Huh?
August 25th 2008 04:54
George Orwell: 'Never use a long word where a short one will do.'
I just came across, in the course of my day's work, the fact that an article published in 2001 in a teachers' journal carried the heading, 'Communal constructivist theory: information and communications technology pedagogy and internationalisation of the curriculum.'
My first reaction was this: I need a new job.
The article was written by teachers for other teachers. Heaven help us. If any of these people get within two time zones of my daughter's primary school English class, I'm charging them with assault.
Thank you for listening. I feel much better. I'll go back to work now.
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Comment by Cibbuano
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professionals love using specialized words and acronyms to separate them from the rest of the population. Someone asked me what a phrase in a research paper meant, and I realized that it was being intentionally complicated...
Comment by Chris Champion
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You're right - the good ship Language has many classes of passenger. I just suggest that, if the ship strikes an iceberg and starts to sink, anyone who believes multisyllables and technical jargon are good ways to communicate look for signs to the Floating Exigency Device.
Chris
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Frightening, isn't it? It's just this sort of philosophy that has encouraged the phenomenal growth of homeschooling. (I homeschooled my youngest, who is 11 years younger than his next older sibling, his entire life--partly because of attitudes like the one you quote.)
Jeanne
Comment by Chris Champion
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I applaud your dedication in undertaking such a huge responsibility as homeschooling. But I imagine that, assuming all went roughly as planned, it was a learning experience for you as well as your child, not to mention the special bond it must have helped forge.
C
Comment by Damo
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That is my second favorite quote from Orwell.
My favorite was:
"By the time you are 50, you will have the face you deserve."
I think he was right.
Sometimes people do get fascinated by big words and the sound of them. It is a pecking order thing where the largest word makes the person feel more important.