personalized learning Archives - Linguix Blog https://linguix.com/blog/tag/personalized-learning/ Writing about using technology to create content and build effective communications. Sat, 16 May 2020 16:46:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 Words to Avoid When Writing About Food https://linguix.com/blog/words-to-avoid-when-writing-about-food/ https://linguix.com/blog/words-to-avoid-when-writing-about-food/#respond Wed, 29 Apr 2020 12:34:18 +0000 https://linguix.com/blog/?p=1241 Writing about food is one of those activities that may seem easy, but is actually a little more difficult than it can at first appear. Of course, all of the usual writing considerations must be taken into account, such as good grammar, the right tone, and correct punctuation. However, the vocabulary can be a challenge. […]

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Writing about food is one of those activities that may seem easy, but is actually a little more difficult than it can at first appear. Of course, all of the usual writing considerations must be taken into account, such as good grammar, the right tone, and correct punctuation. However, the vocabulary can be a challenge.

The problem is that too many words used when describing food just don’t really describe anything at all. Or else they are just too cliché, or in the worst-case scenario, put people right off the food that you should in fact be encouraging them to eat.

Here is a list of some of the words that just don’t cut it when talking about food, along with some alternatives that will hit the spot just that much better.

Tasty

The problem with the word ‘tasty’ is that it really tells us nothing. All food, almost without exception, has a taste of something (anyone with an imagination can, therefore, describe it), so using this word, which has really come to mean that something tastes ‘good’, really gives us no detail at all. It’s a bit like saying something tastes ‘good’!

Alternatives: Absolutely any description of the food that reveals in detail why the taste is positive.

Spicy

The problem with this word is it is now used to mean something which is laden with chili, when in fact its connotation is that it is full of spices, which of course can include anything (and perhaps no chili whatsoever).

Alternatives: Why not actually mention the spices that are prevalent in the taste, or if it is full of chili, then say that. ‘Hot’ definitely doesn’t hit the mark either, because you could just as easily be talking about the temperature.

Delicious

This word is useless because not only is it subjective (something that is delicious for one person may absolutely not be for another) but it is now so ubiquitous that it has become practically meaningless.

Alternatives: Talk about the blend of flavors, and if it really is something that you would recommend, then be specific as to why.

Moist

Did you know that the word ‘moist’ is regularly voted as one of the most hated words in the English language? The problem is the sound of the word (for some people), and also the word’s connotation (for others). You see, it has become somewhat connected to bodily fluids.

It’s not really a bad word to use if truth be told. A cake that is soft and ‘liquidy’ really should be described as ‘moist’, but for this irrational dislike that people have for the word. It’s probably best avoided, which is a shame really because for accurate descriptions it really should be a winner.

Oh, and it’s synonym ‘soggy’ should never be used! Never.

Alternatives: juicy, rich with liquid.

Moorish

This invented word has come to mean something that entices you to eat (or drink) more. That can really be applied to so many things that it again becomes a redundant term. A synonym is addictive, but this word has too many negative connotations to be considered a worthy alternative too.

Alternatives: Enchanting, bewitching, beguiling.

Organic

Where do we even start with this word? Organic has become a buzzword for anything and everything that goes against the mass-produced norm, but the irony is that organic has become so prevalent that it itself has become mass-produced.

Of course, the principle is a good one. It is the right one. The problem really is that the word has become so ubiquitous on a vast range of products that we have lost sight of what it actually means.

Alternative: Talk specifically about the food journey involved with the product so readers get a real sense of where it came from

Foodie

A foodie has come to represent some sort of special class of people who really cares about food and understands it. But really, when you think about it, with a few exceptions, we are all foodies (not least because without it, we wouldn’t last very long). The problem with a foodie is that it is exclusive like it’s a club that not everyone can be a member of, and when it comes to food, that’s just not the case.

We all have foods that we are enthusiastic about, and we have our own way of preparing and enjoying the food that we eat. We are all foodies, so the word itself is really a redundant expression.

Alternatives: Chefs, professional cooks, or just avoid the term completely.

Yummy

This word is cute when you are five years old. Anything older and it is simply a bit immature and, a bit like ‘tasty’ and ‘delicious’, not really descriptive at all. Yummy (which has also found itself attached to the word ‘mummy’ in recent times to describe something else equally as poorly, not to mention in a way that is very un PC too) is juvenile and gives no real description to the food you are applying it too. So, find something else.

Alternatives: Again, absolutely any description of the food that reveals in detail why the taste is positive.

Nosh

This is an old slang word simply meaning ‘food’. The problem is that it makes food sound really unappetizing, so it really shouldn’t be used at all. It’s a lazy term that harks back to a time when people really didn’t put the time and effort into cooking that the activity deserves. Nosh is from a bygone age, therefore, and really needs to be replaced.

Alternatives: Cuisine, food, dish.

Gastro

Gastro is a shortened version of the very scientific-sounding word ‘gastronomy’, which means the preparation and enjoyment of food. But there are two problems with the word gastro. The first is that it sounds like some sort of medical problem. The second is that it is way too scientific and clinical for something that really should be much more passionate, heartfelt, natural and accessible. Plus, for many British people, in particular, it represents a craze that has somewhat seen the demise of the classic English pub: the dreaded gastro-pub. It’s either a restaurant or a pub. Make up your mind!

Alternatives: Again, what’s wrong with ‘food’? 

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How I Learned English: The 7 Steps I Followed to Fluency https://linguix.com/blog/how-i-learned-english-the-7-steps-i-followed-to-fluency/ https://linguix.com/blog/how-i-learned-english-the-7-steps-i-followed-to-fluency/#respond Wed, 05 Feb 2020 00:14:27 +0000 https://linguix.com/blog/?p=1254 I now speak English well, or at least that is what I am told (it’s normal, no matter what our level of English, to feel we could be better)! And one question that I am often asked, by both native English-speakers and by non-native speakers alike, is ‘how did you learn to speak English so […]

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I now speak English well, or at least that is what I am told (it’s normal, no matter what our level of English, to feel we could be better)!

And one question that I am often asked, by both native English-speakers and by non-native speakers alike, is ‘how did you learn to speak English so well?’

I decided to write down the steps I followed. Hopefully, these steps will inspire you to speak English and will give you the confidence to do it.

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1. I was motivated to learn

You don’t need to be a professional psychologist to understand that motivation is key to almost any activity that you decide to get involved in. In learning a new skill, such as a language, your level of motivation is really important. If you are not motivated, it will be hard to become good at anything.

I was highly motivated to learn English. I understood that to get a good job in my area of expertise (software) I needed to understand and speak English well to get a good job in the future, maybe in Europe or in the USA.

Of course, that can add pressure, but I didn’t see it like that. I saw it as an opportunity. And for that reason, I was able to successfully able to proceed through the following steps.

2. I wasn’t afraid of making mistakes

The problem with fear is that it paralyzes us: we literally cannot move at times when we are terrified. Of course, I never lost the ability to move when I was learning to speak English, but in the early days, I was nervous: nervous about making mistakes.

But one day, a very good teacher opened my eyes to the fact that mistakes are actually a good thing.

Think about when we are young. How do we know something is hot and not to touch it? Usually, because we start off by touching it…and burning ourselves!

And so it is with learning more or less anything. As long as we don’t keep repeating the same mistakes time after time, we learn how to improve from the errors we make. And this is an incredibly liberating feeling because it frees us from fear: the fear of making a mistake.

So don’t be afraid. Communicate!

3. I took the opportunity to practice as much as I could

There is an old English expression that ‘practice makes perfect’. And so it is with speaking (and reading, writing and listening to) English. And you don’t need to be perfect either!

4. I used as many different tools as I could to help me

There are some incredible tools out there to help you learn English. From grammar and pronunciation apps to vocabulary games, to listening exercises and beyond. Explore some of the options that are available to you, and use your smartphone to learn English on the go.

A writing assistant such as that provided by Linguix provides you with templates that you can use to write in English, having your mistakes corrected along the way (with explanations provided). Similarly, when reading text on the web, you can click and Linguix gives you definitions of any words you highlight, providing synonyms too.

Use the right tools and reach your end-goal quicker!

5. I did the things I liked doing but in English

Of course, you could take part in an English course, and that’s a really good idea: after all, it is important to know the grammar and particular rules that can help you improve every aspect of your English communication.

But don’t just do grammar exercises. No. Instead, look to do all those things you love to do, but in English.

Change the settings on your smartphone to English so every time you browse the internet, English is the default language. If you love football, watch games with commentary in English. Watch movies in English with English subtitles (it’s really important to be able to see and hear the language at the same time due to the differences you find in the pronunciation and spelling of English words).

Listen to singers and bands that use English (and read the lyrics), read articles on your favorite subjects in English, play computer games in English (and converse with English speakers while you do it!)

The point is, learning a language doesn’t mean sitting in a classroom. It means immersing yourself in all the things you love, but in another tongue. You will enjoy the experience, and be motivated to learn. What’s not to like?

6. I spoke to everyone!

Here are a couple of statistics for you. Approximately 350 million people speak English as their native language. Yet another 750 million speak English as their second (or third) language. That tells you two things:

1)    In being able to communicate in English, you will have access to an additional billion people at least. Only by learning Chinese could you get access to a similar amount.

2)    More than double the amount of people who speak English do so imperfectly (and how many of those 350 million native speakers can claim to never make a mistake wither?) So, in relation to point (2) above on this list, mistakes become ever less important. No one is going to judge you anyway!

The point is, having English opens up so many more possibilities to communicate, so take advantage of that fact as early as you can and start to communicate every time you get the chance. And that doesn’t just mean with native English speakers obviously, as you can now communicate with those millions of Chinese-speakers, Japanese-speakers, Spanish-speakers, German-speakers and so on who can speak English too.

You have just opened up your world, so make the most of it!

7. I enjoyed the experience

It may be a little easier said than done, but if you can enjoy the experience, it will make your time learning English all that much more productive. So have fun!

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