Thank you to the many folks that contributed ideas for this project. It is a
culminating project for our 12th graders on any aspect of the English Language. I
have developed a web page so far, and hope to add the actual assignment as soon as
I get it from the teachers.
Meanwhile - if you want to look at the page, just go to our library home page (url
under my signature) and then scroll down to click on the link that says. "LM_NET
Documents to Share". Keep and eye on it, because I still have some websites to add
to it.
Also - here is the information that I received through both my listservs:
---------------------
BOOKS
The Journey of English by Donna Brook Clarion 1998
America in So Many Words: Words That Shaped America by David K. Bernhart and Allen
A. Metcalf Houghton 1997
Heavens to Betsy & Other Curious Sayings by Charles Earle Funk Harper Perennial
A Hog on Ice & Other Curious Expressions by Charles Earle Funk " "
Thereby Hangs a Tales: Stories of Curious Word Origins by Charles Earle Funk
Richard Lederer's books
The New Well-Tempered Sentence : A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the
Eager, and the Doomed by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire : A Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager
and the Doomed by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
The Language Police by Diane Ravitch
IDEAS
Regional language. Example: Jeff Foxworthy - "You might be a redneck if*."
-----------------
I don't have any specific ideas for a project, but I recently read two
funny books about English. Eats Shoots and Leaves was popular a few months ago.
It's written from a British perspective, but it's a funny treatment of punctuation
and grammar. The Bryson book The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got that Way is
full of witty observations as well, and is very readable.
Lastly, I'd recommend Richard Lederer's books, which are more directed to typical
mistakes students make that are very funny, but he does pose a lot of interesting
questions, like why do we park in the driveway, but drive on a parkway.
If your classes have relatives in far-flung places, perhaps they can come up
with a test to administer to someone living in a "regional English" part of
the country. Ask them how they would carry water from a well (bucket?
pail?) What large piece of furniture do they sprawl on in their living room
to watch TV (sofa? couch? divan?) What does water come out of before it
lands in the sink (tap? faucet? spigot?) Is it pop or soda or tonic? Is it
a hero, a submarine, or a poorboy?
---------------------------
This sounds like fun. Has she considered anything like regional differences?
For example, in some parts of the country the drink is pop,as opposed to
soda, as opposed to coke. My favorite is Milk Shake as opposed to cabinet or malt.
-------------
I recommend Eats, Shoots and Leaves, a British bestseller
anything by William Saffire, and David Sedaris' Me Talk Pretty One Day.
Just browsing the index or table of contents might give you some topic
ideas. Also, someone was looking for information about chat lingo &
acronyms. That could be a fascinating topic for students to research.
oops, I see you have that!
The New Well-Tempered Sentence : A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent,
the Eager, and the Doomed
by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire : A Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent,
the Eager and the Doomed
by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
The Language Police by Diane Ravitch
--doodling
--Oxford English Dictionary (OED) history & arbiter of language
--the usage of English language words and phrases in other languages and
likewise usage of foreign words and phrases in English language
--neologisms
--lexicology
-------------------------
Just a thought,
Aliki's William Shakespeare and the Globe mentions that Shakespeare invented around
2000 words and expressions, many of which we still use today. e.g., football, too
much of a good thing, partner, laughable, etc. One person affecting our language
so significantly for so long is certainly impressive.
-How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown! (Julius Caesar, III, 1)
------------------------
I noticed you had dialects as one of your possibilities. How about the
idiocyncrasies (sp?) of various states. For instance, Minnesotans say certain
words differently than Iowans -- who say them differently than Kansans. Maybe
this is more accents, but it certainly can be entertaining!!
Also, how do actors and the news media get rid of their regional accents and
make everyone sound the same?
------------------------
Jacquie,
How about the difference between British and American English? My daughter
teaches English in Italy and had to go through some retraining. For
example, one does not go shopping but one goes to shop (Always use the
infinitive.) You do not feel good but feel well.
------------------------
Sounds like a dream project for me, but I can hear some future auto
mechanic groaning! have you considered American Sign Language as an
offshoot?
---------------------------
A topic I love...
Websites:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/index.htm - fascinating look at different words
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/routesofenglish/ - a history of (British) English radio
show
Books:
Made in America, Bill Bryson (0380713810) - Looks at the history of American English
The Professor and the Madman, Simon Winchester (006099486X) - The making of the OED
The Stories of English, David Crystal (1585676012) - I'm not sure if this is the
one you mentioned below or not
A History of Reading, Alberto Manguel (0140166548) - Interesting look at reading
and language
Audio/Video:
History of the English Language, Seth Lerer - A lecture series from The Teaching
Company. Dr. Lerer is a professor of English language at Stanford but does a great
job of bringing the history of English onto an understandable level. He especially
excels at sharing the sound of early english by reading passages in the older
language or dialects. I have been listening in my car over the past few weeks and
love it! More info at:
http://www.teach12.com/store/course.asp?id=800&d=History+of+the+English+Language
Hope that helps...
The abreviations kids use in email messages etc. What to call them? Suggestions:
"IM acronyms", "LEET speak", "Netspeak", "Texty", "Net Lingo" and my personal
favorite - "Laziness"!
Jacquie
"The Librarian, whose job is to heal ignorance, to keep life safe for poetry and to
put knowledge smack dab in the middle of the American way."
From The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9-20-03
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacquie Henry, MLS
Ruben A. Cirillo High School (GHS)
Gananda Central School District
3195 Wiedrick Road
P.O. Box 609
Macedon, NY 14502
jhenry@gananda.org
http://www.gananda.org/library/mshslibrary/indexgcl.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home