DEAR ABBY: I recently won a local vocabulary contest. In school, I am called "the walking dictionary." People often approach me to find out the meaning of words.
Since winning the contest, I have become more popular, and my boyfriend has been trying to use big words when he talks to me or to our friends. The problem is, he uses them incorrectly or mispronounces them. I know he's trying to impress me, but it's embarrassing. How can I tell him to stop without hurting his feelings? -- THE WALKING DICTIONARY IN GEORGIA
DEAR WALKING DICTIONARY: People sometimes mispronounce words because they learned them by reading them rather than hearing them used. Give your boyfriend points for being intellectually acquisitive.
The next time he uses a word incorrectly or mispronounces it, offer a gentle correction -- but be sure to do it in private. That way, he won't be embarrassed.