Make Your Point > Archived Issues > JOVIAL

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

"JOVIAL" Meaning: Someone jovial is in a good mood and is having a great time with other people. (Jove, or Jupiter/Zeus is a mythological god known for eating and having fun, among other things.) Pronunciation: JO vee ul 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 jovial host.” 2. After a linking verb, as in "The host was jovial.”) Other forms: jovially, joviality How to use it: Talk about a jovial person, a jovial attitude, a jovial smile, a jovial shout, a jovial thumbs-up, a jovial gathering or event, and so on. The Onion ran a funny satirical article about an upbeat, friendly food service employee, titled "Jovial Man Must Not Be Aware He Works At Airport Burrito Restaurant."  There's always a jovial atmosphere on the first day of a college class, which seems to fade a bit when students get their first graded assignments back. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "jovial" means when you can explain it without saying “cheerful" or "convivial." Think of something that always makes you laugh, smile, or have a great time, and fill in the blank: "_____ never fails to put me in a jovial mood." Example: "Browsing in an office supply store never fails to put me in a jovial mood. All those clean, blank, orderly supplies waiting to be turned into ideas." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: This month, with the gracious permission of author Dr. Barbara Ann Kipfer, we’re sampling some English language trivia from Word Nerd: More Than 17,000 Fascinating Facts about Words. Dr. Kipfer’s book is a hearty 570-page feast that I’ve been gleefully devouring for the past few months. We’re starting off with easy questions, then working our way toward some whoppers at the end of the month, all the while focusing on funny, unusual words; surprising word histories; and cool tidbits about the language.  Yesterday's question: This word, “_ _ _ _sphere,” literally means “ball of vapor.”  What is it? Answer: Atmosphere. Try this one today:   Match these highly practical and specific words to their meanings below:  canals, beadlets, attelets, baize, wreath. 1. _____: the green material that covers a billiards table 2. _____: a single turn or coil of a coiled thing 3. _____: the small time-release balls in capsules 4. _____: the holes in a sponge 5. _____: the small thin top-ornamented skewers used decoratively for serving sandwiches and hors d’oeuvres A Point Well Made: Alexander Pope: “In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold; Alike fantastic, if too new, or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” 1. One opposite of JOVIAL is A. DISTRACTED B. DISTANT C. DETAINED 2. The framed photo of _____ exudes joviality. A. the young couple on their way to the prom, stiff and uncomfortable in their formalwear, B. a New England forest, with leaves every shade of orange and red, C. all six sisters laughing in a pile Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.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. B 2. C