Quotes: Vocabulary

(a pleasure that comes with an abundance of words)


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vocabularian (s) (noun), vocabularians (pl)
Someone who gives much or a great deal of attention to words.
vocabulary (s) (noun), vocabularies (pl)
1. A collection or list of terms with brief explanations of their meanings: A vocabulary is a complete word stock of a language; an extensive body of verbal elements used when speaking, reading, or writing as a group, a class, or by individuals.
2. The range, or extent, of statements associated with a subject or area of activity, or used by a particular person, class, profession, etc.: One's vocabulary is considered to be a scope of expressions and an extensive range of linguistic communications.

A good way to improve one's vocabulary is to learn more about their roots or sources of where they come from.

3. The sum, or aggregate, of elements composing a language, or languages: Vocabularies consist of lists of words; usually, defined and alphabetized, as in dictionaries, specialized glossaries, etc.; all of which are used to make it possible for people to communicate better with each other.

4. Etymology: a stock of words from 1532, in the writing of Sir Tomas More; perhaps borrowed by influence of Middle French vocabulaire, which came from Medieval Latin vocabularium, "a list of words"; from Latin vocabulum, "a word, a name"; from vocare, "to name, to call".
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Quotations

Many people get unlimited mileage out of a limited vocabulary.
—Graffiti

News release: Two trucks loaded with thousands of copies of Roget's Thesaurus collided as they left a New York publishing house, according to the Associated Press.

Witnesses were aghast, amazed, astonished, astounded, bemused, benumbed, bewildered, confounded, confused, dazed, dazzled, disconcerted, disoriented, dumbstruck, electrified, flabbergasted, horrified, immobilized, incredulous, nonplussed, overwhelmed, paralyzed, perplexed, scared, shocked, startled, stunned, stupefied, surprised, taken aback, traumatized, upset.

—Anonymous


Words are things, and a small drop of ink falling like dew upon a thought produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

—Lord Byron


The Latin portion of our [English] vocabulary is still constantly receiving additions.

—Henry Bradley


Words play an enormous part in our lives and are therefore deserving of the closest study.

—Aldous Huxley


Many studies have established the fact that there is a high correlation between vocabulary and intelligence and that the ability to increase one's vocabulary throughout life is a sure reflection of intellectual progress.

—Bergen Evans

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