Lexicology

Week 8: Stylistic Aspect of English words

1. Give shorter, more informal versions of these words.

Example: telephone à phone

1. laboratory 6. mother
2. veterinary 7. newspaper
3. television 8. goodbye
4. advertisement (give two alternatives) 9. children
5. the Underground 10. great

2. Read each sentence below. Decide whether the sentence demonstrates colloquial English
or standard written English. Underline the colloquial phrases and give their meanings.
1. Patti was in a jam when she lost her money.
2. Yun Jin decided to take a course in Canadian history.
3. A juniper is an evergreen shrub or tree, having prickly leaves and dull-coloured
berries.
4. The business deal didn’t pan out.
5. When Sasha got lost in the mountains, he holed up in an old miner’s cabin.
6. There was an automobile accident at the corner of Fort Street and Douglas Avenue.
7. In 1066, under the leadership of William I, the Normans conquered England.
8. The teenagers yakking on the subway drove the other passengers up the wall.
9. When Mr. Robb told me the alligator story, I almost died laughing.
10. If my brother sees me driving his car, I’m a goner.
11. The voters waited eagerly to hear the broadcast of the national elections returns.
12. My allowance is shot so I can’t go to the concert with the crowd.
13. Mr. James regretted that he had given his son permission to drive the family car.
14. Kim was such a brain she never had to hit the books after school.
15. Jane wished to continue higher education right after her graduation.

3. Find informal alternative for the words in bold in these notices, then write the whole
messages in a more informal way.
Eg: For proprietors in d, write owners.
1. Joe’s Restaurant 3. Do not attempt to alight while
Only food purchased on the the bus is in motion.
premises may be consumed
here.
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2. We regret we do not accept 4. The proprietors accept no
credit cards responsibility for articles deposited
here.

4. Explain each colloquial or slang item listed after each conversation, and then rewrite the
conversations in a more formal style.
1. A: Do you fancy going to the pictures tonight?
B: Great. Hang on, though. There’s something good on telly.
2. A: Lend me a few quid. I’m broke.
B: Here’s a fiver.
A: Smashing. Ta.
3. A: You look a bit fed up. What’s up?
B: Someone’s pinched my brolly and it’s coming down in buckets.
A: Oh, tough luck.
4. A: Someone’s walked off with my specs!
B: Don’t be daft. You’ve got them in your hand.
A: Oh, yes. I’m going bonkers.

5. Check the dictionary if needed. Make the underlined words more formal or less formal,
as in the instructions in brackets.
1. Would you like to come to my house for a meal? (less formal)
2. If the owner of the estate died without any children, the land became the property of the
government. (more formal)
3. We are not allowed to bring beverages into the lecture room. (less formal)
4. There's a newsagent's. Shall we buy a newspaper? (less formal)
5. Karen is very brainy. She'll do well at university, I'm sure. (more formal)
6. Oh yes, Pascal is an old pal of mine. I've known him for years. He's a nice chap. (more formal;
2 marks)
7. I had a kip in the afternoon, then I worked all evening. (more formal)
8. Would you like to go to a public house for a meal one day? (less formal)
9. He tried to board the train without a ticket, and got stopped by the inspector. (less formal)