Assignment4- Comment on Corpus-Based Tools

Before I learned about those corpus-based tools, such as concordancers and colocation retrieval systems, I was really unaware of them and only used some dictionaries online. After I got more acquainted with them, I found they are not only useful but also powerful for some particular purposes. For instance, if I want to know which word to collocate with or the frequency of its showing up, I can just look it up through those systems.
As far as I am concerned, I think that I may use them as second assistant tools. That's because I more often look words up through dictionaries so far. However, I still consider them excellent assistant tools to use. If I can't find the information I need in dictionaries, then it's just good time to turn to them.
The two main difficulties I have encountered in using them are the large information to orgenize in the right way and the differences between various corpora. For the third assignment, I apparently made many mistakes in analyzing, and it may make me misunderstand them in the future. So it will take me a lot of efforts to master it. Secondly, it is also important to know exactly where the data come from. If I don't know that, I might make the sentences inappropriate.

Assignment3 - The Differences Between Big and Large

After last lecture, I have known how to make great use of corpora and learn English with new tools. And, this week's homework is to find out the differences between "big" and "large" by using corpus resource. As to me, it's really tough to distinguish the two similar words before. But now, I finally discover some differences between them. The following is what I define to organize them:

Big: to describe something abstractly or you are not quite sure of its exact amount, range or extent.
EX:controversy, client, city, art, adverture, event, issue, loser, personality, power, problem, role, success, winner, account.

Large: to describe, especially,an object physically, like volume and amounts. Or to say something which have particular size, like clothes, shoes, cups of drink, household appliances and so on.
EX: aircraft, amount, volume, chunk of, city, collection, screen, ship, crowds, family, fortune.

Because all the above is just my inference, please help me to revise it and share your ideas with me if you find anything wrong.

Assignment 2 - Two Confusing words

After last Thursday's class, I realized that there are plenty resources of

online dictionaries which are really convenient to reach for.

After then, I made a list of dictionaries websites in my blog for further use.

I have looked up a learner's dictionary to try to find out the differences

between the two words which used to make me feel confused .

The two simple words are "lovely" and "cute".

I chose some key sentences I thought explaining the differences from the dictionary.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Lovely: attractive or beautiful especially in a graceful way

For example: She was wearing a lovely dress.

Cute: having a pleasing and usually youthful appearance

For example: What a cute little baby!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

In addition, I also found that "cute" has a special meaning in US.

It can also be used to say someone is attractive in a sexual way.

In other words, it's like "hot" and "sexy" in that sense.

It reminds me that I have to think twice before saying someone is cute.