copacetic - Deeply Satisfied

We’ll keep doing case study vocabulary words to develop a small vocab list. This way, you’ll learn a new word, learn how I think about words, and develop some good habits for understanding how to use the word in your repertoire.

Step #1. Finding a New Word.

Now, if you don’t like dictionary.com then you can also try https://www.merriam-webster.com/.

The word of the day today is copacetic.

Just like Dictionary.com has a Word of the Day, Merrriam-Webster has a similar thing **that makes it easy to regularly build your vocabulary. Some words are more obscure than others but the main point I want you to make is to pick or identify words you would actually use. Picking and choosing between the multiple of websites is a great way to learn the language. Better yet, learn all the wordrs for the day.

Step #2. You’ve Found a Word. Now What?

Let’s take the word: Copacetic. Let’s break down what you should consider.

Step #3. How Functional Is This Word?

Ask yourself whether you will ever actually use the word. It’s fun to learn words that are big, complex, or intimidating, but the goal isn’t to have the most obscure language. That would make you stand out like a sore thumb even more. Instead, you want to grow your English communication skills to use words effectively and just like a native English speaker. What that means is you should aim for words you hear others use regularly but you do not use. For this specific word, I actually have heard people say the word copacetic before, but it is a heard once-a-year kind of word. Pretty rare.

Sometimes these words are very specific to a field of interest or study. In this case, I’d say it’s a word that an older generation might know but I’d bet most 0-30 year olds wouldn’t know or use the word. The main consideration, then, is whether the listener will understand when you try to use it.

In the case of the word COPACETIC, it is a word to describe deep satisfaction. When I think of the word, I imagine a hotel manager or massage therapist asking if you are having a relaxing or pleasant visit. Answering back, “Everything is copacetic” would be an appropriate use of the word.

In this word’s case, there are many other words that we use in replacement. “Everything is perfect” or “Everything is great!” would appropriately communicate a similar tone. Another term would be “very very good”. But the point is there is nuanced communication in these words. Very very very good can succinctly be communicated with a word that expresses this innately.

Just like how we have unique words for specific colours such as teal instead of blue-ish green. There is an elegance to using a wordr that innately communicates this variance.

Although it’s weird to think about fun and preference of words, these subtle things can have immeasurable impact on your desire to learn and enjoy the language. And the more you can have fun on your language learning journey, the less it feels like a struggle.

Step #4. Figure Out How Many Syllables Long The Word Is.

For /ˌkōpəˈsetik/, it is 4 syllables long. Merriam-Webster doesn’t bold the stressed syllable but you can tell by the ‘. So, the SE is the primary stress. The , indicates that KO is the secondary stress.

Step #5. Considering the IPA For Pronunciation

The third syllable has the ‘, which signifies that the primary stress appears on the third syllable. The , indicates the first syllable has the secondary stress.

The IPA spelling also indicates a variety of vowels including [ō], [ə], [e], [i].

Now, I actually have a difference of opinion on this one. With the last syllable, I would argue it is a ‘tɪk’ with the [ɪ] sound, not the [i] sound.

Sometimes, this type of discrerpancy can be frustrrating becauuse dictionaries should have the corrrect information. If you don’t underrstand phonetics or recognize the IPA, then it can be very easy to be uncertain about the pronunciation or sounds. This is why it is important to study and familiarize yourself with the IPA.

If you haven’t learned it before, look back on my IPA posts to figure out the symbols and respective pronunciations.

Step #5. Considering the Word Type And Use Cases.

Make sure you know what kind of word it is (in this case, an adjective) as well as finding some use cases. You want to build multiple associations to your word map so you can understand similarities, differences and nuances between words.

In the case of copacetic, synonyms include deep satisfaction

And his smile told him that everything was copacetic.

Step #6. Add It To a List For Review.

Now, you should create a word list for review. I’ve talked about Anki and Notion as options but regular review of your word list can help create better recall and use of the words.