Ultimate Vocabulary – Vocabulary Building Software

How to Make Vocabulary Study Less of a Burden

January 18, 2012

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to improve your vocabulary? Like many other life-changing programs, it might be hard to keep up over the long run. Studies have shown that most people who make resolutions don’t keep them; in fact, three of every four people who make a resolution January 1st have broken it by February 1st. Part of the problem is that people frequently try to do too much at once, and it’s just too hard to handle. We don’t want you to look on vocabulary improvement as an onerous process, and hope that you’ll take some of these suggestions to help make daily vocabulary study fun and easy.

First of all, remember that often less is more when it comes to vocabulary improvement. By that, we mean that it’s usually better to focus on a few words rather than trying to memorize a long list all at the same time. Pick one word to start with, and concentrate on learning it well. If you don’t have a new word to learn today, try the adjective onerous (pronounced AH-ner-us), which means “difficult, burdensome, requiring much effort.” You can quickly add more value to this word by including its synonyms; since the words all have essentially the same definition, you’re learning several at once. Besides onerous, you could describe something that’s difficult and time-consuming as oppressive, laborious, or troublesome.

Next, find ways to have fun with words. You might make some silly rhymes to help you remember a word and its definition, or create a sample sentence that brings an amusing image to mind. Look for ways that authors have used the word in their texts, and think about examples of how you might apply the word to a situation in your own life. You can also work with a study partner to discuss the word and its meanings. If you’re talking with someone about a word, the process of using your own words and phrases will give you a better understanding of the term, and will also help you remember it for future use. Another benefit of having a study partner is that you can each motivate the other when you’re feeling tired or bored.

Keeping your resolution to improve vocabulary won’t be nearly as difficult once you learn a few steps to lighten your load.

Ultimate Vocabulary Success Stories

January 18, 2012

Welcome valued Ultimate Vocabulary user!

We love to hear stories about how our customers benefited from Ultimate Vocabulary. Not only does this make us feel happy it also helps us communicate the benefits of Ultimate Vocabulary to other people.

If you have had success using Ultimate Vocabulary, we’d LOVE to hear about it. Please tell us your story by commenting on the post below.

What makes a good success story?

We love success stories that have any of the following:

Be specific – tell us the details of your success with Ultimate Vocabulary.

Give an example – where has your improved vocabulary helped you in work, success, personal communication, or study. What happened? What result did you get?

Make it long enough, but not too long. 2-4 sentences is perfect.

By writing a story here, you are giving us permission to publish your story along with your photo and basic info on this post and in our marketing. For a limited time, if we decide to publish your story in our marketing, you will receive a $100 voucher to spend on any eReflect product. Thanks for your help – we appreciate it!

Get in Touch With Your Optimal Learning Style

January 16, 2012

Our brains process input from a variety of sources. We get information from two main sensory organs, our eyes and ears, which provide what we see and what we hear, and often the combination of both at once. Having two different inputs at the same time can actually improve your ability to learn and remember, which is why children are often taught new words by looking at them written on a chalkboard while the teacher reads each word out loud, pointing to them in turn. That’s also why we encourage you to say new words out loud to yourself when you’re learning, so that you’ll reinforce the word in your memory, along with its pronunciation, spelling, and definition. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that we also recommend writing the word out several times. This also helps you get familiar with the word’s spelling, and writing sample sentences lets you practice using the word in context. But there’s another reason we recommend doing this, and it’s because of the importance of adding yet another source of input to your brain, by giving you a tactile way to experience the word.

The adjective tactile (TAK-tile) means “related to the sense of touch” or “perceived through the sense of touch.” You might enjoy the tactile sensation you get when petting a cat’s soft fur, for example. Tactile sensations are transmitted through our largest sensory organ, the skin. When you write out a word, the sensation of holding a pen or pencil and the feeling of the way your hand moves to shape each of the letters are sent via your nervous system to your brain, where that information is added to what your eyes see as you trace the letters and – if you’re also saying the word out loud – what your ears are hearing.

The process of “learning through doing” is often referred to as tactile learning or kinesthetic learning. Some people seem to learn more quickly if they use this method as much as possible, and anyone who adds this technique to the process will both speed up learning and increase memory retention. If you’re not sure whether you benefit most from a tactile learning method, or if you’re more of a visual or auditory learner, try adding active handwriting to your vocabulary study program, and see if it makes a difference. We’re sure you’ll find it adds just the right touch.

Variety is the Spice of Life: or Why You Should Use Synonyms

January 12, 2012

The Lord of the Acoma shifted knobby knees beneath the desk. “I am answering my father’s letter. Listen to this: ‘Dear Father: Are you well? I have won all my wrestling matches at the soldiers’ bath at Sulan-Qu. I am well. Mara is well.’ … What should I say next?” Barely masking irritation, Mara said, “Why don’t you ask if your brothers are well?”

This quote from Janny Wurts and Raymond Feist’s “Daughter of the Empire” gives a good example of our word of the day: redundancy. Although both Feist and Wurts are excellent writers, able to create rich descriptions of landscapes and situations through their use of vocabulary, in this passage they’ve deliberately created a very uninteresting – though humorous – bit of text. By using the same word over and over again, a letter that might have been a pleasure to receive and read becomes a boring exercises in repetition.

The word redundancy has two main definitions, though they’re related in concept. When speaking of vocabulary, redundancy refers both to repetition of words and to the use of more words than necessary to convey a concept. The passage above illustrates the first meaning, and phrases like completely unique and free gift the second (if something is “unique” it’s by definition different from anything else, so the word “completely” is redundant; likewise, a gift is always free). A more general meaning of the word redundant is “no longer needed, outdated.” For example, many older homes still have oil tanks in their basements even though they’re now completely heated by natural gas; the oil tank is part of a redundant system.

One way to avoid redundancy is to practice learning and using synonyms. The verbally-challenged letter-writer quoted above actually has several options to use instead of the word “well.” He and his family could be flourishing, healthy or (more archaically) fit as a fiddle. When you expand your vocabulary with synonyms, you’ll have the ability to write more creatively and descriptively, and what you write will be more interesting to the reader. This is important for many reasons, particularly those related to your work environment. If you need to communicate on any topic, whether you’re writing a summary e-mail or giving a presentation to a group, holding your audience’s attention is crucial. You might have the facts and figures they need to know, but if you’re not able to present them in an interesting way, you’ll find it hard to get a good response. Managers always have their eyes out for capable and effective speakers who know how to use vocabulary to their advantage. Expand your English vocabulary with synonyms, and you’ll never be the worker who’s found to be redundant – in any sense of the word!

Speed Read Your Way to a Better Vocabulary

January 10, 2012

The process of vocabulary improvement is something that started when you were an infant, as you heard words and learned to attach them to people and objects around you. Later, you began connecting the sounds of words to their visual appearance and started acquiring new words each time your parents read a story to you as you followed along. Finally, you learned how to add words to your vocabulary both consciously as you were taught new words in school, and unconsciously by simply seeing a word enough times that it became part of your vocabulary automatically. As an adult, most of your vocabulary-building happens in this almost subconscious way. You learn new words by reading them in context; perhaps you look the word up, or just make your best guess at its meaning, but you probably don’t stop and say to yourself, “I must remember this word and make sure it’s part of my vocabulary.”

While rapid vocabulary improvement is best done by a focused study program, simply reading as much as possible will also gradually increase vocabulary. Obviously, the faster you read the more word’s you’ll see. In addition, the more words you know, the faster you’ll read, because you won’t have to slow down or stop to look up a definition. It’s best to develop an eclectic reading style so that you get the broadest possible range of words and see more than one way of using them.

The adjective eclectic (pronounced eh-KLEK-tik) means “drawing from a wide variety of sources and styles” and comes from the Greek verb eklegein (“to select”). Applied to reading, it means that you should avoid just reading things you’re familiar with; for example, if you normally only read spy thrillers, pick up a book on travel instead. It’s important to read many different things not only for the vocabulary, but also to see how different authors use the words. You can learn how to emphasize the beauty of words through poetry, and how to craft descriptive but to-the-point explanations by reading books on science or engineering that have been written for the general public. You’ll see examples of metaphor and simile, of conversational styles and narrative flow, and absorb new ideas along with the new words.

Cross-posted at the 7 Speed Reading blog.

Quick! Name Some Vocabulary Words With Q

January 6, 2012

Do you have questions about the qualities of the English vocabulary words that start with Q? Perhaps there’s a quiz in your future you don’t feel qualified for, or a quotation you’ve heard that leads you to query the spelling and pronunciation of these words, and you’re in a quandary.

It’s true that Q words give many people problems in spelling and pronunciation, especially those words that come directly from other languages. In this post we’ll discuss a few of the common issues we’ve found that cause most of the difficulties, and give some explanations and examples.

Pronunciation of words beginning with Q. In general, if a word starts with Q (and in all common English words it’s always followed by a U) the sound that the ‘qu’ combination makes is KW. The exceptions to this rule are generally foreign words that have been adopted into English without a change in pronunciation – but of course there are exceptions to those exceptions!

quahog (KWAH-hog) noun
A large clam found along the North Atlantic coast.

querulous (KWEH-ruh-luss) adjective
Whiny or complaining all the time.

quintessence (kwin-TEH-suhns) noun
The perfect example of a particular quality.

quotidian (kwoh-TIH-dee-uhn) adjective
Everyday, ordinary, happening daily.

One of the exceptions is the word queue, pronounced KEW. Though this has been a common English word for “line (of people, usually)” since the 19th century it still retains its 15th-century (and current) French pronunciation. Another French word without the KW sound is quenelle (kuh-NELL), a poached dumpling usually made of meat or fish scraps mixed with flour or potatoes.

At the end of a word, the ‘qu’ sound is generally pronounced K, though there are a few instances where it becomes a separate syllable.

burlesque (bur-LESK)
antique (an-TEEK)
picturesque (PIK-tyur-ESK)
unique (yew-NEEK)
barbeque (BAR-beh-kew)
applique (ah-plee-KAY)
risque (ris-KAY)

Spelling of words beginning with Q. After all of the exceptions listed above, you’ll be relieved to know that – other than the few foreign words mostly used by Scrabble players, like qat and qanat – in English the letter Q is always followed by a U, and the U is always followed by another vowel. In fact, this rule holds true no matter where the Q appears in the word.

Quis leget haec?

Top Ten Vocabulary New Year’s Resolutions

January 4, 2012

With the start of the new year, many people make resolutions to improve themselves over the coming twelve months. We encourage you to think about adding one (or all ten) of these vocabulary-improvement resolutions to your list – they’re easier to stick to than a diet!

1. Learn at least one new word each day.
If you haven’t been focused on adding new words to your vocabulary, you might feel like your conversation has become dull and stagnant. You can create a renaissance of your communication abilities by resolving to learn new vocabulary words every day. For today’s word, focus on the word renaissance.

2. Make sure you’re spelling words correctly.
It might be tempting to use “text-speak” or abbreviations when you’re e-mailing a friend, but be sure that you know how to spell each word, especially when you’re first learning it. Doubled letters often cause problems; notice in today’s word that the n is not doubled, though the s is (a common mistake is to double both the ‘n’ and the ‘s’).

3. Focus on proper pronunciation.
The way you speak is just as important as the words you use. If you have a smooth and professional voice, and you pronounce your words clearly and correctly, you’ll immediately project an image of someone who is confident and knowledgeable. In the United States, renaissance is pronounced REH-nuh-zahns; in the UK it is often pronounced ruh-NAY-sahns.

4. Learn all definitions of a word.
The word renaissance literally means “rebirth.” When capitalized, the Renaissance refers to the 14th-century European cultural explosion as the continent recovered from wars and plague and rediscovered the arts of ancient Greece and Rome. As a regular noun, it means any new flourishing of something that had fallen out of use or fashion.

5. Know how to use words correctly.
You might have an extensive vocabulary, but it won’t do you much good if you don’t know how to use the words in context. When you’re learning a word, look for examples of how it’s used, and create your own practice sentences.
Example: The last few years have seen a renaissance in the arts of home canning, pickling, and even cheesemaking.

6. Add more to your understanding of a word through etymology.
While you can learn a word’s definition quickly, you’ll find that it has more meaning if you take the time to look up the word’s history and discover its origins. The word renaissance comes from French; as we said, the word means “rebirth” in that language as well as English. Looking back in time, the roots of the word are from the Latin prefix re- (“again”) and nascire (“to be born”).

7. Learn other ways to express a word’s concept.
When you learn a new word, look for its synonyms and learn those at the same time. This way you can double or triple the number of words you learn at once. Synonyms for renaissance are rebirth, revival, and regeneration.

8. Read as much as you can, from many different sources.
If you don’t have a habit of daily reading, now’s the time to start one. You’ll discover many new words by reading – many more than you’d hear from watching television or listening to the radio. Pick up a newspaper with your morning coffee and keep a book by your bed, and a notepad to write down the new words you want to learn.

9. Use the words you learn as often as possible.
In order to get comfortable with a word and to be able to use it easily and naturally, you need to practice using it. Find ways of including each new word in your conversations.

10. Let your enthusiasm be “born again” every day.
The more you study words, the more you’ll be interested by them (at least we hope so!). If you feel like you’re losing energy, just think about all the advantages an excellent vocabulary can bring you, both personally and professionally, and keep moving forward towards your goal of having the ultimate English vocabulary skills you need.

Oxford Dictionaries’ Word(s) of the Year

December 30, 2011

In many places around the world, people have been feeling economic stress, and unfortunately most of them are part of the group of low- to middle-income wage earners that don’t have a great deal of independent resources to draw on. When taxes are raised, it’s often these people who see the most impact, and when public services are cut, they’re also the ones who tend to suffer the most. Due to this widespread phenomenon, the Oxford Dictionaries editors in both the US and the UK have agreed that the global Word of the Year should be the term that was invented to describe this group of people: squeezed middle. Note: In a dictionary, a two-word phrase like this is treated as a compound word and considered one entry. While it’s not being added to the Oxford English Dictionary immediately, the editors will keep it on the list of possible official English vocabulary and eventually – if the term continues to be used, or has a significant impact over a period of time – it may become part of the official lexicon.

If you’re feeling like you’re definitely part of the squeezed middle, one of the best things that you can do is focus on improving your grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Most jobs these days have at least one component that requires an employee to be a literate and capable communicator, and the more you hone your skills with the English language, the more you’ll increase your chances of getting a good job and moving up to higher-paying positions. Make it your New Year’s resolution to spend at least 30 minutes each day in an activity that promotes vocabulary improvement: read as much as you can from a variety of sources; keep an eye out for and practice new vocabulary words you come across; play word-based games and puzzles; and make a point of using your newly-learned words in conversations or professional presentations. Squeeze as much vocabulary practice as you can into your day, and you’ll enjoy the benefits for years to come.

Did you not get all of the holiday gifts you wanted? Treat yourself to the Ultimate Vocabulary software system and open up a present that you’ll enjoy for all of 2012!

Global English Word of the Year: Occupy

December 28, 2011

English has gotten many of its words from other countries over the years, and has given many people around the globe a common language for communication, especially in the news, business, and technology industries. The company called Global Language Monitor uses technology to analyze the news and business information on the internet to track various trends for marketing purposes. As a part of this process, they keep a list of words that appear most often in these materials. The word they’ve identified as the most used and most influential for 2011 is occupy.

If you’ve been following the news, you can’t have avoided seeing at least one story about the “Occupy [insert place name here]” movement that has been bringing people together to protest the inequality of wealth in specific communities or countries, and around the world. The 2011 Arab Spring and other revolutions and protests involved large groups of people occupying specific areas of a city, and the problems in the “Occupied Territories” of Palestine create a regional and global issue that is yet to be resolved. It’s no wonder this word made it to the top of the list.

The verb occupy comes from the Latin word occupare (“take over, possess”). There are several common uses for the word, as illustrated by these example sentences:

Example 1: The northern regions of France were occupied by Germany during World War II while parts of the south remained relatively free.

Example 2: The large painting by Monet occupies the whole of the far wall of the entrance to the museum.

Example 3: This new project will occupy all of my time until March.

In the first example, the meaning is “take over and hold by force against opposition.” In the second, the word expresses “to take up all available space” while in the third example, occupy means “to fill up time.”

Occupy yourself with looking for repeated or common words in the newspaper articles you read, and you’ll discover new English words every day.

Another word on GLM’s list is the German word Kummerspeck, or “grief bacon,” referring to the practice of using food to provide comfort that leads to a gain in weight. We just thought that was interesting.

Weird Words, or Why English Vocabulary Never Dies

December 26, 2011

The history of the English language is long and convoluted, incorporating words from many languages, adding words as technology and society changes, and dropping words for the same reason. While today we can still read the works of Shakespeare and understand most of the vocabulary he used, some of the words are now archaic (old-fashioned, not commonly used) and modern writers rarely include them in their prose. However, that’s not to say that all older words are ready for the linguistic trash heap. In fact, many of them express concepts or provide descriptions that are delightfully specific – you just need to find the right occasion to use them. You can do your part to put these five words back in circulation and keep the past alive (the dates the words were first recorded under that definition are given):

widdershins (WIH-dur-shins) adverb, c. 1510
Definition: Moving counterclockwise.
Example: Irish legend says that walking widdershins around a small hill is dangerous, because that may open the door to the fairy lands inside.

wuthering (WUH-thur-ing) verb, c. 1470
Definition: (Wind that is) roaring or blowing noisly.
Example: At the top of the moors in Devon, England, the wind was wuthering and the rain driving down in sheets, and we decided to cut our hike short.

wiseacre (WYZE-ay-kur) noun, c. 1600
Definition: A know-it-all, or someone who pretends to always be informed.
Example: Thomas is a very capable employee, but he’s such a wiseacre that he’s unpopular with the other workers, and so Human Resources recommends that he be transferred to another office.

wherewithal (WEAR-wih-thall) noun, c. 1580
Definition: What is needed (money or other resources) to accomplish a task or goal.
Example: She has many good ideas for time-saving inventions but doesn’t have the wherewithal to create prototypes or go through the patent process.

wallflower (WALL-flow-er) noun, c. 1820
Definition: Someone who is shy and stays at the edges of the crowd (idiomatic expression).
Example: Many teenage girls are afraid to go to their school dances alone because they don’t want to be seen as wallflowers and not asked to dance.

wainscoting (WAYNS-coh-ting) noun, c. 1540
Definition: Decorative wooden paneling along the lower half of a wall.
Example: The dining room was a bright and cheerful place, with yellow-painted walls above green-and-yellow bamboo wainscoting.