English writingDiction 1What?dictionthe choice and use of words in writing or speech 2Why?The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is as great as that between lightning and the lightning bug. “用词准确与用词几乎准确，这两者之间用词准确与用词几乎准确，这两者之间的差异就如闪电与萤火虫之间的差异。的差异就如闪电与萤火虫之间的差异。” - Mark Twain3Importance of dictionGood English means proper words in proper places. 1). Upon my first colleges class, I seated myself at the rear of the huge lecture hall and attempted to avoid being observed. However, a skinny girl who occupied the seat immediately in front of mine twisted around and grinned. She proceeded to engage me in a whispering conversation numerous times during the hour. I made a decision to change my location.4comparison2). When I went to my first college class, I sat in the back of the big room and tried not to be seen. But a slender girl sitting just in front of me turned and smiled. She spoke softly with me several times and smiled. She spoke softly with me several times during the hour. I decided to change my seat.51.Stylistic color of words(词词的语体色彩）的语体色彩）three types: formal common colloquial6Formal wordsThere is nothing new in the recognition, within a given language, of a distinction between common usuage and uses of the language for more restricted purposes and often enough, perhaps characteristically, more elevated purposes. The monolithic (单单一的；统一的一的；统一的) nature of English is not questioned when literary essayists like Emerson contrast peotry and common speech. The latter is recognized in America to be the proper subject for the investigation of linguists who, however, now show some incipient (起初的起初的) inclination to investigate poetry, too, and other noncasual (无关联的无关联的) utterances (话语话语)iin a given language.7Common wordsWhen I was a kid, and reading every science fiction book in the local library, I used to wonder exactly how the future would happen. By that I dont mean what the future would be like science fiction already told me that but rather how wed actually get there. Science fiction books seemed to agree, for example, that in the future there would be no money all transactions would be made via identity cards and centralized computers. But that seemed dubious to me: how, I wondered, are you going to get everybody to give up money in the first place?8Colloquial WordsYou have your tension. Sometimes you come close to having an accident, that upsets you. You just escape maybe by a hair or so. Sometimes maybe you get a disgruntled passenger on there, and starts a big argument. Traffic. You have someone who cuts you off or stops in front of the bus. Theres a lot of tension behind that. You got to watch all the time. Youre watching the drivers, youre watching other cars. Most of the time you have to drive for the other drivers, to avoid hitting them. So you take the tension home with you.92.The Meaning of Wordsconceptual meaning (本义)associative meaning(引申义). 例如： woman-female adult human being man- male adult human beingwoman-being frail,being prone to tears or being gentle. man- strong mentally or physically10specific vs generalconcrete vs abstractdynamic vs static3.Semantic Types of Words113.1 General words vs Special wordsProfessionals-scientists, doctors, teachers, lawyers, journalistsa good man-kind, honest, just, generous, sympathetic, warm-hearted, selfless, honorable good food-tasty, delicious, nourishing, rich, wholesome, fresh, appetizing, abundantLaugh-smile, grin, beam, giggle, titter, snigger, chuckle, guffaw, chortle123.2 Concrect words vs Abstract words Concrete words-rose、chairAbstract words -democracy”, “politics”, “culture”, “spirit”举例举例 (1) Man is rapidly destroying the Earth. (2) “Whats the smell?”I asked the man beside me in the bus.133.3 Dynamic words vs Static Words1) I am hungry. vs My stomach clamours for food. (2) There are two important points in his speech. vs His speech embraces two important points.144 Emotional Types of Words appreciative wordsderogatory words15“Proper words in proper place make the true definition of style.”合适的词用在合适的地方就是好文合适的词用在合适的地方就是好文章。章。 Jonathan16 Thank You !17