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There is this person I know who always gets excited at the slightest of the things. They give a person too much credit than they deserve for simplest of the things they do. Not that I think there is anything wrong with it, in fact the receiver would be flattered to hear them and that's all good but it gets annoying after a while. Just imagine someone getting astound at how a cobbler mends a shoe or a vendor making candy-floss in his machine. These are relatively simple jobs i.e. these could be learned in a very short time compared to anything else even if the person has never seen anyone do it before.

  • How do you best describe the attitude of this person? Is there any popular idiom/phrase/expressions?
  • Also, how do we ask the person to not get too excited about it while still acknowledging their appraisal for the other person in a respectable way and not be seen like I am trying to [opposite of pique] their curiosity?
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    Tigger says the most wonderful thing about tiggers is that he's the only one, but to millions of kids it's that he always gets excited at the slightest of the things. Not that they know the word, but they like Tigger because he's so ebullient (expressed physically and metaphorically as being so "bouncy"). So say to your friend "Steady on there, Tigger!"
    – FumbleFingers
    Jan 3, 2016 at 15:33
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    As an adejctive, I'd say enthusiastic or overly-enthusiastic. As a noun, I'd say unrelenting cheeriness. As an expression, I'd say to make a fuss out of anything (or out of literally anything if you want to be more emphatic). As a character, I'd say Alec Baldwin in Friends.
    – Yay
    Jan 3, 2016 at 15:54
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    @Yay You mean 30 Rock...
    – user140086
    Jan 3, 2016 at 16:19
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    Reading the question, I immediately imagined what the counterpart question might be from the other side. There is this person I know who rarely gets excited by anything. They take everything for granted ...
    – jyc23
    Jan 3, 2016 at 20:18
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    I understand what you mean, and have experience with people like that. Of course, one person's annoying is another person's [whatever is the opposite of annoying]. Anyway, I wasn't trying to troll; I just had a knee jerk negative reaction to the second part of the question asking how to ask the person to not get too excited.
    – jyc23
    Jan 15, 2016 at 1:36

7 Answers 7

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Someone who gives too much credit where little is due, or is too enthusiastic could be described as indiscriminate in the sense of "uncritical", making no serious judgments of quality.

Oxford American Dictionary definition:

"(of a person) not using or exercising discrimination"

https://youtu.be/EE0L9zqwfqY?t=57s

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excitable; [over-excitable]

responding rather too readily to something new or stimulating; too easily excited. –Google

Imaginational Over-Excitability: (one of the five descriptors for "OE")

Imaginational OE [IMOE]: “As the Imaginational OE reflects a heightened play of the imagination with rich association of images and impressions, frequent use of image and metaphor, facility for invention and fantasy, detailed visualization, and elaborate dreams (Dabrowski Piechowski, 1977; Piechowski, 1979, 1991).” IMOEs “may have difficulty completing tasks when some incredible idea sends them off on an imaginative tangent.”(Lind, Ibid.) –recruiter.com

I find this type of behavior extremely hard to combat with positive reinforcement (rather impossible, really) and opportunities to do so are unlikely to present themselves.

As to how you would go about "respectfully" asking them to not behave in this way, you're on your own. This is fundamental aspect of their psyche. It's also quite likely that they're gifted, have mental disorders of varying degrees, or both.

If they're acting like a child, treat them as such. But if you really care, not before you ask about how to do that properly at, e.g., Parenting.SE or Cognitive Sciences SE.

Easily amused; jovial: a "Lenny" (Of Mice and Men).

You're doing them and your friendship a disservice by walking on eggshells, and the silent treatment (my preferred tactic) will only lead to your own frustration. IMO, dude needs a little brotherly love:

Okay there, doofus. Relax; don't get excited. Take a chill pill. Inside voice, please.

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  • I was hyperactive child but I had two older brothers who helped me, "Stop being such an idiot, you spaz."
    – Mazura
    Apr 30, 2016 at 22:17
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Someone who is excited or surprised by the mundane is said to be easily impressed.

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To wax lyrical about, or to extol one's virtues might be what you are looking for.

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As to the single word/ phrase, I like exuberant, with the phrase then exuberant praise.

: (2a) Joyfully unrestrained and enthusiastic [Merriam-Webster's]

As for the latter question: Can you tone it down a little, dude? I mean, I appreciate it and all, but maybe just take it down a notch, OK?

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This kind of reminds me of the enthusiastic members of the audience of commencement exercises who are tempted to clap as each and every degree candidate receives their sheepskin.

Other than “typical friends and family members,” I don’t have a word or phrase to describe such people, but if you really feel the need to express your displeasure to them (in a not overly-aggressive way), you could consider using the following “request,” which is often heard (and ignored) at graduations:

“Please hold your applause until the end!”

(example usage from The Little White Trip by Peter Joseph Gallagher, via ‘Google Books’)

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Effusive is the best likely candidate. It means "expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner."

Now, if the person is effusive in order to 'suck up' or to garner approval from the target of their praise, they could be said to be ingratiating, smarmy or even sycophantic. There are subtle nuances to the additional implications of these words, but all are similar in general intent.

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