my new favorite word, thanks Eddy
At the Dave show Friday night, I was conversing with one my best friends. He and I have been roommates, been in each others weddings, committed a couple felonies ... you get the picture. We have been known to throw down beers watching election results like it was the Super Bowl.
I digress. As were talking, a friend of one of the couples we came with came upon us. I gave the usual friendly greeting and he asked how I was.
I replied, "Doing well thank you."
His reply, "You said well, are you an English major or pretentious?"
Being my sarcastic self, I said I was both.
I guess my crime is an education. Not that I apply it as I should. This got me to thinking. You have read my posts and comments. They tend to be erratic, obtuse, but entertaining. Mostly capital crimes against literacy, grammar and my family name.
Time to step up. Let's have some fun.
Here are the definitions so you can use big words like I make the feeble attempts:
pretentious
Main Entry: pre·ten·tious
Pronunciation: \pri-ˈten(t)-shəs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: French prétentieux, from prétention pretension, from Medieval Latin pretention-, pretentio, from Latin praetendere
Date: 1832
1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing)b: expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature
2: making demands on one's skill, ability, or means : ambitious
obtuse
Main Entry: ob·tuse
Pronunciation: \äb-ˈtüs, əb-, -ˈtyüs\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): ob·tus·er; ob·tus·est
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin obtusus blunt, dull, from past participle of obtundere to beat against, blunt, from ob- against + tundere to beat — more at ob-, contusion
Date: 15th century
1 a: not pointed or acute : blunt b (1)of an angle : exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees (2): having an obtuse angle— see triangle illustration cof a leaf : rounded at the free end
2 a: lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : insensitive, stupid b: difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression
I replied, "Doing well thank you."
His reply, "You said well, are you an English major or pretentious?"
Being my sarcastic self, I said I was both.
I guess my crime is an education. Not that I apply it as I should. This got me to thinking. You have read my posts and comments. They tend to be erratic, obtuse, but entertaining. Mostly capital crimes against literacy, grammar and my family name.
Time to step up. Let's have some fun.
Here are the definitions so you can use big words like I make the feeble attempts:
pretentious
Main Entry: pre·ten·tious
Pronunciation: \pri-ˈten(t)-shəs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: French prétentieux, from prétention pretension, from Medieval Latin pretention-, pretentio, from Latin praetendere
Date: 1832
1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing)
2: making demands on one's skill, ability, or means : ambitious
obtuse
Main Entry: ob·tuse
Pronunciation: \äb-ˈtüs, əb-, -ˈtyüs\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): ob·tus·er; ob·tus·est
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin obtusus blunt, dull, from past participle of obtundere to beat against, blunt, from ob- against + tundere to beat — more at ob-, contusion
Date: 15th century
1 a: not pointed or acute : blunt b (1)of an angle : exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees (2): having an obtuse angle
2 a: lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : insensitive, stupid b: difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression
8 comments:
Maybe too much contact buzz afterall Obob.
maybe not enough.
I think people are so used to using bad, lazy grammar that when they hear proper English it is jarring to them.
do not end your friggin' sentences with the word "at!"
I live with a foreigner...who CORRECTS my ENGLISH!
Maddening, BELIEVE me! and borderline PRETENTIOUS! Did I use that right!? :-)
I don't know exactly when using good grammar became passe. But I've been criticized and sneered at for using precise and correct grammar.
Wear the criticism as a badge of honor, Bob.
it's quickly become a running joke in my household
And I thought that pretentious meant being younger than 13!
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