The Friday Five for 10 January 2020: Words

[anais_pf]

1. How much slang do you use?

2. What are your favorite words?

3. How much do you curse?

4. What makes a great conversation?

5. How often do you have "deep discussions?"

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Comments

[sallymn]

1. How much slang do you use? Probably more than I think I do in talking (I can't say I think about it much). It's actually rather daunting when you stop and think how much of 'normal' talk is slang, and even regional slang. (more than once I have used words here on the web and got a puzzled 'what's what???' from overseas).

Being Australian we do tend to abbreviate words as a matter of course, then often stick an 'ie' on the end (sunnies, pressies, Chrissie, blowie - blow flies, bane of life - mozzies, Tassie, tinnie, ). We slur language as we do the actual sound, I think.
But the stuff that advertisers and media for overseas markets uses - like that 'strewth' in the lamington chips ad the other day? - really out of date, cringeworthy if rather... quaint.

2. What are your favorite words? I have a lot, books full of them, so can't possibly mention them all (see my 'words and language' tag).

My all time favourite is still 'slubberdegullion', an archaism yes, but the best of bestest insult of all time. I do use 'methinks' a lot when not being too serious, and 'contrariwise' . While being serious? - eldritch, tatterdemalin and tacenda strike delicate chords inside my brain, both for their meaning and their beautiful sound.

And when I am writing, I thank the literary gods for the existence of bafflegab, handwavium and plotdevicium… and love the words themselves, they are perfectly descriptive of… bafflegab, handwavium and plotdevicium :)

And just in case you think I'm being all pompous and over-adulty with these long and rare choices? - another word I, like most of the human race, is all too fond of is, of course… mine.

3. How much do you curse? More than I should, I know (again, Australian here folks). Mind you, having seen on TV (and confirmed by Stephen Fry and the Mythbusters) that swearing actually helps you withstand pain, I have tried it and whether psychological or not… why not?

4. What makes a great conversation? For what purpose and who with? Basically something all the conversers are interested in should do it. Though I tend to think that it's also best if they're interested but not obsessively or too deeply so - a shouting match or one person's dominating diatribe do not a conversation make (and I say this from experience). Basically, if everyone gets something out of it and no one dozes off,, that's good enough.

5. How often do you have "deep discussions?" Quite often, and pretty much always with the same people… me, myself and I.

Otherwise, not a lot. When I get to studying next year, maybe… but I'm not holding my breath. Deep and meaningful is not my strong point.