When and Where I Found It: I have heard this word used and have used it myself multiple times throughout my life. However, yesterday I used this word and, when a friend asked me what it means, I realized that I did not know the actual definition of the word. I only knew how to use it in a sentence as part of the expression "for posterity's sake."
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, this word refers to "succeeding or future generations" or "all descendants of one person." So when someone says that he is doing something "for posterity's sake," he means that his actions will impact future generations.
Posterity (n.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/posterity
Level of Familiarity: Previously, I had heard this word used on television and elsewhere, but I had never actually looked it up to determine its formal definition. In the past, I used context clues to help me determine how to use the word in a sentence. Since then, I have used this word a few times in conversation.
Do You Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well, since I have used it in conversation. I want to be able to accurately explain what this word means the next time a friend asks me to define it. It is important for me to know this word well so that I don't use it incorrectly in conversation.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? I think it is important for others to know this word well because the expression "for posterity's sake" is used often in conversation and in the media. I am not sure if everyone who hears this word actually knows its real definition, and it is important that they know what both the word and the expression actually mean.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
4:2 Crepuscular
When and Where I Found It: I was looking up "chinchillas" on Wikipedia to brainstorm ideas for my Genre Pieces Project for LTED 618. The word "crepuscular" was used to describe chinchillas, deeming them "crepuscular rodents."
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, the word means "of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight, dim." Additionally, there is a definition relating to zoology, which is, "appearing or active in the twilight, as certain bats and insects." Since chinchillas are animals, I believe that the second definition is the most appropriate for this use of the word.
Crepuscular (adj.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crepuscular
Level of Familiarity: Prior to reading this word on Wikipedia, I had never seen this word before and had no idea what it could mean. I was intrigued and tempted to look it up to make sure that it is indeed a word.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well, because I was previously telling everyone that my chinchilla is "nocturnal." Now, I can use the word "crepuscular" instead, if I want. I think it will be beneficial for me to know that this word can be used to describe my chinchilla's behavior.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? I think that this word would be beneficial for others to know, especially those who work with animals. Others should also know this word, as it can be used to refer to twilight, as in the time of day. This is an interesting word to know.
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, the word means "of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight, dim." Additionally, there is a definition relating to zoology, which is, "appearing or active in the twilight, as certain bats and insects." Since chinchillas are animals, I believe that the second definition is the most appropriate for this use of the word.
Crepuscular (adj.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crepuscular
Level of Familiarity: Prior to reading this word on Wikipedia, I had never seen this word before and had no idea what it could mean. I was intrigued and tempted to look it up to make sure that it is indeed a word.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well, because I was previously telling everyone that my chinchilla is "nocturnal." Now, I can use the word "crepuscular" instead, if I want. I think it will be beneficial for me to know that this word can be used to describe my chinchilla's behavior.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? I think that this word would be beneficial for others to know, especially those who work with animals. Others should also know this word, as it can be used to refer to twilight, as in the time of day. This is an interesting word to know.
4:1 Aqueduct
When and Where I Found It: I found this word in the newspaper a few days ago. The article was discussing the use of the aqueduct in the city of Rochester as a location for a dinner as part of the 2010 World Canals Conference.
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, an aqueduct is "an artificial channel for conducting water from a distance, usually by means of gravity."
Aqueduct (n.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aqueduct
Level of Familiarity: Prior to looking up the definition of this word, I had often seen the word. I'm sure I have come across this word in social studies when discussing waterways. Also, I have seen this word or heard others use this word in reference to Rochester's aqueduct. In spite of all of this exposure, when I read this word a few days ago, I realized that I wasn't quite sure what an aqueduct actually does. I knew that water passed through it, but I did not know if there was an actual purpose for this structure.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well because I have already been exposed to the word so often, that I feel as though it would be helpful to have a deeper understanding of it. Additionally, I believe that Rochester's aqueduct is a visually-appealing structure and would like to see it preserved, so it would be useful to know what it's initial function was.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? I think others should know this word well, but generally only those who live near an aqueduct or are involved in creating or maintaining them are those who should know this word extremely well. All others should also know what this word means or at least have a basic understanding of what an aqueduct is, but it is less imperative that they know this word well.
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, an aqueduct is "an artificial channel for conducting water from a distance, usually by means of gravity."
Aqueduct (n.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aqueduct
Level of Familiarity: Prior to looking up the definition of this word, I had often seen the word. I'm sure I have come across this word in social studies when discussing waterways. Also, I have seen this word or heard others use this word in reference to Rochester's aqueduct. In spite of all of this exposure, when I read this word a few days ago, I realized that I wasn't quite sure what an aqueduct actually does. I knew that water passed through it, but I did not know if there was an actual purpose for this structure. Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well because I have already been exposed to the word so often, that I feel as though it would be helpful to have a deeper understanding of it. Additionally, I believe that Rochester's aqueduct is a visually-appealing structure and would like to see it preserved, so it would be useful to know what it's initial function was.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? I think others should know this word well, but generally only those who live near an aqueduct or are involved in creating or maintaining them are those who should know this word extremely well. All others should also know what this word means or at least have a basic understanding of what an aqueduct is, but it is less imperative that they know this word well.
Monday, September 20, 2010
3:3 Conniption
When and Where Did I Find It: My friend used this word in a conversation we were having. He was telling a story in which this word was used by someone else to describe his behavior at the time. Also, my parents have used this term in conversation before. For example, "Don't have a conniption, Melissa!"
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, this word means "a fit of hysterical excitement or anger." When my parents use this word, I think they usually use it to refer to "hysterics" in general or "hysterical excitement" bordering on anger. For instance, they are saying, "Don't get hysterical about it," or "Calm down!"
Conniption (n.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conniption
Level of Familiarity: Prior to looking up the definition of this word, I was relatively familiar with it. While I had never actually looked up the definition before, I had determined what the word means through its use in context. As I mentioned above, my parents have used this word from time-to-time throughout my childhood, so I had a pretty good idea of its meaning. However, it was interesting to finally look it up and have a concrete definition.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes! I love knowing this word well because I like how the word sounds, and I have used it previously. Also, I plan on using this word again in the future, so it is important that I know exactly what it means.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? Yes, I think others should know this word well, if for no other reason than the word is fun to say and should continue to be used in the future. As with so many things that my parents say (from individual words to expressions and phrases), I feel that this word could easily become "dated" and fewer people will use it or even know what it means. I was so excited to learn that my friend knew the word, but I'm not sure how many of my other friends are familiar with it, and I find that to be unfortunate.
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, this word means "a fit of hysterical excitement or anger." When my parents use this word, I think they usually use it to refer to "hysterics" in general or "hysterical excitement" bordering on anger. For instance, they are saying, "Don't get hysterical about it," or "Calm down!"
Conniption (n.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conniption
Level of Familiarity: Prior to looking up the definition of this word, I was relatively familiar with it. While I had never actually looked up the definition before, I had determined what the word means through its use in context. As I mentioned above, my parents have used this word from time-to-time throughout my childhood, so I had a pretty good idea of its meaning. However, it was interesting to finally look it up and have a concrete definition.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes! I love knowing this word well because I like how the word sounds, and I have used it previously. Also, I plan on using this word again in the future, so it is important that I know exactly what it means.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? Yes, I think others should know this word well, if for no other reason than the word is fun to say and should continue to be used in the future. As with so many things that my parents say (from individual words to expressions and phrases), I feel that this word could easily become "dated" and fewer people will use it or even know what it means. I was so excited to learn that my friend knew the word, but I'm not sure how many of my other friends are familiar with it, and I find that to be unfortunate.
3:2 Explication
When and Where Did I Find It: I found this word in the Dreher and Singer (2001) article for this week. This word is used as one of the features of a "friendly" text.
What It Means: According to the article, explication is "the degree to which the author states information as opposed to requiring the reader to infer" (Dreher & Singer, 2001, p. 100). Given the context in which the word is used, I believe this means that explication is the level of detail or explanation the author provides within a text. If there is very little explication in a given text, then the author did not provide many outright details to aid the reader in understanding the main ideas of the text.
Level of Familiarity: Prior to reading this article, I believe I have seen this word before. I'm sure I have read this word in other texts and, if asked to define it, I could have provided a definition that is relatively close to the definition given in the article. However, in my previous encounters with this word, it was not used to describe an aspect of a "friendly" text.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well. I believe it is important for us as educators to know what "explication" means and how it relates to the texts that we provide for our students. Especially as future literacy specialists, this word is important to know as it is used to describe a characteristic of a given text.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? While I think that many others may not have reason to use this word very often in daily life, I do think that this word is important to know. "Explication" can be used to encourage others to provide more information and detail in writing as well as in other forms of communication (such as speaking). Given that this word can be used in a broader sense than simply referring to an aspect of readable text, I believe that others should know this word well so that they may use it in other situations.
What It Means: According to the article, explication is "the degree to which the author states information as opposed to requiring the reader to infer" (Dreher & Singer, 2001, p. 100). Given the context in which the word is used, I believe this means that explication is the level of detail or explanation the author provides within a text. If there is very little explication in a given text, then the author did not provide many outright details to aid the reader in understanding the main ideas of the text.
Level of Familiarity: Prior to reading this article, I believe I have seen this word before. I'm sure I have read this word in other texts and, if asked to define it, I could have provided a definition that is relatively close to the definition given in the article. However, in my previous encounters with this word, it was not used to describe an aspect of a "friendly" text.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well. I believe it is important for us as educators to know what "explication" means and how it relates to the texts that we provide for our students. Especially as future literacy specialists, this word is important to know as it is used to describe a characteristic of a given text.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...If So, Who and Why? While I think that many others may not have reason to use this word very often in daily life, I do think that this word is important to know. "Explication" can be used to encourage others to provide more information and detail in writing as well as in other forms of communication (such as speaking). Given that this word can be used in a broader sense than simply referring to an aspect of readable text, I believe that others should know this word well so that they may use it in other situations.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
3:1 Insensate
When and Where Did I Find It: I found this word in our Ruddell and Shearer (2002) article on the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy. This word was located in one of the sample lists made by the classes that were part of the study. I noticed this word when I looked back at this article in class tonight.
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, insensate refers to something that lacks sensation or human feeling. This word is often applied to an inanimate object, as it lacks feeling. Another definition of this word can refer to someone who is "foolish" or "without sense." While I feel that the first definition is the primary definition and will be the one I will refer to, this word was not used in context in the article. Rather, "insensate" is part of a list of words, so it is possible that this word could take on either meaning in its original context.
Insensate (adj.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insensate
Level of Familiarity: While I feel that I have most likely seen this word before in the course of my reading, I had no idea what this word meant when I read it from the list tonight. Since this word was not used in a sentence within the article, I was unable to use context clues to guess its meaning.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well as I feel that I may come across it in the course of my reading in the future. Also, as a future English teacher, I feel that this is an adjective that it would be beneficial to know.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so Who and Why? I feel that others should be aware of this word and its meaning, as it can be a useful way to describe inanimate objects that we encounter in our everyday lives. Rather than merely stating that a computer does not have feelings, one can describe the machine's lack of feelings using this word.
What It Means: According to dictionary.com, insensate refers to something that lacks sensation or human feeling. This word is often applied to an inanimate object, as it lacks feeling. Another definition of this word can refer to someone who is "foolish" or "without sense." While I feel that the first definition is the primary definition and will be the one I will refer to, this word was not used in context in the article. Rather, "insensate" is part of a list of words, so it is possible that this word could take on either meaning in its original context.
Insensate (adj.) In dictionary.com Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insensate
Level of Familiarity: While I feel that I have most likely seen this word before in the course of my reading, I had no idea what this word meant when I read it from the list tonight. Since this word was not used in a sentence within the article, I was unable to use context clues to guess its meaning.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes, I want to know this word well as I feel that I may come across it in the course of my reading in the future. Also, as a future English teacher, I feel that this is an adjective that it would be beneficial to know.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so Who and Why? I feel that others should be aware of this word and its meaning, as it can be a useful way to describe inanimate objects that we encounter in our everyday lives. Rather than merely stating that a computer does not have feelings, one can describe the machine's lack of feelings using this word.
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