INTERPRETING MEANING ELC501

OF WORDS
HOW MANY WAYS ARE THERE IN GETTING THE
RIGHT MEANING OF UNFAMILIAR WORDS ?

There are THREE ways that you can use in

helping you to determine the meaning of
words that you are not familiar with.

 Using dictionary
 Component of the unknown words: Latin/ Greek word
parts
 Contextual Clues
 A dictionary is…

a reference book containing words, usually

alphabetically arranged along with information about
their forms, pronunciations, functions, and
meanings.

a reference book listing terms or names important to a

particular subject along with a discussion of their
meanings. A sample sentence is often included.
 CONT.

Dictionaries: guidebooks; They tell how words

are used by people. It s a reference book. It
gives information about words.

Dictionaries have new words like Internet, login,

and website and old-fashion words like “steed”
which means horse. Some dictionaries have
special purpose like a medical or sports
dictionary.

Dictionaries are arranged alphabetically.

 T YPES OF DICTIONARIES

Unabridged:
Not shorten; complete; a large, extensive dictionary that is not based
on a larger edition. The unabridged English dictionaries attempt to
contain all words in the English language.

Abridged:
to abbreviate: to lessen in length; to shorten by using fewer words but
keeping the main contents. An abridged dictionary contains words in
common use.

Kinds of Dictionaries:
Science, geographical, law, sports, biographical, medical, picture
 An up close look at a dictionary entry …

entry
pronunciation

li-brar-y
Part of speech
(lye-brer-ee) noun
1.A place where books, magazines, newspaper, tapes and videos are
kept for reading or borrowing.
We have a great reference section in our library.
noun, plural libraries, noun, librarian

illustration sample sentence/phrase

The numbers show the many definitions a word may have.

DICTIONARY ENTRY
 UNDERSTANDING DICTIONARY ENTRIES

 The word
 The pronunciation
 The part of speech
 The conjugation (the way a verb changes form to show
number, person, tense, etc.)
 The Definition
 Additional possibilities
- The part of speech variations
- The word’s origins
- Multiple Entries
- Level of Formality
- Field of relevance
http://www.oupchina.com.hk/dict/phonetic/home.html
COMPONENT OF THE UNKNOWN WORDS

 Component of the unknown words:

Latin/ Greek word parts

 Root: based words to which other word parts are added

Root What it Means Example

aud hear Audible, audience, auditorium
auto self Automobile, autograph
bio life, living Biology, biography, bionic
 CONT.

 Prefix: words part that are attached at the beginning of a

base or root words
Prefix What it Means Example
un/ dis/ not Unhappy, nonstop, disagreement,
in/ non incorrect
in/ tele Indicate location or spatial Include, inhale, telephone,
relationships television
 Suf fix: word parts that are added at the end of a base word
Suffix What it Means Example
-ance, - Suffixes that indicate nouns. State Reliance (rely), dependence
ence/ of, condition of, or quality of (depend)
dom Freedom (free)
-ful Suffixes that indicate adjectives. It Colourful (colour)
means full of
 TRY THIS…

1. We can’t predict the outcome; there are too

many imponderables.

a. easy to do
b. simple predictions
c. something that is difficult to measure
d. procedures that are awkward
 TRY THIS…

1. We can’t predict the outcome; there are too

many imponderables.

a. easy to do
b. simple predictions
c. something that is difficult to measure
d. procedures that are awkward
2. During the concert, an overzealous fan jump onto
the stage and started plucking the guitar with
Jon Bon Jovi. Soon after that, he fainted.

a. showing great interest toward someone or

something
b. showing hatred
c. showing lethargy
d. showing too much energy or enthusiasm
2. During the concert, an overzealous fan jump onto
the stage and started plucking the guitar with
Jon Bon Jovi. Soon after that, he fainted.

a. showing great interest toward someone or

something
b. showing hatred
c. showing lethargy
d. showing too much energy or enthusiasm
 EXERCISES

 http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/4/11
05/283083.cw/

 http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/4/11
05/283083.cw/

 http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/4/11
05/283083.cw/
 CONTEXTUAL CLUES

 Context Clues are words in the same sentence or

passage that gives you clues to what an unfamiliar
word means.

 The clue may appear within the same sentence as

the word to which it refers, or it may follow in a
preceding sentence.

 These clues will help you understand the meaning of

the unknown word in a story or passage.
 T YPES OF CONTEXT CLUES

 Definition
 Restatement or Synonym
 Contrast or Antonym
 Example
 General sense of the sentence
 Clue from another sentence
 Cause and Effect
 Description or Inference
 1. DEFINITION

 A definition introduced by phrases such as is defined as,

means, is known as, refers to, a term in special print or
colour.
 The definition may be set of f by commas, parentheses, a
colon, dashes, or brackets

EXAMPLE:
Among the most extreme of personality types is the psychopath
or sociopath, an individual who lacks not only self -control, but
also the capacity to experience guilt or a sense of caring,
responsibility, or obligation to others.
 2. RESTATEMENT OR SYNONYM

 The meaning is usually right after the unfamiliar word and

often separated from the rest of the sentence with commas,
dashes, or parentheses; sometimes, or that is, or in other
words is used.

EXAMPLES:

Meat eaters, that is carnivores, are at the top of the food chain.

The goslings-those fuzzy baby geese waddled after their mother.

She enjoyed biology the study of living things .

 3. CONTRAST OR ANTONYM

 The unfamiliar word is shown to be different from or

unlike another word, and is often an opposite; but,
however, although, otherwise, unless, instead, on the
contrary, on the other hand, while, never, no, or not
may be used to signal contrast.

EXAMPLE:

Mike’s parrot was loquacious, but Maria’s said very

little.
 4. EXAMPLE

 The unfamiliar word is cleared up by giving an example ;

for instance, such as, and for example may be used as
signals.

EXAMPLE:

The archaeologist found different amulets, such as rabbit’s

foot and bags or herbs, near the ancient altar.

Opiates (such as alcohol, morphine, codeine, and heroin

and other narcotics) are extremely addictive and require
regular and increasing dosage to avoid withdrawal
symptoms.
 5. GENERAL SENSE OF THE SENTENCE

 Based on your general knowledge and experience,

determine what the word would have to mean to
make sense in that sentence.

EXAMPLE:

When employees in an energy efficient, airtight

building begin having headaches, nausea, and eye,
nose, and throat irritation, investigators suspect sick
building syndrome as the cause.
 6. CLUE FROM ANOTHER SENTENCE

 Information in another sentence that helps explain

the unfamiliar word.

EXAMPLE:

Different parts of the culture change at different

speeds. Half a century ago William Ogburn suggested
that technological changes in a society often occur
faster than social changes. He referred to this
disequilibrium as cultural lag.
 7. CAUSE AND EFFECT

 The meaning of an unfamiliar word is signalled by a

cause-and-effect relationship between ideas in the
text.

EXAMPLE:

Due to a dearth of termites, the aardvark starved to

death.
 9. DESCRIPTION OR INFERENCE

 The meaning of an unfamiliar word can be inferred

from the description of a situation or experience.

EXAMPLE:

The monkey’s vociferous chatter made me wish I had

earplugs.
 EXERCISES

 http://reviewgamezone.com/games4/quiz.php?test_id=1450
&title=Context%20Clues

 context cluesrev8192.pdf

 http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/0,66
58,416421-,00.html

 http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073123587/studen
t_view0/chapter3/context_clues__exercise_1.html

 http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_2/0,66
58,416421-,00.html
END