I’m picking up right where I left off last week with the third reason why vocabulary matters.
Deena Seifert says successful communication or saying what you mean is dependent upon a good vocabulary base. Using the right words when talking makes you a more effective communicator.
Reasons No. 4 and 5, respectively: Having a good vocabulary to draw from can help you write more effectively. Students need to use a more formal tone when writing — not conversational, text language — and to do that they need a richer vocabulary to tap into these words we do not use when we speak.
In the next Vaughan’s Vocabulary, I will discuss Seifert’s fifth reason, which has to do with making money. This week’s word quiz was inspired by a recent “Jeopardy” (my favorite show) which featured a whole category highlighted by the letter F, each correct response beginning with that letter. The first five came from “Jeopardy” and the rest came from me.
1. “The front of a building, or any type of deceptive display.”
2. “This type of imprecise logic used by certain computers would net you a fine Scrabble score.”
3. “This 9-letter word referring to an exact copy became the namesake for a machine involving copies.”
4. “It’s commonly used for outdoor paving and was also the original last name of the animated Fred and Wilma.”
5. “When something’s done and cannot be altered, it’s this two-word French term.”
6. Merriam-Webster defines this as “anything high flown or affected in style.” I hope Vaughan’s Vocabulary is not this.
7. A member of a Protestant group who holds to Arminian doctrine and practices open communion.
8. Usually almonds are in this custard and even the name of it sounds delicious.
9. It might be better to say this gerund instead of “lying.”
10. This is the first name of the singer who had a huge Top 40 hit titled “Band of Gold” exactly 50 years ago. Her sister was one of the Supremes.
Façade, fuzzy, facsimile, flagstone, fait accompli, fustian, Freewill Baptist, frangipane, fabricate and Freda
Editor’s Note: Dr. Don Rodney Vaughan is the pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church near Eupora and is on the faculty of East Mississippi Community College, Golden Triangle Campus. Contact him at dvaughan@eastms.edu.
