Words

Trying to work out how many words the average person knows is always going to be impossible but thanks to a little research I have come across the following:

An estimate of how many English language words the average person knows is typically in the area of 12,000 - 20,000 words, depending on the education that the person has achieved.

Researchers argue that while the average person may know somewhere between 12000- 20000 words most people only use between 2000- 5000 words in their normal vocabulary with some reaching to 10000 but this is at a stretch.

Shakespeare actively used more than 30,000 words in his written works, and his entire vocabularly has been estimated at approximately 66,000 words ( smartass).

They estimate a new word is created every 98 minutes.

While I am sure this is all very informative and has you no doubt riveted I started this post with only one word in mind ... Fucktard. As a preteen and teenager it was my job to take what I would assume was about 8000 of my known words at that age and increase it to the 12000 national average by learning as many derogatory names as I could. I ask you now to sit down and try to remember all the name calling you have done in your life and you will be surprised as to how many there actually are.

Let me start you off with some of mine: slimeball , dick, dickhead, dickface , shit , shithead , piker, turnip, loudmouth , vain , douche, scumbag , pussy, tool , wanker , princess , rambo, prick, asshole , buttface.It really is easy once you get started isn't it.

I am not condoning verbal abuse in any way , we all know that words hurt , what I am merely trying to do is to state the obvious and that is that the number one comeback for any derogatory slant directed at you is the word, fucktard . I am ashamed (not really) to say that I have had to resort to this high standard word in my past and I have always felt that it has been I who has come out the clear champion and lets face it when two grown ups are name calling each other it is a battle and there can only be one winner and if I have been called any of the names such as the ones listed above then damn straight I want that victor to be me, no guts no glory.

I leave you with this magic word , perhaps you have already used it, perhaps you are saying it now, perhaps you are now tucking it away amongst all the other 11999 words you have in you but there is something about this word you need to know, firing this baby at your opponent will no doubt crush them so discretion must be used when directing at a boss (unless you are quitting then go ahead my friend) or your elders and must never ever be used at a child.

Willow (not her real name) is an afficionado of all things music, movie legends of yesteryear and pop culture. She has recently also discovered that she just might be psychic, as she can always accurately predict which window they're going to go through on Playschool. When she's not waving at her kids from her house across the road from their school she can be found trawling the net for articles to entertain her friends, dreaming of Sylvester Stallone or corresponding with her celebrity crush Benji Madden on Twitter. Oh and feeding her Twihard addiction.