Lost in Translation: Minding the Language Gap

Stephen T. (United States of America)
English language learners often encounter multiple English words which translate into a single word in their native language and vice-versa. This list attempts to bridge the cultural and linguistic divides by providing examples and usage tips.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. impact
    a strong influence
  2. influence
    a power to affect persons or events
  3. impression
    a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
  4. insulation
    the state of being isolated or detached
  5. isolation
    the act of setting something apart from others
  6. affect
    have an influence upon
  7. effect
    an impression, especially one that is contrived
  8. effective
    producing or capable of producing an intended result
  9. effectual
    producing or capable of producing an intended result
  10. efficient
    being effective without wasting time, effort, or expense
  11. efficacious
    giving the power to produce an intended result
  12. present
    make a gift of
  13. congratulate
    say something to someone that expresses praise
  14. vantage point
    a place from which something can be viewed
  15. point of view
    a mental position from which things are perceived
  16. say
    utter aloud
  17. tell
    narrate or give a detailed account of
  18. teach
    impart skills or knowledge to
  19. learn
    gain knowledge or skills
  20. study
    applying the mind to learning and understanding a subject
  21. bring
    take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
  22. take
    get into one's hands
  23. come
    move toward, travel toward
  24. go
    change location
  25. do
    engage in
  26. make
    perform or carry out
  27. listen
    hear with intention
  28. hear
    perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
  29. see
    perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
  30. watch
    look attentively
  31. look
    perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
  32. attend
    be present
  33. send
    cause to go somewhere
  34. meet
    come together
  35. find
    discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
  36. observation
    the act of taking a patient look
  37. surveillance
    close observation of a person or group
  38. backup
    the act of providing approval and support
  39. support
    aiding the cause or policy or interests of
  40. remember
    recall knowledge; have a recollection
  41. recall
    bring to mind
  42. regret
    feel sorry for; be contrite about
  43. guilty conscience
    remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense
  44. remorse
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
  45. shame
    a painful feeling of embarrassment or inadequacy
  46. incentive
    a positive motivational influence
  47. motivation
    psychological feature arousing action toward a desired goal
  48. move
    change location
  49. transfer
    move from one place to another
  50. relocate
    become established in a new place
  51. fabric
    artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting fibers
  52. material
    the substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
  53. survey
    determining opinions by interviewing people
  54. assess
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
  55. evaluate
    estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
  56. still
    despite anything to the contrary
  57. yet
    up to the present time
  58. until now
    used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
  59. by
    so as to pass a given point
  60. up to now
    prior to the present time
  61. pass
    move past
  62. ignore
    refuse to acknowledge
  63. dismiss
    stop associating with
  64. supplement
    an additional component that improves capability
  65. accessory
    a supplementary component that improves capability
  66. decide
    reach, make, or come to a conclusion about something
  67. resolve
    find a solution or answer
  68. appeal
    request earnestly; ask for aid or protection
  69. apply
    ask for something
  70. at that place
    in or at that place
  71. in
    to or toward the inside of
  72. encounter
    be beset by
  73. experience
    undergo
  74. undergo
    pass through
  75. behavior
    the way a person acts toward other people
  76. action
    something done (usually as opposed to something said)
  77. happen
    come to pass
  78. occur
    come to pass
  79. maintain
    keep in a certain state, position, or activity
  80. repair
    fix by putting together what is torn or broken
  81. acclimate
    get used to a certain environment
  82. accustom
    familiarize psychologically or physically
  83. used to
    in the habit
  84. adapt
    make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
  85. adopt
    take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
  86. undress
    get undressed
  87. disrobe
    get undressed
  88. entertainer
    a person who tries to please or amuse
  89. animator
    someone who imparts energy and vitality and spirit to others
  90. have got
    have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense
  91. have
    possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense
  92. increase
    a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous
  93. expand
    become larger in size or volume or quantity
  94. switch
    exchange or give in exchange for
  95. exchange
    the act of changing one thing for another thing
  96. trade
    exchange or give in exchange for
  97. give
    transfer possession of something concrete or abstract
  98. present
    make a gift of
  99. wished-for
    greatly desired
  100. wanted
    desired or wished for or sought
  101. included
    enclosed in the same envelope or package
  102. involved
    connected by participation or association or use
  103. attend
    be present
  104. visit
    the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time
  105. pretty much
    to some degree
  106. very much
    to a very great degree or extent
  107. so
    to a very great extent or degree
  108. much
    great in quantity or degree or extent
  109. laundering
    washing clothes and bed linens
  110. laundry
    garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering
  111. bored
    uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence
  112. boring
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
  113. differentiate
    mark as distinct
  114. distinguish
    mark as different
  115. retribution
    a justly deserved penalty
  116. revenge
    action taken in return for an injury or offense
  117. restitution
    a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
  118. recompense
    the act of making amends for service or loss or injury
  119. bud
    develop immature leaves or petals
  120. bloom
    produce or yield flowers
  121. blossom
    produce or yield flowers
  122. flower
    produce or yield plants cultivated for blooms or blossoms
  123. attorney
    a professional person authorized to practice law
  124. lawyer
    a professional person authorized for legal practice
  125. stripe
    a narrow marking of a different color or texture from the background
  126. ribbon
    any long object resembling a thin line
  127. combine
    put or add together
  128. join
    cause to become joined or linked
  129. true
    consistent with fact or reality; not false
  130. honest
    marked by truth
  131. frank
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
  132. truthful
    expressing or given to expressing the truth
  133. topic
    the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
  134. subject
    the topic of a conversation or discussion
  135. in spite of appearance
    in reality
  136. in reality
    used to imply that one would expect the fact to be the opposite of that stated; surprisingly
  137. surprisingly
    in an amazing manner
  138. fortunately
    by good fortune
  139. happily
    in an unexpectedly lucky way
  140. similar
    marked by correspondence or resemblance
  141. familiar
    well known or easily recognized
  142. every
    (used of count nouns) each and all of the members of a group considered singly and without exception
  143. any
    to some extent or degree
  144. each
    separately for every person or thing
  145. club
    stout stick that is larger at one end
  146. stick
    a long thin implement resembling a length of wood
  147. bat
    a club used for hitting a ball in various games
  148. baton
    a short stout club used primarily by police officers
  149. truncheon
    a short stout club used primarily by police officers
  150. staff
    a strong rod or stick with a specialized utilitarian purpose
  151. hazard
    take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
  152. thrill
    an almost pleasurable sensation of fright
  153. combustion
    a reaction of a substance with oxygen to give heat and light
  154. detonation
    violent release of energy by a chemical or nuclear reaction
  155. jump
    move forward by leaps and bounds
  156. bounce
    spring back; spring away from an impact
  157. job
    the principal activity that you do to earn money
  158. work
    the occupation for which you are paid
  159. task
    any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
  160. fasten
    cause to be firmly attached
  161. strap
    an elongated leather strip (or a strip of similar material) for binding things together or holding something in position
  162. watch
    a small portable timepiece
  163. clock
    a timepiece that shows the time of day
  164. vehicle
    a conveyance that transports people or objects
  165. machine
    a motor vehicle with four wheels
  166. stove
    a kitchen appliance used for cooking food
  167. oven
    kitchen appliance used for baking or roasting
  168. celebrate
    assign great social importance to
  169. observe
    show respect towards
  170. woods
    the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
  171. forest
    a large, densely wooded area filled with trees and plants
  172. option
    one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
  173. variant
    something a little different from others of the same type
  174. variation
    something a little different from others of the same type
  175. version
    something a little different from others of the same type
  176. translate
    restate from one language into another language
  177. impress
    have a powerful and usually positive effect on
  178. express
    communicate beliefs or opinions
  179. interested
    showing curiosity or fascination or concern
  180. interesting
    catching or holding your attention
  181. cereal
    a breakfast food prepared from grain
  182. porridge
    soft food made by boiling meal or legumes in water or milk
  183. stew
    cook slowly and for a long time in liquid
  184. cutlet
    thin slice of meat usually fried or broiled
  185. proposition
    a suggestion offered for acceptance or rejection
  186. proposal
    the act of making a suggestion
  187. enough
    sufficient for the purpose
  188. good enough
    adequately good for the circumstances
  189. grab
    take or seize suddenly
  190. hold
    have in one's hands or grip
  191. hold on
    hold firmly
  192. take hold
    have or hold in one's hands or grip
  193. take hold of
    take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion of
  194. take
    get into one's hands
  195. point
    a geometric element that has position but no extension
  196. dot
    a very small circular shape
  197. period
    a punctuation mark that ends a declarative sentence
  198. all the time
    without respite
  199. at all
    in the slightest degree or in any respect
  200. company
    be a companion to somebody
  201. tune
    adjust for (better) functioning
  202. configure
    set up for a particular purpose
  203. plutocracy
    a political system governed by the wealthy people
  204. battery
    a device that produces electricity
  205. radiator
    heater consisting of a series of pipes for circulating steam
  206. state
    the way something is with respect to its main attributes
  207. statement
    the act of affirming or asserting something
  208. moment
    an indefinitely short time
  209. point
    a distinguishing or individuating characteristic
  210. distinction
    a discrimination between things as different
  211. detail
    a small part considered separately from the whole
  212. component
    one of the individual parts making up a larger entity
  213. time
    an instance or single occasion for some event
  214. instance
    an occurrence of something
  215. inert
    slow and apathetic
  216. inertia
    a disposition to remain inactive
Created on Sat Mar 03 16:36:29 EST 2012 (updated Mon Mar 24 00:58:51 EDT 2014)

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