Today's 100 words:
I used to live in Western Nebraska, where I taught English and journalism at a college on the plains, an area so different from where I grew up. I remember talking about a forest one day in my composition class, and when I said the word "woods," I was met with blank faces. My students weren't familiar with the term, one that was such a part of my own life growing up in tree-filled Upper Michigan. Even after I defined the word, I'm not certain they truly understood, showing that our comprehension does depend somewhat on where we're from.
I used to live in Western Nebraska, where I taught English and journalism at a college on the plains, an area so different from where I grew up. I remember talking about a forest one day in my composition class, and when I said the word "woods," I was met with blank faces. My students weren't familiar with the term, one that was such a part of my own life growing up in tree-filled Upper Michigan. Even after I defined the word, I'm not certain they truly understood, showing that our comprehension does depend somewhat on where we're from.
coast to coast, words mean different things - it's crazy! (and generation to generation, remember when gay meant happy?)
ReplyDeleteTara: I know! It's so crazy. I like your point about word meanings changing generation to generation. Yes, I remember when gay meant happy--and when some words (which I won't write here) were acceptable but are now completely taboo...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Dana !
ReplyDeleteI know that you say diapers and we say nappies ... your ketchup is our tomatoe sauce ... your faucet is our tap ... and there are hundreds of other word differences ...
mish: Thanks! I find all these differences so interesting!
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