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Do you have to "dum" down when you talk/chat to friends

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Depends which group of friends I'm with. If i'm with my 'less academic' mates/family, I subconsicously start speaking like a proper North Londoner and use phrases such as "bare safe", "allooow that", pronounce 'th' as 'F'. But when with people more intelligent I go to the other end of the spectrum and use pretentious language. (which I guess is more how I speak in my head but i'd sound like an idiot speaking like a TSRian to everyone!)

I'm still myself with whoever i'm with but I think my style of expression just mimics who I'm talking to.

Yeah, all the time. :sigh:

Yeahh sometimes.

i dont dumb down what i'm saying its just that we use slang terms for certain phrases, like for example if im asking my friend if he would like to have sex with a girl near us i would aks that question in other words

Reply 85

Nambi

Yes.

If I spoke how I wanted to I'd sound like a cross between Stephen Fry and Mark from Peep Show. I don't want people thinking I am being pretentious or trying to impress them/be something I'm not so I dumb down. Ironically this does mean being something I'm not.

I'm not pretentious, I just read too many old books I think, so have a tendency to use over-flowery language.

Reply 86

Pawsies

I tend to talk smart to my friends x] I don't dumb down intentionally but I may dumb down over a period of time.

I feel like I have to impress people so talking smartly does this ^^

Reply 87

19becky91

Depends, I guess. Like, if we're talking about computers, my friends have to dum down for me. If I'm talking about biology I have to dum down. But we all do chemistry and maths so it's even stevens for those subjects. :smile:

Reply 88

Dimitris

nadiah

not really the way I speak, or the words I use; more the content. I wouldn't even dream of talking politics with some friends, I would merely get a confused look in return XD

Yes, it's a nightmare if you try! :woo:

GazzyG

Yeah - I change my style of speaking to match who I'm with at the time.
If I'm with someone who I know wouldn't appreciate technical talk, then I wouldn't use it.

I was trying to explain my (blond :p:

) little sister what a CPU is. She only somewhat got it when I told here it's the brain of the PC!

Strawberrycayk

If you can't loosen up and act like a goofball when chatting to friends, when can you?
I don't HAVE to, I just prefer to :smile:

After all it's communication that matters, isn't it?

Reply 89

sunspoon

Yes, but for some reason only to people who don't go to my uni. Dunno whether or not it shows the geekiness/nerdiness of Imperial as a whole. For example we had quite an academic discussion into the workings of Stealth at Thorpe Park while queueing up - everyone around us were frowning in confusion.

Reply 90

misshape

Sometimes, with some people, I try not to use words I know they won't understand, and content just comes naturally.

Reply 91

Jingers

Yeah.

I'm a flyboy dun kno. I have to bring my levels dun kno... zimme. No one can touch my levz... dun kno.

Reply 92

miglash

Jingers

Yeah.

I'm a flyboy dun kno. I have to bring my levels dun kno... zimme. No one can touch my levz... dun kno.

It's creepy :eek3:

whom are you talking to like that?

In general, I guess I don't need to dumb down, people somehow naturally get the idea that I'm NOT intelligent :biggrin: