An Encomium For The Sesquipedalian

Seth Stevenson stands up for using words we don’t quite know the meanings of or how to pronounce:

We’ve all experienced moments in which we brush up against the ceilings of our personal lexicons. I call it “bubble vocabulary.” Words on the edge of your ken, whose definitions or pronunciations turn out to be just out of grasp as you reach for them. The words you basically know but, hmmm, on second thought, maybe haven’t yet mastered? …

Excessive abashment when our vocab goes wrong is, in my view, counterproductive. It has a chilling effect. We become reluctant to reach for the verbal brass ring the next time an opportunity comes along. And that is a loss to us all. Juicy vocabulary words are a hoot. They are one of the great pleasures of conversation. They are to be applauded and savored. We shouldn’t hesitate to draw them from our quivers, even if we may occasionally miss our targets.

I remember all too-vividly a moment from my tender youth when I used the word “spurious” to mean something that would make me spew. I’m not sure I’ve yet recovered from the experience. And I’m not sure whether that wasn’t a good thing.