10 ways to build your vocabulary
TRANSCRIPT
1010 Ways to Ways to BuildBuild your your VocabularyVocabulary
by by M.TayyabM.TayyabBS-IT (3BS-IT (3rdrd Semester) Semester)
““While While without grammarwithout grammar little can little can be conveyed, be conveyed, without without vocabularyvocabulary, nothing can be , nothing can be conveyed.’’conveyed.’’
David Wilkins, British David Wilkins, British linguistlinguist
Important QuestionsImportant Questions How can you build your vocabulary How can you build your vocabulary
in a foreign or new language?in a foreign or new language?
What resources do you need?What resources do you need?
What’s the best way to memorize it? What’s the best way to memorize it?
We have few Suggestions..!We have few Suggestions..!
11- - Use Language-Learning Use Language-Learning softwaresoftware
Language-learning software can Language-learning software can
be a be a very effective vocabulary very effective vocabulary builder, builder, especially for beginnersespecially for beginners
2-2- Study Cognates & False Cognates Study Cognates & False Cognates
““Cognates are the words with the Cognates are the words with the same origin as another word or same origin as another word or Language.’’Language.’’
They sound the same (or very similar) in both They sound the same (or very similar) in both languages.languages.
Example: ‘Haus’ in German is Cognate with Example: ‘Haus’ in German is Cognate with ‘house’ in English.‘house’ in English.
Information:Information: ’German’ and ‘Dutch’ are Cognate languages.’German’ and ‘Dutch’ are Cognate languages.(Dutch is Netherlands’s National language.)(Dutch is Netherlands’s National language.)
Take time to memorize the Take time to memorize the CognatesCognates in the language you’re in the language you’re learning.learning.
You should also memorize “You should also memorize “False False CognatesCognates, or words that sound the , or words that sound the same but actually have very different same but actually have very different meanings.”meanings.”
Example: Example: ‘Flour’ and ‘Flower’‘Flour’ and ‘Flower’
33- Study Synonyms- Study Synonyms ““Synonyms are the words that has Synonyms are the words that has
the same or nearly the same as the same or nearly the same as another in the same language.”another in the same language.”
Example: Example: ’Big’ and ‘Large’ are synonyms.’Big’ and ‘Large’ are synonyms.
SynonymsSynonymsIf you know the word for “funny,” you should If you know the word for “funny,” you should
be all set, right?be all set, right?
But what if someone tells you: That was…But what if someone tells you: That was… HilariousHilarious AmusingAmusing EntertainingEntertaining SillySilly Hysterical?Hysterical?
4- 4- Study Prefixes & Study Prefixes & SuffixesSuffixes
You can add You can add PrefixesPrefixes and and SuffixesSuffixes to create new words. This is called to create new words. This is called word word derivationderivation. .
Each prefix and suffix you learn opens Each prefix and suffix you learn opens the door to hundreds of new words in the door to hundreds of new words in your Vocabulary.your Vocabulary.
PrefixesPrefixes Add a prefix to create new words.Add a prefix to create new words. Prefixes change the meaning of words.Prefixes change the meaning of words.
Examples:Examples: Happy Happy UnUnhappy happy Agree Agree DisDisagree agree Byte Byte MegaMegabytebyte
SuffixesSuffixesSuffixes change the “part of speech” and the Suffixes change the “part of speech” and the
meaning.meaning.
Examples:Examples: Happy (adjective) HappiHappy (adjective) Happinessness
(noun) (noun) Agree (verb) AgreeAgree (verb) Agreementment
(noun)(noun) Easy (adjective) EasiEasy (adjective) Easilyly (adverb) (adverb) Health (noun) HealthHealth (noun) Healthyy
(adjective) (adjective)
5- Read, Read, & Read Some 5- Read, Read, & Read Some MoreMore
The more you read, the more The more you read, the more vocabulary you’ll be exposed to. Read vocabulary you’ll be exposed to. Read actively, not passively, to absorb as actively, not passively, to absorb as many new words as possible.many new words as possible.
Don’t rush..!Don’t rush..!
Highlight unfamiliar words and look Highlight unfamiliar words and look them up in a dictionary.them up in a dictionary.
Read a variety of materials, from Read a variety of materials, from short stories and novels to short stories and novels to newspapers and blogs, to acquire newspapers and blogs, to acquire vocabulary at varying levels of vocabulary at varying levels of difficulty and a wide range of topics.difficulty and a wide range of topics.
6-Keep a Journal in the Target 6-Keep a Journal in the Target LanguageLanguage
Keeping a journal in your target Keeping a journal in your target language is the perfect way to find words language is the perfect way to find words you didn’t even know that you didn’t you didn’t even know that you didn’t know.know.
Take a few minutes to write about your Take a few minutes to write about your day. Want to mention something you did day. Want to mention something you did or experienced, but don’t know how? or experienced, but don’t know how? That’s probably a word you’ll want to That’s probably a word you’ll want to know in the future, so look it up! know in the future, so look it up!
Highlight the new words in each Highlight the new words in each entry. At the end of the week, flip entry. At the end of the week, flip through your old entries and review through your old entries and review these new words to keep them fresh these new words to keep them fresh in your memory.in your memory.
7-Investigate Word Origins7-Investigate Word Origins If you struggle less with finding new If you struggle less with finding new
vocabulary and more with just vocabulary and more with just remembering it, try your hand at a remembering it, try your hand at a little little etymology!etymology!
““Etymology Etymology means the study of the means the study of the origin and history of words and their origin and history of words and their meanings.meanings.””
It may help to associate a new vocabulary It may help to associate a new vocabulary word with its origins.word with its origins.
For example, the English word For example, the English word “hippopotamus”“hippopotamus” is derived from the is derived from the Greek words Greek words “ippos”“ippos” (horse) and (horse) and “potamas”“potamas” (river). (river).
Associating Associating “hippopotamus”“hippopotamus” with with “river “river horse”horse” gives you a strong visual, and may gives you a strong visual, and may help you recall the word more easily.help you recall the word more easily.
8-Follow Native Speakers on 8-Follow Native Speakers on TwitterTwitter
Follow politicians, athletes, Follow politicians, athletes, musicians, actors, or everyday native musicians, actors, or everyday native speakers of your target language and speakers of your target language and see what they’re saying.see what they’re saying.
Watching and interacting with native Watching and interacting with native speakers on an informal platform like speakers on an informal platform like Twitter will increase your vocabulary.Twitter will increase your vocabulary.
9-Learn a “Word of the Day”9-Learn a “Word of the Day” Use a word-a-day calendar or online Use a word-a-day calendar or online
Word of the Day service to learn one Word of the Day service to learn one new word each day!new word each day!
Make a note book or diary and write Make a note book or diary and write down a new word and its meanings down a new word and its meanings everyday.everyday.
1010-Listen to Music-Listen to Music Listening to music gives you something Listening to music gives you something
memorable to associate with a new word.memorable to associate with a new word.(Have you ever noticed your brain’s seemingly endless (Have you ever noticed your brain’s seemingly endless
capacity for song lyrics? Think of how many songs you have capacity for song lyrics? Think of how many songs you have memorized in there!)memorized in there!)
Pick one song at a time, and look up all of Pick one song at a time, and look up all of the unfamiliar vocabulary in the lyrics. the unfamiliar vocabulary in the lyrics. With enough listens, those new words and With enough listens, those new words and phrases will be engrained in your mind, phrases will be engrained in your mind, just like your favorite songs in your native just like your favorite songs in your native language.language.
