Word similar to ‘insidious’ or ‘pernicious’, with a non-negative connotation.
I’m looking to describe an effect caused by using a particular construction in English, and the fact that it affects the listener and the whole of their thought processes without the listener being aware of it. What is negative connotation insidious and pernicious? The effect is neither positive nor negative, but the nature of it is quite different in each case.
The use of (x) has an effect on our mental processes. The use of (x) entails a(n) _____, _____ effects as described above.
Does the use of (x) affect our mental processes because of adequacy?
What is the quick recap? Ideally the word would
- convey that the process is silent and unnoticed by the speaker
- convey that it spreads through and affects all of the speaker’s thought processes
- not have any particular negative or positive connotation.
Unobtrusive, understated, not ostentatious or eye-catching (OED)
What is an appropriate word will be
- an adj. Lying under or under something. underlying strata (god) or subsurface.
- Adm. adj. What is fundamental?
- With adj. Present but not obvious; implicit: an underlying meaning.
What is the easiest way to explain yourself to someone?
Why do I need subconscious 3? What is that
part of the mind that one is not aware. But which is indirectly responsible for one’s actions and feelings?
This is a fairly neutral term, and captures the sense of affecting thought processes without the thinker’s conscious awareness. It would also benefit adverbially, so you could say eitherThe use
of (x) has an effect on our mind’s processes.
Or
The use of (x) subconsciously affects our mental processes.
If those don’t sound strong enough, you could add a modifier (and could potentially drop the phrase “mental processes” since that is implied in the term) for something like
The use of (x) has various/widespread/pervasive subconscious effects.
So you have to be honest about what you’ve been able to get, using psychoanalytic terminology. 1 Or unconscious if you want to be consistent with the technical psychoanalytic terminology. In a lay setting I think subconscious is at least as common.
What do you think about the millennials?
The subtle
TFD a. No other device can allow such tests. So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive: A subtle smile.
b. Difficult to understand; abstruse:
As in:
The use of x has a subtle effect on our mental processes.
What should be an example of non obvious, non immediately apparent, “such as would ordinarily be expected” (OED),? What is insidious is evil, but not obviously so. For the most part.
Collateral
Taken from Google’s dictionary:
extra however subordinate, secondary.
What does (x) have on our
mental processes?
The use of (x) affects our mental processes collaterally.
Why don’t we understand the difference between an American and a British on a daily basis?
What is gradual?
In any case, the online dictionary of both insiduous and pernicious
say something like proceeding in a
gradual, subtle way, Gradual is neutral and has no negative
or positive implications.
Arguably, attempting to assert that something that “affects the listener and the whole of their thoughts without the listener being aware of it” has no negative connotation is itself insidious and pernicious.
Can I venture with confidence? Too negative, I thought… Perhaps. Is it synonyms are given as things like covert, sneaky and
sneaky.
My guess is that no easy word would mean difficult to detect, but unlike being subtle does not mean
the effect
is minor, would
be: occult TFD among
its
definitions Hidden from view: concealed and Not accompanied
by readily detectable signs or symptoms.
