Jack’s Winning Words 6/25/18
“Don’t use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice.”  (Unknown)  Were you a child when you learned from Mary Poppins that “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” was something to say when you liked something a lot?  It wasn’t just super, it was super- (say it!).  Big words are fun to say.  But, some people use BIG words just to impress others with their knowledge.  These people are sometimes called pedants.  Ooops…there I go, illustrating my point.    ;-)  Jack

FROM WALMART REV:  "...ain't any problem of mine!" 0-)===JACK:  Paul wrote: "When I was a child, I spoke like a child."  Enjoy being a perpetual child of God.

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  The person who comes to mind immediately for me is George Will! When he speaks I always learn a few new words. When he writes, I have to read almost every paragraph 2or 3 times.  Interesting way of communicating ideas, but he is very successful. His latest sentence is probably the best and easiest to understand! 😋===JACK:  I like his writing, although I don't always agree with his politics...except lately.  He's also knowledgeable about baseball.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  Billy Graham once said he would never use a word with more than 4 syllables when preaching...   a good idea!===JACK:  He knew his audience.  That's one of the secrets of being a good preacher.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL IN CALIFORNIA:  Everything is bigger out here in California. Even some words ===JACK:  California's state name is long, but the longest state name belongs to the smallest state...Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (its full name)

FROM DJ IN TENN: Here’s another big word my father always liked.     Sesquipedilian ===JACK:  Some preachers are like that.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  When I first started teaching Jr. High, I heard, "You talk to us like we're college kids!" I toned down my vocabulary,  but always had my 7th and 8th graders learn new vocab words, along with spelling lessons. I emphasized that to go in the front door of any professional  job opportunity they had to have an excellent vocabulary. Many of them thanked me for that in later years!  Some of course, said they didn't get a chance to use those words at home or with family...Preaching to the masses IS another story, and simple, plain language is most effective; "say it simple so's I can understand", as the saying goes!  I  enjoy reading writers with extensive vocabularies.  The art of writing is much less detailed, and more succinct in modern times than it was 50 0r 60 years ago!===JACK:  In WWs I purposely like to stretch the mind by writing things that might make readers curious.

FROM GOPHER LYNN:  Learned a new word today  ===JACK:  Was it pedant?