Beware of word salads

Jordan Peterson, Canadian psychologist and internet personality, is the absolute master of word salads. He can gild any thought with sophistication. Such is his magnificent command of the English tongue. Alas... he often goes a tad too far and ventures into the utterly nonsensical. In his statements the Bible becomes the biblical scriptures, facts are factual grounds and simple questions are treated as epistemological disquisitions. And woe betide those who dare gainsay him (see what I just did?). He relishes every opportunity to intimidate into submission less capable speakers who let themselves be hoodwinked by obscure terms.

In the video below Richard Dawkins, British biology professor and inventor of the word meme, poses a straightforward yes/no question to which Jordan Peterson answers that he doesn't know how to "mediate the fact-value dichotomy in that case". Leaving aside the fact that Dawkins's question does not assert a value proposition, I think we can all agree that Jordan Peterson's answer goes well beyond bombast and descends into sheer gobbledygook.

As your teacher, I'd advise you never to do the same. That speaking style cheapens your language. Finding the right word, the proverbial mot juste, and expressing a concept with clarity and precision is notably harder but also far more rewarding than resorting to unnecessary highfalutin terms to mask the fact that you simply don't have an answer to a question.

Having said all that, it is undeniable that Jordan Peterson knows his grammar. His sentences are well-crafted and his vocabulary (when he manages to stay away from gibberish) is truly impressive.

Whatever your worldview might be, try and find good orators and study them. Identify the structures and techniques that they use and mimic them. That's the way it has always been done. But, please, stay away from grandiloquent doublespeak. It usually defeats its purpose.

Lexical range

Welcome, my dear advanced students, newcomers and recidivists, young and, well, not so young. A new school year is about to begin and I'm here for you... again.

So allow me to start with an old reminder. If you left the C1.1 behind you should brush up on your advanced vocabulary and if you're new to the advanced arena, you ought to make sure that you start to work towards acquiring a decent set of fancy words. Why? Because, as you'll soon realize, finer shades of meaning are not only relevant but also necessary.

Having said that, advanced vocabulary doesn't grant your English C1 status. In my experience, many non-experts (including AI models) seem to believe that speaking at a high level consists in bandying about unusual vocabulary. Well, let me tell you right away... it does not. There are plenty of other features that also need attention, not least of all cognitive sophistication. The expression of nuance is a quintessential trait of the truly advanced register if only because granular knowledge and attention to detail demand precise vocabulary. However, substance is also critical.

I just used the word quintessential because I feel it is what I need in this particular context. Near synonyms such as essential, vital or key do not carry the idea of "being exemplary or typically representative" of something (in this case a degree of linguistic competency). For analogous reasons, a specialist will consistently make use of technical terms. And it's not about bamboozling interlocutors. Just consider the difference between an anatomical term like adrenal gland and the explanation that a lay person might find easier to understand:

• adrenal gland (two words)
• the little triangle-shaped hat sitting on top of a kidney (ten words)

I don't need to explain why every surgeon on the planet is partial to the first option.

Obviously, a C1 or C2 student is not supposed to know that kind of technical vocabulary or any kind of technical jargon, for that matter. But similar accuracy can and will become inevitable in certain day-to-day situations in which blanket terms such as happy or sad will not cut the proverbial mustard. What kind of sadness is your friend referring to when they say they are... sad? Are they bummed out? Clinically depressed? Heartbroken? Nostalgic? Or just upset? As you see, specificity can be rather necessary, which is the reason why I have decided to put a smile on your face by having you watch a gem of an introducion. Don't wince. It will only take 90 seconds of your time.

In the video below Stephen Fry delivers a speech during the celebrations (in the U.S.!) of the 800th anniversary of Cambridge University. Naturally, on such a grand occasion, one expects a speaker to begin by expressing their sheer satisfaction at being where they are. A standard, predictable formula would have been it is a pleasure to be here. But, you know, Stephen Fry is not exactly a predictable speaker. He plays with words as though they were physical objects and, as you're about to see for yourselves, he is more than capable of turning a conventional trope into a glorious masterpiece of oratory. Watch the first minute and a half of this speech and you'll understand what I mean.