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Building your vocabulary
“A good vocabulary will make you a better
writer”
“Expand your vocabulary to communicate”
“Use precise vocabulary to avoid cliches and
wordiness”
“Broad vocabulary complements analytical
writing”
“Expand
your analytical vocabulary”
Also see
a model for expanding your workplace vocabulary,
60 words every on-the-job writer should know, and
Lynell’s word list.
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A good vocabulary will make you a better writer
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
| How good is
your vocabulary?
Here’s a
little test. In the sentences below, replace the overused, nondescript words
with more precise and colorful words. Try reading the sentences out loud. Note
their lack of emphasis and precision. Search your memory for better words.
1. Her sincerity made her
a
believable witness.
2. I find your offer
interesting/attractive.
3. Unless there are
moderating circumstances,
I will have to
end your contract.
4. Your claim that you
want to help is
not sincere.
How do your choices compare
with the original words? If your words are more precise and colorful, you have a
relatively good vocabulary. If your words are equally vague and bland, you have
a relatively weak vocabulary. You can click on each word in question to see a
possible alternative. Note that none of the words I suggest as a better
alternative is an exact synonym for the original, but that, depending on the
context, all convey meaning with more precision and emphasis.
Whether your vocabulary is weak
or strong, here’s how you can improve it:
Read and listen. The
secret to building your vocabulary is to pay attention. Note the vocabulary of
writers who choose their words carefully. Pay attention to the language of
speakers who use their words skillfully. Both sources offer certain advantages.
To see a word in print reinforces your visual memory; to hear it pronounced aids
your aural memory.
Listen and watch for words
you don’t know. Be on the lookout for words whose sound you like. Collect
words you think might be useful to you, words that suit your style and
personality. Learn the vocabulary of your field or profession.
Look up words you
don’t know. Use a good dictionary. (See
Recommended resources and reading.) Learn not
only their denotation (literal meaning) but their connotation (mood and
feelings). Consider the context in which you encountered them.
Move words from your
comprehensive to your expressive vocabulary. You possess two sets of
vocabulary: a larger set of words you understand (at least vaguely) and a
smaller set you use to express yourself. To move words from your larger
comprehensive (or passive) vocabulary to your smaller expressive (or active)
vocabulary, you need to know three things: how to define, pronounce, and spell
them. Say the words you are trying to learn out loud. Practice using them.
Maintain a list of words you
want to remember. To fix words in your long-term memory, write them down. If
you care to take the time, note their definitions. Better yet, write down the
sentences in which you heard them. Review your list at least once a week. See
how many words you can write or recite from memory.
You’ll know that a word has
become part of your expressive vocabulary when, in seeking to articulate a
thought, the word pops into your mind or occurs to you without effort. When that
happens, move the word from your weekly to your monthly review list, and give
yourself a pat on the back: With each addition to your vocabulary not only are
you speaking and writing more precisely, but you are thinking more precisely.
Ready for another test?
1. A good way to
improve your argument is
to
support your assertions
with specific examples.
2. A successful product
launch
involves introducing the
right idea at the right time.
3. Your optimism may be
without good reason.
4. Although not
without fault, our CEO
has provided
good leadership.
5. Her reputation is
still good, despite the
false allegations.
6. Your argument is
good.
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Expand your vocabulary to
communicate
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
|
Our words are close to our
hearts. We use them to convey our thoughts and ideas, values and concerns.
Sometimes we use our words
just to show off, as in "I deem it imperative that we commence work on
this project at our earliest possible convenience" when all we mean is
"Let’s get to work on this project."
And sometimes we can’t
think of the precise word that captures our thought, as in "His
explanation for failing to file his report is hard to believe" when we
might have said, "His explanation for failing to file his report is
implausible."
Having a broad range of
words at our command, and knowing how and when to use them, is key to
effective communication.
Are you satisfied with
your vocabulary? Would you like to improve it?
Reading, of course, is
one of the better ways to learn new words, especially if you take the time
to look up the ones you don’t know. Simply being inquisitive also helps.
If you listen attentively to the spoken or written language of articulate
people, you’ll gradually expand your vocabulary.
Another approach is to do
vocabulary exercises like the ones I post weekly on my website. Want to
try a few?
Fill in the blanks in the
sentences below with words that capture the intended meaning more
precisely than the words in square brackets:
"My boss, who is capable
and organized, is [good] at managing multiple deadlines."
"You can’t have effective
writing without careful editing. The two are [solidly] linked."
"It’s one thing to make a
minor mistake now and then, but to misspell your boss’s name is an [really
serious] error."
Did the following words
occur to you: adept, inextricably, and egregious? Other
words might serve as well, but do you know those three? Can you use them
comfortably – that is, can you spell, define, and pronounce them?
Here are another three
sentences:
"I’ve been working on
this report for a week, so I want you to give it more than a [quick or
superficial] look."
"His harsh views seem
[not to fit] with his friendly manner."
"My colleague works hard
and efficiently; his output is [really awesome]."
Do you know the words,
cursory, incongruous, and
prodigious?
One more set:
"To say you’re sorry in a
way that casts blame elsewhere is [insincere or calculating]."
"His platform contains
many points, but three – social justice, environmental integrity, and
economic prosperity – are [prominent]."
"We drove all over town
running errands on our way to the airport. In the future I would prefer a
less [roundabout] route."
Did the following words
occur to you: disingenuous, salient, and
circuitous?
It’s not that big words
are always better. If you have a simple thought to express, use a simple
word to express it. Or as Garrison Keillor once said, "Why would you put a
five-dollar haircut on a ten-cent head?"
But for more complex
thoughts, a more expansive vocabulary will help you capture your intended
meaning.
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Use precise vocabulary to avoid
cliches and wordiness
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
| Let’s play a little
game. I’ll give you three sentences. The first illustrates wordiness, the
second plain or cliched word choice, and the third precise command of
language. Here goes:
1. It goes without saying
that the concern that has been expressed in regard to a decline in the
quality of customer service is unquestionably nebulous and without merit.
2. The concern over
customer service is a bunch of hot air.
3. The concern over
customer service is unwarranted.
Now, to make it more
interesting, I’ll change the order, and you identify which sentence
illustrates which style (wordy, plain/cliched, or precise). Ready?
1. You shouldn’t have let
the cat out of the bag without talking to me beforehand.
2. You should have
conferred with me before announcing your retirement.
3. To announce your
impending retirement prior to dialoguing with me was both ill-advised and
precipitous.
Do you agree that the
sentences were plain/cliched, precise, and wordy, in that order?
Those examples are
obvious. Now identify the three different styles in sentences whose
characteristics are less pronounced. Which is wordy, plain/cliched, and
precise?
1. The survey results are
skewed.
2. The survey results are
obviously specious.
3. The survey results are
no good.
What do you say? Precise,
wordy, and plain/cliched?
The point is that
effective communication depends on precise word choice, and precise word
choice depends on vocabulary.
To have many words rather
than just a few to choose from enables you to express your thoughts
clearly and to convey nuance or shades of meaning. To have only a limited
command of language relegates you to stating things so simply that you may
find it difficult to convey complex ideas.
But there’s a danger in
possessing a broad vocabulary: You might be tempted to use language to
show off or impress rather than to convey thoughts with the words that are
appropriate for the occasion and the audience.
So first you must learn
the word; then you must know when to use it.
Here’s how to improve
your vocabulary:
□Use
a dictionary.
It requires discipline to take the time to look up words and to learn how
to spell and pronounce them, but it’s the best way to expand your
vocabulary. I recommend you use two kinds of dictionaries: a hard-copy
dictionary and an online dictionary marked as a "favorite" on your
browser. You’ll find my suggestions for hard-copy dictionaries at
Resources.
□Read.
There’s no substitute. If you hang out exclusively with people with
limited vocabularies, you will have a limited vocabulary. If you spend
time with people with broad vocabularies, you will learn their language
(as well as their more interesting and varied sentence structures).
□Be
systematic.
If you’re serious about improving your vocabulary, set a specific goal. I
recommend you do three things: learn one new word a week, maintain a list,
and review your list monthly.
But don’t forget: First
you must apprehend the word; then you must be cognizant of when to utilize
it.
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Broad vocabulary complements analytical writing
By Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
| Use plain
language. Write simply. Avoid fancy words. The No. 1 attribute of
effective business writing is clarity – plain and simple.
But, I am often asked, if
plain, simple words are the only ones business writers should use, why bother to
develop a broad vocabulary? What’s the point of learning big words if only
little ones are acceptable?
Ah, the business writer’s
dilemma. How does one balance the need to be understood by readers at all levels
of ability against the desire to use language that most precisely captures the
intended meaning? Doesn’t dumbing down the language also entail dumbing down the
complexity and nuance of thought?
In many instances, of course,
choosing between simple language and precise language is a false dilemma. The
simpler words are the more precise words. Compare “It is imperative that
we effectuate a resolution to this dilemma” with “We need to resolve this
dilemma.” Here, the simpler language is not only more precise but also more
succinct and emphatic.
But that leaves us with the
suggestion that simpler language is necessarily better than complex
language – and that leads to the unsettling notion that over time we as a
society and a civilization might improve our discourse by simplifying it.
So, when
is complex language preferable to simple language? If one mark of a good
communicator is a broad vocabulary, when does the communicator get to use all
the big words he or she has gathered so assiduously?
The answer has to do with the
three basic components of all communication: purpose, audience, and material.
The complexity of your language (or the breadth of your expressive range)
depends on the nature of your objective, the sophistication of your reader, and
the complexity of your material. An e-mail message rescheduling a meeting
obviously calls for simpler language than a proposal advocating a new marketing
strategy or a position paper calling for technical refinements in the
dephosphorization of taconite pellets.
One type of writing in which a
broad and varied vocabulary is undeniably advantageous is analytical or critical
writing. If you ever do this type of writing, you might find the following words
helpful. It’s not that the words themselves will carry your argument, but that
if you learn to use them well, they will enable you to think and write with more
precision, depth, and cogency.
Vocabulary counts.
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Expand your analytical vocabulary
Vocabulary of process:
Logic/illogic; analysis; evidence & proof
adverse, adversarial
ancillary
a priori
assume, assumed,
assumption
attribute,
attributed, attribute
bolster
cause, causal,
cause
conversant
cognizant
converse
correlate,
correlated, correlation
corroborate,
corroborated,
corroboration
deduce, deductive
delve
derive, derived,
derivation
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devise
disabuse,
disabused
etymology
entail
expound
indicate,
indicative
infer, inference
induce, inductive
insinuate,
insinuated
invert, inverted,
inverse
nullify
obtain, obtainable
notice,
noticed/unnoticed
preempt,
preempted
presume,
presumptuous,
presumption;
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premise
promulgate,
promulgation
reason, reasoned/
unreasoned, reasoning
rebut, rebuttal
rectify, rectified
refute, refuted,
refutation
scrutinize,
scrutinized,
scrutiny
speculate,
speculation
substantiate,
substantiated/
unsubstantiated
verify, verified
warrant,
warranted/
unwarranted
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Vocabulary of evaluation:
Effectiveness/ineffectiveness; relevance/irrelevance;
validity/invalidity; precision/imprecision
applicable/inapplicable,
applicability/inapplicability
absolute
commend,
commendable
compel, compelling
conclude,
conclusive/inconclusive
cogent
credible
credence
cumbersome
dearth
debunk
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diminish, diminished
entice, enticing,
enticement
erroneous
exemplary
fallacious
fallible/infallible, fallibility/
infallibility
falsify, false
flawed, flaw
fathom,
fathomable/unfathomable
generalize,
generalized,
generalization
instrumental
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ludicrous
meritorious
merit
misguided
nebulous
onerous,
onerousness
pertain,
pertinent, pertinence
plausible
prudent, prudence
question,
questionable,
question
rigorous, rigor
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Answers to exercises
credible
enticing
extenuating, mitigating
terminate
disingenuous, specious, spurious
bolster
substantiate
entails
unwarranted, unjustified,
groundless
infallible
exemplary, admirable
undiminished, unblemished,
untarnished
specious, unsubstantiated,
spurious, ludicrous
compelling
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