1. Assignment 4: Please comment on the corpus-based reference tools, (i.e., concordancers and collocation retrieval systems). How do you like these tools? What are their strength and weakness, in comparison with a dictionary? What are the difficulties you encounter when you used these tools?
I like the corpus-based reference tools more than dictionary,but I think they are a little difference between themselves;corpus-based reference tools can check the use of collocation is it often to use or it's use rarely ,and you can easily know how to use that word correctly,and maybe you can also know the latest or popular usage to that word,but
on the other hand,if you don't know the any meaning of the word,then corpus-based reference tools maybe useless for you,then you need a dictionary.And the advantage of the dictionary is that you can easily what the word you find it means,but corpus-based reference tools can't do that kind of good job like dictionary does.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Assignments3 "large"/"big"
Question: Is there any rule governing the use of "big" and "large"?
I think these two words is extremely alike, so I want to look up the dictionary first.
Large
1 big in size or amount
a large number of people
a large amount of money
EX:Police discovered a large quantity of drugs in the van.
EX:She comes from quite a large family.
EX:The shirt was a bit too large
2 be at large If someone dangerous is at large, they are not in prison.
3 sb/sth at large people or things in general
EX:This group is not representative of the population at large.
Big
1 large in size or amount
EX:Could I try these shoes in a bigger size?
EX:They've got a big house in the country.
INFORMAL You write August with a big (= capital) 'a'.
INFORMAL She's always been a big spender (= She has always spent a lot money).
INFORMAL You're not a very big eater, are you? (= You do not eat a lot).
2 INFORMAL older or more like an adult
EX:Her big (= older) sister/brother told her to go away.
EX:I'm ashamed of you. You're big enough to know better (= at an age where you should know that your behaviour is not acceptable).
3 [before noun] INFORMAL used to add emphasis
EX:He fell for her in a big way (= was greatly attracted to her).
And before making my opinion, let's check these tow word on concordancers
VLC Concordancer
Large often use in "as large as"or "large amount of"and "a large + (n)"
Big often use in " big enough...", " big + (n)"
I discover that " big + (n)"and "a large + (n)" is different meaning. People use " big + (n)" have many meanings , it can be the thing just looks huge or it can explain the meaning not just on the exterior side.Like "big brother",it's not the meaning of the brother is huge,it means older brother.
And "a large + (n)" most of the time use in describe the thing is(looks) huge,or things in a large
quantity.
so,I think "Large"is often use in describe the thing is(looks) huge,or things in a large quantity.Is a exterior word.
And "Big" use in many ways it can be just a exterior meaning,and it also use as the way of pople's thought or feelings.
I think these two words is extremely alike, so I want to look up the dictionary first.
Large
1 big in size or amount
a large number of people
a large amount of money
EX:Police discovered a large quantity of drugs in the van.
EX:She comes from quite a large family.
EX:The shirt was a bit too large
2 be at large If someone dangerous is at large, they are not in prison.
3 sb/sth at large people or things in general
EX:This group is not representative of the population at large.
Big
1 large in size or amount
EX:Could I try these shoes in a bigger size?
EX:They've got a big house in the country.
INFORMAL You write August with a big (= capital) 'a'.
INFORMAL She's always been a big spender (= She has always spent a lot money).
INFORMAL You're not a very big eater, are you? (= You do not eat a lot).
2 INFORMAL older or more like an adult
EX:Her big (= older) sister/brother told her to go away.
EX:I'm ashamed of you. You're big enough to know better (= at an age where you should know that your behaviour is not acceptable).
3 [before noun] INFORMAL used to add emphasis
EX:He fell for her in a big way (= was greatly attracted to her).
And before making my opinion, let's check these tow word on concordancers
VLC Concordancer
Large often use in "as large as"or "large amount of"and "a large + (n)"
Big often use in " big enough...", " big + (n)"
I discover that " big + (n)"and "a large + (n)" is different meaning. People use " big + (n)" have many meanings , it can be the thing just looks huge or it can explain the meaning not just on the exterior side.Like "big brother",it's not the meaning of the brother is huge,it means older brother.
And "a large + (n)" most of the time use in describe the thing is(looks) huge,or things in a large
quantity.
so,I think "Large"is often use in describe the thing is(looks) huge,or things in a large quantity.Is a exterior word.
And "Big" use in many ways it can be just a exterior meaning,and it also use as the way of pople's thought or feelings.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Assignment 2 Dictionary Exercise
This exercise I want to figure out two word clearly,and that would be crime and sin.Although I know sin is use in morality way.But I don't konw how to use it.So now I want to find out.
And now let's check on crime first.
Crime
Oxford
1 [U] activities that involve breaking the law.
EX:an increase in violent crime the fight against crime Stores spend more and more on crime prevention every year.
Ex:He turned to crime when he dropped out of school.
*crime fiction / novels (= stories about crime) crime figures.
*She’s a crime writer (= she writes stories about crime).
2 [C] ~ (against sb) an illegal act or activity that can be punished by law:
to commit a crime (= do sth illegal)
Ex:The massacre was a crime against humanity.
Ex:In his mind he was about to commit the perfect crime.
*an act that you think is immoral or is a big mistake
Ex:It’s a crime to waste so much money.
Cambridge
noun
1 [U] illegal activities:
a life of crime
rising crime
crime prevention
petty (= unimportant) crime/serious crime
2 [C] an illegal act:
Ex:He has admitted committing several crimes, including two murders.
Ex:The defendant is accused of/charged with a range of crimes, from theft to murder.
Ex:A knife was found at the scene of the crime (= the place where the crime happened).
Ex:Bombing civilians is a crime against humanity (= a cruel crime against many people).
3 [S] an immoral or very foolish act or situation:
Ex:To have hundreds of homeless people sleeping in the streets of a rich city like London is a crime .
Ex:It would be a crime (= a waste) to spend such a beautiful day indoors.
Merriam
1 [count] : an illegal act for which someone can be punished by the government
Ex: Have you ever been convicted of a crime? = Were you ever found guilty of a crime?
Ex:The punishment didn't fit the crime. [=the punishment was too mild/severe]
Ex:I've committed no crime. = I haven't committed any crime.
Ex:He was punished for a crime that he didn't commit.
2 [noncount] : activity that is against the law : illegal acts in general
Ex:Hiring more police officers would help prevent/deter/reduce (the amount of) crime in our city.
Ex:He turned to a life of crime [=he became a criminal] as a teenager.
*the recent increase in violent crime —often used before another noun
*a crime wave [=a sudden increase in the amount of crime in an area]
*Someone's partner in crime is a person who helps someone commit a crime.
Ex: He was her partner in crime for most of the robberies.
3 [singular] : an act that is foolish or wrong .
Ex:It's a crime [=sin] to let food go to waste.
Ex:There's no greater crime than forgetting your anniversary.
sin
Oxford
1 [C] an offence against God or against a religious or moral law:
Ex:to commit a sin Confess your sins to God and he will forgive you.
2 [U] the act of breaking a religious or moral law:
Ex:a life of sin
3 [C, usually sing.] (informal) an action that people strongly disapprove of:
Ex:It’s a sin to waste taxpayers' money like that.
*be / do sth for your sins (informal humorous, especially BrE) used to say that sth that sb does is like a punishment:
Ex:She works with us in Accounts, for her sins!
*(as) miserable / ugly as sin (informal) used to emphasize that sb is very unhappy or ugly
verb (-nn-) [v] to break a religious or moral law:
Ex:Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned.
Ex:He was more sinned against than sinning (= although he did wrong, other people treated him even worse).
Cambridge
noun [C or U]the offence of breaking, or the breaking of, a religious or moral law:
Ex:to commit/confess a sinHe thinks a lot about sin.
*[+ to infinitive] INFORMAL
Ex:I think it's a sin (= is morally wrong) to waste food, when so many people in the world are hungry.
HUMOROUS Ex: For my sins (= As if it were a punishment), I'm organizing the office party this year.
verb [I] -nn- to break a religious or moral law
Merriam
1 : an action that is considered to be wrong according to religious or moral law
[count] Ex:He committed the sin of stealing.
[noncount] Ex:We are not free from sin.
2 [count] : an action that is considered to be bad —usually singular
Ex:It's a sin to waste food.
*(as) guilty/miserable/ugly as sin
informal : very guilty/miserable/ugly
Ex: Even though he was acquitted, most people think he is guilty as sin.
Ex:That house is as ugly as sin.
*for your sins
chiefly Brit humorous —used to say that you are doing something unpleasant, difficult, etc., as
a form of punishment
Ex: For my sins, I was made chairman of the board.
*live in sin
And now let's check on crime first.
Crime
Oxford
1 [U] activities that involve breaking the law.
EX:an increase in violent crime the fight against crime Stores spend more and more on crime prevention every year.
Ex:He turned to crime when he dropped out of school.
*crime fiction / novels (= stories about crime) crime figures.
*She’s a crime writer (= she writes stories about crime).
2 [C] ~ (against sb) an illegal act or activity that can be punished by law:
to commit a crime (= do sth illegal)
Ex:The massacre was a crime against humanity.
Ex:In his mind he was about to commit the perfect crime.
*an act that you think is immoral or is a big mistake
Ex:It’s a crime to waste so much money.
Cambridge
noun
1 [U] illegal activities:
a life of crime
rising crime
crime prevention
petty (= unimportant) crime/serious crime
2 [C] an illegal act:
Ex:He has admitted committing several crimes, including two murders.
Ex:The defendant is accused of/charged with a range of crimes, from theft to murder.
Ex:A knife was found at the scene of the crime (= the place where the crime happened).
Ex:Bombing civilians is a crime against humanity (= a cruel crime against many people).
3 [S] an immoral or very foolish act or situation:
Ex:To have hundreds of homeless people sleeping in the streets of a rich city like London is a crime .
Ex:It would be a crime (= a waste) to spend such a beautiful day indoors.
Merriam
1 [count] : an illegal act for which someone can be punished by the government
Ex: Have you ever been convicted of a crime? = Were you ever found guilty of a crime?
Ex:The punishment didn't fit the crime. [=the punishment was too mild/severe]
Ex:I've committed no crime. = I haven't committed any crime.
Ex:He was punished for a crime that he didn't commit.
2 [noncount] : activity that is against the law : illegal acts in general
Ex:Hiring more police officers would help prevent/deter/reduce (the amount of) crime in our city.
Ex:He turned to a life of crime [=he became a criminal] as a teenager.
*the recent increase in violent crime —often used before another noun
*a crime wave [=a sudden increase in the amount of crime in an area]
*Someone's partner in crime is a person who helps someone commit a crime.
Ex: He was her partner in crime for most of the robberies.
3 [singular] : an act that is foolish or wrong .
Ex:It's a crime [=sin] to let food go to waste.
Ex:There's no greater crime than forgetting your anniversary.
sin
Oxford
1 [C] an offence against God or against a religious or moral law:
Ex:to commit a sin Confess your sins to God and he will forgive you.
2 [U] the act of breaking a religious or moral law:
Ex:a life of sin
3 [C, usually sing.] (informal) an action that people strongly disapprove of:
Ex:It’s a sin to waste taxpayers' money like that.
*be / do sth for your sins (informal humorous, especially BrE) used to say that sth that sb does is like a punishment:
Ex:She works with us in Accounts, for her sins!
*(as) miserable / ugly as sin (informal) used to emphasize that sb is very unhappy or ugly
verb (-nn-) [v] to break a religious or moral law:
Ex:Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned.
Ex:He was more sinned against than sinning (= although he did wrong, other people treated him even worse).
Cambridge
noun [C or U]the offence of breaking, or the breaking of, a religious or moral law:
Ex:to commit/confess a sinHe thinks a lot about sin.
*[+ to infinitive] INFORMAL
Ex:I think it's a sin (= is morally wrong) to waste food, when so many people in the world are hungry.
HUMOROUS Ex: For my sins (= As if it were a punishment), I'm organizing the office party this year.
verb [I] -nn- to break a religious or moral law
Merriam
1 : an action that is considered to be wrong according to religious or moral law
[count] Ex:He committed the sin of stealing.
[noncount] Ex:We are not free from sin.
2 [count] : an action that is considered to be bad —usually singular
Ex:It's a sin to waste food.
*(as) guilty/miserable/ugly as sin
informal : very guilty/miserable/ugly
Ex: Even though he was acquitted, most people think he is guilty as sin.
Ex:That house is as ugly as sin.
*for your sins
chiefly Brit humorous —used to say that you are doing something unpleasant, difficult, etc., as
a form of punishment
Ex: For my sins, I was made chairman of the board.
*live in sin
I think I can understand the different between crime and sin!!
And it seems a little similar between them.
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