue over the original pink gingham lace theme..and fluffy ruffle bedspreads...with pink picket fence dividers and lace everywhere, by the way this year is about Lace...chantilly lace...in fashion...as a exit....going to the Batman Cave....in my cat women suit today..... big event in Pittsburgh...Bruce Wayne..Robin....Mini....other comics and Tv show characteres.."really big,"..."really big show,"with the grandchildren...then off to wave "big Wave," pool...yeppie!
Lotlot, I like Mrs. john doe already.
Lotlot, I like Mrs. john doe already.
I happen to know this one!
" sesquipedalian " - someone who likes to use long words!
Separately...is ironical (up there in the article).....a real word? Shouldn't it be ironic?
Ironical is a deriviative of a derivative (ironic)...?
Lotlot- Thanks for reminding us that the longest word in the English language is one of the most nebulous. Have you ever wonder what the combination of symptoms must be to require a diagnoises with so many with so many syllables?
Spring Fragrance= Good one!
Corabritza- Are the characters random actors in costume or the old the cast of the 60's tv show? Either way, enjoy the day. It sounds like fun.
Not length but substance (pardon my Freud) Take 'Qi' for instance the essential shortened version of chi, a favorite of Ms Typical in 'words with friends' game- Star Wars Force like doncha think? Got to say I like a little Hemingway in my Faulkner and vice versa. I do like Hi and Bye and body languafe like the use of a hand wave and a smile, a nod, and a wink and for props a raised glass. The Whole Enchilada.
I appreciate people who can convey a lot with a single gesture. But hand signals and sign language can be tricky. Good morning in American Sign Lanuage and the Texas longhorn salute never go over well with Italian immigtant parents.
Good morning all! A special hi to Julia! How are you going Julia?
Talking about gestures and sign language, it's been said the coolest foreign word that the English language needs is mamilahpinatapei........
It is listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as the "most succinct word” and considered one of the hardest words to translate. “Ma-mee- lah – pina – ta – pay” is a look between two people that suggests an unspoken, shared desire……I think we have all been there or at least seen it :)
The word is derived from the Yaghan language of the patagonian region of Tierra del Fuego, the language itself has only one native speaker left.
This song will help you to remember the word!
http://www.ronnycox.com/mp3/Live/Mamihlapinatapei.mp3
Mamihlapinatapei (R. Cox, T. MacNamara)
They both swear they met by chance
He liked the band, she liked to dance
They were in love at their first glance
Mamihlapinatapei
All that summer, no matter what they did
You could always see them with her hand in his
They almost said it once, but God forbid
Mamihlapinatapei
Chorus
Funny how the patterns of our well-laid plans
Tangle our way
Scared that we'd unravel if we said the words
We never say Mamihlapinatapei
We can't say what's in our hearts
Our minds keep saying "Is this smart?"
But our eyes ask "Can't we start?"
Mamihlapinatapei
Chorus
They were married yesterday
Two lovers danced the night away
Words could never touch what their eyes convey
No, words can't touch what their eyes say
Mamihlapinatapei....Mamihlapinatapei.....Mamihlapinatapei
Lot ~ It was such a satisfying chew. I find that the angrier I get, the longer the words are. My kids used to look at each other with that look and think, "I know she's really mad, but what did she say?" My voice would get lower and my words would get longer. They now have such an extensive vocabulary.....with four kids, you can imagine. Tommy ~ I too like words, all words; love word games. But sometimes in a book, (or a recently passed law) the words get in the way of understanding. Sending me to the dictionary may be great for my growth, but awful for the continuity of the story.
I'll be back. Nice words, interesting discussion but time to go to work.
Andy....all my mother had to do was call me by my whoooooole name...and there are 5 parts to it! My surname+ ethnic name (in 2 parts) + my christian first name + my Christian middle name.....I had the longest name in the class register....
1.....2......3.......
Spring - didn't work for me, I named two starting with the letter "J" and would start stuttering it out. Eventually, they all thought their name was "You......Here" with the finger pointing out which one and the rest scattering and giggling.
4.............
I have a few words we should remember today, around 4PM EDTDavid Berger
Ze'ev Friedman
...
Yossef Gutfreund
Eliezer Halfin
Yossef Romano
Amitzur Shapira
Kehat Shorr
Mark Slavin
Andre Spitzer
Yakov Springer
Moshe Weinberg
Forty years.
...does not dimish the crime
.....does not diminish the crime. lazy fingers today
THank you MISS BLUE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGEn1TZtEmQ&feature=player_embedded this amazes me
MISS BLUE -- Thank you for reminding us. I will never forget watching that and not being able to believe they were going to do what they did. Oh well, as long as the rest of the events go well. Jeeesh. Can it really be 40 years? Can it really be 70 years?
Breaking news: Man breaks out of an insane asylum and rapes a womwn who is busy washing clothes in her backyard. Newspaper headline: Nut Bolts and Screws Washer
I will observe a moment of silence today. The Olympic Committee opposed to this simple gesture are cowards in my mind.
Not at all, Miss Blue, not at all.
PL--doesn't it just take your breath away? I will be joining you in that moment of silence.
Words...mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.....i have mangled, missused, and abused countless words in my time.
Even though i am not a shining exampke of the premise that words exist to accurately communicate information, ideas, and feelings; i do believe that to be true and i admire those who are capable of adapting their vocabulary to achieve this result o any audience.
I understand the need to gild the lily, blow the carbon out, to open the throttle and let one's advanced vocabulary fly high and free..,.and that is a good thing unless it is done merely to impress or elevate one's self at the expense of their audience.
A rich vocabulary is a fine accomplishment. It is admirable.
The only way a strongand eloquent vocabulary can fail in it's purpose is if it is not understood by those you are addressing. When this happens, what may be very good ideas will die as they fall without being understood to the ground. The onus is on the speaker.
Miss Blue.....I would have fired that idiot in the video. I think a quarter got stuck in his B.S. slot machine.
ChefDeb, yes it does.. Thanks to Miss blue for remembering
George, this is just my opinion on your headline joke, and I'm sure it wasn't meant to be offensive..,.but 'rape' does not have a place in humor under any circumstance, even though many may feel that nothing is taboo when it comes to jokes.
PL,perhaps a clever use of Minimisation
autodidact....you can tell by the mispronunciation of the right word
and yes, shame on Carny
PL~ a more acceptable word, that would not diminish the humor, might have been ravished the laundress
Swaim, check in
PL I agree, although I am sure that George would never intentionally offend, that joke made me very uncomfortable.
Miss Blue, minimisation would be giving him credit for being strategic...... Maybe on his bosses part, but him.....I have my doubts.
It's the man behind the curtain pulling that puppets strings....
Peter Lake....I was talking about George Hall....LOL! Oh , that IS funny.
And we will get OUR chance to fire them (Carey AND his boss...not George Hall and His....we know who THAT is) in November.
I loved watching Jay Carney squirm. I wonder if he knows the answer now.
Thank goodness for the Plain English Society. They keep communication between the government and the electorate short and sweet.
Miss Blue....... Aaahhhhhh....got it. When I add a new word to my gun belt, I become a gun slinger with bad aim. I'll claim it was a richochete ; ).
Hopefully in November we will be singing 'Hit the Road Jack'
Peace out
It must be nap time.
If not, it will be soon,
For the village is all too quiet
And has been quiet since noon or 1;25 pm.
I guess everyone figured that if short words were better, no words were best.
Time for me to Wish All of You in The Village a Great Weekend !!!!!!!
Relax and Enjoy Yourselves, Be Safe, Be Happy, and Don't Let Yourselves Be Bothered by Details that Will Wait For Monday !!!!!!!
Eat Good Food, Drink Good Wine, Surround Yourselves With Family and Good Friends, and Just Relax ... You Deserve it ....... and remember that, Stressed spelled backwards is, DESSERTS !!!
To the TRIBE: A GOOD SHABBOS !!!!!!!
A Sabbath of Peace, a Sabbath of Joy, and a Sabbath of Rest .......
May Ha'Shem Grant Abundant Peace and Life to Us and Every House
of True Believers ... and Let Us Say, O'Mayin .......
May Our Rest Be Pleasing Unto Him Who Has Brought Us All This Far .......
Blessings Upon You All !!!
IVAN
Peter Lake~ Your pont is well taken...mea culpa.
But you were right on topic! I knew you didn't mean it.
I mean, on topic about the short words...
Thanks, Dear Ivan ~ your Friday Nite blessing is much appreciated.
My window is open and little bats are flying around my bedroom.
I'm trying to get enthused about the Olympics by watching the opening ceremony. It is not working.
None of this has anything to do with short words. The only one I can think of is O!
Miss Blue, May I chime in and thank you as well? I, too, remember, watching in horror, disbelief, and stunned silence as the terror unfolded. For those of you who (or is it whom?) can stomach it, the opening minutes of Munich show what went down while we were sleeping.
To the topic of the day, the American mind, in general, can no longer absorb large words and long sentences. Once upon a time we went for the two minute story on the news. Now those of us trained to speak to the cameras are told "stick to (no, not seven but) five seconds." If you can't get your point across in five seconds you've lost most of the public. Thus words like "hipomonsteresquipedalophobia" and "antidisestablishmentarianism" that take five seconds to say wouldn't fly. No wonder we can't find readers who would eagerly consume the long words, say them softly to themselves with a sigh, whisper them over and over as they would the name of a new friend, and know they had just earned something new and fresh and wonderful. I love to read and always write down new words to look up and savor, like nachista's or Chef Deb's delicious foods. What the young, or those of any age, who can't be bothered with long words are missing!!!!!
George, none of us believed you meant any harm. I have stubbed my toe and stepped on many others. Feel free to call me out when I trip, stumble and fall during my posts.
Be well
Long pants like long words are going to be tossed in the hamper after emptying my suitcase of 9 days/9 cities worth of blood sweat and beers and a sampling of Ocean City samd sprinkled about..,now just wrapping up in Chattown. I shall go for khaki shorts with my new red huaraches and my John Galt T as my white locks go from slicked back to Einstein/Harpio and maybe to cool off a little seltzer down the pants. Clowns say a lot without any words. That's the long and short and tomfoolery of it.
For your sabboth blessing, Ivan, I thank you. It was so nice to read that after reading again of the Olympic tragedy. (I started back at the top since I had been away from the eye for most of the day).
After reading it all I thought of Henry David Thoreau, "Simply simplify."
One of the features that I really appreciate about my Ibooks is that when i run across a new-to-me word, all I have to do is touch it and the definition pops up as well as other links. I book mark them for repeat visits.
I used to look forward to the next Olympics before the Closing Ceremony of the previous one was done.
Now I dread something horrible will happen during these games which in the past, the world used to put its differences on 'pause' and take in a deep breath.....without everybody having to look over their shoulder and security transparent.
Having been in ATL during the 1996 Olympics, I can tell you it doesn't matter how many security persons you have aboard, with adequate planning the insane (whether legally or due to indoctrination) will always make it through. No one ever really believed that Richard Jewell was guilty, but he was convenient. Eric Rudolph was finally pinned down, thank God! but how many more like him, like those pilots of 9/11, like Timothy McVeigh, like Lee Oswald, like all of those like them (I won't mention Colorado...too open a wound still) are out there? We can't spend our lives looking over our shoulders, but go bravely into the dark night. The Olympians go on, the Oklahomans go on, the Presidency goes on...life goes on.
I want to go get soused with TT!
Thank you, Ivan!
Opening ceremonies in 10 min. I too think silence is needed till then. I'm hoping for joy as when Big Ben rang uncontrollably for 3 min this morning!!
Love the song but I always think "Some Enchanted Evening"...
My big word today is hippopotamus!! Had to take my youngest granddaughter to the zoo to see her beloved Donna. Oldest hippopotamus in captivity is dying. She is 60(they say), I think she is older. I have been going to see her since I was 5!!
It has been a wonderful day!! Many memories made with 2 of my grandchildren!
Soused with TT sounds good...especially if he's wearing those new red huraches'!!!!
"My brother reads a little bitLittle words like if and it
My father can read big words tooLike Constantinople and HelloooooooMissBlue." Apologies to Dr. Zeuzz and Miss Blue.
IVAN, IVAN, IVAN....................& right back at you as always!
PL & GEORGE HALL....................two incredibly classy gentlemen who handled it all w/ grace & style................if I was wearing a hat I would tip it to you both................
CAROLBABCOCK................that is a charming story & sad...............to see an animal that you have basically grown up w/ on her last piece of time on this earth..................glad you got to share her w/ your grandchildren.......................
CHEFD.....................I am awaiting your whores-de-vores to go w/ my cocktail................
Refrigerator is the biggest word in my kitchen
I am speechless.....my 17 yr. old cat is now climbing the screen and I must go corral her and herd
her into her apt. for the night....
I saw" Ice Age: The Continental Drift" today with my granddaughter and I must tell you I am in mourning for the next generation. The previews were all dark, negative, brainwashing, and so liberal in content that it is severely scary that these pass for movies for kids! Watch out for all those new kiddie movies of 2012 and especially the ones by Tim Burton......Only frightening content coming at ya'>..
Short words....? Long words? Not the length but the impact counts!
IVAN--after a long day at work -7 TV's blasting sad news, I welcome your heartfelt blessing deep within me. Now it is late in the evening, much work still to do, but I take your blessing with me and breathe a long silent breath.
Carolbabcock, I can empathize with you. I think I went into depression when Willy B., Atlanta's beloved alpha-male gorilla (named for the former mayor of Atlanta, William B. Hartsfield...same for the ATL airport...Hartsfield---Atlanta is big on naming things for people, like the Ted [the Ted Turner Baseball Stadium which encloses the Hank Aaron Field]) died. I was one of the ones who contributed to have his ashes spread over his native Cameroon. Sad that we take babies from the wild and put them in enclosures...but if the alternative is extinction, as seems for the mountain gorilla, I vote for well-adapted habitats, as in the Atlanta zoo. They now specialize in mountain gorillas and still have Ivan, which is another alpha-male taken from a Seattle area mall where he was kept isolated in a cage for years, just as Willy B. had been in Atlanta. Now Zoo Atlanta specializes in readapting gorillas kept in such circumstances to a group environment. Willie B. had many children (the first, named Kudzoo) is now already a mother...by Ivan! I'm proud of the efforts of Zoo Atlanta and applaude Director Terry Maples for his dedication to this effort!
BTW---I STILL have two Willie B. t-shirts; one for wearing and one for saving!