Stephen Fry's long words

[robert551069]

I have just started reading "The Fry Chronicles" and am on page 23 of 284.
So far, I have had to consult a dictionary to find the meaning of:-
ASPERITY, meaning roughness, NARCOLEPSY, meaning excessive daytime sleepiness, LACUNAE, empty space, missing part, SOLIPSTISTIC, the theory that the self is the only thing that can be known or verified.

[sandyRoe]

Could he be intoxicated by the exuberance of his own verbosity?

[jno]

that's solipsistic. Lacunae is a plural.

Is this a problem? How else do you learn new things?

[Tilly2]

Keep reading, robert. It will improve your vocabulary.

[Ric.ror]

Sometimes you can just guess what a word means
The thing I noticed about Stephen Fry is that although he is supposed to have a brian the size of a planet I do not think I have ever hear him utter any original thought - certainly none I remember
Now I know guys at the local pub quiz that know 'facts'

[Frank97]

I quite like that sort of thing myself, it's always good to learn new words.

[Davethedog]

I obviously cannot see context, but where there any other single words that could be substituted?

If one has a large volcabulary, why shouldn't it be used or should everything be based on the lowest common denominator.

Know wot I mean innit

[jno]

a brian the size of a planet

I learn a new word every day myself... :-)

[Hopkirk]

Stephen Fry is an entertainer, and a very good one at that.

I have no objection if he has a little help.

[Tilly2]

Who was it that said something along the lines of 'Never use a long word when a shorter one will do.'?

[missnemesis]

Mr Fry is known well known for his magniloquence robert551069. Perhaps keeping a lexicon nearby is a good idea whilst you continue your passage through his chronicles. :)

[BAKERS DOZEN]

jno - I have a brother called Brian and he is rather large. Do you know him? lol

[Ric.ror]

Oh thats right pick on me cause my left hand was a little quicker that my right today
Mr Fry wouldn't do that :-P

[starone]

I think I've got that - narcolepsy. I only have to sit down and I want to sleep. I think the sitting down triggers something off in my brain. Or brian if you like. Some people don't bother to proof read the passages they write, hence the many typing errors. But who cares, when they are very often hilarious.

[Frank97]

Who was it that said something along the lines of 'Never use a long word when a shorter one will do.'?
George Orwell, I think.

[jake-the-peg]

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said "A man who calls a spade a spade should be compelled to use one it's the only thing he's good for"

[jno]

there aren't really any shorter words than the ones in the OP ("gaps" instead of "lacunae" is the only one I can come up with), so Fry is using the language pretty precisely

[Tilly2]

Or was it ,'Don't use five words when one will do.'?

[woofgang]

So robert, have you got a question?

[Tilly2]

Robert's non-question has produced some interesting responses, woofgang.

[bibblebub]

Is sesquipedalianism discombobulating?