| > | | | | "pervicacious pur-vih-KAY-shus, adjective: |
| Although it's painfully obvious that a poor | | | | Refusing tochange one's ideas, behavior, etc.; |
| vocabulary won'tkeep you out of the White | | | | stubborn; obstinate." (I'msure we know many |
| House, people do judge you by thewords you use | | | | people who are pervicacious.) |
| -- making assumptions about your | | | | Sign up at (By the way, bookmark thissite, or do |
| intelligence,education, and capabilities. | | | | what I did and make it your browser's home |
| Having a vast "stable" of words that you are | | | | page. |
| confident inusing allows you to choose just the | | | | It's wonderfully handy to look up a word by |
| right one when you needit. This can help make | | | | typing it in yourkeyboard instead of lugging that |
| your copywriting, client conversations,arguments, | | | | eight-pound Webster off yourbookshelf.) |
| and sales presentations incredibly powerful | | | | 3. Listen and learn. |
| andconcise. And it never hurts to appear smarter | | | | If you want to go on a vocabulary crusade |
| than you are. | | | | whole-hog, order the |
| In grade school, we were given vocabulary | | | | Verbal Advantage audiotape program, that aims |
| lessons and quizzesthat forced us to learn the | | | | to help you |
| meanings of new words. But now, asgrown-ups in | | | | "amass a Harvard Graduate's Vocabulary in just |
| our increasingly "dumbed-down" society, it's | | | | 15 minutes aday." I enjoy listening to these tapes |
| noteasy to keep learning new words without | | | | on long drives and findthat I truly retain what I |
| working at it. Thesix-o'clock news and "People" | | | | hear. The great thing aboutlearning by *listening* |
| magazine won't do much toincrease your word | | | | is that you really learn how to |
| power. | | | | *pronounce* the word. There's also a quick quiz |
| So how can you increase your vocab without | | | | after every 10words learned. |
| spending hoursstudying your dictionary or a book | | | | The narrator also gives examples of usage and |
| on the subject? Here are afew easy ways that | | | | touches oncommon usage errors to help you |
| I've found helpful: | | | | avoid embarrassing mistakes inconversation. One |
| 1. Read more publications. | | | | example: Many people say the word |
| "The New York Times" and even news | | | | "unequivocable," but the word is "unequivocal." |
| magazines such as "Time"and "Newsweek" often | | | | (One lesssyllable!) |
| throw in words that fall above thecountry's | | | | The company offers a two-tape "trial offer" for |
| average 6th grade reading level. (That sounds | | | | less than $30that gives you many useful words |
| mightylow, I know, but that's the target for most | | | | to get started. Check it outat |
| publications aimedat the general public.) Keep a | | | | I think you'll like it! (Can someone please order it |
| small dictionary with you, andwhen you come | | | | for |
| across words you're not familiar with, look | | | | "Dubya"?) |
| themup. Don't be embarrassed about not knowing | | | | Now, all you have to do is remember to use |
| then -- just learnthem! | | | | what you know! |
| 2. Get your "Word of the Day." | | | | Although you shouldn't try *too* hard to pepper |
| offers a daily e-mail that gives youinteresting and | | | | yourconversations with words that will stump |
| useful words, along with their | | | | your colleagues |
| definitions,pronunciations, and three examples of | | | | (think of Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football), |
| their usage. Since it'seasier to learn in small bits, | | | | you'llenjoy being able to pull just the right word |
| this is an ideal way to pick upnew words you can | | | | out of yourproverbial hat when you need it. |
| really use. For example, yesterday's nuggetwas: | | | | |