Use the news: ‘Unprecedented’ words
Lesson for grades 9-12
With the coronavirus, Black Lives Matter, wildfires and hurricanes, the year 2020 has been stressful and challenging for Americans and people around the world. And that presented a problem for the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Every year the dictionary picks a “word of the year” that reflects a challenge or trend that dominated the news.
This year, with somuch going on, the OED couldn’t decide on just one word. So it has released a list of “Words of an Unprecedented Year.” The word “unprecedented” itselfwas used somuch it could have been a “word of the year,” but it only scratches the surface of this year’s trends and events. Not surprisingly,
coronavirus terms like “COVID-19,” “lockdown,” “social distancing,” “superspreader,” “flatten
the curve,” “remote learning” and “essential workers” dominate the list. “Black Lives Matter” is also included, along with “social justice” and “cancel culture.” Political terms like “mail-in,” “conspiracy theory” and “Q-Anon” also make the list.
Language is a living, growing thing. It changes with the times, picking up new words that go into wide use from trends or events.
Activity: In the newspaper or online, search for words that are getting a lot of use that were not used in the past. Pick five and write how they came to be widely used. Then write whether you think these words will become permanent additions to our language, or diminish in use over time.