Why "silly" is the f*ing dumbest adjective in the English language

[Noontidal]

There is not enough silly in the world. Any organization or cause that considers itself above silliness is wrong at heart. One of the reasons I quite like Buddhism is that it is the religion of silliness. Yes, somebody actually created a religion that essentially revolves around that thing you hate, OP.

[Guest RK Unsmoteable]

Raidne, I think the word you're looking for is......'silly'.

Right? I'm going to go with ridiculous. Or maybe ludicrous. As far as I can tell the only difference in meaning between the two is that the latter has a bit more emphasis.

Yes, somebody actually created a religion that essentially revolves around that thing you hate, OP.

No no. This warrants a little clarification. I love being silly and many other kinds of silliness. The thing I'm trying to bitch about is the tendancy to reach for the word silly when explaining why someone on the internet is wrong.

To illustrate, I did a little search and review of past use to get better fix on what on earth I'm talking about, and the last couple dozen things prior to the existence of this thread described as "silly" on this board include the idea that people get married without knowing about the possibility of paying alimony upon divorce, the idea that it is critically important to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, liking a TV show more when the main character is a strong female, the knife ban in the United Kingdom, jokes that a woman took offense to as sexist at a conference, believing that Americans might ever decide to spend more money on food in order to eat healthier food, believing it might be a good idea to not allow the federal government acquire debt, analogizing the right to bear arms in the United States to freedom of religion in the United States, and the idea that filming police officers could physically impede them from performing their duties.

All of these things might certainly be right or wrong, and maybe even really wrong, but none of them are even arguably silly. And so I ask, to everyone who does this, quit with the bullshit - if you feel like being a dick, then be a dick, but be an honest dick and just tell the person you think their point is fucking stupid already.

But anyway, get this - the thing most commonly described as "silly" is the British. Mostly by themselves, naturally. There is most definitely a bit of a divide in how the term is used amongst people from North America vs. everyone else.

[Gillio]

As an Aussie, I hardly ever use silly (though if I'm forgetful, i might say "silly Gilly" to myself, but mostly coz it rhymes)

I remember using it a lot more when I was in England, but whether that was because I was a child, or English, I don't know, now.

[Noontidal]

I like bear arms. Hugs from bear arms are the best.

[Gillio]

I like bear arms. Hugs from bear arms are the best.

Yeah, but you have to be hugged by the right two bear arms

[Noontidal]

Yeah, but you have to be hugged by the right two bear arms

Are you suggesting I find two bears so as to be hugged by two right bear arms?

[Gillio]

Are you suggesting I find two bears so as to be hugged by two right bear arms?

No I'm suggesting you be discerning in the bear that hugs you, thereby having the right two bear arms.

[Noontidal]

Would these be the right two bear arms? or Would these arms be better?

[Lord O' Bones]

Noon, if you need this explained, I will dis-bear.

[Gillio]

I'm more a make sure your bear is stuffed girl http://www.vermontteddybear.com/SellGroup/Tattooed-Toughguy.aspx?bhcp=1

[Eyron]

And thank you for that display, Noontidal!

We have now seen silly being performed live, for educational purposes.

[MinDonner]

I have no problems with "silly" myself.

What does surprise me about this thread is to see Americans using the word "cheeky". Until recently this was purely a British word. One of the personality trait tests I give to my students in psychology classes was developed in England and has a question with the word "cheeky" in it, and I still have to explain what that means to my students in Nebraska.

P.S. On the other hand, come to think of it, I'm not sure "cheeky" is really being used here exactly as it is in England. The question on the test I use is "As a child were you ever cheeky to your parents?", which means did you ever talk back to them in an insolent way, as I understand it. I'm not quite sure how that meaning goes along with the phrase "cheeky and fun." I can see how something could be considered insolent and "funny" at the same time, but "fun" and "funny" themselves don't have quite the same meaning for me in this context, and it's hard for me to see cheekiness as being "fun".

NECRO!

But, just saw this article about the word "cheeky" on the Beeb, and thought Ormond might be interested. :)

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

I like the word silly. I called my daughter a silly goose to tease her when she was little. Naturally, she used this good naturedly with her friends at pre-school. She got in trouble and "silly goose" had to be retired from my vocabulary. I'm still not happy about that.

[Weeping Sore]

She who sincerely shan't suffer "silly" surely seems supercilious.