When and where did I find this word: I used this word tuesday, October 11, 2011 while talking with my sister about something non-important (Hence the term trivial). For the first time, though, I actually stopped and pondered the term. It is so commonly used that everyone throws the term around like its nothing. It's a funny term to me but one I use all the time. I wanted to put it down here as one of my terms. The sentence I had used it in was: "That sort of thing is just trivial."
What this word means: Trivial in my mind means: Nothing of importance or something small that doesn't contain a lot of relevance. Dictionary.com defines the term trivial as: of very little importance or value; insignificant.
Level of familiarity: My familiarity with the term is extensive. I have used this word since I don't know when. Forever. I have heard others throw the term around as well. It's almost one of those terms that's just so natural to use in everyday conversation that you just have to learn it at a young age. I wonder if Isabella (my daughter) knows the term? Interesting.
Is this a word I want to know well?: I already do know what this word means and very well might I add, but that doesn't make me unique from anyone else. This term, like I mentioned above, is so commonly used it's hard not to know it well. I would be curious to find out when people actually start using this term in their vocabulary repertoire (what age in life).
Is this a word I want others to know well?: I think this term should be used less often. I think too many people settle on these terms that just offer no growth or development of the English language. People are lazy, so terms like this one will get tossed around like it's no big deal. It's one's inability to see past the end of their nose to be able to expand their vocabulary so as to use a more sophisticated term as opposed to the term 'trivial." Just a thought.
Jessica, since you seem to have such a negative response to this word, I have to wonder why you wanted to include it in your blog?
ReplyDeleteIn your final statements you seem to have someone or some particular group of people in mind when you are asserting your position that people are lazy. Is this right? Perhaps, what would be more constructive here might be suggestions of alternatives -- starting with what other words you could have used in your conversation with your sister?
At the same time, I would suggest that there are times when this word is essential. For example, content area teachers need to be able to use this word well in certain types of instruction (i.e., when teaching students about the importance of attending to core concepts versus incidental or "trivial" knowledge when reading to learn; when teaching students about including key or essential ideas versus incidental or trivial information when composing an effective text).