General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Brobdingnagian ego"
One of my favorite writers applied this term to Trump.
MineralMan
(146,346 posts)Even fewer will know its origin.
Raven
(13,908 posts)MineralMan
(146,346 posts)Interestingly enough, people will understand the meaning right away, from the context. Most people who know anything about Gulliver's Travels, will only know the Lilliput story from Swift's satirical book. These days, the number of youngsters exposed to it is probably far smaller than it used to be.
More's the pity.
Turbineguy
(37,400 posts)Excellent choice.
MineralMan
(146,346 posts)Huge, gigantic, oversized. Anyone familiar with Trump would understand the word right away, but not its origin.
3catwoman3
(24,102 posts)In my mid-twenties, quite briefly, I dated a guy about whom I was rather uncertain. One time, he said to me, "You've got to stop using them big words." The "them big words" was bad enough. When it turned out the big word was ambivalent , I was no longer ambivalent about him.
MineralMan
(146,346 posts)I've always been hesitant to form relationships with people who have small vocabularies. Since I've always been a voracious reader, the conflicts about how we spent some of our time would be clear. Donald Trump makes it clear that he has read little. His vocabulary appears to me to be about that of a 10-year-old. I could not have a conversation with him.
Your example of ambivalent is a good one.
Liberal In Texas
(13,610 posts)We are becoming a nation of stupid people. "Idiocracy" seems not only a satire on our times, but strangely prescient.
And yes, I knew it was Jonathan Swift right off.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)half as easily as "Lilliputian".
3catwoman3
(24,102 posts)Bad combo.
MineralMan
(146,346 posts)3catwoman3
(24,102 posts)...else surely would.
MineralMan
(146,346 posts)Gothmog
(145,821 posts)Oneironaut
(5,539 posts)Raven
(13,908 posts)Oneironaut
(5,539 posts)Brobdingnagian, Brobdingna
How did you even get it in here?
SMC22307
(8,090 posts)LOL
Hekate
(91,003 posts)Raven
(13,908 posts)and when I read that this morning I was reminded of my father who took a real delight in words and their origins. He would say to us "here's a wonderful word, look it up." I guess I got the gene and happily passed it on. Makes me want to cry right now.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)Just live with animals and be done with the people.
3catwoman3
(24,102 posts)Not sure when I will get a chance to use it.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)Everyone knows "Lilliputian". Some know "Brobdingnagian". It's extremely rare that anyone remembers the horses.