[Course Forum] SAT Comprehensive by jonny

Community-Created Courses English (American)
82

Hi,

While I’ve added several hunderds of audio files I did not add those. Those were already in the course. I thought I had double-checked all of the audio. Anyway, I’ve replaced them.

I don’t really like the new definition for dichotomy: “division between two opposite groups” especially the word between.
Could it be a changed into “division into two parts (or groups)”?

See for example this explanation of the term.

83

Hi.

I’m ok about “between -> into”, but I think “opposite” should stay otherwise it sounds like talking about other words (ex. division, disunion etc)

84

Hello.

Here is the second batch of Confusing Words release candidates.
I will update database a week later (3/2).
Comments will be appreciated.

85

Hi @stream_nine90,

My comments for the second batch of Confusing Words release candidates.

  • fiscal - 1. relating to money 2. relating to public revenues or debt
    Please add “especially taxation” to 2.
    Meaning 2 is the most frequently used one. Could 1 en 2 be switched?

  • illegal - against the law or morale
    moral is misspelt.

  • inceptive - (of a verb) expressing the beginning of an action; inchoative
    This word is not only used in grammar but also has the broader meaning of “beginning”.

  • neural - to do with the nerve or nervous system; cerebral
    cerebral is not a synonym for this word and the definition is clear enough without it.

  • remunerate - pay for a service or loss
    I think “or compensate” should be added to emphasize that it is an exchange.

I noticed some words like penury and corpulence are missing the attribute formal.

86

Hello.

Thank you for comments.
I have applied your suggestions to the release candidates other than items below.

  • neural: “cerebral” is about a brain, and a brain is part of a nervous system, so yes, these words are not synonym but the definition of “cerebral” sounds like “neural”, thus I see the need for clarification.

  • remunerate: Adding “compensate” sound like saying same thing twice. Please explain the point of doing that.

  • corpulence: I don’t see “formal” on this word in our dictionaries, it sure sounds formal though. Aside of that, there was data copy error on the release candidates which cause loss of "formal"s. I have fixed that issue.

Today is the day I planned to release second batch, but since comments has made today, I postpone the release two days (3/4).

87

Hello every one.

I have released the 2nd batch of new definitions on Confising Words.
I will post candidates for 3rd batch tomorrow.

88

Hi.

Here is the third batch of new definition release candidates.
I will update the database a week later (3/12).

Any comments will be appreciated.

89

I’m sorry but I think don’t think I’ll manage to look at them before your deadline.

1 Like
90

Hi.

It’s alright.
I am going to extend release date two more days (3/14).

91

Hi @stream_nine90,

Just some remarks about
sleight - trickery; chicanery

The word sleight itself is not really used anymore. Several online dictionaries call it archaic. For example
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/sleight

also

Cambrige does not have the word sleight only

Since the word is now only used in the phrase “sleight of hand” it might be better to replace it with this phrase. Which according to Oxford means: 1 manual dexterity; 1.1 skillful deception
(why they call it literary I don’t get, it is a very common phrase)

92

Hello everyone.

It is difficult to judge that a certain word is used or not objectively.

Aside from that, this is a SAT vocabulary course and several SAT vocabulary lists (at least comprehensive ones) still list this word as part of it.

We can ignore words on Memrise but we can’t do anything once we delete the word.

Although I agree to your point, but I am skeptical that removing this one bring more benefit than harm.

93

Hi

I have applied the 3rd batch of Confusing Words’s new definitions on database.

Here is the 4th round of new definition release candidates.
I will release them on a week later [3/21] as usual.

Any comments will be much appreciated.

94

Hi @stream_nine90,

  • perturbation - 1. disturbance 2. feeling of worry or nervousness
    the first meaning only applies to physics.
  • bemoan - complain; carp
    is missing the second meaning: to grieve, to express sadness.
95

Hi all.

Thanks for the comment.

perturbation: I see many example sentences in Oxford dictionary that means “disturbance” in the context other than physics ex. “some minor perturbation in his house’s cash flow”

Since a change has made on the release day, I will postpone the release for 2 days [3/23].

By the way, I have made all phase 1 items ready to be released (although I will review one last time right before bring them to you as the release candidates). So far we have released 87 items and 338 to go.
And now I have started drafting phase 2 items. We have about 250 items for phase 2, but experience from phase 1 tells me, it will inflate as we proceed, I am guessing around 400 but if it becomes too big I will split them into multiple phases.

96

I can’t find that example in Oxford and most examples I can find there are about a disturbed system or state. Cambrige mentions specialized, physics.
Common factor among the dictionaries is disturbance of a system or path of motion, not disturbed in the general sense.

97

Hi

You must be seeing British side of the dictionary. Even then, I see some examples in British side too. Anyway, whether physics or not, I think “disturbance” is ball park in the right place. I will reconsider if there are other significant reason not to use it.

98

Hello everyone.

I have released the 4th round of new definitions to the database.

Here is the 5th round of release candidates.
I am going to release them on a week later [3/30].

Also I have a few new item on Suspicious Items too that I want to fix.
I will post that tomorrow.

99

Hi, all.

Here are the items that I want to fix.

Definition Error:

  • pastiche: We discuss this item long ago, I forgot to update it on the database. Sorry about that.
  • Occident

PoS Error:

  • compound

I want release them at the same time with 5th round of the Confusing Words.

100

Hi,

My suggestions and additions for these definitions.

  • dispatch - send something immediately
    add 2. deal with (a task, problem) quickly and efficiently

  • confectionery - candy and other sweets; confection
    add 2. a shop that sells candy and other sweets

  • coalesce - come together to form a mass
    come together to form a mass or a whole

  • converge - 1. tend to approach each other 2. come together

    1. (for ideas or concepts) tend to approach each other 2. come together in one place

  • deplore - express or think that sth is very bad
    change to 1. regret deeply 2. disapprove strongly

101

Hi

Thank you for comments.

I have adjusted candidates based on your suggestions except coalesce and converge, these two, I don’t get the point.

In coalesce, I combine mass and whole for brevity’s sake. You don’t seem to like it, I don’t know why. In converge, definition 1, you seem to want to narrow the scope of definition. I had “line” or “path” sort of things in mind which could be concrete things, not idea nor concept. I too often narrow the scope of definition for brevity’s sake but I don’t get the point of narrowing scope by complicating definition. Definition 2, you can’t come together into multiple places. I don’t know why we can’t assume destination would be a particular place.

I appreciate your comment, but it would be helpful to me for you to state your point so I don’t need to play guessing game which is unproductive.

As usual I postpone the release 2 more days but let’s make it to [4/2] so we can avoid April Fool :slight_smile: