Building a Better Vocabulary

Scope:

I

n one of the most insightful statements on vocabulary ever penned, Mark
Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right
word is really a large matter—’tis the difference between the lightning
bug and the lightning.” As Mark Twain knew, a powerful vocabulary consists
of more than simply knowing a lot of words; it’s the ability to grasp the “just
right” word to communicate precisely what you want to say or write.

Acquiring the type of deep and nuanced vocabulary knowledge that Twain
was talking about doesn’t come from simply studying lists of vocabulary
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time” approach that many of us experienced in school often leads to surface-
level vocabulary knowledge that lasts only until the Friday quiz.

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toolbox that you can apply as we explore new target words throughout the
course. You will use these tools to learn word meanings deeply so that you’ll
remember and be able to use the words years from now.

As we move through the lectures, we’ll meet and explore a host of vocabulary
words that are, by turns, snappy, lively, powerful, and beautiful, such as
JDGÀ\, Promethean, JHPnjWOLFKNHLW, and hornswoggle. The lectures are
organized thematically; for example, in a lecture on liars and swindlers, we’ll
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and sophists, honoring the way our minds organize vocabulary by meaning.
We’ll also take the time to examine words in rich context to get a better feel
for how to actually use them in speaking and writing. In addition, you’ll
learn to make personal connections to word meanings so that these words
“stick” in your lexicon—the mental library of word meanings we all possess.
Along the way, we’ll see that there’s no such thing as an exact synonym