Peripatetic- do you know what this word means?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I write and talk like that sometimes, and I realize that to some people this is annoying or pretentious sounding. It's a hard habit to break.

If it was really important to clarify this issue, I'd just respond with something like this: "Sorry if I was unclear. I actually was pretty happy in my twenties; moving around a lot suited me well at the time."

But there I go using a semi colon, which some people think is showy.

[Anonymous]

Nomadic, though to be fair I got a perfect score on my SATs 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have used the word “itinerant” instead. Or just told them that I moved around like a little tinker.

I use itinerant to mean your job is to travel, and you spent a lot of your time in motion, and make brief stops, like a traveling salesman, whereas peripatetic is a job or lifestyle where you spent most of your time not traveling, but you frequently shift locations, so are in one place for a while but frequently have to go somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Why can’t you just use normal language? No one cares that you know that word or is impressed by your vocabulary

[Anonymous]

I know what it means but I would never use it. "Don't be tempted by a twenty-dollar word when there is a ten-center handy.”

[Anonymous]

So what, OP, you sound like such a snob. I’m well-educated and know what the word means but it would not be shocking to me to learn another well-educated person was not familiar with it. I certainly don’t know every single word that my colleagues know, nor do all of them know every single word with which I’m familiar. This is not a big deal or worthy of note.

[Anonymous]

I have lived in 9 countries, all capitals around the world, have a graduate degree in history and never once used that word.
The thing that is off-putting is why put such a word in an e-mail? Sounds like you are trying too hard to look educated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I write and talk like that sometimes, and I realize that to some people this is annoying or pretentious sounding. It's a hard habit to break.

If it was really important to clarify this issue, I'd just respond with something like this: "Sorry if I was unclear. I actually was pretty happy in my twenties; moving around a lot suited me well at the time."

But there I go using a semi colon, which some people think is showy.

Yet you failed to use the subjunctive (“If it were really important…”) which might lead someone like OP to post here about it.

[Anonymous]

Are you a narcisist op? You put some lofty words in a regular convo, then post here about your stupid co-worker. Do you get all your self-esteem from tearing people down?
Is your ego that fragile and nonexistent?

[Anonymous]

This thread is depressing. In my parents’ generation, people would know these words with a high school education. Now…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I write and talk like that sometimes, and I realize that to some people this is annoying or pretentious sounding. It's a hard habit to break.

If it was really important to clarify this issue, I'd just respond with something like this: "Sorry if I was unclear. I actually was pretty happy in my twenties; moving around a lot suited me well at the time."

But there I go using a semi colon, which some people think is showy.

Yet you failed to use the subjunctive (“If it were really important…”) which might lead someone like OP to post here about it.

DP. You forgot to add that sending the e-mail suggested above, would make OP succeed in her intent. Make her look smart and tell her coworker that they are an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in 9 countries, all capitals around the world, have a graduate degree in history and never once used that word.
The thing that is off-putting is why put such a word in an e-mail? Sounds like you are trying too hard to look educated.

It is not a rare word and there are no great synonyms for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I write and talk like that sometimes, and I realize that to some people this is annoying or pretentious sounding. It's a hard habit to break.

If it was really important to clarify this issue, I'd just respond with something like this: "Sorry if I was unclear. I actually was pretty happy in my twenties; moving around a lot suited me well at the time."

But there I go using a semi colon, which some people think is showy.

Yet you failed to use the subjunctive (“If it were really important…”) which might lead someone like OP to post here about it.

Not to mention forgetting to hyphenate "pretentious-sounding" and not writing semicolon as one word.

[Anonymous]

Peripatetic is a great word, and also it's very possible that the recipient of the message just read it fast and their brain saw "pathetic" instead. I do that sometimes, and then I have to go back and re-read if something didn't quite make sense, and then I see the correct word. In this case, "pathetic" may have fit into the narrative and they just moved on.

[Anonymous]

As an English major and voracious reader, I love big words too, but I have to dumb down my language when talking or writing to most people--otherwise it will come off as showing off. Unless you know that the person you are communicating with has a similar level of education to you and an appreciation for "big words" in casual communication, don't use them. Period.