"...and I'm studying word lists to augment my vocabulary."
"I don't think studying word lists is really a good way to augment your vocabulary."
"Augment. I started with the A's."
I spent my junior high and high school years avoiding books and vocabulary words. I spent my college years trying to make up for it. In high school I would have never asked a teacher what a word meant, because I was too embarrassed about my lack of vocabulary. I thought it was likely a simple word and everyone in the room knew it but me. (It seems my students today overwhelmingly do not share similar reservations.) Once I reached my late teens and early twenties I diligently tried to learn every word I heard used orally. I figured if someone was saying aloud it was common enough that I should at least know its meaning.
Despite my embarrassment I was willing to ask my close friends about word meanings. So I may have said something like this, "I felt really strongly about it, but... What does ambivalent mean?" Then if I indeed had the correct word I would use it and continue.
One day my girlfriend and I were in the car on the way to Santa Cruz. I was trying to politely inquire about her current mood. I paused midsentence and asked, "What does temperamental mean?"
She just said, "Stop."
I think I had the right word.
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7 comments:
Glad you stopped everything to tell us...I know I, for one, was waiting with bated breath.
I totally agree that kids today don't mind asking whatever they're thinking - they seem to lack that filter that says "don't ask that, you probably should already know." I'm glad you didn't ask your girlfriend the meaning of bipolar or high maintenance, that might have been a bit worse...
Haha...Danyka just asked the other day what the word "predicament" means. After explaining it to her, we told her she should use it in a sentence while talking to you.
I think it's always good to ask questions and not assume that anyone else knows, or even if they do, that they'd care that you didn't.
I remember helping you with words - alacrity comes to mind immediately.
Totally with you on the students thing. I can't believe how many times math class gets interrupted because I used a word they didn't know and they asked about it. (Although, I guess this proves their interested in learning something, even if it isn't graphing lines.)
Nicole,
With alacrity I remember those times.
How do you remember that? I'm sure you're right, it is also in the A's. The dialogue at the start of the column was a conversation I had with Nikki from our Bible Study. Remember her?
How did I do using the word?
Only so, so. Alacrity is generally used more with movements than with thoughts.
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