Language Functions -some selections

48 Language Functions –Word Selector index
A quite unique resource to non-native speakers. In order to express quite as many  as 7 ways to be thankful to M. MacCarthy, my teacher in the Master's Course in Teaching English EFL - Valencia -(1995-6)

Classification of thanks

1. Complimenting/expressing appreciation for the benefactor or the favour/gift

Thanks a lot. You are wonderful! Thank you so much for our  WordSelector. It's really the knowledge I wanted.

2. Expressing obligation

I am really grateful for what you have done for my learning. Thanks a lot.

3. Expressing a lack of necessity

Thanks a lot, but you took unnecessary trouble for me.

4. Promising to repay

I don't have enough words to thank you. I will pay you back somehow as soon as I can with an entry in my blog.

5. Expressing surprise and delight

Wow! Wonderful! Thanks, thanks, thanks! Here we have a useful list indeed. In Catalan and another 4 languages!

6. Exaggerating

I really appreciate this. You're a lifesaver for my work at manresaEOI.

7. Expressing affection

Thank you so much, dear professor. I don't know what I would've done without your books.

               MACCARTHY, M. Ed. 1995. Cambridge Word-Selector. Cambridge: C.U.P

other function in Larson's pictures here

Cambridge Word Routes and Word Selectors are a range of unique bilingual reference books in which words and phrases are organised in topic groups, helping learners to explore related vocabulary in a way that is not possible in conventional dictionaries. The learner's own language is used in all explanations, making the information easy to use.

           Index:

L1      Introductions                   Presentacions

L2      Forms of address            Maneres d'adreçar-se a algú

L3      Greetings                        Salutacions

L4      Leave-taking                   Acomiadar-se

L5      Opening a conversation  Començar conversa

L6      During  a conversation    Durant una conversa

L7      Closing a conversation   Acabar una con versa

L8      Asking to see someone   Demanar per algú

L9      Expressing good wishes   Expressar desitjos

L10    Seasonal Greetings  Felicitacions (X-tra dates)

L11    Expressing sympathy     Expressar compassió

L12    Shopping                       Anar a comprar

L13    Thanking                        Donar les gràcies

L14    Permission                      Permís

L15    Offers                              Oferiments

L16    Invitations                       Invitacions

L17     Advice                           Consell

L18     Information                    Informació

L19     Instructions                   Instruccions

L20     Directions                      Direcció

L21     Making arrangements    Fer plans                

L22     Asking favours              Demanar favors

L23     Apologies                      Disculpes

L24     Reminding                     Recordar

L25     Reassuring                     Tranquil.litzar

L26     Persuading                     Convéncer

L27     Suggesting                     Suggerir

L28     Agreeing                          Posar-se d'acord

L29     Disagreeing                     Discrepar

L30     Opinions                         Opinions

L31     Preferences                     Preferències

L32     Degrees of certainty        Graus de certesa

L33     Obligation                       Obligació

L34     Expressing surprise        Expressar sorpresa

L35     Expressing pleasure        Expressar plaer

L36     Expressing displeasure   Expressar enuig

L37     Complaints                      Queixes

L38     Praising                           Lloar

L39     Announcements           Comunicacions públiques

L40     Reacting to news         Reaccionar a una notícia

L41     Talking about the time     Parlar de I'hora

L42     Narrating and reporting   Narrar i informar

L43     Problems of communication Problemes de comunicació

L44     Written communications   Comunicacions escrites

L45     Signs and notices             Rètols i anuncis

L46     Using the postal service   Servei de correus

L47     Telephoning                     Telefonar

L48     Other communications     Altres maneres de comunicar-se

for other resources: click on eslgold

for another book: Conversational American English

Aalso in other languages -bilingual books, see below:

REVIEW from the Italian edition:

This book may be designed for Italians learning English, but it's an amazing reference for advanced speakers of Italian as a foreign language. It is a combination of encyclopedia (arranged in conceptual, not alphabetical, order); thesaurus (thousands of words, with nuances explained in Italian, and illustrated in idiomatic Italian and English phrases); and picture dictionary (very practical themed sections - learn how to say "crochet hook" in Italian!). There are also highlighted boxes throughout the book containing idiomatic locutions in English, with Italian equivalents. The long final section of the book is devoted entirely to "communication" - complete phrases in English, with Italian equivalents. There is a complete index in the back. This is a true treasure chest for language lovers. It is like a thesaurus, but with each listing explained and illustrated. The nuances of meaning are impressively spot on. And the wealth of idiomatic expressions is invaluable.

The book's only flaw is that it is endlessly fascinating, and keeps me engrossed way past my bedtime! (Warning: the print size is rather fine.)

Review from the Greek edition:

I bought this book without paying proper attention. I am a student of Greek and hadn't noticed that this book is designed for Greek speakers learning English. However, I still find it a very useful book when trying to establish the correct word to use or indeed the correct use of a word. Despite all the explanations being in Greek it is still usable and I've learned a lot from browsing its pages. It has an extensive word list in the back (both English and Greek) to help you find a specific word you want to use as well as an index of the various categories covered (some 450 in all) eg wild animals, gardening, astronomy, even sex (and it doesn't miss out all the naughty words). Defintely not for beginners though. Would be so great to have a complementary sister book of Greek into English.

PS:  A note on quite:

 I guess, strictly speaking, quite placed in front of words like few, many, often etc. would never please a scholar.

QUITE has many meanings:

completely, entirely - This is quite impossible.fairly, rather, to a certain extent - It's quite warm today; He's quite a good artist; I quite like the idea.exactly, indeed, I agree - "I think he is being unfair to her." "Quite".

This is, however, one of those idiomatic uses where culture is reflected in language.

There was always a tendency in the English to be self-deprecating. Indeed, this was counted as part of gentle(wo)manly conduct. We had this idea that to express absolutes was not really polite (perhaps because it sounded too didactic?). Thus a convention grew up of qualifying absolutes:-, which spread to any definitive adjectives and/or nouns. Thus, a person was not beautiful but "rather" beautiful; not evil but "somewhat" evil etc. 

The word QUITE, as you noted, has different meanings - one of which is "rather" or "to a certain degree". Thus it came to be used to qualify definite statements: e.g. "I'm quite well/unwell" rather than a definitive "I'm well/unwell." etc.

As this usage is colloquial rather than grammatical it's difficult to come to grips with a rule for it's use. Why it is permissible to use

"quite a lot" but never "quite many" could now only, perhaps, be explained as not sounding right:- but the reason it doesn't sound right is only because of common usage, there is no grammatical stricture to underpin this no-no. (At least, none that I can supply atm - or can someone else provide one?)

(Sigh) The English language can be rather eccentric in its application. I take my hat off to any non-native speaker who tries to understand it.