Re: Having difficulty with these collocations
(not a teacher)
1) I'm not familiar with this use of "idyll". I know it as a type of poetic or musical composition.
2) Honestly, you could use any of these words, but I think "cosmopolitan" is the most common collocation, if only by a slim margin.
3) I want to say it's "assertive", but "urbane" and, to a lesser extent, "urban" could work, too.
4) "Civic" is the best choice here.
5) "Dwellers" is the most sensible choice, though I don't think "slum dwellers" would ever be my first choice of words for expressing that concept.
6) Either "rustic" or "pastoral" will work well here. A case could be made for "rural", but "provincial" is a bit derogatory.
Re: Having difficulty with these collocations
Quote:
Originally Posted by
emsr2d2 
Is it really that rare? Maybe it's more common in BrE than AmE then. I would say that phrases such as "this rural idyll" are heard pretty frequently on things like TV property shows. I agree that bucolic and idyllic are synonyms. Therefore, I would not say that "bucolic idyll" would be one of the accepted correct answers here.
In my opinion, "rural idyll" is the only one that really works but I can just about imagine someone referring to a tiny village out in the countryside as a "country idyll" or "village idyll".
Well... actually the first time I heard the word was in reference to the Idylls of the King by Tennyson. That was when I was in the first grade, and, to my recollection, that was probably the last time I heard it until I was in college. I fairly certain that if I said that word to the people I associate with they would assume that I talking about an engine that was not running very fast - idling.
Re: Having difficulty with these collocations
As you see, doglover, native speakers don't agree on this. It's not a very good test, My own selctions are underlined below: Quote:
Originally Posted by
doglover Below are the full sentenes.
1. If we were back in urban reality now, we yet retained a glow imparted by our bucolic/country/rural/village idyll. Any could work,
2. Barcelona feels a lot more cosmopolitan/global/multicultural than other Spanish cities. 'Global' is not impossible.
3. Robert the next day seemed urban/urbane/provincial/assertive, sure of himself. even, she thought, pleased with himself.
4. Jackson spent the day meeting with local religious and civic/municipal/urban/uptown leaders.
5. Slum tenants/settlers/dwellers/denizens would filter through into better stock, or be rehoused by local authorities in new estates.
6. The picture showed a typical rustic/pastoral/rural/provincial scene. 'Provincial' is possible.
Re: Having difficulty with these collocations
Gillnetter, they wouldn't think you were talking about an idling engine over here because of the pronunciation. It's not "eye-duh-l" it's "idd-ill" or "idd-uhl", the same as the pronunciation at the start of "idyllic" is "idd" not "eyed".
Re: Having difficulty with these collocations
Quote:
Originally Posted by
doglover Below are the full sentences.
Doglover, can you see that if you had given these in post #1 instead of #10, you would have saved several people's valuable time?
Rover
Re: Having difficulty with these collocations
Yes, I could have and I am sorry that I didn't. However, I like seeing you discuss the language. It is ever so educational :) Once again thank you and please do not get angry with me. Lesson learned!
