Library people tend to enjoy words, and this article is definitely a fun read. Kory Stamper, lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries shares seven of her favorite words. Some of the words she discusses are maybe a little over the top to include in daily conversation, but it’s always nice to have the option if you ever need to sound extra impressive!
Here are some of the words from her list (and don’t miss the funny history of “pumpernickel”):
Sesquipedalian: “It means “given to using long words,” and it has the added benefit of making its object sound very erudite while also gently poking fun at them.”
Salmagundi: “English has many words that mean “mixture,” but none is as fun to say as “salmagundi.”
Jawn: “It’s peculiar to Philadelphia where it serves as a colorful substitute for the word “thing.”
Image by Caitlinator. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
Danielle Hartman, Literacy and technology integration specialist, provides tips and tricks to teach PreK-8 students vocabulary. Hartman emphasizes the importance of creating a fun and engaging environment for students. She stresses that the key is variety and outlines the following four activities for you to try in your lesson plan this month;
This week, Merriam-Webster offers a chance to test your vocabulary. Select the best meaning/synonym for 10 randomly selected words. You will be notified immediately if you guessed correctly. At the end of the quiz, it will tally the total number of points earned. Do you want to know how you stack up to your peers? Select your age group (end of the quiz) to compare your scores!
Just for fun, join this week’s quick brainteaser.
Did I mention it’s timed? You will only have 10 seconds to answer each question. Good luck!
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Library people tend to enjoy words, and this article is definitely a fun read. Kory Stamper, lexicographer at Merriam-Webster and author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries shares seven of her favorite words. Some of the words she discusses are maybe a little over the top to include in daily conversation, but it’s always nice to have the option if you ever need to sound extra impressive!
