"Give them the gift of words"

A carm vocab word for today – Equanimity




Equanimity” means “calmness, especially during stressful situations”. It’s a characteristic of someone who maintains his or her composure. It’s often used to refer to a person’s way of speaking as well as their attitude – for example, “Although his tone was very aggressive, she answered him with equanimity”. Equanimity also refers to stability or steadiness, in a mental or emotional sense.

Example: “His exercises in meditation and prayer helped him view the chaos in his life with perfect equanimity”

Today's vocabulary building word – Affable




An affable person is someone who is sociable and easy to talk to, and also someone who finds it easy to talk to other people. “Affable” means “friendly”, but in a quiet, calm way. Affable people are not necessarily the life of the party or the centers of attention. Instead, they’re the ones who listen as much as they talk. Everybody feels comfortable talking to them, because they’re comfortable talking to anyone. Other adjectives that describe this type of person are “amiable” and “cordial” – that is to say, polite and willing to go along with others, in a spirit of friendship.

Example: “Alex is invited to every outing – she’s so affable, she can get along with anyone”

Today's vocabulary word – Sinecure




Today’s word (which sounds pretty good to me) is “sinecure“. This might be your ultimate goal when using a curriculum vitae to find work – a sinecure is a job where you don’t have any duties or responsibilities, but you still get paid.

Example: “Rather than being a sinecure, this job has me doing something every minute of the day!”

Today's vocabulary building word – Elucidate




 “elucidate” means “to make clear” or “to shed light on.” A synonym of elucidate is “explain.” If you’re a teacher, this is something you’ll be doing quite often.

Example: “His clear explanation helped elucidate the details of the complicated instructions.”

Hiatus – Take a break with today's vocabulary word




Welcome to another day of vocabulary building!

A hiatus is a pause or break in something that is otherwise ongoing. For example, a newspaper editor might write a column each week for publication, but when the editor is away on holiday, the column goes on hiatus – that is, there is a gap in the regularly-scheduled publishing. You could say that both the editor and the column are on vacation. “Hiatus” is both singular and plural, though it’s also correct to say “hiatuses.” However, since the term is most frequently used when talking about one instance in time, you generally won’t be faced with the problem of which form to use.

Example: “The offices are closed while the department is on hiatus.”

Today’s Vocabulary Building Word: Tenure




Tenure” is another word that is often associated with the world of education. This noun has the same roots as the French “tenir,” or “to hold,” and means “holding or possession of a job, status, or position.” Tenure can refer to a specific period of time – for example, “He accomplished a great deal during his tenure as chairman.” In academics, tenure is used to denote an indefinite period of time: a teacher who “gets tenure” has their position guaranteed from then on.

Example: “The organization’s membership list doubled in size during her tenure as president.”

Today's Vocabulary Building Word: Tenure




Tenure” is another word that is often associated with the world of education. This noun has the same roots as the French “tenir,” or “to hold,” and means “holding or possession of a job, status, or position.” Tenure can refer to a specific period of time – for example, “He accomplished a great deal during his tenure as chairman.” In academics, tenure is used to denote an indefinite period of time: a teacher who “gets tenure” has their position guaranteed from then on.

Example: “The organization’s membership list doubled in size during her tenure as president.”

Proven Ways to Increase Your Vocabulary (Part 1 of 6)




In a series of 6 posts (including this one) I am going to cover some strategies you can use to increase your vocabulary quickly and easily. This information is based on extensive research we have done here at Vocab1. Where appropriate, I will include references to academic articles. However, for the sake of brevity, I won’t list the references at the end of each post. Rather, I will create one big post at the end which will have links to all the academic articles and research I have covered. So stay tuned!

Vocabulary is the knowledge of word meanings (Shanahan, 2005). Vocabulary awareness is important for many tasks, such as reading comprehension and general understanding in everyday life. The lack of vocabulary knowledge can cause us to overlook so much and create unnecessary obstacles. A well-developed and rich vocabulary can:

  1. Help us communicate and express ideas in a more clear and accurate manner;
  2. Make us stand out from our peers;
  3. Promote esteem and a positive reputation;
  4. Assists reading which becomes effortless and more enjoyable;
  5. Develops our ability to analyze as vocabulary is linked to problem-solving;
  6. Helps us communicate successfully in social environments; and,
  7. Streamlines our communication as we possess the precise words needed to convey the message (Ediger, 1999).

Rich vocabularies also help us gain entry into the workplace. That is, poor vocabulary is cited as one of the top ten reasons interviewees do not win the job (TSU, 2009). 

It is understandable that improving our vocabulary can be a daunting prospect. The English language has a vast collection of words. It has three times the number of words as the German language and six times that of the French (Bromley, 2007). Another difficulty is that our spoken vocabulary is often very different to our written vocabulary. Although we can enrich and develop our vocabulary via verbal communication, our spoken words are often less varied in their range.

The following series of posts I offer a number of ways to efficiently and effectively build your vocabulary. The process of vocabulary development does not have to be difficult and is certainly attainable. This series will present five straightforward methods for achieving your vocabulary development goals:

  • Method 1 explains how vocabulary can be improved by reading. It also discusses the fact that not only does reading improve vocabulary, but a rich vocabulary increases reading comprehension.
  • Method 2 demonstrates the importance of context for improving our vocabulary. It is essential that the learner realizes how important context is and the clues that it offers in understanding vocabulary meanings.
  • Method 3 discusses the importance of hearing and speaking in developing vocabulary. Hearing words in quality environments can help to improve vocabulary. Listening in these settings can broaden and enrich our vocabulary knowledge. It also provides a platform to intake, analyze, and produce vocabulary.
  • Method 4 explains the benefits of e-learning for vocabulary development. E-learning provides a fun and efficient strategy for increasing word knowledge.
  • Method 5 proposes that active learning is essential for vocabulary improvement. Our capacity to learn is increased, much more than in passive learning.

And finally, don’t forget, if you want all this “done for you automatically”, our Vocab1 Software makes use of all these methods (and more) to help you build your vocabulary quickly and easily.

References: Please see our reference page for the complete list

Today’s Vocabulary Building Word: Curriculum Vitae




Today’s vocabulary building word is actually a Latin phrase: “curriculum vitae,” meaning literally “the course of life.” Like a resume, your curriculum vitae, or “CV,” gives the details of your work and professional history, but also includes your academic background, personal achievements, and any awards and recognitions you have received.

The term “curriculum vitae” and “resume” are often used interchangeably, but you might be more likely to hear “curriculum vitae” in an academic setting, such as a college or university.

Example:

“To help you get the best job, be sure to list your professional certifications on your curriculum vitae.”

Today's Vocabulary Building Word: Curriculum Vitae




Today’s vocabulary building word is actually a Latin phrase: “curriculum vitae,” meaning literally “the course of life.” Like a resume, your curriculum vitae, or “CV,” gives the details of your work and professional history, but also includes your academic background, personal achievements, and any awards and recognitions you have received.

The term “curriculum vitae” and “resume” are often used interchangeably, but you might be more likely to hear “curriculum vitae” in an academic setting, such as a college or university.

Example:

“To help you get the best job, be sure to list your professional certifications on your curriculum vitae.”