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A person’s vocabulary in a language is the set of words that he or she knows in that language.

People are judged by other people based on several factors, such as appearance, clothes, manners, actions, and, of course, language skills. A person’s use of language is considered an indication of their education, upbringing, character, work, standard of living, and just about anything. A good vocabulary enables a person to use language elegantly and competently. Word knowledge is also an important element in reading, and the development of an individual’s vocabulary is in large measure dependent on a person’s interests and background of experience (Davis, F B (1944, p. 191)).

"Vocabulary" can be classified as vocabulary of comprehension, vocabulary of speech, vocabulary of reading, and vocabulary of writing.

Vocabulary of comprehension indicates the words that a person can understand when listening to another person’s speech. Often, context or the other person’s facial expression or body language can give an indication of the meanings of some of the words.

Vocabulary of speaking specifies the words that a person can use when talking to other people. The words must flow freely, and any attempt to think about or search for the right word might result in awkward and even discomfiting stops. Unlike in writing, the speaker does not get the chance to review or correct their words and sentences before deciding on the final content.

Vocabulary of reading indicates the words that a person can understand when reading a book or document. The reader is usually at leisure, can pause and ponder as they please, and use other aids such as a dictionary or thesaurus. Reading is considered the best method of acquiring a good vocabulary spontaneously: ‘In certain very important cognitive domains, there are strong theoretical reasons to expect a positive and unique effect of avid reading. Vocabulary development is a case in point’ (Cunningham, A E & Stanovich, K E 2001, p. 138).

Vocabulary of writing specifies the words that a person can use when writing. Unlike in speaking, the writer usually has a lot of time to consider the words and the words' usage, check words in a dictionary, and decide the right word choice. But, for the same reason, people generally expect a higher quality of language from a person’s written work than from a person's spoken words. In serious writing, the use of formal, polite, and refined language and structure is mandatory.

Initially, to a certain extent, vocabulary is developed effortlessly by interaction with other people, and basic reading and writing activities. However, to obtain an extensive knowledge of words, deliberate efforts by a person are required. This includes utilisation of vocabulary books, dictionaries, and similar aids; traditional tools and techniques; and modern computer software such as the popular Ultimate Vocabulary software, and Internet resources.

REFERENCES

Cunningham, A E & Stanovich, K E 2001, ‘What Reading Does for the Mind’ Journal of Direct Instruction, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 137-149.

Davis, F B 1944, ‘Fundamental Factors of Comprehension in Reading’ Psychometrika, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 185-197.