"Is it possible to have a single discussion on here without it turning into a huge flamefest?"

It happens all the time. Yet all of your posts turn out this way. Perhaps you should ascertain the root cause of why that might be. That will help you "decrease the problem" to use your own words.

I don't know how to find out what the problem is.

It's not too hard to find out whether or not inane is a portmanteau, or even exactly what a portmanteau is. You're already on the internet.

Sioraf,
You seem like an intellectual guy - well read, active mind. However one can be these things and still fail in the communication of ideas... often by not refining/reducing/focusing them. If an intellectual tree spouts off in a forest and no one understands it, does it make any sense? Who's to say. Perhaps your ideas are great - but it kind of misses the point of communication if you are alternately leaving your audience in the dust and then insulting them for being left in the dust. ...actually it reminds me of one or two professors that I've had.

Let me tell you - as a writer (or speaker), the hardest thing - but the most important thing - is knowing how to edit, what to throw away, what to reword. You must be your own most severe critic. You do that and you will notice that over time things will improve significantly. (I've been down my own version of this path).

I'm going to admit it I can barely communicate to myself (alas, the naivety of youth made me think that wouldn't make any difference online.) I'm going to copy and paste your post to my profile to remind myself. Other than that all I can type is
one thousand thank yous.:)

So, you admit to guessing it was a portmanteau. You claim to have an intellect and know the meaning of the words. And yet you have no grasp of the origin of the word, which would have told you it was NOT a portmanteau. And then you want to call me on the carpet for pointing it out and for pointing out that others teens here are much more respected than you... Nice.

Feck off troll.

Why are you making such a big deal over ONE word? The last person that did that was Diplomat, a moderator from Play who was crap at disguising his identity so I suspect you of being Diplomat and here only to sabotage. Just like Diplomat you ignore the stronger points of an argument competely and spend a whole paragraph on one bloody word. Also, you completely lack manners, things which are easy to have and are only forgoten by jerks who can't be bothered to use them. I suggest you kill yourself because the world would certainly be a better place without you,
Diplomat.

Sioraf -1

Dexter, Draugnar's making an enourmous deal over one word that has little to do with the discussion anyway and is just being mean for the fun of it.

He is similar to Diplomat in so many ways and Diplomat is 38 years old, too late (in my opinion) to change for the better so he should either be a man about it and change or kill himself and frankly I doubt Diplomat from Play has the balls to change.

you need to loosen your collar a little...
...and I have a feeling that that is more or less Draugnar's point - though he is doing it by prodding you and trying to corner you logically.

Oh, I don't know - I saw Diplomat mellow quite a bit (relatively speaking) over the last few weeks... but, as you say, it is hard for people to change.

It's so easy to get a kid who thinks he's hot stuff going by pointing out the errors he makes and harping on them. That being said, I most certainly am NOT diplomat (look at my record if you like and google Draugnar to learn more about me). I was more yanking your chain and for that I will apologize. I just wanted you to realize your bullheadedness was definitely teen angst and insecurity coming to the forefront. I say again, though, that you can learn a lot from some of the other teens on this site who can speak eloquently with confidence and don't feel the need to be excessively verbose.

Finally, telling people to go kill themselves? You realize that one mother is being prosecuted for telling a teen her life is worhtless and she should just kill herself. You really want to join those ranks? Fortunately, I have no issues or thoughts that way, but you should really be more careful.

Sioraf is reffering to a moderator from a totally different site. Just give up.

diplomat is 38?! thought he was ...like 14!

"Also, you completely lack manners, things which are easy to have and are only forgoten by jerks who can't be bothered to use them. I suggest you kill yourself because the world would certainly be a better place without you,
Diplomat."

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love irony.

Anyway, I'd appreciate it if we could stop flaming and get back to the topic of this thread.

What a great satire!

I think diplomat claimed to be much older, but I'm still pretty sure he's not.