How familiar are you with the 3 R’s – and I don’t mean “Readin’, Writin’, and ‘Rithmetic”! I’m interested in what you know about these three R’s – Rejuvenation, Restoration, and Revival.
If you’re like me, you seldom use these words. It’s not like we populate our everyday conversations with them. And, when we should use one of these “R’s” we become lazy, using “rest” and “relaxation” instead.
Rejuvenation -> “the act of making something newly fresh or full of energy”
Restoration -> “the act of repairing or renewing something to its original state”
Revival -> “an improvement in the condition or strength of something”
The English language is full of colorful, descriptive words like the 3 R’s. Words that when used add elegance and, perhaps even, a touch of class to verbal or written communication. It has been said that “writing is an art form which uses words as its medium to create a picture or convey a message”.
How do I expand my vocabulary? I recommend reading. Read with a dictionary by your side. Look up words you don’t know as well as those words you “think” you know, but really don’t! You’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn and how much your vocabulary expands.
How do I go about replacing “commonly used words and phrases” when writing? Keep a thesaurus handy when writing. Consult it frequently to avoid using a “lazy word or phrase”. A book of synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms is also a great source for spicing up your prose.
Bottom line – words are fun.
The more words you know –
- the more fun you’ll have
- the prettier pictures you’ll write
- the more colorful conversations you’ll have
Dan’s View 