Context Clues

1. Context Clues Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) – con·text  ˈkɒn tɛkst/ [kon-tekst]–noun 1.the parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect: You have misinterpreted my remark because you took it out of context. 2.the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc.

2. When reading, do you sometimes feel like you have to be a “walking” dictionary? Do you stop and labor over pronouncing words when you come across a word you do not know? Do unknown words distract you from what you are reading?

3. “Context” literally means “within” the text Writers build clues within the passage to help you determine meaning. Actually . . . writers do the work for you through CONTEXT CLUES.

4. What are the clues the author gives?

5. 1st Clue: Author actually May give the Definition/Synonym in the passage: • Watch for key words, i.e., phrases • Watch for punctuation marks • Watch for special print hint, hint! hint, hint! ----- those worrisome grammar marks. ---- I mean really special print!

6. 2nd Clue: Author can actually Show the meaning of words by using a contrast (or the opposite of the word’s meaning). The verdant lawn had been luscious after the three-inch rain; however, the lawn soon turned a dead brown when the heat wave hit 103 degrees. hint, hint yet nevertheless On the other hand However

7. 3rd Clue: Author can actually Use examples to show his meaning. • Examples and illustrations demonstrate meaning hint, hint! , such as project, posters, • drawings, anecdotes, and stories.

8. 4th Clue: Author can use your Own knowledge to determine meaning (general sense) • You ask yourself what would the essence of the word have to be to make the sentence make sense. stubborn Hint, hint: What would “essence” have to mean to make that sentence clear? The obdurate old man refused to go to a retirement home even though it was in his best interest.

9. 5th Clue: Author can use destroyed Information from other sentences in passage to show meaning • Check prior and following sentences for meaning clues half-hearted • The people were left in shock. The tornado had extirpated the entire town. The only remaining building was the post office. • Brad made a cursory effort to finish his homework. This was unlike him; usually he worked hard to finish before dinner.

10. Let's Practice. . .

11. Which clue did the author use to show you the meaning of “vociferous?” loud 1.The woman participated in a vociferous protest in which numerous people were arrested for their angry outcries and noisy demonstration. What does vociferous mean? angry outcrying noisy demonstrations

12. Which clue? 2.Like others of his kind in the world of cartoon villains, the maleficient Dr. Nogood seeks control of the world through his appalling weaponry and pure meanness. What kind of person is Dr. Nogood? Clues: villains his weaponry pure meanness Evil

13. Which Clue and Why? 3.Rather than be involved in clandestine meetings, the city commission knew the law required them to do everything quite openly. What does clandestine mean? Clue: “Rather than” means “opposite.” Clandestine contrasted with open meeting. Secretive

14. Which clue? Social blunder 4. No sooner had Richard told the attractive young woman at the office party that the new boss was supposedly an old hag did he learn of his faux paux. He was speaking to the new boss. What clues give you the meaning of faux paux? Sentences around it.

15. Define the highlighted words based on context clues. (1) The ever-widening gap between Shakespeare’s meaning and what audiences now take to be his meaning is well illustrated by Hamlet’s famous injunction to Ophelia, “Get thee to a nunnery!” (2) These words are Hamlet’s retort when the pure, young Ophelia declares her feelings for him. (3) Most audiences today think that nunnery must refer to a convent and that Hamlet is suggesting that she lock herself away in a religious institution and never marry. (4)In reality, the audiences of Shakespeare’s time knew at once that nunnery was Elizabethan slang for “whorehouse.” (5)Thus, in his famous rejection scene (Act III, Scene 1), the way in which Hamlet spurns Ophelia is much more cruel than modern audiences realize. Exercise Your College Reading Skills, 2nd edition, p 7.

16. MORE CONTEXT CLUE PRACTICE • Prince Harry's penchant for good parties has never been a secret, but a new magazine feature dives vividly into those royal benders. This wild life of the younger prince is documented in numerous magazines, and everything from his favorite bars to how his bodyguards fend off drug dealers is fair game. www.aol.com. Prince Harry's Wild Partying Expose/Aug 8, 2007

17. Continued In a recent feature, Harry is said to have once drunk a $200 cocktail of brandy, peach liqueur, and champagne that's meant to be shared among 8 people. The magazine also reports that Harry's bodyguards expend a good deal of energy "intercepting bar patrons they suspect of trying to push Ecstasy on the prince." This constant protection of the Prince by the bodyguards has created friction between the two resulting in several bodyguards quitting.

18. CONTEXT CLUE PRACTICE 2 • Do the words "sales training" conjure up visions of smarmy car salesmen? Perhaps one too many run-ins with pushy salespeople have colored your opinion. Yes, bad apples in sales make it easy for us to loathe them, but the truth is that we are all smarmy salespeople at one point or another. www.aol.com/From Managers to Moms: Sales Training Has Perks/Aug 8.2007

19. You are now on your way to acquiring valuable tools to help you determine meaning as you come across new words in your reading.