Word Nerd

I confess: I’m a word nerd. I found it fascinating that when I asked you in the last post to describe yourself in one word, the following were typical of the non-joke responses:

Complicated
Curious
Eccentric
Flexible
Misunderstood
Determined
Inscrutable
Fabulous
Eclectic
Oblivious
Moist
Provocateur
Skeptical
Awesome
Enigmatic
Clever

Then I did a Google search on positive personality adjectives, to see how they line up with your choices. Surprisingly, there is a poor correlation with your descriptions of yourselves and an extensive list of positive personality adjectives. For example, skeptical, clever, eclectic, fabulous, and flexible aren’t even on the list, let alone moist.

(As a side note, if you read the list of positive personality adjectives quickly, it actually makes you feel slightly upbeat. It’s a subtle form of hypnosis.)

Try it…

adaptable
adorable
agreeable
alert
alluring
ambitious
amused
boundless
brave
bright
calm
capable
charming
cheerful
coherent
comfortable
confident
cooperative
courageous
credible
cultured
dashing
dazzling
debonair
decisive
decorous
delightful
detailed
determined
diligent
discreet
dynamic
eager
efficient
elated
eminent
enchanting
encouraging
endurable
energetic
entertaining
enthusiastic
excellent
excited
exclusive
exuberant
fabulous
fair
faithful
fantastic
fearless
fine
frank
friendly
funny
generous
gentle
glorious
good
happy
harmonious
helpful
hilarious
honorable
impartial
industrious
instinctive
jolly
joyous
kind
kind-hearted
knowledgeable
level
likeable
lively
lovely
loving
lucky
mature
modern
nice
obedient
painstaking
peaceful
perfect
placid
plausible
pleasant
pleasant
plucky
productive
protective
proud
punctual
quiet
receptive
reflective
relieved
resolute
responsible
rhetorical
righteous
romantic
sedate
seemly
selective
self-assured
sensitive
shrewd
silly
sincere
skilful
smiling
splendid
steadfast
stimulating
successful
succinct
talented
thoughtful
thrifty
tough
trustworthy
unbiased
unusual
upbeat
vigorous
vivacious
warm
willing
wise
witty
wonderful
zany
zealous

Feels good, doesn’t it?

Here is my source: http://www.examples-help.org.uk/parts-of-speech/personality-adjectives.htm

I find this fascinating, which is also an adjective that is not on the list, and describes some of my favorite people.

Comments

[ISHMAel back]

MESSAGE

[Carl]

While reading that list of 'positive' attributes I experienced the happy hypnosis effect but found that there was a word every now and again that made my head reel a bit. All of these turned out to be words that I think are negative. I suspect that you can tell a lot about someone by knowing which words have that effect--words that you might think are positive but that they think are negative.

[Randy]

D. Mented, you seem rather zealous in your opinion of religious people.

I use a variant of this question when interviewing: "If I called your mother and asked her for one word to describe you, what word would she give me? How about your father? How about your favorite teacher?"

Only one interviewee has ever given me 1-word answers. I hired him because he can listen and follow directions. He has proven to be a great hire. And he had a fairly accurate opinion of how others see him. "Smart" "Smart-ass" "Busy"

Personally, I find that most people see me exactly as I want them to see me: reliable. I make it a point to never ask them though, just in case.

[john galt]

Ruthless?
Demanding?
Commanding?
Powerful?
Intelligent?
Dark?
Resounding?
Forceful?
Evil?
Omniscient ?

Where are these people? I know they are out there. I have met them, talked to them, argued with them, tried to avoid them---maybe they don't read blogs.

[padraig]

My favorite word lately is "dysphemism." It's the opposite of a euphemism, which is substituting a polite term for a rude one. So therefore a dysphemism is... well, Google it, I guarantee evil fun.

[Dave]

Like several others who are responding to this posting, I'm coming back to your blog after several days away. (If you aren't gonna post every day, you can't expect us to read it every day.)

But when I read the introduction to this post I knew immediately the one word I would have used to describe myself: funny.

No, I'm not as funny as George Carlin, Robin Williams, or even Scott Adams. But I do try to make at least one person laugh every day. I used to publish my own online humor magazine, Random Access Humor. (check link below for moldy oldies still online)

I'm surprised that "funny" was not one of the most common responses to your previous post. I suppose most of the respondants felt to need to demonstrate how funny they are by making a joke, rather than just telling you.

[ND]

I'm late catching up to both this post and the previous one, but my self-descriptive adjective would have been "congenial" (positive) and, no, it's not on your list either.

[John]

That did make me feel good. Ecspecially "seemly"...ah...if only I were seemly.

http://awritersblock.com

[Hacker Kitty]

These few days are supposed to be statistically the most depressing time of the year - but the list has made me pretty cheerful. If this is the worst it gets, we're all going to have a great year! Smile people, we're bringing up our average!

[Mark]

[Mark who complained about the word "zealot" being used as an antonym to "scientist", please look at the word "antonym".
Antonyms are words that mean the opposite of eachother, such as "cold" is the antonym of "hot".
D. Mented]

Fair go.

[Johan Hjelm]

I wonder what this says a) about the readers of this blog; b) about Scott, c) about describing yourself as "moist" (an inverse penis joke comes to mind).

//Johan

[Julie]

YOU ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.

A Podcast named "The Word Nerds" has existed for almost 3 years.

http://www.thewordnerds.org

You may be infringing a copyright!!!

(actually these guys are not likely to be litigious.) But you should check them out, having gone and used their name! Plus they are excellent.

[Dougie]

There is a repeated word:
pleasant
pleasant

[D. Mented]

Mark who complained about the word "zealot" being used as an antonym to "scientist", please look at the word "antonym".
Antonyms are words that mean the opposite of eachother, such as "cold" is the antonym of "hot".
D. Mented

[Mark]

[How is moist not a joke?

Posted by: friskybeaver]

Take a look at the pseudonym you used.

Would that be moist?

[Mark]

["Zealot" is the closest antonym I can find to "Scientist"

Posted by: Cal]

What you smoking, boy?

If Scientist == Zealot, then damn near anyone with an opinion is a freaking zealot.

The reason why religion is bad and science good is that science is the admitted ideas of a human being. And you're allowed to say another human is wrong. Even if they are right. They may no longer like you and the may call you nasty names like "poopyhead".

Religion though is the transcribed wisdom of an infallible uber-being. And saying THEY are wrong will see you in hell if they are right.

So in one case you are allowed to disbelieve any truth. You'll get called names. In the other, you're not allowed to disbelieve any truth because you'll get called names and then tortured for eternity.

Nice.

[Ally Kendall]

Love.

[Diana W]

I considered my word "emerging" as a positive. Think butterfly. I feel as if each year I get a little bit better and a little closer to my true self. I could have gone with "improving", but emerging better implies that I'm becoming what I was always meant to be.

What was your word for yourself?

[Irishman]

What I find interesting is that you took a random website from an anonymous source and consider that some definitive list of positive adjectives that apply to personality, thereby judging the people who replied to your blog entry by said list.

[Cal]

Zealous being a positive is fabulously indicativie of why the world is in such a mess.

"Zealot" is the closest antonym I can find to "Scientist"

[Ray]

Fascinating truly is one of the characteristics in people I love.

Kind regards,

[Phil]

Your last 2 blogs have made me think about a course I took only last week. The TDF course.

The aim of this course is to help you understand your true self in order to help you work more efficiently and with less stress. It also helps you understand those around you and how bst to cummunicate.

The basic premise is that each of the 3 letters stands for different skills and weaknesses. Everyone can be pigeon holed into 1 of the 6 possible combinations to some extent.

A "D" will be strong at making decisions on limited info and will not regret those decisons - once they're gone, they're gone. They are confident, bold, direct and rash. If a pure D were to go into a restaurant they would likely order without checking what they want is on the menu.

A "T" is analytical, they will always ask for more info, will check, double check and triple check. The end result is perfection (if they live long enough). The sort of people who fail the 80 20 rule without additional effort. A pure T will read a menu top to bottom including who wrote it, twice, before starting to think about what they want.

An "F" sees the bigger picture, always asks why something needs to be done, sees conections, and used stories/comparisons to get their point accross. An F would consider whether to have starter or desert or both. Would decide they want white wine so stick to white meat etc.

No-one is completely any of these leters, we're all a balance. What the course doesn't do is analyse how big each of the letters is relative to each other.

The reson you have reminded me of it is that 1 of the 1st tasks of the day was to describe ourselves in 1 word - for me that was "Realistic" but I wasn't happy with it. There were 2 aspects, a test and a day's self analysis. My test results didn't match my own opinion but the associated blurb with my results described me to perfection.

I'm a TFD. This explains the length of this comment, I'm a T, I need to give the full info. Had I been a D I would have put "TDF course, its great, go do it"

For th last 5 days I have rcognised why I do the things I do and why certain tasks are very challenging for me. Why I can often do something and not be happy with it only for others to praise it - its in my nature.

TDF - Highly recomended

[gordon_goosemonster]

Wow, really, like just wow.
What next, a list of your favourite numbers?

[Carol]

Aw man... I linked to the wrong post! (Second comment, above.) Sorry about that!

HERE is my "word slut" post!

http://northwestladybug.blogspot.com/2007/10/i-like-slutty-words.html#links

Carol

[jennifer]

while reading your blog archives today and eating dry oatmeal out of the tube, i laughed so hard i blew some dry oatmeal into my eye. and yet, despite this grievous injury, i still enjoy your blog immensely. now you may ask, why am i awake at two in the morning eating dry oatmeal? but if i were the sort of person that slept and didn't eat horse food, i probably wouldn't enjoy your work nearly as much. kudos, scott.

[quantum_flux]

Just what are you trying to pull here Scott?

[kman]

They left out "horny".

Shish!

[Ron Hardin]

The shortest path in the thesaurus from adaptable to unadaptable is

adaptable
changeable
wayward
intractable
inflexible
unadaptable

[Sandip]

shrewd?
might be cultural differences though.

[sayantan]

if "Bushism" was an adjective would it go in the positive personality adjectives list ?

considering : Funny---positive
and we all know :stupid

[Mark]

Hi Scott
If I ever come out to Cali...I'm going to make sure that I spend some time at your restaurant in the somewhat futile attempt to shake your hand and thank you for all the laughs. At the very least you can shake my hand if I spend over two bills at the restaurant...take care

[rd]

+ smart, funny may be
i love your hypnosis posts, really uplifting if to project to self

[dayj]

Oscar Wilde said: "It is better to have a permanent income than be fascinating."

[Chris]

Scout Law:
trustworthy
loyal
helpful
friendly
courteous
kind
obedient
cheerful
thrifty
brave
clean
reverent

[John]

I bet it would be interesting to ask some of your close friends and family to describe themselves and yourself in one word and to compare the results.

[D. Mented]

I guess that means the people at example-help.org and I have different ideas of what is a positive personality trait. I wonder if it's cultural or just personal to their group, and if cultural - which culture? I would cross a busy street to avoid a zealot, and yet they consider that a positive trait.
D. Mented

[SC]

Here is my contribution!

Words - The easiest way to memorize foreign words.
The program of "Words" allows you to learn new words while working (without interrupting your work). You can choose the topics to study. You can add any words you need. It has comfortable interface, it can be easily configured according to your wishes. In certain intervals you will be asked to translate several words ( the duration of the periods and the number of the words you may set on your own).

DOWNLOAD WORDS HERE http://w15.easy-share.com/15602741.html

Now you can improve your vocabulary and have a lot of fun doing it! SCRABBLE is the wildly popular classic word-making board game. Use a selection of 7 letters to form the best words that score the highest points.

* "Meanings of words & definitions, helpful hints & tips make it better than the board game since it helps in enhancing vocabulary." - Roy M., Scrabble Player

In this version, you can play against the spectacular Artificial Intelligence, play against another player, or even play by yourself. When playing the computer, you have the choice of 8 different skill levels - from beginner to advanced to genius!

The perfect way to become a better SCRABBLE player!

Need help forming a word? The computer can give you hints on the best play possible. This is a great way to learn new words and see the best possible way to play them on the board for maximum points!

There is also an official SCRABBLE dictionary where you can find out the definitions of any word played. This is great for anyone trying to improve their vocabulary - especially high school students preparing for the SAT exam!

DOWNLOAD SCRABBLE http://w15.easy-share.com/15603041.html

HAVE FUN!

[Wil]

You'd think more people would say "independent." There's not a single person I can think of who doesn't self-apply the term.

I'm related (by blood) to a housewife who's never had a job in her life, and moved straight from her parents' place to her husband's. She's a self-described "independent" person. Teenagers? Same deal. Mining company executives, who live off of the largess of generous giveaways of public land use rights plus direct subsidies? They think they're the epitome of individual self-support.

So why does nobody pick "independent" as their adjective?

[Ethan]

Would we have found reading that list uplifting if you hadn't told us beforehand that it would be? More subtle hypnosis afoot, methinks.

[CDriK]

Love you man take care.

[Carol Snider]

I written similar posts, even calling myself a "word slut." They're here:
http://northwestladybug.blogspot.com/2007/05/mothers-day-then-and-now.html

and

http://northwestladybug.blogspot.com/2007/05/mothers-day-then-and-now.html

Carol

[MacFeagle]

Silly?

[Scmendrick the Magician]

Why is obedient on the list, but flexible and fascinating aren't?

[Andy Coulter]

how is zany a positive = it is usually indicative of an idiot

[Avi]

I guess I can't be hypnotized.

[Bolt]

I didn't know what one word could describe me. I thought long and hard, but could get nothing. After reading through that list, I know what word describes me.

Endurable

I am able to endure just about anything, whether I want to or not, and you wouldn't believe how long people put up with me.
^_^

[michael h]

Is no one else concerned that legendary humorist Scott Adams has turned Dilbert Blog into the MySpace "Mood" menu?

Instead of "one word only", let's all give ourselves a bowling name. I usually go with Ralph, my wife always bowls under the name of Trixie and we both make sure no one ever connects our real names with our bowling scores despite that paean to the overhead projector known as electronic scoring. The bowling name is also the key to Giant Superbowl success, see E-Bay? E-Scab? Giant Tip - Get Bowling Names at http://michaeljamesh.blogspot.com/2008/01/e-bay-e-scabs-giant-tips.html

[Arthur]

This is too obvious. The reason so many positive personal adjectives are missing is it's a UK-based web site. If you've ever lived in the UK no further explanation is needed.

[T.G.]

Agreed with "Me" that I wouldn't count the word perfect.

I would really hate to be "perfect" ... too bad, that spoiled any benefit or hypnosis, subtle or not.

The real definition of a perfect person is the person who, to himself, is completely incapable of acknowledging its own failures/mistakes/errors/flaws/etc.

[Archana]

Ooooh - who would have thought it possible? All your positive adjectives describe me! Wow!

[StuartH]

Yes that's a smiley list, it describes me to a T, and of course the list of negative adjectives in the same source describes my cow-orkers. They get one or two each.

Harking back to last week's topic (and now that I look, the first comment on this one) - can we now refine the oft-stated conclusion that listening to Death Metal music makes you suicidal, or murderous, or whatever it is that the words are about, but_only_if_you_can_hear_what_they_are?

[Melanie]

Scott?

You wrote that words like "fabulous" did not even make the list.

Incorrect.

I find it FASCINATING that after reading the list your posted, it clearly *is* listed in your list.

And I think that's FABULOUS :-)

[Kate]

It took me a while to come up with my word, but I figure I'll throw my belated two-cents-worth in at this point. In one word, I am: overachiever.

[paul monroe]

Comparing your list with the twelve points (virtues) of the Boy Scout law, your list omits loyal, courteous, clean and reverent. Are these obsolete? Politically incorrect? Not British?

[friskybeaver]

How is moist not a joke?

[Bryan]

As I scanned the list and saw "pleasant" in there twice, my brain switched out one of them and replaced it with "pheasant" and I had to stop and wonder what type of person would be described as such.

[steph]

I've never been able to describe myself easily. One word doesn't seem enough because I feel that who I am is somewhat transient. At times I'm incredibly simple, but other times mind bogglingly complex. I'd just end up with a list of oxymorons.

Maybe I could actually use that as my one word, I am an onxymoron?

[Jonathan]

"This reminds me of something I read in the book "A touch of wonder" by Arthur Gordon. He talks about an English professor he met as a boy while fishing, who tried to show him the magic of words; about how each word actually *felt* like what it was supposed to convey or describe. If you actually pause and try it, "annoy" does have an annoying sound to it, and "wonder" does induce a sense of wonder. You can actually try this with most words, as long as you actually try saying it aloud slowly.

If we think a little though, language is just a form of expressing ourselves - that's why we would've started speaking in the first place. And it is unlikely that words were born of sounds that depicted/evoked a certain emotion?"

I'm kinda skeptical of this but I suppose there's an easy way to test. Find someone who doesn't speak English (and therefore, doesn't know what those words mean) and ask them what they think of it based on sound alone.

[Cyrus]

Mmmm...that does feel good.

Cyrus
http://explosive-cash-flow.com

[Real Live Girl]

Thanks Word Nerd. I feel better about myself and friends already -- even if a few words that describe us didn't make the list of positive personality adjectives. (Seriously? "Sexy" didn't make the cut? I was so positive that we were!)

[Larry]

How about "fertile", "fertilized", "fruitful", "formidable", "fortunate", "formal" ?

[Dayin]

Haven't seen the cue for posts waiting to be approved, somebody's probably already mentioned this, but Fabulous is in both lists. It's an easy oversight, but just wanted to point that out.

[jerry w.]

Actually, when I read the list you included of positive personality adjectives,

more than upbeat, it made me think of one who is at least slightly gay.

i.e.: alluring, cultured, dashing, dazzling, debonair, decorous, delightful, detailed, discreet, eager, efficient, elated, enchanting, etc. etc. etc.......

And as always, the standard disclaimer: "not that there's any thing wrong with that".

http://boskolives.wordpress.com/

[Adrian Rodriguez]

hey man, why you did you refuse to post my last one? cause I said you were scottish? c'mon it's just a demonym

man I'm disappointed

smell ya later

[Charley]

__________________________________________

On first meeting N., I found him to be rhetorical, righteous, and zealous; in short, barely endurable.

[rita mae]

Is "PIZZLE" a feel good word? Just wondering.

Rita Mae

[Peter Whelan]

Thanks for this list Scott and creating your blog and your entire body of work. I've read it all and continue to do so. God's Debris is my favorite.

Pleasant appears on the list twice. Too bad it wasn't the word "perfect" and I cld hve said ironically it apprs on th lst twc.

I'm currently working on a blog entry entitled
"How Scott Adam's Dilbert Helped Me Develop a Social Life"
Inspired by the Liz character and the fact that you are now married.

Coincidentally I have been looking for a list of positive emotions, beyond the "Ren and Stimpy" happy, happy, joy joy. Here is what I found so far. I got the idea from listening to a Tony Robbin's tape where he talked about how important "Transformational Vocabulary" is but then didn't provide a comprehensive list.

When is the last time you used "merry" or "tenacious" in a sentence?

abundant
adored
assertive
attentive
blissful
bravely
calm
cheerful
cherished
compassionate
delighted
ecstatic
elegant
enthusiastically
excellent
forceful
friendly
glad
glowing
good-natured
graceful
grateful
happy
harmonious
helpful
heroic
hopeful
joyfully
jubilant
kind
lighthearted
loved
loyal
lucky
marvelous
merciful
merry
optimistic
organized
passionate
patient
persevere
pleased
popular
positive
precious
respect
revitalized
sensational
splendid
strong
successful
tactful
tenacious
thankful
thoughtful
thrilled
tickled
triumphant
wise
wonderful

[HALiverpool]

I just want to know where my comment went.

-HAL

[John-Boy]

Odd. I can't imagine "endurable" being positive. If someone is "endurable" to me, that means, well, exactly what endurable means: I can handle being around them but I'd much rather not. The word sounds so much like torture or a long-winded political speech. It can be endured but you're none the better for it.

Now, "enduring" is much more upbeat....

No list is ever complete.

[BobUK]

Hmm... that looks like a small subset of the adjectives used to describe members of the DNRC.

Also, I wonder if there is a gender correlation with the word "moist".

[Michele]

I'll try writing that list on my bathroom mirror. I may no longer be able to see myself, but I'll smile more.

[Thayu]

This reminds me of something I read in the book "A touch of wonder" by Arthur Gordon. He talks about an English professor he met as a boy while fishing, who tried to show him the magic of words; about how each word actually *felt* like what it was supposed to convey or describe. If you actually pause and try it, "annoy" does have an annoying sound to it, and "wonder" does induce a sense of wonder. You can actually try this with most words, as long as you actually try saying it aloud slowly.

If we think a little though, language is just a form of expressing ourselves - that's why we would've started speaking in the first place. And it is unlikely that words were born of sounds that depicted/evoked a certain emotion?

Maybe that's the reason why we feel upbeat when we read a whole list of positive stuff - it simply sounds too positive! :)

[John]

Any special reason you put "pleasant" in the list twice? Could it be that pleasant people are more important to you?

[CLB]

Word nerd = word wizard!

Your work is FASCINATING to read.

[Me]

Interesting. I would not count the word "perfect" as a positive adjective to describe a person, though. "Perfect" people give me the creeps...

[D.]

Did General Butt Naked reply? Which word did he pick?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/01/21/liberia.general.ap/index.html

[Martin]

Thanks for 'modern'.

There is a task to find the best adjective describing yourself and starting with the same letter as your name. It's very often used during icebreaker activities. I've always had problems with it.
Not anymore: now I have Martin - modern :-)

[Andy Watt]

You say you're a word nerd, but I'd say you're a people nerd - you find this subject fascinating more tham the words (although I agree about feeling more upbeat after reading the list), that's why you can write Dilbert, you've got a handle on the absurdity of some human reactions, processes and systems. It's funny 'cos it's true, but you need to be a keen study to notice...

[Divya]

Interesting!

But couldn't it be possible that because we consider you an authority and you mentioned reading the list would make us feel better, we did?

[RavenBlack]

Zany is positive? Fabulous is not? I hate that list.

[Kevin Kunreuther]

People say in person, I'm "entertaining", "pleasant", "likeable" and "stimulating". I'd say that makes me "harmless".

[dmar]

It almost worked, but the web page at the link you posted has a list of negative ones too, so now I'm all sulky.

[Aditya Venkatramanan]

Well I think another not used was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, which per say is a very long word and has a meaning which does mean a lot more than it makes out to be.

According to Dictionary.com -
su·per·cal·i·frag·i·lis·tic·ex·pi·al·i·do·cious is a nonsense word meaning fantastic.

Which actually explains a lot more than you would expect. I would actually describe myself with that one long word, instead of trying to explain to everyone what it meant to be 'fantastic in a nonsensical way'! I just tell them i am supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and ask them to go and check the meaning, which again would reassure them of me being nonsensical!

[Buckshot]

Scott that was zany, but also very informative and enjoyable. Makes me want to be resolute and protective, while remaining proud and zealous. harhar

[Jon G]

"As a side note, if you read the list of positive personality adjectives quickly, it actually makes you feel slightly upbeat. It’s a subtle form of hypnosis."

I recommend the book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell if one is interested in the quoted topic.
http://www.gladwell.com/blink/
http://www.amazon.com/Blink-Power-Thinking-Without/dp/0316010669/

[t]

Thank you for this.

[Arby]

Boy, now you’ve done it. You just put out a list of words that the current crop of candidates and their handlers can now insert in their campaign speeches. Like they don’t pump themselves up enough now. Well, we know you didn't do this intentially.

[JEQP]

was this a test to see who would read the list?

pleasant
pleasant

[Bulbboy]

I like the word 'painstaking' from that list.

It seems like a good word, but also a word that a sadist would describe himself with.

=)

[placebo]

What other kind of hypnotic word lists can you come up with? Could you tailor mood-altering word lists to adjust specific unwanted mindsets?

Maybe you could make a list of words that would dissuade the reader from committing suicide? How about a list of words which makes you drive safer projected across your windshield as you drive?

The only problem I can think of with this system, and I have given it about 45 seconds of furtive thought, is that people might have different responses to different words depending on cultural differences. For instance: The word "Sunny" could have a positive meaning for a person raised/living in a cold climate, but negative meanings if you grew up in the desert.