CLAS224 Schedule of Activities

CLAS224 Word Elements
Department of Classics
Monmouth College

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
Fall Semester, 2003
REVISED 11-03-03

Note: One advantage of a web-based schedule is that it can be adjusted frequently according to class progress. Students are advised to consult this page regularly for changes.

Part I: An Introduction to Words
Aug. 27 Words on words: Lederer, vii-xiii
Aug. 29 1st DIAGNOSTIC EXAM
Sept. 1 Dictionaries: Read Ayers, 16-25.
Electronic Dictionary Entry Analysis (due Sept. 10). Using Electronic Dictionaries; Oxford English Dictionary. Instructions for Using Electronic Dictionaries. PLEASE BRING YOUR DICTIONARY TO CLASS.
Sept. 3 How to Use Electronic Dictionaries (See Sept. 1)
We will do the Exercise on pg. 24-25 in Ayers in class.
Indo-European and Etymology: Read Ayers, 1-6, and American Heritage Dictionary (AHD), pp. 1598-1603. What is Etymology? / Important Terms in Ayers
Sept. 5 History of English: Ayers, 6-14 ("Power of English " video) Important Terms in Ayers
Sept. 8 History of English Cont.: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales / Words of the 20th Century
Sept. 10 Presentation on Dictionaries for Dictionary Surveys (due Sept. 19) IN HEWES LIBRARY. See A Sampling of Dictionaries / Some Recent Dictionary Acquisitions.

Part II: Word Elements from Latin
Sept. 12 Ayers, 26-34 (definitions, bases) Word Elements and Their Uses / Bases / Rules for Definition.
Also Ayers, 136-142 (Latin Loan Words in Ayers and phrases). Read Editor's Preface to World Dictionary and Ayers, 196-197. A few of these phrases will be discussed in every class and will be part of the first unit exam. What Is the Plural of 'Penis'?
Dictionary Entry Analysis Due.
Sept. 15 Ayers, 35-40 (prefixes, assimilation) Lederer, 1 (grammagram, homophone, heteronym, capitonym) Prefixes / Latin Prepositions / Latin Prefix Chart / Assimilation of Prefixes / Important Terms in Lederer's Word Circus
Sept. 17 Ayers, 40-46 (abbreviations, acronyms) Lederer, 2 (anagram, aptagram, antigram) Abbreviations / Acronymns / Acronymns on Libraryspot.com / Internet Emoticons, Smileys and Abbreviations
Sept. 19 Ayers, 46-51 (back formations, aphresesis, aphesis); Lederer, 6 (beheadments, curtailments)
Ayers, 52-56 (combining bases, Roman numerals) Dictionary Surveys due. Lederer, 3 (palindrome, semordnilap)
Sept. 26 Ayers, 57-65 (hybrids, suffixes)
Sept. 29 Ayers, 65-75 (word analysis and dissimilation); Three Morphologically Identical Bases: PAR-
Oct. 1 Ayers, 75-86 (semantic change, specialization/generation); Lederer, 5 (charade words) Animalia Romana / Specialization and Generalization
Oct. 3 Ayers, 86-94 (functional change, degeneration/elevation); Lederer, 7 (kangaroo words) Degeneration of Meaning / Degeneration and Ethnic Stereotypes
Oct. 6 Ayers, 94-101 (abstract/concrete, weakening, hyperbole, independent twins); Lederer, 8 (acrobat words, spoonerisms) . Independent Twins: Definition / Independent Twins: List.
Oct. 8 Ayers, 101-106 (changing concepts, diminutives) Prospectus for Etymology Project (Due Oct. 13)
Oct. 10 No Class but study elements in Ayers pp. 103-104
Oct. 13 Ayers 106-112 (euphemisms, circumlocutions, jargon) Brand Names vs. Generic Names / Technospeak / Some Nursery Rhymes in Disguise / How College Professors Speak / Christmas Carols the Hard Way
Oct. 15 Ayers 102-124 (folk etymology, clips and blends)); Clipped Words / Blends / Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" (Lederer, 9 abstemious words, mirror words, pangram, pyramid word, isogram)
Oct. 17 Ayers, 124-128 (doublets); (Lederer, 10 acrostic, lipogram amd Lederer, 11 logology, looper). Mid-Course Evaluation Due
Oct. 20 No Class (Fall Break)
Oct. 22 Ayers, 128-136 (latinisms, metathesis)
Oct. 24 1st UNIT EXAM See Sample Latin Unit Exam.
Oct. 27 How to do an electronic word search. Class meets in the Trotter Lab. Note: Electronic Word Search Assignment is due on March 31st.
Oct. 29 No class (Advising Day)

Part III Word Elements from Greek
Note: Some italicized words and phrases on pp. 160-178 and 250-256 will be covered in class daily.
Oct. 31 Ayers, 158-160; 180-181; 255-256 (Introduction to Greek; Greek loan words)
Nov. 3 Ayers, 160-163; 178-183 (bases). Quiz on Greek alphabet and loan words
Nov. 5 Ayers, 160-164; 183-187 (combining bases, prefixes). Quiz on October Words for the Day
Nov. 7 Ayers, 165-166; 187-191 (homonyms, eye rhymes); 196-198 (loan words). French and Spanish loan words Electronic Word Search Assignment due.
Nov. 10 Ayers, 167-169; 192-196 (reduplication, onomatopoeia, word analysis) German loan words
Nov. 12 Ayers, 170-178; 198-204 (word analysis, tautology); Italian loan words
Nov. 14 Ayers, 250-251; 204-211 Eponymy / Eponymy ID / Brand Names vs. Generic Names
Nov. 17 Ayers, 252-253; 211-220; Surnames / English Personal Names from Greek / English Personal Names from Latin / English Loan Words in Other Languages
Nov. 19 Ayers, 220-226 An Anthology of -ologies, Some Words Derived from Literature
Nov. 21 No class. Take-home packet on World Dictionary (due Nov. 24)
Nov. 24 Ayers 227-231 Phobias World Dictionary packet due. Progress Report on Etymology Project (optional) Due
Nov. 26 Ayers 231-240 Sports Terms
Dec. 1 Ayers, 240-256; Etymology Project Due.
Dec. 3 2nd DIAGNOSTIC EXAM
Dec. 5 2nd UNIT EXAM See Sample Greek Exam and Format of Second Unit Exam
Dec. 11 Class Meeting 8 A.M. Poster Presentations and Course Evaluations.

This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.

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