# Stop making up words, imbeciles **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 3, 2006, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049 "2006-04-03T10:32:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/1 "2006-04-03T10:32:33Z")
Today on [abcnews.com](http://abcnews.com) there was [this story](http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=1797246&page=1), about a woman who’s father had served in Vietnam, and how his war experience had affected her life, and the idiot doctor they interviewed had this to say (on [page 2](http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=1797246&page=2)) > [@](#): > > “They’re being regularly exposed to doses of traumatic exposure that the direct victim experienced,” said Dr. Mark Lerner, president of American Academy of Experts in Trauma, “and they are now picking up some of the similar **symptomotology** themselves. We call this the vicarious power of traumatic stress.” (bolding mine) I know it isn’t a typo, either, because there is video footage that shows him saying this non-word. WTF is it with people that they have to add extra syllables to words to make themselves sound smarter? I’ve had it. It’s the last straw. I’m calling bullshit on it right now. It was bad enough having to put up with all the idiots who talk about “signage” when they really mean “sign”. It was bad enough listening to people talk about things needed to be “orientated” when they really meant “oriented”. It was _definitely_ bad enough listening to people say “irregardless”, but this… this… :smack: If you mean sign, say sign. If you mean orient, say orient. If you mean regardless, say regardless. And you, Doctor Jackass, if you mean symptom, say symptom. To all those who add extra, unnecessary syllables to words, I will now be correcting you. In public. Accompanied by rolling eyes and snorts of derision. Learn to speak or stfu. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/2 "2006-04-03T10:35:07Z")
It’s a perfectly cromulent word. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/3 "2006-04-03T10:46:36Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > It’s a perfectly cromulent word. LOL 😛 At least cromulent is a totally made up word, not a real word with some extra syllables added on. I’ll give you (and Bart Simpson) a pass on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/4 "2006-04-03T10:57:23Z")
Um you do realize that **Signs** and **Signage** are two entirely distinct words for different things? **Sign** describes a single display. **Signs** describes a collection of signs and indicates nothing as to their relative cohesiveness. **Signage** describes a organized collection of signs and by extension it can describe the artistic theme and implementation of display strategy. Would this be like **Gaudere’s 6th Law** in action? ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/5 "2006-04-03T11:01:09Z")
They should immediately be quoned. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/6 "2006-04-03T11:13:28Z")
Uhh, they just spelled it wrong, symptomatology The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition symp·to·ma·tol·o·gy n. 1. The medical science of symptoms. 2. The combined symptoms of a disease. [New Latin symptmatologia : Greek sumptma, sumptmat-, symptom; see symptom + Latin -logia, -logy.]sympto·mato·logi·cal (-mtl-j-kl) adj. sympto·mato·logi·cal·ly adv. The American Heritage® Stedman’s Medical symp·to·ma·tol·o·gy (smt-m-tl-j, smp-) n. 1. The medical science of symptoms. 2. The combined symptoms of a disease. Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary Main Entry: symp·tom·atol·o·gy Pronunciation: "sim§-t&-m&-'täl-&-jE Function: noun Inflected Form: plural -gies 1 : SYMPTOM COMPLEX 2 : a branch of medical science concerned with symptoms of diseases —symp·tom·at·o·log·i·cal /-"mat-&l-'äj-i-k&l/ or symp·tom·at·o·log·ic /-'äj-ik/ adjective —symp·tom·at·o·log·i·cal·ly /-i-k(&-)lE/ adverb Try a dictionary next time! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/7 "2006-04-03T11:23:41Z")
Aaaand, orientated is (while a word I dislike) perfectly valid, and quite common in British English. I’m with you on irregardless, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/8 "2006-04-03T11:25:39Z")
The word they were looking for was **fnord**. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/9 "2006-04-03T11:25:59Z")
I did try a dictionary. It wasn’t there. And besides, he wasn’t talking about the “medical science of symptoms” he was talking about her symptoms. Plain and simple symptoms. He pulled that word out of his asshole because he thought it would sound much more “doctor-like” and intelligent, but all it does is make him sound like a pompous blowhard. And that’s minus 50 DKP to [abcnews.com](http://abcnews.com) for misspelling the word, too. This listing for [signage](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=signage) isn’t going to make me stop thinking that people who use the word are idiots. Just use the word “sign” or “signs”. No extra added syllables necessary. I challenge you to come up with a sentence using the word “signage” where you couldn’t just use the word “sign” or “signs”. It’s a bullshit word. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/10 "2006-04-03T11:26:54Z")
‘Irregardless’ is found in the dictionary too. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/11 "2006-04-03T11:28:16Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > ‘Irregardless’ is found in the dictionary too. Language changes… it’s alive… aliiiiiiiive! ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/12 "2006-04-03T11:32:29Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > I challenge you to come up with a sentence using the word “signage” where you couldn’t just use the word “sign” or “signs”. Okay. “The highway exit sign that seemingly indicates you to move into the left lane when actually you need to stay in the second-from-left lane is an example of the consistently poor signage throughout the Seattle metropolitan area.” ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/13 "2006-04-03T11:34:11Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > This listing for signage isn’t going to make me stop thinking that people who use the word are idiots. Just use the word “sign” or “signs”. No extra added syllables necessary. I challenge you to come up with a sentence using the word “signage” where you couldn’t just use the word “sign” or “signs”. I’m not going to disagree with you - everyone has pet peeve words that seem superfluous or just plain dumb, but I think the reason you’re getting nitpicked to death here is your OP’s claim that the words are “made up” rather than just stupid. Even symptomatology is valid in the context used - where he was likely describing a set of symptoms, rather than one singular symptom, of a condition (as validated by the second definition of the word). ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/14 "2006-04-03T11:34:42Z")
Sorry, hit enter too soon. Grammatically, I suppose you could replace “signage” with “signs” in that sentence, but semantically it carries a different meaning. Using the word “signs” would imply that the signs themselves were badly made. You could even infer that it meant the signs were in poor repair. “Signage,” on the other hand, indicates that the problem is with the overall design and implementation of highway and road signs. ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/15 "2006-04-03T11:36:38Z")
> [@BabaBooey](#): > > They should immediately be quoned. Or at least cribbled. Speediciously. And this is one of the silliest pit threads I’ve seen in quite a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/16 "2006-04-03T11:43:58Z")
Dictionaries list words that people use. If we all actually started using the word “garbagerie” to mean “the place where we put the garbage”, it would eventually end up in the dictionary (or at least in a cromulent animated feature). That doesn’t mean it’s a good word, or a decent use of the English language. The problem I have is with idiots using excess mouth-noises in a vain-glorious attempt to make themselves sound smarter than they really are. You know who uses the word “signage”? Idiot designer types who wear plaid pants and striped shirts with bowling shoes… Halfwits who shouldn’t ever be let out of the house, but who somehow convinced someone that they were an authority on something, and now are talking about the best place for “signage” in advertising or media campaigns. I’m tired of hearing it. What’s next? Televisionary? Happinessity? Definitiveness? Surliosity? Symptomonomatopoeia? Take your -age, your -ity, your -ness endings and shove them up your up your ass. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/17 "2006-04-03T11:45:51Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Okay. > > “The highway exit sign that seemingly indicates you to move into the left lane when actually you need to stay in the second-from-left lane is an example of the consistently poor signage throughout the Seattle metropolitan area.” OR “The highway exit sign that seemingly indicates you to move into the left lane when actually you need to stay in the second-from-left lane is an example of the consistently poor **signs** throughout the Seattle metropolitan area.” Same meaning… just no bullshit fake intelligentsia in my sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/18 "2006-04-03T11:49:23Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > I’m not going to disagree with you - everyone has pet peeve words that seem superfluous or just plain dumb, but I think the reason you’re getting nitpicked to death here is your OP’s claim that the words are “made up” rather than just stupid. Even symptomatology is valid in the context used - where he was likely describing a set of symptoms, rather than one singular symptom, of a condition (as validated by the second definition of the word). So… instead of the word “symptoms”, he used “symptomatology”? Brilliant. Real fuckin’ genius that guy. I’m soooooo impressed… **not**. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/19 "2006-04-03T11:50:40Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > And besides, he wasn’t talking about the “medical science of symptoms” he was talking about her symptoms. Plain and simple symptoms. Perhaps you could go back and re-read the definitions: > [@](#): > > 1. The combined symptoms of a disease. as in the plain and simple symptom_ **s** _ of the disease. (Merriam-Webster also provides the similar definition: [1 : the symptom complex of a disease](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=symptomatology), which seems to be appropriate to the doctor’s remarks. It is much more likely when a technical person falls into jargon that they are simply using words in the manner they use them among their peers rather than attempting to invent words to sound pretentious.) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049/20 "2006-04-03T11:51:51Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Sorry, hit enter too soon. Grammatically, I suppose you could replace “signage” with “signs” in that sentence, but semantically it carries a different meaning. Using the word “signs” would imply that the signs themselves were badly made. You could even infer that it meant the signs were in poor repair. “Signage,” on the other hand, indicates that the problem is with the overall design and implementation of highway and road signs. Yeah, so the signs are shitty. Why not just say that? The problem is, we have shitty signs. Why bother with the extra syllable and say we have shitty signage? It’s bullshit. Bullshit, I say. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-making-up-words-imbeciles/351049.md?page=2)