verbolatry
Definition
Noun: - The worship of words: An excessive reverence for or preoccupation with words themselves, often at the expense of the ideas or realities they represent. It implies treating words with an almost religious devotion.
Usage
- General Use: Used to describe an attitude or practice that places undue importance on the form, sound, or precise usage of words over their meaning or practical application.
- Context: Typically found in literary criticism, linguistics, or discussions about rhetoric and communication. It often carries a negative connotation, suggesting pedantry or empty formalism.
Examples
- The poet's dense and obscure style was criticized as mere , more concerned with linguistic flourish than with conveying a clear message.
- In his essay, he warned against the dangers of , where the love of complex vocabulary obscures simple truths.
- The debate devolved into , with each side attacking the other's phrasing rather than addressing the substantive issues.
Advanced Usage
- As a critique: Often used to critique verbose or overly ornate writing, speech, or legal documents that seem designed to impress rather than inform.
- In academic discourse: Can describe a scholarly focus on textual minutiae or theoretical jargon that loses connection to broader understanding.
Variants and Related Words
- Logolatry (noun): A synonym, meaning idolatry of or excessive respect for words.
- Verbose (adj): Using or expressed in more words than are needed.
- Pedantry (noun): Excessive concern with minor details and rules, often in scholarly contexts.
Synonyms
- Logomania: An obsession with words.
- Wordiness: The quality of using too many words.
- Phonocentrism: (In critical theory) The privileging of speech over writing, but sometimes related to a focus on linguistic form.
Related Phrases and Concepts
- Cult of the word: A phrase with a similar meaning to verbolatry.
- Rhetorical excess: The overuse of rhetorical devices.
- Semantic satiation: The phenomenon where repetition causes a word to temporarily lose its meaning, which can be a consequence of verbolatry.
Notes
Verbolatry is a relatively rare and formal word. It is a compound of "verb" (from Latin verbum, meaning "word") and the suffix "-latry" (from Greek -latreia, meaning "worship"). Its use is almost exclusively critical.
Noun
-
the worship of words
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