Lesson 3 - Weeblyjirodrig.weebly.com/uploads/3/9/4/0/3940361/ch_03... · 2018. 9. 5. · Exercise IV. Synonyms and Antonyms Classify each of the following pairs of words or phrases

Lesson 3 21. alienate- 30. anecdote

21. al-ien-ate verb al'-y;;>-nat or a'-l e-;;>-nat [alienare, alienatus (Latin), "estrange," from alius (Latin), "other")

Definition: To cause hostility or indifference where love, friendliness, or interest formerly existed.

During the years before the Russian Revolution, the increasingly rigid and oppressive policies of the czarist government alienated many of those who formerly supported it.

Related Forms: (noun) a lienation: (noun and adjective) alien: (adjectives) alienable. inalienable

Usage Note: Alienation denotes a state of estrangement, disaffection , or isolation. In psychology, the word is used in a special sense to indicate a state of estrangement between a person and the outside world or between the differen t parts of the personality.

Synonyms: (verbs) estrange, disaffect, antagonize

Antonyms: (verbs) befriend; captivate

Related Phrases: sever (or break ofO relations with: the generation gap; catch someone's fancy, ingratiate oneself with

22. al-lege verb ;;>-lej' [ad (Latin), "to; toward" + Iegare (Latin). "depute. grant, bequeath")

Definition: To claim that something is true but without offering any proof. The men now being held in police custody are alleged to h ave robbed eight supermarkets in the past year. As an excu se for refusing to lend me the money, she alleged that she had financial troubles of her own.

Related Forms: (noun) allegation: (adjective) alleged

Usage Note: The u se of the word aLlege often implies that there is some doubt abou t the truth of a statement-for example, in the second sentence above. At other times, the word aLlege is u sed because the speaker wishes to dis-claim all responsibility for the truth of whatever follows-for example, in the phrases "an alleged miracle" or "the alleged visitor from Mars."

Synonyms: (verbs) claim, contend: declare, assert, affirm. avow, assever-ate, aver

51

23. al-lude verb d-lood' or al-yood' (ad (Latin). "to· + ludere (Latin). "play"]

Definition: To refer to indirectly. During the course of the evening. he alluded to the fact that he had attended Harvard.

Related Forms: (noun) allusion; (adjective) allusive

Usage Note: Take care not to confuse the following words:

allude (refer indirectly to) and elude (evade. escape) allusion (an indirect reference) and iLlusion (a false perception or

impression) allusive (containing allusions; suggestive) and iLLusory (tending to

deceive) or elusive (difficult to fmd or grasp)

Synonyms: (verbs) hint at, suggest, insinuate, intimate

24. am-bi-ence noun am'-be-dns (ambi (Latin). "around" + iens (Latin), "going," from ire (Latin). "go"]

Definition: The surrounding or pervading atmosphere; the tone and spirit of an environment.

In the 1920s, the literary and artistic ambience of the Latin Quarter in Paris attracted many young American writers. such as Ernest Hem-ingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Related Form: (adjective) ambient

Synonyms: (nouns) surroundings, milieu, setting; character, flavor

25. am-biv-a-lent adjective am-biv'-d-H~nt (Ambivale112, a German word coined-by Sigmund Freud from ambi (Latin). "both"+ valens. valentis (Latin), "worth")

Definition: Wavering or uncertain because of an inability to make a choice between two contradictory feelings or viewpoints in regard to a person, a thing, or a course of action.

My parents have ambivalent feelings about the college I have chosen. On the on e hand , they are favorably impressed by its academic stan-dards; on the other, they are unhappy about its great distance from ou r home.

Related Form: (noun) ambivalence

Phrases: ambivalent emotions, an ambivalent position

Synonyms: (adjectives) contradictory, opposing. conflicting, equ ivocal: vacillating

Antonyms: (adjectives) definite, firm, unwavering, steady; clear-cut. unequivocal

52

26. am-nes-ty noun am'-n;;>s-te Ia (Greek). "not"+ mnasthai (Greek). "remember")

Definition: An official pardon granted to offenders against the govern-ment. especially for political offenses.

A new government. seeking to restore normal conditions after a bit-ter civil war. may grant an amnesty to all who had been guilty of political offenses.

Synonyms: (nouns) forgiveness, immunity (Word 226). remission (of pun-ishment), absolution (of sin)

27. a-nach-ro-nism noun ;;>-nak'-r;;>-niz-;;>m lana (Greek). "backwards" + chronos (Greek). "time")

Definition: The misplacing of an obj ect or event in a period to which it cannot possibly belong: anything out of its proper time frame.

Cassius's reference to mechanical clocks in Shakespeare's Julius Caeser is a n anachronism because such devices were unknown in Roman times. Someone who lives too much in the past is bound to be considered something of an anachronism by her or his contemporaries.

Related Forms: (adjective) anachronistic

Synonyms: (nouns) incongruity. inconsistency. contradiction: throwback

28. an-ar-chy noun an'-;;>r-ke lanarchia (Greek). "anarchy." from an (Greek). "without" + archos (Greek). "ruler")

Definition: Absence of governmental authority: general political and social disorder.

During the famous Year of the Four Emperors (A.D. 69), the Roman Empire was thrown into a state of almost total anarchy. A s loppy clerk can easily reduce a filing system to complete anarchy In no time at all.

Related Forms: (nouns) anarchism. anarchist

Usage Note: Anarchism is a political doctrine that advocates the abolition of all forms of government as being oppressive and undesira ble. The word is also used in an extended sense to indicate active resistance to the state, including terrorism and guerrilla warfare. An anarchist is a person who favors the ideas of anarchism or engages in activities aimed at the vio-lent overthrow of an existing government.

Synonyms: (nouns) disorder. chaos. lawlessness. pandemonium (Word 290). turmoil

53

29. a-nath-e-ma noun ;:)-nath '-;:)-m;:) [anathema (Late Latin). ·a curse: from anathema (Greek). "a votive offering"(

Definition: a. A curse or strong denunciation.

Many an Old Testament prophet did not hesitate to hurl stinging anathemas at the wayward children of Israel.

b . The person or thing cursed; more generally, any object of intense dislike.

Red meat is usually anathema to a vegetarian.

Usage Note: When anathema occurs without modification after the verb to be (as in the second example above). it functions more as an adjective than as a noun. For that reason, it may properly be replaced by such adjectives as repugnant or abhorrent ra ther than by the corresponding nouns (repugnance, abhorrence). Thus, the second example above could also read:

Red meat is usually repugnant/ abhorrent to a vegetarian. One of the few nouns that can replace anathema in this s ituation is

abomination (with the indefinite article). Red meat is usually an abomination to a vegetarian.

Related Forms: (verb) anathematize; (noun) anathematization

Synonyms: (nouns) malediction, execration, imprecation; abomination

Antonyms: (nouns) blessing, benediction, eulogy, encomium; (verbs) bless, glorify, praise, extol, cherish

30. an-ec-dote noun an'-ik-dot [anekdota (Greek), "unpublis hed things." from an (Greek), "n ot" + ek (Greek). "out" + dotos (Greek), ·given"(

Definition: A brief account of some in teresting or amusing inciden t, espe-cially one containing biographical or historical details.

The Oxford Boolc of Royal Anecdotes contains amusing true-life s to-ries about the men and women who have worn the English crown.

Related Forms: (adjective) anecdotal: (nouns) anecdotist, anecdotage

Usage Note: Anecdotal means "containing anecdotes." An anecdotist is a person who tells anecdotes, especially as a hobby or profession. Anecdotage, a blend of anecdote and dotage, indicates the kind of old age that is accompa-nied by a tendency to ramble on endlessly about the past.

Synonyms: (nouns) tale, s tory, vignette. sketch , narrative, reminiscence, memoir; episode; storyteller, raconteur

54

An Amusing Anecdote

Louis Arms trong (1 901- 1971), known familiarly as "Satchmo," was one of this na tion's great jazz mus icians . As a bandleader and s olois t, he did much to popularize jazz across America dur-ing his long career. He als o s ta rred in several films and was noted for his sense of humor.

Many amus ing anecdotes are told about this colorful figure. Once, for ins tance. he was asked if he objected to his fellow performers imitating his exuberantly extroverted musical style. "No.·· he replied. ··A lot of cats copy the Mona Lisa. bu t people still s tand in line to see the oliginal!"

Using the Words Louis Armstrong

Exercise I. Syllabication and Pronunciation Syllabicate the following words correctly, and place the major stress mark [ ' ) after the syllable that is accented when the word is pronounced .

Example: a l-lege'

1. amnesty 3. ambience 5. anarchy 2. allude 4. aliena te 6. anecdote

Exercise II. Words Out of Context In each of the following groups, select the item tha t bes t ex-presses the meaning of the numbered word a t the left.

1. ambience a . formula b . concern c . a tmosphere d . schedule

2 . ambivalent a . discourteous b. imaginary c . wealthy d. conflicting

3 . ana thema a. a throwback b . an abomination c. a champion d. an illusion

4. anarchy a. chaos b . poverty c. fear d . danger

5. a mnesty a . assemblage b. gap c . mannerism d. pardon

55

Exercise Ill. Completing Sentences Complete each of the following sentences by selecting the most ap-propriate word from the group of words given below. Make what-ever adjustments are necessary to fit the words into the sentences properly.

allege

anecdote

anachronism

allude

alienate

anarchy

1. During a speech a politician may repeatedly lo "pressing economic problems" without actually specifying what he or she has in mind.

2. A modern-dress production of one of Shakespeare's tragedies may be full of the most absurd but still be quite convincing.

3. The people now being held in police custody are-,---------,--to have committed a series of spectacular bank heists over the past year.

4. The English writer Fanny Burney's diaries and journals are full of the most interesting stories and involving people who were prominent in her lifetime.

5. A supervisor who treats the members of his or her staff with contempt or indifference will soon each and every one of them.

Exercise IV. Synonyms and Antonyms Classify each of the following pairs of words or phrases as S for synonyms or A for antonyms.

1. alienate-antagonize 2. milieu-ambience 3. anathema-blessing 4. anecdote-yarn 5. claim-allege

6. unequivocal-ambiguous 7. allude to-hint at 8. order-anarchy 9. anachronism- throwback

1 0. immunity-amnesty

Exercise V. Framing Sentences A. Use each of the following words in an original sentence that clearly illustrates its meaning.

1. alienate 2. allude

3. amnesty 4. ambivalent

B. Give an adjective form of each of the following words, and u se it in an original sentence that clearly illustrates its meaning.

5. anecdote 7. anachronism 6. anarchy 8. allege

56

Exercise VI. Word Roundup Explain the difference in meaning between the words in each of the following groups .

1. allude-refer 3. allusive-elusive 2. allusion-illusion 4. elusive-illusory

Dissecting the Words

Prefixes

1. The Lalin prefix ad, meaning "to. toward," a ppears in countless English words. Sometimes it is disguised when it precedes a root b egin-ning with a consonant. In su ch cases. the d in ad is often dropped . and the following consonant doubles. For example, affiuent. meaning "prosper-ous ." studied in Lesson 2. comes from ad and the Latin verb jluere, mean-ing "flow." When lhe two parts are joined, the d of ad is replaced by an f (because jluere begins with an .fl. Similarly, ad and knowLedge merge to become acknowledge; ad and grandize become aggrandize. meaning "to increase in power or rank."

Thus. ad may appear in a n Englis h word as ac-, af -, ag- , al- , an·, ap-, ar-, as-, or at -. This merging, or fusion, of consonants is technically called assimilation.

2. The Greek preftx a, an , meaning "not." "withou t:· or "opposed to." is found in two words studied in this lesson: anarchy and anecdote. (Note that the preftx lakes the form an before a root beginning with a vowel and usually before h.) Other words derived from this preftx include:

anonymous (from an. "without" + onuma, "name")- of unknown author-s hip

atypicaL-not typical

amorphous (from a. "without"+ morphe "form")-shapeless. formless

asymmetricaL- not symmetrical

amoraL-without moral quality (that is. neither moral nor immoral) ; lack-ing a sense of morals

Roots

1. The Greek root arch (the ch is pronounced as a lc) has a variety of meanings. One of them is "government" or "ruler." It a ppears in anarchy. studied in this lesson . Otl1er English words con taining arch with the same meaning include:

monw·chy (from monos, "sole" + archos, "ruler")-a government In which one person is the sole and absolu te ruler

oligarchy (from oligos, "few" + arche, "rule")-a government which is entirely in the h ands of a small group of people or fa mllles

patriarch (from pater, "father"+ archos, "ruler")-a father who is the head of a family or lribe

57

As a preftx, arch (here the ch is pronounced tch) means "principal" or "of the highest rank." English words in which this meaning of arch appears include:

archbishop-bishop of the highest rank

archenemy-chief enemy

archduke-a nobleman whose ceremonial or social status is the same as that of a reigning monarch

arctiftend- chief fiend (a name for the devil)

Be careful not to confuse the Greek preftx/root arch with the English word arch, which means "sly" or "mischievous" (as in "an arch smile").

2. The Latin root voc, voke, meaning "call," forms the basis of the word advocate (Word 13). Other words containing this root include:

vocation-a profession, trade , or calling

avocation-a hobby (that is, something that a person pursues for pleasure in addition to his or her regular job)

revoke (literally "to call back")-to withdraw. Noun form: revocation

convoke (literally "to call together")-to assemble. Noun form: convocation

invoke-to call upon (" invoke God's blessing") or ask for ( "invoke aid"). Noun form: invocation

provoke-to stir up or cause. Noun form: provocation; adjective form: pro· vocative. An agent provocateur is a person who deliberately stirs up trouble or dissension.

vociferous-loud-voiced

evoke-to call forth or elicit

58

A sample of Old English. A page from the only surviving manuscript of the great Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, which was probably written in the 8th century. (The manuscript, however, only dates from around A.D. 1000.) Beowulf, which blends both Christian and pagan elements, gives a remark-able picture of the life and customs of the early Germanic peoples.

Exercise

1 . How does the preftx ad change when added to a root beginning with a consonant? What is the technical name for this phenome-non? Give six words studied in Lessons 1-3 that illustrate it.

2. Complete the following activities relating to arch.

a. What is an archdiocese? What church official resides in an archdiocese? Give the adjective form of archdiocese.

b. What is a patriarch? Name the three patriarchs mentioned in the Bible.

c . What does the word arch mean in such phrases as an arch smile? What does the preftx arch mean in such phrases as an archenemy?

d. Add arch to each of the following, and explain how the ad-dition adds stature or dimension to the original word: angel, dulce, duchess, priest, deacon.

e. Match the word in Column A with its meaning in Column B.

Co lumn A

1. monarchy 2. hierarchy 3. oligarchy

Column B

a . government by the few b. rule by a single sovereign c . a ruling body arranged into

series of grades

3. In place of the blank space in each of the following sentences, supply a word or phrase that clearly shows that you know the meaning of the Latin root voc, voice.

a . To deliver the invocation at the beginning of your school's graduation exercises is to upon God for divine favor.

b . If something you have done has provoked an argument with your kid brother, it has _ ___ _

c . If your bus pass has been revoked, it has been _ _ __ _

d . If a statement by the president of the United States has evoked a lot of comment, it has ____ _

e. If you attended a vocational school, you would expect the school to prepare you for your in life.

4. For each of the following defmitions, supply a word beginning with the Greek prefiX a, an.

a . shapeless or formless b. the condition of a countzy without an effective government c. of unknown authorship d . lacking a sense of morals e. a short narrative, often containing biographical details

59

5. Occasionally ad appears in a Latin phrase that English h as borrowed without change. A few such phrases are listed below. Define each.

a. ad libit um (or ad lib, for short) d. ad nauseam b . ad hoc e . ad infinitum c. ad hominem f. ad valorem

Enriching the Lesson

Exercise I. Parlez-Vous Fran9ais? The word milieu , mentioned in this lesson, is taken wholly and without change from French. English h as many other s u ch words and phrases. A few of them are listed in Column A below. With or without the aid of a dictionary, match each of these expressions with its m eaning in Column B.

1. 2. 3. 4.

ColumnA

carte blanche fait accompli savoir-faire chef d'oeuvre

Column B

a. appetizers b. an object of strong dislike c. a meeting or meeting place d . a small specialty shop

5. bete noir e e. full power to act as one sees fi t 6. faux pas f. knowing the right or proper thing to do 7. hors d'oeuvres g . something that cannot be reversed 8. boutique h. a blind alley or dead end 9. rendezvous i. a social blunder

10. cul-de-sac j. a masterpiece

Exercise II. Stating the Case

1. Lesson 3 contains two words, allege and allude, that indicate particular ways of giving information in speech or writing. A number of other such terms are listed below. With or without the help of a dictionary, defme each in such a way as to bring out its distinctive meaning.

a. intimate (verb) e. assert b . expatiate f. declaim c. avow g . enunciate d. insinuate h. asseverate

i. avouch j. k. I.

aver cite imply

2. What is the distinction between a soliLoquy and a colloquy? What is a colloquium? a monologist? dialogue?

3. Each of the following colloquial expressions has to do with talking or keeping silent. Defme each .

a. rap d. talk back g . badmouth b . chew the fat e. spiel h. talk big c . clam up f. gab i. blurt out

60

Exercise Ill. Telling a Story

1. What is a fable? How does it differ from an anecdote? an alle-gory? Give the names of two authors who are famous for writing fables. In a short paragraph, retell a fable by one of these au-thors. Why do you think these stories are called fables?

2. Define the following: tall story, memoir, yarn, parable. How does each differ from the other? Recount a yarn you have heard; a parable from the Bible; a tall story.

3. What is a quip? retort? bon mot? Define each of these words, and, if possible, supply an anecdotal illustration of the defmi-tion.

4. The noted American painter James McNeill Whistler is as fa-mous for his witty retorts as for his artistic achievement. The following anecdote shows Whistler in top form:

At a dinner attended by Oscar Wilde and Whistler, Whistler is said to have remarked: "People will forgive anything but beauty and talent. So I am doubly unpardonable." Everybody roared at this observation except Wilde. Wilde, a noted wit in his own right, looked rather chagrined at Whistler 's "score" and muttered, "I wish I'd said that. " To this, Whistler retorted, "You will, Oscar-you will!"

Now recount an anecdote by Benjamin Franklin; a witticism by James Thurber; an example of repartee by Dorothy Parker; an anecdote about Will Rogers. To do this, you will probably have to consult biographies and other books dealing with these witty writers.

5. What does the Latin word fabuLa mean? How does tl1e Latin word contribute to the meanin g of the English word fabulous? Explain whatfabulous means in the following phrases: a man of fabulous wealth, fabulous exploits, a fabulous party.

Exercise IV. Expanding Your Word Power The words listed below are not on the Basic Word List, but they were mentioned in passing in Lesson 3. All of them would make usefu l additions to your working vocabu lary. Defme each. give its etymology, lis t two synonyms and two antonyms (where possible), and use in a short sentence that clearly illustrates its meaning.

1. alien 5. chaos 9. episode 2. estrange 6. encomium 10. extol 3. vacillate 7. affirm 4. contend 8. vignette

61