Speaking: Vocabulary for Speaking C2 - Lesson 4: Mastery of Specialized & Low-Frequency Vocabulary
Welcome back! At the C2 level, vocabulary mastery is about wielding the perfect word for the perfect moment. This often involves understanding and, when appropriate, using low-frequency vocabulary. These are not words for everyday chat, but for formal, academic, or professional discourse where precision and impact are paramount.
A Curated C2 Lexicon: The Perfect Word
The key to C2 vocabulary is not just knowing a word's meaning, but deeply understanding its nuance, connotation, and appropriate context.
- 1. Words to Describe Situations & Problems
- `Pernicious` (adj.): Having a very harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.
- Nuance: More insidious and subtle than just 'harmful'.
Example: "The spread of misinformation has a **pernicious** influence on modern society." - `Untenable` (adj.): (of a position or view) Impossible to maintain or defend against attack.
- Nuance: Stronger than 'weak' or 'wrong'; it implies a logical impossibility.
Example: "After the new data was revealed, his theory became completely **untenable**." - 2. Words to Describe Actions & Processes
- `To eschew` (verb): To deliberately avoid or abstain from something.
- Nuance: A very formal word for 'avoid', suggesting a conscious, often moral, decision.
Example: "As a society, we should **eschew** single-use plastics in favor of sustainable alternatives." - `To elucidate` (verb): To make something clear; to explain.
- Nuance: More formal and academic than 'explain', used when clarifying something complex.
Example: "Allow me to **elucidate** my position with a specific example." - 3. Words to Describe Qualities & Characteristics
- `Salient` (adj.): Most noticeable or important; the main point.
- Nuance: A professional and academic way to say 'main' or 'key'.
Example: "Let's focus on the most **salient** points of the report first." - `Quixotic` (adj.): Extremely idealistic, unrealistic, and impractical.
- Nuance: From the story of Don Quixote. It describes a noble but perhaps foolish and doomed effort.
Example: "His plan to solve world hunger in one year was well-intentioned but ultimately **quixotic**."
Scenario: A University Debate
Listen to this high-level academic debate. Notice how the speakers use precise, low-frequency vocabulary to articulate their arguments.
Moderator: "Dr. Chen, what is your view on the proposal?"
Dr. Chen: "Frankly, I find the proposal's central argument to be **untenable**. It completely ignores the most **salient** data from the last five years. To adopt it would be, in my view, a **quixotic** quest that is doomed to fail."
Moderator: "Dr. Soriya, your response?"
Dr. Soriya: "My esteemed colleague seems to **eschew** any data that doesn't fit his own narrow theory. Let me **elucidate** the matter by presenting the full dataset. What it shows is that the **pernicious** effects he's worried about are, in fact, statistically insignificant."
The Danger of Misuse (Malapropism)
Using a powerful, low-frequency word correctly is a sign of mastery. However, using one incorrectly—a "malapropism"—can make you sound pretentious and actually damage your credibility more than using a simple word.
The C2 Rule of Thumb: Never use a word like this in your active, spoken vocabulary unless you have encountered it in your reading or listening at least 5-10 times. You must have an intuitive "feel" for its context and connotation. Your receptive vocabulary (words you understand) should always be much larger than your productive vocabulary (words you use).
Practice Quiz: Choose the Perfect Word
Choose the word that best fits the precise meaning and formal context of the sentence.
1. The two concepts of economic progress and social well-being are __________ linked; one cannot be achieved without the other.
A) arguably
B) inextricably
C) ostensibly
→ Answer: B. `Inextricably` means in a way that is impossible to separate, which perfectly fits the meaning of the sentence.
2. After the scandal was exposed, the CEO's position became __________, and he was forced to resign.
A) untenable
B) quixotic
C) salient
→ Answer: A. `Untenable` means a position that cannot be defended. This is the precise word for this situation.
Your Mission: The "Deep Dive" Challenge
Your mission is to truly master one new, sophisticated word, moving it from your passive to your active vocabulary.
- Choose ONE word from this lesson that you find useful. For example, `pernicious`.
- Deep Dive: Use online dictionaries (like Merriam-Webster) and sentence example sites (like Youglish) to find at least 5-10 real examples of the word in context. Get a feel for its "flavour."
- Activate: Write two of your own example sentences that are relevant to a topic you know well (your work, your country, etc.).
- Example 1: "The **pernicious** belief that success must come at the cost of one's health is unfortunately common."
- Example 2: "Corruption has a **pernicious** effect on a country's development."
- The Final Goal: Try to find one opportunity this week to use your chosen word in a real conversation or piece of writing. This deep and active learning process is the key to building a true C2 lexicon.
Vocabulary Glossary
- Low-Frequency Vocabulary: (Noun Phrase) - Words that are not common in everyday speech but appear in formal, academic, or literary texts. ↩
- Repertoire: (Noun) - The entire stock of skills or vocabulary that a person has. ↩
- Pernicious: (Adjective) - Having a very harmful effect, especially in a gradual or not easily noticed way. ↩
- Salient: (Adjective) - The most noticeable, important, or main. ↩
- Untenable: (Adjective) - (Of a theory or argument) impossible to defend. ↩