Definitions
bad faith In writing, any “agenda” other than honest and direct communication. Bad faith is present when the writer uses big words not because they are precise but to impress the reader; bad faith is present when the writer chooses to conceal his meaning, as well as when he intentionally misleads. Bad faith rots writing whenever the writer puts himself first; in a nutshell, bad faith results from an attitude: Here, reader, see whether you can figure out what I mean. No degree of skill with language will overcome it.
big words Words that complicate reading because they are simply more than the meaning requires. Prognosticate and perambulate, for example, are big words if the writer means “predict” and “wander.” But a word doesn’t need ...
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