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  3. Can you help me find the right word to describe this annoying person?

Can you help me find the right word to describe this annoying person?

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  • T [email protected]

    The French sense is how the word was originally used, and it can still be used that way. But the primary sense now is about the superficial nature of the person's knowledge or interest. So it's negative, but not as negative as the word OP is seeking.

    libb@piefed.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
    libb@piefed.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote last edited by
    #37

    Thx, I understand that and it goes along the context also mentioned in another comment.

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    • N [email protected]

      Dilettante is the word you want here, I think.

      B This user is from outside of this forum
      B This user is from outside of this forum
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      wrote last edited by
      #38

      I agree with this, but it lacks the ‘pretentious air’ about the individual. A charlatan or poser equally partially describes this. This actually seems to be a missing term.

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      • A [email protected]

        An arrogant hypocrite who's not nearly as clever as they think they are? A silly man pretending to be otherwise? Me?!

        zombiepirate@lemmy.worldZ This user is from outside of this forum
        zombiepirate@lemmy.worldZ This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #39

        Was gonna say, I'm not throwing stones in this glass house.

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        • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

          What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

          I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

          It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

          S This user is from outside of this forum
          S This user is from outside of this forum
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          wrote last edited by
          #40

          If you are so confident it is wrong, why don't you expose its weak knowledge base?

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          • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

            What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

            I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

            It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

            L This user is from outside of this forum
            L This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote last edited by [email protected]
            #41

            A confident, average, but nonetheless well-rounded individual with broad interests?

            Seems like the word you're looking for is 'normal'.

            Unless there's some other quality you're not describing like if they're unable to admit when they're wrong or they lie or exaggerate their skills, they seem like a pretty nice person to me who just for whatever reason doesn't specialize in any one thing, which tbf is far more normal for people than otherwise and frankly far more sociable.

            You seem a bit jealous of and upset at this person judging by your other comments ITT. What do you have against them, other than them 'liking to pose as an intellectual' - which I assume just stands for "they like facts"?

            B 1 Reply Last reply
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            • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

              What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

              I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

              It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

              Z This user is from outside of this forum
              Z This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by
              #42

              The type that usually likes to talk all the time about any subject, because everything has to be about them? That spews the biggest nonsense with great confidence? I usually call them "manager material" or "walking Dunning-Krüger".

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              • T [email protected]

                Did you maybe mean supercilious?

                Edit: It seems like OP wants something like "supercilious incompetent"

                G This user is from outside of this forum
                G This user is from outside of this forum
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                wrote last edited by
                #43

                I totally did. That's a funny typo though

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                • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                  What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                  I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                  It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                  S This user is from outside of this forum
                  S This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #44

                  Pretentious

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  2
                  • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                    What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                    I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                    It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                    rudyharrelson@lemmy.radioR This user is from outside of this forum
                    rudyharrelson@lemmy.radioR This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #45

                    Perhaps "sophomoric"

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                    • libb@piefed.socialL [email protected]

                      Is dilettante connoted as negatively as the OP depicts the person?

                      Asking this as a non-native English speaker and because in French dilettante means 'someone doing an activity for the sheer pleasure/satisfaction they get out of doing it.'

                      N This user is from outside of this forum
                      N This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #46

                      I've only ever heard it used negatively; in English it has the connotation of someone who enjoys being know to do the activity but isn't invested in the activity itself; someone who isn't serious about the activity.

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                      • L [email protected]

                        A confident, average, but nonetheless well-rounded individual with broad interests?

                        Seems like the word you're looking for is 'normal'.

                        Unless there's some other quality you're not describing like if they're unable to admit when they're wrong or they lie or exaggerate their skills, they seem like a pretty nice person to me who just for whatever reason doesn't specialize in any one thing, which tbf is far more normal for people than otherwise and frankly far more sociable.

                        You seem a bit jealous of and upset at this person judging by your other comments ITT. What do you have against them, other than them 'liking to pose as an intellectual' - which I assume just stands for "they like facts"?

                        B This user is from outside of this forum
                        B This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #47

                        I think the point you might be missing from the OP, is that the person in question doesn't actually possess this knowledge or skill, but instead of being humble and admitting the gaps in their knowledge, perhaps asking a question or two when they don't understand, they just plow ahead.

                        I know people like this. It's not malicious I don't think, maybe it's more of a defense mechanism? They don't want to look uninformed, so they try to fill the gaps in their knowledge with assumptions. Maybe they're right a decent amount of the time, or close enough to fool people who aren't knowledgeable on the subject. But people who are knowledgeable, will recognize what they're doing, and the lack of humility comes across as arrogance, even though that may not strictly be the case.

                        It's normal to know a lot of stuff and like a wide variety of things. But you need to be humble when you don't know something.

                        When I don't know something for sure, I like to say "I think it's this way, but I could be wrong." Or something like that. Or heck, if someone else has the knowledge and skills I don't, I'm right up there asking questions, I want to learn. Maybe I'll try to impress them with what little I do know on the subject by commenting or asking questions in a way that shows I understand what they're talking about, because we all want to have self worth. But faking it isn't cool, and can be harmful, or just annoying.

                        L 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • Q [email protected]

                          I think it is what in Spain we call an "enterao", but I could be wrong.

                          I'm not sure how to translate it, maybe as "a heard about", a guy that always has heard about whatever and thinks his info is much better or knows a better way to do anything.

                          alecsargent@lemmy.zipA This user is from outside of this forum
                          alecsargent@lemmy.zipA This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote last edited by
                          #48

                          En Chile es "alumbra(d)o", que se da "brillo" o importancia.

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                          • B [email protected]

                            I think the point you might be missing from the OP, is that the person in question doesn't actually possess this knowledge or skill, but instead of being humble and admitting the gaps in their knowledge, perhaps asking a question or two when they don't understand, they just plow ahead.

                            I know people like this. It's not malicious I don't think, maybe it's more of a defense mechanism? They don't want to look uninformed, so they try to fill the gaps in their knowledge with assumptions. Maybe they're right a decent amount of the time, or close enough to fool people who aren't knowledgeable on the subject. But people who are knowledgeable, will recognize what they're doing, and the lack of humility comes across as arrogance, even though that may not strictly be the case.

                            It's normal to know a lot of stuff and like a wide variety of things. But you need to be humble when you don't know something.

                            When I don't know something for sure, I like to say "I think it's this way, but I could be wrong." Or something like that. Or heck, if someone else has the knowledge and skills I don't, I'm right up there asking questions, I want to learn. Maybe I'll try to impress them with what little I do know on the subject by commenting or asking questions in a way that shows I understand what they're talking about, because we all want to have self worth. But faking it isn't cool, and can be harmful, or just annoying.

                            L This user is from outside of this forum
                            L This user is from outside of this forum
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                            wrote last edited by [email protected]
                            #49

                            Oh yeah for sure, if they're spewing falsehoods to cover their ass, that's no good.

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                            • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                              What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                              I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                              It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                              E This user is from outside of this forum
                              E This user is from outside of this forum
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                              wrote last edited by
                              #50

                              If you've got a black cat, they've got a blacker cat?

                              If you've been to Tenerife they've been to Elevenerife?

                              I call that "one-up-manship"

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                              • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                                What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                                I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                                It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                                C This user is from outside of this forum
                                C This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote last edited by
                                #51

                                The word is arrogant:-

                                'having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.'

                                5 1 Reply Last reply
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                                • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                                  What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                                  I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                                  It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                                  T This user is from outside of this forum
                                  T This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #52

                                  I'd probably call them lost or insecure.

                                  Most people with behaviors like that do it as a defense mechanism.

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                                  • C [email protected]

                                    The word is arrogant:-

                                    'having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.'

                                    5 This user is from outside of this forum
                                    5 This user is from outside of this forum
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                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #53

                                    I always called them "arrogant for no reason"

                                    M 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                                      What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                                      I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                                      It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                                      L This user is from outside of this forum
                                      L This user is from outside of this forum
                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #54

                                      Grandiose delusional

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      1
                                      • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                                        What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                                        I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                                        It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                                        typewar@infosec.pubT This user is from outside of this forum
                                        typewar@infosec.pubT This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #55

                                        Elitism?

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                                        • mothra@mander.xyzM [email protected]

                                          What do you call someone who is mediocre at best on a variety of fields but likes to pose as a polished and cultured person?

                                          I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well. This person has a "I'm better than you" or "I know better and say it best" attitude, likes to pass as sensible and intellectual but when you contrast how they try to come across with what they actually do, how indifferent they are to others, and the quality of the skills they like to boast about it doesn't add up. It's all superficial, there is no substance to them, and no apparent self awareness ever of any of these shortcomings.

                                          It's like a special brand of "full of it". Is there a word for it?

                                          B This user is from outside of this forum
                                          B This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #56

                                          This sounds like the type of person I would refer to as a know-it-all.

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