Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BIDIRECTIONAL

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explore the archives: Bidirectional things go both ways: back and forth. Speaking of back and forth, see if you can recall these: -W__ter: to rock back and forth or be tossed around, as if on ocean waves -V____llate: to go back and forth on an idea, changing your mind -B__dy: to trade things back and forth, especially ideas make your point with... "BIDIRECTIONAL" Something bidirectional works in both directions. In other words, bidirectional things allow movement in two opposite ways at the same time.  Pronunciation: bye duh RECK shun ull Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a bidirectional thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was bidirectional.") Other forms: bidirectionally, bidirectionality How to use it: For when "two-way" is too informal, "bidirectional" is simple and easily understood. It can also save us from using a longer phrase like "going in both directions" or "flowing back and forth both ways." You'll see it in technical contexts, but we'll focus on general use. Talk about bidirectional communication, bidirectional connections or links or pathways, bidirectional effects, bidirectional feelings, bidirectional learning or exchanges, bidirectional relationships, and so on. You can also talk about the bidirectional flow or movement of things or people. examples: Mr. Valenza reminds his ninth graders that job interviews are supposed to be bidirectional: "So don't show up without any questions of your own to ask." Studies have suggested a bidirectional relationship between unhealthy, risky behaviors and sleep deprivation; it's believed that each one makes the other worse. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "bidirectional" means when you can explain it without saying "mutual" or "works both ways." try it out: Think of a way you use technology for two-way communication. Fill in the blanks: "_____ is/are now bidirectional: (explain how)." Example: "Advertisements are now bidirectional: viewers react in comments posted directly onto Facebook ads, which sometimes make for hilarious reading." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing "You Know, That Thing!" This game challenges your powers of recall. Start a timer: twenty seconds if you're an adult, longer if you're a kid or an English language learner. Read the description of each thing, and come up with its name. Try to name all three before your timer runs out. (Scroll all the way down for the answers.) Ready? Go! 1. A large painting applied directly to a wall is a… 2. A platform that sticks out from an outside wall of a building and is often used as an outdoor room is a… 3. A donut that's bite-sized and shaped like a sphere is a… review today's word: 1. The opposite of BIDIRECTIONAL is A. UNIDIRECTIONAL B. RECIPROCAL C. OMNIDIRECTIONAL 2. Parents grew frustrated at the school's failure to facilitate bidirectional communication--_____. A. math homework was handed back with minimal corrections, sometimes wrong ones B. the kids were learning English skills just fine, but Spanish lessons were shallow and inconsistent C. notes and report cards came home, but teachers wouldn't take phone calls, return messages, or allow conferences Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C Answers to game questions: 1. mural 2. balcony 3. donut hole