Do you need to have a great vocabulary?

If you want to be a great communicator, do you need to have a great vocabulary?

You might be surprised to learn that a really big vocabulary is not necessary in order to express yourself clearly and to move others with your words.

Some of the most dramatic messages that have ever been uttered in the English language actually used very simple words to stir the blood, or touch the heart.

Look at any well-known passage in the Bible. Chances are that the passage does not rely on sophisticated words to create its power.

Think of Lincoln's Gettysberg Address. Although President Lincoln spoke in a style that is very different from the way we usually speak today, his words still have the power to move us deeply with their clarity and their deep emotion. During the darkest days of World War II, Winston Churchill's rousing speeches to the British people used very simple, common, powerful words to successfully ignite the courage and determination of his people.

So if it's possible to communicate effectively without using a lot of very big words, why should we bother to try to expand our vocabulary? The reason is that learning new words expands our understanding and improves our "mental muscles". Every new word we learn entices our mind to stretch into new areas.

When we have a larger bank of words to draw on, we improve our ability to think and express ourselves. Our thinking will become more fluid and supple, and we will understand more of the world around us and within us, when we have a larger vocabulary. In the modern world the ability to use words effectively is often highly rewarded.

The English language has an enormous number of words, perhaps more than half a million of them. Most people however, use a vocabulary of just a few thousand common words on a daily basis. It is possible to get by in the English language with a limited number of words, but you expand your options as you expand your vocabulary. When you understand very few words, you are limited in your ability to learn new information.

If you want to increase your vocabulary, there are many approaches you can use. One good way is to read books or articles that are slightly more difficult than what you are accustomed to. When you come across a word you don't know, see if you can figure out its meaning from the context. Look at the way the word is made up, with its letters and syllables. Does it remind you of any words you already know? What parts of it are familiar?

Many words in the English language are made up of common roots they share with other words. You may be able to deduce the meaning of the new word from the way the syllables are put together and the way it is used. You should consult a dictionary to be sure.

If you come across a word you don't understand during the course of a lecture or a conversation, you can ask someone to explain the meaning of the word. Many people are reluctant to do this because they are afraid of exposing their ignorance by asking.

It is occasionally true that other people may choose to look down on you if you confess that you don't understand a certain word. On the other hand, they may be happy to teach you something new. If you decide you don't want to ask anyone else for the meaning of words you don't know, be sure to make a note of those new words and look them up later. Should you try to learn new words directly from a dictionary? It depends on your learning style and your preference. Some people will become bored very quickly while reading a dictionary, while others will find it fascinating.

All dictionaries are not alike, and you may find a certain version far more useful than the rest. Good dictionaries will do more than just give a definition of a word. Some will show you an example of the word used in a sentence. Often they will show you alternate spellings, and give the plural forms of nouns and the past tense of verbs. Most dictionaries will show you correct pronunciation. Some will tell you the historical derivation of the word. Many English words have their roots in ancient Anglo-Saxon, French, or German.

Language is always evolving and new words are being created every day. New words can come from technology, from scientific discoveries, from other languages, from pop culture, and from the streets.

When learning new vocabulary, you can better integrate it into your brain if you actively involve yourself in the learning process.

When you encounter a new word, write out a definition of it in your own words, and write one or more sentences using the new word in context. Visualize the word in its printed form. Say the word out loud, and spell it out loud. Say a sentence out loud that uses the new word. Make up an image in your mind that will help you remember the word. If you make the image funny or bizarre, you will probably remember it better.

To improve your use of language and your ability to think, practice summarizing the theme of an entire article or book using just one or two paragraphs. After you have read an article or book, try writing out two different versions summarizing your ideas. Do one version using very simple, everyday words. Make it as clear and simple as you possibly can while still maintaining accuracy. Do another version that uses very complex sentences and advanced vocabulary, like you imagine a university professor might write.

This will give your brain a good work-out and increase your verbal and mental flexibility.

If you are committed to expanding your vocabulary, how many new words should you try to learn in a day? It's up to you. Just two new words a day will add up to more than 7000 words in ten years. Ten words a day would add 36,000 words in ten years.

Once you have learned a lot of new words, should you work them into your conversation every chance you get? The kind of vocabulary you use should always be appropriate to the context in which you are writing or speaking. For example, if you are speaking to a group of high school dropouts you may want to use different words than if you are speaking to a group of scientists.

Don't use an impressive vocabulary merely as a means of showing off, always using big words when small ones would do. People can often intuitively feel when you are using fancy words merely for effect, and not because you need them to communicate.

But if your new vocabulary really has become a part of you and has a useful place in your writing and conversation, by all means, go ahead and use it!

International Politics in the world

International politics in the World, these days is totally revolving around the international strategic planning of Super Powers. What they have designed the international road map of future, their policies either economical or political, are carried out with their mutual consents and understandings. They are not reluctant in using military power or economical santions against any country standing aginst them. International relations are based on what benefits one country can get from other despite that country's incorrect stance on a global issue.

STANDING OPPOSITE TO REALITY?

Today there are various disputes and controversies found in the World, which are not only dangerous to global peace but also dividing the World Community in various blocks. How two nations deal with each other to resolve disputes largely depends upon the specific circumstances prevailing in their region but there are some “global issues” which involve United Nations and World Super Powers against single country hence dragging other “weak” or “dependent” nations to formulate their foreign policies to “fit” the demands and desires of those super powers to corner that victim country. The demands or desires of super powers are usually nothing but the mistrust or fear or confliction of interest or historic brawl or any other future fear from that particular victim nation. How the reality is derived from one dispute or issue is not universal constant but the reflection of super power’s interests. Reality goes that way where absolute power exists. That’s why one oppressed country’s stance (truth) is not listened and recognized by the other nations, as balance of power is not there. We can count number of disputes and controversies around us where “Reality” is the name of the military supremacy or economical viability.
Who will determine the “Reality” within Iran vs. US led Western Block conflict? Will Iran drop atom bomb on Israel or whether Iranian missiles can hit the Europe are only assumptions today but from US led Western powers to curb Iran from nuclear technology is very meaningful as Iran has denied for preparing atom bomb and clearly announced its policy against the any sort of preparations for making atom bomb but despite that, for West, “Reality” is only what they are claiming. Atom bombs are used only when war is on. Iran alone is not in a position to start war in Middle East against Israel or any other country. The only left-power in region is Israel with bad past record. Is it not in the knowledge of USA and European countries that Israel has a secret plan to start war in Middle East to complete US old agenda of forming “New Middle East” and as a precautionary measure Iran is pressed hard to stop Uranium Enrichments? It’s a well-known reality that Israel has the intentions to expand its borders up to Iraq, Jordan and Hijaz (Saudi Arabia) and it is possible only when there is an anarchy in the region and Israel involves in war with neighbor countries. Every country knows that Israel is an un-declared nuclear power and has nuclear warheads in its arsenal.
Apparently USA supports a Palestinian State but its over all ME policies are full of contradictions. It fully supports Israel with economical and military aids and assures its safety and solidarity but on the other hand strictly opposes the any sort of aids for Palestinians particularly in Gaza, which is besieged by Israel since several months. USA does not take notice and talk about nukes of Israel but opposes Iran with full force. USA teaches the lesson of democracy to whole World but opposes Iran’s elected governments and supports Arab monarchies.
India had already signed an agreement with USA for Civil Nuclear Cooperation and recently inked the same sort of agreement with Canada whereas agreements with Russia, France and Japan are under process. Under the blessings of USA, India is enjoying all the nuclear supports and cooperation with Western countries despite the fact that India has not yet signed NPT. India and Canada or USA are independent countries – they can enter into any sort of agreements but the agreements concerning nuclear issues are not ordinary agreements and should be processed under IAEA and should be available to all other countries following the precautionary requisites set by the IAEA. No country asks the clarification either from Canada or India but when the matter comes to other countries, do India or any other country has a right to ask clarification over the nuclear treaty between two proven nuke capable countries?
Nuclear Technology and International Politics are now two sides of the same coin of Super Powers. On Nuclear Technology, Super Powers want to keep their monopoly and do not want to give the right to any other nation for gaining expertise on nuclear technology. All of their efforts are based on the name of non-proliferation of atomic weapons but practically their efforts are biased and do not reflect what they say to the World as Super Powers are only interested in selling arms as a major source of income.