3 October 2004 ... Euridite and Sedentary

erudite - Characterized by extensive reading or knowledge; well instructed; learned.

sedentary - doing or requiring much sitting, characterized by a lack of physical activity

I consider myself well-read. In recent years I've branched out from science fiction and I now read a variety of non-fiction and I've made a good dent in some of the classics.

And so, I've got a pretty extensive vocabulary.

At work, tho, I've learned to keep a lid on it. My work partner, L, only graduated high school, she doesn't read and she's got a hearing problem. It's just too much effort to explain what the "big words" mean, when I'm talking to her.

When I'm at home, I do not limit myself. I use words as they were meant to be used. My life partner does not read, but he is intelligent and educated.

Sometimes he does ask the meaning of a word I've used. This doesn't bother me at all... it keeps me honest. Occasionally I do get a definition wrong. Or, I'll get the pronunciation wrong, which of course comes from seeing the word in print and not hearing the word spoken.

• Dictionary.com
• A Word A Day
• A Word A Day, the book