Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GRANULAR

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

connect today's word to others: The word granular caught my interest when I heard it in Fiona Apple's song "Left Alone:"      "My ills are reticulate;      My woes are granular;      The ants weigh more than the elephants." How interesting that woes or worries can be granular, like grains, if you're focused on them too closely. Taking a granular view of anything is to look at it so closely that, figuratively speaking, you can see its tiniest pieces, its individual grains. Let's recall some other grainy words: 1. G___t is a bunch of grain (like corn) to be ground; figuratively, it's raw material to be put to good use. 2. Ch___ is the husks from grains like corn, or the stuff that's worthless that we have to get rid of to get to the good stuff. 3. To th____ grain is to beat it to get out the unwanted particles. To do this to people is to beat them, usually with harsh words. And to do this with ideas is to think or talk or argue about them thoroughly so you can work toward the truest or best version. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "GRANULAR" Literally speaking, something granular is grainy or made of grains (very tiny pieces, like sand, rice, or sugar).  And figuratively, something granular involves very tiny details. Pronunciation: GRAN yuh ler Part of speech: Adjective: "a granular view," "these details are granular." Other forms: The adverb is "granularly," and the noun is "granularity." You might talk about the "grains" or "granules" (little grains) of a situation, meaning the very fine details. Although sometimes you'll see the alternate adjectives "granulary," "granulose," or "granulous," I recommend sticking with the more common "granular." How to use it: Use this word to describe a startling, exhaustive, possibly exhausting level of tiny details. Talk about granular data, factors, or detail; a granular plan or agenda; granular control; a granular view, look, focus, or perspective; a granular study, report, analysis, investigation, or examination; a granular understanding or explanation; granular changes, fluctuations, or differences; granular categories; a granular level of something, etc. examples: They gathered in the dining room to analyze, in granular detail, the round of golf they had just played. "A few attorneys general expressed concern about Google’s ability to track, in a granular way, the everyday routines of people."    — Katie Benner and Cecilia Kang, New York Times, 25 September 2018 study it: Explain the meaning of "granular" without saying "nitty-gritty" or "extremely zoomed-in." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "With (some particular app, device, or program), you can (view, design, or control something) with a fascinating granularity." Example: "With Google Analytics, you can view what your site visitors are doing with a fascinating granularity." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Controversial Catchphrases! This month, let's consider all kinds of important, ongoing controversies in our world. I'll give you a handful of key phrases that people use when they argue over a controversial question, and you try to pinpoint what that question is. I'll be drawing these issues and phrases from ProCon.org, a fantastic resource for understanding controversial issues (and for introducing those issues to your kids). From the previous issue: People who argue "yes" say things like "the public good" and "the power to destroy." People who argue "no" say things like "lost revenue" and "a privilege, not a constitutional right." People who argue either side say "separation of church and state." What's the question? The question is, "Should churches and other religious establishments remain tax-exempt?" (Explore this issue at ProCon.org.) Try this one today: People who argue "yes" say things like "protects consumers," "promotes competition," and "free speech on the Internet." People who argue "no" say things like "less access," "higher costs," and "overreaching regulations." What's the question? review today's word: 1. One opposite of GRANULAR is A. BROAD. B. GENTLE. C. HEALTHY. 2. The paper lays out a theory in granular, _____ minutiae. A. timid B. plodding C. audacious Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B