Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LOQUACIOUS

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connect today's word to others: If you're eloquent, you talk very well. If you're gr____loquent, your talk is too fancy. If you're somniloquent, you talk in your sleep! And if you're loquacious, you just love to talk. (All these words came from the Latin loqui, meaning "to speak.") Let's contrast the gentle, playful word loquacious with a harsher synonym, v___ble. Can you recall it? I'd explained it like this: "To call people v___ble is to hint, perhaps, that they just won't shut up, or that they're talking so smoothly they don't really mean what they're saying, or both." Here's another harsh synonym: the g_____ous person talks a LOT, often focusing on stuff that doesn't matter, and often taking a long time to get to the point. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "LOQUACIOUS" This word comes straight from the Latin word for "speak." Loquacious people are very talkative. Pronunciation: low KWAY shuss (rhymes with "so gracious") 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 loquacious thing" or "a loquacious person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was loquacious." or "He's loquacious.") Other forms: loquaciously, loquacity or loquaciousness How to use it: This word is slightly playful. It's fancier than "chatty" and "talkative," but still rather informal. When you call someone loquacious, your tone is often gentle and complimentary: "she's loquacious, the life of the party." But your tone might also be annoyed: "I couldn't get away from the loquacious salesperson." So, talk about loquacious people, like loquacious speakers, loquacious friends and loquacious families, loquacious characters in stories, and loquacious talk show guests. Sometimes in informal contexts, we'll use the phrase "the loquacious (Person)," as in "she had the pleasure of interviewing the loquacious June Carter Cash" and "the question silenced the normally loquacious Mr. Renzi." You might be loquacious on certain topics or subjects: "On healthcare reform, she's loquacious." "He's usually reserved, but when it comes to bird-watching, he's loquacious." Or you might be loquacious in certain places or situations: "They're loquacious on the playground, but not in the classroom." "She's loquacious in her emails but silent in person." You can also have loquacious moods; loquacious comments and responses; loquacious speeches and conversations; and loquacious prose, writing, and publications. It's very easy to notice when someone is loquacious. So, perhaps because calling someone loquacious isn't exactly the most insightful comment, we often pair this word with other adjectives. Check out this sampling from recent news articles, and notice again how "loquacious" can be nice, neutral, or slightly negative:    loquacious and stout    loquacious and funny    loquacious and shot-hoisting    loquacious and pugnacious    callow and loquacious    acerbic and loquacious    exuberant and loquacious    quick-witted and loquacious Okay, I'm done being loquacious about "loquacious." :) examples: I'm happy that you've asked me a question about grammar, but buckle up, because my answer's going to be both zealous and loquacious. Chloe slinks around all day, sullen, barely meowing, and then around midnight she's suddenly loquacious. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "loquacious" means when you can explain it without saying "chatty" or "talking a lot." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone) (describes or narrates) (something) with (joyful, exuberant, boundless, or inexhaustible) loquacity." Example: "Taylor narrates her pretend picnic with joyful loquacity." 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. Our game this month is "A Vocabulary of Movie Quotes." Jean Picker Firstenberg at the American Film Institute (AFI) says, "Great movie quotes become part of our cultural vocabulary." I believe it! I bet you can recall, verbatim, any of the AFI's "100 Greatest Movie Quotes of All Time" if all I give you is a single word from the quote. For example, if I give you the word KANSAS, I bet you can recite this: "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," from The Wizard of Oz (1939). I'll share each answer in the following issue. And we’ll work our way forward in time, starting with the oldest movies. Let’s play! From the previous issue: From a 1954 film, what's the famous quote that includes the word CONTENDER? Answer: From On The Waterfront: "You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." (Or if you came up with just "I coulda been a contender," that's fine, too!) Try this today: From a 1958 film, what's the famous quote that includes the word BANQUET? review today's word: 1. One opposite of LOQUACIOUS is A. TACITURN B. ADDLEPATED C. QUANTIFIABLE 2. The fact that he hadn't read A People's History didn't stop him from offering a loquacious _____. A. copy of it B. price for it C. critique of it Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C