English 11 Euphemism and Other Diction issues a

English 11 Euphemism and Other Diction issues – a general overview of the power of words!

Our changing language • Webster’s dictionary 200 years ago – 40, 600 entries • 1961 – 450, 000 entries • College dictionary – 160, 000 • Estimated words in English ½ -1 million • 15, 000 – 50, 000 active words; 100, 000 passive words

Our changing language • What does “whatever” mean?

Things to consider… • • Words from words Robot—Fembot Roots Fer – to carry, bring, bear • Confer, transfer, refer…. • Root creation • SPAM • Acronyms • NASA • Committee to Re-Elect the President • New Words • Chilax • Muffin top • geobragging

Know What I’m sayin’? • ‘’slanguistic sensei” • - izzle • Shortened words/abbreviations • Euphemisms • “Awash in Euphemisms” article discussion • Lexicowards… • http: //www. huffingtonpost. com/sophia-amcclennen/stephen-colbert - christmas_b_1161217. html

Things to consider… • Calvin: I like to verb words. Hobbes: What? Calvin: I take nouns and adjectives and use them as verbs. Remember when "access" was a thing? Now it's something you do. It got verbed. . Verbing weirds language. Hobbes: Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. • Google noun and google verb

NEOLOGISMS American Dialect Society • • • 2000 – Chad 2001 – 9/11 2002 – WMD 2003 – Metrosexual 2004 – Red State 2005 – Truthiness 2006 – Plutoed 2007 – Subprime 2008 – Bailout 2009 – Web 2. 0 2010 - Gaterape

NEWSPEAK • • Three Levels of Vocabulary A – Simple C – Technical, scientific B – Constructed to impose a desirable mental attitude; compound words

EPONYM • • • Jezebel Judas Don Juan; Casanova Cardigan Cashmere Malapropism "We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile. " Morphine Watergate - gate

Nonwords • • • Gobbledygook Doohickey Thingamabob Gazillion Gynormous

EXPRESSION ETYMOLOGY • • • Bawl Out Hightail It Fork Over Cliché Cock and Bull Sidekick • Stool Pigeon • Let the cat out of the bag • Have a Screw Loose • Jaywalker