The Behavioral Linguist* in Love
A thoughtful, scientific man, he chose his words with care.
No ordinary words would do. Only ones most rare.
He first spied her in the springtime, finally met her in the fall—
a simply gorgeous maiden—comely, willowy and tall.
But months of choosing his first words seem to have done him in.
What should have been his saving grace turned out to be a sin.
Enthusiastic in his love, he just had to express
his much-gone-over feelings about her loveliness.
He’d formerly determined not to use just any word,
but his final declaration turned out to be absurd.
He should have called her beautiful and just left it at that,
for when he called her pulchritudinous, she thought that he meant fat!
*Note: New to the world of behavioral science, Behavioral Linguistics is the science-based use of language to persuade. It’s rooted in nudge theory combined with psychology, sociolinguistics, and principles of marketing. Language is a powerful way to change behavior.
Prompts today are behavioral, enthusiastic, pulchritude, fall. Images by Fabio Lucas and Mandy Zhang on Unsplash.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
Leson learned, eh? Basic’s best. Always.
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I always have to look up the word. It just sounds like a chubby word to me!!!
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Beginning writers need to learn that. And, some experienced ones.
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Agreed
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good 🌸🌸
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Thank you for putting a smile on my face ☺️ The lyrics are perfect and the lesson is profound. Be simple. Be you.
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Great job Judy. These were some tough ones.
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I agree.. so one just has to go absurd.
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😂
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Love this Judy. I would have been put off by that word as well. Simplicity is often better.
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Poor guy!
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He needs to mend his ways!
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Yeah, learn some social appropriateness.
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Just put three loaves of banana bread into the oven. No confusion over ingredients this time!!!
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I a sure they will come out yummy! Good luck, Judy.
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