What is the hardest word to understand in English?

As a follow up to our article on confusing words, here are ten of the most difficult words in English.

• Literally. If you know a language purist, watch out.
• Ironic.
• Irregardless (instead of regardless)
• Whom.
• Colonel.
• Nonplussed.
• Disinterested.
• Enormity.

Why do authors use unfamiliar words?

It is as if all of today’s writers were working from a high school-level vocabulary—and writers who do use unusual words more often than not misuse them. If your readers aren’t likely to recognize a word, then its usage will only serve to confuse them and possibly even alienate them.

How do you understand difficult words?

7 Hacks for Understanding Any English Text When You’re Learning to Read

1. Make a vocabulary list before you begin.
2. Don’t define every word.
3. Use context clues.
4. Look for word roots, prefixes and suffixes that you know.
5. Break up sentences into chunks.
6. Look for related words and ideas.
7. Read and summarize.

What do you call a person who uses big words?

For example the word sesquipedalian is in fact sesquipedalian. Sesquipedalian can also be used to describe someone or something that overuses big words, like a philosophy professor or a chemistry textbook. Each of those long words is referred to as a sesquipedalia.

Why do writers need to use simple language Quora?

Usage of simpler language opens up an idea to a wider group of readers. So that they are easy to understand for a very diverse audience with different reading habits, educational backgrounds and different levels of knowledge in languages.

Why is English vocabulary difficult?

There were some factors that caused students’ difficulties in learning vocabulary (1) the written form is different from the spoken form in English, (2) The number of words that students need to learn is exceedingly large, (3) the limitations of sources of information about words, (4) The complexity of word knowledge.

Is English difficult to learn?

In reality, how difficult it is to learn depends on your native language. This is because languages are more (or less) related. Many of the words we use in English developed from Latin and Ancient Greek words. But, is English hard to learn?

Why should you look at a list of difficult English words to spell?

Another reason why you would want to take a look at our list of difficult English words to spell is to avoid any future errors. Your professor will swiftly penalize you for spelling errors in your academic papers. You can lose valuable points because of some improperly spelled words.

Why are some words harder to pronounce than others?

Some words are very low on vowels, such as the word “strengths”, which is hard to say when you’re not accustomed to English pronunciation. What’s more, words that end in the same combination of letters aren’t necessarily pronounced in the same way.

Why is English spelling so hard for foreign learners?

The unpredictability of English spelling is hard for learners and native speakers alike but, for the foreigner, it’s the grammar native speakers use without thinking that proves the trickiest. Here are five of the biggest quagmires in English.