When it comes to learning a new language or even mastering your own native language, your proficiency is measured by the range and strength of your vocabulary as well as your ability to use it correctly.
As we grow and develop in life, through various means such as general education, professional or recreational reading, or life's personal and professional experiences, for most people, their range and variety of vocabulary constantly grows and strengthens, especially when they use it as part of their daily professional lives.
But, how do we determine which of the multitude of vocabulary that we have learnt and absorbed is the best to use in various situations, especially when the vocabulary in questions is being acquired as a second language.
Below are some ideas which I find very helpful for assessing, choosing and utilizing various vocabulary.
Patience is a Virtue
When revising your writing, if the right word is not at hand, run a search, sort, select process
through your mind to see if you can find it. Be prepared to read, rethink and rewrite today what you revised yesterday after you have had sufficient time to think and evaluate its positives and negatives. But most of all,
be patient, use this most important of personal virtues to select the most appropriate of words that will transfer your exact thoughts to the mind of a reader.
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Using your Dictionary
Once you have what you consider to be your perfect dictionary, be it electronic, internet-based, or traditional paper, don't hide it away, use it whenever necessary.
When
you sit down to write a particular word, pause to consider the key
ideas that you want to convey. Start with a word that approximately expresses what you are trying to say. Next, look it up
and explore synonyms and root words or notes.
Many times a usage note in a dictionary has
led me to the word that fits better than that which I had initially used.
Understanding Connotations And Context
Do not be blindsided into thinking that you can easily replace one word for another just because an online thesaurus automatically groups them together. The thesaurus can cause problems and confusion unless you are familiar with the connotations of possible synonyms for a given word. "attractive," "beautiful," "fetching," "pleasing," "appealing," "engaging," "darling," and "lovely" are all possible synonyms for "pretty," but they are not automatically interchangeable. It is of the utmost importance to first understand the context of what you are writing, and secondly, which of the different words are a suitable context-based replacement.
Sometimes You Need To Forget The Thesaurus
Using a thesaurus will not make you look smarter if you choose words that sound impressive, but alter the meaning or context so much as to make your writing confusing, or even comical. It will only make you look like you
are trying to look smarter than what you really are. Never use words that you are unsure about.
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Phrasal Verbs, Idioms, and Common Expressions.
Whilst many writers steer clear of using informal language in many of their projects, there is, and I believe, always will be a place for their inclusion in writing when used correctly, especially when it comes to phrasal verbs. For this reason, it is important to study and understand the most common of these, especially when they correctly represent the subjects that you are writing about. It is said that a second language learner is never truly proficient until they have learnt to master these elements of informal language, and this is something that I personally agree with.
Listen
When you are choosing words and putting them together, read them out loud and think about how they
sound. This may sound unusual as readers always read with their eyes, but in fact, they actually hear what they are reading far more than you realize. Therefore such matters
as rhythm and alliteration are
vital to every sentence.
Beware Of Fancy Language
When using language, the "substance" of what you are writing is, and always will be far more important than how they sound or appear. There
is a difference between vivid, accurate language and unnecessarily fancy language. When it comes to choosing the right words, longer, more complex words are not always better. It is always advised to choose, and use simple, plain
language rather than fancy language. Don`t use language that seems contrived or
overly formal, but rather use language that sounds natural when you say it out loud. Trust your instincts and use the right word — whether fancy or plain — to meet your needs.
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Everyone Has And Over-Uses Their Favorite Words
Everyone has pet words, which are the words you overuse without even
knowing it. Words such as "Enormous", "happily", "very" etc. Replace them with suitable alternatives if possible as their overuse will ultimately diminish the value of your writing.
If The Words Wrong, Replace It.
When writing, if you use a word that you may be unsure of, or know that it could be replaced with something better, stop, evaluate and change. Once you are happy with your changes, then recommence writing. Never include words that you are not 100% sure about or happy with.
Be True
How do you know when a word is right? Well, as the writer, only you can possibly know. The right word is, simply, the one that you want, the one that fits your needs in the best way, the one that transmits what you are trying to say in the way in which you want it to be interpreted by the reader. If you have words that don't meet that criterion, then stop and change them until you feel completely satisfied with your composition.
Writing and being creative is always challenging, often frustrating, and sometimes even overwhelming, but it is also extremely satisfying and exciting. Sometimes you will wonder if the
difficulties associated with finding the right word is truly worth the effort, and whether you should even continue trying.
The point is to never give up, to always keep trying, to keep searching for that one special word, no matter how elusive it may be, or how long the search may last, because ultimately, for those of us who enjoy writing, the satisfaction that we feel when we have completed our project is well worth the effort.
Good luck and good writing.
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