Words, words, words

[vettecat]

I spent a fair chunk of time tonight on the phone with a tech support guy at Comcast, trying to resolve a connection problem. (It's working now, obviously.) At one point in the conversation, after he'd told me to change a computer setting, I said, "Okay, it seems to have reacclimated." He said, "What?" I repeated myself, and he asked me to define "reacclimated." Then he asked me to spell it. Then he got all excited about having learned a new word, and started throwing it into the conversation at random moments. Which was amusing, but... I didn't think that was such an obscure word. What do you think? Was he out of touch, or have I just been spoiled by having intelligent and well-read friends?

Comments

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

I'd say 75% the latter.

Which isn't to say, go out of your way to find folks who don't have that sort of intimate acquaintance with diverse vocabulary. It's NICE to be able to speak freely and expect to be understood.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. I enjoy the fact that I don't often feel the need to search for alternative words.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

Is it possible you were talking with a tech support person in India?

While talking with the electrician who was working on my house, I had to define "terse" (I was describing the content of a 28 page guide to electrical building code).

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

No, they don't like outsourcing. They recently started up an Internet tech support center in Malden.
(Oh, and I'd say it's more the latter than the former - there are many non-well-read people out there)

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

The other day I was confronted with a well-educated person who misused disinterested.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I did wonder about that but couldn't think of a polite way to ask.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

So it was probably a local guy? Not sure if that's better or worse...

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I think that's pretty common, sadly.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

That and misuse of quality are pet peeves. But both are becoming acceptable through misue. Though disinterested it's not misuse so much as going back to its origin. Similar to literally.

Main Entry: dis·in·ter·est·ed
Pronunciation: -t&d
Function: adjective
1 a : not having the mind or feelings engaged : not interested

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<introverted.>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

That and misuse of quality are pet peeves. But both are becoming acceptable through misue. Though disinterested it's not misuse so much as going back to its origin. Similar to literally.

Main Entry: dis·in·ter·est·ed
Pronunciation: -t&d
Function: adjective
1 a : not having the mind or feelings engaged : not interested <telling them in a disinterested voice -- Tom Wicker> <Introverted. Unsocial ... Disinterested in women -- J. A. Brussel> b : no longer interested <husband and wife become disinterested in each other -- T. I. Rubin>
2 : free from selfish motive or interest : UNBIASED <a disinterested decision> <disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of real civilization -- G. M. Trevelyan>
synonym see INDIFFERENT
- dis·in·ter·est·ed·ly adverb
usage Disinterested and uninterested have a tangled history. Uninterested orig. meant impartial, but this sense fell into disuse during the 18th century. About the same time the original sense of disinterested also disappeared, with uninterested developing a new sense--the present meaning--to take its place. The original sense of uninterested is still out of use, but the original sense of disinterested revived in the early 20th century. The revival has since been under frequent attack as an illiteracy and a blurring or loss of a useful distinction. Actual usage shows otherwise. Sense 2 of disinterested is still its most frequent sense, especially in edited prose; it shows no sign of vanishing. A careful writer may choose sense 1a of disinterested in preference to uninterested for emphasis <teaching the letters of the alphabet to her wiggling and supremely disinterested little daughter -- C. L. Sulzberger>. Further, disinterested has developed a sense (1b), perhaps influenced by sense 1 of the prefix dis-, that contrasts with uninterested <when I grow tired or disinterested in anything, I experience a disgust -- Jack London (letter, 1914)>. Still, use of senses 1a and 1b will incur the disapproval of some who may not fully appreciate the history of this word or the subtleties of its present use.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Interesting... thanks for the splice.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

Webster also had an interesting one for literally, which notes that literally has a meaning that it "exaggerated."

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Very interesting...

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

One entry found for literally.




Main Entry: lit·er·al·ly
Pronunciation: 'li-t&-r&-lE, 'li-tr&-lE, 'li-t&r-lE
Function: adverb
1 : in a literal sense or manner : ACTUALLY
2 : in effect : VIRTUALLY
usage Since some people take sense 2 to be the opposite of sense 1, it has been frequently criticized as a misuse. Instead, the use is pure hyperbole intended to gain emphasis, but it often appears in contexts where no additional emphasis is necessary.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

That's funny b/c it does sound wrong when people use it that way.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

It's an odd thing when a word has opposite meanings.

[running-girl4.livejournal.com]

Out of touch, yes. Intelligent friends, yes again.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Like "cleave."

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Could be right on both counts.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Eventually I predict that inflammable will mean not flammable.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I think some people already think it does.

[pressburger.livejournal.com]

Once enough people do it will become official.