Make Your Point > Archived Issues > IDYLLIC

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"IDYLLIC" Pronunciation: eye DILL ick Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like “large” or “late.” They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in “an idyllic vision” 2. After a linking verb, as in “The vision was idyllic.”) Meaning: Something idyllic is happy, simple, and peaceful. More specifically, something idyllic reminds you of a poem about peaceful, happy, simple life out in the country--but you don't have to use this very specific meaning. Other forms: idyll, idylls, idyllically How to use it: Talk about an idyllic place, town, or society; an idyllic childhood, summer, or any other idyllic period of time; an idyllic weekend or vacation; an idyllic mountain, field, stream, farmhouse, countryside, picture, painting, scene, etc. More abstractly, you could talk about an idyllic symbol, an idyllic vision of the future, an idyllic identity, and so on. The Sound of Music opens on an idyllic mountain scene as Maria bursts into a song about the hills. When you think of an idyllic retirement, do you automatically imagine Florida? Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "idyllic" means when you can explain it without saying "pleasant" or "simple." Think of a poem, book, television show, movie, or play you like that has a peaceful, happy setting, and fill in the blanks: "I got wrapped up in the idyllic world of _____, where _____.” Example: "I got wrapped up in the idyllic world of Harry Potter, where--for the first few books, at least--Harry marvels at magic and spends his days learning it in a castle." 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: Messages that go through an automated translator into several languages and back into English again often end up sounding funny and garbled-- but still somehow meaningful. We’re having fun with that phenomenon this month as we play our game: Guess the moral from Aesop’s Fables after it has been translated into a few foreign languages and back again by a computer program. Some of the morals may be very familiar to you, others not so much. You don’t need to quote Aesop verbatim but rather just understand the message being conveyed. Try it out each day and see the right answer the following day.   Yesterday’s answer: The translation-babble said, “Which lay traps for others to destroy itself.” Aesop said, “People who lay traps for others bring about their own destruction.” Try this one today: “The person who turns to for help in difficult times Dishonest be destroyed villain, not saved.” A Point Well Made: Anne Lamott: “Sometimes we feel that we are barely pulling ourselves forward through a tight tunnel on badly scraped-up elbows. But we do come out the other side, exhausted and changed.” 1. The opposite of IDYLLIC is A. DULL B. URBAN C. SILENCED 2. I spent several summers at the idyllic Camp Sequoya, known for _____. A. its campers' late-night shenanigans on the roof of the cafeteria. B. the fierce competition among the campers for skills in canoeing, water skiing, and sailing. C. its quiet stables, shady hills, and sparkling lake. 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. B 2. C