The document discusses lexical accuracy, emphasizing the importance of using words correctly and effectively in communication. It covers topics such as evolving word meanings, the use of formal language versus colloquial expressions, and the impact of dialect differences in English. Additionally, it highlights common pitfalls in word usage and recommends consulting reliable dictionaries for clarity.

1. LEXICAL ACCURACY
EDRALYN C. DONGON
Discussant
Prof. Bernardita R. Margate

2. Lexical accuracy- which refers to using words
appropriately and correctly in communication.
Its original meaning, is a writer’s or speaker’s
distinctive vocabulary choices and style of
expression in a poem or story.
Style of speaking or writing as dependent upon
choice of words.

3.  the manner in which words are pronounced: (Cambridge Dictionary)
 It is very helpful for a language teacher to have good diction.
 vocal expression : ENUNCIATION (MERRIAM WEBSTER)
 : choice of words especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or
effectiveness

5.  For formal written communication, use international
news magazines and reputable journals as models.
For example:
Further is now used in the sense of farther.
Nothing could be further from the truth
This despite the existence of the idiom far from the truth.

6.  New words may come from inventions. For instance,
the term fax which is a short form from facsimile that
is electronically transmitted, is now used as a verb as
well;
 We need these reports faxed for the board meeting
tomorrow.
 The clerk was faxing the deed of sale when a
brownout occurred.

7.  Another is the brand name Xerox, from the copying
process technically labeled as xerography.
 The lecturer handed out xerox copies of his outline.
 Many graduate students xerox whole books out of necessity.
Some words acquire new meanings. The verb consult
led to the noun consultant.”
The movie producers, director, designers, and actors consulted
NASA scientists on details of the Mars mission
NASA consulted on every aspect of the sci-fi movie Mission to
Mars.

8. The use of text as a verb has become common on TV.
You may text your response to or text “vote” to. The phrase I was texting
has also been used in an American Crime series.
Sentences like
They texted me about the change in test schedule.
We have been texting each other about the test.
For conversation, these forms may be used. But in formal
written texts, the longer phrase send a text message seems
to be appropriate.
Many students have begun to send text messages to each
other to coordinate their team research.

9. Some words get superseded by other words:
Handicapped – physically challenged
Mentally retarded – mentally challenged
Moslem (considered offensive) – Muslim
Underdeveloped countries – developing countries
General health – wellness- subjective well being
Also names of institutions, cities, countries, etc., may
be officially changed. Make sure that the proper noun
you are using are the current and updated.

10. Former Current
Baguio Colleges
Foundations
University of the
Cordilleras
Bombay Mumbai
Burma Myanmar
Calcutta Kolkata
Ceylon Sri Lanka
Central Bank of the
Philippines
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Department of
Linguistics and Asian
Languages (UP)
Department of Linguistics
(or, Departamento ng
Linggwistiks)
East Timor Timor Leste
East Timorese Timorense
Gypsy/ gypsies Roma
Former Current
Leningrad St Petersburg (Original
name)
Persia Iran
Rangoon Yangon
Regional English
Language Centre
(Singapore)
Regional Language Centre
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City
San Fernando (La
Union)
City of San Fernando
Shangrila’s EDSA Plaza
Hotel
EDSA Shangri-la
Sexmoan (Pampanga) Sasmuan
Zaire Democratic Republic of
Congo

11.  Some words may have similar meanings or the same meaning,
sometimes even the same source, but tend to be used in particular
English dialects. Especially confusing to Filipino users of English
are principally British forms as in the following.
American British
Dean (of a college) Dean, rector, warden,
master, principal, provost
Dinner (=heavy
supper)
Dinner (=heavy lunch or
supper)
Elevator Lift
French fries Chips
Lawyer Solicitor, barrister
No overtaking No passing
American British
Orient Orientate
Phonograph Gramophone
Radio Wireless
Truck Lorry
TV Telly
Students (in college) Students, postmasters,
demies

12. A special case is that of names of numbers above one
million, where American and British terms do not tally.
One billion in the US system, which is also used by
Filipino writers, is one thousand million (1,000,000,000),
but in European system, this numeral is called Milliard.
Since its billion is one million million (1,000,000,000,000).
The meanings of the rest of the terms-trillion, quadrillion,
quintillion, sextillion, septillion, octillion, nonillion,
decillion, etc. –stray farther apart since in the US system,
each term is 1000 times the preceding one, while in the
British system, each term (from one trillion) is 1,000,000
times the preceding one. Thus, an American Quadrillion
has 15 zeros, while the British has 24.

25.  Homophonous (same pronunciation) and Homographic (same spelling)words.
Some examples are:
 Dish
This dish is quite tasty.
This dish looks like the one I broke.
 Hang
Which picture did you hang in the living room?
My computer hangs each time I try to open a JPG file.

26.  paper, papers
Use no more than a sheet of paper for your bio-data.
I subscribe to seven papers.
 Store
The new store sells only cheese from various parts of the world.
The large store are at the back with its walk-in freezer is where
the restaurant keeps all its meat.

27.  Words with the same or similar pronunciation but are spelled differently. Errors
here are usually cited as spelling errors.
aisle isle cygnet signet
all ready already die dye
apposite opposite disassemble dissemble
assent ascent esotericexoteric
bare bear fare fair
boar bore feign fain
born borne forgo forego
calendar calender
canvas canvass
cognation cognition
compliment complement
cue queue
NB: These are listed in Meriam-Webster
as variants of each other, Encarta lists
canvass as a variant spelling for canvass.
Random House notes that canvass was
originally a spelling variant of canvas
used as verbs. Cambridge and Oxford,
however, as this manual suggests,
maintains the difference between canvas
the cloth and canvass the act of getting
price quotations or other information.

28. Heroin Heroine
Impassable impassible impossible
Indite Indiet
Its It’s
Key Quay
Lean Lien
Material Materiel
Ordinance Ordnance
Pact Packed
Passed Past
Plain Plane
Therefor Therefore
President Precedent (n.)
Sale Sail
Site Sight
Sometime Some time
Stationary Stationery
Troop Troupe
Underway (attr. adj.) Under way
Waive Wave
War wore
 Words closely related in spelling and/or pronunciation.

29. Words closely related in spelling and/or pronunciation.
Absorb adsorb
Abysmal Abyssal
Academic (n.) Academician
Adverse Averse
Allude Elude
Appraise Apprise
Career (v.) Careen
Censored Censured
Complement Compliment
Complementary Complimentary
Continual continuous
Credible Credulous
Decry Descry
Economic Economical
Effectiveness effectivity
Elicit Illicit
Eminent Imminent
Empathic Emphatic
Ensure Insure
Envelop Envelope
Equable Equitable
European Europan
Expensive Expansive
Flaunt Flout
Flounder Founder
Fortuitous Fortunate
Gantlet gauntlet
Gateway Getaway
Historic Historical
Illegal Illicit

30. The contraction it’s for it is used only when it is the subject of is,
and not when these two words are simply adjacent to each other:
 The problem about it’s that the data are incomplete.
 The problem about it is that the data are incomplete.

31.  Words which are very closely related in meaning to each other.
Few examples are:
 advance vs. advanced
The group has to send an advance copy of its itinerary to the local producers.
Their theaters have more advanced facilities than ours.
 consent vs. assent
The emperor consented to the marriage of the Crown Prince to a commoner.
The young career diplomat assented to the marriage proposal.

32.  disallow vs. prohibit
Employees of the ministry have been disallowed from
personally following up papers.
Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering the
storeroom.
voluntarism vs. volunteerism
A great deal of voluntarism keeps many churches, schools, and
hospitals functioning even with limited budgets.
The academe has been called upon to help the underprivileged
through a program of volunteerism.

33.  Some words have differing forms but essentially the same meaning; one
form is usually preferred over the others.
administer =administrate
(dis)orient = (dis)orientate
heterogenous = heterogeneous (preferred)
homogenous = homogeneous (preferred)
 Some words which many teachers have tried to differentiate from near
homonyms are now accepted in their common usage.
Example. Self-deprecating – self-depreciating
partake - participate
All graduating students must partake/participate in the
commencement exercises.
They may also partake of the refreshments after the affair.

34.  Always consult a reliable dictionary. Do not just rely on building the meaning a
word from the individual meanings of what seem to be its parts.
catnip is not related to cats
inflammable does not mean not flammable
invaluable does not literally mean not valuable
meteorology is not the study of meteors
priceless does not literally mean without a price or no price.
unnatural does not always mean artificial
 Some words look related because of their pronunciation or spelling. Do not guess,
and be wary of other people’s explanations. Always refer to a dictionary.
rid is the past participle of rid, as in get rid of s.t.
ridden is an adjective which means “full of; obsessed by” “as in guilt-ridden”
A government that has been rid of graft is graft-free.

35.  Be careful in using transitive and intransitive verbs that are closely
related to each other in meaning
lay vs. lie raise vs. rise set, seat (v) vs. sit
 Watch out for words that are ambiguous. i.e. that have two or more
distinct meanings.
The prescription was specified for two years.
He was relieved, knowing that the palace does not tolerate any
kind of irregularity.
Sanctions are required to maintain peace in the region.
Your research proposal was tabled.
About 4,000 US troops involved in the war against Iraq are
now suffering from what has been called the “Gulf War Syndrome.”

36.  Some of the words you commonly use may have several meanings, and your
readers or hearers may get the meaning you did not intend to communicate.
bimonthly (adj) = (1). every two months (2). twice a month
diction (n) = (1). choice of words
(2). articulation, pronunciation, enunciation
matchless (adj) = (1). without equal comparison or
(2). without matches
relieved (pp of v.) = (1). experiencing relief, as in the litting of a burden
(2). removed from office.
remit (v) = (1). lay aside (one’s mood) (2). desist from (an activity)
sanction (n) = (1). Authoritative permission (2). penalty

37.  Adverbs of frequency indicating a gradation of meaning from positive to negative.
often – not often –seldom
usually – not usually – sometimes
always – not always – never
generally – occasionally – rarely – hardly ever – never
 EXPLICITNESS
Use the right word, and be as explicit as possible. Do not leave ideas
“understood”.
*The blank was not legibly written.
The entry on the blank was not legibly written.
*The logbook is not properly maintained with time-ins and time-outs.
Time-ins and time-outs are not regularly recorded in the logbook.

38. Use the word or phrase that directly, clearly, and correctly
communicates your meaning.
*The Branch Manager promised to rectify the audit findings.
The Branch Manager promised to rectify the errors noted in the audit
report.

39.  Use Filipinisms only when your target readers are familiar with them-fellow
Filipinos or other nationals who have become familiar with Filipino English.
 Neosemanticism – new or additional meanings to common words.
accident prone area = (high risk area)
ballpen = (ballpoint pen)
color-coding (n) color coded (adj) = (restricted)
commute (v, travel from residence to workplace via public transportation)
double dead (n, cows or pigs that died of some disease but whose meat is
sold for human consumption, beef or pork from such cows or pig).

40.  Some Filipinisms are neoterisms, i. e., new forms for meaning are already
indicated by other words or phrases.
aggrupation (n., an assembly or grouping)
backgrounder (n., background to plan or proposal)
CR (abb., comfort room)
fiscalizer (n. (political) critic)
masteral (adj., pertaining to a master’s degree)
passporting (adj., pertaining to the processing of passports)
postpone s.t. to a later date (cf. move s.t. to a later date)
presidentiable or presedentable (adj., n., presedential caliber, with good
chances of getting elected president)
rallyist (n., participant in a public rally or demonstration)

41.  Avoid the use of slang or colloquialisms in formal communication.
That’s already over. (1993) = That’s too much
 Also avoid using Filipinisms for which common English words are
available .
Free *tripping every Sunday to the subdivision site
Free trips every Sunday.

42.  Some words common in formal writing in the Philippines are actually often
misused, such as:
consultation (n., conferring with parties concerned).
emeritus (adj., retired or honorably discharged but still using the title, and
possibly enjoying some privileges).
enjoin (v., order, direct, or prescribed in law, to prohibit by an injunction).
harassment (n.) This term, together with the verb from harass, is often
used, especially in media, even if the case involves only one instance of mischief.
impunity (n., freedom or exemption from punishment
postgraduate (adj)., higher academic degree after the first)
prescribe (v., lay down a rule)

43.  Be careful in using English words or phrases that seem to be the
source of a Filipinisms. Some of these do not have the same meaning
as the Filipino word or phrase, especially those used in slang.
ENGLISH FILIPINO SLANG
attorney attorney (“personal dance instructror partner,”
especially of matrons
award award (“subjected to criticism or scolding”)
etching etching (“trivial; nonsense, fib”)
papa papa (“boyfriend,” especially of gays)
stand by istambay (“hang around”)

44.  Use loan words in English correctly. Watch out for their spelling; the diacritical
marks are sometimes omitted in an English text.
Some common French terms in English:
A la carte Comme il faut En masse Hors d’ oeuvres Rendezvous
A la mode Coup d’etat En route Laissez faire Respondez s’il
vous plait
Aperitif Coutourier Entrée Maitre d’ Saute
Bon voyage Croissant Esprit de corps Menu Savoir-faire
Bourgeois Cuisine Fait accompli Nom de plume Souffle
Buffet De luxe Faux pas Papier-mache Tete-a-tete
Carte blanche Détente Genre Pret-a-porter Tres chic
Chaise longue Dossier Haute couture Raison d’etre Venue
Vis-a vis

45. Some Latin terms in English:
Ad hoc Bona fide In toto Per annum Pro tempore
Ad hominem Caveat emptor Ipso facto Per capita Rara avis
Ad infinitum Cum laude Magna cum laude Per centum Requiem
Ad interim Ergo Magnum opus Per contra Sine die
Ad nauseam Ex cathedra Mea culpa Per diem Sine qua non
Ad valorem Ex officio Modus operandi Per se Status quo
Affidavit Id Modus vivendi Persona non grata Terra firma
Alter ego in memoriam Non sequitur Post hoc Vice versa
Pro rata Viva voce

46.  Loan words are quiet common in certain fields-latin in law, Italian in music,
French in ballet.
 Some common Latin terms in law:
de facto habeas corpus sub judice
de jure in flagrante subpoena
ex parte in pari delicto ultra vires
ex post facto prima facie vox populi
 Some common French terms in ballet:
a terre cabriole jete
arabesque Corps de ballet pas de deux
assemble danseur pass de trois
attitude danseuse pirouette
ballon divertissement pile
barre entrechat pointe
battement foutte port de bras
brise glissade rond de jambe

47. a cappela contralto opera
a piacere crescendo Operetta
adagio decrescendo oratorio
allargando diminuendo pianissimo
allegretto falsetto piano
allegro forte preludio
alto fortissimo presto
basso grave profundo
bel canto largo prima donna
bravo lento rallentado
calando ma non tanto ritenuto
cantata ma non troppo sforzando
castrato marcato sinfonia
coloratura messa di voce sonata
comprimario mezzo forte soprano
Some common
Italian terms in
music:

48.  Other foreign terms in English commonly used in international media:
apartheid (Afrikaans) la dolce vita (Italian)
charisma (Greek) lahar ( Indonesian)
glasnost (Russian) machismo (Spanish)
intifadeh (Palestinian) pariah (Tamil)
kaizen (Japanese) perestroika (Russian)
kibbutz (Hebrew) roman a clef (French)
Shibboleth (Hebrew) taipan ( Chinese)
Smorgasboard (Swedish) wunderkind (German)

49.  Dictionaries aim to present a comprehensive listing of words in a
language, the limitations or research, printing space, and the like
lead to some words getting listed in some but not all dictionaries,
whether printed or electronic.
 It is not in the dictionaries used to check spelling in popular word-
processing programs.

50.  Examples:
blog – web log = personal websites that offer information similar to what
newspaper contain.
blogger – one who sets up or uses a blog.
ripped = lean; devcid of fat (referring to an athletic body)

52. Choose the correct missing word. All of the missing words are
homophones.
1. Would you like a peace/piece of cake?
2. I’ve never met a real/reel actor before.
3. This is to/too difficult for me.
4. He’s not coming because he’s feeling weak/week.
5. It is so heavy because it is made of steel/steal.
Current name of the following.
1. Persia
2. Mesopotamia
3. Ceylon
4. Burma
5. Zaire