November 30, 2017     =========

☆  generalize 　一般論を述べる

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If you generalize, you say something that seems to be true in most situations or true for most people, but may not be completely true in all cases. So, for our topic of Praising Each Other this month, if you generalize when you praise (or criticize) someone, it’s not really that useful.

For example, if you want to know how your child is doing in school, and his teacher that generalizes by saying, “Most of the kids in the class are doing well at English.” as you can see, that is not very useful information!

So, if you ask someone for information about how you are doingRead more about Today’s Word: generalize[…]

November 29, 2017     =========

☆  deflect　そらす

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Learning to deflect criticism is an important skill. A lot of the time when people criticize us, they are really talking about themselves – they are noticing their own weak points in our behavior. We are like a mirror to them, and so they criticize us rather than look at their own weak points. If you think someone is doing this to you, try to deflect the criticism away from you so that it is no longer directed toward you or no longer affects you.

A lot of the quotes this month have been about ignoring both criticism and praise. Learning to deflect or brush off commentsRead more about Today’s Word: deflect[…]

November 28, 2017     =========

☆  criticize 　批判する

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If you criticize someone or something, you express your disapproval of them by saying what you think is wrong with them. Do you know any other words with similar meanings? Here are some of the more common ones:

find fault with something / someone
disapprove of something / someone
knock something / someone (informal)
put down something / someone

Do you know any others? You can build your vocabulary, by finding similar words, and instead of just writing out one sentence using today’s word, try writing out sentences for all the similar words that you find?

Bye,

Chris

November 27, 2017     =========

☆  pay attention　気に留める

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If you pay attention to someone, you watch them, listen to them, or take notice of them. In the Q&A this month, the question is “What do you do when someone criticizes you?” and the first answer is, “I pay attention, it might be insightful.” Do you think this is good advice? If someone is criticizing you, are you likely to pay attention or ignore it?

In fact, we have another quote this week, similar to some of the ideas we have already covered, this time by Mozart, “I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame.” If you “pay no attention” it means thatRead more about Today’s Word: pay attention[…]

November 26, 2017     =========

☆  insightful　洞察力のある

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If you describe someone or something someone says as insightful, you mean that they show a very good understanding of other people and situations. For example, “Thank you for your insightful comments.” Or, “He really offered some insightful observations at the meeting.”

Do you think being insightful is something that you are born with, or is it something we can learn? I personally think that some people are born more insightful than others, but it is definitely a skill that we can learn and improve on. I think one thing that is important to honing your skill at being more insightful is the ability to pause andRead more about Today’s Word: insightful[…]

November 25, 2017     =========

☆  reliable 　頼りになる

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Being reliable is a great character trait, it means that people can trust you to do the work or help them out when needed. Being reliable is highly regarded in Australia. How about in Japan?

The other useful phrase this week is, “Thanks for always being reliable.” How would you respond if your boss or friend said this to you? Would you automatically say, “Oh, it’s nothing…” or dismiss the compliment? If so, what’s a better response? You could try saying something like, “You’re welcome, I’m so glad I can be of help.” How else might you respond?

Bye,

Chris

November 24, 2017     =========

☆  capable 　才能のある

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My two sons love mathematics. They are even taking Japanese Soroban lessons once a week ( I think I already told you that, right?) So, I was a little surprised last Monday when I spoke to my youngest son’s teacher about challenging him more, and she said that although he was capable and did well in mathematics, he wasn’t ready to be challenged more…

I wasn’t sure what to say! My mind said, “No way! He’s capable and needs to be doing harder stuff.” But then at the same time, my mind was also telling me, “The teacher knows best!” Ha ha! I was so confused!Read more about Today’s Word: capable[…]

November 23, 2017     =========

☆  discouraging 　がっかりさせる

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If something is discouraging, it is disheartening, disappointing, or depressing. For example, the useful phrase this week, “His feedback was so discouraging.” You might not get a chance to use the useful phrases, but thinking about how you might respond, or in what situation you might use them, can be a good way to improve your English.

So, for this one, “His feedback was so discouraging.” How would you respond to a coworker or friend if they said this to you? Or even a child, if their teacher said this to them, what would you say? Here are some suggestions:

“It might be difficult, but don’t letRead more about Today’s Word: discouraging[…]

November 22, 2017     =========

☆  significant 　意義深い

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A significant action or gesture is intended to have a special meaning, or to be meaningful. Other words that have a similar meaning are expressive, indicative, suggestive, and as I mentioned, meaningful. Here are some examples of the word in use:

He spoke carefully, and made sure he used significant words that conveyed his message clearly.
My homestay in Japan was one of the most significant experiences of my teenage years.
Most of the time, the mistakes non-native speakers make when speaking English are not that significant, even though the speaker tends to worry about these mistakes.
She didn’t realize it at the time, but her actions had significantRead more about Today’s Word: significant[…]

November 21, 2017     =========

☆  softly 　ささやき声で

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Softly is an adverb, describing someone speaking a quiet and gently way. You do not say that they “speak soft”, it must be “softly.” However, if you read my mail yesterday, you know I don’t recommend speaking softly! Loudly is the best way!

Of course, I don’t mean you should shout – I just mean try not to let your voice go quiet part way through your sentence. As I said yesterday, often when someone is unsure whether they are using correct grammar or the correct word, suddenly they start speaking more softly… I think it is an unconscious habit, but if you notice yourself doingRead more about Today’s Word: softly[…]

November 20, 2017     =========

☆  loudly 　大声で

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If you’ve ever been to one of my seminars, you’ll know that I praise people who speak loudly. Often non-native speakers will speak quietly as they are afraid of making a mistake… this means that the listener often has to say, “pardon?” or “could you repeat that?” not because there was a mistake and they didn’t understand, just purely and simply because the person didn’t speak loudly enough.

I teach a simple rule for being understood when you speak English: LSC. It means, Loudly, Slowly, and Clearly. Many people as I said, speak too quietly, and students learning a language often confuse speaking quickly, and stringingRead more about Today’s Word: loudly[…]

November 19, 2017     =========

☆  crush　砕く

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This week’s useful phrase, “Don’t let anyone crush your dreams.” This is so true, don’t you think? If there is someone that we believe is an authority, and they basically tell us we cannot achieve our dream, for most people, it will crush their hope and they will give up.

When I was in high school, I wrote a story – a sequel to Star Wars! Ha ha! – and my English teacher was sooo harsh! She didn’t have any praise for my story, only criticism! She crushed my dreams of writing fiction… luckily, almost as a kind of revenge, I decided to become an English teacherRead more about Today’s Word: crush[…]

November 18, 2017     =========

☆  scold　しかる

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Scold is the formal way of saying “tell someone off”, it means that you speak angrily to them because they have done something wrong. Although it is a formal word, you can use either scold or tell off. The situation might automatically lead you to choose scold rather than the informal version, tell off. Here are some examples:

The school principal scolded me for being late to school.
My mom told me off for being late to school.

I can’t believe the boss scolded you in front of everyone in the office!
I can’t believe the boss told me off in front of my coworkers.

So, as you can see, youRead more about Today’s Word: scold[…]

November 17, 2017     =========

☆  extol　賞賛する

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Today’s word is the complete opposite of yesterday’s! If you extol someone or something, you praise them enthusiastically. I was wondering about how to suggest that you use this word, so I looked up some sentence examples and found these great ones to share with you.

“I got angry when my mother would extol my brother’s accomplishments and ignore all the good things I did.” This never really happened in my family, because my parents would be proud of us all, my sisters and my brother. However, I do know a lot of families where the “boy” is still considered the better child. Hopefully, this is notRead more about Today’s Word: extol[…]

November 16, 2017     =========

☆  disparage　見くびる

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This is a formal word, meaning that you speak about something or someone in a way that shows that you do not have a good opinion of them. If you disparage someone, you regard them as being worthless. It’s quite a harsh word, so hopefully you won’t hear it too often!

As I said though, it is mostly used in formal situations. Words that have a similar meaning, that are less formal are words such as these: belittle (we had this word in October), run down, put down, and ridicule. But again, hopefully, you won’t be needing these words! Unless of course it’s to say something like,Read more about Today’s Word: disparage[…]

November 15, 2017     =========

☆  approve　　承認する

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There are a few ways to use today’s word. On the topic of praising each other, if you approve of someone or something, you like and admire them. For example, “I didn’t approve of his manner.” means that you thought he was rude. Or, “My mother has never approved of my choice in boyfriends.” means that your mother is always against your choice in boyfriends: she doesn’t like them.

If you approve of an action, event, or suggestion, it means that you like it or are pleased about it. For example, “I approved of the proposal my coworker suggested at the meeting.” Or, “Not everyone approves ofRead more about Today’s Word:[…]

November 14, 2017     =========

☆  hone　　（腕を）磨く

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Today’s word is one that many native speakers get wrong! To “hone” something means to improve or develop it. So, for example, you can hon a skill, a technique, an idea, or a product and that means that you carefully develop it over a period of time so that it is better or more right for your purpose. For example, the useful phrase, “You need to hone your skills more.” Or “His company has spent a lot of time and money on honing the skills of senior managers.”

Native speakers often mistake this word for “home.” If you home in on something, you move toward that goalRead more about Today’s Word: hone[…]

November 13, 2017     =========

☆  toot one’s own horn　自慢する

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To toot (or blow) your own horn means to brag or boast about yourself. You might think this is a negative thing, but interestingly, Jack Canfield (millionaire author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books) says it’s an important thing to do. The quote of the week is by him:

“Give yourself permission to toot your own horn, and don’t wait for anyone to praise you.”

What do you think of this idea? I guess in Japanese culture it’s not very common to boast about your achievements or praise yourself, right? Even for me, bragging or praising myself feels a little odd and uncomfortable.Read more about Today’s Word: toot one’s own horn[…]

November 12, 2017     =========

☆  disapproving 賛成できない

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Disapproving is an adjective, that describes an action or expression that shows that you do not approve of something or someone. My kids go to Soroban class after school once a week, with a Japanese teacher. They are actually pretty good at it, but to be honest, they don’t like doing their homework, so each week, I have to tell them to do it, and give them a disapproving look if they don’t start doing it immediately.

There is one other problem, apparently a lot of the kids need motivating to do their homework, not just mine, so the teacher gives candy out to the kidsRead more about Today’s Word: disapproving[…]

November 11, 2017     =========

☆  exceptional 　並外れた

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Exceptional is another good word to use to praise someone. You can use exceptional to describe someone or something that is good or high quality. For example, “She has an exceptional ability in English.” Or “Have you read the translation of this book, the writer did an exceptional job capturing all the nuances.”

This week, we’ve looked at a lot of words that you can use to praise someone: wonderful, phenomenal, splendid, and exceptional. Are these the sorts of words you’d use in Japanese, too? Do you think they are too strong, or are they commonly used in the Japanese language, too?

Bye,

Chris

November 10, 2017  　=========

☆  splendid　立派な

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Something that is splendid is very good. So, how can you use today’s word to praise someone? Here are some examples:

That is a splendid photograph! I love it!
What a splendid house, and such lovely views.
Thank you for being such splendid company today.
My daughter brought home her school artwork this week, some of it is really splendid.
That was a splendid dinner, thank you for having us.

Can you think of any situations where you might want to praise someone, and use this word? If so, you could prepare a few different sentences like I just have, and practice them so that you are prepared whenever you might needRead more about Today’s Word: splendid[…]

November 9, 2017  =========

☆  elated　得意になって

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If you are feeling elated, you are extremely happy and excited because of something that has happened. What kinds of things make you feel elated?

For me, running related things make me feel elated… for example, when my new running shoes arrive in the mail I feel very elated! Sounds a bit strange I’m sure, but the prices of running shoes in Australia is phenomenal (and not in a good way!) So, I usually buy my shoes online from the USA, so when they arrive safely, I feel elated… and when I try them on they fit perfectly (because online shoe buying is always risky!) I feelRead more about Today’s Word: elated[…]

November 8, 2017     =========

☆  substantial 　かなりの

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This is a formal word, meaning a large amount or a large degree of something. Sometimes the best way to learn a new word is to have a substantial amount of practice using it! So, here are some sentence examples from me.

A substantial number of mothers with young children want to return to work, but cannot because they lack access to affordable childcare.
He has made a substantial improvement since being admitted to hospital last week.
We all need to agree on the next step before we can make any substantial progress.
We want to buy a house, but we need such a substantial deposit, it seems impossible.
HeRead more about Today’s Word: substantial[…]

November 7, 2017     =========

☆  phenomenal 　　驚異的な

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Something that is phenomenal is so great or good that it is very unusual. Now, this might seem like a bit of an extreme word to use when praising someone, but you could definitely use it. For example, you might want to talk about your company or your coworker getting “phenomenal results.”

Actually, this is a common word to use in weight-loss success stories, too. For example, “She has lost a phenomenal amount of weight since last year.” For me, as you know, I love running, but I’m not very fast, so I tend to run long distances with a steady pace, rather than short, faceRead more about Today’s Word: phenomenal[…]

November 6, 2017     =========

☆  wonderful 　素敵な

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Wonderful is a great word! It’s so easy to use, and a lovely way to praise people. For example, “I think you’re a wonderful English speaker.” 🙂 Or “What a wonderful idea!” Or even when you’re not praising someone, you can use it in this way, “It’s wonderful to see you again!”

And of course, if you already know this wonderful word, you can increase your vocabulary by learning related words such as: excellent, brilliant, fabulous, fantastic, great, magnificent, marvelous, outstanding, superb, terrific, tremendous! So many wonderful words! I think it would be a wonderful idea if you tried to use each of these words inRead more about Today’s Word: wonderful[…]

November 5, 2017   =========

☆  charm　魅力

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Charm is the quality of being pleasant or attractive. Someone who has charm behaves in a friendly, pleasant way that makes people like them. There are a couple of idioms using this word that are good to know:

Turn on the charm – if someone turns on the charm, it means that they behave in a way that seems very friendly, but that you think is insincere. The person often does it to gain something or deceive someone. So, in Australia, second hand car salespeople are often accused of turning on the charm in order to sell their cars.

Worked like a charm – if something worked likeRead more about Today’s Word: charm[…]

November 4, 2017     =========

☆  confrontation  対立

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A confrontation is a dispute, fight, or battle between two groups of people. It’s my birthday today, so hopefully I won’t encounter any confrontations! As a birthday present (and Christmas present!) I always ask my two boys not to fight with each other for one day… no confrontations for one day, please! They’ve never managed to do it in the past, so I guess I won’t get my birthday wish this year either! Ha ha 🙂

What do you do when you are facing a confrontation that either involves you or the people around you? Are you good at resolving confrontations peacefully, or do you tendRead more about Today’s Word: confrontation[…]

November 3, 2017      =========

☆  principle  主義

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A principle is a general belief that you have about the way that you should behave, which influences your behavior. For example, most people will never do something that goes against their principles, so if they believe in honesty, then they won’t lie because of their principles.

In fact, there is even an idiom about refusing to do something “on principle.” In other words, you refuse to do something because of a particular belief that you have. For example:

He refused on principle to agree to the changes to the contract.
She said she would vote against the new law on principle.
Her father said he would not lendRead more about Today’s Word: principle[…]

November 2, 2017     =========

☆  criticism 批判

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Criticism is the opposite of praise. A criticism is a statement that expresses disapproval of something or someone. There are a few other words with similar meanings that you might like to add to your vocabulary: fault-finding, bad press, character assassination, and flak (informal). Have you heard of any of these?

Character assassination is an interesting one I think – an assassination is when someone famous or important is murdered. So, when there is a character assassination, it means that someone’s personality or individual qualities are “murdered.” It doesn’t have to be an important or famous person, you can use this word to describe a coworkerRead more about Today’s Word: criticism[…]

November 1, 2017    =========

☆  praise  褒めること

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Praise (noun) is what you say or write about someone when you are praising (verb) them. John Wooden was one of the most famous basketball coaches in the USA. He has many, many famous quotes, and one of them is this week’s quote: “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you.” Our theme for this month Praising Each Other, and yet, this quote is saying that we should really ignore praise (and criticism.)

Why do you think it is important not to let praise or criticism get to us? Obviously, with criticism, we might feel down or upset if someone says something negative about us.Read more about Today’s Word: praise[…]