Brittany Dawson, the CampusRiot Campus Representative for the University of South Carolina, is a junior studying English at the University of South Carolina.
I have an announcement: books are incredible.
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Wait, better yet, words in general are amazing. As an English major, it is my duty to save the world from grammatical errors, misspelled words, and fallacious arguments.
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Honestly, I know what you’re thinking: Umm, eww! Words are for geeks and dweebs. I’m sorry to disappoint you, I really am, but in actuality vocabulary words are more important than you think.
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Consider this: you are applying for an internship and submit a cover letter that says:
Hello,
My name is Susie and I’d love to be an intern. I am a hard worker and I persevere through tough times.
Now, this sentence isn’t terrible, however, with the addition of a few enhanced vocabulary words, the sentence POPS! Let’s give this another go, shall we?
Hello,
My name is Susie and I am interested in the Blah Blah Blah internship position. As my resume illustrates, I am emblematic of hard work and perseverance. I am confident that I will make a great addition to your team.
See? Words are life changing and powerful! Go ahead, cry it out. I’ll wait.
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If you’re looking for ways to spruce up your vocabulary, check out these 21 vocabulary words!
1. Candid (adj.)
Definition: Blunt
2. Idyllic (adj.)
Definition: Peaceful, romanticized, unrealistic, and not practical
3.Elucidate (verb)
Definition: To clarify
4. Salubrious (adj.)
Definition: Healthy, beneficial
5. Multifaceted (adj.)
Definition: Multiple features or components
6. Mores (noun)
Definition: A set of customs, beliefs, and practices
7. Dogma (noun)
Definition: A principle believed to be true—especially in reference to religion
8. Deity (noun)
Definition: A god or goddess
9. Comestible (noun)
Definition: A food item, (ex. A lunchbox full of comestibles)
10. Fallacious (adj.)
Definition: False, untrue, erroneous
11. Ostensible (adj.)
Definition: Something that appears to be true but in essence, is not entirely true
12. Irrefutable (adj.)
Definition: Not able to be disapproved or refuted
13. Indubitable (adj.)
Definition: Unequivocal, unquestionable
14. Propagate (verb)
Definition: To bring forth or assert, to spread
15. Enrapture (verb)
Definition: Overpowering happiness, joy
16. Austere (adj.)
Definition: Stern, reserved
17. Belie (verb)
Definition: To contradict
18. Marginalize (verb)
Definition: To alienate, disenfranchise
19. Posit (verb)
Definition: To assert or assume as fact
20. Unequivocal (adj.)
Definition: Clear, straightforward
21. Equivocal (adj.)
Definition: Vague, unclear
What is your favorite vocabulary word?
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