Word of the Week

Late last week, I asked my FB friends to nominate cliche phrases that they'd like to see disappear. They offered up several useless, trite sayings such as: "just saying," "my bad," "it is what it is" and others. Lake Superior State University (in the UP) creates a list of words or phrases to be banished in the coming new year.

Vocabulary and word choice are two issues I address quite clearly with my students when we are reading. Why did the author use that word and not this one? Additionally, I try to challenge my students to step up their vocabulary and I never speak down to them. If I use a big fancy word, I write it down for them and give them a brief definition. I'm always a bit pleased with how many will write that word down some place and some will even take it out for a test drive in a discussion or a piece of writing.

I think I would be remiss if I passed up this teachable moment and not offer up some more precise and eloquent replacement words. I'll make this list alphabetical and I ask you to use the word (or a variation of it) in the comments.

This week's word is - admonish (verb) 1. to warn or express displeasure in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner or 2. to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement.

* All definitions are taken from an old-fashioned dictionary that sits on my book shelf: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition, 1997