From James Altucher’s Blog

This is for someone close to me – who insist on using the word – Pattathialla in Malayalam, which loosely translated would mean I can’t.

I tried different ways to tell her to avoid this word – suggesting her to use a positive word, or just stop repeating the word in every context. So, far it hasn’t helped!

Why Repetitive Words are Best Avoided

Repetition is easy on the brain – it’s like auto playback. It’s like giving your brain nothing to do. Why should we let the powerhouse sleep!

Imagine a script given to a tele-caller – just follow this. No Risk, No Fun! Or, if you are given the option to think and talk, then you are not a machine, you are a human. It’s not easy, but it’s creative.

Another analogy I can this – brain has many compartments or something like pigeon hole where we keep ideas, thoughts and such. For example, the customary greeting such as How are you, Good Morning, How was your weekend? etc., are recorded and kept in one such hole for easy retrieval. There’s no effort, it’s just an automatic expression.

Forget Me Not – Dementia or Alzheimer’s
Also, I feel that letting our brain on an inactive state can lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. ( a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills ) Source; Mayoclinic

I may be right, or wrong. But, the idea is about about using beautiful expression in language that repeating and repeating the same word.

Just a question – How would a you take a class where the lecture is just repeating the same idea? Imagine, a teacher who stitch words, uses it wisely to convey an idea in an interesting way.

Having said that, we too use repetitive words in our conversation, but if it’s too repetitive, it’s a question we have ask ourselves.