Lecture2DictionPart1Varieties of English1.1Variation in English1.2Style&Register(P14)Formal spokenAddress at Gettysburg,1863Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation,conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.Now we are engaged in a great civil war,testing whether that nation,or any nation so conceived and so dedicated,can long endure…....It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion;that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;that this nation,under God,shall have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people,by the people,for the people,shall not perish from the earth.1.3Spoken&written(1a—6b,P14)Spoken:More informal,More personal,Less concise,Less organizedActive voice,Simple connectors,wordyWritten:More formal,More impersonal,More precise,Economical in the use of words,Passive voice,Complex connectors,conciseMore example:(a)Cleared,the site would be very valuable.(b)If it were cleared,the site would be very valuable.(written)1.4Formal&InformalWord choice(a)The concert concluded with a performance of Beethoven’s5th symphony.(formal)(b)They ended the concert with Beethoven’s5th symphony.Grammar use(a)Bill speaks French more fluently than I.(formal)(b)Bill speaks French more fluently than me.1.5General EnglishA middle course between formal and informal levelsUsually the best choice for college or business writingFormal general informalAutomobile car wheelsVisage face mugOdious offensive grossAttire clothes threadsSpectacles glasses specsIn your dictionary,you may find special usage labels for words or particular definitions of words that differ from the general English vocabulary.Word usage label meaning1.Unalienable archaic,obsolete inalienable2.Nowheres nonstandard,colloquial nowhere3.Copper slang police officer1.6Ex:ConsistencyAppropriate diction requires a consistent style.Writers should not mix formal and informal language.For example(Ex.1,P20):1.Please let me express my gratitude for having been a guest at your house last Saturday night.I had bags of fun that evening.(mixed)…………………I enjoyed the evening enormously.dies and gentlemen,it’s awfully nice to see you here.(mixed)Ladies and gentlemen,it’s so nice to see you here.3.Do you take this chap to be your lawfully wedded husband?(mixed)Do you take this young man to be your lawfully wedded husband?Part2Meanings of Words2.1Denotation&ConnotationDenotation:Dictionary meaning;Literal meaning that most readers would agree on Connotation:Overtones or implied meaningsWINTER“Winter”denotes“the coldest season of the year,regarded in the North Temperate Zone as including the months of December,January,&February.”ughter drives winter from the mind.(sadness)2.She gave a wintry greeting to her colleagues.(cold)“Winter”also connotes many feelings or ideas as“bitter,cold,icy,barren,chill, white,dead trees,snow,&dormant(stop growing but alive)”at the same time.2.2Words can be labeled commendatory,neutral or derogatory.1.Slender--thin--skinny2.Plump--fat--obese3.Fragrance--smell--odor--stench2.3The words we choose show our attitude.The skinny woman slinked in.The slender girl glided in.Both sentences describe the same event but show different attitudes.So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to__glide____.2.4Pay attention to both the literal and suggestive meaning;otherwise our words may clash.E.g.The speaker manipulated the members of the audience by presenting the evidence to refute their arguments.Revised:The speaker convinced the members of the audience by presenting the evidence to refute their arguments.Or:The speaker manipulated the members of the audience by presenting only the evidence that would disprove their arguments.Part3Figurative LanguageWriters use figurative language to draw a comparison between two things that are essentially different but alike in some underlying and surprising way.In this way,they add vigor to their prose.The two chief figures of speech are simile and metaphor.3.1Similes use“like”or“as”1.For a diligent student,failing to pass the final exam is like a sudden death.2.A person who gains knowledge but fails to put it into practice is like someone who ploughs a field but does not sow it.Explain the similes1.Words are like bees:they have both honey and a sting.Words may both hurt and please people.3.2Metaphors imply a comparison without using“like”or“as”1.Karen was a Fourth of July firecracker,exploding out of the house after doing her chores.2.A child’s mind is a bank—whatever you put in,you get back in ten years with interest.Explain the metaphors1.Family life in my parents’home was based upon a cosmic order:Papa was the sun; Mamma,the moon;we kids,minor satellites.In my family,Papa was the most important;Mama,the second most important,and we kids the least important.2.Dress is language.Our dress tells other people much about our personality.Figurative headlines in the sports section of local papersRaiders Pillage JetsTigers Claw BearsLakers Drown TrojansCowboys Whip TigersJets Blast DolphinsThunder Wither MayflowerPart4Using Appropriate Words4.1general&specificGood writers help their readers follow the meaning by balancing general words—those that refer to groups or classes of things—with specific words—those that refer to individual things.Specific words are often concrete words;they name things we can see,hear,touch, taste,or smell.For example:Doctor---physician,surgeon,dentistBad---evil,wicked,notorious,harmful,unfavorableWalk---creep,tiptoe,limp4.2Make the abstract specific!Happiness is a cancelled8:00class on a cold,rainy morning.Panic is realizing that next Wednesday’s test is this Wednesday.4.3Principles of word preferencee a vivid verb1.The boy walked into the classroom.The boy staggered into the classroom.2.I don’t care for noodles and choose not to eat them.I hate noodles and refuse to eat them.4.3.2.To communicate,not to impressJohn displayed an element of delight over the acquisition of a stereo system of unquestionable quality.Revised:John was thrilled to buy a high-quality stereo system.4.3.3.To show,not to tellMatthew put up a good fight against the bully.Revised:Matthew blooded the bully’s face and knocked him down twice before getting knocked out.4.4Common wording problems4.4.1Using the wrong word1.I have been very alone(lonely)today.2.There is an alive(live)snake on the road.4.4.2Failure to choose the best word1.I did(made)a mistake during the exam.4.4.3Using the wrong form1.He was sending(sent)to school when he was six.2.Mrs.Jones helps me how to revise a sentence.Mrs.Jones helps me to revise a sentence.4.4.4Using words that do not go togetherAccuse with(of)Accustom with(to)Adhere in(to)Angry at a person(with)Apologize about(for)Bored of(with)Comply to(with)4.4.5Redundancy1.The reason why we honor Lincoln in these various ways is because he saved the Union.We honor Lincoln because he saved the Union.2.There are four strangers pounding on the door.Four strangers are pounding on the door.课后练习及答案（P20-23)1.The following sentences are not consistent in style.Improve them.1)Please let me express my gratitude for having been a guest at your house last Saturdaynight.I had bags of fun that evening.2)Ladies and gentlemen,it’s awfully nice to see you here.3)Do you take this chap to be your lawfully wedded husband?4)He was in deep sorrow because his father had kicked the bucket.5)The old guy is impoverished.2.Change the colloquial expressions into more formal ones.1)The police are looking into the matter.2)She had realized her own difficult things.3)We must use the available natural resources.4)Guys in the South of Chinese speak in a different way from people in the North.5)We want to report them to the police.6)The police asked me if I have a gun.7)Tom’s unhappy married life ended in divorce.8)They have found many spelling errors.9)The buying power of the dollar has declined.10)She’s never on time for appointments.3.Write the letter of the word pair with the same relationship as the word pair in capital letters.1)Cause:effectA)drought:famine B)plumber:wrench C)baker:bread D)oak:tree2)Metal:copperA)zinc:tin B)court:lawyer C)shellfish:oyster D)ruler:measure3)Beetle:InsectA)snow:precipitation B)rodent:squirrel C)fish:bowl D)cup:saucer4)Prophet:futureA)genius:math B)strategy:coach C)architect:drawing D)historian:past5)Interview:hireA)talk:discussion B)run:marathon C)meeting:decide D)game:compete6)Flour:breadA)debt:payment B)farmer:land C)shoe:sole D)cloth:flag7)Racket:tennisA)calculator:accountant B)bow:archeryC)fencing:sword D)uniform:soldier8)Flower:tulipA)deer:buffalo B)plumber:wrench C)automobile:sedan D)oak:tree9)Result:outcomeA)real:genuine B)sword:shield C)wood:desk D)team:victory10)Writer:bookA)salesman:cashier B)preacher:churchC)ship:sailor D)composer:symphony4.Pick the word choice whose connotation is more appropriate.1)The snow(buried,blanketed)the mountains,inviting more tourists.2)So neat were the dinner guests that only a few(foul,unclean)napkins were left.3)As soon as danger threatened,the sentry(abandoned,left)his post.4)Our freshmen English teacher would(flatter,praise)us only when we had clearly madeprogress.5)The defendant was judged not responsible for the crime since he was temporarily(insane,crazy).e more specific and concrete words for the italicized1)I think Professor Smith is a bad teacher.2)Our college provided the students with some fine programs.3)It was a cold morning.4)I like my English teacher because she has a nice character.5)After a day’s hard work,I walked towards my apartment.6.Give out the specific words.1)see:2)get:3)trees:4)flowers:5)money:Key to exercises in Chapter21.The following sentences are not consistent in style.Improve them.1)had bags of fun that evening→enjoyed the evening enormously2)awfully→so4)kick the bucket→died5)guy→man3)chap→youngman2.Change the colloquial expressions into more formal ones.1)look into→investigate2)thing→situation3)use→utilize4)guys→people5)want→intend6)have→possess7)end→terminate 8)many→numerous9)buy→purchase10)on time→punctual3.Write the letter of the word pair with the same relationship as the word pair in capital letters.1)A2)C3)A4)D5)C6)D7)B8)C9)A10)D4.Pick the word choice whose connotation is more appropriate1)blanketed2)unclean3)abandoned4)praise5)insane。
