Meaningful Connection

All words have meaning....a representation in the "real world." The English word "tree" refers to oaks, maples, seedlings, and even family trees. In general, something with roots, a trunk, and a few branches. Meaning is another word for semantics.

All words also have a grammatical function. This is referred to as syntax...sometimes called the "parts of speech." This has to do with the way the word relates to others in a sentence - adjectives amplify nouns, adverbs amplify verbs, etc.

Think about the evolution of the word "google. (or Google with an uppercase "G")"According to Wikipedia, The Oxford English Dictionary lists an older verb 'google' (without initial capital), meaning to bowl a googly in the game of cricket.

Google was once the name of a search engine. It was largely used as a noun. Now it is used as a verb. "I'll just Google it and see what I find."

Language, languages, change. The meaning and usage of words can change. Can you think of other examples?

I've recently been listening to a lecture by Dr. Michael Wesch at the University of Kansas. He urges teachers (and students) to consider two types of meaningful connections in order to foster deep learning.

Notes from his lecture:

Two types of meaning

• Semantic: A word, concept or idea is not just meaningful for what it is, but for how it relates, connecs, and contrsts with other words, concepts and ideas.

• Personal: A person finds his/her own meaning not just in "who they are" but in how they relate, connect, and contrast with other people.

How does this relate to language learning?

Semantic: When you learn a new word in Spanish and what it means, consider its usage and how it contrasts with other words, concepts and ideas.

Make the word personal: insert it in sentences in place of English words. Do you like the way the word sounds? How does it look in your own writing? What would someone think of you if you uttered this word? What does usage of this new word allow you to communicate? (Trust me, I've heard, "una cerveza, por favor, from my students a few times before !)