Enhancing Your Vocabulary
In this English Vocabulary article you will learn how to enhance your vocabulary, how reading is a crucial part of enhancing your vocabulary, knowing when to use the right vocabulary, questions that you must ask yourself before you use various words and tips for vocabulary mastery.
Knowing When To Use The Right Vocabulary
As you begin to improve your vocabulary, it is very important for you to learn when and how to use it. Knowing a large word is not enough to showcase your skill. You must also be able to know when and how that word should be used.
If you use the word in the wrong way, it may not make sense, or it could be taken out of context. It is also important for you to know your audience, and be familiar with the type of vocabulary they will be able to identify with. Once you understand this, you will be able to adjust your words to suit the situation. To enhance your selection of words, you should make it your goal to learn a new word each day.
Have you ever heard someone use a fancy word, but you could tell that they didn’t know how to use it? This can be quite humiliating. One thing that I must emphasize to you is that using a fancy word improperly is just as bad as having poor grammar. When you do this, it becomes apparent that you are "trying" to sound intelligent and well informed, and people will be able to see through you like glass.
If you don’t know how to use a word properly, it is best for you not to use it all. You will save yourself a lot of headaches and humiliation. If you use fancy words improperly, some people will correct you, and this can be one of the most embarrassing situations you can find yourself in.
Questions That You Must Ask Yourself Before You Use Various Words
Before you use a specific word, whether it is written or spoken, you will want to take the time to ask yourself a few questions.
- It is necessary for you to use the words?
- Should you focus on using words that are specific to your industry?
- Is this the right audience for me to direct these words?
- How can I enhance my vocabulary even more?
Being able to answer these questions properly will play a role in the success of your vocabulary. Many people fail to improve their vocabulary because they cannot answer these questions.
Sometimes, it is not necessary for you to use certain words. When you use a big word, it should flow naturally. This goes for when you are speaking as well as when you are writing. The people who listen to you can tell when the word doesn’t flow naturally. They can also detect this when they read your writing.
To become a master at using your vocabulary properly, you must know when to use words, and when not to use them. If you are speaking to an audience that is not a part of your industry, you should avoid the use of industry specific words. If you are talking to a group of highly educated people, you should use an elaborate vocabulary.
Tips For Vocabulary Mastery
However, if you are talking to ordinary people, you should use words that are less elaborate. This does not mean that you should talk to them like they are stupid. This will come across as insulting. Rather, you will want to speak to them in a manner that is easy for them to understand. A person who is skilled with their vocabulary can be likened to a chameleon. Just as the chameleon can blend in to its surroundings, a person with a good vocabulary can blend in to their surroundings as well. Becoming like a chameleon is an important part of mastering your vocabulary, and you will want to learn it.
One of the most important things that you must remember is that using fancy words is not enough. It will not show that you have a good vocabulary. If anything, you will look awkward, especially if the words are not used in the right context. If you have a good vocabulary, but you direct it to the wrong audience, you can miss the points that you were trying to convey. If you are a writer, and you write papers or books that are full of industry jargon, you will alienate anyone who is not a part of that industry. While this may be desirable if that is your goal, you will not be successful if you are trying to reach laymen.
Conclusion
Perhaps one of the best examples of an industry where this is important is Science. In the last decade, it has become popular for scientists to publish their discoveries in books that are aimed towards the general public. Instead of just writing technical books that can only be understood by other scientists, they write their books in a manne that can be understood by laymen. Doing this accomplishes two things. First, it creates an awareness of scientific concepts, and it increases the popularity of the author.
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