Ms. Plackowski's English ClassesHudson High School - Home



The Extended Definition Essay.AP English Language & CompositionMs. Plackowski & Ms. WallingfordHere’s the thing: words matter. Words and their connotations are essential to our interpretations of literature and rhetoric. And to be sure we emphasize this at the start of the school year, we’d like you to write an essay that explores a single word and the weight of its denotations, connotations, and etymology. This essay should be 2-3 pages in length, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12, with a proper heading and title (that is neither underlined nor italicized). Please italicize the word under discussion throughout your paper. This essay will be due by the start of class on Wednesday, October 11th (as a hard copy and uploaded to ).Consider the role that definitions play in critical thinking. They must be precise, and they help provide clarity and deepen understand. Standard dictionary definitions usually include two parts: the class to which an item belongs (an apple is a fruit) and specific features distinguishing it from other members of the class (apples are round, red, yellow, or green with white flesh and small brown seeds). Standard dictionary definitions with etymological information can also help to explain how words we know and understand on a straightforward level may actually be metaphorical on another level. Consider the following:assassin \as-sa-s’n\ n [ML assassinus, fr. AR hashshashin, pl of hashshash one who smokes or chews hashish, fr. hashish hashish] (1603) 1 cap: one of a secret order of Muslims that at the time of the Crusades terrorized Christians and other enemies by secret murder committed under the influence of hashish 2 : a person who commits murder; esp one who murders a politically important person either for hire or from fanatical motivesdaisy \da-ze\ n, pl daisies [ME dayeseye fr OE doegeseage, fr. doeg day + eage eye] (bef. 12c) 1 : a composite plant (as of the genera Bellis or Chrysanthemum) having a flower head with well-developed ray flowers usu. arranged in one or a few whorls as a: a low European herb (Bellis perennis) with white or pink ray flowers – called also English daisy b: a leafy-stemmed perennial herb (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) with long white ray flowers and a yellow disk that was introduced into the U.S. from Europe – called oxeye daisy 2 : the flower head of a daisy 3: a first-rate person or thing 4 : cap a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in kindergarten and first grade in schoolFor your extended definition essay, you will explain the denotative meanings of your word and elaborate on your insights into the connotative meaning(s). Please be sure that you explore the meanings hidden behind the denotation of the word. You might:contrast this word with several of its closely related synonymsdiscover metaphors hidden in its etymologyuse specific examples of the word in literature, history, your personal experienceWe are particularly interested in your writing about the implicit, hidden meanings of the words you choose. Of course, the essay will reflect your idiolect (your personal associations), and it may analyze aspects of etymology and usage not apparent in the dictionary definition of the word. Here is some more advice.You should reflect on the meaning of your word after looking it up in several dictionaries. Useful sources include The Oxford English Dictionary, the Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, and other dictionaries and thesauruses. You should list your sources in a Works Consulted page.For this essay, it is perfectly reasonable to use “I.” In papers that may reflect a personal history, the sound of a human voice is appropriate and appreciated.You may only discover your thesis after you have written the body of the paper.indicatorcriteria for exceptional performancepossible pointscontentThe writer explores the denotations and connotations of a word with specific details, using description, anecdote, etymology, and metaphor to extend the word’s definition. The explanations for this word’s definitions are precise, thoughtful, and illuminating. /20organizationThe paper has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Each body paragraph focuses on its own topic, and topic sentences make claims and aid in transition. The writer has arranged paragraphs to aid in readers’ understanding./15styleThe writer has an engaging, confident voice, and the writing is clear and correct./15notes:/50Accessing and Using the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) OnlineYou will do your research on the online Oxford English Dictionary (the OED). To access the OED, you will need a Boston Public Library E-card, since the OED requires a very expensive subscription. Follow the directions below to access the OED.Step 1: Go to the homepage of the BPL ()54768753152775right12065Step 2: Got to “electronic resources” on the bar at the top of the page. Click on “A-Z list of resources” on the drop-down menu.Step 3: Find the Oxford English Dictionary under “O” on the menu and click on it.Step 4: Enter your BPL eCard number and pin when prompted.Step 5: If you know your word, you can type it into the search box on the OED homepage.ORIf you want to browse for a word and play around, you can click on the “Timelines” link to see when words first entered the language.You can search by century.Once you’ve selected a century, You can search for you can narrow it to the REALLY old words that entered words by clicking on “first cited in”English from other and selecting the oldest sources.languages by using the “Region” drop-down menu 449580013335000-190500 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download