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Posted By: bowhaus have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 04:04 PM
I'm looking for a word that describes someone who tends to elaborate or unpack the minutia of a large issue in order to flaunt their knowledge. I'm not sure "pedantic" quite captures this essance. Can anyone come up with anything better?

Thanks

Posted By: AnnaStrophic "Less is more" - 04/18/02 04:11 PM
(just peeking in)

I see your point, Bauhaus, but I don't have the word.

Posted By: of troy Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 04:15 PM
Cliff Claven?

Posted By: wwh Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 04:25 PM
Dear bowhaus: A very fine challenge. We have all known somebody like this. I'll be talking to myself for hours about this one.

Perhaps a coinage from scholar and orator: "scholorator"
Or perhaps from didactic and dictator: "didactitator"

I ran into "didact" as synonym for "pedagogue" didactorator
Posted By: slithy toves Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 04:35 PM
I don't think hairsplitting is exactly right in this context, but it comes close.

bloviating

grandiloquent

euphuistic


k



Posted By: Keiva Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 05:17 PM
pettifogger: 2. one who quibbles over trivia.

Not quite what you're looking for, perhaps, because it is more typically to distract than to flaunt.

Posted By: Anonymous Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 05:57 PM
sciolist (one with a pretentious attitude of scholarship; superficial knowledgeability.) might work.

or in a more figurative sense:

brummagemer (Cheap and showy; meretricious--Alteration of BIRMINGHAM, England (from the counterfeit coins made there in the 17th century))

or
clinquant Imitation gold leaf; tinsel; glitter.

(all def's courtesy of AHD, via atomica)

FWIW, my first choice would've been bloviator, since it's just such a cool word (hi, hyla!), but someone already mentioned it.








Posted By: Wordwind Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 06:06 PM
picayunish could describe someone concerned with trivia.

But I, too, like bloviating to describe the expression of such a person best of all. And, to beat it all, have heard myself bloviating so many times and realized later, with regret, that that was exactly what I'd been doing!

But picayune is a good word for trivial things, and picayunish is a comical adjective form in that you can see part of "p----unish" in it!

Bloviating regrets,
Wordwind

Posted By: tsuwm Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 06:11 PM
fwiw, I think bloviate is too broad for this use. senators who filibuster are just bloviating.

(to orate verbosely or windily )
Posted By: Anonymous Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 06:23 PM
huh? AHD defines 'bloviate' thusly:

To discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner

seems there's an integral element of self-importance -- manifested in euphuistic verbage -- to bloviating.

'course, i'm just feeling argumentative since you slammed my pitiful philosophical knowledge in I&A

Posted By: tsuwm Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 07:09 PM
<To discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner> AHD

vs.

<to orate verbosely or windily> W3

oh no! what'll we do now?

I guess, after causing this digression, I'm obligated to come up with an alternate...

()
Posted By: tsuwm Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 07:17 PM
a wordmonger, through excessive lucubrations, is in danger of becoming known as an ergotist.

-joe (signifying nothing) friday
Posted By: Wordwind Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 08:19 PM
However, combine bloviate with picayunish, and you've got a the person in question: The person-in-question bloviating picayunishly.

How's zat?

DubDub

Posted By: WhitmanO'Neill Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/18/02 10:41 PM
Welcome, bowhaus! And thanks for the intriguing post! Hope you stick around for more!

How about mendacious?...close, but not quite.

The Only WO'N!
Posted By: Bobyoungbalt Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/19/02 01:38 AM
How about a nice simple word: showoff ?

Posted By: doc_comfort Re: have definition; looking for word - 04/19/02 03:53 AM
How about a nice simple word v2: Jerk

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