Overused "obscure" words

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robeiae

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Have you ever seen a word that is generally rarely used suddenly be used with great frequency, either by a single writer/speaker or by alot of them?

Example 1: in the 2000 Presidential race, "gravitas" was used all the time, but I don't recall it being used prior to or since, at least not significantly.

Example 2: the use of the word "authentic" in reference to someone's character is becoming quite common nowadays. The last time I think it was used this way to this extent was by Martin Hediegger and students of his philosophy in the 30's and 40's.

Any thoughts?

Rob
 

arrowqueen

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Yes. Words suddenly become 'buzzwords' and you get sick of the sound of them.

Another strange thing I've found is that when I come across a word I haven't seen before or hear a reference to something I haven't previously come across, within days, it suddeny starts popping up all over the place.

Odd.
 

reph

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"Reference" as a verb. It started a few years ago, and now a disgusting number of speakers and writers think it's right.
 

Anatole Ghio

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robeiae said:
Example 1: in the 2000 Presidential race, "gravitas" was used all the time, but I don't recall it being used prior to or since, at least not significantly.

Example 2: the use of the word "authentic" in reference to someone's character is becoming quite common nowadays.

I don't know of the examples you speak of, but in politics, buzz words are used to blanket the media by different politicians so that the message gets across through innundation. So if the buzz word of the day is gravitas, several politicians of the same party will use that word in order to spread a unified message.

Flip flop was an example of this in the last campaign.
 

arrowqueen

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Ah, yes, 'reference'. One of my favourites. Right up there along with 'source' - as in:

'We haven't got one of those, Madam. I'll try and source it for you.'

'No! No! Please don't! I beg of you! 'Look for it'/'find it' - but for the love of God, Montresor, please don't 'source' it!'

or 'overspend' as in: 'This year, the company ended up with a massive overspend.' No, it bloody didn't. It overspent.

I really, really hate anthimeria!
 
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William Haskins

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hunter thompson was a big fan of both "avarice" and "overweening".

if memory serves, he on more than one occasion used them in conjunction with one another, as in: overweening avarice.

it never bothered me, really. we've all got our bag of tricks.
 

Liam Jackson

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Richard said:
It's just one of those paradigms.

That's an especially irritating word. Moreso when a speaker repeatedly (20-30 times during a ninety-minute presentation) pronounces it, "Par-rad-i GEM"
 

Liam Jackson

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A short list of current Department of Defense buzz words and phrases- Notice the number of offenders that have already been mentioned.

paradigm
scenario
"think outside the box..." (this one just...won't...die!)
black ops
WMD
reference
hard skills
soft skills
interface
network
deploy (ex- "I will deploy to Tampa for the conference.")
impact- all-purpose offender ex- "we will..., you can..., he did..., that might...
it could..., shall we...?, might they...?, ...andonandonandonandon
bloviate
concur
dichotomy
plethora
schematic
 

arrowqueen

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I quite like 'avarice', myself. (Which rubbed off onto small niece, who, upon being presented with 10p would go: 'Rich! Rich beyond the dreams of avarice!' - which I found quite sweet.)

I do prefer 'overweening' in conjunction with 'arrogance', though.

Um...and what exactly does 'biovate' mean?
 

Liam Jackson

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Bloviate- to speak or write verbosely and windily

How's that for irony?
 

arrowqueen

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Lol. Ty. My dictionary is ancient and didn't have it.
 

Patricia

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"Clearly." Have you noticed how all the news station consultants and public speakers throw that word around? "Clearly, it has become an over-used word."
 

Liam Jackson

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Truman...

I didn't dislike "bloviate" until I had to endure its useage...approx. 40 mentions....during a seminar on "effective communications." :)
 

Rambling

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Ann said:
"Clearly." Have you noticed how all the news station consultants and public speakers throw that word around? "Clearly, it has become an over-used word."

Back in university, we were told this was a mathematical term meaning:
"While I believe this to be true, I can't prove it to you now."

It proved a source of great amusement every time a lecturer used it.
 

Rambling

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Oh, and -

'ubiquitous'. Generally used by the same people who use the word 'plethora'.

 

arrowqueen

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There used to be a restaurant in Glasgow called 'The Ubiquitous Chip' ('french fry', for my Colonial chums.)

They didn't provide any.
 

soloset

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arrowqueen said:
I quite like 'avarice', myself. (Which rubbed off onto small niece, who, upon being presented with 10p would go: 'Rich! Rich beyond the dreams of avarice!' - which I found quite sweet.)

I do prefer 'overweening' in conjunction with 'arrogance', though.

Um...and what exactly does 'biovate' mean?

Your niece sounds absolutely adorable. :)

Did you mean 'bloviate'? That means to talk at length on a subject in a windy fashion -- I hear it on my fiance's favorite news program frequently and had to look it up myself.

I'm tired of hearing "invalidate" myself. As in, "you're trying to invalidate my feelings!" No, I'm not, you're just wrong! Muhahahaha!

And I'm starting to wonder if "that" really is a valid synonym for "who" and I've just been mixed up all these years.
 
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