Things that people say that make them sound too pretentious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

Well I do this, more to make fun of my front porch....I was sitting out on the Lanai when in reality it is a stoop.

With that said, it is not pretentious in Hawaii.

This is a good point. You don't always know whether a person using a word is being the opposite of pretentious, if it's an often-used word for where and how they grew up.

Actually, a word that has pretentious origins and is commonly used is "townhome." It's a townhouse.

It's a rowhouse.

It's a brownstone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from East Asia. Even though English is my second language, I have a bigger vocabulary than 90% of native-born Americans I encounter. To have my friends tell me that they think I'm pretentious simply for the fact that I use words like "nadir" and "gossamer" is truly amusing and eye-opening.

#sorrynotsorry

That's probably just because in casual conversation, there is usually a better word than those two. You sound like you talk like a twat or aren't as fluent as you think.

Agree! Using big words that your listener may not know it usually the domain of the uneducated with the "word of the day" calendar in this country. I feel bad for your friends because you sound like a judgmental b*tch!

+1. People that are educated don't use 10-cent words when 5-cent words will do the trick. Clarity and conciseness are more important than how big your vocabulary is.

In DC and on DCUM you are going to get the 10% who have excellent vocabularies, so we are not impressed with those words (but a second language, well done). If your friends think you are insufferable it is probably not vocabulary. Maybe check your attitude about living here? And PP makes a good point--clear and concise is the key. I have seen talented DCers slide effortlessly between audiences using the right level of vocab for each situation.

Think about Ted Talks, Carl Sagan, etc. These people are brilliant, and brilliant at getting audiences to understand their passion without losing them in the shopspeak. Even our talented cadre of lawyers here on DCUM explain some very complicated situations for this audience in a clear way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

Well I do this, more to make fun of my front porch....I was sitting out on the Lanai when in reality it is a stoop.

With that said, it is not pretentious in Hawaii.

This is a good point. You don't always know whether a person using a word is being the opposite of pretentious, if it's an often-used word for where and how they grew up.

Actually, a word that has pretentious origins and is commonly used is "townhome." It's a townhouse.

It's a rowhouse.

It's a brownstone.

Only if it's made from brownstone, which is mostly in New York City. But here in the Mid-Atlantic, brick is the typical historic building material. And vinyl siding is the typical current building material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

Well I do this, more to make fun of my front porch....I was sitting out on the Lanai when in reality it is a stoop.

With that said, it is not pretentious in Hawaii.

This is a good point. You don't always know whether a person using a word is being the opposite of pretentious, if it's an often-used word for where and how they grew up.

Actually, a word that has pretentious origins and is commonly used is "townhome." It's a townhouse.

It's a rowhouse.

It's a brownstone.

Only if it's made from brownstone, which is mostly in New York City. But here in the Mid-Atlantic, brick is the typical historic building material. And vinyl siding is the typical current building material.

whoooosh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

Well I do this, more to make fun of my front porch....I was sitting out on the Lanai when in reality it is a stoop.

With that said, it is not pretentious in Hawaii.

This is a good point. You don't always know whether a person using a word is being the opposite of pretentious, if it's an often-used word for where and how they grew up.

Actually, a word that has pretentious origins and is commonly used is "townhome." It's a townhouse.

It's a rowhouse.

It's a brownstone.

It's a brownhome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think most of these examples qualify as pretentious.

I think it's pretentious when people are speaking English and suddenly pronounce a French or Spanish word like a native speaker. Or if they have a name like Suzanne and insist that you pronounce it "SuzAHN"

Pak EEE stahn

Alex Trebek (Jeopardy) does this all the time and my husband and I always groan. He *has* to pronounce any foreign word with a flamboyant accent, just so the audience knows how intelligent he is.

See this kind of thing would never occur to me that people are taking personally. To be fair, he is Canadian and this is a common thing there. When you are more well travelled or grow up surrounded by various nationalities and languages it becomes second nature to pronounce things correctly and you don't do it to piss people off, you do it because that is how the words are pronounced. When people don't pronounce words correctly (eg EYE-RACK instead of Iraq) that is when you get made fun of like "I'm going to pronounce your FOREIGN words the 'MERICAN way!"

People often do it to remove ownership of the word. They mispronounce it on purpose, at least the military guys I work with do, on purpose.

This is a good observation. So true. And pretty effective too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"we had dinner at the club"

Here is the thing on this. Lets say you belong to a country club. What would you prefer that they call it? We had dinner at "XYZ country club" or we ate "at some place with no name"? If talking to another couple who is a member and setting up a dinner, you just say "lets have it at the club at 7"...because it doesn't have a namer other than "xyz country club" at it is odd to say the whole club name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"we had dinner at the club"

Here is the thing on this. Lets say you belong to a country club. What would you prefer that they call it? We had dinner at "XYZ country club" or we ate "at some place with no name"? If talking to another couple who is a member and setting up a dinner, you just say "lets have it at the club at 7"...because it doesn't have a namer other than "xyz country club" at it is odd to say the whole club name?

Just the name. Let's have dinner at Congressional. Or whatever. The club is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

The name of my club is six words long and contains the phrase "country club". What do I call it without using the word club to not sound pretentious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The name of my club is six words long and contains the phrase "country club". What do I call it without using the word club to not sound pretentious?

Belmont

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

This is normal in Florida, FYI.

It's incredibly pretentious. Just say, "deck" or "porch."

You're wrong.

[Anonymous]

People who say often pronouncing the t, or use I when me is grammatically correct.

[Anonymous]

"Let me call a car service' instead of just calling it Uber.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

This is normal in Florida, FYI.

It's incredibly pretentious. Just say, "deck" or "porch."

The only time I've ever heard it called a 'lanai' is on Golden Girls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saying "lanai" instead of porch or deck.

This is normal in Florida, FYI.

It's incredibly pretentious. Just say, "deck" or "porch."

A lanai isn't the same thing as a deck or a porch, though.