Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

People would click on supine just to see what you were talking about. And those who didn't know what it meant, would learn.

In situ, or any Latin phrase, would be tough for folks who have trouble with English alone, true, but that shouldn't change our use of vocabulary. Language is a rich minefield (LOL) for expression!

We used to respect well-educated people; now we're suspicious and we laugh at them. There's a reason that our culture is being "dumbed down" generation to generation, and it's closely tied to the current polarization of wealth in this and other countries.

<EDIT> virtually ANY unknown word or phrase is only as far away as your Googling fingers.

<Puts soapbox away>

jingle_jangle wrote:<Puts soapbox away>

Personally I like to have things close at hand when I know i'll be using them all the time.

jingle_jangle wrote:People would click on supine just to see what you were talking about. And those who didn't know what it meant, would learn.

In situ, or any Latin phrase, would be tough for folks who have trouble with English alone, true, but that shouldn't change our use of vocabulary. Language is a rich minefield (LOL) for expression!

We used to respect well-educated people; now we're suspicious and we laugh at them. There's a reason that our culture is being "dumbed down" generation to generation, and it's closely tied to the current polarization of wealth in this and other countries.

<EDIT> virtually ANY unknown word or phrase is only as far away as your Googling fingers.

<Puts soapbox away>

Amen to this!

You'd have to be a real Mammaluke to see a word or phase posted here that you do not understand and not be able to find what it means while sitting at your computer, browser open, etc...

Good English skills are not for sissies.

That brings back some... uh... memories...

Could that be the penguin from the Blues Bros.?

cjj wrote:
That brings back some... uh... memories...

+1 - some UNPLEASANT memories.....

jingle_jangle wrote:People would click on supine just to see what you were talking about. And those who didn't know what it meant, would learn.

In situ, or any Latin phrase, would be tough for folks who have trouble with English alone, true, but that shouldn't change our use of vocabulary. Language is a rich minefield (LOL) for expression!

We used to respect well-educated people; now we're suspicious and we laugh at them. There's a reason that our culture is being "dumbed down" generation to generation, and it's closely tied to the current polarization of wealth in this and other countries.

<EDIT> virtually ANY unknown word or phrase is only as far away as your Googling fingers.

<Puts soapbox away>

While I agree with the sentiment of this, I must disagree with the expression of it simply because at its core, language is simply a tool of communication. If at any point, you lose the listener due to a dogmatic maneuvering of antiquated and unused words, it is the speaker who has lost touch as it's his job to speak and not listen but more importantly, it's his job to communicate efficiently.

As an former technical editor for a national computer magazine, it was a great pleasure to break down technical details into a palatable format for anyone to understand. In fact, it was a skill I had honed (of which I have let this skill slip somewhat).

Because I knew what technical concepts and terms were does not mean I could not communicate with those that did not. If I had chosen to use those terms and concepts with knowledge of the inability of the listener to understand then this meant I had lost my ability to communicate and put myself into the blow-hard pompous end of the language spectrum.

Today's language is no different than the language from 50-150 years ago. It's a living growing language and that has not changed and will continue to evolve beyond our own years.

With all of that said, I could just as easily have summarized this with a statement my former editor-in-chief said, "Why use a ten-dollar word when a fifty-cent one will do the job?"

There is nothing wrong with that concept and it is not "dumbing down" the language or culture when done correctly. I think what you're complaining about is simply the measure of wealth and security that a prospering culture passes on to its children as it makes their lives easier/simpler than the generation before it. Please don't confuse the two here as it's not the language that's at fault other than being a living growing one which most languages are--but rather it's the generational fault of the parents to instill knowledge and know-how to its children.

Is this the right room for an argument?

No, not the right room, but I agree with Scott! Excellent point!

pag wrote:Is this the right room for an argument?

Not really. I knew just from the title of the thread, it might possibly get crazy.

Ah, come on, Joey, what could possibly go wrong?

BTW, I love your "signature" tune and picture!

pag wrote:Is this the right room for an argument?

Oh, I'm sorry, is this a five minute argument, or the full half hour?

rickenbrother wrote:.....I knew just from the title of the thread, it might possibly get crazy.

Hey- I refudiate that!