Mother Thonge
1. variation something a little different from others of the same type
2. evoke call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
3. wrought shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
4. intimacy a feeling of being intimate and belonging together
5. transcribe write out from speech, notes, etc.
.
6. belie represent falsely
7. wince make a face indicating disgust or dislike
Notes:
"Wince" also means "draw back, as with fear or pain"--this also fits because Tan does not want others to see her mother as "broken" because that, especially when she was younger, made her feel broken and ashamed.
8. empirical derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
9. guise an artful or simulated semblance
10. impeccable without fault or error
NOTES:
"Impeccable" and "broken" are opposites that would not usually describe the same thing. But Tan's use of the phrase "impeccable broken English" 1) mocks the ideas of "impeccable English" and "impeccable manners"--both of which Mrs. Tan is not displaying in the example sentence's situation; 2) contrasts with Tan's adolescent and unconvincing perfect English; 3) gives more respect to her mother's language.
11. regret sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
12. insular suggestive of the isolated life of an island
13. moderate being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme
14. bland lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting
15. semantic of or relating to meaning or the study of meaning
16. associative characterized by or causing or resulting from the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination
17. hone make perfect or complete
18. quandary state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
19. nascent being born or beginning
20. essence the choicest or most essential or most
2. evoke call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
3. wrought shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
4. intimacy a feeling of being intimate and belonging together
5. transcribe write out from speech, notes, etc.
.
6. belie represent falsely
7. wince make a face indicating disgust or dislike
Notes:
"Wince" also means "draw back, as with fear or pain"--this also fits because Tan does not want others to see her mother as "broken" because that, especially when she was younger, made her feel broken and ashamed.
8. empirical derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
9. guise an artful or simulated semblance
10. impeccable without fault or error
NOTES:
"Impeccable" and "broken" are opposites that would not usually describe the same thing. But Tan's use of the phrase "impeccable broken English" 1) mocks the ideas of "impeccable English" and "impeccable manners"--both of which Mrs. Tan is not displaying in the example sentence's situation; 2) contrasts with Tan's adolescent and unconvincing perfect English; 3) gives more respect to her mother's language.
11. regret sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment
12. insular suggestive of the isolated life of an island
13. moderate being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme
14. bland lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting
15. semantic of or relating to meaning or the study of meaning
16. associative characterized by or causing or resulting from the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination
17. hone make perfect or complete
18. quandary state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
19. nascent being born or beginning
20. essence the choicest or most essential or most