Learning about our Language Word origins Levels of Language Dialect Meanings and Connotations.

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Learning about our Language Word origins Levels of Language Dialect Meanings and Connotations

Transcript of Learning about our Language Word origins Levels of Language Dialect Meanings and Connotations.

Learning about our Language

Word originsLevels of LanguageDialectMeanings and Connotations

How Words Enter Our Language

Since its beginning over 1,500 years ago, English has grown to be the largest language in the world, containing over 790,000 words. Our language continues to grow as new words are borrowed and created.

Borrowed Words

When another language has a word for which we have not term of our own, we may borrow the word.

The borrowed word may enter the English language unchanged, or it may change somewhat in spelling or pronunciation. Example: cowboys of the Old West, handling angry

herds of cattle, changed the Spanish word estampida to stampede.

African canary tote jazz okra

Chinese yen typhoon silk catsup

French machine liberty chic blouse

German zinc hoodlum snorkel pretzel

Italian volcano carnival studio trombone

Japanese soybean karate kimono haiku

Native Am pecan skunk chipmunk powwow

Scandinavian ski skirt sauna geyser

Spanish canyon comrade vanilla renegade

Borrowed Words

People and Place Names Some words have been taken from proper

names of people and placesExamples:

• Saxophone – from Adolph Sax, the Belgian inventor• Leotard – from Jules Lestard the 19th Century

French trapeze who invented the garment• Paisley- from Paisley, Scotland where wool shawls

with colorful, intricate patterns were made• Jeans – from Genes, French for the city of Genoa

(Italy) where the sailors wore cotton trousers• Vandal – from the Vandals, a Germanic tribe that

sacked ancient Rome.

Compound Words

A compound word is made by combining two existing words to form a new word. People develop compound words to describe new ideas or things while still using familiar terms.Example: Spacewalk

Blends

If two words are combined, but some of the letters are dropped, the resulting word is called a blend. Example: sitcom is formed from the

words situation comedy

Clipped Words

Sometimes one or more parts of a word are dropped, and the remaining part is used alone as words. Clipped words are used in less formal situations.Example: gym for gymnasium

Acronyms

A new word created from the first letters of a group of words. Example: Scuba is an acronym for

“self contained underwater breathing apparatus.”

More Examples

CompoundsLoud + speaker = loudspeakerSkate + board = skateboardKnee + cap = kneecapRed + wood = Redwood

BlendsMotorcycle + cross-country = motocrossSplash + surge = splurgeTelescope + photograph = telephoto

Even More Examples

Clipped WordsTeen-agers = teensCabriolet = cabsExamination = examPianoforte = piano

AcronymsRadar = radio detection and rangingCOBOL = Common Business Oriented

Language

Exercise 1- Word Origin

On a clean sheet of paper, use a dictionary to find the origin of the following words if it is borrowed write the country it is borrowed from if it is from a person or a places name write the person or place it came from.

1. Ensemble 2. Boycott 3. Calico

4. Tea 5. Jaguar 6. Tangerine

7. Khaki 8. Mosquito 9. Wednesday

10. Cardigan 11. Turquoise 12. Braille

13. Veldt 14. Diesel 15. Gusto

Exercise 2 – Compounds, Blends, Clipped Words, & Acronyms

On a clean sheet of paper, use a dictionary to identify each of the words as a compound, blend, clipped word, or acronym. Then write the word or words from which each one is made.

1. Paratroops 2. Fence 3. Typewriter

4. Laser 5. Brunch 6. Dorm

7. Chortle 8. Gasohol 9. Sonar

10. Bookkeeper 11. Smog 12. Telex

13. Wristwatch 14. Flu 15. Airport

Levels of Language

Some words enter English and become part of the main body of commonly used word

Other words, although also considered part of English, may be used only by particular groups of people or only in informal situations

Levels of Language

No speaker or writer of English uses the language in the same way all the time

Examples:You speak on way with your friendsAnother way when speaking in classAnother way when giving a formal speech

The same language variation occurs in written speech as well.

Levels of Language

The types of language that are used in different situations are called Levels of Language:Standard English

• Formal• Informal

Nonstandard English

Standard English

Standard English follows accepted grammatical rules and guidelines.

It is the language of most professional writing in magazines, books, and newspapers, and of most professional speaking on television and radio.

The rules and guidelines of standard English enable all speakers and writers to communicate clearly

Formal and Informal English

Informal Also known as

conversational or colloquial English.

Appropriate in everyday situations

Dialects may also be considered part of informal usage

Formal Found in writing but is

appropriate in any situation that is serious, dignified, or ceremonial

Standard English can be divided into two levels formal and informal.

Examples:

Formal: No written law has ever been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion

Informal: Traditions and habits are both hard to break.

Characteristics of Formal and Informal English

Tone Serious, reserved, academic, ceremonial

Sometimes uses longer or more complicated words

Personal, friendly, casual, conversational

Vocabulary and Mechanics

Avoid contractions, clipped words, and slang

Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Uses simpler words Often uses contractions and clipped words. Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Organization Longer, carefully constructed sentences

Similar to conversational English Sentences of greater variety of lengths

Formal Informal

What is your Audience and Purpose?

FormalInformal

Conversation; letters between friends

Writing for magazines and news papers; Speaking for radio or television

Formal speeches; Professional documents; Reports for serious occasions

When decided between Formal and Informal English you must consider your Audience and your Purpose

Characteristics of Informal English

Presence of certain kinds of conversational expressions, such as idioms and slangIdioms: have a meaning different from the

exact meaning the word suggests.• Examples: hold your tongue; tickled pink; hands

down.

Slang: expressions coined by members of a group and often serves as s sign of belonging to that group

• Examples: groovy; far out; hassle

A note about SLANG

Slang is appropriate only in VERY informal situations

It can help enliven conversation with friends or dialogue in a short story, but it is inappropriate in a classroom discussion or a business letter

Nonstandard English

Describes language that does not follow the grammatical rules and forms of standard EnglishExamples

• He ain’t right• I don’t need no help• Any written English that contains errors in

punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and manuscript form is also considered nonstandard

Regional Dialects Language that is spoken in a particular region

or by a particular social group is called dialect

Differ in vocabulary, pronunciation, and in grammarExample: a metal container in New York is a

pail and in Missouri is a bucketGreasy might be pronounced Greezy or

GreeceyThe past tense of the work dive might be dove

or dived

Regional Dialect

Everyone speaks a particular dialect There is no one “correct” dialect Dialect is appropriate in certain situations Adds to the uniqueness of each person’s

language Important to be able to adapt your language

to more formal situations when dialect may not be appropriate

Multiple Names due to Dialect

Insect that glows at night:firefly, glowworm, lightning bug, candle bug

Large sandwich meant to be a meal in itselfhero, submarine, hoagy, grinder, poor-boy

Vehicle for small babybaby buggy, baby cab, baby carriage, baby coach

Become Ill with a coldcatch cold, get a cold, take cold, come down with a cold

Grass strip between sidewalk and streetberm, boulevard, parkway, sidewalk plot, tree lawn

Amusement park ride (on tracks):coaster, roller coaster, rolly-coaster, shoot-the-chutes

Multiple Meanings

Effective use of English involves not only using levels of language comfortably but also being sensitive to the multiple meanings of many words.

For Example: Three uses of the word courtHelen and Alice went to the tennis court for a

game.The strolling players performed in the inner

court of the castleThe judge presided over night court.

Denotation and Connotation

The dictionary definition of a word is its denotation

A word may also have a connotation, the emotional meaning attached to a word because of the thoughts or feelings it creates.

It is important in writing and speaking to consider not only the denotative meaning of a word, but also its connotation. Persuasive writing is especially dependent upon the connotation of words.

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