word for today

June 5, 2007
ped·a·go·gy  [ped-uh-goh-jee, -goj-ee] –noun, plural -gies.
1. the function or work of a teacher; teaching.
2. the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods.

[Origin: 1575–85; < Gk paidagōgía office of a child's tutor.]

ped·a·gog·ic  (pěd'ə-gŏj'ĭk, -gō'jĭk) adj.  
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of pedagogy.
2. Characterized by pedantic formality: a haughty, pedagogic manner.

I may end up working with someone to develop a workshop about blogs and teaching but that's another story. In the meantime, I was looking into the subject and I noticed that one of the words used a lot by people at the college (or so it seems to me) is "pedagogy" and it is used instead of the word "teach". Now, I think it's a good idea to have a large vocabulary and to exercise it as much as one can. But there are some words that don't work for me and this is one of them. Perhaps my negative view of the word comes from the second meaning of "pedagogic" above. Merely using the word "pedagogic" seems hoity-toity and reinforces the negativity.

another word

June 4, 2007

se·que·la  [si-kwee-luh] –noun, plural -lae Pathology.
an abnormal condition resulting from a previous disease.

se·quel·a (sĭ-kwěl'ə) n.   pl. se·quel·ae (-kwěl'ē)
1. A pathological condition resulting from a disease.
2. A secondary consequence or result.

In Schedule 3 (Occupational diseases) of one of the Regulations to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, one of the headings was: "Poisoning and its Sequelae". I am reading the Act and Regulations in order to inform myself before I take a computer test to try to qualify as an adjudicator to the WSIA Tribunal. I figured I could guess what "sequelae" was but thought I should look it up to be sure.

more words

perfervid (context: In Randall Denley's column today, he was writing about Andrew Cohen's book critique of Ottawa as a lame city and he wrote: "Here I thought I was one of its most perfervid critics, not the chief yokel, a Babbitt-like defender of the dull.") Very fervent; extremely ardent; impassioned. Extremely or extravagantly eager or zealous.

What got me about the whole thing was how free these newspaper columnists are in their criticism of others. I know it's their job and maybe that's why I wouldn't want the job, even if I DO have lots of opinions. I don't think I could stand to read what others said about me. Even when I just write an opinionated letter to the editor, I get a frisson of fear up my back when it appears in print, thinking that someone will read my letter and disagree with me and SAY SO. Ack. Of course, I DO blog and what is that but an open invitation for criticism? I'll have to think about that one some more. (frisson: a sudden, passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion; thrill: The movie offers the viewer the occasional frisson of seeing a character in mortal danger.)

on words

Words I've looked up lately (at http://dictionary.reference.com )

The idea to keep track started recently with "anodyne" but the germ was planted earlier with "simulacrum" and embiggened by "encromulate".

simulacrum (context "the simulacrum of youth" at http://shoeblogs.com/wordpress/2007/02/07/seventy-is-the-new-forty/ ) 1. a slight, unreal, or superficial likeness or semblance. 2. an effigy, image, or representation
February 7, 2007

anodyne (context: "This lends her Notebook an anodyne quality. " at http://festeringswamp.journalspace.com/?entryid=30 ) 1. a medicine that relieves or allays pain. 4. soothing to the mind or feelings.
April 24, 2007

encromulate (context: "A good full-body sneeze encromulates the frame, as the poet said." at http://www.lileks.com/bleats/archive/07/0407/041307.html )
From James Lileks himself: "Sorry; it's a Simpsons reference. Even worse, it's a reference to something actually never said on the Simpsons, but implied."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made-up_words_in_The_Simpsons#Cromulent_and_Embiggen "cromulent means valid, acceptable, or possibly commonplace"
Apr 13, 2007

syllabus (context: I use the word a lot at college but wasn't sure of its real meaning and am relieved to discover I do use it correctly.) an outline or other brief statement of the main points of a discourse, the subjects of a course of lectures, the contents of a curriculum, etc.
April 27, 2007