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Wordy means using more words than the idea needs. It is a criticism — a gentle one, but still a criticism. If a teacher 'a bit wordy' on your essay, they are not saying it is wrong or badly spelled; they are saying you took three sentences to say what one sentence could say.
Wordy means Wordy的意思是 using more words than the idea needs用的字比想法需要的還多。It is a criticism這是個批評 — a gentle one, but still a criticism溫和的批評,但還是批評。If a teacher writes如果老師寫 'a bit wordy'『a bit wordy』 on your essay在你的作文上, they are not saying it is wrong or badly spelled他們不是說你寫錯或拼錯字; they are saying他們是說 you took three sentences to say what one sentence could say你用三句話講了一句話就能講完的事。
It describes writing and speech, not people's vocabulary: a wordy email, a wordy report, a wordy explanation, wordy instructions. You can stretch it to a person — 'he's very wordy' — but the more usual way is to describe what they produced.
It describes writing and speech它形容的是文字和話語, not people's vocabulary不是一個人的詞彙量: a wordy emaila wordy email, a wordy reporta wordy report, a wordy explanationa wordy explanation, wordy instructionswordy instructions。You can stretch it to a person你可以把它延伸用在一個人身上 — 'he's very wordy'『he's very wordy』 — but the more usual way is但比較常見的方式是 to describe what they produced描述他寫出來、說出來的東西。
The cure is cutting. 'Due to the fact that' → 'because'. 'At this point in time' → 'now'.
The cure is cutting解決的方法就是刪減。'Due to the fact that'『Due to the fact that』 → → 'because'『because』。'At this point in time'『At this point in time』 → → 'now'『now』。
English readers, especially in business and academic writing, treat shortness as a kindness, so 'wordy' is a real fault in English classes and offices in a way it may not be everywhere.
English readers英語讀者, especially in business and academic writing尤其在商業和學術寫作裡, treat shortness as a kindness會把簡短當成一種體貼, so 'wordy'所以『wordy』 is a real fault是個真正的缺點 in English classes and offices在英文課和辦公室裡 in a way it may not be everywhere程度可能不是每個地方都一樣。
A useful nearby word is 'verbose' — the same idea, but formal and harsher. 'Long-winded' is the spoken cousin, used mostly for people who talk too long. 'Wordy' sits comfortably between them, and is the one you can safely use in class.
A useful nearby word is有個相近好用的字是 'verbose'『verbose』 — the same idea, but formal and harsher同樣的概念,但更正式、更嚴厲。'Long-winded'『Long-winded』 is the spoken cousin是口語版的親戚, used mostly for people who talk too long多半用在說話說太久的人身上。'Wordy'『Wordy』 sits comfortably between them很自在地介於兩者之間, and is the one you can safely use in class也是你在課堂上可以放心使用的那個字。
One more small thing: 'wordy' can also just mean 'containing a lot of words' with no complaint at all — 'a wordy slide' can simply mean the slide is packed with text. Context tells you which you're getting, but the critical meaning is far more common.
One more small thing還有一個小地方: 'wordy' can also just mean『wordy』也可以單純表示 'containing a lot of words'『含有很多字』 with no complaint at all完全沒有抱怨的意思 — 'a wordy slide'『a wordy slide』 can simply mean可以只是說 the slide is packed with text這張投影片塞滿了文字。Context tells you which you're getting要靠上下文才知道是哪一種, but the critical meaning is far more common但帶批評意味的用法常見得多。
組成word + -y, the ending that means 'full of' or 'like': salty, dirty, sleepy, noisy. So wordy = 'full of words'. It is genuinely old — Old English wordiġ, not a modern invention.
原始詞典資料1 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
wordyadj/ˈwɝdi/
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Using an excessive number of words.
- The story was long and very wordy.
- And wordy attacks against slavery drew sneers from observers which were not altogether undeserved. The authors were compared to doctors who offered to a patient nothing more than invectives against the disease which consumed him.
資料來源:英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary(CC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。