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  • Overuse of superlatives.

    One of my pet dislikes is the tendency to overuse a few descriptive words in the English language, a few that particularly grate on me at the moment are (awesome, amazing and fantastic) remove these from the dictionary and I suspect a large majority of the under 30s would be almost struck dumb.

    The following is a quote from this page http://outofthebubble.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/this-is-the-best-banana-ive-had-since-the-last-one/

    "Anyway, what he was saying is that the under-25 generation today in America has gone nuts with the superlatives, and we need to back it off if we ever want to be taken seriously. That is, if you overuse the superlative as much as folks in my generation typically do, who’s going to listen to you when you actually have something to say? What good is my word on faith, or art, or the things I’m passionate about when I regularly say things like “this is the best banana I’ve ever had in my life?” Essentially he means the more you use the superlative, the less valuable it becomes, so say what you mean, and mean what you say. Your words are more valuable when you reserve the most passionate ones to describe the things you’re most passionate about."

    Wonder if others feel the same? :-/

  • #2
    Re: Overuse of superlatives.

    Spectacular post--absolutely top notch, one for the record books. Awesome.

    Greg
    not sorry at all, I just couldnt resist. 8-)

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Overuse of superlatives.

      Originally posted by 053930283D5C0 link=1276167951/0#0 date=1276167951
      One of my pet dislikes is the tendency to overuse a few descriptive words

      ........remove these from the dictionary and I suspect a large majority of the under 30s would be almost struck dumb.

      .....Wonder if others feel the same?  :-/
      Right on, man. You would never catch me using those words in my generation.  

      Far out. Thats just too much.

      I think every generation made considerable use of hyperbole. I was a surfie in the 70s and I think we were second to none in the use of superlatives. Wicked.

      I once met a beatnik in those days. He told me how "gas, dad" was his usual term of choice and he used to call everyone "dad" - even his mom.

      Flynn "Baby boomer" aus

      <and snap to Greg - beaten to it for the second time today. Unreal>

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Overuse of superlatives.

        Originally posted by 4F45504747485C5A290 link=1276167951/2#2 date=1276169264
        I was a surfie in the 70s and I think we were second to none in the use of superlatives. Wicked.
        Things havent changed much in the surf scene as those terms are still in use
        Tubular man [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Overuse of superlatives.

          Originally posted by 1A3E373734340E1A3E223C3E510 link=1276167951/3#3 date=1276169722
          those terms are still in use
          Dead set, mate!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Overuse of superlatives.

            Originally posted by 444E5B4C4C435751220 link=1276167951/4#4 date=1276169876
            Originally posted by 1A3E373734340E1A3E223C3E510 link=1276167951/3#3 date=1276169722
            those terms are still in use  
            Dead set, mate!  
            I used to watch Mark Richards surf in Merewether Beach, Newcastle

            Surfers were called Lemons in my day & catching a tube was a surfers dream

            Flyn did you read any surf magazines & if so do you remember Captain Goodvibes

            KK

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Overuse of superlatives.

              Originally posted by 784D5A5868504D525E535B3F0 link=1276167951/1#1 date=1276168771
              Spectacular post--absolutely top notch, one for the record books. Awesome.

              Greg
              not sorry at all, I just couldnt resist. 8-)
              Thanks mate, Im at a loss for words.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                Originally posted by 68545D4550310 link=1276167951/0#0 date=1276167951
                Wonder if others feel the same?
                Yes (among other atrocities afflicted upon the language).  :

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                  Originally posted by 023E2338323324313932560 link=1276167951/7#7 date=1276178953
                  Originally posted by 68545D4550310 link=1276167951/0#0 date=1276167951
                  Wonder if others feel the same?
                  Yes (among other atrocities afflicted upon the language).  :
                  Such as?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                    Originally posted by 043831293C5D0 link=1276167951/8#8 date=1276179607
                    Such as?
                    "She goes" instead of "she said".
                    "Yeah, no" to start a sentence.

                    Do I need to go on? It hurts just thinking about it. :-/

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                      Originally posted by 4478657E747562777F74100 link=1276167951/9#9 date=1276179765
                      Originally posted by 043831293C5D0 link=1276167951/8#8 date=1276179607
                      Such as?  
                      "She goes" instead of "she said".
                      "Yeah, no" to start a sentence.

                      Do I need to go on? It hurts just thinking about it.  :-/
                      I tend not to hear that sort of thing as much nowadays, perhaps I dont associate with younger people enough, or could it be an east coast thing?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                        "I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest."

                        Muhammad Ali

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                          Originally posted by 494E555D5A484F3B0 link=1276167951/11#11 date=1276180695
                          "I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest."

                          Muhammad Ali
                          And in his day he certainly was.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                            Originally posted by 714D445C49280 link=1276167951/12#12 date=1276180948
                            And in his day he certainly was.
                            "I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was."

                            Muhammad Ali

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Overuse of superlatives.

                              Originally posted by 10343D3D3E3E0410342836345B0 link=1276167951/5#5 date=1276170439
                              Flyn did you read any surf magazines & if so do you remember Captain Goodvibes
                              Are you kidding - is the Pope Catholic?

                              No self-respecting surfer, in the 70s at least, wouldnt be buying the next issue of Tracks for the latest episode of Captain Goodvibes, Pig of Steel. One of my surfing mates always called another mate Cosmo (Mindwanker).

                              Sounds like you and I had the same misspent youth KK - surfing, Goodvibes, Zappa. Well have to compare notes one day.

                              Comment

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