The Expression "Ten dollar words"

Question

Into the context of this sentence.

En este contexto.

We will not attempt to disguise imprecision with ten dollar words.

Intentaremos no disfrazar las imprecisiones con palabras de diez dólares.

Is standard the mean of expression ten dollar words or is a license of author?

¿Es habitual el significado de esta expresión o es una licencia del autor?

Thank for your help.

Gracias por vuestra ayuda.

Please explain, many people, including myself, are not from the US of A and we have never heard this expression. Can you re-phrase it? - annierats, Sep 19, 2015

Answer 1

Hello the trainee and welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You said / asked:

Into the context of this sentence. En este contexto. We will not attempt to disguise imprecision with ten dollar words.Intentaremos no disfrazar las imprecisiones con palabras de diez dólares. Is standard the mean of expression ten dollar words or is a license of author? ¿Es habitual el significado de esta expresión o es una licencia del autor? Thank for your help. Gracias por vuestra ayuda.>

I would say that Ten dollar words = cheap words/ words of little value.

In this context it would seem that the speaker is saying that we are not going to try to cover up any inaccuracies or mistakes we have made by offering cheap words ie: to make excuses!

I think that they could also have said:

Intentaremos no disimular imprecisión con palabras fáciles

= We will attempt not to conceal (cover up) imprecison with cheap words (easy words)

I think that it is a standard expression: ten dollar words implying that the words are not worth much money /are of little value.

I hope this helps

Corrijan mi español, si es necesario, por favor

Muchas gracias, por elegir mi respuesta como la mejor respuesta :) - FELIZ77, Sep 19, 2015

I had never heard the expression and looked it up - I think your interpretaion might confuse. But hey it is completely new to me. - Mardle, Sep 19, 2015

$10 a word sounds expensive to me? - ian-hill, Sep 19, 2015

Extortionate even :) - ian-hill, Sep 19, 2015

Answer 2

I am not sure I well understand the question, but if you are trying to understand whether the phrase "ten dollar words" is a figure of speech, I can offer this:
English speakers do often assign monetary value to words, usually to imply that "big words" or "impressive words" or "fancy words" or "five-syllable words" (all presumably more-expensive than "simple words") to not change the true nature of the thing being discussed.
I would not say that a particular monetary value is most popular. Here are some values I recall hearing:

• Nickel words (United States coin)
• Fifty cent words
• Five dollar words
• Ten dollar words

Any of these amounts would indicate that the writer was adding adjectives to mask or enhance the true subject, for example, rather than saying we are having corn for lunch, a writer might say, "Golden sun-ripened Nebraska sweet corn." Five dollar words, all.

Is 'crystal' for me. Thanks so much jrschenk!! - The_Trainee, Sep 19, 2015

You've got my vote. - Daniela2041, Sep 19, 2015

MIne too. - ian-hill, Sep 19, 2015

Answer 3

I had never heard the expression. I am from the UK where we have loads of expressions using money [pennies especially not dollars] As Annie says unless you know how old the expression is you can guess the wrong meaning as value changes.

For example pre decimal in the UK 40 + years ago there were 240 pennies in a £1 but wages and costs were vastly less than now.

We do use some American expressions involving money particularly as we see so many films/movies, TV series and music from the USA Eg many British people would be entirely happy with the phrase 'you look a million dollars' We would get very strange looks if we said you look a million pounds.

We have an expression - a penny for them/ or a penny for your thoughts when you want to know what is worrying someone. When it was first heard hundreds of years ago it was a huge sum whereas now it is pratically worthless.

Here is an article about your phrase: article

My view is is that it is using unnecessarily big words to encourage someone to think you are smarter than you actually are.

In the UK we have a Plain English society to encourage people to write more clearly and simply. Look it up there are some excellent guides [gratis] on it for learners or anyone who wants to improve their style.

Edit; Here is the part of the Plain English Campaign site that you will find very useful:

Free guides

:) - ian-hill, Sep 19, 2015

I have reread the text and I agree when you say 'My view is is that it is using unnecessarily big words to encourage someone to think you are smarter than you actually are.' Thanks again for the free guides. - The_Trainee, Sep 20, 2015

Answer 4

Here is an example of a ten dollar way of saying, It is crystal clear to me.

It is as clear as a piece of a homogeneous solid substance having a natural geometrically regular form with symmetrically arranged plane faces.

I hope this helps clarify the idea of ten dollar words, words so big and fancy that they must have been bought at a fancy store or university, not some city college.

Sure, now I understand even less! - annierats, Sep 19, 2015

Are city colleges bad, then? - annierats, Sep 19, 2015

What he is saying is that 10 dollar words are those utterances used by overly erudite people to obfuscate their meanings when the want to bedazzle you. ;) - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

Words taught in a fancy university, but not a simple city college. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

Hey! Don't put down dity colleges! They even teach fifteen dollar words there. :) - Daniela2041, Sep 19, 2015

Hey, I didn't say it, just was interpreting it. But a person calling them such would not think it to be a plus. :D - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

Welll I was just trying to emphasize the difference between Ivy League and Mesa Community College. And there is a difference, in price and value. - gringojrf, Sep 19, 2015

Answer 5

You can find this sentence end of first paragraph page 27 on this book

I found this sentence here or you can find .. - Mardle, Sep 19, 2015

and better 'end of the first paragraph. - Mardle, Sep 19, 2015

Thank - The_Trainee, Sep 19, 2015

Thank you or thanks. - Mardle, Sep 19, 2015

Dear Mardle, I apologize for my bad English, simultaneously make you extend my sincere thanks for the corrections. - The_Trainee, Sep 20, 2015

your English si good - enjoy correcting my bad Spanish! Above comment - delete make you - Mardle, Sep 20, 2015

OK!! - The_Trainee, Sep 20, 2015

Answer 6

The expression is at least as old as I am. It means multi-syllabic words that your average Joe might not understand. The term signals scorn for the person who uses such words in place of more common ones.

Answer 7

I've never heard this expression either.

Therefore I'm at a loss to help. Is ten dollars a lot, or does it mean rubbish words, cheap words? I mean, that depends on the age of the expression..

Very sensible answer. I have never heard this either - 005faa61, Sep 19, 2015

I can assure you both that it is fairly common in the states.. Google returns thousands of results. ;) - jrschenk, Sep 19, 2015

Answer 8

I never heard this expression. I wonder it its exclusively American. That said, of course I realised immediately what it means.

In BE (British English) we say 'throwaway word'...

I don't get it! Throwaway words are words that mean nothing? - annierats, Sep 19, 2015