Words Reflect Culture and Character

Examine Etymology
English, Geograpy, Languages

In this curriculum guide, the Word Study: Sniglets, Neologisms and Other Additions to Language introduces the idea of coining new words. Discuss with students how words are created to define unnamed objects around you, to identify innovations and discoveries and to relate changes in cultures. Existing words may also change meaning to reflect changes in culture. Which writers, like Shakespeare, created words for their plays, novels and poems?

After reading Word Study, have students search the following gatekeepers to learn more about dictionary entries, national organizations that safeguard the nation’s language and the influence of the users of a language on what becomes part of its linguistic history.

• The Oxford English Dictionary is a main gatekeeper that decides which word, sense or sub-entry enters the OED.     

• Canadian English entries in the OED reflect its diverse geography, peoples and culture.

• Other languages have their guardians of language for official recognition. Vocabolario (Dictionary) of the Accademia della crusca is Italy’s source of words and definitions.

• Five of the 150 terms added to the 2020 Larousse dictionary of the French language are included in the Word Study. Teachers may find other examples at “21 New Words in the French Dictionary That You Should Know.”

Teachers of the French language may wish to introduce their students to Emma and the comic strip in which she coined the term La charge mentale (mental load in English).

Find Your Words

English, Foreign Languages, Social Studies

Have students make lists of words and phrases from different types of activities. Areas might include archaeology, sports, cooking and baking, technology, internet use, or faith and religion. Are there “teen terms” that have wide use among your students? Are there words used in your community that are a combination of another language and English?

Search to see if the words are in the OED. If found, do students agree with the definition? If not, in what other dictionary might they find the terms? If not found after several attempts, have students define the word or term and tell why it should be a dictionary entry.

How Do You Say … ?
English, ESL, Foreign Languages

The chart in How Do You Say … ? may be used for a group activity with students who have studied another language or are native speakers in language groups. “Own choice” language allows for students to share their native language or to add another language studied in your school’s program of studies.

After students have completed the chart, teachers may ask:

• Do some of the words share a common root? What does this root mean?

• Are some of the words anglicized?

• What five phrases would you add to communicate with other students?

Journey to Planet Word

Art, Architecture, English, Journalism, Media Literacy

Read and discuss “Planet Word, a new D.C. museum, explores the landscape of language: Exhibits include interactives to get kids thinking about how humans communicate.” Questions might include

• Which exhibits or activities sound most interesting to you?

• Could you be a language ambassador? What would you want to teach visitors?

• Which book would you want to come alive in the library?

• If you could create an exhibit for Planet Word what would it be?

Modify With Adjectives

Art, English, Journalism, Media Literacy

Visual Modifiers activity is a take-off on Word Worlds, one of the Planet Word interactives. Students begin with sketching thumbnails of scenes, then selecting one to draw full size. See Teachers Notes for ideas for using the 40 adjective cards found on the second page of the activity.

Read More About Planet Word

Art, English, Journalism, Media Literacy

In addition to the KidsPost article that introduces the new D.C. museum, The Post featured Planet Word in an article meant for adults and families looking for an activity and a review by its Pulitzer Prize-winning art and architecture critic.

Read “D.C. museum isn’t at a loss for words” in the Weekend guide of October 2020, and “Planet Word, a new museum devoted to language, is a high-tech, feel-good experience,” Philip Kennicott’s review.

Discussion questions could include ones that ask students to think about intended audience (readers, age group), purpose and rhetorical devices used.

• What similar information do the articles contain?

• Select one of the features of the museum that the articles include. How do they differ in the details given? What might influence the differences?

• Compare and contrast the ledes. Which do you find most appealing?

• What do you learn about the creator of Planet Word in each article from the reporter? Use the information to write your own paragraph to introduce Friedman.

• Select a quotation from Ann Friedman that you found interesting or that answers a question you would have asked her.

Distinguish Disinformation From Misinformation

English, AP English Language and Composition, Government, Health

The Nuance and Labels Make a Difference activity is composed of short readings, excerpts from longer opinion pieces and questions to guide discussion.

1. The first paragraphs of “Specter of violence has nation on edge” are paired with a Free For All letter to the editor. How does the label given a group in print change perceptions of the individuals involved?

2. Next are excerpts from two guest commentary essays. One written by Nina Jankowicz and one by Samantha Powers. Questions for discussion follow these pieces.

3. The next excerpt by The Post’s Fact Checker team focuses on President Trump’s use of rhetoric.

Teachers of older students and with time to explore the impact and distinctions of misinformation, disinformation and false claims may wish to use the complete articles either in e-Replica format or online.

“No matter who wins the election, disinformation will still poison our democracy,” the OUTLOOK guest commentary by Nina Jankowicz, the Wilson Center disinformation fellow, takes a serious look at the use of disinformation during elections, about the coronavirus and in social media that has far-reaching implications in daily life, business and the political arena.

“Two things Facebook still needs to do to reduce the spread of misinformation” by former reporter and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Powers takes a closer look at what Facebook has done to label misinformation and the steps it still needs to take.

Glenn Kessler and members of The Post’s Fact Checker team write about President Trump, other world leaders and the press in the essay, “The central feature of Trump’s presidency: False claims and disinformation,” that is adapted from their book, Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth: The President’s Falsehoods, Misleading Claims and Flat-Out Lies.

Read a Review

AP English Language and Composition, English, Government

“A deep dive into President Trump’s doublespeak and other rhetorical tricks” by Tim Weiner is a review of Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump. Jennifer Mercieca’s book has been described as a must-read. Does Tim Weiner in this review of the book agree with that assessment?

Book reviewers should be clear in their evaluations. Should the reader spend time and money on this book? The review should give reasons for that evaluation and quotations from the work. Teachers should ask students to highlight key statements made by Weiner in answering these questions.

Search The World

English, Geography, Social Studies

For The World section, Post foreign correspondents cover countries around the globe and send dispatches, personal accounts of their experiences. In these readers get to know current events from eyewitnesses and experience the culture. Ask students to read news, features and dispatches for vocabulary, celebrations and ways of life that is new to them.

To illustrate this idea, teachers might use “Along the River Thames, mudlarks find London’s history.” Before reading ask students what they think a mudlark is. Then read the headline; has their idea changed? Now read about a modern mudlark.

• Note that William Booth is experiencing this for the first time. Does he give details that bring the reader along? Where is the River Thames?

• Booth includes the 19th century view of a mudlark: “a foul and wretched profession, pursued by desperate children an old women, who scavenged the putrid muck of the Thames for anything of a penny’s value, such as a lump of coal or a piece of wood.” Which adjectives stand out?

• How does the past differ from the present? What do the finds tell about the culture?

Use Visual Commentary to Identify Rhetorical Modes

AP English Language and Composition, Art, English, Journalism, Visual Literacy

We collecte Tom Toles’ editorial cartoons in a special guide to focus on some of the nine main rhetorical modes (some literature and composition textbooks group selections by these): argumentation (opinion), cause and effect, classification, comparison and contrast, definition, description, examples (illustration), narrative, and process (how-to).

Give students Rhetorical Modes Penned by TOLES. Discuss the definition of each  rhetorical mode, a controlling approach used by writers, and discuss how this strategy is used by Tom Toles. This collection may be especially helpful to visual learners.

The last page is blank. Teachers may ask students to decide on an issue, action/no action, event; state in writing his or her point of view about the chosen topic; select one of the rhetorical modes that helps to convey the essential situation and perspective; and draw an editorial cartoon.

When Rhetoric and Image Converged

English, Government, U.S. History

Read and discuss “Trump’s rhetoric about the election channels a dark episode from our past.” Questions might include:

• What is racist propaganda? Give an example of it.

• What or who was the “Vampire that Hovers Over North Carolina”?

• What role did the Wilmington Red Shirts play in the election?

• What is a coup d’etat?

• What measures can be taken to prevent voter intimidation?

Think Like a Reporter

Composition, Debate, Journalism, Media Literacy, Philosophy, Psychology

Think Like a Reporter | Rhetoric Matters begins with a sampling of Post headlines that contained “rhetoric.” Read each one and ask students what rhetoric means or refers to in that context.

If there is time, review the persuasive approaches of ethos, logos and pathos and ideas of classical rhetoric. If this is a course that studies Artistotle and his Rhetoric, this may be an application of his ideas in contemporary life. The sections of the activity ask students to think of the influence that word choice has on readers and news viewers.

• How might the connotations as well as denotation of identifiers or labels convey a bias or lack of fairness?

• What care must reporters take when interviewing sources?

Teachers may use “The Washington Post announces writing style changes for racial and ethnic identifiers” with this activity. The PR blog relates the background for the change in capitalization of Black and White.

Please refer to Teachers Notes for additional suggestions for using the material selected for the November 2020 Post NIE Curriculum Guide.

Post NIE Guide Editor | Carol Lange

Post NIE Guide Art Editor | Donna McCullough