FEATURE

The Vocabulary to Motivate People

Recommendations: There are a lot of advantages to having a rich vocabulary

The number of words in your vocabulary is like the number of pixels in your digital camera - the more you have, the more accurately and beautifully you get things across

Hideho Kindaichi, Linguist and professor at the Faculty of Foreign Studies, Kyorin University

Vocabulary is important in sports - Progress in vocabulary improves competitive performance

Norimasa Hirai, head coach, Tokyo Swimming Center

Let’s try exercise 1!

Check your vocabulary with this quiz

Seven kinds of training to increase your vocabulary

Training 1

From Shinya Tasaki, sommelier - Increase your word retention! Train with your five senses

Training 2

From Maho Shibui of the Mature Life Institute - Train by reading the Nikkei newspaper out loud

Training 3

From Takayoshi Yoshida, Doctor of Medicine - The art of increasing your vocabulary by using your brain

Training 4

From Pakkun (Patrick Harlan), comedian fluent in Japanese - Note down new words in your mobile phone. And use people who express themselves well as teaching materials!

Training 5

From Hirotada Ototake, elementary school teacher - Train to break down difficult words in analogies

Training 6

From Machi Tawara, poet - Words are living things. You need to go to the places where they are used

Training 7

Makiko Ishikawa, director of the NTV Gakuin School and TV announcer - The announcer’s art of vocabulary improvement

Let’s try exercise 2!

Using proverbs and idioms

Something you can use immediately - a collection of paraphrases by situation

The different words that are most suited to dealing with your boss, subordinates or customers

Another look at difficult contents

Useful phrases for when you’re in a bind

The art of the words that will make you lovable

Don’t escape by using vague words favored by young people

Let’s try exercise 3!

Buff up your vocabulary with puzzles

The Associé editorial staff selection of dictionaries