|
LANGUAGE |
Tone Words |
||||||
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Some of the following terms have explanations. Where one is not provided and you do not understand, double-click on the term for a definition. A accusatory - charging of wrong doing admiring aggrieved – hurt or wounded ambivalent - neither clearly one way or another; amused angry - belligerent, choleric animated apathetic-indifferent, uncaring apologetic: regretfully acknowledging or excusing fault or failure arrogant – haughty, condescending, overbearing awestruck B bitter - resulting from severe grief or anguish; marked by resentment or cynicism C candid - honest, frank, free from prejudice caustic - intense use of sarcasm; stinging, biting cautionary chatty - conversational cheerful childish clinical purely scientific cold - indifferent, not involving feelings colloquial comic - humorous compassionate – feeling, caring complimentary - praising condemnatory - condemning condescending – patronizing, superior, talking-down to confident - assured or certain confused - bewildered or perplexed contemplative - studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue contemptuous - scornful or disdainful, lacking respect conventional-lacking spontaneity, originality, and individuality critical - finding fault cruel curt - discourteously brief cynical - expecting the worst, negative D depressed – downcast, dejected derisive - ridiculing, mocking (stronger than satirical) detached - separate or not involved in emotions didactic - author attempts to educate or instruct the reader dignified diplomatic disapproving disdainful - scornful disheartened disparaging - criticising distressed dramatic dreamy having a soft, soothing quality E elegiac - sad, mournful empathetic – caring, compassionate erudite – learned, polished, scholarly evasive evoking pity or compassion; keenly affecting the senses excited F firm: steadfast, unflinching, resolute flattering: undue praising, complimenting flippant – overly casual forceful formal: ceremonial, regulatory, precise forthright - directly frank without hesitation frank - direct, honest friendly: prompted by kindness, not hostile frivolous - not serious or sensible, petty frustrated G gentle gentle: tame, quiet giddy - dizzy or unsteady; flighty or frivolous gloomy - darkness, sadness, rejection grim – matter-of-fact, extremely down-to-earth gullible – believes anything easily H hard-hearted – uncaring, severe haughty - proud and vain to the point of arrogance hearty: cordial, genial, abundant hollow humble humble: having or showing low estimate of one’s own importance humorous hypercritical – saying one thing while believing another I impassioned – extremely zealous, filled with belief and passion towards a cause imploring impressionable inane – non-sensical incensed – extremely angry, annoyed incisive - clear and very direct, unambiguous incredulous - cannot believe indignant - expressing anger or scorn; anger due to injustice informal: without ceremony, not according to due form informative - giving information; educational, instructional ingratiating: bringing oneself into favour with intense intimate - very familiar ironic - intended to be opposite to the feeling of the subject matter, contradictory ironic - meaning expressed by using language of opposite meaning or tendency irreverent - showing disrespect J jovial - happy joyful - feeling or expressing happiness joyous judgmental - critical L light-hearted – casual, easy-going loving lyrical - expressing a poet’s inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like M matter-of-fact--accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional mean-spirited - grudging mock-heroic - feigning heroism mocking - treating with contempt or ridicule, sarcastic, facetious, satirical modest morose-gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent mourning N nasty neutral: indefinite, vague, taking neither side in dispute or differences of opinions nostalgic - homesick or longing for something long ago O obsequious - crawling optimistic - hopeful, cheerful outraged outspoken P patronizing - air of condescension, superior peaceful pedantic narrow-minded in following set rules pensive persuasive pessimistic pessimistic-seeing the worst side of things; no hope philosophical pitiful playful poignant – prayerful proud provocative Q R regretful resentful resigned respectful: showing deference restrained reticent reverent - treating a subject with honour and respect ribald – smutty, offensive in speech or gesture ridiculing - slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of, sarcastic, facetious righteous S sanguineous -optimistic, cheerful sarcastic characterized by taunting, sneering, or jeering sarcastic: bitter or wounding, taunting sardonic - scornfully and bitterly sarcastic satirical - criticising by ridiculing and mocking to show weakness in order to make a point, teach scathing: withering a person or idea with severe speech sceptical - doubting scornful - filled with contempt self-pitying sensationalistic sentimental sharp shocking sincere - without deceit or pretence; genuine, honest solemn - deeply earnest, tending toward sad reflection sombre - dark, gloomy, melancholy, dull sorrowful sulking suspicious: prone to feeling that something is wrong or that someone is guilty sweet - characterized by kindness and gentleness; delightful; may be insipid or overly sweet (saccharine) sympathetic - showing deep pity or compassion T tired - fatigued, worn out; weary tolerant truculent - fierce, cruel, savage, pugnacious U uneasy upset urgent V vibrant - lively, energetic, colourful vindictive – spiteful, bitter W whimsical - fanciful; oddly out of the ordinary, strange, fantastic; fun witty - clever, smart and funny world-weary – tired, worried Z
|
||||||
|
||||||
