general Is There Such A Thing As Sounding Too Smart?

[Denim&Venöm 19,294]

What I mean by that is this. My Dad was talking about an interview call for a position, and one of the things the interviewer commented on was how he talked. He was told that the words he used were 'too big', that talking so intellectually made him seem intimidating, that he wad trying to create an air of superiority by sounding sophisticated. Like speaking somewhere between a professor and an attorney. 

 

This came to the point that most work places try to use language equal to an 8th grade education. I heard it's even lower, up to 6th grade. Apparently from what I was told, newspapers are made to be readable at a 6th grade level. My dad was basically told that he sounded too smart, using either too many words or too big of words. That talking in monosyllabic Twitter posts is more approved of.   

 

Is language and vocabulary, not just in the work place, but in school, in discussion, in public forums being too dumbed down? Are most people really at the level of needing to read and speak on an 6th grade level? Is being verbose and articulate in speech something to be looked down upon? 

[Celtore 2,770]

There's definitely a thing as sounding too smart. This is one thing that was emphasised pretty heavily in technical writing: speak as simply as possible without throwing too much jargon around. That way, everyone reading your paper can be on the same page without needing to pull out a dictionary every few words. Using big words might also make the author or the person speaking seem like a pseudo-intellectual, using big words for the sake of using big words rather than using some smaller ones which would do just as well and communicate the idea better.

 

To see this in the extremes, look at philosophy. Just saying ahead of time that I have nothing against philosophy and I think it's a noble pursuit, but the papers and debates throw around huge words that no layman can understand. This postmodernism generator kind of illustrates what I'm trying to get at. That being said, we shouldn't be limited to the language of a 6th grader either because you might sound like you have no idea what you're talking about. I guess you need to strike a balance. 

[IsraelYabuki 446]

Sure there is, especially when speaking. Like it's better to give specific details on certain situations but you shouldn't make it too specific to the point where you're just spouting out big words. Otherwise you're just speaking like a democrat or a politic

[Sunny Shimmer 259]

Technical words can be confusing and intimidating to average people. You need to be able to explain it in a way that someone with no knownledge of it understands.

 

If they stop understanding then they stop listening.

[Prospekt 11,020]

You can either keep it simple or ramble on with long or fancy words to make yourself seem smart. You can either resort to relative simplicity in regard to your speech, or you can speak in extended words and somewhat archaic language that only some listeners are going to comprehend, in order to create the illusion that you possess fairly high intelligence.

 

 

See the difference between those last two sentences? They are saying almost the exact same thing but one has so much more "fluff" to it. In general, people will probably find it easier to connect with the message without all the unnecessary word choice. Don't "dumb it down" too much, but don't get unnecessarily wordy either. Above, put it perfectly:

 

If they stop understanding then they stop listening.

[Choros Isorropai 409]

Most people can not follow me in a spoken....conversation. and even if they could, it tends to drive them nutz...

i dont do it to bother people, its just how i am... i see alot, i think alot, and i like figuring out "things"...

 

so, what was said before is correct, but its also important to make sure you keep your topics to people you know would like them...

... most of the time, people tell me to "shut the **** up" other times they tell me "your giving me a migraine"... so I try not to speak to them, about 'thoughts'.

[Vlazamal 338]

The purpose of communicating is to transfer ideas. If your point has not gotten across, you have failed as a communicator. You're only sounding too smart if:

 

1:The person you're talking to doesn't understand what you mean.

 

2:You are making the person you are talking to feel bad.

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

Level of speech should be, and generally is, dependent on context. In a professional environment, technical jargon is easier than describing thingamajigs and adds clarity when talking about similar similar doodads. It allows ease of communication by using a shared dialect and vocabulary relevant to the scenario and shared by the individuals communicating. Use of jargon with someone on the same page simplifies communication, but when communicating with those outside of the circle, technical jargon need to be simplified for the same reason it is being used in the first place.

 

Additionally, eloquent diction possess potential to present more detailed, elaborate, and possibly specific ideas, or at the very least present drawn out concepts in a more brief manner. A synonyms can posses a more or less desirable connotation or implication adding further detail to the communication. That being said, just as with technical jargon, the type of language used needs to match the understanding of the individual being communicated to in order to be effective. Even if all parties have the same understanding, diction can also convey social context. An example of this is speaking roughly with friends and formally with superiors to convey either familiarity or respect (thought the options are far more diverse) or speaking in a more proper or technical manner with co-workers while on the job as opposed to while off the job.

 

My opinion of the matter is that higher understanding of language is desirable as it allows for a greater diversity of types of communication and can convey more nuanced and/or specific meaning.The take away is that at the end of the day, it is optimal for all involved parties to communicate on the same level whatever that level may be. While being intimidated by eloquent speech is petty and displays insecurity, a standard requisite manner of speech for an environment does ensure unhindered communication.

[El Duderino 879]

Using a vocabulary that someone doesn't understand can be a turn off to them. I think you can never sound too smart. It's something that should impress employers. I have, however, met people who sound smart but end up giving off the "I'm to smart for you" vibe. That's not good.

[idunnomaybe 344]

I'll be brutally honest people who use unnecessary wording don't sound smart they sound like some one who is trying to sound smart and come off as pompous and up themselves

i know scientists people studying medicine lawyers military officers etc etc and none of them talk like "indeed twas winters fall and i hath just cut my sandwich in twain" no one talks like that they all talk the same as everyone else the only thing i found is doctors and med students tend to have a more received accent (posh) 

i mean for my job you actually need to take an IQ test and i had to take it 3 times because i kept getting an insanely high score and i don't consider myself an intellectual 

like one thing i cant stand with fimfics is when people sit there with a thesaurus and try to change common words with more "fancy" ones when its in my opinion pointless i also cant stand "of X and X" titles if see that i just don't bother reading

i was actually going to make a parody fic called "of ponies and trying to say and of to sound smart" where it was just going to be adding "and of" to everything so e.g 


Twilight and of got and of up and off out and of her bed and of" 

Edited August 18, 2016 by idunnomaybe

[silvadel 1,393]

I constantly have to watch the words I use, in my writing, on forums, and in discourse. 

 

The perfect word for something ceases to be even good if the person you are talking to doesn't have a firm understanding of that word.

[Ruthborn 55]

Society in this case is built around a middle zone. Accepted (eg. non-threatening/non-insulting) language in common spaces is somewhere between highly-educated and primary school level. This is to ensure that at least most people will be able to understand each other regardless of where they exist socially.

 

Otherwise, each private space (eg. high society, high education, "country bumpkin", street slang, native slang) has they're own language rules that do not transfer well when used outside of they're intended "space". For example, you try talking like a highly educated person on the "street" and you are liable to be shot and your body thrown in a gutter somewher, however, speak like a highly educated person in a highly educated establishment and you are liable to fit in better.

[Dreambiscuit 10,094]

The whole idea of dumbing down to the lowest common denominator is a downhill slope to utter ignorance. Before long, the beautiful art once known as language and articulate speech will be lost and replaced by monosyllabic, barely intelligible sounds more similar to animal grunts and noises than to anything that was once a unique tool of the dominant species on planet earth.

Language, its uses and the absolute art of eloquent articulation is a gift that should not be discarded because too many people are intimidated by those more intelligent than they are. Rather than the intelligent lowering themselves to the ignorant, it should be the other way around. Rising to the occasion is something the human race has become far too lax and unwilling to do anymore. Let's not degenerate into some lowlife existence barely able to communicate with each other when, with relatively little effort, we could excel to a higher level; furthering humanity instead of abandoning it altogether.   

Edited September 4, 2016 by Dreambiscuit

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

Yes there is actually. A lot of people don't understand the definition of a lot of big, fancy words, and tend to go in one ear, and come out the other. You always wanna be somewhere in the middle of sounding intelligent, and being down to earth with your audience.

[Concerned Bystander 2,903]

It depends.  Being verbose for the sake of it just makes you sound like an asshat.  The core of good communication is being able to tailor your language to your audience, to use vocabulary that is appropriate to that of the person you are speaking to, without being either aloof or patronising.

 

You will sound a lot smarter to a person if they can understand what you are trying to put across to them than if you fail miserably to engage with them at their level.

[Anneal 2,197]

Being laconic is an essential rule to speech. If people can't understand what you're saying, they won't want to hear you speak. 

 

In fanfic writing, we call it purple prose. 

[KatonRyu 1,033]

It's possible, but it depends on the context. If you're doing it solely to sound intellectual it makes a you a pretentious asshat, but if it's normal for a certain position to use jargon or fancy words there's nothing wrong with it. I personally hate dumbing things down for people who don't understand, but then I do fit the bill for 'pretentious asshat' so I may not be the best person to ask.

[cmarston1 5,959]

It depends on what kind of circumstances you are in and the type of people you are talking to.

In some cases it makes a lot more sense to use more intricate vocabulary than in others.

Such as communication during some kind of advanced scientific discovery versus that of a casual conversation between you and your friends.

[Guest]

Yes, using too many fancy words might make it hard for the listener to understand, and it might get to the point where your talk wouldn't sound "smart" but rather cringy. Atleast from my personal experience, when someone tries to sound as smart as possible, it mostly comes out like that.

[EpicEnergy 23,224]

There definitely is, especially when it comes to using jargon.

[TBD 17,256]

Sometime it's just in one's nature to talk like how you describe it, depends how they were taught. Although from what I've learned while I was part of a research group, is try to talk "normal" ( sorry if that may sound offensives, I can't think of a word to say this) to people who aren't familiar with that we're doing. Which means deeming down technical words. We want people to understand and be enraged with our research. And yes it's sometime difficult to do so, since you know so much about it your research and couldn't help it but go overboard to the point people lost interested.  It takes several practices for me to just present it as if  I were a teacher walking through it with my students, to help them not only to understand but get engaged with our research project. That part is  the most satisfying when everyone is in the same boat. 

Talking "smart" is not important, it's how you presented yourself. Talking "Smart" is not to put down others and moreover, I see it as a sign as disrespect. In other words, "get off your high fuckin horse". But what's worse is when people pretend to sound smart. I cringe to that..

[Treeglow Flicker 13,854]

The idea of any language is communication.

The more needlessly elaborate communication becomes, the less a person communicates. It's not a question of sounding too smart or dumbing down what someone says. It's about using the right wording and phrasing for the right situation. Knowing your audience and speaking on a level where you both understand eachother clearly. It is a major foundation of intelligent use of language. Just because someone uses fancy vocabulary or elaborate phrasing, doesn't automatically make them a master of the language. Or superior. Knowledgeable, perhaps. But knowledge that is useless if not applied correctly.

It's no good someone saying,

"Well they should bring themselves up to my level! I shouldn't have to dumb down what I say just because they are too stupid to understand."

That is just arrogant and only shows off their own lack of knowledge in regards to how language and communication are applied. An intelligent communicator would know what words to use for what situation or audience. They understand that people have different levels of communicating that vary in countless different ways. Any writer or speech maker knows of the rule: "Know your audience".

I know a lot of fancy different words. But because I don't use those words or any elaborate phrasing that goes with them, doesn't mean I'm dumbing anything down. I'm merely choosing to use the right words for the right situation and audience.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by Treeglow Flicker

[Early Sunsets 2,107]

I'd say so. Someone who uses a lot of big words for seemingly no reason either comes off as trying too hard, or as an elitist.

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

This is actually intentional something I have used to dominate debates. If the person you are debating doesn't know what you're saying they not only feel intimidated they also question what you are saying but more so what they are saying. Yet that said a lot of teachers definitely do it I believe for reasons of wanting to feel superior to the students. Of course someone that is knowledgable about a topic versus someone that is not is always going to be giving that vibe. It does not mean they have some ill intent by it rather they come off that way as you yourself were not as prepared for the debate.

You also must make sure you know who you are talking to trying to convince someone head on sure use as many wise words as you want. Try however convincing the audience and you must realize they likely know nothing on the topic. So it makes sense to try not to make yourself sound so smart that nobody knows what you're saying. 

[Technoblade 114]

yeah. i hate it when people use 'big words' just to sound smart. unfortunately, i used to be one of those people, but i am now reformed and i usually use short and/or common words rather than long and/or obscure words. i use long and/or obscure words only when i have to

Edited April 29, 2020 by justNatsuki