When someone brings up a word you don't know in conversation, do you ask them for the definition, try to figure it out from the context, make a mental note and look it up later or...?
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ANSWERS: 18
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It depends. If the word appears to be crucial to my understanding of what they are trying to say, then I would ask them to define / clarify. Otherwise, I'd probably try to work it out from the context (which is how I'm sure we learn most of the words we use every day), and then I may also look it up when I get the chance later on.
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It depends on who Im speaking with. If its my mom or BF I will ask them. If its a boss a co worker or someone I dont speak with regularly I go on like I know what they are saying and I find out the definition later. I can usually figure it out though.
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The people i hang around are not bright enough to use a word I don't know in a sentence. They usually ask me. I guess if it did happen I would ask them what it meant. It would then be the word of the day and I would try to learn it and perhaps use it also :)
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If it's a word I don't know and I'm unable to extrapolate its meaning from context or root analysis I will definitely ask what it means right then and there.
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It's hard to find people smarter than me, but if I do run across someone who knows a word I don't, I usually call bullshit on their fictitious word and embarrass them in front of all their friends. Just kidding, I ask em what it means if I can't guess from the context, I'm prideless. ;)
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I try to figure it out from the context of the conversation.
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We are in the age of the Internet. I can easily find meaning of a word from a number of sources on the web.
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In an environment where I need to know right away, like medical or work related, I would ask for immediate clarification. Otherwise, I'd run with a contextual interpretation and then definitely look it up later. I'm never far from a dictionary.
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All of the above. It depends where I am, and if I can ask what the word means. If I can, I'd rather do it right then and there. If it's a situation where there's a speaker and I can't get to the person to ask, I either try to figure it out by the context or make a note and look it up later!
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I've done all three at different times.
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I try to figure it out by context but if that fails I definitely check the dictionary later.
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As I have said here before, I am very socially inept, but I have a very large vocabulary. On the rare occasion that I hear a word I don't know, I get all excited and ask the person what it means. Since they usually don't know, I have accidentally put them on the spot. It's no wonder I have a hard time making friends.
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I tend to ask what it means right then and there otherwise I forget and never learn anything. After all, the fool wonders, the wise man asks.
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It doesn't happen very often, I've been told I have an annoying vocabulary, but when it does happen if I can't figure it out by context I'll ask. I love learning new words.
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I try to use context and then make mental note to look it up later.
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Usually try to figure the word out (using context clues) and if I dont know the person well I'll just look it up later. But if I know the person pretty well, I may respond with,"....Whaaaat?"
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First I try to figure it out based on the context. If I can't then I just ask them.
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If I cannot ascertain what they are implying I'll either say, "How do you mean XYZ?" or, "I'm not understanding..." I'd like to think I have a broad vocabulary so it's usually ME explaining and I make every effort to not belittle the person whilst doing so! :)~
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