Make Your Point > Archived Issues > YAWP

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"YAWP" Pronunciation: "YOP" (rhymes with "HOP" but may vary according to where you live) Part of speech: Intransitive verb. (Like “sleep,” “skydive,” and “succeed,” all intransitive verbs show complete action on their own and do not do action to an object. You sleep, you skydive, you succeed, and that’s it. You don’t “sleep a bed,” “skydive a plane,” or “succeed a plan”. Likewise, someone yawps.) Meaning: When you yawp, you're whining loudly or crying out loudly. To yawp is to complain in a fussy, annoying way. Other forms: yawp (noun: the cry or the sound), yawping (verb, adjective, and noun), yawped, yawper How to use it: Talk about someone yawping to someone, yawping about something, or yawping for something: "He yawps to his boss over every little thing." "She's yawping about her loud neighbors again." "The kids kept yawping for every toy they saw." You can use "yawping" as a noun, as in "I'm not listening to your yawping anymore." As these examples and the ones below should make clear, "yawp" is an insulting word, so use it with caution. If she really wants to change something about society, yawping about it on her Facebook page might not be entirely productive. You'd get your work done a lot faster if you'd spend less time yawping about how much of it there is. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You'll know you understand what "yawp" means when you can explain it without saying "squawk" or "yelp." Think of something unimportant you used to complain about a lot when you were younger, and fill in the blanks: "When I was _____, I was constantly yawping about _____.” Example: “When I was in high school, I was constantly yawping about how hard it was to keep my hair smooth in the Floridian humidity.” Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don't go straight to the review now; let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: This month's game is "Guess the real pop song title when I give you a long-winded, highfalutin version of it." All the answers this month will be titles of popular songs released no earlier than 2012. Try it out each day and see the right answer the next day. We're playing this in order to appreciate the simple, precise vocabulary of pop song titles, despite how often they are criticized for being sappy, trite, and simplistic.   Yesterday’s answer: “An Unidentified Substance in the Dihydrogen Monoxide” is really “Something in the Water” by Carrie Underwood.   Try this one today: “Entirely Focused on the Deeper Musical Tones” A Point Well Made: Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Life is too short to waste in critical peep or cynic bark, quarrel or reprimand: It will soon be dark.” 1. The opposite of YAWP is A. KEEP SILENT B. KEEP STEADY C. KEEP STILL 2. Anyone who has worked in retail can regale you with tales of yawping customers who _____. A. wouldn't leave until their demands were met. B. surprised others with their generosity. C. never bought anything without at least two coupons. Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A