Build Your Vocabulary (1948)

[@georgecerulean70]

Many people like to mock and deride these old educational films, but this one actually contains relevant and useful information. I especially like the idea of keeping a vocabulary notebook.💡📖

[@brianarbenz1329]

I kept such a notebook, starting about 1989. It helped me. So I'm with you on that. Yet, one must admit, this movie shows the change in Mr. Willis happening too rapidly and with instant results. Suddenly, he has the community behind him, and admiring him, because he can use "explicitly" and "ultimatum" - words someone at his level of profession should already have grasped anyway. But this was meant to convey a point, not win an Oscar.

[@gloriaanaruma1279]

Same here

[@rojaws1183]

I think they are often inspiring.

[@sharegreats2157]

Another point is also important: repetition. If you read words only once they don't stay in your memory long. But already the old Romans knew the secret: "Repetitio est mater studiorum." This is Latin and means in English: "Repitition is the mother of studies." That's why it is essential to write those words, which you want to learn, down in an extra exercise book or binder like in the movie and repeat them again and again. This is a good movie.

[@Mike-pj1kv]

"Uh. The uh girls need a ground to play on. And the boys also too. They can have a playing place that can be a ground that is played on for both types of people, uh boy and girls too" Best speech I ever heard.

[@fefe477]

This is inspiring!!! I was having trouble with words, from learning from this video give me an idea in to developing my vocabulary skills. I hope others will be inspired by this video!!!

[@raevenbrooke3030]

I’m inspired to keep a little notepad on me to write down new words

[@Mienarrr]

it definitely made me want to pick up a book and find fun new words 😎

[@CK-op7ho]

Reading helps me immensely with learning new words. I'm just realizing that I've had too much 'screen time', between tv, computer, phone and iPad. Time to shut off and READ!

[@jerryjackson7517]

you know you are able to expand what your lexicon is via the internet?

[@pinkmagicali]

I quit Facebook for the same reason. I was losing hours of time I could have been using for other things which were more useful and more enjoyable.

[@valeriebellomo3573]

Yes! Read! That's how you learn to spell.

[@gloriaanaruma1279]

I love watching these movies , they are so instructive

[@philipinchina]

Something I used to do was to read a dictionary. Don't laugh. You read a page and if you know the correct definition of every word you finish. If there is a word which you can't define accurately you have to read another page and so on until you get a page with which you are 100% happy. It can be fun and certainly helps.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

I'm not laughing. I used to study the dictionary myself.

[@vanreliant5584]

One of the ways of expanding your knowledge and use of words plus correct spelling, is by reading lots of books it helps enormously.

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

The actress playing secretary was pretty darn good.

[@miekekuppen9275]

...and that is how Mr Willis got himself his own playground.

[@Gypsy839]

That would be super duper!

[@Me-wk3ix]

Words are so important!

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

Indeed. Words can be tools that help us build character.

[@pinkmagicali]

Yet another video we could do with today.

[@violinplayer101]

What I'm wondering is....How in the world would Mr. Willis get by for so long without knowing terminology relevant to his line of work?

[@DouglasUrantia]

Mr Willis sold toilet plungers. He didn't need fancy words in that job.

[@kenbob1071]

If Trump can do it, Mr. Willis can too.

[@mariekatherine5238]

@@kenbob1071 Not in 1948!

[@bunnyfoofoo9695]

@@DouglasUrantia lol.........

[@susanedghill609]

He had a secretary to deal with communications.....😂

[@ss4vegeta1]

Its not fair to judge him on his vocabulary. He should be respected for wanting to improve as a person.

[@brianqrcode1673]

@j drayton but, he died knowing more words.

[@TheTruthResearchers]

If a Person, with a poor Vocabulary, has access to a teacher, a dictionary, or any other source for learning-improvement, then, that Person has "chosen" to remain in a state of "ignorance"; and, "deliberate ignorance" is an "intolerable trait" of disrespect and sloth. Someone who cares to improve as "a Person", must address all components of their "Personality; and The Art Of Speaking is our #1 Component for "good communication" with all Others. In our Society, proper speech (when possible) is a mandate for intelligent self-respect, and the highest respect to Others.

[@agnidas5816]

Not fair? Uh... You should check the vocabulary on what judging means. If I judge a distance - it is simply a metric. Same if I judge some ones height - just an estimation ... I am not causing harm. Same if I judge their vocabulary based on how they speak that cannot possibly be unfair .. nor can it be fair. You don't understand what you are saying and you don't see the meaning behind it or you would change it.

[@IBU-tec]

Valance does not only have a single meaning. It can also be a formed piece of a cars body or of a planes skin shielding something .

[@littlehouse15]

"Mr. Willis found he couldn't escape unfamiliar words when his wife called, "Oh John?" What? OMG more words! Words I don't know the meaning of!!"

[@mjaymaputemapute2472]

This short film is a gold

[@Skipper86]

Nowadays we use the word "thing-a-ma-bob" when we don't have a clue how to use the correct words. Even worse so many people are using cuss words.

[@Lisa-je5bb]

My fav:whoosy-whats....

[@YouT00ber]

Given covid, I think it’s time I pull my kids from public schools and homeschool them EXCLUSIVELY on educational films from the 1950s. They’ll think it’s real swell.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

Swell...LOL

[@catherinerosa-baker2937]

I love these

[@jesus_saves_from_hell_]

Smashing! 😃

[@Boutys_mom]

Too bad noone from 26+ years ago would've been able to read Mr Willis's notes - being that they're in cursive! Otherwise, I loved this video immensely!

[@brianarbenz1329]

Film Summary: Inarticulate man steals own son's words about the need for parks and speaks them in slightly retooled fashion before city council, quickly becoming respected and adored by his peers.

[@qdrt7195]

How explicit!

[@samsung5181]

Mr Willis was eventually fired for misspelling Mississippi and often confused prostitute for protagonist.🙀

[@poetcomic1]

Dad... it is TOO LATE. Go have a beer.

[@Michelle77Va]

Is that guy Dabney Coleman?!

[@bunnyfoofoo9695]

How did survive as long as he did?

[@JohnnnyJohn]

How he git so far in he job if he no talk gud?

[@debbievandercook9669]

Who shot Liberty Valance?

[@YouT00ber]

John Wayne!

[@freddyfurrah3789]

John Wayne

[@maunster3414]

Politicians and such are very good at double talk, gobbledygook, lying, but can't string a comprehensible sentence together.

[@TheSultan1470]

You're good at talking out of your ass.

[@DouglasUrantia]

" Hey dear, I'm in the 'mood'.....you know what that word means?"

[@boslyporshy6553]

DouglasUrantia Talk about amorous.

[@UnkoHoloHolo]

Mahalo

[@victoracunamendez7525]

El lenguaje de las computadoras están escrito en forma informal. Un ejemplo es : uN día abeces coMo aGuA poR . C. TODos bIMos uNOs gUSaNoS. Bueno haci están escritos los lenguajes en cualquier tecnología.

[@mikesilva3868]

Miss Sally: Y'all get enough to eat? That's good, I don't like nobody to be hungry. Pizzazz [to Sean Harrison]: It's been a year since I saw you in that crummy little club in London. You still into fighting all comers? Shawn Harrison: Not anymore, ole girl. So run along. 🙃

[@freddyfurrah3789]

I improved my vocabulary: 1. Looking up a word I didn't know the meaning. 2. Study the dictionary. 3 Play scrabble.

[@Lisa-je5bb]

Or word search or crossword puzzle

[@TheAlbiCollier]

its like the original simpsons haha!

[@JohnSmith-yk2tn]

Mr. Willis is pretty based

[@kenbob1071]

"Mr. Willis has an important idea to express, but he lacks the vocabulary to express it." Wait till they get a load of President Twitters in 70 years.

[@TheSultan1470]

What about kids

[@erins.5420]

What’s you talkin bout Willis! Lol

[@jaminova_1969]

Mr. Willis' business is printing, but he doesn't understand words or why people use them?

[@darkdogstudios]

Dems dufficult wurds! Feezabull? Wha???

[@melvynn11]

Mr Willis FINALLY realizes at the age of 68 that he needs to learn more than first grade English !!!! 🤪🤓🤫🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@onecoolcat2478]

Biden.....anyone?

[@onecoolcat2478]

Too bad that we are oppressed from using vocabulary today.....

[@tjlovesrachel]

This guy is illiterate ..these words are middle school .. And it's sad because there are so many poorly spoken people out there.. Just take a quick listen to most people out there

[@freddyfurrah3789]

The Vissitudes of life.

[@amazingvideos4259]

I wonder native english speaking people also face vocab problems

[@kirillmaloshenko1281]

words SUCK i go to BED

[@vickihshallenberger3644]

M r Willis needs Special Ed classes!

[@samsung5181]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@alienkreeper]

Mr. Willis is not a very bright man.

[@MrChoirDirector87]

It’s clear Mr. Willis white privilege got him as far as it did. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@DoctorX17]

He writes strangely... I've never seen someone write words in pieces like that.

[@raevenbrooke3030]

DoctorX17 it’s called cursive my dear

[@elig57]

The 2020 version of this would be a lot shorter. Someone would say some unfamiliar word to John, he'd take out his phone, and say, "Okay Google... What does anthology mean?" The End, fade to black.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

The voice of the narrator is very familiar.

[@Uruk02]

His son was a fruit