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.
