Hi, I’m remembering to introduce the series this week. My name is Alisha. Welcome back
to Weekly Words. This week we're gonna talk about really long words that are actually
used. Okay, this is going to be interesting I think. Let's start.
The first word is “photosynthesis.” “Photosynthesis” is an eighth-grade American science school
word... is an eighth-grade science word. This refers to “the process that plants use to
convert sunlight to oxygen.” The process of “photosynthesis” is vitally important
to the survival of humans. Right?
The next word is “imperturbable.” “Imperturbable” means someone who “can’t really get upset
or excited,” like it's hard to a change the emotions of a person. So you might say,
“I have a friend who’s imperturbable. No matter what we do or what we say, he doesn't
get angry with us.”
Onward. The next is “counterintuitive.” “Counterintuitive” is a good word which
means it's “the opposite of common sense.” So we talked about the word “intuitive”
in a previous episode of Weekly Words where “intuitive” means “able to sense something
or able to do something correctly without knowing... having to know much about it.”
“Counterintuitive,” however, on the other hand, means not intuitive, or it seems like
something but just doesn't make much sense. It's not a common sense thing. So maybe, let's
see, something that doesn't seem to make very much sense to you. Maybe in your office building,
for example, you have to first push the door and then pull in order to open it. You might
say, “Uh, the way the doors work in this building is very counterintuitive.” It doesn't
make much sense.
The next word is “presumptuously.” “Presumptuously” simply means “failing to observe the limits
of what is permitted or appropriate.” Oh, this is a tough one to use in a sentence.
So anytime somebody does something that's just beyond the limits of what is considered
normal in your culture, you can say that they're being “presumptuous” or acting “presumptuously.”
So if, for example, a salesman comes to your door for some reason. But they enter the house
and sit down on your sofa, you might say, “The salesman presumptuously entered my
house and sat down on my sofa. I couldn't believe it.”
What? “Sphygmomanometer.” “Sphygmomanometer:” “an instrument for measuring blood pressure.”
This is a new one for me too. “Sphygmomanometer” is this word. Isn’t this called “Really
long words that are actually used”? I have only been familiar with this word in terms
of the blood pressure cuff. When you go to the doctor and they need to check your blood
pressure, they’ll put this thing, this “sphygmomanometer,” on your arm, usually, and then they’ll kind
of pump it up and check your blood pressure. So it's a very technical word. The doctor
might say to a nurse or to another doctor, “Can can you please get me the sphygmomanometer?
We need to check this patient's blood pressure.”
Wow. Okay, I learned a new word today. End! Those are all the long words that are actually
used sometimes. Give them a try. Work on your pronunciation for these. They're kind of interesting
ones I think. Thanks again for joining us for Weekly Words. I will see you next time.
Bye-bye! Sphygmomanometer.