Speaking: Vocabulary for Speaking C2 - Lesson 3: Discoursal Competence in Lexical Choice
Welcome back! At the C2 level, vocabulary mastery transcends knowing individual words. It's about discoursal competence: the ability to choose words strategically to structure your argument, manage your tone, and create a sophisticated, coherent1 piece of speech. Your vocabulary becomes the architectural framework for your ideas.
Lexical Cohesion: Weaving Ideas with Vocabulary
This advanced technique involves creating links through your word choices, forming a logical thread throughout your speech.
- 1. Repetition of Key Thematic Words
- Deliberately repeating a crucial word reinforces your central theme.
- Example: "The goal is innovation. But true innovation requires risk. And we must be willing to embrace that risk to achieve real innovation."
- 2. Using Sophisticated Synonyms
- Using different words with similar meanings prevents repetition while maintaining the topic.
- Example: "The city's rapid growth is undeniable. However, this level of expansion puts a huge strain on services. Managing this development is our key challenge."
- 3. Creating "Lexical Chains"
- Use a sequence of related words (e.g., from general to specific) to create a sophisticated flow.
- Example: "I've always been interested in technology. I started by studying software, then focused on cybersecurity, and now my specific field is cryptography."
Using Lexis to Signal Your Stance & Nuance
The adverbs and adjectives you choose subtly communicate your level of certainty and your attitude toward the information you're presenting.
A Toolkit for Expressing Stance:
- To show high certainty:
- `unequivocally`, `undoubtedly`, `incontrovertibly`
- "The data proves unequivocally that our strategy was successful."
- To show caution or partial agreement (hedging):
- `arguably`, `conceivably`, `to some extent`
- "This is arguably the best film of the year, although some critics disagree."
- To signal a hidden or deeper reality:
- `ostensibly`, `seemingly`, `superficially`
- "The new policy was ostensibly about improving safety, but its real purpose was to cut costs." (This signals you are about to reveal the "real" story).
Scenario: An Academic Lecture
Listen to this excerpt from a university lecture on history. Notice the professor's highly precise and structural lexical choices.
"The central **premise** of our discussion today is that the fall of the Roman Empire was not a single event, but a protracted **process** of decline. **Ostensibly**, the final collapse can be dated to 476 AD. **However**, this view is **fundamentally** simplistic.
The more **nuanced** analysis reveals a series of contributing factors. There was, **unequivocally**, a significant economic decline. **Furthermore,** political instability **exacerbated** this problem. **To some extent,** one could also argue that climate change played a role. The **synthesis** of these factors, therefore, is what we should focus on, not a single, dramatic date."
Reading Between the Lines: Decoding Stance
At C2, your listening skills should be sharp enough to decode the speaker's true stance from their subtle word choices.
- When you hear "arguably" or "conceivably," you know the speaker is presenting a point they believe is true but acknowledge it is open to debate.
- When you hear "ostensibly" or "on the surface," prepare for a "but" or "however." The speaker is signalling that they are about to reveal a deeper, less obvious truth.
- When you hear "undoubtedly" or "unequivocally," you know the speaker is presenting a point they consider to be a hard fact, with no room for debate.
Practice Quiz: Identify the Nuance
Choose the word that best reflects the subtle meaning of the sentence.
1. "The new CEO's plan to save the company, while ambitious, is not considered to be __________ by most senior analysts."
A) contentious
B) viable
C) ubiquitous
→ Answer: B. `Viable` means capable of working successfully; feasible. This fits the context of a plan being assessed for its practicality.
2. "The government's official reason for the new law was national security. However, many critics believe the __________ motive was to suppress political dissent."
A) ostensible
B) pragmatic
C) underlying
→ Answer: C. `Underlying` perfectly captures the idea of a real but hidden motive, contrasting with the official reason. `Ostensibly` would be used to describe the official reason itself (e.g., "The law was ostensibly about...").
Your Mission: The "Analyst" Challenge
Your mission is to practice thinking about lexical choices like a C2-level speaker.
- Find a short, well-written opinion piece in English (from a source like The Guardian, The New York Times, or The Economist).
- Read the article and choose ONE paragraph that contains interesting vocabulary.
- Your Goal: Identify 2-3 specific, sophisticated words the author chose. Then, record yourself for 90 seconds, explaining *why* you think the author chose those specific words over simpler alternatives. What nuance or effect did they create?
- Example:
- Text: "The city's plan to build a new stadium has become a **contentious** issue, with **proponents** touting economic benefits and **opponents** decrying the environmental impact."
- Your Analysis: "In this sentence, the author chose the word '**contentious**' instead of just 'a big problem'. This is effective because it specifically implies that it is a topic of heated public **debate**. Then, by using the formal pairing of '**proponents**' and '**opponents**', they frame the discussion as a structured, almost political argument, rather than just a simple disagreement..."
Vocabulary Glossary
- Coherent: (Adjective) - Logical and consistent; forming a unified whole. ↩
- Lexis: (Noun) - The entire vocabulary of a language or a specific field. ↩
- Cohesive Device: (Noun Phrase) - A word or phrase used to link different parts of a discourse. ↩
- Stance: (Noun) - A person's particular point of view or attitude towards a subject. ↩
- Discourse: (Noun) - Extended spoken or written communication. ↩