thePIANIST

Thursday, 11 December 2008

Improving English and Expanding Vocabulary

Once in a while, I have people who ask me where I acquire my seemingly vast vocabulary. Of course, compared to my many other friends and school counterparts, I do know mine is nowhere impressive; looking at my blog entries and posts, I can understand why some may think that English is my forte.

Actually, it's a pretty simple affair. Currently I'm reading this book Generation MySpace by Candice Kelsey, a book written for parents on the impact of MySpace and related websites on adolescents and how to deal with it. And just now when I was reading it in the train, in a span of 50pages, I came across these words that I didnt know the meaning or werent sure.
tirade, jibe, invective, throes, zeitgeist, sophomore, mortified, rambunctious, mired, debilitating, crass, unfazed, esconed, precocious, veritable
That's a whopping 15 words in 50pages.

And so, the point of my entry - I don't read the dictionary, nor subscribe to learning new words, but what I do is to note down the words that are unfamiliar and then check out the meaning, and most impt of all, to try to incorporate them into my daily life. And the best way so far? Attempt to use some of the words when I'm blogging.

1) MAKE THE EFFORT to note down the words that you come across as unfamiliar - scribble them down on a piece of paper, or simply type them into a note or memo in your hp.
2) MAKE THE EFFORT to check up on the meaning of those words, writing the meaning down and preferably putting this list on your table or somewhere visible so that you come across it once in a while.
3) MAKE THE EFFORT to try to use them in your daily life - be it blogging, texting, or speech. But of course, as humans, we all are afraid of embarrassment and so, I figured blogging is the best way to start, without the fear of people giving a HUH? and then you have to explain, without the fear of using that word wrongly 'cos you remembered the meaning wrongly, and definitely without the fear of people's immediate reaction/comments to your usage 'cause the blog's my private space...

And there you have it, it's all about making the effort. Come on, language is acquired, you aint borne into the world with a bombastic wordbank. And so, if you really wanna expand your vocabulary even the wee bit, you've got to make that effort.

00:42; The Pianist'

thePIANIST;

~ice dragon~
edmund
twenty one
phpps tchs hci nus
bmt-b sispec-g eti-ep
npcc choir
piano

theLOVE;

violin
saxaphone
jazz
spiritual revival.renewal
books
lit
friends
love

theWISH;

personalised room
~~keyboard~~
~~games~~
~~books~~
love
guitar lesson
jazz piano lesson

theCHATTERBOX;

theESCAPES;

theHISTORY;

theCREDITS;

host: blogger
brushes : x
picture: x x
designer: Winter min