Make Your Point > Archived Issues > VOCIFEROUS

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explore the archives: The Latin ferus, meaning "wild," gave us words like ferocious, fierce, and feral. (Can you define that last one?).  And since today's vociferous means "obnoxiously loud," you might guess (like I did) that "vociferous" is also based on ferus. Vociferous people have wild, ferocious voices, right? Well, yes. But--facepalm--I guessed wrong about the root. "Vociferous" is based on ferre, meaning "to carry." Vociferous people let their voices carry far and wide. Trust me on this, though: like voice and vocabulary, vociferous is also based on the Latin vox, meaning "voice." And so are advocate, unequivocal, and viva voce. Can you give a quick definition for each of these? make your point with... "VOCIFEROUS" Vociferous people and things are shouting loudly or crying out loudly, either literally (with their voices) or figuratively (like in writing or with political activism). Either way, to be vociferous is to make your voice heard loud and clear, often because you're angry. Pronunciation: Either "vo SIFF er us" or "vuh SIFF er us." 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 vociferous thing" or "a vociferous person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was vociferous" or "He was vociferous.") Other forms: vociferously, vociferousness; vociferate, vociferated, vociferating How to use it: Talk about vociferous people, such as vociferous critics, detractors, supporters, or advocates; or vociferous kids, bullies, gangs, party-goers, etc. (Or vociferous animals, especially birds.) We can be vociferous by nature, but more often we become vociferous only in certain situations: "The issue made her vociferous." "He grew vociferous when asked about it." And we can be vociferous in our support of or objection/opposition to something: "She's vociferous in her support of the plan." "He's vociferous in his opposition to the candidate." Often we take this further and apply "vociferous" to our views, reactions, and emotions instead of just ourselves: a vociferous response, their vociferous reaction, her vociferous demands, his vociferous disdain, the nations' vociferous enmity, our vociferous support, her vociferous opposition to it, my vociferous objection to it. Finally, you can be abstract and talk about vociferous bells, alarms, sirens, waterfalls, thunderstorms, etc. examples: Vociferous fans packed the stadium, rumbling with energy and noise. This tumultuous time demands our resistance--our vociferous resistance. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "vociferous" means when you can explain it without saying "clamorous" or "vehement." try it out: Fill in the blank: "A vociferous debate is raging over (some particular issue)." Example: "A vociferous debate is raging throughout the nation over how to fix our healthcare." 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 "What's the Difference?" I’ll give you two terms. Without using Google or a dictionary, explain how they’re different. Go beyond saying, "well, I know the difference, but I can’t explain it," or "show me an example and I'll tell you which it is." In your explanations, try to focus on features, not comparisons. For example, what's the difference between climate and weather? A good explanation focuses on features: "climate is what’s going on in the atmosphere over long periods of time, and weather is what’s going on in the atmosphere at a particular place and time." A weaker explanation focuses on comparisons: "climate is more concerning than weather." The game will get harder as the month goes on: we’ll start with objects—natural first, then man-made—then switch to concepts. Let’s do this! From yesterday: What's the difference between being distrustful and mistrustful? Answer: According to Grammarist.com, even though the difference is often disregarded in casual use, when we're distrustful, we're relying on actual information or experience--identifiable reasons for not trusting. And when we're mistrustful, we've just got an overall sense of unease. Try this today: What's the difference between editing and revising? review today's word: 1. One opposite of VOCIFEROUS is A. SUBDUED B. SUBLIMINAL C. SUBJUGATED 2. When _____, the students responded with vociferous _____. A. the syllabus contradicted itself in many places .. and timid questions B. their classmate got a hideous haircut .. tact C. their senior trip was cancelled .. anger Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, 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