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  • LAVA Moderator: Shinji Ikari

Best way to expand vocabulary?

I don't suggest ANY reading to be as efficient.

Alot of DENSE reading material such as american scientific, the economist, and such will expand your vocab soooo much. Just read a couple articles every day from the websites....

but I also suppose ANY reading is better than NO reading...

I love reading...I don't really watch tv...don't relaly understand how people don't realize this but i suppose reading is a little "work" and most people are too freaking lazy..
 
Read, read, read.

Read more than one book at a time, and read stuff that might not interest you but will bring you into contact with new words. Read botanical books and make the associations between the Latin names used in binomial nomenclature and those found elsewhere in law, medicine and science - Latin is a deep mine of understanding which will open you up not only to new and old words in English, but to the wider world of Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and other languages. Read a newspaper at least once a week: despite their similarity, websites of newspapers are not newspapers, and will never replace the leisure at which you can read the physical article. Read about the world, not only your own area/town/city/country. Read books you consider 'difficult' and keep a dictionary at hand to unlock the mysteries of words you don't understand. Don't rely on spell check to provide you with synonyms: using a thesaurus expands your vocabulary exponentially. Spell out all your words in full - don't ever succumb to the dumbing-down of language by using textspeak. Language and culture are inextricably intertwined: the more you learn of another culture through reading, the more you will gain insight into that culture. Get a library card, and ask the librarian to suggest books which might help you expand your range of words.

Read, read, read.
 
mmm...I find this whole pursuit a little odd. Do many people actually feel hindered by the (in their opinion) tiny size of their vocabulary, to the point of willingness to put in hours of training? I mean, outside of prep for standardized tests. . .

I'm trying to understand, not belittle, so apologies in advanced.
 
My vocabulary is already quite expansive, and I have ease with describing things through language. But there is ALWAYS room to evolve, to expand and increase awareness.

Only circumstance I feel hindered in the size of my vocabulary is when I am trying to describe an abstract thought or feeling. Though I suppose there lack or ability to be described linguistically is part of what deems them abstract.

Anywhoo, hope that satisfies your inquiry [:
 
ebola? said:
Do many people actually feel hindered by the (in their opinion) tiny size of their vocabulary[?]
Click to expand...



Of course!

Several times during a typical day, I have this "feel" for what I want to say, but I can't find the words to do so. In many ways it's like seeing a colorful picture in your mind, but having only a couple crayons in your hands.

On the other hand, though, I'm not too sure if it's my lack of vocabulary or just my lack of "fluency" in general.
 
read!!!

better if u read quality literature of a genre you take an intrest in.
 
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