# phrases that may be true but you can't bear utter them for fear of sounding pompous **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827 "2001-02-02T05:09:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/41 "2004-05-05T18:22:32Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > I do happen to own a TV now, but I can live without easily, and did so for about three years. I was amazed at the reactions I got. Many people used to quiz me as if the concept was hard to elusive or grasp. > > Me: “…I wouldn’t know, I don’t have a TV”. > X: “What… not at all?” > Me: “Yes. I just don’t watch TV”. > X: “What, not even the news or something?” > Me: “Look, it’s no big deal, I just don’t have a TV”. > X: “So you mean you don’t watch it much…?” > > And so on. > > I also used to get people asking what on earth I did when I got home from work, as if to not have a TV meant there were no other viable options. > > So I learned not to mention it. Either that or you get, “Oh, well I don’t watch much either.” So I’ve learned to simply shake my head when I’m asked if I’ve seen Show X. Only if pressed will I admit I don’t watch TV. I’m definitely not opposed to the shows. I have an ever-growing selection of TV shows on DVD. I watch a lot of movies. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/42 "2004-05-05T18:33:17Z")
Funny this thread should surface when I was thinking of posting something similar! I had an incident today at work where someone mispronounced a word in conversation, and when it was my turn to use the word, I did the same thing so the other person wouldn’t be embarrassed by their mistake. I also used to stumble a bit when reading aloud in elementary school, because everybody else did, and I didn’t want them to know I could read the whole book in the time it took them to get through one page. I also say, “I don’t eat meat” instead of “I’m a vegetarian”. It sounds a teensy bit less snooty. ---
**Author:** ![Grant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grant)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/43 "2004-05-05T18:57:56Z")
“There are weeks when I don’t turn on the tv, computer …” “I have not eaten at a fast food place in 7 years…” Funny how having to drive 20 miles to get to one changes your perception of these places. “My body fat is about 9%…” or “I’m 35 and still have six pack abs…” Anything to do with fitness. I don’t go shirtless very often or like ever. I feel awkward about it for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/44 "2004-05-05T19:02:56Z")
Amongst the people I hang out with, not watching TV seems to be a point of pride, a blood sport almost, with everyone trying to out ignorance the other due to their non-watching. Secretly, I’m a real sucker for the so-called reality shows, but I play the “don’t watch TV” game too. And, it’s somewhat true due to my discovery this board and my adult-onset ADD. 😃 Then there is a meta-pretentious statement, which I shall self-quote for maximal effect: “I’m afraid to open my mouth for fear of sounding erudite and pompous.” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/45 "2004-05-05T19:05:48Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Funny this thread should surface when I was thinking of posting something similar! I had an incident today at work where someone mispronounced a word in conversation, and when it was my turn to use the word, I did the same thing so the other person wouldn’t be embarrassed by their mistake. I’ve been in that situation. What I’ve done is to say something like this: Coworker: Blah blah blah mispronounced word. Me: Blah blah blah um… mispronounced word? Is that how you say that? I’ve seen it in print but never heard it out loud. _Mispronounce again. Offer correct pronunciation. All with questioning tone._ I’ve found that often the other person hasn’t ever heard it and we can all get a laugh, even if I’m lying a little bit. Oh, and it often leads to looking it up and “finding” the right pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/46 "2004-05-05T19:20:38Z")
For that matter, **jsgoddess** , sometimes my “is that how you say it?” question isn’t even disingenuous, because I really _have_ only encountered a word in print. ---
**Author:** ![finette6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@finette6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finette6)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/47 "2004-05-05T19:29:04Z")
“I was valedictorian of my high school class” It’s really not that big of a deal, since there were only 103 of us (or was it 102?). I’m just kinda proud of it since I managed it while skipping a phenomenal number of days in Junior and Senior years to hang out with my already-graduated friends, and also after failing to actually _pass_ any of my middle school classes (in another state) due to absenteeism. The reason it tends to come up in conversation is that most of the members of my current social set were “bad animals” (so to speak) in their HS days, and the talk often turns to what we did when we skipped school, and what the consequences were (in my case none). also, and related: “I went to a montessori school until 4th grade.” I feel like this doesn’t sit well with people who went to abusive Catholic grade schools or blighted inner city public ones. Even so, it doesn’t seem fair that I should have to sit on my stories while they revel in tales of the “Fraction walk of shame” and lining up at recess. also, but this doesn’t really count because I am really proud of it: “I have yet to spend a penny in a Wal-Mart” even though there are 3 within driving distance of my home. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/48 "2004-05-05T19:30:01Z")
I have a friend who used to have a problem with always telling people what college she attended. Yes, she was a snob. Now, she’s stopped telling people, because folks around here don’t care. It mattered to people when she lived on the coast, it seems. I have a tendency to tell people that “yes, I have my bachelor’s degree”… because I work in a college bookstore, and they all assume that I’m a student. I feel a little snobby when I say it. I tend to correct my brother in the “is that how you say it?” way now, because as a kid I was always correcting him (I have a knack for remembering how things are pronounced and he doesn’t). He’s intelligent, a writer and a soon-to-be new daddy, but he still calls the tv show “Steinfeld”. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/49 "2004-05-05T19:30:31Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > For that matter, **jsgoddess** , sometimes my “is that how you say it?” question isn’t even disingenuous, because I really _have_ only encountered a word in print. Oh, absolutely. That’s how I learned this trick, by saying it honestly when I ran across a spoken word I’d never heard or tried to say before. In general, most people will happily admit they might be mangling a word if I say up front that I’m not sure of the pronunciation myself. Of course, that works for almost any piece of information. Saying, “Oh, I didn’t know that! I always assumed X” is a really good way to lead to the correct info without coming across as aggressive or judgmental. Yes, it’s sometimes a bit dishonest, but heck, I’m so often unsure that I’m willing to look a little more ignorant than I really am. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/50 "2004-05-05T19:45:29Z")
I’ve done the “Is that how you say it?” bit myself. I have a friend who consistently mispronounces words. If I’m not 100% sure, I’ll ask. He also mispronounces paladin (“PAL a din”) as “pa LAD in” and melee (MAY lay) as “meely.” I refuse to mispronounce those, since it’s kinda hard to play D&D and constantly have to wonder how you’re saying two key words. ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/51 "2004-05-05T19:59:01Z")
> [@lolagranola](#): > > I have the same problem as TV Time. In my case, being a complete bookworm as a child was the culprit. I’ve spent years dumbing down my speech so I’ll fit in better. The odd thing is that I lose that when I get drunk. The drunker I am, the more verbose I become. I’ll use long, sometimes obscure words, when short ones would do. This happened to me at one of the first college parties I ever attended. There we all were, drinking cheap beer from flimsy cheap plastic cups, boogying to the latest song-guaranteed-to-make-you-deaf, and this guy comes up to me and says something. I was so drunk I don’t remember what he said, but I do remember that I was offended. So instead of clamming up like I do when I’m sober, I just put him in his place in the most delightful fashion. I don’t even remember what it was I said, only that it was fun to really speak my mind. I was probably declaiming like the best Shakespearean actor (I had been reading Hamlet for the fifth time that week). Instead of exiting stage right in a huff like I expected, he called over a couple of friends of his and requested that I repeat all of what I said. I complied, although I was really confused as to why he’d want to be publicly humiliated in that way. They thought I was great. They owned the house, and they invited me in the back and we played cards and smoked packs of cigarettes until way in the AM. When I left they invited me to come over any time. I wish I knew what it was I said! ---
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/52 "2004-05-05T20:01:33Z")
When people try and have a conversation about The Lord of the Rings movies and I have to tell them, “Sorry, I wont watch those movies…” followed by an explanation. People get so pissed off about it. Or when I tell people that “I don’t drink soda.” I do what I can to avoid those. P.S.- Don’t get on my back about the LOTR thing. -Rain ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/53 "2004-05-05T20:04:13Z")
I copy-edit a magazine. I always cross out “hopefully” and write in “it is to be hoped.” My editors always cross out my correction and replace it with “hopefully.” I despair. ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/54 "2004-05-05T20:56:52Z")
> [@Thirty-Nine](#): > > Oh, and by the way, has anybody managed to use the word **“defenestrate”** in a non-pretentious manner? 😉 There’s a challenge for everybody in this thread. My favorite is, “Oh, go defenestrate yourself.” 'Course, that’s usually best said _sotto voce_. How do you say _voce_, anyway? I think it would be “vo-chay,” but I’m not sure – I’ve only seen it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tower\_Dweller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tower\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tower_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/55 "2004-05-05T21:40:46Z")
> [@RainGrowsBrite](#): > > P.S.- Don’t get on my back about the LOTR thing. > > -Rain You’re among friends here… can you share your reason? My vocabulary really opens up when I’m drunk too - when someone noticed one time I actually said “I get very eloquent when I’m inebriated” and I really wasn’t trying to be so pompous. My brain just seems to want to use some big words for a change. I hate urban legends - I reply to all chain letters telling people to not sent them to me, and I always correct friends that spout of crap that could be disproved on [snopes.com](http://snopes.com) in 20 seconds. I’m sure I sound pompous when doing so. ---
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/56 "2004-05-05T22:01:04Z")
> [@Tower Dweller](#): > > You’re among friends here… can you share your reason? Sure. Sorry, I just kind of shy away from it because I tire of the debates… First off I will start by saying that I did infact see the first one because I am such a big fan of the book and was so excited to see the film attempt. Also, I realize the large challenge of making any book into a film- especially that one. However, IMHO, I don’t think the films do the books justice. There were some very dissapointing parts and parts that made me stand up and say, “Hey, that wasnt even part of the story!”. As I said- I love the book, and I would prefer to keep my vision of it clear. I don’t want the movies to sway the story and the way that I perceived it by reading it. So, there you go. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/57 "2004-05-05T22:20:03Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Because when we hear “I don’t watch TV”, “I don’t eat fast food”, and “I don’t watch Hollywood movies”, what we hear appended is “because those things are for the screwed-up and dumbed-down”. Well, not just that; in the context of this thread, the appendix is “because those things are for the screwed-up and dumbed-down, like YOU. Yeah, you, the person I’m talking to, you dull-minded Philistinian sheep.” Thus the concern about offense. Oh, and something for **Eve** (and others interested), [here’s a discussion of “hopefully”](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hopefully) quoted from the American Heritage Dictionary. Interestingly, it says that “\*t is not easy to explain why critics dislike this use,” and that there “is no precise substitute.” ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827/58 "2004-05-05T22:53:02Z")
I try to keep the size of my DVD collection on the down-low. I own about 300 DVDs, and while it’s not the biggest collection I’ve ever seen (the guy that runs my comic shop has over 1,200) my co-workers think I’m a walking Blockbuster or something. Hey, everybody has to collect something. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-may-be-true-but-you-cant-bear-utter-them-for-fear-of-sounding-pompous/52827.md?page=2)