Counterintuitive

Why do some words mean different things simultaneously?

Welcome, aspiring polyglot! I recently found myself lost in a linguistic rabbit hole, something that happens more often than you might think, and I came across a new term that might just help you improve your language skills, too. Contranyms are words that carry opposing meanings, even though they are spelled and pronounced identically.

Fun quirks of language

Polysemy is one of the things I have discussed in the past and that is the capacity for a word to have multiple meanings. If you missed that article you can read it here:

Using synonyms for your second language studies is helpful because you will not always be able to recall the word you wish to use. When that happens, it is incredibly convenient to have 2 or 3 other words that are similar that you can use instead. It doesn’t always work, but having more options is always advantageous. When in doubt, use the word you can remember.

Antonyms are similar but more so in that they are perfect for uncovering new vocabulary to throw into the mix. Sometimes you won’t be able to think of the right word, a contrived, backwoods way of doing things (hi, it’s my way) is to run through antonyms and look for possibilities among them. Of course, this is where your curiosity will serve you more than anything else. To master that, read this:

Contranyms, my new favorite linguistic component. In short they are unique words that have two opposite or contradictory meanings depending on the context in which they are used. For English language learners, this can cause some major issues with things like “buckle” that can mean to fasten, like a seatbelt, or collapse, as in buckling under the pressure.

Here is a list of just the words in English:

• Cleave — to cling to / to split apart

• Dust — to sprinkle particles onto / to remove particles from

• Seed — to plant seeds / to remove seeds (as in a watermelon)

• Skin — to cover with skin / to remove the skin

• Trim — to decorate by adding / to neaten by cutting away

• Buckle — to fasten securely / to collapse

• Bolt — to secure in place / to flee suddenly

• Sanction — to permit / to penalize

• Screen — to display / to conceal

• Weather — to endure / to wear away

• Clip — to fasten together / to cut off

• Rent / Lease / Hire — to provide for payment / to obtain for payment

• Garnish — to decorate (food) / to seize (wages)

• Fix — to repair / to render unable to reproduce; also “fix in place”

• Strike — to hit / to miss (in baseball)

• Resign — to quit a position / to sign on again

• Enjoin — to urge / to forbid

• Peruse — to read carefully / to skim (newer secondary sense)

• Scan — to examine closely / to glance over

• Hold up — to support / to delay or rob

• Wind up — to begin (wind up a watch) / to conclude (wind up an event)

• Toss out — to suggest / to discard

• Overlook — to supervise / to fail to notice

• Help — to assist / to prevent (”I couldn’t help but laugh”)

• Apology — an expression of regret / a formal defense (apologetics)

  

(Un)Fortunately, you have the opportunity to explore these and many others in your target language. Since these all hold dual meanings, looking for their translations might not net the expected results. Language is incredibly complex and, in many cases, it is evolving constantly. Be patient with yourself, you are not the only one confused my these sorts of words.

Improving your vocabulary

By understanding these different linguistic components, you have the opportunity to always learn one more word. One of the most frustrating aspects of learning a new language is trying to ensure you are learning things that are relevant to you. However, what may seem relevant now may not be so relevant when you are speaking to a local and they go off on a tangent.

When doing this, my recommendation is to write down the new words and immediately use them in sentences of your own construction. Even if you need to write the sentence out in English first and translate it later, that is still better than looking at the word and hoping it will stick. As nice as that would be, the reality is that you need to be using words if you want consistent access to them.

Words you might not use are still important because the words you use make up less than half of the words you need to be capable of fluid comprehension. Just because you can’t foresee yourself having a certain conversation does not mean it will not happen. You never know what people are going through and you likely underestimate how much most are willing to share.

Furthermore, you should be seeking to grow your vocabulary in your native language. Recently there has been a trend of students at different schools around the USA having their classmates attempt to read flashcards. See an example here:

You can read more and find the video here.

Since that is the world in which we currently live, it is crucial that you raise your own standards. No one else is going to do it for you. No one else cares if you do or do not. Read above your level, write with the goal of being eloquent, speak in a way that makes you proud. Fortunately, doing so in one language makes it far easier to do in each subsequent language.

Expanding your abilities

As far as improving your vocabulary goes, there is one foolproof method: the thesaurus. However, since this is a language you do not know very well, I would recommend using reverso.com instead (or alongside) so that you can be sure of the translations you are receiving. Reverso allows you to see various synonyms in contextualized sentences so you know you are choosing the best option.

Reading books that you believe are beyond your level is also incredibly helpful. Each one of my students reads a book. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Atlas Shrugged, The Count of Monte Cristo, A Portrait of Dorian Gray, and many more. These are people who know little to none of the language when we start, but that does not make their reading any less effective.

The goal is never to understand everything. Especially not at first. In fact, if you were to pick up one of these books, I would be incredibly impressed if you knew the definition of every word within, even in your native language. That’s the point though. You will never know everything, so you might as well get started adding to your repertoire.

After a few weeks (or months, depending on how seriously they take the assignment) everyone, universally, reports being shocked by the fact that they can, in fact, read rather fluidly. Of course, the goal at the beginning to read 1 page per night out loud. Only after a month am I even beginning to think about having them dedicate time to translating what they read.

Your final hurdle, though, has nothing to do with reading. Done right, you can be adept at reading very quickly. No, unfortunately there is a much greater obstacle to overcome. Even more so than having a conversation with a native speaker. That is, learning how to speak in a group setting. One on one is a challenge, but moving to speaking in a group is like going from junior varsity to the pros.

Practice by listening to podcasts and TV shows. The news is particularly good for this due to the format. It happened to me and it happens to everyone. You finally have an hours long conversation with someone only to find out that you do not, in fact, speak your new language fluently the moment you are flung into a group of 2 or more native speakers.

This is another one of those things that is “the only way out is through” and exposure is your cure. If you want to improve, you have to spend more time listening to multiple orators at once. It is frustrating, and it will be frustrating, until it isn’t. Persevere. When groups are your biggest challenge, you are truly approaching fluency.

Conclusion

As someone who finds more utility in vocabulary than in grammar, these idiosyncrasies in language are incredible useful. You can use synonyms to learn new ways, often better, to express yourself. Antonyms are perfect for expanding your vocabulary with approximations and exact opposites. Contranyms help with the understanding of polysemy and the multifaceted nature of language.

The best and worst part of learning new languages is that there is no such thing as perfection. All you can do is be better than you were yesterday. Do that for long enough, often less time than you think, and you will inevitably become fluent. This is true of any goal you have. It is difficult, but you can do difficult things and be great. So get out and do some difficult things and become great. I am rooting for you.

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