GLOBAL WORDS (WORDS # 24)

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GALVANIZE

Verb (Transitive) – To shock or affect someone enough to produce a strong and immediate reaction.

The results of the study galvanized the residents into action

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GARNER

Verb (Transitive, formal) – to collect or obtain a large amount of something useful or important.

His lawyer has garnered considerable evidence in his defense

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GELID

Adjective – very cold, icy, glacial

They sailed on the gelid waters of the North Atlantic

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GRATUITOUS

Adjective – done or shown without any good reason.

The movie showed a lot of gratuitous violence

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MY COMMENTS ON THESE WORDS

There are some complicated words here!

“Galvanize” is not used too frequently, in fact I have rarely seen it in written work and I certainly would not use it when speaking to my peers. A leader would be very happy to “galvanize” his or her followers, I think, but that doesn’t mean that this word would be used.  Still, it’s on the lists, so there we have it!

“Garner” is another word that is not used too frequently. I have seen it in poetry and in literary works. Again I would not use it when speaking to my peers. I’ve heard it used in flowery speeches, when referring to all the prizes or applause a famous person has “garnered” during his or her career. Still, we have to study it!

“Gelid” is a synonym for “very cold”, but there doesn’t seem to be any particular reason for using it when you can express the same idea in a simpler way. I’ve seen it used in stories and tragic descriptions, like those related to the sinking of the Titanic because the passengers who didn’t get a seat in the lifeboats died of cold in the “gelid waters” of the North Atlantic. A horrible mental image!

“Gratuitous” I have used in speaking, but in very formal circumstances. For instance, when making an official complaint, I would use “gratuitous” to describe some offence I have received when I have not provided any cause for this offence. That’s what makes it “gratuitous”; there was no provocation on my part.

These were not easy concepts to comment on, so that means you should spend some more time studying these particular words because they could cause some problems if they were to appear on a test of English.

So study them well and I’ll see you on my next post!

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© 2013  joanveronica  (Joan Robertson)

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