It was not too long ago, (in the opinion of some anyway,) that in order to sound smart, one had to use fancy words. And, if the recipient on the other end of that conversation could not or chose not to respond in kind, it meant they were not as smart. In 2018, such an approach would come across as being pompous and out of touch. In other words, times have change and so, should our way of speaking.
Priyansha Mistry, article in The HR Digest Big Words Make You Sound Stupid offers some simple tips that can be used for everyday conversations and reads in part;
To help you on your quest to sound intelligent, here are phrases that won’t strengthen your vocabulary, but might make you carry the sound of your intellect more effectively.
“Good point, but”
People who want to be heard begin by acknowledging what’s already been said before contributing to the conversation. Instead of saying “I don’t agree,” a more influential speaker might say, “You make a good point. I’d like to chip it another perspective on the table.”
“In your situation…”
When you want your colleagues to follow your suggestions, the last phrase you should use is, “This is how I’d do it.” Giving people direct advice, even when they’ve asked for it, can be off-putting when not told in the right manner. Something along the lines of “In your situation…” can work wonders!
“Yes, and…”
The magic behind “Yes, and…” is that it eliminates defensive phrases such as “actually,” “but,” or “sorry, but…” from your diction. When you want to make sure your listeners keep an open mind, you rely on this phrase to deliver unwelcome news.
Bottom-line, one does not need fancy words to convey their message, even if you want to impress your co-workers, the use of simple words will do. In short, if colleagues know you are smart, you should not have to work so hard to prove it with big words.
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