Do you learn meanings of words?

[Martin Gardner]

I know this has been brought up at least once before, but I thought with Christmas gone, we could bring this up again? So if you learn words for Countdown, do you learn the meanings as well? As you already know, I don't. It's not particularly that meanings don't interest me because they do, it's simply the volume of words I learn and the fact that my brain doesn't cope with it very well. If I learn a list of 10 words with 10 definitions, I won't remember which goes with which! Also there is such as thing as artificial definition learning, i.e. learning the words of the definition in the right order without really knowing what they mean. One example for me would be 'dogstail' - I know that this is a plant, but I don't know anything else! It could be six metres tall or six inches tall and I wouldn't know the difference. It stretches the meanings of 'learning the definition'. So in short, I prefer to know meanings of words only if I intend to use them in a sentence.

[Jason Larsen]

Martin, sometimes I learn them and sometimes I don't!

[Gavin Chipper]

I know this has been brought up at least once before, but I thought with Christmas gone, we could bring this up again? So if you learn words for Countdown, do you learn the meanings as well? As you already know, I don't. It's not particularly that meanings don't interest me because they do, it's simply the volume of words I learn and the fact that my brain doesn't cope with it very well. If I learn a list of 10 words with 10 definitions, I won't remember which goes with which! Also there is such as thing as artificial definition learning, i.e. learning the words of the definition in the right order without really knowing what they mean. One example for me would be 'dogstail' - I know that this is a plant, but I don't know anything else! It could be six metres tall or six inches tall and I wouldn't know the difference. It stretches the meanings of 'learning the definition'. So in short, I prefer to know meanings of words only if I intend to use them in a sentence.

I didn't understand a word of that post.

[Ben Wilson]

I know this has been brought up at least once before, but I thought with Christmas gone, we could bring this up again? So if you learn words for Countdown, do you learn the meanings as well? As you already know, I don't. It's not particularly that meanings don't interest me because they do, it's simply the volume of words I learn and the fact that my brain doesn't cope with it very well. If I learn a list of 10 words with 10 definitions, I won't remember which goes with which! Also there is such as thing as artificial definition learning, i.e. learning the words of the definition in the right order without really knowing what they mean. One example for me would be 'dogstail' - I know that this is a plant, but I don't know anything else! It could be six metres tall or six inches tall and I wouldn't know the difference. It stretches the meanings of 'learning the definition'. So in short, I prefer to know meanings of words only if I intend to use them in a sentence.

I didn't understand a word of that post.

We can take it then you don't bother with the meanings of words?

[Jason Larsen]

Martin must be the creative type in that he is very differently special compared to everyone else, Gavin.

But, he is no different otherwise!

[Jeff Clayton]

Yes I do like to learn the meanings. I am stimulated by more than just sets of juxtaposed letters, and find satisfaction in having (striving to have) a broader understanding of the world around me.


Jeff

[Martin Gardner]

Yes I do like to learn the meanings. I am stimulated by more than just sets of juxtaposed letters, and find satisfaction in having (striving to have) a broader understanding of the world around me.


Jeff

Yeah I would totally agree with that. I find it ironic that I'm interested in etymology and I read books on Latin and Romance Languages, but when it comes to Scrabble/Countdown I don't care about the definitions. So I think it's a context thing; when you see a Countdown word it has no context, so there's no reason to know what it means. But if I'm reading something in Latin like agnus dei*, the title of a song, there is a context (i.e. two words together to form a title) so if I look up the meaning, it will also be a meaning in context!

*Agnus dei = (the) lamb of God, hence the modern French agneau.

[Jason Larsen]

Actually, I just thought I'd think of that from Jeff's point of view.

I do like to learn the meanings of words because it makes me smarter and yes, I like to learn in general.

For example, I think I became an Anglophile almost 5 years ago, and now I know what you all think it means to be "gutted."

To an American who doesn't like England as much, gut would mean a noun, and "to gut" would mean to take the internal organs out of an animal, as with calves' liver.

Come to think of it, that's how we would feel if Countdown went off the air, but it is... staying on... in 2009... with "our Jeff!"

[Joseph Bolas]

I don't really see the need to learn the meanings to be honest.

I'm sure there's been a few times when the contestants have wowed Des with some amazing spots and he has asked them what the word means, but most of the time the contestants don't know the meaning of the word (it was how "The Conor Principle" came about).

[Martin Gardner]

Martin must be the creative type in that he is very differently special compared to everyone else, Gavin.

But, he is no different otherwise!

I think that's a backhanded compliment!

[Ian Volante]

Often the only way I can remember new words is in context, and that context is almost always the meaning. Mechanical word-learning bores the tits off me frankly, hence I have to rely on natural talent to get me as far as it has.

That also explains why my performance is so erratic, I don't follow logical paths or stems for the long words, I generally just have them click into place, or more usually don't.

[Michael Wallace]

I don't really see the need to learn the meanings to be honest.

I'm sure there's been a few times when the contestants have wowed Des with some amazing spots and he has asked them what the word means, but most of the time the contestants don't know the meaning of the word (it was how "The Conor Principle" came about).

Wait, am I misinterpreting, or are you suggesting the only reason to learn the meanings of words is from a Countdown perspective? (or were you merely answering the question from a Countdown perspective?)

I like to know what words mean - I don't really get enough enjoyment from just the Countdown playing benefits of having a good vocabulary to make it worth my while. I can understand if people are studying word lists for the purposes of becoming especially good at something like Scrabble (in the same way you may train hard for a sport despite not really enjoying, or needing, those 10 mile runs every morning), but since I only play casually I'd rather know fewer words and know what they mean, than loads and not have a clue.

[Jason Larsen]

You're right, Martin!

[Peter Mabey]

As I've been a cryptic crossword fan for at least 60 years, the meaning of words has always been a sine qua non, so whenever I come across an unfamiliar one I resort to the latest Chambers. Consequently, when playing along with Countdown, I sometimes spot an equaller or beater, valid in Scrabble but not in ODE2r - which I don't have: if it's in the NODE, I usually post.

Incidentally, in spite of being a maths graduate, I am interested in numbers, and usually spot the factors of a target before the clock's started, enabling me to see a solution quickly - on the other hand, I can go off on the wrong track and miss an easy one.

[Jimmy Gough]

it's simply the volume of words I learn and the fact that my brain doesn't cope with it very well.

You really learn that many new words?!

[David Roe]

I learn some of them. For example, I now know what a tangelo and a dacoit are. But since I flatter myself (accurately ) that I know more words than most of the people I talk to, learning the more obscure stuff would be of limited value because I wouldn't be able to use them, and because I don't read the sort of books that would use them either.

[Jason Larsen]

David, do you like tangerines or grapefruits better?

[Gavin Chipper]

David, do you like tangerines or grapefruits better?

Speaking of which, if you mixed together tangerine juice and grapefruit juice, would it taste like tangelo juice?

[Jason Larsen]

That's what it would be!

You're right, Gavin!

[Charlie Reams]

David, do you like tangerines or grapefruits better?

Speaking of which, if you mixed together tangerine juice and grapefruit juice, would it taste like tangelo juice?

Gavin, you're a funny guy!

[Gavin Chipper]

David, do you like tangerines or grapefruits better?

Speaking of which, if you mixed together tangerine juice and grapefruit juice, would it taste like tangelo juice?

Gavin, you're a funny guy!

You've broken my sarcasm detector.

[Ian Volante]

Speaking of which, if you mixed together tangerine juice and grapefruit juice, would it taste like tangelo juice?

Gavin, you're a funny guy!

You've broken my sarcasm detector.

Oh no.

[Craig Beevers]

I'm starting to learn definitions for some of the Scrabble words I'm learning that I consistently mess up.

Learning the definition definitely helps, but doesn't seem to be worth the effort most of the time.

[Jason Larsen]

Charlie, I'm glad that you're grasping that I'm beginning to understand peoples' sense of humor.

[Martin Gardner]

it's simply the volume of words I learn and the fact that my brain doesn't cope with it very well.

You really learn that many new words?!

I used to try and learn about 20 a day, I tended to look up the anagrams of the words rather than their definitions! I play Scrabble in French and I'd say I know the definition of about a third of the words I play, the others I don't.