Test your vocabulary! (polls, party, examples, vote)

[Clarallel]

The Washington Post recently ran a letter from a reader complaining about the fancy words.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...=.c2a769161da7

Here are the dozen examples mentioned.

blinkered
hermeneutic
stultifying
majoritarian
filigree
calumny
mendacity
commentariat
obsequious
enmity
venality
je ne sais quoi

Now, here's the question. As you look at the list, how many do you know?

By "know," let's say, if I were to present you with a multiple choice test, would you be willing to bet $50 that you would be able to answer correctly?

I'd get 10/12. I know I've looked up "hermeneutic" several times, but I just can't remember it. And I was wrong about "stultify."

How about you?

[greywar]

9 off the top of my head. 10 is pretty impressive to be honest.

[Mr. In-Between]

Didn't get hermeneutic. There were a couple that I was sure of, but when I looked them up it turned out I was right. So I guess 11.

But I can't vote in the poll. I'm not a member of either party.

[Cruithne]

Let's be honest, this is one of those polls where nobody is going to admit to knowing 7 or less words, so it's a bit silly to ask.
Most of these words, you would understand if you saw them in context.

[Volobjectitarian]

I know all 12 and I am a libertarian. Your poll is flawed.

[Clarallel]

Originally Posted by Cruithne

Let's be honest, this is one of those polls where nobody is going to admit to knowing 7 or less words, so it's a bit silly to ask.
Most of these words, you would understand if you saw them in context.

I guess I naively have more faith in people's truthfulness than you do. Especially since no one's name is attached to their vote. But clearly the person writing the letter didn't understand them in context.

[pennyone]

I know 10 for certain. I guessed one correctly. Democrat and liberal. How can you not know what blinkered means? It's a classic trait of Trumpian bigots....Or Mendacity if you watched Cat On a Hot Tin Roof?

[Cruithne]

Originally Posted by Clarallel

I guess I naively have more faith in people's truthfulness than you do. Especially since no one's name is attached to their vote. But clearly the person writing the letter didn't understand them in context.

I have faith in people's truthfulness, just not on this forum where everybody thinks they know the answer to everything (or pretend to).

[Steve McDonald]

I've taken quite a few long, difficult and comprehensive achievement or aptitude tests in my life and not a single one of those words was included in them. We could go all our lives and never need to know what any of them meant. One thing is for sure, that I have never used any of them, even if I know what they mean. Mais réelement, j'ai employé ces mots français souvent.

[Steve McDonald]

Originally Posted by pennyone

I know 10 for certain. I guessed one correctly. Democrat and liberal. How can you not know what blinkered means? It's a classic trait of Trumpian bigots....Or Mendacity if you watched Cat On a Hot Tin Roof?

Many of those obscure words do seem to have a connection to Trumpist behavior. Just coincidence, of course.