Mutable

[VIRII]

I do think that everyone should have some form of interest in expressing themselves adequately, but each to their own. I do resent people that believe that grunts and other odd noises count as a valid response, however.

Again I agree. I'm no fan of grunts and at the other end of the spectrum I am no fan of people who use overly "highbrow" language to try and hide their inadequate arguments.

 

[VIRII]

Was it?


If two people are equal in all ways, yet one is uneducated and has no interest in changing it, and the other is educated and strives to learn and better themselves, isn't the latter person superior to the former? If not, why?

Yes.

Why are they superior?

 

[VIRII]

Some might say that focusing on the vocabulary utilised in an argument to the extent of creating a thread to prove one's argument that a word used is not in common usage is the epitome of grasping at straws

Besides, if people aren't supposed to be made to feel inferior, where will the impetus to better oneself come from?

Some might say that, but they'd be idiots

Are you in favour of belittling people then? Who decides what is better? I think Islam is inferior, canI now pick on muslims until they feel the need to abandon Islam and turn to western values?

The thread was to establish if the words are in common use or not.
In a different forum to the thread you refer to.
Is getting a range of opinions wrong?

 

[VIRII]

You know this because...?

It should be self-evident to most people, I would have thought

It should be self-evident to most people, I would have thought

You know this because...?

Easy isn't it

 

[VIRII]

Ahahahahaha

And your answer is "yes you can and I will not harrass you over it or complain about it" ?

 

[VIRII]

Being educated *does* make you superior to someone who isn't, certainly in the context of being educated anyway. I know I prefer a CORGI registered engineer to fix my boiler rather than some odd plumber.

Only in the context of being educated. However rob stated it was the pinnacle of humanity, the most important thing that you could be, the defining area of superiority.
I'd think more of an unregistered plumber who did a good job than a corgi registered plumber who was also a thief.......
I'd think more of a poorly educated person who dedicated his life to helping others than someone who simply spent his time reading books and considering himself "superior".......

If education is an attempt to better one's self and it is IMO, then how can it be interpreted any other way than an improvement generally, and relative to those around you? It all depends on what you mean by superior and inferior. The absolute meanings require some sort of qualification (no pun intended).

See above

Anyway that topic is being discussed in the other thread.
This thread is to establish the how commonly used the two words in question are, feel free to join the other thread and leave this one on topic....

 

[VIRII]

Having a large vocabulary is hardly a genuine reflection of intelligence, although it's certainly the easiest way into fooling someone that you are.

Absolutely

 

[VIRII]

To be an arse?

Seriously: how do you know Rob was being that way? You clearly infer it, but unless he has admitted such behaviour then you cannot know for sure, can you.

I would have thought it was quite obvious to most people

 

[VIRII]

Although, using a large vocabulary is not proof that someone is merely doing so in order to appear superior. Unless you live in VIRII's world it seems Is it indicative of an inferiority complex, to go on the attack when someone uses long words which you perhaps have to look up in the dictionary?

Several other people have stated that they are aware of people who use big words to try and appear superior. Now in my world people aren't "superior" to other people and actions and intentions count for far more than education.
So perhaps it is only in the world of the "dirtydog" that not "long" but "obscure" words are used with that intention
I have a larger than average vocabulary because I enjoy language and reading.
I don't think that makes me superior. Yet you do...... Isthat indicative of your own inferiority complex......

 

[VIRII]

I use obsfuscate regularily. mutable - never.

(i use it because I like the way it sounds!)

(it only has one S as someone pointed out to me this morning )

 

[VIRII]

Using such language does not make you pretentious though, nor does it mean that you're trying to disguise a failing argument. It tells me that you're someone who is used to having conversations with people for whom a wide vocabulary is taken for granted. If you don't fit into that category that's fine, but I'm not going to deliberately dumb down my language because of it. I'll continue to use the words and phrases that I feel give the closest approximation to the meaning that I want to get across.

To suddenly come out with the post he came out with after 9 pages of discussion it does make it pretentious.
Perhaps you can point out a similar post from him in the preceeding 9 pages.....
A change in behaviour or style is evident, if it was his normal style, particularly within that thread, then you might have a point. Sadly, you don't.

I'll continue to call a spade a spade, you can continue to try and appear intelligent and educated if you want, if it strikes me as pretentious drivel then I'll say so So many debates end up in semantics of the precise meaning of a word that it seems to make sense to keep the language plain and simple to avoid confusion, unless confusion and wriggle room are part of the intention.
Or is it a case of wanting to sound superior more than making a clearly cemented point.

 

[VIRII]

Just because those people - and you - *think* that people use big words to try and appear superior, doesn't mean that they and you are correct. You are inferring something which you have no way of proving one way or the other.

If you do have a large vocabulary and are an intelligent person, why did you not continue to debate with robmiller in that thread, rather than go on the attack the minute he used a few long words and accuse him of only using those words to appear superior. It's all rather confusing

Not being able to prove it is not an issue to me. It seems that using "obscure", not "big" or "long" but "obscure" words is a childish attempt to make an argument seem more convincing.

Why do you keep using "long" or "big" instead of "obscure" ...... trying to twist the point I have made through language? You'll need a little more skill than that.

I have a large vocabulary and am relatively intelligent. Would you care to challenge that or will you accept it as fact? I wouldn't want you to come across as trying to snidely infer something, would you?

Why did I pick robmiller up on his sudden change of language and use of such obscure words? Because after 9 pages of thread and debate he suddenly changed his terminology and because I believe he did this to try and "assert" his "intelligence".

As you might recall I find his assumption that he is superior to be disgusting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VIRII
Do you really think education and intelligence are the pinnacle of being human?

Quote:
Originally Posted by robmiller
Absolutely 100% yes.

 

[VIRII]

I guess we all better strive to keep our language simple for your benefit then, lest you accuse us of only using long words to look superior?

Yawn.
"long" words?
You can use words that are as long as your arm.

The point was OBSCURE words...... don't you understand *** term "obscure" because 4 times now you've replaced "obscure" with "big".......

 

[VIRII]

That's just their opinion though, it doesn't mean the people do use big words for that purpose. I recall it being pointed out in SC that I shouldn't use quotes from the Bard as it was allegedly pretentious

By whom and why?

 

[VIRII]

coming from yourself that is the most ironic thing ever That is your forté is it not?

Comments about accepting that you could be wrong are possibly the most ironic thing you've ever said
Who do I sound like?

 

[VIRII]

Who do I sound like?

You?

 

[VIRII]

I suppose calling someone pretentious or snobbish isn't insulting, just calling a spade a spade, so to speak

I said I found the comments to be pretentious and snobbish.
Is robmiller the comments?

If ever there was a case for plain speaking surely your post is it

 

[VIRII]

I accept that robmiller could have been using OBSCURE words in order to appear superior. Do you accept that he might not have been? As neither of us can read his mind, I suggest that neither of us can know for sure. What I do know however, is that he has posted in such a vein many times before.

He either was or he was not. He might not have been but I believe he was.
Do you *only* believe in things that you have ultimate proof of? It will make your contributions to future debates very interesting if you say yes.
After all if you have the ultimate proof where is the debate to be had?
If you say no then why harrass me over my belief here?

 

[VIRII]

]
I don't recall who it was but the reason was as I said, because it was supposedly pretentious.

I guess it would depend on the context then.

Mind you it would be nice if this was kept on topic re the use of the two specific words and how often if ever people use them in conversation

 

[VIRII]

No; if I am not sure of something then I tend to say things like 'I think...' or 'I suspect...' and so on. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have used no such qualifications or caveats in this case.

I said I found the comments to be pretentious and snobbish.

I am sure a superior linguist such as yourself understands that when someone says they "find" something to be a particular way" they are offering their opinion not stating it as fact.