What is the word for a sentence that initially sounds profound or deep, that is, in fact, meaningless or empty?

Question

I'm sure I saw, recently, a word for this, but I can no longer remember, or find, it.

Philosopher Stephen Law has written about 'pseudo-profundity', 'deepity' and 'trite-nalogy': http://stephenlaw.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/pseudo-profundity-from-believing.html The term 'false profundity' is also an option. — A E, Oct 23 '14 at 23:05
Great article, thanks, exactly the concept I'm searching for a word for — johnc, Oct 23 '14 at 23:08
Shakespeare (and Faulkner) had a phrase for it - a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. — bib, Oct 23 '14 at 23:35
I like this one: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IceCreamKoan — neminem, Oct 24 '14 at 16:15
Related (but arguably not duplicate) question: http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/158600/what-is-a-word-to-describe-a-statement-that-seems-meaningless — Curtis H., Oct 24 '14 at 21:58
@AE I was just going to say "philosophy" :-) . Or maybe, "spaaaaace!" — Carl Witthoft, Oct 25 '14 at 20:05

score 51 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 28 '14 at 10:29

51

Possibly platitude:

A trite or banal remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant.

edited Oct 28 '14 at 10:29

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Oct 23 '14 at 23:01

jakePhilly

625

I think this is the perfect word for what you're looking for. A couple of other answers fit decently, but I think this one fits best by far. Upvoted appropriately. For examples, consider "Hard work always pays off", "Everything happens for a reason", "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger", etc. – Doktor J Oct 24 '14 at 20:46
@DoktorJ: see also http://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/149/was-nietzsche-making-fun-of-the-military-mindset-when-he-said-that-which-does-n :) – Ben Hocking Oct 24 '14 at 22:10
9

I don't think this fits because a platitude is not meant to impress; it is merely meant to persuade. And triteness is in stark contrast to the profundity the sentence is intended to convey. – Matthew Hannigan Oct 25 '14 at 02:46
4

A platitude never "sounds profound or deep" - it literally means flatness. – ekhumoro Oct 25 '14 at 17:02
@MatthewHannigan and ekhumoro: there are two aspects to a platitude: the intended force and the actual content. the triteness and flatness applies to the actual content of the statement, which is in stark contrast to the profundity of its intended force. – Daniel Oct 26 '14 at 19:12

score 21 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 23 '14 at 23:27

21

Perhaps grandiloquence

Pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, especially in a way that is intended to impress: a grandiloquent celebration of Spanish glory

Similarly, bombast

High-sounding language with little meaning, used to impress people.

[both Oxford Dictionaries Online]

answered Oct 23 '14 at 23:27

bib

72,782

2

Naturally, pompous bombast is more grandiloquent than bombast alone. – Wayfaring Stranger Oct 24 '14 at 14:54
3

@WayfaringStranger How about pompous bombastic grandiloquent platitudes! – bib Oct 24 '14 at 14:57
2

Funny how words often have the qualities of their definition. – DoubleDouble Oct 24 '14 at 15:19
@DoubleDouble Best be curt! – bib Oct 24 '14 at 16:01

score 17 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 24 '14 at 04:09

17

I good word for this might be meretricious, which means, courtesy of Oxford:

Apparently attractive but having in reality no value or integrity.

It's not exactly what you're looking for, but it describes pretty accurately.

answered Oct 24 '14 at 04:09

Jasper Locke

1,621

score 11 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 24 '14 at 13:23

11

If done intentionally then I might say sophistry, which the OED defines as:

a. Specious but fallacious reasoning; employment of arguments which are intentionally deceptive.

In offices it's also quite common to refer to what you describe using an impolite term for bull excrement.

answered Oct 24 '14 at 13:23

cms_mgr

221

2

Somewhat ironically, I think "specious" is actually more apt in this context than "sophistry". – ekhumoro Oct 25 '14 at 17:14

score 10 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 24 '14 at 01:21

10

Were you perhaps thinking of deepity?

The term refers to a statement that is apparently profound but actually asserts a triviality on one level and something meaningless on another.

E.g.: "love is just a word"

On one level the statement is perfectly true (i.e., love is a word) but the deeper meaning of the phrase is false; love is many things — a feeling, an emotion, a condition — and not simply a word.

answered Oct 24 '14 at 01:21

blahdiblah

387

1

I think Daniel Dennett defined it as a statement made ambiguous by the inclusion or omission of quotation marks, such that one meaning is true but trivial, and the other is false but would be profound if it were true. – Beta Oct 24 '14 at 03:11

score 10 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 24 '14 at 14:29

10

"BS," is the most popularly used term, and has attained some formal credentials (see Harry G. Frankfurt "On Bullshit," Princeton University Press).

answered Oct 24 '14 at 14:29

Nsw

949

score 5 · Answer 7 · answered Oct 23 '14 at 23:40

5

It can be called a wind and you can use windy as an adjective.

wind - Empty, pompous, or boastful talk; meaningless rhetoric.

windy - Using or expressed in many words that sound impressive but mean little

^{http://www.oxforddictionaries.com}

answered Oct 23 '14 at 23:40

ermanen

62,797

score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Oct 24 '14 at 16:31

2

The first word that came to my mind was "pretentious."

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.

answered Oct 24 '14 at 16:31

Echelon

149

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Oct 25 '14 at 17:01

1

Surprised nobody has yet suggested (or even mentioned) truism.

answered Oct 25 '14 at 17:01

Tim Lymington

35,168

3

I decided not to mention it because a truism isn't "in fact, meaningless or empty": a truism is just true. – ChrisW Oct 27 '14 at 11:12
1

A Truism is a Platitude and most Platitudes fall into the category of Truisms. Ex: If you are good you will do good. Thank you Tim this is a perfectly valid answer for the question. – user1634074 Mar 25 '18 at 11:07

score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Oct 26 '14 at 12:16

1

A good adjective is

pompous

Something pompous is always very showy, but it is implied that its real value is less than at first glance. It can be used for a person's mannerisms, but also for sentences/phrasing and in many other cases.

answered Oct 26 '14 at 12:16

rumtscho

2,011

And pomposity would be the noun (which is what OP asks for). – chiastic-security Oct 26 '14 at 15:10

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Oct 26 '14 at 15:15

1

I'd go with the word rhetoric.

answered Oct 26 '14 at 15:15

chiastic-security

3,091

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Oct 27 '14 at 12:49

0

I would suggest: Hollow

Without real significance or value:

Easier to use in a conversation then some of the more formal suggestions

answered Oct 27 '14 at 12:49

cowls

239

What is the word for a sentence that initially sounds profound or deep, that is, in fact, meaningless or empty?

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