Tag Archives: uncool

Crestfallen

funny wisdom on words that begin with a C

Crestfallen: (adj) dejected and discouraged

It is astounding to me how many words have been exiled to the “Island of Unwanted Syllables.”

They used to be popular–then somebody or a bunch of nobodies got together and decided they sounded old-fashioned. Of course, that was their death knell. Anything that sounds old-fashioned to a younger generation is immediately rejected and becomes a code word for uncool.

Crestfallen is certainly a better term to describe what occasionally happens to us humans, instead of falling back on dimmer terms, like depressed, bummed out, or under the weather.

I guess we favor the term “depressed” because it seems to have a clinical, physiological component to it, instead of just being us, greatly disappointed and discouraged. I suppose I could even give you a list of things that leave me crestfallen, which make me wish that life was different or that circumstances were changed, or people were more enlightened.

But sharing these pains and frustrations with you would only end up being depressing, with me unable to use the more effective term of crestfallen.

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Babble

Babble: (v) to talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way.Dictionary B

I have always pridefully considered myself to be a good communicator. Of course, I am the worst judge of such a determination.

It really would have to be evaluated by others around me who fall victim to hearing my explanations and discourse.

But setting aside my ego, I will tell you that no matter how well you think you speak, your words will become mere babble if you don’t take three things into consideration:

  1. Am I sharing something from my heart that I know the person I’m speaking with definitely disagrees with?

It is unlikely that you will convince folks to change their minds through debate or conversation. Normally it just cements their position.

People change their minds when they become convinced they are uncool if they don’t.

  1. Never talk as long as you want to.

If you’re telling a story and you think it will run about three minutes, then you desperately need to develop a one-minute version.

Taking people’s attention span to the limit of their toleration is the best way to ensure that they will not tolerate you very long.

  1. Learn the power of silence gaps.

If you find that you have just rattled off two or three minutes worth of conversation about yourself, insert a “breath mint” of silence. Allow people to understand that you comprehend the value of speech, but also appreciate the solitude of being mute or even of listening.

If you include those three things into your interaction with others, you will never be considered a “babbler” … or have folks secretly roll their eyes when you walk into the room.

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