Words for the Everyday and the Elite

Lecture 10

M

ark Twain once said, “When red-headed people are above a certain
social grade their hair is auburn.” This quote highlights the fact that
the words we choose tell a great deal about ourselves as speakers.
Those who want to project the image of a “regular guy” choose different
vocabulary than those who want to come across as members of the upper
crust. And that difference brings us to two of the themes we’ll explore in this
lecture—words that relate to the commonplace and the elite. We’ll also look
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Insipid (adjective)

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qualities.

z Insipid is often used to describe food, as in the following sentence:

“The novice chef left the roast in the oven too long, cooking out all

the spices and rendering the meat insipid.” But the word can also

apply to anything that lacks interest or excitement; for example:

“The insipid, overly defensive style of both soccer teams resulted in

a nil-nil draw and the most boring match the fans had seen in years.”

z Synonyms for insipid include tasteless, bland, and ÀDW.

Vapid (adjective)

Completely lacking in zest, spirit, animation, and liveliness.

z You understand the meaning of vapid if you’ve ever had the

experience of talking to someone who is completely dull and

lifeless. You try to stick with the conversation for 10 minutes or so,

but at the end of that time, you secretly wish you could regain those

10 minutes of your life.