Dean Robert Cushman of Duke Divinity School was in "high gear" in his Theology Survey lecture. Barely pausing for breath, he unleashed a stream of multi-syllable words. A fellow on the front row emitted an unexpected "Huh?" to which the momentarily startled scholar eventually responded, "Young man, do you have a dictionary ?" A meek "Yes, sir" answered by a supercilious "Look 'em up !" Old-timers in this area described such utterances as "Fifty cent words", sometimes followed by the admonition "in other words, speak plainly."
Now, "big words" can be fun and can facilitate oral and written expression of thought . . . but not when used as weapons to create distance among persons nor to be ostentatious (whoops, show off). As a way to exercise brain function, I have begun receiving a "Word of the Day" from a dictionary company. Some I recognize; others have been neologisms (darn, did it again; new words). Several of the more recent offerings capture much of what is currently transpiring in American political campaigns. So, as the late Jackie Gleason would have said, "Away we go !" " In other words" when using a dictionary word, I will attempt my 'everyday' translations.
We begin with the t.v. and print broadsides ["very harsh or strong spoken or written attack"]. Very few are breviloquent [" marked by brevity of speech"] and seem more like the invective ["insulting language"] or gibberish ["unintelligible or meaningless language] of policasters ["petty, contemptible politicians"]. Several candidates have been cited for their blatherskite ["foolish talk; nonsense"] rendering their veracity juberous ["doubtful"] and creating kerfuffles ["disturbances"] which tend to tenebrificate ["cause gloom and darkness"].
Then there are the plenteous rapscallions ["worthless, idle persons"] who qualify as purse-leeches ["excessively greedy for money"] and pie-counters ["a political patronage or spoils especially when regarded as venal or corrupt"] as well as being termed an embusque ["person who avoids military service; a draft dodger"] . Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell recently complained of -aster candidates ["a suffix indicating 'inferior'"]. Doubtless, many aspiring to office hold dispathic opinions of the voters ["marked by a lack of sympathy"]. Worse still are those who barely conceal their epicharikaky ["a joy for the misfortune of others"].
Despite the current prevalence of chicanery ["the use of trickery to achieve a political purpose"], dare we dream of the repullulation ["budding or sprouting again"] of 'domestic tranquility' and other ideals of the United States Constitution. . . which was written "in plain English".
Satchel
