I’m already getting tired of trying to highlight key words by typing them in boldface. It feels like I’m writing a freakin’ comic book. “Hey, Superman! Do you know Lex Luthor is in town?” Feh.
Ah! But I’ve read about studies that show that unless you employ only the simplest words, hardly anyone will want to read you. Or even talk with you. Advance beyond the sixth-grade reading level, and it makes their heads hurt.
Back in high school there was a kid who used to yell at me every time he saw me, “Yah, Mr. Big Words! Big words! Yah!” This went on for several years. I didn’t even know his name. He only stopped when I promised to beat him senseless the next time he did it. One can only take so much.
Well, it seems his attitude has now become part of our dying culture. This is how you have to write, or no one will read you. No more big words.
All this cyber-stuff was supposed to raise us up and make us smarter. Instead, it dumbs us down.
Enough! On behalf of the English language, and all who treasure it, I declare defiance.
Coruscation! Orgulity! Penultimate! Chastisement! Polyglot! Effulgence!
(“Damn the torpedoes–full speed ahead!”)