Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:
|
|
|
WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!
A New Blog that Led Me to Another Great New Site
As I checked my Technorati ranking yesterday, I noticed a Blog Reaction (backlink to my blog) that came from a blog I'd never, to my knowledge, visited before. This made me curious, so I clicked on over to check it out. When I arrived at the PhilMcDonnell.com blog, I discovered that in his post, Viral Day, Phil had reproduced a fascinating list of links that has been making its way around the blogosphere. (To learn more about the list, click the link to the "Viral Day" post.) At any rate, Writer's Notes was on the list, and hence my visit to his blog.
The Free Rice Site Where Words Buy Food for the Hungry
While I was there, I noticed another interesting post, called Free Rice.... The post tells of a United Nations World Food Program effort to feed the hungry which is partially supported by a website called Free Rice. This site offers its visitors a multiple-choice vocabulary quiz, with multiple levels of difficulty (50 to be exact); and the site--or rather its sponsors--pledge to donate 10 grains of rice to the U.N. effort for every correct definition chosen. While it's true that 10 grains isn't much rice, if enough people get enough answers correct, it could grow into a substantial amount of food for hungry people around the world. (According to the site's home page, 45,925,390 grains of rice were donated yesterday and 52,142,290 the day before. The site also publishes a list which includes a breakdown of the daily rice donations that have been contributed so far.)
My First Intellectual Donation to the Fight to End World Hunger
I, personally, earned 2,000 grains of rice yesterday by correctly defining 200 words. (I don't know how many words I attempted, since I got many of them wrong. [Decided not to use my dictionary.]) But, this quiz is a great way to improve your vocabulary while doing your small part to help those less fortunate than you. And, of course you can go back again and again, whenever you're inclined to learn a few words and feed a few mouths.
Win-Win Situation: How the Quiz Works
The vocabulary skill level varies as you take the quiz based on whether your definitions are correct or not. When you get three words in a row right, you're moved up a level, and when you get one wrong, you're moved down a level. It's a fascinating mental exercise! Personally, I tended to hover around the 40-43 mark, though I went as low as 38 and as high as 45. But, the great thing about this test is that, no matter what level you're at, you still earn 10 grains of rice for every correct answer, and you never lose any when you get an answer wrong. So it's a win-win situation! You win by learning new words that you'll be able to use in your writing--and understand in your reading--and the hungry peoples of the world who are on the receiving end of the U.N. World Food Program win by receiving the fruits of your intellectual labors.
So why not check out the site, learn a few new words, and help feed the hungry!
Happy helping!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? We'd love to hear your comment!
I'm a Word Nerd. Are You?
Brad Shorr, over at Word Sell, Inc., has designed a nifty little badge of honor for all of us bonafide, honest-to-goodness, word-nerd types to proudly display on our blogs to show the world that we are Word Nerds and we aren't ashamed of it!
After all, we writers love words! (Where would we be without them?) So, why not announce it to the world? Brad lists a few of the qualities of Word Nerds in his post, Be a Word Nerd!, inviting anyone who sees him/herself in that description to grab a badge (available in a variety of designer colors) and post it with pride.
Brad also gives all of us Word Nerds the opportunity to test our degree of "word-nerdiness," through one of the four vocabulary tests he periodically offers on his blog, all of which are conveniently listed and linked to in this post: Word Nerds Unite! (though the testing isn't a requirement for downloading and displaying the badge.)
Some Surefire Signs that You Are a Word Nerd
-Whenever you write, your dictionary, thesaurus, and Strunk and White absolutely must be within reach.
-You read the dictionary for pleasure.
-You relish every opportunity to use precise terminology--not primarily to impress people, but rather because it's important to you to convey the exact meaning of your thoughts.
-You're forever correcting people--even (gasp!) in public--when they've use a word incorrectly. (Either that, or you have to bite your tongue to keep yourself from doing so.)
-When people pause while speaking, to think of the word they want--or even to simply catch their breath--you're ready to jump right in and generously provide the term they were (obviously) looking for.
-You can sometimes sit there for literally hours trying to think of just the right word, before your semantic sensibilities will be satisfied enough to let you release a piece of writing to the public eye. (Well, OK, maybe you don't sit there the whole time, but the dilemma is always in the back of your mind, and that piece must absolutely be put on hold until you've solved it!)
Does any of that sound like you? If so, you're a definite candidate for the Word Nerd badge! (You may even have a few Word Nerd activities of your own that I haven't mentioned. If so, please feel free to share them in Comments.)
If you can relate to any of what has been written here, please read the section that follows and consider taking the next logical step.
Word Nerds of the World, Unite!
So, why don't all we Word Nerds of the world--or at least of the internet/blogosphere--unite in joining this elite semantic sister/brotherhood! Let's stand together in defense of the written and spoken word, used with precision and premeditation! (No, it isn't a crime.) Let's join Brad in sharing, with all those we meet in cyberspace--or anyplace--our unquenchable enthusiasm for the sensational subtleties of the well-placed word and well-turned phrase.
Feel free to visit Brad's Word Sell, Inc. blog, at one of the above links, to learn more about the Word Nerd movement, and if you should be so inclined, to offer your support. And while you're there, don't forget to pick up a badge, in your favorite color, and take advantage of this opportunity to show the world that you are indeed a Word Nerd!
From one Word Nerd to another,
Jeanne
Note: I'm unfortunately unable to add the Word Nerd badge to my already overloaded sidebar, which is the only reason why, for the time being, its display will need to be limited to this blog post.
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
We writers are crafters of language. We continually manipulate words, seeking the perfect one to use in expressing a precise thought, feeling, or idea. Our thesaurus is our close acquaintance. Our dictionary is our intimate friend and indispensable companion! Without quick, easy, and efficient access to the correct definitions and proper usages of the words we weave into our written masterpieces, we could never create written works that express our thoughts appropriately and effectively. For this reason, we must always be on the lookout for the best resources we can find that will cut down on the time required for word research and provide the needed information quickly and efficiently so that we can get on with the actual process of writing!
.
While browsing for online dictionaries one day recently, I came across a great resource--one that's better than a dictionary, because it's actually an entire collection of dictionaries. One Look Dictionary Search is a comparative index of dictionary websites which indexes "8,853,196 words in 937 dictionaries"--all of them online. That's a lot of words--and a lot of dictionaries! (There are both general and specialized dictionaries in this index. Some encyclopedias are included in the list, as well.)
This site gives you three search options: Find Definitions, Find Translations, and Search All Dictionaries. When Find Definitions is chosen, and a word (or phrase) is searched for via the site's search box, a list of dictionaries (and encyclopedias) that contain the word in their definitions is generated. At the same time, an instant definition is also generated in the "Quick Definitions" box on the right side of the page. This is a great feature when a quick, basic definition is needed.
The name of each reference site, as well as a link to its home page and an info link about the site can be found at the end of each single-line listing. Each listing also has a direct link to the definition of the searched-for word in the particular dictionary. These links are great for quick and easy comparison of sites, definitions, word etymology, etc.
Find Translations will generate a search of various language dictionaries, including multi-lingual dictionaries and foreign language dictionaries built around specialized topics--a boon to those who need to research non-English words.
The Search Dictionaries option generates a list of specialized dictionaries (in the English language), which follow the general dictionary definitions of the term, allowing the searcher to access such resources as dictionaries of Medicine, Religion, Science, and even Slang. This option could definitely come in handy for more in-depth research of a word or topic.
Wildcards may also be used to find either specific or numerous forms of a root word. And, amazingly enough, the site also features a handy reverse dictionary, which allows you to find a word when you already know its definition. It also offers a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, which addresses issues about which its readers may be uncertain.
One Look Dictionary Search is definitely your one-stop word shop! Check it out--and find all your definitions in one place! You'll save time, energy, and effort that would better be directed toward crafting your next literary masterpiece.
Happy Research!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
|
|
|
Comments (10)
Add Comments