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Aspies: Atypical or Advanced Vocabulary?

Withnail88

Withnail88

Well-Known Member
So when I was finishing up part of my testing for AS the other day, the speech therapist brought it to my attention that I have a very atypical vocabulary. I use some big words, bigger than necessary to convey my ideas. I read that a more advanced vocabulary is sometimes observed in Asperger personality types. They're not usually difficult words most people don't know. They are just more syllables than are necessary. Even if people didn't know the definition, how bad is that? As Faulkner once said about Hemingway, "He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary". Would it kill them to learn a new word. Granted they can't look it up in the dictionary when they are talking with me, but still . . .
What can you guys say about AS vocabularies? I've noticed I like to repeat certain words too! Anything about that
 
When I'm speaking, I tend to use average vocab, but when I'm writing, I tend to use more complicated vocab. That's been something that I've displayed since I was a kid. Actually, in grade 7, apparently I was leaps and bounds ahead of my classmates in English and I was writing above my age group. I remember being allowed to look at my report that the teachers had to give to high schools and in English, I was marked almost off the charts. My teacher used to always hold my English work up as an example to the rest of my classmates. It got a little embarrassing after a while!

I think the "little professor" stereotype occurs with AS, and that might be where the "atypical vocab" comes from.
 
I'm aware of people who use big vocab as a way to impress others, but for me, using atypical vocab was something that was done unconsciously. Basically, I would be writing and all these words would come out, but at the time of writing, my thought processes were concentrated on being able to express myself in what I viewed was the best way possible, rather than thinking that by inserting <x> word, it would make me sound like I knew better than my audience. I would only be aware that my language usage was atypical when it was noted by others - i.e. my peers and teachers.

At various points when I was in school, I was jokingly called a "walking dictionary" and people would often come up to me and ask me for the meanings of words, rather than look it up themselves :p

Over the years, I've learned to temper this habit and write in a more relaxed and readable fashion. I've realised the importance of clear communication, and that's helped by a) being online a lot, where communication is almost all through text [after numerous moments of people saying "WTF are you writing about?" I got the point] and b) taking on jobs where writing in a clear and precise manner is required. Although there are times [i.e. when I'm writing uni assignments] where I allow myself to write in a more formal style. That's also landed me in trouble a few times - the funniest was when I was accused of being "too intellectual" for a uni essay :p
 
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I can relate to Demon in a way, whenever I was given ample time to finish a writing assignment or any other project it would usually wind up looking professional or close to it. I did a history assignment like this once and was given the honor of having my paper labeled as "college level" as well as an example of "how it should be done", but just that once when I actually took the time to research the subject and give the writing some structure. Otherwise, anything that was highly abstract such as writing assignments took a toll on my brain and I had a tendency to either put it off until the last minute or just not do it at all.

I mean, there's no use in putting a lengthy vocabulary to waste, so why use 100 words to convey something when you can use 50?
 
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I feel just the opposite. I think it's a conscious effort for me because I don't want new people to think I'm an idiot or something, so I sorta do it to prove myself.
I dunno, I suppose sometimes it's unconscious though. It's half-and-half.
 
thing is: a lot of the bigger words have gone into my repeated word repertoire, which makes me think that, at least with some words, it's unconscious. Even something like, say 'demographic' in place of 'group' has become a norm for me.
How about the second part of my question: Anyone feel like they have 'favorite' words that they use a lot?
 
I like the phrase 'as far as' when I am nervous at like a job interview or something. I need to stop. It makes no sense.
 
I tend to say "you know" a lot in any sort of conversation. Which irritates me no end because it makes me sound vacuous.

Another frustrating thing for me is having a word pop up in my head but being unable to pronounce it, so I stand there looking dumb while I'm fumbling around for an alternative that I can actually utter. Or, conversely, mangling the pronunciation so badly that everyone, including myself, has to do a double-take.
 
I use an atypical vocabulary, but it has to do with wanting to be exactly precise with what I say. I couln't care less if others were impressed or not.
 
Occasional_Demon said:
I tend to say "you know" a lot in any sort of conversation. Which irritates me no end because it makes me sound vacuous.

Another frustrating thing for me is having a word pop up in my head but being unable to pronounce it, so I stand there looking dumb while I'm fumbling around for an alternative that I can actually utter. Or, conversely, mangling the pronunciation so badly that everyone, including myself, has to do a double-take.
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That's why I use simple words despite my brain thinking otherwise
 
I think I use less common words often. I do this for humor and precision as well as maybe to show off. I have a good sense of what words imply so I enjoy picking ones which say exactly what I want them to, or which have implications I find amusing for the context I use them in.
 
Firnafth said:
I think I use less common words often. I do this for humor and precision as well as maybe to show off. I have a good sense of what words imply so I enjoy picking ones which say exactly what I want them to, or which have implications I find amusing for the context I use them in.
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Yep, that sounds like me, at least the first part. i think I exaggerate a lot of my Aspie behavior to try and get a laugh out of people. They think it's funny that I'm awkward so I sorta use it to my advantage to make people laugh.
 
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