Severance: What are the big words Mr. Milchik uses, and why? Explored

Disclaimer: Severance Season 2 spoilers and opinions ahead. Reader's discretion is advised.

Mr. Milchick is a notable character in Severance, known for his special way with words. As an important person in Lumon's MDR or MacroData Refinement, he talks in a way that's both formal and complicated. His rather expansive vocabulary (as he would probably put it) shows who he is and helps him feel in charge.

But his bosses have noticed this and said it's a problem with his performance review. This way of speaking is important for understanding his character and what's happening in the show. By looking at the words he chooses, we learn more about the tension he faces and the main ideas of Severance.

It tells us a lot about the weird workplace and the themes of who people are, who's in control, and how people connect. Here are some takeaways from Mr. Milchick's language in Severance.

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Infamously "big words" Mr. Milchik uses on Severance

Mr. Milchick has this habit of using big, complicated words in Severance.

Here are a few examples:

• "Perchance may colloquially employ" - This is what he says during a performance review, even though he knows people find his word choices a bit much.
• "Ago" - He even drops this word into casual chats, showing just how much formal language is a part of him.

Then there was him looking into the mirror in Season 2, Episode 6, where he tries to tame his use of fluffy language and bring himself to the ground:

• "You must eradicate from your essence childish folly" - He says this to Miss Huang to tell her to act more like a grown-up at work. It shows him trying to sound professional while also being pretty frustrated.
• "You must abandon childish things" and "You must grow up" - These are more examples of him using simpler language, going from super complex to just straight-up telling it like it is.
• "Grow" - Eventually, he just boils it all down to this one word.

Essentially, Mr. Milchick's diction changes and becomes less flowery and more direct by the time we reach the mid-Season 2 mark.

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Why does Mr. Milchik use complex words on Severance?

In Severance, Mr. Milchick uses complicated words, and he does this for a few reasons. For one, he talks this way to sound professional and keep some distance between himself and the employees, the "Innies." This helps him avoid getting too emotionally involved, which could cause problems down the road.

Also, using big words is a way for him to show he's smart and try to move up the ladder at Lumon. He wants to fit in with the company culture and be seen as one of the gang by his colleagues. Even though he has to be tough, Milchick actually uses this fancy language to try to make his interactions with his employees a little easier. By speaking formally and avoiding personal language, he hopes to make his disciplinary actions a bit less painful for them.

But, his performance review points out that this way of communicating might not be the best approach. This feedback shows the struggle between how he naturally wants to express himself and what the company expects from him.

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Watch Severance on Apple TV+ or the Apple TV+ channel on Prime Video.