Are Big Words Bad?

I’ve read several articles lately which indicate that we should be “dumbing-down” our writing for ease of understanding, otherwise it’s just self-aggrandizing (see what I just did there?).  I would argue that it depends on the purpose of the writing.  I agree that there are certain times when having everyone understand and be on the same page is crucial, and in that case the writing should be very clear, concise, and simple.  These authors state that it’s the mark of a better writer if you can communicate the same thing using smaller words.  I actually love seeing new words when I’m reading for pleasure, and since I’m normally reading on my Kindle, it’s exceedingly simple to look up the definition of the word.

Children frequently run across words in their reading that they don’t understand.  They either infer the meaning from the context, ask someone what it means, or look it up.  Why do some people think adults aren’t capable of doing that?  Sometimes there’s a perfect word where both the definition and the connotations align to perfectly describe the thought, and sometimes it’s a “big word”.  Why shouldn’t we be able to use that word just because it’s not in everyone’s lexicon?  Working towards something just outside of one’s comfort zone is how people learn and grow.  Do some people really believe that adults are less capable of or less interested in learning?  It’s probably true that our minds are less open as the pathways in our brains are more firmly established, but there’s been ample research to prove that new pathways can be created (i.e. learning) at any age and that it’s actually really good for your brain to develop those new pathways.

When we went to parent-teacher conferences at my daughter’s middle school several weeks ago there was a sign on her classroom door that I really liked.

Readers have expectations.
Writers have responsibilities.

So unless you’re responsible for writing instructions or creating content for business, keep on using those sesquipedalian words so I can continue to expand my vocabulary.