-
trivial refers principally to
things that have little
importance or significance in themselves or that
require no intellectual
depth on the part of persons concerned with them.
-
trifling describes things so
unimportant or so small
in size or value as to be scarcely worth notice.
-
paltry describes things,
especially sums of money,
whose size or value arouses contempt; thus the term
implies marked insufficiency
in relation to what is required or desired.
-
petty can refer to
insignificant things or to persons
who have subordinate rank or who are small minded or
mean.
-
picayune describes things of
little significance or
value, in the sense of paltriness; or it can apply
figuratively to persons
totally lacking in stature, capacity, breadth or
outlook, or fineness of
temperament (more).
|
ou
might best apply the terms in the puzzle
as discriminants
for assessing your own writing and speaking.
That's what I do.
Then too, there are distinctive put-down adjectives
which dismissive
people find handy. You probably don't use them
yourself. I
sure don't...