Writing in English-02

Lecture2DictionDictionmeans“choiceoruseofwordsinspeechorwriting.”(TheAmericanHeritageDictionaryoftheEnglishlanguage,©2000)Choosingtherightwordstoexpressideasisatroublesometaskforallwritersandspeakers.Partoftheproblemstemsfromthevastarrayofavailablewords.TheEnglishlanguageincludesoverahalf-millionwords,andthousandsofnewonesareaddedeveryyear.Byreadingwidely,beingcuriousaboutwords,andcarefullychoosingthewordsthatweuse,wecancommunicateourideaspreciselyandeffectively.Whataretherightwords?Theyaretheonesthatkeepthereader’sinterests;thewrongwordsdistractandconfuse.Therightwordsareexact,fresh,vivid,andappropriatetothesituationandaudience.Thewrongwordsarevague,inaccurate,stale,insincere,andinappropriate.2.1GeneralorSpecific?•Generalreferstoavarietyofdifferentthingsorgroupsofthings,persons,orevents,andspecificreferstopreciseorindividualthings,persons,orevents.2.1.1GeneralTermsorSpecificTermsanimalcat,dogdessertspie,cakepersonsGeorgeWashington,BillWhiteagoodmankind,honest,generous,sympathetic,warm-hearted,honorable,brave,justgoodfoodstasty,rich,delicious,nourishing,wholesome,fresh,appetizingbookTheGodfather;PrideandPrejudiceSummary:1)Generaltermsareconcernedwithclassesorgroupsofthings;specifictermsrefertoparticularthings.2)Generaltermsevokehazypictures,andspecifictermscauseclearpicturestoforminyourmind.3)Botharenecessarytoclearcommunication.EXERCISE3:Makealistofmorespecificwordsforeachofthefollowinggeneralterms.Useyourdictionaryorthesaurusifnecessary.1.walk(v.):2.see(v.):3.say(v.):4.laugh(v.):5.angry:6.famous:7.poor:8.flower:9.vegetable:10.fruit:11.wind:12.rain:2.1.2GeneralStatementsorSpecificStatementsThepersonateabigmeal.Itisthebestteam.RobertatesixpancakesandaboxofWheatiesforbreakfast.Myteam’soffenseaverage42pointsagamewhilethedefenseholdsitsopponentstoanaverageofsevenpointsagame.•Summary:1)Generalstatementsaremadeupofgeneraltermswhilespecifictermsaremadeupofspecificterms.2)Theformermaybeusedforavarietyofsituations,whilethelattermaybeusedforonlyoneparticularsituation.EXERCISE4:Muchweakwritingiscausedbytheoveruseofvagueandgeneralwords.Rewritethefollowingsentences,addingspecificdetailsandsubstitutingexactwordsforanythataretoovague.1.Hehasabighouse.2.ItisoftenwindyanddustyinBeijing.3.Universitystudentsdomanyinterestingthingsafterclasses.4.Iwastedalotoftimeyesterday.2.1.3PlanesofGenerality1.clothes2.pants3.bluejeans1.Itisthebestteam.2.Itsoffenseaveragesthemostpointspergame.3.Theoffenseaverages42pointspergame.•Summary:1)Generalandspecificarerelativeterms.2)Planesofgeneralityisdefinedasanarrangementoftermsorconceptsthatbeginswiththemostgeneraltermsandprogressestothemostspecificone.EXERCISE5:Arrangethefollowingwordsaccordingtotheirplanesofgenerality.1.novel,literature,DavidCopperfield2.lily,plant,flower3.thief,pickpocket,criminal4.milk,dairyproduct,food5.vacationspot,DisneyWorld,amusementpark6.person,European,Spaniard7.legislator,politician,senator8.poultry,livestock,ducks9.genius,ability,talent10.surprise,amaze,astonish11.irritate,annoy,exasperate2.2AppreciativeorPejorative?Wordsthathaveemotivevaluesmayfallintotwocategories:appreciativeorpejorative.Wordsofpositiveovertonesareusedtoshowappreciationortheattitudeofapproval;thoseofnegativeconnotationsimplydisapproval,contemptorcriticism.EXERCISE6:Choosetherightwordineachsentence,payingattentiontoitsaffectivemeaning.1.Blacks/Niggershold11percentofthepopulationoftheUnitedStates.2.Tom’sfatherwasadetermined/pigheadedman.3.Thoughshehasgrownup,herbehaviorisoftenchildlike/childish.4.Thishomely/uglyoldmanisawell-knownmusician.5.Herclothes,thoughmadeofcheap/inexpensivematerial,arequiteelegant.6.Myunclebecamefat/stoutashegrewolder.7.Thisservilemanwasespeciallymodest/humblewhenhewastalkingwithhissuperiors.8.EmpressDowagerCixiwasfamous/notoriousforhercruelty.9.Isthatold/elderlywomansittingonthebenchyourmother?2.3AvoidingClichésClichés,alsoreferredtoastriteorhackneyedexpressions,arecatchphrasesthathavelosttheirvitalityfromoveruse.Somearedulllitaniesofdubiouswisdomthatsubstituteforfresher,morepreciseexpressions,butallareexcusesfororiginalitythatpreventusfromexpandingourvocabularyandrefiningourthinking.AccordingtoDorineS.Houston,“ManyChinesestudentsfilltheiressayswithsomanyclichésandshopwornquotes.”Herearesometypicalexamples:–WalkingintheNanjingRoadyouwillfindcrowdsofpeople,justlikefloodsflowinghereandthere.–Achildshouldbevigorousandexuberant;achildshouldbefilledwithheartysmiles;achildshouldbeliketherisingsun,lightandyoung.–Collegeiscolorful.Itislikeapinkrosewithsweetsmell.–Timeflieslikeanarrow.Ineverrealizethatthegraduationdayisapproaching.SomeAwkwardClichés:•abreastofthetimes•afterallissaidanddone•allworkandnoplay•appleofone’seye•atalossforwords•atthecrackofdawn•Betterlatethannever.•thebitterend•asblindasabat•Bloodisthickerthanwater.•inbroaddaylight•burnthemidnightoil•asbusyasabee•byleapsandbounds•callaspadeaspade•clearascrystal•asclearasnightandday•ascoolasacucumber•doomedtofailure•facethemusic•firstandforemost•flyoffthehandle•asgentleasalamb•gettheupperhand•greenwithenvy•ashappyasalark•