Razor Sharp Wit? Moi?
Several people have urged me to update my blog but I still haven’t come up with something original and interesting to write about. So I took Rima’s advice and did some blogwalking (not that that’s a hard thing to do) and stumbled upon Jakartass‘ Blogthing review on What Kind Of Blogger Are You?
Out of curiosity, I decided to go for it and here’s the following result:
You Are a Snarky Blogger! |
 You’ve got a razor sharp wit that bloggers are secretly scared of.And that’s why they read your posts as often as they can! |
Surprised as I am, I personally don’t think that I possess anything that resembles a razor sharp wit - I’m not that smart. Here’s my confession: sometimes I stumble upon blogs containing articles that I find difficulties in understanding their meanings and points. I’m more of an everyday life, interesting things-people-observe kind of reader. I tend to get lost and confused when reading long and serious postings with crazy vocabularies like “deconstruction”, “pejorative“ or (hold your breath now) “antidisestablishmentarianism” in them.
Please do not confuse such words with creative vocabulary which is what people like Beyonce has done in order to become more expressive, i.e. combining the word booty and delicious into “bootylicious”, or those Queer Eye guys with their “fantabulous” and “shagtastic” expressions (come to think of it I’m not sure they’ve ever used “shagtastic” in any of their episodes, as it’s clearly more of a British thing but you get my point though).
Using complicated and difficult words has been the trick that some people do to make themselves sound intelligent and important, but I truly believe the real intelligent ones are those who keep it plain and simple, and real, especially.
To back my point up, here’s a quote I found from an article on ScienceDaily on Impressive Writing: “Writers who use long words needlessly and choose complicated font styles are seen as less intelligent than those who stick with basic vocabulary and plain text, according to new research from the Princeton University in New Jersey, to be published in the next edition of Applied Cognitive Psychology.”
I for one have been guilty into thinking that by using such complicated terms, I would be taken more seriously and perceived intelligently - which was why I even bought a book called (wait for it) Megawords: 200 terms you really need to know by Richard Osbourne. In it, you will find even more outrageous words like collective unconscious and structural functioninalism. You can tell I just picked those words by skimming through the pages randomly, and even though I’ve put a link for each of those words and have read the meanings in Wikipedia, I solemnly swear I still don’t understand a damn thing of it. Explanations from Urban Dictionary excluded.
Actually, it is a good book - might re-read it again and use it in my blog postings to impress …
No. No. It’s perfectly fine to use such difficult terms in your postings but using them in order the achieve a certain impression is definitely not. Moreover, it makes me wonder whether the majority of people in the blogosphere really understand those words and whether or not it takes them a long time to find out what they mean, and eventually, the ability to practice those words alone in their everyday life.
If I start an otherwise harmless conversation by saying, “Pejoratively, that skimpy little outfit that you call a dress, is disaster-prone because it does not conform to the socially constructive way of life”, I’ll feel like I’m kidding myself. Plus, I don’t want to get blank stares and people going “Say what?” as their responses.
Why should I, when I can just simply go, “Your dress makes your ass look big. Wear it.”
May 28th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I seem to see a lot more of this style of writing particularly in cultural/anthopological articles(some good examples in IM).Usually people who use complex sentences and large words are trying to be politically correct or deliberately vague. To me its the written equivalent of white noise. Orwell wrote a good essay on this very topic lamenting the loss of meaning in the english language due to politicians trying to mask their intentions with hazy speeches.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I remember what my writing mentor used to say, “If you can use the word “buy” then why the hell you should use the word “purchase”. Keep it simple, stupid! (the famous KISS rule)
May 28th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Great topic as usual, Therry! It’s always nice to read a good rant on the writing of clear prose. Blog to me is a medium that allows us to express ourselves freely. It is unregulated, uncensored and diverse. As for using long and complicated words and sentences, I think there is a time and place for everything. Use it incorrectly (if you try to be someone who you are not), then it starts to sound stupid
No it doesn’t impress me, but it doesn’t bother me either.
May 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
dont know why i havent thought of this before. lol.
well, i use the simplest words in my blog, not because i am smart, it’s because my vocab is very limited. i dont know any big words, so i cant use them cos then i’ll just look silly.
but my dear, you do have a razor sharp wit, with a dash or cynicism and satire thrown in. good stuff.
May 28th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Hahhahaha, funny topic & I like it Ther..
I do agree with your thought: “but I truly believe the real intelligent ones are those who keep it plain and simple, and real, especially”….
complicated words= headache, rite?..
you´re great! keep writing Ther..
@ Rima: nice blog Rim!
May 28th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
there’s a term called “octopus writing” to use to refer about how some people using complicated and difficult words just to mislead our perceptions. just like when an octopus squirts ink into the water. kiss and tell (keep it short, simple, and tell) method is still the best way to reach more readers. eventhough for myself, sometimes it’s really hard to remember that method. good point ther!
May 28th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Some people probably write just to show off as if they post for a scientific publication like New England Medical Journal
May 30th, 2008 at 7:30 am
@pjbali:
Orwell? As in George Orwell who wrote about that alien stuff that Steven Spielberg made into a movie starred by Tom Cruise? What’s it called … 1984 or something?
@The Writer:
Yeah, KISS rules lol. That’s a great motto *sticks tongue out as much as possible whilst making the \m/ sign with hand*
@Elyani:
I think it bothers me when something that could have been said in a simpler way was instead communicated in a much more complicated way using difficult unecessary words - it takes the fun out of reading the whole thing!
@Rimafauzi:
Which is why I love reading your blog so much because it’s so easy to read and delightfully enjoyable
Besides, that profile pic of yours is already a plus point for the reader to ogle at lol
“razor sharp wit, with a dash of cynicism and satire thrown in” - hmmm really? I don’t even realise it… lol
@Inest:
Haha thanks Nest! Unecessary complicated words mean double the time reading the article since one must find what those terms mean … thanks for dropping by! Sorry I didn’t get to listen to your DJ-ing session, next time ok!
@Ingki:
YOU use that method?! *gasp* Nooooo…. *making Twilight Zone noises*
It’s true that in writing, we sometimes forget who our audiences are - we tend to write what we understand, and even if we make some good points we forget to back them up with supporting facts - I get criticised A LOT for that during high school. My English teacher used to ruin my paper with lots of red notes saying “Where’s your supporting facts?? Why?? How??”
lol
@Toni:
Yeah lol but what’s the point when no one can understand what they’re on about right?
May 30th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Hi Therry
You are partly right. George Orwell is famous for 1984 which he wrote in 1948. The movie version was done way back in the 80’s (dating myself here) and starred Richard Burton and John Hurt. I think that that you are mixing up Orwell With Orson Welles who did a radio broadcast of the HG wells book “War Of The Worlds” back in the thirties that sent panicked Americans into the street. That book was later made into a movie starring Tom Cruise (Boy I’m getting off track here). Back to Orwell. I should have mentioned in my earlier comment that the name of Orwells essay was “Politics And The English Language”. You can read it here http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm
Bear in mind that this was written 60 or so years ago so the language is somewhat old school but its still a worthwhile read.
Rgds
PJ
PS - Personally I would never had read any Orwell - the images in his writing is uniquely depressing. However it was part of the the english curriculum back home and he is the sort of writer that sticks with you.
I think thats enough trivia for one day. You eyes are probably glazing over at this point hehe.
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:41 am
Lawyers are the worst offenders when it comes to writing with complex sentence structures.
I teach a class to law students that deals with economy of language and getting to the point.
The reality is that we try and show off with out language, written or spoken, a good orator or writer is one that can engage their audience.
My advice is to write or speak to your audience and screw the rest!
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:35 am
@pjbali:
Have visited the link - first five paragraphs were enough to put me to sleep lol
Thanks for the Orwell/Wells correction! I knew of Wells 1984 because my media lecturer told me about the radio broadcast - interesting story and I quite enjoyed it too.
During my high school years I was forced to read To Kill A Mockingbird and also Hamlet and the standard Romeo and Juliet. Those were very challenging books for me since I was still learning English and I had to deal with Old English already whilst I wasn’t even used to converse in English, let alone ask my host mother what would she serve for dinner!
@Rob:
Economy of language? There is an economy of language?
True that, the best speakers are the ones who speak simple words and keep it real - it’s really annoying when orators try to speak as if they are writing an essay!
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:21 am
Aghh!! To Kill A Mockingbird” the yellow covered book with 250 “zillion” copies sold plastered on it, mostly to poor school kids. Managed to escape Hamlet, suffered King Lear instead,supposely written in my own language.
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
I thought To Kill A Mockingbird comes in black cover with a scribble of a bird in white in the middle, no?
The only line I remembered from Hamlet was “from hell broth boil to bubble” - and the menacing bitchy wife of his. Hamlet was pushover anyway.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Maybe it depends on the country of purchase and the year?????
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Yes, you’re right. I remembered the black cover because I borrowed the book from school library and found difficulties understanding the story - I had only started living overseas then so I found it hard to even ask my host mother what she would cook for dinner lol
I don’t remember much from Hamlet except that bitchy menacing wife of his who says “from hell broth boil to bubble…” lol