To think some words don't belong in informal conversation

[Thrif]

There are certain words that, whilst technically correct, make a person sound completely up themselves when used out loud.

Whom is the worst. Whilst is another

I know someone who always refers to the sea as the ocean. ''Oh yes we paddled in the owwwshun''.

It sets my teeth on edge. It the bloody sea. You paddle in the sea! You cross the ocean.

This person also says serpent for snake It all sounds so pretentious.

Fluffy is that person american? Don't they use ocean instead of sea?

No they're not american eminy. Early 20s. Nice person just a bit up themselves i think.

it always makes me think 'aspie', thats all

But some seas are oceans. Haven't a clue why but if you paddle off the west coast of Ireland you'd be paddling in the Atlantic Ocean.

I got chatting to another mum at Ds2's Reception taster day. I no longer remember what the conversation was about, but she announced she felt slightly discombobulated about something... So did I after I'd look it up

Many years ago I was on a month long Teaching English as a Foreign Language course (8 hours per day, for a month) with a woman who always used the longest words she knew at every opportunity. She spoke in a style appropriate to an academic thesis, at all times, whether discussing what she had for lunch or whilst teaching beginner level learners of English, and never, ever changed register to suit her audience. What annoyed me most (and I did find her very annooying) was that most of the other trainees professed unreserved admiration for her eloquence at every opportunity, without ackowledging the fact that it was utterly innappropriate to context. :o

When teaching GCSE, and even KS3, "Speaking and Listening" one of the key skills is speaking in a style which suits the material, and the listeners. Sometimes clever but socially slightly clumsy children had to be reminded that if the task was to prepare a persuasive speech encouraging 11-14 year olds to visit a new theme park, they would need to employ a different vocabulary than the one they used for the formal debating task...

What bugs me is the 'policeman' style of talking. The "I was proceeding in a northerly direction..." thing. In court not so bad anyone talking like that anywhere else gives me the rage.

No Irish person would ever talk about paddling in the ocean, Baffled, even if they blatantly were.

Flogging I think some people use discombobulated for private amusement though, as it just sounds funny when you say it aloud :o

He isn't trying to sound superior, it's just that he speaks the way he thinks.

I pretty much internalised many english classics as a child and it has irrevocably affected my vocabulary. I see signs of my mode of speech in DS now (he's 3) and I feel a mixture of embarrassment and pride

Flogging, well possibly not but there might be visitors from abroad who are pretentious enough to say it :)

I grew up in the Middle East and you could usually tell the nationality of writers in our local english language paper. Writers who had emigratred from India/Pakistan used beautiful, flowing yet rather wordy prose - they used big words as often as possible and sounded like they'd swallowed dictionaries. IME this was also true for their spoken english. Native english speakers sounded dog rough in comparison (unless they were from Oxbridge or something) and used the simplest formations possible

It always amused me that native english speakers seemed to avoid making full use of our language whilst (!!) non-native speakers reveled in its intricacies.....

I work with someone who works the word "inchoate" into every email she sends. I think, oh do fuck off, is that your word of the month?

I disagree. I think its fun to throw the odd pompous word or phrase into informal conversation now and again. And if I realise something is grammatically wrong before I say it (who/whom) I'm not going to choose the wrong version just because my co-locuter (tee hee) might think we should all dumb down wherever possible.

But I don't think using incorrect grammar in casual conversation is particularly wrong either.

PlumpingUpPartridge Indeed! We have the same situation in former African colonies. The locals with a little bit of University or High School for the oldest have a very full and clear language. No shortcut allowed: Perfect grammar and each word used is the most appropriate for the situation.
Some people back in France tend to laugh at it, but I find it utterly charming and actually sad that we do not take the same care with our own language.

Ok, going to hold my hands up here
I was brought up with most of these words and was constantly corrected by df on not using lesser words and not stringing a sentence together properly. But I am also dyslexic, so to my embarrassment my spelling and grammar are pretty appalling. I wish I could see the problems and correct them. I can sometimes but then forget how to use them or spell correctly. I love reading threads like this as I can relearn things again. As for some of the words mentioned above I do use them everyday never thinking they were pretentious I do not use 'me thinks'.
I find text speak more difficult to deceiver.
I am really sorry if my grammar and spelling really grate when reading. But I am open to be corrected if anyone would like to dissect this post please do, as it would help me greatly. (dissect looks wrong to me but I am on my phone and it's not offering me an alternative)

There were days when I worked in a professional role and had been in Court, writing Reports etc, that I would struggle not to stay in "professional speak" mode.

I don't want to have to think hard about a more casual way of saying something, when sometimes formal language explains things clearly and simply.

When I've been drinking (or angry) I'm very Scouse and often crude, it does tend to be either/or with me.

My background is first/second generation immigrant and I was bought up around people whose English was Formal and Flowery.

My use of English was commented on in school, but I was just copying what I heard.

Monsters, several posters gave explained about "I" and "me", so I won't repeat. However, the Queen would say, for example, "My husband and I enjoyed your hospitality" , but she would never say "Thank you for the racehorse (or similar) you gave to my husband and I".

discombobulated is a brilliant word! It is lovely to say, and describes so perfectly what it should

Still - it's better than using "business speak" in every day situations.

Tonight, I'm planning on reaching out to my kids .......

My kids enjoy a bit of blue-sky thinking, treadsoftly. They will shoot anyone who says 'me, myself, personally' (all in one sequence) on sight though (or indeed upon hearing).

English isn't my first language and I do tend to use more formal words, but not flowery iyswim.