Lovers of language and etymology, your help please.
 

I need a word, I've been wracking my brain and I am not aware of a word to describe this:

To attempt to bestow legitimacy, gravitas or substance to a thing which is completely bereft of these properties by use of arcane or complicated language.

Is there such a word, if not can one be coined on Pelican?

Arrogance

Usually when people act like that I refer to them as pseudointellectualls.

The question interests me. I'll work on it.

Integrity?

The closest I can get is 'aggrandize' or 'ennoble', but neither I think really does the job.

the word you are looking for is "B**l S**t"

embiggen

You're fromulus...

Validate
Aggrandize
Legitimize

I was thinking about "to big it up", but its clumsy, and ofcourse a phrase. .

'Embiggen'. Elegant, concise.

Perfect.

How about gasconade, or hyperbolize.

Obfuscate (obfuscation)?

I had to look that one up - nice one SmileWavy

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-politics-religion/886071-giving-women-right-vote-what-difference-did-make-4.html#post8857981

First use of Nostatic's new word.

What a great word. That one is stored away.

I'd love to claim credit, but that goes to some writer on the Simpsons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNQb8oHZkeo

Urban Dictionary: Embiggen

I suppose that wasn't very cromulent of me. I should have clarified that from the get-go

Not even a real word....

How about "venerate"?

Right where I knew it would go...immediately to PARF to needle Doug. :rolleyes:

politicize

Pontifigitimate

As in to go on at length, especially in an inflated or empty manner? Bloviate works, no?

See PARF where bombastic bloviating into the wind in flatulent explosions of orotund pomposity and grandiloquence is commonplace.

"Clintonize"? :p

Politospeak.

Gasconade.....
Well chosen Jerome. I had to look it up as well. Sometimes a word from another language depicts a situation better than the English language.
Guy

There are some words that are close:

Obsequiousness, puffery, unctuousness.

Plus 1 one on 'Gasconade' - I also had no idea of its definition.

Cheers
JB

OK, Stuart, what on Earth do you need to write with so marvellous a word?

Please see my post #17 above.

If the attempt is what you wish to describe how about "sophistry"?

"the use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving".

Yes that really is pretty close, except for the idea of deception. Say there was someone who wrote an involved, elaborate argument that Star Wars was real, and believed that it was. He is not intending to deceive, quite genuine in intention, but the underlying premise is a nonsense.

Thanks! Question-My google search pulled up the definition of unctuous as excessively ingratiating. It also list oily/greasy.

Is that like a 50/50 split, or 80/20? does anybody even know, care, or is this word even in usage?

"The unctuous waiter" vs. "The unctuous omelette"

I like the greasy connotation:

"Best not go in that bathroom quite yet. Had me some raw oysters last night and things got a little unctuous." - or is that even correct?

Referring to the waiter: Stating "He needs shut his unctuous a$$ up" would just paint me as a gasconading tart, using my uppety words and such.

I need some schooling in the matters of unctuousity before I start whipping out this gem at parties.

EDIT-my wife feels that the phrase refers to people only, and that the oily quality ONLY pertains to minerals. Hmmm...

QUOTE: "Yes that really is pretty close, except for the idea of deception. Say there was someone who wrote an involved, elaborate argument that Star Wars was real, and believed that it was. He is not intending to deceive, quite genuine in intention, but the underlying premise is a nonsense."
____________________

At the least you are describing Scientology- at the most you are describing all Religions.
*but you already knew that! :p

So then that person is presenting an argument for the existence of Star Wars. I don't think you cab properly represent that with a single word (of course I could be wrong) but rather you must define the argument.

That person is arguing their belief that Star Wars is real , so you may define their belief in a single word, but not their argument.

The word you're looking for is "sophistry". A sophist in Ancient Greece was someone who could argue falsely but persuasively.

Flatbutt beat me to it.

Also the root of Sophisticated.

The OPs definition was: To attempt to bestow legitimacy, gravitas or substance to a thing which is completely bereft of these properties by use of arcane or complicated language.

I don't see sophistry being a good match.

One word answer comes to mind is conspiracy. Three words would be illusions of grandeur.

Very good point. What Im after would refer to the method or nature of the argument. To torture the Star Wars analogy further - if the Star Wars fan were to present a full set of engineering specifications for the Death Star and claim it as proof that it would soon appear on our skies.

I was reading a review of a new autobiography of FDR.

The authored used a word I thought may capture some of what Stuart is looking for, including synonyms and antonyms especially when used derisively.

Hagiography.

hagiography American English definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary

Hagiographic Synonyms | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

? memorialize (can be used in both a positive and a negative context)

You might use "panegyric" although that is usually applied to a person, not an idea.

": a eulogistic oration or writing; also : formal or elaborate praise