Language+Art

As we explore writing and speaking, it's important to think about the language we use. Based upon the rubric used to grade writing assignments in this class, writing should be gripping and you should develop your own voice. While I don't encourage students to make up words during an assignment, that doesn't mean it's not okay to play with words as we go along. Words are made up of pieces that carry weight on their own. We are going to play with those pieces to create beautiful words that are all our own.

What makes a word beautiful?
What makes a word beautiful to me? I love the sound of words and the way the way they can be broken down. My favorite word is "sesquipedalian." What does it mean? It is a noun, meaning long word, or an adjective meaning, characterized by long words or long winded; polysyllabic. Who doesn't love a long word meaning long word? But how did it come to mean that? We can break it down and see the different parts.

Sesqui- one and a half Ped- foot Ian- from, related to, or like

It's a fun word constructed from a literal definition of how long a word might be. We are going to play with words in here to come up with our own lexicon to discuss local history. Each quarter, you will be coming up with five words that can be related to local history. Below, I have an example of what the dictionary should look like. Each word should be
 * Clearly written
 * Part of speech identified
 * Broken down by syllables
 * Stressed syllable marked
 * Used in a sentence
 * Roots, prefixes, and suffixes identified and defined
 * In alphabetical order

You will find items to assist you in this assignment on the resources page. During the first quarter we will complete the assignment during class time, and each subsequent quarter it will be completed as homework.

As we gather our words together, they will be added to a separate page of "classroom vocab." These words may be used in written communications for this class and in our dialogue together. However, they still have to be used appropriately based upon the definitions and parts of speech provided. This will be our very own lexicon for class.

**Dictionary of Proposed New Words for Class **


 * Clarcapity **(noun): //clar-cáp-it-y// clear to receive knowledge; ready to learn

 Learing about other culture requires clarcapity.

 Clar (L): clear

 Cap (L): take and receive

 Ity (L): used to form abstract  nouns  expressing state or condition


 * Dempanical ** (adjective): //dem-pan// //́ ////-i-cal // the nature of all people

 The urge to survive, no matter your situation, is dempanical

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Dem (G): people

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Pan (G): all

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Ical (L): of or pertaining to


 * <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Difidvert **<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(verb): //d// //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">ī ////<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">-f ////<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">í ////<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">d-vert //<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> to waiver in one’s faith

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The more one studies religion, the easier it to difidvert from belief and skepticism.

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Di (G): twice or double

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> fid (L): faith

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> vert (L): turn


 * <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Interbellian **<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (adjective): //in-ter-béll-ian// from the middle of a war

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> There is a great demand for interbellian items belonging to American soldiers amongst both collectors and re-enactors.

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Inter (L): in the middle of; between

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Belli (L): war

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Ian (L): <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">One from, belonging to, relating to, or like


 * <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Libermental **<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (adjective//): lib-er-mént-al// free minded, independent, free thinking

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> While many are content to be followers, true leaders are libermental.

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Liber (L): free

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Mental (L): mind


 * <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Quiscription **<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (noun): //quis-críp-tion:// written inquiry

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> To get an answer out of a government agency, one must submit a formal quiscription.

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Quis (L): ask, question, sought

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Scrip (L): Written

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> tion (L): Used to form abstract nouns from verbs


 * <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Transordin **<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(verb): //trans-or-din// to change rank; mess up; rearrange

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> While the rec room was clean when the children entered, they were able to transordin the whole place in less than five minutes.

<span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Trans (L): across, beyond, through, Change thoroughly <span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Ordin (L): order, straighten, rank, arrange