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Alan Siegel: Let's simplify legal jargon!

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Tax forms, credit agreements, healthcare legislation: They're crammed with gobbledygook, says Alan Siegel, and incomprehensibly long. He calls for a simple, sensible redesign -- and plain English -- to make legal paperwork intelligible to the rest of us.

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Is there such a thing as a true synonym?

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Is there such a thing as a true synonym?

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Is there such a thing as a true synonym? | Dictionary.com Blog

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Thesauruses present a catalog of synonyms from which we may pick and choose words to put into our writing, but a thesaurus used alone is a very bad thing because there is no such thing as a true synonym. Every word has its particular place in the language.

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Favorite Methods for Learning Vocabulary

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Favorite Methods for Learning Vocabulary

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By Noel van Vliet

Aaahhhh, learning vocabulary!

It must be the sexiest element of learning a language.

And perhaps the most controversial.

It's not for nothing that polyglots call it the Kim Kardashian of the language-learning community.

(Actually, I made that up. ;-))

To add fuel to the discussion, and most importantly, to bring you fantastically useful advice on learning vocabulary in your target language, I asked a bunch of experts, authors, translators and bloggers the following question:

If there was one method for learning vocabulary that you'd recommend to the world, which one would it be?

The response was nothing short of overwhelming.

Almost 40 replies flooded my inbox - creating a bomb of extremely balanced advice and giving you the opportunity to judge for yourself how to best go about learning more words in your target language.

The number of hours I put in to create this resource for you is near the number of replies but it was worth every second of it. There are really some golden nuggets down the page!

So, without further ado, let's get comfortable and dive in!

The participants are alphabetically ordered by their first name. You can simply start scrolling from the top or go straight to your favorite language-learning expert by using the list of quick bookmarks below.

Aaron Knight - Albert Wolfe - André Klein - Anne Merritt
Anthony Metivier - Ben Whately - Benny Lewis - Camille Chevalier-Karfis
Catherine Wentworth - Corrine McKay - David Mansaray - Donovan Lee Mcgrath
Flora Petersen - Idahosa Ness - James Heisig - John Fotheringham
Kerstin Hammes - Kevin Chen - Lizzie Fane - Lucas Kern
Lutz Marten - Lynn McBride - Mark Thomson - Martin Benjamin - Olle Linge
Óscar Pellus - Pat Wyman - Professor Jabba - Samuel Gendreau
Simon Ager - Stuart Jay-Ray - Susana Wald - Susanna Zaraysky
Tim Bewer - Tomasz P. Szynalski - Wiktor Kostrzewski - William Linney - Yangyang

Too much to read? Download a free summary that will allow you to quickly find the vocabulary method you like the most. Includes free report that shows you how to dramatically improve your speaking skills in your target language.

Never learn a single word by itself. Learn groups of words that "travel" together.

For example, instead of memorizing the word "flock", memorize the phrase "a flock of sheep". Instead of remembering the verb "occur", remember the phrase "if any problems occur".

When you remember phrases instead of single words, you ensure that you know how to actually use the word in at least one sentence.

Albert Wolfe
Albert Wolfe is the author of various books. Among them: Chinese 24/7: Everyday Strategies for Speaking and Understanding Mandarin. He also teaches English at the Peizheng College in Guangzhou, China and runs the blog Laowai Chinese.

It's true that vocabulary is the concept that gets the most attention by language learners.

My theory is that it's the concept / element we most easily relate to because it's the one thing we can remember doing (and indeed are still doing) for our first language.

But very few people remember much about learning the pronunciation or grammar of their first language, for example.

So if I had to give one vocabulary learning tip, it would be:

There's just no way around memorizing a bunch of words. So put the words where you'll see them as often as possible: on a wall, in a notebook you carry around, on your computer desktop, etc. That way you can get in more review "reps" and memorize them more easily.

André Klein

There are many methods for learning vocabulary, and every learner should experiment with a variety of approaches to see what comes most naturally. The most important part is not fall into a grind, but to find a method one is comfortable with.

For some people, using flashcards will work best, while for others writing down new words or using a vocabulary trainer app will do the trick.

My personal favorite however is learning languages through creative storytelling.

By reading engaging stories (aimed at the student's level) language learners can begin to build emotional and sensory contexts around new vocabulary.

Instead of just studying isolated words by rote, new vocabulary can be memorized quicker and deeper because it is linked to characters, places and relationships, just like in real life.

To find out more about this approach, take a look at my article Your Brain On Storytelling: Foreign Language Learning Through Stories.

If there's one tip I have for learning vocabulary, it's to study it in context. We don't communicate using individual words, we communicate with phrases and sentences.

Language students, especially independent learners, will often flick through vocabulary flashcards or flashcard apps to learn new words.

These cards are a great tool, but they're not enough on their own. A student could learn hundreds of new vocabulary items, but none of that matters if they don't know how to apply those words in different contexts.

When you learn a new word, look at its place in the sentence, and look at the words that typically appear with it. Look for patterns.

Is the context usually formal or casual?

Written or spoken?

Is the word typically used for one topic only?

If it's a word you don't know, look at context clues to try and deduce meaning.

Building your context deduction skills is an invaluable asset in a language learner. Once you've learned the word, try and use it in a few sentences.

When I was a child learning French, my teachers were strict about never giving one-word answers. It was an exercise in politeness as well as sentence-building.

It was never "No", but instead "No, I don't like bananas" or "No, I haven't seen that movie yet."

Back then, it felt rigid and unnecessarily mechanical. Now, I can understand and appreciate what those teachers were doing. Now, when I speak French, I don't have to think twice about applying vocabulary, because using it in context is now second nature.

Ask a native speaker what the word is, keep talking to them for practice, an opportunity to use the word will come up and you'll have forgotten it, and then when you get reminded of it, the embarrassment will burn the word into your memory!

While it's true that flashcard studying in the app Anki, very useful mnemonics given on Memrise.com, and lots of reading in more advanced stages can be effective and how I acquire most of my vocabulary, the first example is the one method that has burned the word into my mind for good every time.
Get out and practice with people!

Camille Chevalier-Karfis

I am a big fan of "smart" flashcards.

On one side, write the English word, just as a backup, and to test yourself. On the other side, write the word, then the word in a short sentence.

Make the sentence close to "home" - use real people / facts in your life, it will help your brain remember it better.

Then write everything there is about that word, in singular and plural with articles, synonyms, notes of pronunciation (specially liaisons or glidings), flags (like "j'attends" doesn't mean "I attend" - je vais à un concert), anything you can think of.

I also think that for beginner and intermediate students at least, working with audio is essential since French is not pronounced the way it is written.

A student who learns French to one day speak it (not only to read or to pass exams) should train to understand "street French", French like it's spoken today, and understand the modern glidings and "eaten up" words (words that are so much glided that they totally disappear in spoken French, like the "ne" of je ne veux pas.)

The audio you learn with should be using modern French, but at a level you can grasp: not too fast, yet doing the glidings, and using simple yet useful vocabulary and constructions.

Trying to describe the world around me regularly in the language I'm learning. This exposes gaps in my vocabulary and gives me ample opportunities for active recall.

For example, I may try to describe what a man crossing the street is wearing. And then I'll ask myself:

Do I know the name for all his items of clothing in my target language?

Do I know all of the colors?

If there's a woman pushing a pram, do I know the word for "pram" in my foreign language?

When I'm exposed to something I don't know I write it down and look it up later.

The possibilities for this method are endless. And it's one of my favorite ways for learning and practicing vocabulary because I can do it at any time of the day and all I need is something to write down new words to look up later.

Lucas Kern
Lucas Kern is the founder of Leicht-Deutsch-Lernen.com, where he offers several products to help you learn German while having fun.

I have encountered many vocabulary-building methods and I think a lot of them are great and very effective to a certain point.

And many of them seem to work in the beginning but then most language learners come to a point that is really hard to overcome. And I think that is the main problem.

You can use the best learning materials and the best methods but if you are not motivated anymore - no method will work.

So I think a good vocabulary-building method is a method that keeps you motivated.

I create German vocabulary lessons myself and I try to focus on fun as a main factor to keep people motivated.

The ideal way of acquiring vocabulary at a rapid pace is to see the vocabulary in a context that can be understood (comprehensible input).

However, this isn't enough for most adult learners for two reasons.

1. It's hard to find suitable immersion material before you reach a level where native material becomes comprehensible.

2. Most learners find it hard to spend enough time to make relying on reading and listening only a viable strategy.

Enter: Spaced repetition software.

SRS allows you to retain a large number of words without spending too much time.

This increases our passive understanding of the language a lot and allows us to gradually increase the amount of the target language we can absorb and therefore also increasing the efficiency of our immersion effort.

So, in essence, I think reading and listening in combination with SRS is the best way to expand vocabulary.

Then, gradually, once we have understood the words, they can be activated and increase our ability to use the target language to express ourselves in speaking and writing.

You may be familiar with a post I wrote on the subject in the past.

Simply put, the method I would recommend the most is to learn through context. I'm especially drawn towards Luca's method. (See suggested post above.)

My answer would be - for myself, I use any technique I can to extend the time I can keep vocabulary in my short-term memory so that I can use it and understand it and so that it can settle in my long-term memory.

In saying that , I personally use association, colors / emotions and the Major Method in combination to extend the short-term memory shelf-life of new vocab.

Music activates more parts of the brain than language does. So when you listen to a song or advertising jingle, you are more likely to recall the words from the song or jingle than if you just read them or heard them spoken.

Find songs where the words are not sung very fast so that you can hear each word distinctly. Mana for Spanish learners, is a good choice.

Find music that you like and that you can easily decipher and learn the lyrics of the songs. You can find song lyrics easily online at www.lyrics.com and other websites.

Here is my vocabulary building tip, which I used to learn Thai, and am still using today to continue to improve.

I write all my new vocabulary words on a piece of paper that I always keep in my pocket. I pull it out when I have any free time - waiting in line at the store, riding a bus, standing in an elevator, etc. - and use it to practice.

When I feel I am remembering the word well enough I write it in a notebook. I then use this notebook to review words, going through, usually, two or three pages each day.

When I come upon a word that I have forgotten, I put it on the list in my pocket again.

1. Natural input

2. SRS (if you're an introvert)

Personally, I think remembering words with sentences or paragraphs is good way to learn vocabulary.

What a mammoth of a post!

A HUGE thanks to all contributors! Without you this wouldn't have been possible, of course.

Thanks to you, my readers, as well. If you consider this post as helpful as I do, please share it with your friends.

That's it! You've reached the end of the post. There's just one little thing left to ask:

If there was one method for learning vocabulary that you'd recommend to the world, which one would it be?

Let me know in the comments below.

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38 Language-Learning Experts Reveal their Favorite Method for Learning Vocabulary

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By Noel van Vliet Aaahhhh, learning vocabulary! It must be the sexiest element of learning a language. And perhaps the most controversial. It's not for nothing that polyglots call it the Kim Kardashian of the language-learning community. (Actually, I made that up.

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Transparent Language Blog | Transparent Language News

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TED Talks are short, influential lectures from experts in science, technology, design, education, and beyond. If you haven't visited the TED website, you should. There's something on there for everyone, and many lectures come with subtitles in other languages, so it's a great language learning tool to boot! Below is a collection of 10 of our favorite TED Talks for language learners, including advice on becoming a better learner, discussions on how our languages affect us, and stories of language advocacy.

Learning advice:
Learning how to learn:
Before getting into any specifics for language learning, you may want to improve your general learning technique. According to Barbara Oakley, who is co-teaching one of world's largest online classes, "learning how to learn is the most powerful tool you can grasp." In her TEDx talk, she outlines a few keys to learning effectively that will save you time and effort.
How to speak so that people want to listen:
This is another talk that isn't explicitly about language learning, but is useful nonetheless. Communication expert Julian Treasure reveals how to keep people engaged in conversation which may improve your speaking skills (and help you overcome your fear of speaking in another language!)
Rapid language hacking
Benny Lewis is your everyday Irishman turned polyglot. How did he do it? He shares his story in this TEDx talk and it's a lot simpler than you may think. If nothing else, this talk will convince you that you too can learn languages.
One simple method to learn any language
Scott Young and Vat Jaiswal spent one year living in 4 different countries learning 4 different languages with only one rule: no English. Their method won't be feasible for everyone, but they provide great tips for forcing yourself to learn.

Language acquisition and cognitive benefits:
Could you language affect your ability to save money?
Watch behavioral economist Keith Chen explain how speaking a language without a concept for the future correlates strongly with saving more money.
The linguistic genius of babies:
Turns out it's not all goo goo gaga. Patricia Kuhl, Co-Director of the UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, shares how babies learn one language over another through listening.
How language transformed humanity:
Biologist Mark Pagel shared how communication evolved in the first place and explains how it has transformed into a "social technology" that allows us to cooperate.

Language advocacy:
Don't insist on English!
Listen to a longtime English teacher argue against relying on English and in favor of translating and sharing great ideas. After all, would Einstein have passed the TOEFL?
How can we keep Earth's 7000 languages?
Shameless plug for our CEO's TEDx Talk from 2015. Hear from Michael and see what happens when we put our technology in the hands of experts and advocates for less common languages.
Breaking the language barrier:
You may recognize Tim Doner from the viral video of him speaking 20+ languages at the age of 17. But in this TEDx talk, Tim fights back against the sensationalism around that video and answers the question: what's the point of learning languages?

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10 Must-Watch TED Talks for Language Learners | Transparent Language Blog

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TED Talks are short, influential lectures from experts in science, technology, design, education, and beyond. If you haven't visited the TED website, you should. There's something on there for everyone, and many lectures come with subtitles in other languages, so it's a great language learning tool to boot!

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The federal judiciary operates separately from the executive and legislative branches, but often works with them as the Constitution requires. Federal laws are passed by Congress and signed by the President. The judicial branch decides the constitutionality of federal laws and resolves other disputes about federal laws. However, judges depend on our government's executive branch to enforce court decisions.

Courts decide what really happened and what should be done about it. They decide whether a person committed a crime and what the punishment should be. They also provide a peaceful way to decide private disputes that people can't resolve themselves. Depending on the dispute or crime, some cases end up in the federal courts and some end up in state courts. Learn more about the different types of federal courts.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Article III of the U.S. Constitution created the Supreme Court and authorized Congress to pass laws establishing a system of lower courts. In the federal court system's present form, 94 district level trial courts and 13 courts of appeals sit below the Supreme Court. Learn more about the Supreme Court.

Courts of Appeals

There are 13 appellate courts that sit below the U.S. Supreme Court, and they are called the U.S. Courts of Appeals. The 94 federal judicial districts are organized into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a court of appeals. The appellate court's task is to determine whether or not the law was applied correctly in the trial court. Appeals courts consist of three judges and do not use a jury.

A court of appeals hears challenges to district court decisions from courts located within its circuit, as well as appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies.

In addition, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has nationwide jurisdiction to hear appeals in specialized cases, such as those involving patent laws, and cases decided by the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Learn more about the courts of appeals.

Bankruptcy Appellate Panels

Bankruptcy Appellate Panels (BAPs) are 3-judge panels authorized to hear appeals of bankruptcy court decisions. These panels are a unit of the federal courts of appeals, and must be established by that circuit.

Five circuits have established panels: First Circuit, Sixth Circuit, Eighth Circuit, Ninth Circuit, and Tenth Circuit.

District Courts

The nation's 94 district or trial courts are called U.S. District Courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right.

Trial courts include the district judge who tries the case and a jury that decides the case. Magistrate judges assist district judges in preparing cases for trial. They may also conduct trials in misdemeanor cases.

There is at least one district court in each state, and the District of Columbia. Each district includes a U.S. bankruptcy court as a unit of the district court. Four territories of the United States have U.S. district courts that hear federal cases, including bankruptcy cases: Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

There are also two special trial courts. The Court of International Trade addresses cases involving international trade and customs laws. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims deals with most claims for money damages against the U.S. government.

Bankruptcy Courts

Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases involving personal, business, or farm bankruptcy. This means a bankruptcy case cannot be filed in state court. Through the bankruptcy process, individuals or businesses that can no longer pay their creditors may either seek a court-supervised liquidation of their assets, or they may reorganize their financial affairs and work out a plan to pay their debts.

Article I Courts

Congress created several Article I, or legislative courts, that do not have full judicial power. Judicial power is the authority to be the final decider in all questions of Constitutional law, all questions of federal law and to hear claims at the core of habeas corpus issues. Article I Courts are:

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The federal judiciary operates separately from the executive and legislative branches, but often works with them as the Constitution requires. Federal laws are passed by Congress and signed by the President. The judicial branch decides the constitutionality of federal laws and resolves other disputes about federal laws.

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The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

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The Difference between Trial Courts and Appellate Courts

LCCR/EF focuses on federal appellate courts, because the outcome of appeals cases have the potential to affect large numbers of people.

Trial Court

Appellate Court

Federal trial courts are called district courts.

Federal appellate courts are called courts of appeals. Cases can be further appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cases are heard for the first time in a trial court.

If either party disagrees with the decision in the trial court, they can appeal, asking a higher court to review the decision.

Cases only affect the people involved with the case.

The outcome of appeals cases have the potential to affect large numbers of people, because these decisions are binding on district courts within the circuit.

The two sides present evidence and witnesses, and either a judge or a jury makes a decision based on the evidence presented.

No new evidence is presented, the judge(s) simply review the materials from the original trial and determine whether the lower court made the correct legal decision.

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The Difference between Trial Courts and Appellate Courts

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LCCR/EF focuses on federal appellate courts, because the outcome of appeals cases have the potential to affect large numbers of people. Trial Court Appellate Court Federal trial courts are called district courts. Federal appellate courts are called courts of appeals. Cases can be further appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Legal Terms Every Paralegal Needs to Know

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Legal Terms Every Paralegal Needs to Know

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You've probably heard the metaphor, "It's all Greek to me," when someone doesn't understand or is totally flummoxed by a subject or situation. The law is "Greek" to many people: it's frequently misunderstood and legal terminology is misused by most people.
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*Whether you're looking to earn an undergraduate degree in preparation for the Certified Paralegal Exam, or ready to advance your career with a master's degree in legal studies, accredited online programs make it easier than ever to get the education you need:

Take, for instance, the person who comes home to find that their home has been broken into while they were away and their television, stereo and other belongings have been taken. They phone the police and proclaim, "I've been robbed!" In fact, since they were not home and the belongings were not taken from their person or the immediate vicinity of their person, they were not robbed; rather, their home was burglarized. The confusion is understandable, since people watch a lot of television and actors often dramatically moan, "I've been robbed!" Sometimes they are correct, but more often the term is used in error. This is easily explained since most screenwriters haven't gone to law school. One simplified distinction is that robbery is a person-on-person crime. Burglary is a property crime.

Other frequently confused terms are assault and battery. A man who has just been punched by another man may scream that he's been assaulted. In fact, the presence of actual physical contact means that he's been battered. If you have trouble remembering that you can think of it like this: If you are physically hit by a baseball bat, you have been battered.

In addition, certain terms can mean a number of things, depending upon the context. Take "lynch" for example. According to California Penal Code 405a, a lynching is "the taking by means of a riot of any person from the lawful custody of any peace officer." However, the word "lynch" can also refer to killing someone without legal authority, usually by hanging; and, "lynch law" refers to punishment of presumed crimes or offenses, usually by death, without due process of law. As you can see, the way a term is used often dictates what it means; so, when you're going through these terms, keep in mind that there can be variations in legal definitions.

As a paralegal you will need to become familiar with legal terms and especially familiar with terms used in the field of law you end up working in. Should you work for a public defender, prosecutor or criminal defense attorney you will be dealing with more terms relating to criminal law. If you work with corporations you will need to concentrate on corporate law, contractual terms and the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). This same principle holds true for working with tax attorneys, family law or estate law. Understanding legal terminology is vital for understanding the law itself and properly applying it in research, legal analysis, document preparation and compliance with local, state and federal judicial systems.

Here are a few terms to get you started:

adjective law (or procedural law): That area of the law that deals with procedural rules of evidence, pleadings and practice.

administrative law: The area of law that concerns government agencies.

cause of action: The reason for which a plaintiff files a complaint or suit against someone. This can be negligence, breach of contract, malpractice or defamation, to name a few. A cause of action is divided into elements, and each element must be proved to win the case.

civil law: 1) A generic term for all non-criminal law, usually as it applies to settling disputes between private citizens or entities. 2) A body of laws and legal concepts derived from Roman law instead of English common law. (English common law is the basis of state legal systems in the U.S., with the exception of Louisiana.)

compensatory damages: Damages that are recovered for injury or economic loss. For instance, if someone is injured in a car accident and the party who injures them has to pay compensatory damages, the party at fault must cover cost of things such as the ambulance, doctors' bills, hospital stays, medicine, physical therapy and lost wages.

constitutional law: Law prescribed by the written federal and state constitutions, as well as the interpretation and implementation of this law.

contract: An agreement between two or more parties to do or refrain from doing something; this often involves a promise of something in return for something of value. There are both written and oral contracts, though in some states oral contracts have little or no standing.

demurrer (dee-muhr-ur): A formal response to a complaint filed in a lawsuit, pleading for dismissal and saying, in effect, that even if the facts are true, there is no legal basis for a lawsuit. Examples include a missing necessary element of fact, or a complaint that is unclear. The judge can agree and "leave to amend," giving the claimant the opportunity to amend the complaint. If it is not amended to the judge's satisfaction, the demurrer is granted. (Some states use a motion to dismiss.)

depose: To testify or give under oath or sworn affidavit.

diligence: Reasonable care or attention to a matter; for instance, looking both ways before proceeding after stopping at a stop sign, washing your hands before cooking food in a restaurant or operating in a hospital or checking brakes and other mechanical components on tour buses at regular intervals. Due diligence denotes what a normal, responsible person would do under the same conditions.

felony: A serious crime punishable by death or at least one year in a state or federal prison. Felonies include arson, rape, perjury and homicide. When theft is involved, the value of that which was stolen determines whether the offense is considered a misdemeanor or felony.

laws: A system of regulations governing the conduct of a community, state, society or nation in order to provide consistent order and justice. In the United States, laws can be statutes, ordinances or regulations, and are usually enacted by the legislative branch at a state or federal level, or by a branch of the government with authorization from a law already established.

malfeasance: Doing something illegal or morally wrong. Malfeasance includes dishonesty and abuse of authority.

mens rea (menz ray-ah) Latin for a "guilty mind"; mens rea is used to describe a culpable state of mind, the criminal intent of the individual when committing an criminal act. For some crimes, this intent must have been present for a person to be guilty of the crime.

misdemeanor: A crime less serious than a felony, punishable by or imprisonment for less than a year.

prima facie (pry-mah fay-shah): Latin for "at first look," or "on its face," prima facie refers to what can be presumed after the first disclosure.

prima facie case: A case where, upon first look, the facts themselves prove the case.

provisional remedy: A temporary court order to protect someone from further or irreparable damage while further legal action is pending. For example, a temporary restraining order is a provisional remedy to help keep someone safe until a hearing to decide if a permanent restraining order is needed; likewise, a temporary injunction to stop the destruction of a building can keep it from being destroyed while the court decides whether it is a landmark.

punitive damages: Damages awarded over and above compensatory damages for punishment. If the act causing the injury was committed out of negligence or malice, punitive damages serve not only as a punishment, but as an example or deterrent to others. It also helps put the injured party on a level playing field. For instance, an individual who loses a leg when hit by a drunk driver cannot be awarded a new leg, but a monetary award can help that person face the resultant obstacles.

stare decisis: Latin for "to stand by things decided," to adhere to precedents of earlier cases as sources of law. When an issue has already been ruled upon by a court, other cases involving the same issue must receive the same response from that court or lower courts.

statute: A written law passed by Congress or another legislative body.

title: The legal basis ownership of real or personal property or a document that serves as serves as evidence of this ownership. Deeds for real estate, and titles for cars and boats are examples of titles.

title abstract: A history of ownership that establishes the present state of a title.

title search: An examination of public records to determine the state of a title and confirm that the seller of a property is its legal owner. A cloud on the title such as a lien, an unrecorded owner or differing property descriptions on previous deeds can be a reason to cancel a purchase on a property.

tort: From the French word for "wrong," a tort is a wrongful or illegal act, whether intentional or accidental, in which an injury occurs to another. An intentional tort may also be a crime, such as battery, fraud or theft. Tort law is one of the largest areas of civil law.

wobbler: Sometimes referred to as a "felony wobbler," a wobbler is a crime that can be classified as either a felony or a misdemeanor. In some states, even if an offender is charged with a felony in a wobbler case, the judge may have the authority to reduce the conviction to a misdemeanor.

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26 Legal Terms Every Paralegal Needs to Know

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You've probably heard the metaphor, "It's all Greek to me," when someone doesn't understand or is totally flummoxed by a subject or situation. The law is "Greek" to many people: it's frequently misunderstood and legal terminology is misused by most people.

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Introduction

Learning vocabulary is a very important part of learning a language. The more words you know, the more you will be able to understand what you hear and read; and the better you will be able to say what you want to when speaking or writing.

Which words to learn

Every day you hear or read many new English words. You also find them in your dictionary when you are translating from your own language. You cant possibly learn all these new words, so your first problem is to decide which ones to concentrate on. Here are some suggestions:

learn the words that are important to the subjects you are studying

learn the words that you read or hear again and again

learn the words that you know you will often want to use yourself

do not learn words that are rare or not useful (your teacher can help you with this)

How to learn words

Once you have chosen which words to learn, you next have to decide how you are going to learn them. Here are a few ideas:

write the words in a notebook (with their translations or definitions)

write the words and definitions on small cards
(advice on how to do this)

say the words many times (if you have an electronic dictionary you can hear how the word is pronounced)

put the words into different groups (you could use a graphic organiser)

write them in a file for use with a computer program (such as Quizlet or the one on this site)

make associations (in pictures or with other words)

ask someone to test you

use the words in your own speaking or writing

Some students put a tick or cross in their dictionary next to every word they look up. The next time they turn to a page with a marked word, they quickly check to see if they remember the meaning of that word.

In all of the above ways, you are doing something with the words. Its usually not enough to just read through a list of words with their definitions or translations and try to remember them. Most students find that they memorise words better if they do something with them. Even better is to try and learn the word in a typical combination with other words. Learning that to apologize means to say sorry is a good start, but it's much better to learn a whole expression containing the word, e.g. He apologized for being late. Not only is this often easier to remember, but you are also learning some very important information on how the word is used.

Learning for vocabulary tests

The previous section on this page gives general advice on how to learn the words that you have chosen as important for you. Often, however, you will be given a set of words by your teacher and told to learn them for a vocabulary test. In this case you need to be sure exactly how you will be tested, because this will influence how you learn the words. There are several ways that the teacher might test your vocabulary learning, but the ways are broadly divided into two categories:

You will be given the word and have to:

write a definition

use it in an example sentence

translate it into your language

You will be given:

a definition

a gapped example sentence

the translation in your language

and you have to write the English word.

If you do a vocabulary test from the second group above, then in most cases you will need to learn the exact spelling of the word and will lose marks if you misspell it. As with all tests, be sure to ask the teacher exactly how you will be tested and exactly how you will be graded. You will then avoid wasting time studying something that you will be not be tested on.

Learning vocabulary by reading

The way you learned very many of the words in your own language was by meeting them in the books and magazines you read. The context of a new word in a sentence or story was often enough for you to guess the meaning. Meeting the word again and again in your reading helped you learn it for use in your own speaking and writing. Doing lots of extra reading for pleasure - both fiction and non-fiction - is an excellent way to learn new English words, too. But choose books that you find quite easy to read. Difficult stories or texts that you struggle to understand will not help you to develop your vocabulary the natural way. But remember: to learn new words from reading you have to read A LOT!
More on the importance of reading.
More information about learning words

The vocabulary you know can be divided into two groups - passive vocabulary and active vocabulary. Passive vocabulary contains all the words that you understand when you read or listen, but which you do not use (or cannot remember) in your own writing and speaking. Active vocabulary is all the words you understand, plus all the words that you can use yourself. Your active vocabulary, in English and your own language, is probably much smaller than your passive vocabulary.

The more you work on learning a word, as suggested above, the more likely it is that it will become part of your active vocabulary.

Things to know about the words you learn

Usually the first things you learn about a new English word are what it means and its translation in your own language. But there are other things you need to find out before you can say that you know a word like a native speaker does. For example, you have to learn:

how it is spelled

how it is pronounced

how it is inflected (i.e. how it changes if it is a verb, noun or adjective)

other grammar information about it

how it collocates (i.e. what other words are often used with it)
More on collocation

if it has a particular style or register

the context in which it is most likely to be used [ Types of Vocabulary ]

Native speakers learn these things about words by hearing them and reading them again and again. This is the best way for you to learn them, too.
Go to this site's vocabulary files Read a Japanese translation of this page.

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Learning vocabulary is a very important part of learning a language. The more words you know, the more you will be able to understand what you hear and read; and the better you will be able to say what you want to when speaking or writing.

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Find definitions of legal terms to help understand the federal court system.