HFEA 000

LECTURER: MR MESO TV
OFFICE: 3007
(NEW R.BLOCK 3RD FLOOR)
E-mail: victor.meso@ul.ac.za
 Basic ground rules
1. Attend all classes. It is for your own benefit.
2. Buy your textbook. All lectures will be based on the textbook.
3. Come to class on time and switch off or put your cellphone on
silent mode while you are in class.
4. Ask questions if you do not understand something discussed in
class. Or make an appointment to see the lecturer for
explanation.
5. There will be no tests written for this course. The assessment
will be formative. No exam will be written in June. The exam will
be written in October.
6. You must have a dictionary for this course.
 HFEA000: LECTURE ONE
CONTENT

 5 USES OF A THESAURUS DICTIONARY

 9 USES OF A DICTIONARY
 8 SKILLS OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR DICTIONARY
 GET TO KNOW YOUR DIRECTION IN THE DICTIONARY
Oxford Business

English Dictionary / Oxford or Cambridge Advanced Learners

Dictionary or Longman’s Dictionary of Contemporary English
 Oxford Business English Dictionary
 Oxford or Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary
 Longman’s Dictionary of Contemporary English
 Thesaurus Dictionary
 DICTIONARY USE
What is a dictionary?
Terms you must know about a dictionary:
Entry
Headword
Guide word
Part of speech
Pronunciation
Phonetic symbols
Stress
Syllable
Idiom
 EXPALAIN THE SEQUENTIAL ARRANGEMENT
OF DICTIONARY CONTENT.

1.entry ?
2.guide word ?
3. headword ?
4. pronunciation ?
5.part of speech?
6.definition(s) ?
7. Example?
8. etymology?
Entry The headword and the information that follows it

Headword The bold face word

Guide word The first and last words on the page

Part of speech The grammatical class of the word

Pronunciation The sound of the word when spoken

Phonetic symbols The sound of the word when transcribed

Stress High-set mark or accent on the word

Syllable Individual clusters of sounds that make up a word

Idiom Alternative or unconventional usage of the word or expression

 THE SEQUENTIAL ARRANGEMENT OF DICTIONARY CONTENT

1.entry – arranged in alphabetical order

2.guide word – usually located at the top corner
3. headword – it is always in bold
4. pronunciation – tells how to say the word
usually in phonetics (phonetic symbols) stress,
syllable
5.part of speech- all possible roles of the word in
a sentence
6.definition(s) – all possible meanings for the
word.
7. Example- shows how the words are used.
8. etymology-tells the origin of the words.
THE USEFULNESS OF A THESAURUS
• It helps to find the most suitable word for a
particular context
• It supplies various options of synonyms of the
word
• It helps to extent ones vocabulary
• It provides antonyms
• It enrich users with writing and speaking skills
 THE USEFULNESS OF THE DICTIONARY(9)

• The meaning of the words

• The pronunciation of the words
• It indicate the different parts of speech a word can be
• The origin of the word(etymology)
• The abbreviation of the word (if applicable)
• The plural of the word( if necessary)
• Various meanings of the word if it is a homonym
• A phrase/sentence conveying the meaning of the word
• Idiomatic use of the word
 Dictionary Skills
1. Choose the Right Dictionary
• In addition to the general purpose dictionary and the
thesaurus, consider using specialty dictionaries for your
discipline.
• Note that different parts of the English-speaking world
use different versions of English; Make sure you are
using a dictionary of British English.
2. Read the Introduction
• The introductory section of your dictionary will explain
important information such as the abbreviations and
pronunciation symbols used throughout the entries.
 Dictionary Skills
3. Learn the Abbreviations
• Dictionaries often have abbreviations in the definitions for
a word. This can be confusing if you don't know what the
abbreviations stand for.
• A dictionary will have a list of abbreviations near the front
of the book either in the introduction, or after it.
4. Learn the Guide to Pronunciation
• If you immediately jump right into reading the dictionary
without understanding the pronunciation guide, it can be
difficult to figure it out.
• Having an idea about the symbols of pronunciation will
make it a lot easier for you.
 Dictionary Skills
5. Review English Alphabet
• Dictionaries follow alphabetical order. If you're not
entirely sure what the first letter is, start with the
letter it sounds like.
• If you can't find the word under that section, then try
other sections.
6. Read the Guide Words
• These are the two words at the top of each page that
tell you what groups of words are on the page.
• These words will help you find the word you're
looking for in the right letter section.
 Dictionary Skills
7. Read the Definitions
• Once you've located the word it will tell you
exactly what it means (and if it has more than one
meaning, it will tell you the most common one
first),
• how to pronounce it,
• how to capitalize it (if it's a proper noun),
• what part of speech it is,
• its origins,
• its synonyms and antonyms, etc.
 Dictionary Skills
8. Look for Collocations
• Learning the meaning of a single word is not
usually enough. English is a subtle language,
and the meanings of words often shift
depending on which other words appear with
it.
• Learn words in combination to expand your
vocabulary and understanding faster.
 THE LAYOUT, ARRANGEMENT AND CONTENT
 WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE
DICTIONARY ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS?

• WT#?
• V# & R# ?
• Blue squares ?
• Small number on top of the word ?
• words in brackets/slashes ?
• words in brackets with the word “also” in front?

NB: REFER TO THE INTRODUCTION PAGES OF YOUR

DICTIONARY
 DICTIONARY ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS

• WT#,(writing tutor)
• V#(visuals) and R#(reference)
• BLUE SQUARES ( new part of speech)
• SMALL NUMBER ON TOP OF THE WORD (homonym
number/different words same spelling)
• WORDS IN BRACKETS/SLASHES (speech sounds/phonetic
symbols/pronunciation)
• WORDS IN BRACKETS WITH THE WORD “ALSO” IN FRONT(variant
spelling)

NB: REFER TO THE INTRODUCTION PAGES OF YOUR DICTIONARY (THE

FIRST 6 PAGES)
 Analyse the sentence and tell which part of
speech is the underlined words
1. We met to decide on the content of our
presentation.
2. The cheque was dishonoured by the drawee
because the account had insufficient funds.
3. The steep decline in demand will cost jobs.
4. Mr Smith will step down as chairman this year.
5. She has piloted the company through stressful
times.
 Guide words
These are the two words that appear in bold on
the top of each page
• The word on the left first word on that page
• The word on the right indicate the last word
on the page
• They are helping as time saving device in
finding words.
 ALPHABETICAL ORDER

Exercise 1: Arrange the following sets of words in alphabetical order

Pilgrimage
Hereditary Bracket Scooter
Information Boom Scramble
Engineering Bulimia Scratch
Fantasy Bible Scandal
Vampire Because Scream
Xenophobia Bleak Scrumptious
Utopia Bubble Scent
Management Bandit Spaghetti
Bookstore Bhamjee Screech
 Exercise 2: Complete the table below
Headword Part of speech Definition Example

Determine

Lecture

Film

Diligent

Remunerate
Exercise 3: Correct the spelling in the sentences below

Yestaday I went to see a gynicologist.

My mother works in a clinik in Louis Trichad.

Nelson Madiba was a greet man.

My lecture is a very nice women.

People must stop steeling other people’s goats.

Exercise 4: How many meanings do the following words have?

Slim Buy Flip Beat

Stress Top Study

Exercise 5: Look up the following entries and write down what part of
speech they can be

Bridge
Green
Extra
Fool
Prior
So
Exercise 6: Identify the parts of speech for the underlined words in the
sentences below

It has been a very rainy summer.

It looks like it is going to rain again today.

When dark clouds gather, the rain comes.

My father wears a black bow tie to work every day.

English people bow as a form of greeting.

Exercise 8: Transcribe the following words

English
Church
Listen
Play
Write
Read
Sing
Time
School
Parent
 Exercise 9: Answer the questions below

1. How may idioms can you find under the entry kick?
2. How many for the noun socks?
3. Is the noun bucks formal or informal?
4. Under which entry can you find the idiom pull your
socks up?
5. Do you say put your money where your mouth is OR
put your mouth where your money is?
6. What is the chemical symbol for calcium?
7. What is the difference between an elevator and a lift?
8. What is another way of spelling skeptic?
 BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY

1. Read widely.
2. Look up new words in a dictionary.
3. Learn their pronunciation.
4. Understand their meaning and the
different contexts in which they are used.
5. Practise using them in your speech and
writing.