I must agree with those who have said, in effect, that usage depends on the audience. My profession is the law. If I'm writing a legal brief, I use words that judges and lawyers use and understand. But I alwo write essays, commentaries, op-ed pieces, etc. For those pieces the intended audience requires a different vocabulary.
I always try to remember that when writing (as opposed to having a conversation) I have only one chance to get my message across. The purpose of speaking is to be understood. The purpose of writing is to make it impossible to be MISunderstood.
