This section serves to expand your regular vocabulary. What separates the men from the boys (or the women from the girls, if you want to equalize things) is v o c a b u l a r y. We cannot stress this point enough. People who have a larger vocabulary have been shown to make more money and get promoted more often.
With origins in Arabic meaning “opposite” and a life as an astronomic term meaning the direction below a specific location, in general usage nadir connotes the lowest point of anything or an extreme state of adversity. To help it gel in your mind, know that the medical community uses the term to discuss low white blood cell and platelet counts during courses of chemotherapy treatments.
Example: After being laid off from yet a third A&D firm within a span of 17 months, Jeremy felt as if he had reached the nadir of his interior design career.
This word always makes us think of nasty nasal cavities, but we digress… This odd little word is an adjective meaning emerging or coming / having recently come into existence or being. (See – not a nostril in sight. Maybe we’re the weird ones.)
Example: When sustainable design and green building was a nascent concept within the construction industry, clients were slow to accept it as they tended to look only at initial expense rather than long-term savings.
The plural of the word “neurosis.” Why did we choose to list the plural form instead of the singular? Because it’s not often that a person is only attributed one neurosis – they tend to come bundled. If you detected similarity to the words “neuron” and “nerve,” then it will help you to remember that a neurosis is a disorder affecting a segment of one’s personality in a mental and emotional way, interfering with one’s perception of reality. The individual can function, but anxieties, phobias, and other mental (and sometimes even physiological) disturbances, may appear, causing trouble.
Example: Although Steven had risen through the architectural firm’s ranks from intern to Vice President, his neuroses had grown over the years with his advancement, highly affecting his performance and causing executive management to be wary of his future with the company.
We remember this word because the of the “x” smack dab in the middle of the word. An “x” has a perfect middle point where the two lines of the letter cross, creating a core connection point. Well, that’s what a nexus is: a means of connection; a connected series or group; the core or center, as of a situation; or a link between things, persons, or events. Are we making a connection with you?
Example: The design library was the firm’s nexus; it’s where employees researched products, brainstormed ideas, developed concepts, and formed plans of attack on current projects.
This one’s easy because it almost sounds like what it means anyway: a name or designation. More specifically it’s a collection of terms having to do with a specific industry, discipline, or science.
Example: Sometimes the nomenclature related to the construction industry becomes confusing, overwhelming and frustrating clients, whether they are building a home, a 10-story office building, or a multi-tenant shopping center.
If you look in the dictionary, this adjective bears a variety of meanings. We’re going to define how it is most commonly used in the design industry, however. Plus, we’ve included example sentences below of all three usages so that you’ll be sure to understand.
1. One meaning is that of being insignificant or not worth mentioning. Example: The manufacturer explained to him that, for a nominal fee, they would include newest specification binder with the order shipment.
2. Another definition is being expected, satisfactory, or according to plan. Example: Except for the security system failure, all was nominal during the tenant’s move into their newly designed space.
3. The last meaning: approximate, or being a theoretical size that might slightly differ from the real size. Example: Typically, lumber sizes are nominal instead of actual – i.e. what is known as a “2 x 4” actually has the true dimensions of 1-1/2 inches x 3-1/2 inches.
You know how you’ll be in a social or business setting, actively engaged in a topic of conversation with others, and then one person will utter a statement that has absolutely no apparent relationship or logical progression to the chat session’s context? That’s a non sequitur. It may happen because 1) the person has been daydreaming and has lost track of the conversation; 2) the person has completely misunderstood the details being discussed; or 3) the person has been silently performing ingenious mental gymnastics and is five steps ahead of everyone else.
Example: As project manager, Jill cringed when her young team member threw out a wild non sequitur in front of the developer during their weekly project meeting; however, once elaborated upon, it turned out to be a viable solution to their hotly debated problem.
Used as an adjective, this word means having no equal – i.e., unparalleled, peerless or incomparable. As a noun, nonpareil is defined as paragon or a person of unrivaled quality and model of excellence.
Example: There was no question that Rowan would receive the Outstanding Interior Design Senior Award because, in both its contents and execution, her nonpareil portfolio stood out from the crowd.
We just love this word, which, by the way, can also be spelled with one “s”: nonplused. This adjective means to be bewildered, perplexed, surprised or confused – i.e., at a loss to how to respond or think.
Example: When Jesse’s client told him that she had declared bankruptcy, he was completed nonplussed as she had just authorized his firm to purchase over $100,000 worth of furniture and accessories.
A French term literally translated into “new rich” – bet you figured that one out on your own. The phrase describes a person, persons or a group of people who are newly rich, and is usually used in a catty manner.
Example: Why do the Nouveau riche always think that bigger is better?
To bridge the gap between the student / educational community and the professional / manufacturer community of the interior design world, and not to die of boredom while we do it.
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Good design works. Great design inspires. Design professionals, submit photos of the transformative and impactful murals that you have used in your projects, and Murals Your Way will feature you and your great design in their Designer of the Month program. The chosen designer will not only be featured in the designer of the month press release but will also win a free mural for their next project (or themselves!). Winners will be chosen and notified within the last week of the month. GO HERE to find out more details.
Enough Said T-Shirts
Created by a couple of Milwaukee interior designers with a quirky sense of humor, a healthy dose of sarcasm and a heaping serving of caring. Check out Enough Said to find fun t-shirts with a message.
