# Why do people think they sound smart when they misspell "liberal" as "librul"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034 "2011-11-15T18:20:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/41 "2011-11-16T07:16:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Let’s stop using fundies too. I’m an atheist but I still find it patronizing. Yes, I prefer the more PC term “Jesus freak.” All these posts and no mention of “Dummycrat”? :rolleyes: (unless I missed it, which is highly likely.) ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/42 "2011-11-16T08:14:02Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > Then there are the many folks who think it sounds clever to type Jeebus To be fair, they may be referencing the Simpsons episode where Homer screams out, “Save me, Jeebus!” It doesn’t really come across typed, but was (IMO) pretty damn funny. And it exemplifies the people who attend church all their lives and don’t really know the first thing about the philosophies of the religion they practice. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/43 "2011-11-16T12:45:30Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Why are all of these smart Dopers saying the word ‘stupider’? We’ll just let you figure it out on your own. It will be more meaningful for you that way. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/44 "2011-11-16T14:10:15Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > To be fair, they may be referencing the Simpsons episode where Homer screams out, “Save me, Jeebus!” It doesn’t really come across typed, but was (IMO) pretty damn funny. And it exemplifies the people who attend church all their lives and don’t really know the first thing about the philosophies of the religion they practice. I’m sure I could come up with some defense of Dummycrat Party and Repuglikkkan as well. Doesn’t make the person using it look any less stupid. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/45 "2011-11-16T14:26:07Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > If I recall correctly from my childhood, girls go to Jupiter to get more stupider while boys go to mars to get more candy bars. I can confirm this as it was also common knowledge in my childhood circles. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/46 "2011-11-16T14:28:37Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I’m sure I could come up with some defense of Dummycrat Party and Repuglikkkan as well. > > Doesn’t make the person using it look any less stupid. I guess we’ll just have to disagree. I don’t mind applying derogatory terms to ridiculous positions. Birthers, vaxers, etc. Points if they’re funny, like Jeebus. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/47 "2011-11-16T14:51:10Z")
> [@Snow\_Pea](#): > > My understand is that is a direct insult at ex-president Bush, since that’s the way he pronounced it. Yes, and it’s so hilarious _because_ of what merkin means. > [@Neidhart](#): > > A lot of folks on another message board I once frequented would refer to Republicans as “Repugnikans”; occasionally even “RepugniKKKans”. :eyeroll: I tend to favor “Repugnican” with a “c.” > [@interface2x](#): > > I can confirm this as it was also common knowledge in my childhood circles. Wrong. Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider. Girls go to college to get more knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/48 "2011-11-16T15:04:57Z")
I coulda swore ‘librul’ was making fun of the conservative perspective specific to Rush Limbaugh. He pronounces it ‘librul’ in that contemptuous way and uses it like a frog uses ‘ribbit’. So you mockingly say something transparently stupid about ‘libruls’… isn’t that right? Btw, there’s a place in France where the naked ladies dance you know. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/49 "2011-11-16T15:46:28Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > Then there are the many folks who think it sounds clever to type Jeebus “Jeebus” is a reference to a _Simpsons_ episode. I don’t think it’s in the same realm as “librul” or “pubbies.” > [@](#): > > and Babtist. I haven’t seen “Babtist” used pejoratively. It reminds of the photo staff and the features staff at my old newspaper who just could never spell “Baptist” correctly. We always had to do a “Babtist” hunt before putting the paper to bed. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/50 "2011-11-16T17:07:04Z")
I still don’t think most people calling it the “Democrat Party” are doing so out of malice. And I am a Democrat myself. But in general, using dumb nicknames like Dummycrat or Rethugnican in a political debate just means I can safely ignore you. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/51 "2011-11-16T17:30:53Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > I don’t mind applying derogatory terms to ridiculous positions. Again, I’m sure the people saying “libruls”, “teabaggers”, “Dummycrats”, “Faux News”, etc all use the same justification. > [@JSexton](#): > > I still don’t think most people calling it the “Democrat Party” are doing so out of malice. And I am a Democrat myself. No, it’s an intentional thing. The rationale being that they don’t “deserve” to be called “Democratic” because they don’t believe in freedom and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/52 "2011-11-16T17:31:24Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > I still don’t think most people calling it the “Democrat Party” are doing so out of malice. And I am a Democrat myself. > > But in general, using dumb nicknames like Dummycrat or Rethugnican in a political debate just means I can safely ignore you. The one I see most often is demoncrat. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/53 "2011-11-16T17:32:22Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > I still don’t think most people calling it the “Democrat Party” are doing so out of malice. Yeah, I’m pretty sure they are. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/54 "2011-11-16T18:07:37Z")
Can someone explain to me what’s wrong with “Democrat Party”? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/55 "2011-11-16T18:17:43Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Can someone explain to me what’s wrong with “Democrat Party”? You mean you haven’t noticed how it’s explained on a clockwork basis on these boards? From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > “Democrat Party” is a political epithet used in the United States instead of “Democratic Party” when talking about the Democratic Party.[1] The term has been used in negative or hostile fashion by conservative commentators and members of the Republican Party in party platforms, partisan speeches and press releases since 1940.[2] > > Multiple reasons are suggested for the use of the term. A 1984 New York Times article suggested Republicans began to use the term when Democrats used their own party name to imply “they are the only true adherents of democracy.”[3] Republicans “feared that ‘Democratic’ suggested Democrats [had] a monopoly on or are somehow the anointed custodians of the concept of democracy.”[4] New Yorker commentator Hendrik Hertzberg wrote, “There’s no great mystery about the motives behind this deliberate misnaming. ‘Democrat Party’ is a slur, or intended to be — a handy way to express contempt. Aesthetic judgments are subjective, of course, but ‘Democrat Party’ is jarring verging on ugly. It fairly screams ‘rat.’”[5] Political analyst Charlie Cook attributed modern use of the term to force of habit rather than a deliberate epithet by Republicans.[6] Ruth Marcus stated that Republicans likely only continue to employ the term because Democrats dislike it.[7] Marcus stated that disagreements over use of the term are “trivial”,[7] and Hertzberg calls use of the term “a minor irritation.”[5] > > Similar two-word phrases, using “Democrat” as an adjective have been deemed controversial when used as a substitute for “Democratic” (as in “Democrat idea”); NPR has banned the use of “Democrat” as an adjective.[8] The term “Democrat Party” was in common use with no negative connotations by Democrats in some localities during the 1950s.[9] The Dictionary of American Regional English gives numerous examples of “Democrat” being used as an adjective in everyday speech, especially in the Northeast.[10] ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/56 "2011-11-16T18:18:47Z")
Slightly off topic but related, I hate it when people say “Pressurised”, when they actualy mean that they were "Pressured "into doing something. Pressurised is related to gas inside a sealed container, but I have no doubt at all that the false meaning has now found its way into dictionaries. No matter how dumb you are, if there are enough of you abusing the language, you’ll win. No elitism here ! ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/57 "2011-11-16T18:52:36Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Yeah, I’m pretty sure they are. I have no doubt that there are those that do, but I don’t think the majority does so. :shrug: There’s really no way to know for sure, since those that do generally won’t admit it. As pejoratives go, it’s pretty tame. I don’t take offense. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/58 "2011-11-16T19:21:12Z")
I’ve heard Limbaugh say that he uses it because the party doesn’t deserve to be called “Democratic”. I can’t say it works me up on any emotional level but it does lower my estimation of the user’s ability to speak intelligently about politics. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/59 "2011-11-16T19:24:46Z")
Another one for the pile, “Barry”. Users will try to defend it as being a name President Obama used way back in the day but it’s such a naked attempt to be condescending that I immediately know the speaker isn’t actually serious in his discourse. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034/60 "2011-11-16T20:19:13Z")
Oh, and just for the record? I wasn’t trying to sound smart. I was trying to sound dumb. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-think-they-sound-smart-when-they-misspell-liberal-as-librul/603034.md?page=4)