StretchyourVocabulary

folly

2012-02-23T17:29:00.000-08:00

English took this word from Old French (folie meaning madness) in the early Middle Ages.

At this time in history, travellers constantly crossed Europe, England and Asia Minor. They took language as well as goods, services, tales and cultures with them. It was truly a 'melting-pot' time.

It serves as a noun describing a state of foolishness, being rash, being stupid; or as the name of a mistake, an idea or a foolish action. Because it is seldom used, it can serve as a practical choice in work contexts if you want to draw attention to the possible negative impact of an idea or a concept.

I appreciate 'folly' particularly as I have seen one on my travels! Yes, it was a building in southern England, (though you find them anywhere) structured in the form of a castle. These 'follies' are create to satisfy a whim of a local leader or landowner and built with grandiose intentions.

The word is also used in the theatre to describe an elaborately constumed review.

Interestingly, its meaning has changed from the original. There, it brought to mind 'doing evil' and 'wickedness' with an implication of lewd or wanton behaviour accompanying the word.

provoke

2012-02-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

As a verb, this word is a useful single alternative to using a group of words to describe the action of 'being driven to take action or respond'.

It is used in the context of strong feelings; anger, frustration and similar.

In some sentences it can imply a deliberate intent of the perpetrator to provoke a response in another.

When using this word in spoken contexts give weight and full clarity to the sounds [p] and [k] if you wish to emphasise a sharp, sudden action. Full stress falls on the second syllable of the word.

'Provoke' is certainly a word to use sparingly and with clear intent in order to preserve its inherent power.

coerce

2012-02-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

This word is often found on the lead pages of national and international newspapers. It arises where the ideas and desires of a people and their government diverge or are in conflict.

When I hear it, I pick up the sharpness, the hard edge, the rough impact of the word on the ear. This gives it a compelling sensory texture when spoken clearly.

It's a verb that means 'to compel or restrain by force of authority without regard to individual wishes or desires'.

Arising from the Latin and used in 17 Century, it has remained true to is original meaning 'to confine or restrain'.

mendicant

2012-02-07T04:52:00.000-08:00

From the Latin, 'mendicare', meaning to beg. As a noun, it is another word, infrequently used, for 'beggar'.

Most often, it serves as an adjective, particularly describing members of a religious order who depend on alms, or on sporadic donations of goods or money for their sustenance. The word in context appears as in 'mendicant friars'.

An evocative word that carries meaning, mental pictures, a range of emotional responses and, very likely, a memory.

loft

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

We tend to take short words for granted. After reading this I hope you give them more weight in your spoken words. Here's an example:

'Loft' serves as a noun with several meanings arising from a single intention. It is a space inside a roof; a gallery particularly one for a church choir; a room over a stable to store hay; also a raised house or coop where pigeons are kept and, in US contexts, an upper storey of a warehouse or factory.

It serves in sporting contexts where, in golf, it encompases the lifting of the ball in relation to the angle of the club face and the vertical when striking the ball; the elevation of the ball itself and the height to which a ball rises once it is struck or kicked.

And has a particular meaning in marine design where the act of lofting means to layout a fullscale drawing of the lines of a vessel's hull. All of that in just one four-letter word!

Its history is rich and deep in the past, moving from Old English into earlier Old Norse which has resonance with Old Danish and Old High German. Think of the common and diverse strains of culture entwined in the word.

It brings wonderful shades of antique ancestry to the ancient Angles, Saxons and Jutes who influenced the roots of English. An influence that remains and is visible today, in often-spoken English words.

perspective and perceptive

2012-01-31T13:52:00.000-08:00

Two words. Different in meaning. Different in intent.

But, when we confuse sounds within the syllables of some words, we arrive at misunderstandings.

'Perspective', a noun, is defined as 'a way of regarding situations, facts, events and similar, and judging their relative importance. It is also defined as an accurate point of view or objectivity in viewing it. In the context of art, 'perspective' relates to the 3-dimensional positioning of objects on a 2-dimensional surface.

'Perceptive' serves as an adjective. It usually describes a person's ability to quickly and accurately 'pick up', 'observe', 'see and take note of' the key aspects of a situation, an interaction or another person's change in state.

If you happen to be using these two words in close proximity to one another, it is useful to take your time with them and say them slowly so that you speak them clearly.

auspicious

2012-01-22T21:30:00.000-08:00

This dignified and gracious word comes to mind on the evening before Chinese New Year in 2012.

An adjective, it means favourable, propitious and auguring well.

Co-incidentally, when checking details of the Chinese 12-year zodiac cycle, I found this:

'The dragon is the 5th sign of the Chinese zodiac and it is regarded as an auspicious symbol which stands for power, good luck, success, and happiness.

How appropriate it is to share this wonderful word with you today.

fester

2012-01-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderfully vivid word.

One a purely practical level, it describes a supurating wound.

Metaphorically, it brings to mind a state of inner turmoil. One of bubbling, seething emotion that may erupt.

When used appropriately, it will draw full attention to the matter being addressed.

meticulous

2012-01-16T14:13:00.000-08:00

This adjective arises from 16 Century Latin. Its genesis is found in 'meticulosus' (meaning fearful) from the original word-stem 'metus' (fear).

What's interesting about 'meticulous', is that its history shows meanings change as words are integrated in different language.

This practice is hot unusual. Word usage changes as new words enter a language and continue to develop within past and current contexts.

In its current contexts 'meticulous' means very precise about details, even trivial ones; thus 'meticulous' can carry negative as well as a positive implications.

The implications are given to us in the meaning of the sentence as well as the tonal quality of the delivery. Our successful understanding of the intention of the speaker relies on close attention and focused listening to tonal changes!

Here is yet another example of 'what you say' and 'how you say it' working in partnership with each other.

affect/effect

2012-01-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

This troublesome twosome attracts constant attention.

Once again, the short vowel sounds require clarity when speaking in order to achieve accurate understanding and reduce distractions.

In writing, they are regularly confused even though their meanings differ significantly

Here are some insights to help you apply them with confidence to your spoken and written communication:

In one instance, 'affect', a verb, means 'to be influenced by'. In most contexts it carries the the inference of a negative impact. For example: 'When the weather affects crops, market prices can fluctuate wildly.'

In relation to people, the use of 'affect' arises in the context of emotional impact and change. For example: 'As her student and protege, he was deeply affected by her death.'

As a verb, 'affect' can also mean 'to put on, immitate or assume' as in 'In a bid to make an impression, some aspiring leaders affect the speech and mannerisms of their admired role-models.'

'Affect' arises from the Latin afficiere which means 'to act upon'.

For the sake of clarity and understanding make sure that the first sound in affect is the sound in apple, hat and fact.

In contrast, 'effect' serves as a noun or as a verb. The meaning carries either of the following:

a result or outcome that is produced by a cause or an agent as in 'The effect of sunburn on the skin can ruin a summer holiday.'

the power or ability to influence or produce a result as in 'By collaborating on the project, we effected a rise in sales of 20%.'

'Effect' arises from the Latin efficiere which means 'to accomplish'.

For the sake of clarity and understanding make sure that the first sound in effect is the sound in egg, leg and bed.

mendacious

2012-01-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

Some words lend themselves to being useful in several positions in a sentences. 'Mendacious' is an example.

Arising from the Latin 'mendax' (untruthful), it evolved into 17 Century Late Latin as 'mendacitas' and was absorbed into English as 'mendacity' where it continues to serve as a noun.

With various changes via suffixes it became mendacious (adjective), mendaciously (adverb) and mendaciousness, again, a noun.

Incompetent

2012-01-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

There are many examples of words that carry the negative within their construction. By adding a prefix (in this case 'in') to the word 'competent', the positive becomes negative.

Other examples of the prefix in are - 'inaccurate', 'ineligible' and 'intolerant'.

As a competent speaker of English examine your dictionary's entries for 'in'. You'll be surprised at the length of the list. You'll find new words for crosswords and Scrabble. And you'll build your vocabulary.

If you are currently learning English,have a look at the dictionary entries for 'in'. Do this for a few minutes at a time. Note those words that you hear often. Gather a few that are less familiar to you. Return to the reference. Look out for any analyses in your reference. And remember that not all words beginning with 'in' imply the negative. Seek out those and expand your vocabulary.

There are additional prefixes used in English. I'll be writing more on this topic in future posts.

imminent/eminent

2011-12-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Oh dear! Words like these pose a challenge to speakers and writers. 'Iimminent' and 'eminent' provide a splendid example.

Once, on a national radio service, I heard a broadcaster speak of an 'eminent' thunderstorm.

Of course he meant 'imminent'; but a slip of tongue shifted the vowel sound. The result was a highly amusing mental picture of a thunderstorm, dressed in the regal robes of office, bearing down on my home town.

To be sure:

'immiment' means 'about to happen'. I learnt to remember 'imminent' by associating it with 'immediate'.

'eminent' means 'important' or 'holding status'; this was taught to me, and remembered by aligning 'emiment' with 'emperor'

Accept and except - which short vowel sound is it?

2011-12-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

Awkwardness continues to plague these two words. Perhaps the following will help you:

Accept - verb as in "I'm pleased to accept your invitation to your house-warming."

Except - preposition as in "All team members, except John, will be at the house-warming on Sunday."

I've noticed that because the initial sound is short, some speakers cut it even shorter and, in some cases drop it entirely.

If you're mindful of the context in which you are using these words, you are likely to give it appropriate strength and weight.

If English is your second or third language, this may be useful to you.

Impervious

2011-12-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

This word provides an example of both literal and figurative meanings that abound in English. Meanings that cause some confusion.

Literally the word means 'cannot be penetrated'. It relates to the quality of the object that will not be changed by its environment. As an example, a blown-up balloon that is tightly secured, will be impervious to water.

Figuratively, we can use the word applied to a person.

In this context, the word 'impervious' relates to a person who cannot (and, in some circumstances, will not) be changed. In this instance, the word means that the person cannot be influenced or is not receptive to other's thoughts, actions, ideas etc.

Is there a word that you'd like explained? If so, let me know and I will post my response on this blog.

'Peripatetic'

2011-12-04T23:07:00.000-08:00

A wonderful adjective that means 'itinterant' or 'someone who wanders'.

Taken into 16 Century Latin as 'peripateticus' it arises from the Greek 'peripatetikos'. While 'itinerant' may, in some contexts, be taken to imply a person without a permanent abode, the word has an interesting history.

Within the British context, 'itinerant' can apply to a teacher who is employed by 2 educational institutions and thus travels from one to the other in the course of their work.

Notice the audio impact of the word with the short, sharp [p] and the crisp, clear [t] juxtaposed with a series of short, single vowel sounds. Worth practising and integrating in your language.

If this is relevant to your bid for clarity, revise the short single vowel sounds here.

Descriptor: "pit-bull behaviours"

2011-11-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

From The Age, Melbourne Australia, November 29, 2011
Article by Stephanie Dowrick writing about Christos Tsiolaks' novel, The Slap, and the subsequent television series on ABC recently viewed across Australia.

The containing sentence reads: "Yet some of the best-rewarded members of our own society continue to build reputations and careers on pit-bull behaviours."

See online article via SMH link

The central purpose of the writer is expressed: 'Where no adults take charge of their own behaviour, how can a child learn to consider other people and take their separate reality seriously? How can children learn not to blame others for their misery? Those lessons are basic to self-confidence and happiness. The 'Hugo factor' does a surprising service in bringing them to our attention.'

A selection of valuable words and phrases are:

obnoxious; provoked; flawed; vulnerabilty; fallibility; volatile characters; meaningful responsibility; sticky social situation; self-righteousness may flicker or wane'

Which of these words can be put to work by you?