Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Stroup
In academia, nobody has ever been punished for using 25-cent words (my inflation is horrible). You get rewarded for using words only 8 people in the world know. And since this is the case, when you just make up a word people will look up to you since they just assume you're part of secret inner-language cabal into which they've not yet earned induction.
|
I suppose that's true, but it's painfully obvious they're usually used incorrectly or plain old made up. He may talk a lot, but he's not a good speaker. A good speaker could probably throw in a made up word that sounds good, so long as it the whole thing is cohesive and doesn't sound like he's just talking to take up time.
Besides, in a room full of academics, wouldn't someone call him on it, or ask a question in relation, to see if there's a true understanding of it? Or is everyone else too afraid to appear as if they don't know? I've prided myself on knowing many a 25-cent word, and on my ability to question. I've always held the belief that just because I'm asking, doesn't mean I don't know... I'm testing the knowledge of someone that purports knowing.