Building a Better Vocabulary

De: Kevin Flanigan, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Kevin Flanigan

What is the difference between specious and spurious? What does the word bombast have to do with cushion stuffing? Would you want to be called a snollygoster?

The hallmark of a powerful vocabulary is not simply knowing many words; rather, it's knowing the exact word to use in a specific context or situation. A great vocabulary can enhance your speaking, writing, and even thinking skills. This course will boost your vocabulary, whether you want to enhance your personal lexicon, write or speak more articulately in professional settings, or advance your knowledge of the English language. For anyone who has ever grasped for the perfect word at a particular moment, this course provides a research-based and enjoyable method for improving your vocabulary.

Building a Better Vocabulary offers an intriguing look at the nuts and bolts of English, teaches you the etymology and morphology - or the history and structure - of words, and delves into the cognitive science behind committing new words to long-term memory. By the end of the 36 enjoyable lectures, you will have a practical framework for continuing to build your vocabulary by discovering new words and fully mastering the nuances of familiar ones.

If you are an avid reader, you may have previously encountered some of the words in this course. But even the most voracious reader will be surprised and delighted by these eye-opening lectures, which delve into the building blocks of the English language and reveal intriguing new nuances to words you thought you knew well. These lectures will kindle a passion for the process by which words are created and for the beauty of the words you read, speak, and hear every day.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2015 The Great Courses (P)2015 The Teaching Company, LLC

Fun listen

Loved listening to Professor Flanigan!!! His presentation/delivery is very warm and inviting. I hope he performs more audiobooks in the future.

increducatiom.

what an incredible instructor Kevin is. I'd preorder anything this guy put out. I'm sure he would make it both engaging and informative.

Fun and informative, if you like words like I do!

Interesting lecture.Great lecturer. I loved hearing about the history of words, syntax, language. Be sure and access the included PDF!

Gets better after a few chapters

Struggled to listen to the first few chapters so I gave up. Eventually I came back to it, and the middle and end of the course are much more captivating.

i thoroughly enjoyed this one

truly, content this good [the Great Courses series so far] is gonna make me pay for at least a month of Audible, for those Plus freebies...

really good stuff -- anywho, this one is about words -- a professor lecturing a series of subjects related to vocabulary -- i picked up plenty of useful tidbits

most excitedly i bought a few language books to further my interest in this subject

Bravo!

The fun and informative lectures delivered by this erudite instructor fomented my alacrity to listen and learn every morning. You definitely won’t feel hornswoggled if you choose this as your next listen.

Awesome lessons

I loved the stories and theory behind the words. It was informative, interactive, and interesting throughout the course.

A delightful learning experience

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I definitely would recommend this audiobook to a friend. The instructor (narrator) begins by outlining the best way to follow along with the lessons and if you do as he instructs by keeping a vocabulary notebook, you'll be sure to finish with an increase in your lexis. However, the course is so well done that I don't believe it would be necessary for everyone to do so. Just listening while you do some mindless tasks will be sufficient. The instructor provides context for each words usage and meaning in a very engaging and jovial fashion. I really felt connected to the teacher. I found it so interesting that I managed to complete the entire recording in just three days!

What did you like best about this story?

The instructor! He made the lessons so fun I would do several lessons each day..

Which scene was your favorite?

No scenes really, so I couldn't say.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh several times, but not at the absurdity of the lessons. I found myself laughing quite often at the stories the instructor used to help explain each new set of words. Laughing while you learn is always a win!

Any additional comments?

If you are worried that the vocab is going to be very basic, don't. Take the risk and buy the lesson. I consider myself a very well-read person with an above-average vocabulary and still found I didn't know a lot of the words. Several words I believed I understood actually had slightly different meanings, which these lessons clarified for me.

Wonderful way to build your vocabulary.

Any additional comments?

This is a course that I would recommend to all people. Professor Flanigan obviously enjoys the subject and I hope they have him continue to build on this course. A series of this course on more words. All the words. I don't remember everything discussed in this course, but I enjoyed it so much that I will listen to it repeatedly until I feel like I have a good handle on it. I already use several of the words discussed on a more frequent basis. I especially like the way it is taught. Grouping like words together, and their opposites. I also enjoy the history he gives on them, because it helps me remember them more and puts them in better context. If you want to know why you say the words that you do, or want to become more precise or accurate with your lexicon, then this is a big step in the right direction.

Loved every minute of it!

This guy is a terrific lecturer. He loves what he does and he loves language. He makes you love it too! His stories and examples make it so interesting and fun to learn vocabulary. He gives you strategies and skills so that you can become a lifelong learner and teacher of words.