What's the word you would use in conversations if you want to sound smart?

Fewer "likes". ;)

LOL. I hate how "like" always sneaks into my conversations!

The smartest people I know speak in simple words ... I see the unnecessary use of large words as a means of hiding behind ... they can be necessary but only when you're not trying to obfuscate what you're trying to say lol

I have the best words. Tremendous words.

LOL!

Oooh "obfuscate"

I'm never using my time to search for words that would make me sound smart. I'd never get to my point. I prefer being me, and the person I am. :-)

It is not necessarily smart to sound smart.

Many people dislike it. It triggers all kinds of feelings from when they were shamed by teachers in school or others when they were little, especially if their self-image is that they are not smart.

An example is my mother, who grew up believing that she was stupid. She spent lots of time listening to Australia's ABC radio to pick up the opinions of intelligent people and later use them in conversations so that she could sound smart. After she died, I found little pocket dictionaries secreted everywhere, and lists of new words with their meanings. It showed me just how hard she worked at trying to keep up with the world around her. In some ways, it was a smart response to her situation, but the tragedy was that she never developed the self-confidence to learn how to think for herself independently.

Being stupid or smart is not a fixed condition. Intelligence comes from learning and practising lots of micro skills in thinking. A great teacher on this topic is Eduard de Bono, who's books are easy to read and the content easy to absorb.

In my view, the smart words alter to match the needs, words and thoughts of the other person or the group. In other words, one aims not to be smart, but to meet the needs of the situation.

In the end, just being oneself is probably the smartest, whether one is smart or not. Honesty and integrity matter much more than intelligence.

PS One way in which I'm really stupid in this Mug space is my inability to be funny, or at least to match the quirks of the American sense of humour. I feel it acutely as a lack and yet I haven't a clue, yet, how to solve it.

Eschew obfuscation, you steaopygous onanist!....;-D..

I vote for "piquant"...;-D...

http://answermug.com/forum/topics/when-is-the-last-time-you-used-the-word-piquant-in-a-sentence

I believe Peter Gabriel and Laurie Anderson sang about that back in the day....;-D...

I use 'precipitation' and 'legislation'.

Try to teach a fish to fly, even it will start to think it's dumb.

You are right, or at least I am agreeing with you, being oneself is probably the smartest. As for being funny, I'm sure you can be lots of fun and laughs in private. Choice of topics has an influence on how we are perceived. Again, being oneself will be the best solution as we cannot pretend to be fun in the ways of how, or in ways like the Americans are. :-)

 Déjà vu

That´s the name of my cat, btw  :-)

I don't even use that tactic; I merely drop your name every other sentence, along with vieled references that I know you as I stroke my chin and stare thoughtfully into the distance. It's opened SO many doors for me.
~

(Salamat = thank you. Kumusta ka = the greeting you seek.)

:)

Gesundheit, both of you.

:)

Hahaha! Precipitation is a word I should use more often, seeing as it's monsoon season and all!

Oooh thanks!

Aw how cute! Is this a reference to The Matrix?? http://youtu.be/z_KmNZNT5xw

Someone knows Tagalog!

Why, I'm flattered!

And I only do this 'cause it's you, Randy - *veiled

Trying to sound smart usually makes someone sound arrogant .. no matter what words they use.