NUANCES in WORD MEANINGS NUANCE is a subtle

NUANCES in WORD MEANINGS

NUANCE • …is a subtle (or small, but maybe complicated) difference in a meaning. • …comes from the French word for “shade” – as in shades of meaning.

EXAMPLE: “Sweetie, come here. ” “Alexa Jane Harris, get over here!” • The words in each sentence mean the same basic thing. Sweetie = Alexa Jane Harris come here = get over here BUT, they have different significance and intention

NUANCE • Communicate more easily • Use words with best meanings • Emphasize features of what you’re describing INTENTION A person’s purpose, objective or plan • For example: – “Not good” is not much different from “bad” – “Bad” is roughly the same as “terrible” – “Terrible is close in meaning to disastrous”

NUANCE • Big difference when someone asks, “How was your day? ” “Not good. ” “Disastrous. ”

EXAMPLE: • The Count of Monte Cristo • Written by Alexandre Dumas – Same person who wrote Three Musketeers • Author describes Danglars – Enemy of the hero, Edmond Dantes

EXAMPLE: He was a man of twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, of unprepossessing countenance, obsequious to his superiors, insolent to his inferiors; and then, besides his position as responsible agent on board, which is always obnoxious to the sailors, he was as much disliked by the crew as Edmond Dantès was beloved by them.

EXAMPLE: Obsequious Insolent Unprepossessing He was a Dictionary: man of twenty-five twenty-six years “Excessively obedient to those in “Showing aorlack ofappealing respect” “Not particularly or of power” attractive to the eye” age, of unprepossessing countenance, obsequious to his Synonymns: Arrogant, breezy, discourteous, superiors, Synonymns: insolent to Respectful, hisinsulting inferiors; servile, and then, besides his obedient, rude, impolite, Unattractive, awful, disfigured, fawning, grotesqueslavish position as responsible agent on board, which is always obnoxious to the sailors, he was as much disliked by the crew as Edmond Dantès was beloved by them.

EXAMPLE: He was a man of twenty-five or twenty-six years of awful respectful to his age, of unprepossessing countenance, obsequious breezy to his inferiors; and then, besides his superiors, insolent position as responsible agent on board, which is always obnoxious to the sailors, he was as much disliked by the crew as Edmond Dantès was beloved by them.

NUANCE • Changing the words in the paragraph: – In the first, Danglars sounds like a villain – In the second, he’s not nearly as bad Using the wording in the first, we know exactly why the sailors don’t like Danglars Awful, respectful, breezy Unprepossessing, obsequious, insolent

INTERACTIVE Nuances and Shade of Meaning

Instructions Six contestants on a reality TV show were stunned to find their lowest scoring colleague was “injured. ” You must figure out the crime before the end of the day. The question is Whodunnit? And how… The Player, Last Known Whereabouts and Method that are left unaccounted for -- is the solution. (#1) In this document, you will find 10 Clues that you must crack. (#2) Each correct answer will rule out either a Player and a Last Known Whereabouts OR a Method. When you get this clue, you need to mark it off on the “Who is the Criminal? ” page (Slide 3). (#3) After you collect all 10 clues. There will only be one possibility remaining. This reveals the crime. Write a sentence that includes the “criminal”, location of the crime, and the method used to cause the injury on the “What Happened? ” page (Slide 14).

Who is the “Criminal”? (The three boxes left unchecked will reveal the crime. If you cannot figure it out, you may be next. ) The Players the last know X The Last Known Whereabouts X The Method the method Mr. Phonics Atrium Chemical Poisoning Mrs. Spell Gym Cougar Attack Miss Vocab Kitchen Electrocution Dr. Grammar Library Fallen Object Coach Lit Movie Theater Stubbed Toe Professor Essay Pool Venomous Bite X

CLUE #1 Which of the following is the strongest? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. drenched The injury was not caused by chemical poisoning. wet Miss Vocab was practicing Chinese in the library. soaked The victim was not attacked by a cougar. damp Mr. Phonics was coaching in the gym.

CLUE #2 Which of the following is the weakest? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. yummy The victim’s toe was not stubbed. good Professor Essay was cleaning the seats in the movie theater. tasty The injury was not caused by chemical poisoning. delicious Dr. Grammar was cooking in the kitchen.

CLUE #3 Which word does NOT belong in the list? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. gigantic smelly big massive The victim was not attacked by a cougar. Mrs. Spell was building a bookshelf in the atrium. Miss Vocab was waiting in the pool. The injury was not an assault by chemical poisoning.

CLUE #4 Which word is stronger than the word panicky? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. afraid The victim did not stub a toe. scared The victim did not have a venomous bite. terrified frightened Miss Vocab was making photocopies in the library. Professor Essay was doing dishes in the kitchen.

CLUE #5 Which word is stronger than the word burning? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. warm scalding hot burning Mr. Phonics was folding a handkerchief by the pool. The victim was not attacked by a cougar. Dr. Grammar was typing in the library. The victim did not have a toe injury.

CLUE #6 Which list shows words in order from weakest to strongest? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. whisper, say, declare, scream Mr. Phonics was jumping in the gym. scream, declare, say, whisper The injury was not an assault by chemical poisoning. whisper, say, scream, declare The injury was not a stubbed toe. whisper, declare, scream, say Dr. Grammar was doing laps in the pool.

CLUE #7 Which list shows words in order from strongest to weakest? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. stroll, jog, run, bolt Coach Lit was wading in the pool. bolt, jog , run, stroll The victim was not attacked by a cougar. bolt, run, stroll, jog Mr. Phonics was drinking water in the atrium. bolt, run, jog, stroll There was no venomous bite involved.

CLUE #8 Which of the following is an example of words with differing shades of meaning? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. broke, broken Miss Vocab was running in the atrium. brown, green Professor Essay was sitting in the library. hungry, thirsty The injury was not from electrocution. starving, hungry The victim’s toe was not stubbed.

CLUE #9 Which statement is NOT true? Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. Authors use shades of meaning to create mood. Coach Lit was making a sandwich in the kitchen. Words can have only one synonym. The victim was not electrocuted. Authors use shades of meaning to make writing precise. Dr. Grammar was strolling by the pool. Words with shades of meaning are the same part of speech. The injury was not caused by a fallen object.

CLUE #10 Which option best completes the sentence with the strongest word? Farmer Jenkins was ___ when he saw that the cow was loose in the cornfield. Stretch the Yellow Highlight Box over the answer. angry disappointed furious mad Coach Lit was enjoying the pool. The victim was not crushed by a fallen object. Dr. Grammar was eating in the kitchen. The victim was not electrocuted.

What happened? Write a sentence that includes the “criminal”, the location of the crime, and the type of injury. TEXT