Etymology Vocab. Journal
for:
The Road
Etymology is:
(1) The origin or derivation of a word (also known as lexical change).
(2) The branch of linguistics concerned with the history of the forms and meanings
of words.
For the purpose of your assignment, take interest in the second definition above. As
you read through Cormac McCarthy’s novel, The Road, take note of any vocabulary
that you may be unfamiliar with. What words meant one hundred years ago may
have adopted different meanings for your generation. Interestingly enough, you all
are pioneers of a technological revolution that is influencing and changing the
English language at a rapid pace. Therefore, I want you to look at the history, or
origins, of the words you currently use on a daily basis, and more specifically,
unfamiliar words from your novel and trace their origins.
Your assignment will be to do the following:
1. Keep a Vocabulary Journal in the form of a notebook, digital document, or
any other creative manner you may see fit.
2. For each section of your reading guide for The Road, there will be lists of
specific vocabulary terms. You must find the etymology for each word from
each section and record this information in your vocabulary journal.
An example will look like:
Section 10000000000000000 – pages 513,000-513080
1. Awesome - 1590s, "profoundly reverential," from awe + -some.
Meaning "inspiring awe" is from 1670s; weakened colloquial sense
of "impressive, very good" is recorded by 1961 and was in vogue
from after c.1980. Related: Awesomely; awesomeness.
3. You will also record the sentence from the book where each word is used along
with the page number.
In total, you will have learned or be conscious of the origins of some 180-200 words
by the end of the assignment. Your etymology journal will be due:
Dec. 5th – “A” day classes
Dec. 6th – “B” day classes