In another thread, tsuwm states that he maintained an interest in words in spite of a teacher's marking him down for correctly using the word career in its meaning: To move or run at full speed; rush. In the same thread sjm mentions his use of the word implode and I mention an experience with the word kookaburra, each with similar reactions from teachers.

I wonder how many more of us have had similar experiences with teachers and whether those experiences may have had any effect on our interest in words.