Surrounding special needs, building collocations, mind maps

[Naufragis]

hello everybody!



I would like to ask for your special interests. please, post topics in which you are interested mostly.
the goal is to collect collocations that are used to describe a particular subject. we all probably know how difficult it is to learn new words and to bear them in mind let alone to use them ...

I'd like to give you an example:
If you want to talk about a special theme - arts for instance in my case - often you might feel hesitancy using phrases or vocabulary you have heard about already, maybe you are capable of following a written text about it but asked to reproduce them with your own words, you panic because you can't remember certain words you need to describe clearly what your thoughts are about. just using common words probably will make you feel despressed that you cannot point out clearly what you mean.
considering this fact I thought it was a good idea to collect words that are related to a special subject, that means to group words to so called lexical sets.

It's quite easier to remember a new word that's linked to other words you have in mind already, isn't it?

so, please help me and tell me words and phrases which are connected to art!
let's built a mind map!

many thanks in advance
naufragis

[Torsten]

Hi Naufragis, your idea is excellent, I'm sure we can create a list with appropriate keywords and collocations. Let's what our friends have to say...
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[Naufragis]

hello torsten,

thank you!
I hope we can run this topic to evoce peoples interests in a mind trading way.
what phrases would you choose to describe a picture?
how the paint is brought onto it?
in which way would you compare it to other pictures?
bright and dark f.e. are opposites but what about futher expressions?
verbs are brighten and darken, they seem to be quite short but are there any other alternative words?

...

[Torsten]

Hi Naufragis,

I can clearly see your point. Yes, it would be a good idea to create vocabulary lists for specific purposes. The question is where to start.
Let's try some brainstorming with your topic - arts:

painting
expressions
impressions
colours
colors
texture
surface
gripping
creative
gallery
exhibition
vernisage
literature
prose
poetry
poems
lyrics
etc.

You probably will agree that we could continue this list endlessly. You can create a myriad of associations and it follows words and word collocations to express your thoughts. Sky is the limit. Even the best glossary or dictionary is limited to a tiny little fraction of possible combinations.
What you also could do is this:
Read an article about an artist and their works in English. After you are finished take a clean sheet of paper and write down every little piece of information that you remember. There is a lot more to this method...
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[Naufragis]

torsten,

I want to avoid making pure word lists.
I'm a follower of mind maps.
so, let's pick out a word from your list and create different sentences it is used in different ways, to point out differences in meaning.

f.e. the word exhibition

tomorrow evening there will be an exhibition opening.
what is the gallerist up to show there?
do you remember the artists name and what kind of work he/ she is creating?
...-

[Torsten]

Naufragis, a young artist from Leipzig, Germany, has again been praised for the quality of her work submitted for Art at the Lake exhibition.
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[Naufragis]

don't become gushy!

that?s a mind mapping sentence that will ever stay in my braines.

[Naufragis]

I prefer using colours at close quartersto opposite them to a complete other expression, by mixing pigments which are high-contrastedit's easier to transport your imaginations. the picture gets a higher brilliance.

[Naufragis]

another thing about painting is that unfortunatly it sounds flatly if you say "overact" to a handling that actually means that you want to point out something by using flashier colours.

is there another expression? to exaggerate s.th. maybe?
How is this used?

[Torsten]

What about to overemphasize?
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[Naufragis]

better than mine!

sounds more sophisticated...

[Naufragis]

but exaggeration or extremeness is the best means to an end, to persuade ...as I always say

[Naufragis]

I regret to have to stop here, but I have to arrange a nice coffee - table for my bithday guests - my 90-year-old grandma is giving me the pleasure to come along! I'm very happy about that because we haven't had met for over about half a year.

so long
regards
naufragis

[Torsten]

Hi Naufragis, have a good time with your Granny. See you soon same place.
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[Bruce]

Howdy Naufragis,

I would like to recommend a very handy book which will
help you with find?ng those descriptive words you are
looking for to spice up your English vocabulary.

I mentioned it before on the answer to FrankU about the
Fun with a Pun and the "Ambiguous" example.

It?s called the - Chambers - Super-Mini Thesaurus.
Chambers is the Publisher by the way.
It?s small, practical and handy to carry with you everywhere.
Full of Synonyms & Antonyms of course - over 155,000 actually.

You will probably find it in Amazon quite easily and will cost
about ?7,00 I would think.

So long (or short), Bruce.
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