Looking up words

Hi there

Alex it’s interesting that you mentioned that it is difficult and frustrating sometimes to find the words you want. As a teacher I can normally work out when a student has translated a word using a dictionary. Obviously I don’t always get it right but often the clue is that the word chosen has a semantic link to the context but is too formal for the context.
I’d love to hear about the strategies that you use when trying to find a word in a bilingual dictionary. It’s much easier obviously to look up the meaning of a word, although that can be fraught with problems when it has multiple meanings. As Alex explained when he used plinth instead of skirting board.

Minor disasters continue at home. Yesterday we had to make a very sad decision to have one of our cats put to sleep or euthanized. Lulu the cat has been ill for sometime and at the Vet’s clinic for over a week now. Yesterday the Vet told us that her chances of recovery were very slim and that given she was suffering we should consider putting her out of her misery. So after a family consultation a decision was made. I’m much less attached to the cats than Mustapha and the children so I had to go out and make the arrangements! Danial wanted to immediately adopt another kitten but I didn’t think it was a wise idea. However I expect in time we will have another addition to our menagerie.

Tricia

Patterns and Lexis from today:

a semantic link (a meaning link)

to be fraught with problems (full of problems)

to put something to sleep ( to kill an animal because it's suffering)

to euthenize ( to kill an animal because it is suffering)

her chances of recovery were very slim ( a very small chance of getting better)

to put something out of its misery ( to kill an animal so that it doesn't have to suffer anymore)

a menagerie ( a collection of animals kept privately)

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