Ultimate Vocabulary – Vocabulary Building Software

How to Enrich Your Vocabulary: A Foreign Phrasebook

May 20, 2010

Yesterday’s post covered some non-English words and phrases that are commonly used in English to describe negative events, outcomes, or states of mind. Today, we’re going over to the lighter side, with terms that have come from Latin, Italian, and French and which still remain in their original languages, without translation, as part of a rich and expressive English vocabulary. You’ll find many opportunities to use these phrases, and will also encounter them in novels, essays, and even the daily news.

Proper pronunciation is key to the effective use of these phrases. We’ve included a simple pronunciation guide, but if you have any questions about how these words should be pronounced, look for on-line audio links (often found associated with dictionary sites) or locate a native speaker of the language who can help you out.

la dolce vita (lah DOHLchay VEEtah)
Italian for “the sweet life,” this phrase describes a life of luxury and pleasure.
Example: Martha always said that she would keep working at the hospital even if she won the lottery, but when she actually did win the ten-million-dollar prize, she decided that she’d rather retire and live la dolce vita in the little village on the Mediterranean where she vacationed last year.

esprit de corps (essPREE duh KOR)
This French phrase, loosely translated as “team spirit,” is often used when talking about sports, competitions, or military efforts, or any other situation where groups of people are working together towards a common goal.
Example: The facilitator had several challenging and fun projects for the company employees at their annual retreat, which went a long way to developing an esprit de corps that had been missing since the reorganization of the departments.

tour de force (TOOR duh FORCE)
When someone accomplishes an amazing feat, or demonstrates great skill, we often use the French phrase tour de force, or “trick of strength,” to describe it – note that the strength can be either physical or intellectual, or refer to a person’s creative output.
Example: The pianist played both of Brahms’ piano concertos in a single program, a tour de force that the audience rewarded with a standing ovation.

bona fide (BOHnah FIDE)
This Latin phrase would be pronounced BOHnah FEEday if we were following the rules of Latin pronunciation, but this is one Latin phrase in the English language that does not stay with its original pronunciation in general use. The term means “good faith” and refers to something that is done in good faith, making a genuine effort or, more literally, something that is genuine or real.
Example 1: The boys made a bona fide effort to rake all of the leaves out of the garden, but the wind was blowing so hard that more fell from the trees as soon as they had finished.
Example 2: That antique shop promised me this was a bona fide World War I uniform, but I found out that it’s just a costume from a play.

How to Understand and Use Foreign Words and Phrases

May 19, 2010

In this week’s posts, we’re reviewing words and phrases that, while part of the English language, remain in their original language (most often Latin, French, or Italian). Today’s words and phrases all describe things that are negative.

bête noire (bet NWAHR)
This French phrase literally means “black beast” and is used to describe something that is particularly difficult to do or to deal with.
Example: I enjoy learning French, and have no problems memorizing most of the verb conjugations, but the subjunctive tense is my bête noire – I can’t seem to remember it!

coup de grâce (COO duh GRAHS)
Another French phrase, meaning the final strike or blow. Originally this was used literally, to describe the killing stroke of a sword after an opponent (or a hunted animal) had been wounded and defeated, but was not yet dead; today it is used metaphorically as well.
Example: Jonathan was struggling to make ends meet and barely managed to pay his bills each month but his landlord’s raising of his rent was the coup de grâce, and Jonathan declared bankruptcy and sold everything he owned.

coup d’état (COO dayTAH)
This is also a French term, and refers to the overthrow of a government, often by violence, and usually by either the military arm of the government or by a small group of individuals.
Example: Over the past 50 years, the leaders of many African countries, including Libya and Sudan, have come to power via a coup d’état.

verboten (verBOHten)
This German word means “forbidden.” Although many English words have German derivation, it’s unusual for a German word to be used in everyday English. This word is most often used for emphasis.
Example: The seagulls that swarm around the fish and chip shops are such a nuisance that the town council has declared that feeding them scraps is strictly verboten.

mea culpa (MAYah COOLpah)
This Latin phrase is frequently used in a joking way, when you have done something that has upset someone else, and it seems their reaction is excessive. Although this Latin phrase translates as “it’s my fault,” when you say it you may not necessarily be admitting that you did something wrong, just that the outcome was negative.
Example: I didn’t realize that you were allergic to peanuts – mea culpa! I’ll make sure to bring nut-free cookies to the next staff meeting.

Improve Your English Vocabulary by Learning Foreign Words and Phrases

May 18, 2010

This week we’re looking at words and phrases that are part of the English language, but which remain in their original language, whether that is French, Italian, or Latin. Many of these words and phrases are used in business management, in the field of law, and in the upper levels of society. Being conversant with these terms will give you an edge when meeting new people in your professional career and personal life. Whether you’re eating at a fine restaurant, walking through an art exhibit, listening to a lecture on economics, or reading about the latest government regulations, you’ll need to be familiar with these non-English terms.

Today we’re looking at legal terminology, and also words that have moved from the strictly judicial field to apply to situations in everyday life. Make a note of the pronunciation of these words and create some sample sentences using them; by practicing these words and phrases, you’ll help lock them in your brain. Pay special attention to these terms if you’re studying for the GRE or SAT, as they’re commonly found in the vocabulary section on those tests. All of these words are in the original Latin.

ipso facto (IHPsoh FACtoh)
Literally translated as “by that very fact,” this is another way of saying “therefore.”
Example: The surveillance camera shows that Peter was in the parking garage at 8:10 p.m. so ipso facto he could not have been the person who answered the phone at the front desk at 8:12 p.m.

non compos mentis (non COMpohs MENtees)
Not in one’s right mind, insane.
Example: Helen’s aunt drew up her own will leaving everything to her two cats, but when the court determined that she was non compos mentis at the time it was written, Helen ended up with a small inheritance after all.

pro rata (pro RAHtah)
By proportion, according to size.
Example: The judge determined that the child’s school expenses should be paid pro rata, with the parent who earned more money paying a larger portion.

in toto (in TOHtoh)
Completely, including everything.
Example: My monthly expenses in toto are only half of what I earn each month, but I still find it hard to save money.

per capita (per CAPitah)
Literally meaning “by head,” this phrase is used when counting people.
Example: The government allocates funds for road maintenance on a per capita basis only, unless the local councils can prove that their area has a higher volume of traffic from tourism or long-distance transport.

How to Build a Better Vocabulary Using Foreign Phrases

May 17, 2010

The English language has grown over the centuries, both by incorporating words from other languages and by creating neologisms (“new words”) as times change and new concepts and ideas are developed. We’ve discussed in the past how many English words can be traced back to their Latin or Greek roots, or how words that originally were “foreign” are now so widely used in English that we consider them to be English words. For example, did you know that the words entrepreneur, police, visible, and question are all French words? They’ve been part of our spoken English language for so long, we don’t even think about their origin.

For centuries, the mark of an educated person was his or her ability to speak more than one language. In England, it was assumed that well-born men (and sometimes women) could speak both English and French; if they had attended university, they would be able to speak, or at least read, ancient Latin and Greek, and if they had traveled after university they were expected to pick up a little Italian or Spanish as well. If you read literature that was written in England anywhere between 1750 and 1950, you’ll notice the casual use of French phrases in the text and dialogue – it was assumed that the reader, if they were educated enough to be reading a book, would be able to translate for themselves.

These days, it’s still a sign of education and sophistication to be able to hold a conversation in a second language. Even if you’re not fluent in any language but English, you’ll need to recognize and be able to use, and correctly pronounce, the foreign terms and phrases that remain part of professional, literary, and conversational English vocabulary.

Today, we’ll start out by looking at several terms that are related to food and fashion. As you might imagine, many of these words are French: France has long been the center of elegance and culture in the Western world, and French fashion has influenced the vocabulary of art and style. Practice using these words at your next dinner party, and be sure you’re comfortable with the pronunciation.

faux pas (foh PAH)
A mistake, usually in social situations.
Example: Many American tourists are not aware that it is a faux pas to blow one’s nose in public in Japan.

nom de plume (NOHM duh PLOOM)
A “pen name,” or the name a writer uses instead of his or her own when publishing works.
Example: The 19th-century English writer Mary Ann Evans is better known by her nom de plume, George Eliot.

au gratin (aw GRAHtahn)
Baked with a topping of cheese and/or breadcrumbs.
Example: I like the crispy clams au gratin served at that restaurant, but my sister prefers the clam chowder.

de rigueur (duh reeGUHR)
Required in order to fit in per social custom or fashion; necessary.
Example: It is considered de rigueur for men to wear a suit and tie for the captain’s welcoming dinner on this cruise.

Word of the Day: Contretemps

May 14, 2010

If you’ve ever been in a situation where you’ve stumbled – either physically or verbally – and caused confusion that affected both you and the people around you, you’ve been in a contretemps. This French word (which might be literally translated as “against the tempo”) was originally used in the art of fencing, to describe a mistimed movement in the stylized, orderly dance of swords. Today, when French musicians are playing à contretemps, it means they’re playing on the “off” beat. You might say that a contretemps is a situation in which you are “out of synch.”

As we mentioned above, a contretemps can involve either a physical or a non-physical encounter. A more modern usage of the word describes a dispute, perhaps one that involves physical force, but nothing excessive. If you say that your argument with a cabdriver over your fare led to a contretemps involving two other cabdrivers and a policeman, then there might have been some arm-waving, shoving, or yelling in faces, but nothing violent (no fists, no guns).

In another sense, a contretemps is an awkward social situation that you’ve accidentally created by making a faux pas (a phrase we’ll talk about in another post) that caused embarrassment or inconvenience, for yourself or for others.

Example 1: Foreigners are required to carry their identification card with them at all times in Japan, though tourists often forget this law, which often leads to contretemps with local authorities.

Example 2: The lack of adequate signage in the parking areas at the football stadium is the cause of many contretemps between drivers as they argue over right-of-way.

Many words and phrases from French, Latin, and Italian are used in English to provide a sophisticated and nuanced way of communicating concepts. Next week, we’ll look at more terms you can learn and use to give your English vocabulary a Continental flair.

How to Expand Your Vocabulary With Synonyms and Antonyms

May 13, 2010

Depending on how old you are, where you live, and whether or not you watch reruns of old broadcasts on cable television, you may or may not have seen episodes of “Password” or “Pyramid,” word-guessing game shows that were most popular in the 1970s and 1980s, but which still survive today in various formats around the world. On these shows, contestants try to guess specific target words by listening to the clues that their partners give them. In the Password-type games, the partner can only use one-word clues, while in the Pyramid-type games, they are allowed to use phrases; however, they can never use a word that is too close to the target word (they can’t say whiteness if the target word is white).

As you might imagine, synonyms and antonyms are very useful in these games! For example, if the target word were blue the partner might give clues like sapphire, cerulean, and indigo, or they might try a different tack and say sad, depressed, and down. Since these games are timed, the most descriptive synonyms will give the best clues and allow the contestant to guess the correct word in the shortest amount of time. That’s particularly true in the word games that allow the partners to use descriptive phrases instead of single words, because the fewer words the partner has to say, the less time it will take the contestant to guess. Rather than trying to elicit the answer mountain by saying “a land formation that rises high above the surroundings, often with snow on the top” the one-word synonym peak might do the same job, in a fraction of the time. Antonyms are also useful: “not a valley” might get the right answer too.

You can practice your synonyms and antonyms and sharpen your word skills by playing these games with other people, or you can test yourself. Create a set of cards with words written on them, and use them to quiz your partner or test your own memory. Write four or five synonyms and antonyms on the back of the card, and use that side to see if you can deduce the original target word. If you know other people who are studying for the GRE or SAT examinations, this would be an enjoyable way to review your words – keep score, and treat the winner to lunch!

More Games to Build Your Vocabulary

May 12, 2010

Teachers and parents know that if learning is a game, children will be eager to participate in the process. This is true for adults as well, and your vocabulary study can take many forms, including games and puzzles. You can have fun and learn new vocabulary words at the same time with easy and entertaining games like Fictionary or Categories.

Fictionary

For this game, you will need a standard dictionary, and at least three other people to play with. Each person takes turns being the leader. The first leader finds an unusual word in the dictionary, and reads it out loud (but not the definition). Each person then writes down what they think the definition of the word is, with the leader writing down the correct definition. The leader collects all the definitions from the other players, mixes them up, and reads them out loud, making sure that no one knows who wrote which definition. All players except the leader vote on the word they think is the right one. Whoever picks the correct definition gets one point; whoever writes a definition that gets a vote gets one point for each vote; and if no one selects the correct definition, the leader gets a point. The dictionary is handed to the next person for their turn as the leader, and the game continues until one person wins a predetermined number of points.

Categories

This is a good game to develop your word-association skills, and can be played with any number of people. There are two different forms of this game. In the first version, one person calls out a category and then everyone takes a turn going around the circle naming something that belongs in that category. In general, this has to be done quickly, and if a player can’t think of a word right away, they’re eliminated from the round. For example, the first person may say “animals found in a zoo” and start the list of zebra, lion, kangaroo, etc. The winner of the round is the last person in the circle.

In the second version of Categories, it’s useful to have pencil and paper. To start, one person selects five random letters and five random categories – for example, the letters O R L T S and the categories “flowers,” “country names,” “birds,” “food,” and “emotions.” Then each player (including the selector) writes down five words in each category using the selected letters. In this example, the “country names” category might be completed with the countries Oman, Rwanda, Latvia, Trinidad, and Sweden. The person who completes the most categories wins a point, and gets to choose the next set of letters and categories.

Did you grow up playing word games with your family? What are your favorite word-based party games? Leave your suggestions in the comments.

The Best Games to Build Your Vocabulary

May 11, 2010

Vocabulary study doesn’t have to only mean sitting at your desk memorizing long lists of words. The best vocabulary study practice gets you involved in your study interactively, and keeps an element of fun and play in your practice. Here are two of the games we like best, to play alone or with friends.

www.freerice.com

This free on-line game is an excellent way to learn interesting and uncommon words. The words are presented to you one at a time, and you’re given four choices for the correct definition of each word. When we looked at the site today, the first word set we were given was this:

muggy means:
basic
steamy
trustworthy
nutritious

Can you pick the right answer? It’s steamy; muggy weather is hot and humid, sometimes so hot that water from a lawn sprinkler evaporates right up off the concrete sidewalk in a cloud of steam. It’s all right if you didn’t get the word the first time – the word will go back in rotation and you’ll get another chance at it. The great thing about this site is that it constantly challenges you with more and more difficult words, and tracks your progress as you go. In addition, there’s an audio link for each vocabulary word, so you can listen to it as well as learn how to define it.

But perhaps the best thing about the site is that it’s run by a philanthropic organization which will donate ten grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program each time you answer correctly! That might not seem like a lot, but it adds up quickly. Help yourself as well as others and check out the FreeRice site today.

Scrabble (www.scrabble.com)

From international tournaments to family game nights, Scrabble has been helping people learn vocabulary words since 1948. Using the seven letters you draw from the pile of tiles, you form words on a board, using the other words that are there in a crossword-puzzle format, while trying to score as many points as possible. This game challenges your vocabulary-building skills by presenting you with only the letters you need to form words, and not the words themselves, which is an excellent way to test your memory. We recommend that you buy a Scrabble dictionary (you can get them at most used book stores) to use instead of a regular dictionary – it will be much easier to look up words that way, since only “legal” words are in it, and the definition list is pared down to the basics. However, if there’s a word you’re not familiar with, and you’re curious about its usage or history, write it down and look it up later. Play the board game version, or one of the many on-line forums.

Tomorrow we’ll look at more games you can use to build your vocabulary.

Building a Better Vocabulary: Conquering Confusing Words

May 10, 2010

Even native English speakers have difficulty remembering the correct pronunciation and spelling of certain words that are easily confused due to their similarities in sound or appearance. Most of the time, people know which word they mean, and because the confusable words are often homophones, such errors won’t be noticed in spoken conversation. In written correspondence, though, these errors will jump out at a reader. Take some time to study these word pairs, and make sure you’re letter-perfect on the spelling as well as confident in using them in context.

auger
An auger is a large tool shaped like a corkscrew, often turned by hand, that is used to drill holes.
augur
To augur means to forecast or foretell, or to portend.
Example: His inability to use a simple tool like a hammer did not augur well for his success in using the auger.

breach
This can be either a verb meaning “to break through, to open” or a noun referring to the opening that has been made.
breech
The breech is the rear end of a gun barrel. This term is also used when a baby is positioned backwards for birth; this is known as a breech birth.
Example: Rust damage has created a breach in the metal breech of the rifle, and could cause the gun barrel to explode when fired.

cygnet
A cygnet is a young swan.
signet
A signet is an identifying seal, often used on correspondence, and traditionally formed in the shape of a ring.
Example: Their family crest shows a cygnet wearing a crown; you can see it in the display of signet rings at the museum.

discreet
To be discreet means to be careful, quiet, and unobtrusive.
discrete
Discrete means separate or individual.
Example: The department head had mixed the files together, but his assistant discreetly returned them to their proper places in discrete folders.

mantel
A mantel is a shelf over a fireplace.
mantle
A mantle is a long cloak.
Example: When you come in from the rain, hang your mantle on the peg by the mantel, and let it dry out.

racket
A racket is a loud noise.
racquet
You play tennis with a racquet.
Example: The audience made such a racket that the tennis star threw his racquet to the ground and stood there with his arms crossed until they quieted down.

troop
Use the word troop when you’re talking about a group of people in the army (or other military organization) or a group of animals.
troupe
A troupe is the term for a group of traveling performers or a professional theatre company.
Example: The troops were entertained by local musicians and a troupe of acrobats that had come to the camp that weekend.

waive
To waive means to give up your rights to something.
wave
A wave can refer to a hand motion, an ocean swell, or the action of a flag in the breeze – in general, any back-and-forth movement.
Example: With a wave of her hand, the attorney indicated to the judge that she would waive her right to cross-examine the witness.

SAT Vocabulary Exercise: Synonyms and Antonyms

May 9, 2010

As you know, the SAT and GRE vocabulary sections will not only test you on your understanding and ability to use words in context, they will ask you to identify synonyms and antonyms of words. In order to study for this type of quiz, it’s often helpful to concentrate on learning word roots. Check your knowledge of synonyms and antonyms with these two quick tests. Again, this is not an on-line test, so you might find it useful to print the page out first.

SYNONYMS

Pick the answer that most closely matches the target word’s meaning.

1. acquiesce

a) acknowledge
b) restate
c) consent
d) interfere

2. distend

a) abandon
b) dangle
c) straighten
d) bloat

3. hackneyed

a) trite
b) equine
c) serrated
d) jointed

4. kindle

a) befriend
b) match
c) twirl
d) enflame

5. querulous

a) inquiring
b) complaining
c) rotating
d) glittering

6. whet

a) reduce
b) sharpen
c) initiate
d) finish

ANTONYMS

Pick the answer that most closely describes the opposite of the target word’s meaning.

1. irascible

a) cheerful
b) scratchy
c) quick
d) inconsistent

2. squander

a) perambulate
b) waste
c) inflate
d) hoard

3. guile

a) temper
b) honesty
c) loyalty
d) independence

4. zany

a) acrobatic
b) uninteresting
c) serious
d) tempestuous

5. listless

a) energetic
b) upright
c) fond
d) speechless

6. xeric

a) ossuary
b) humid
c) misspelled
d) intransigent

We’ll be reviewing synonyms and antonyms in the future, and discussing strategies for learning and identifying words in context. If you have any questions about synonyms or antonyms, or about today’s test, leave them in the comments.

If you’d like to get the correct answers, send us an e-mail at elizabeth@ereflect.com.