Inaccurate Blame Placed on Teens for the Use of Slang

            It is believed that teens are responsible for the incorporation of verbal filth, or slang, into the English language; however, these accusations are not completely valid. According to researchers in the article Teens Aren’t Ruining Language by Adrienne Lafrance, there is found to be no correlation between age and vernacular change, which means there are other influences that enhance or encourage slang usage. These consist of, but are not limited to, race, gender, sexual orientation, and other social factors that people come in contact with. The reason that teens are being falsely accused is because they are the ones mostly involved in social media, making them susceptible to most of these social factors.

Comic portraying the fact that teens are not the only one to use slang.

            However, according to researchers, social media is not the only breeding ground for slang terminology to come about; in fact, some believe that the environment that someone grows up in or is accustomed to may have an influence, as well. According to authors of the article ControversialIssues of Slang: Lexicography and Users written by Ildiko Zoltan, “Typical users of slang are the different peripheral subcultures and even counter-cultures, branded as ‘deviant’, e.g. homosexuals, drug users or criminals.” This accusation occurs because normally when there is a large group of people in a confined or close-knit group such as a gang, club, university, military prison, etc., there is a higher chance they will develop their own “code,” if you will, which can then spread outside of these groups, causing trends.

            Another influential factor besides peers or social groups is the subject of homosexuality. This subject has been controversial and very popular as of late with the high media focus on gay marriage. However, terms that were once politically correct to address someone that is homosexual such as fag, homo, queer, etc. are now being used as derogatory terms, making them offensive. Yanchun Zhou and Yanhong Fan state in their article, A Sociolinguistic Studyof American Slang, “Many of these are older terms from the gay society or from what used to be called "vulgar slang.” However, teens are not the only ones using these slang words; many adults of older generations do not accept gay marriages as openly as younger generations, which results in their naïve slang usage.

            Another influential factor other than age that contributes to the use of slang is gender. According to researchers, women use slang terminology less than men do. Many researchers believe it is because it is considered unlady-like language, but according to Zhou, “…men belong to more sub-groups than do women…in business, men have acquaintances that belong to many different sub-groups. Women, on the other hand, still tend to be restricted to family and neighborhood friends.” The article also references to men having slang terms for masculine conversational topics such as sex, women, work, money, whiskey, politics, etc. With support from Zoltan’s article, he states that the slang usage of women is becoming greater and greater, and this increase may be due to the feminist movement, which encourages men and women to be one of the same; therefore, if man can use slang, women can too.

            Other factors, especially social factors, contribute to the usage of slang, which takes some of the blame off of teens. In addition to teens not being the only ones to use this type of language, it is proven that these slang terms do not usually stick around very long, making them impossible to have any permanent effect on the English language, further proving these accusations to be false.

Text Messaging Can Improve Student's Writing Skills

Recent studies have shed new light on the positive impact of text messaging language between teenagers and young adults within the classroom, which previous studies had not addressed.  Individuals assume that abbreviations, lack of punctuation and leaving words out when text messaging, negatively impacts a student's writing abilities, but numerous studies have concluded that it is just the opposite that occurs and it can actually improve a student's writing.  According to author Magdeline Lum, teenagers and young adults understand and are fully aware of the different types of English needed to be used in different situations of communication.  They know that the method of using language when text messaging is more laid back and is associated with shortened words to fit in the character space box, while formal writing requires them to write in proper and appropriate English.  They can differentiate between the two different types of English language because everything they have been taught in school, regarding the rules of writing and spelling, goes against the slang within the text messaging language.  This correlates with my previous blog post because teenagers are familiar with the expectations associated with formal writing within a classroom and professional environment due to their previous years of attending school and learning about it. 

Not only are teenagers and young adults positively impacted from text messaging language, but younger children, around ages 10-12, are also benefiting in the classroom from sending text messages frequently which is what the author, Chantel N. Van Dijk, discovered in his article.  His article reveled that the more children that omitted words in their informal writing within text messaging, the better they performed in grammar activities and assignments while being assessed.  Grammar is a very important aspect in the education of younger students because it includes the basic rules for writing formally.  Students being to learn grammar when they enter school and it becomes a foundation behind how to write.  Grammar and writing are both talked about in relation to language use.  Younger student's meta-linguistic awareness is significantly improved with utilizing communication through text messaging as well. 

Ahmed Al Shlowiy's article was written and focused on many of the positive elements within the relationship between text messaging language that teenagers and young adults regularly engage in, and how it can be related to the classroom learning environment.  Students have the chance to enhance their literacy and communication skills through text messaging, but it is not only through the writing process.  They are able to strengthen these areas through the tool of editing their messages before they send them to the recipients.  Editing text messages includes improving their writing abilities because they are constantly formatting their messages to make sure they are precise and specific because text messaging is a shorten form of writing.  Individuals modify what they have to say because they do not want to send the receiver a long paragraph.  This helps students in the classroom by encouraging them to get straight to the point in their writing and not beat around the bush.     

Active text messaging students can improve their writing skills. 

Nonverbal Children with Autism Learn Language

           When researching about how nonverbal children with autism communicate, researchers have found that through the use of sign language or Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) nonverbal children with autism are able to communicate with their peers. Although PECS do not require the children to necessarily known semantics and additional linguistic ideas, sign language does require knowledge of how language is formed and used.

            According to research done by Gordon et al., PECS are considered to be an effective device to increase communication in children with autism. The researchers tested the form and function of spontaneous communication in nonverbal children with autism to see what classroom-based interventions were successful when learning language (448).  Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) were used to teach spontaneous and function communication to children with autism in a social context. PECS are used to communicate a request, thought, or anything else that can be displayed through a picture. This provides nonverbal children an opportunity to communicate and initiate conversation with peers or adults.

            It is known that one of the characteristics in children with autism is their limited language and communication skills. Their limited language skills affect their cognitive and social development as well. According to Onur Kurt, communication skills can be taught to nonverbal students with autism through visual means or representation; such as using sign language or gestures while communicating. Kurt found that using sign language while using spoken language is most effective when teaching expressive and receptive language skills to children with autism, compared to when using only spoken language. He also came to that conclusion that by using discrete trial training while incorporating the use of sign language in order to teach language is beneficial for the students and assists in the learning process.

            When I used to volunteer in a preschool autistic classroom while I was in high school, there were two students who were nonverbal. In order to teach them language, we used sign language to teach them the necessary signs first, then worked on colors, animals, etc.  While teaching the students the signs for each word, we would make sure we used spoken language along with the sign language. I witnessed students successfully learning their signs/words while using spoken language simultaneously. Children with autism may have difficulties with their auditory processing system which is also why using both spoken language and visuals, such as pictures or sign language is extremely helpful.  The interesting thing to witness was how students learned semantics while using sign language.  Since American Sign Language was not being taught to the students, it was much easier to teach them semantics since we taught the students Signed Exact English which uses the same grammar patterns as their peers are learning to speak.

            It is amazing to see the process in which children with autism learn language.  Through my own observations, I found it is easier for the students when learning Signed Exact English because it uses the same patterns as their peers when learning semantics, pragmatics, etc. 

Pictured is a child and an adult using assistive technology to help the child communicate. 

ELLs are still being left behind. [blog post 1]

English Language Learners

The Crisis: Children are still being left behind. Why? 

A teacher's job is to prepare every child for the real world and make a positive difference in generations to come. However, this is easier said than done. Realistically, there are many dilemmas in the education field that cause problems for certain learners with origins from a diverse background. English Language Learners face a big challenge of not speaking the native language in their respective school, and therefore stumble upon many difficulties in the classroom. This blog post will focus on a dilemma found in the education field-- Hispanic English Language Learners and specific conflicts that directly effect learners in an elementary school setting.

One conflict that causes difficulty as an ELL student is found in the education department, when some schools fail to meet the requirements that the state mandates. In the article, "English Language Learners as Pawns in the School System's Overhaul" Freedman describes a situation in New York City's public schools where ELLs are denied of an equal opportunity to education. In multiple cases, ELLs have been, "moved around, shunted aside and denied the very kind of instruction they are due" (2007). Approximately 200 ELLs are counted as “the missing ELLs” who have been swept under the rug and not receiving the necessary services and instruction. In addition, even the ELLs receiving services in the small schools are serving no purpose because teachers are not properly trained, and schools do not offer English-fluency classes. Instead, ELLs of all levels are put together into a single class for one period throughout the day. 

Another obstacle that ELLs must overcome is the expectation of meeting requirements found in the Common Core Standards (CCS). The CCS are educational initiatives that requires each student to know in English language arts and mathematics by the end of every year. The newly adapted standards place a stronger focus on critical thinking, deeper engagement, and advanced vocabulary (Wingert 2014). This poses as an overwhelming challenge for ELLs, especially for some who are still learning how to speak and read the English language fluently. In "The Common Core is Tough On Kids Who Are Still Learning English" the author discusses how educators are worried about the new standards, and realize it may be harmful to Hispanic students due to the intense language demand. It is estimated that approximately 5 million ELL students in grade K-12 attending U.S. public schools have less than proficient English skills (Wingert 2014), and as a result score significantly lower on standardized tests when compared to White students. The newly advanced CCS place higher expectations on both teachers and students, which adds an unhealthy level of stress on learning. 

Early childhood Hispanic ELLs raise their hand to answer questions in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/are-english-learners-neglected-early-education-n304486  

How is a student supposed to strive or progress in academics if they are being denied of effective services? How is a student supposed to learn the English language if teachers do not know how to deliver appropriate instruction? It is simply unrealistic. At the elementary level, all students are at a crucial age-- their experience during early childhood years greatly effects their future. It is demanding that elementary students are properly educated and are receiving appropriate services at the beginner age of learning. These conflicts associated with ELLs reflects a weak aspect to the Education Department that is preventing students from not receiving a meaningful education that they rightfully deserve. Research shows that the achievement gap between Hispanic and Whites students has not been changed for the past two decades (Webley 2011). No significant progress for Hispanic students has been made for quite some time. These statistics prove that more concern and effort is needed in order to make improvements in some school districts. Hispanic English Language Learners are still being left behind, putting an unfair limit on their success in education.

The Reading Process for English-Language Learners

Reading is something that is necessary for every aspect of our lives. To go through life not being able to read efficiently would make things difficult. For most people they don't think about all the components of what it takes to read and develop a strong set of skills in reading.  A reader needs to be able to recognize individual words both reliably and efficiently in order to be able to process sentences and paragraphs. The instruction doesn't just end when the school day ends, parents need to be able to work with their children at home so they don't forget what they learned during the school day. For the children whose native language is not English this is hard due to the fact that they are hearing a different language when they go home. That is why parents need to help their children outside of the instruction they receive at school. Theoretically being able to understand the interaction between top-down and bottom-up processes is critical to being able to comprehend reading.

There are phonological processing skills that are critical to the development or reading skills. Phonological awareness has been able to predict word-decoding ability from grades k-4. Children should  be able to phonologically process all of this information in their working memory. Repetition  helps the skills that they learn be retained in their working memory. Skills that are coming about in our phonological awareness is able to develop in two languages. If a child is able to gain phonological awareness in their learning of English this can end up correlating with their word decoding ability in Spanish.

Even speakers who are advanced in their English speaking skills may utilize different patterns of conversation that vary from the rest of the speakers in the classroom. Individually we each have our own speaking style and sometimes this may not carry across to others the way we expect this to. When teaching children who are already differing in their native language this can language barrier can be seen as detrimental to their learning.

As mentioned in my previous blog post "The Importance of Easing Second Language English Students Into Learning How to Read," a majority of children in the U.S. currently live with at least one foreign parent. Which just goes to show the importance of really understanding the linguistics behind how we are able to successfully develop our reading skills. In another blog post that I wrote "Learning To Read Among English Language Learners," it has been found to be most important to obtain a head start on instruction. Kindergarten is a crucial age in which the children are best able to retain what they have learned. It doesn't stop with school instruction though, it is of upmost importance that the parents continue to help their children at home. They can use flashcards to help sound out syllables in the words etc., and this can help the children get a jump start on their phonological skills.

Second-language English learners being instructed in a classroom setting.
http://www.districtadministration.com/article/second-language-learning

African American Vernacular English

In my previous posts about African American Vernacular English (here and here), I discuss the origins of AAVE and I have touched briefly on the perceptions of those who speak it. In order to really understand the impact that speaking AAVE has on those who speak it, it would be wise to consult more examples or ideas.

In his article discussing the perceptions of languages and dialects, Richard Bailey gives an example of Oprah Winfrey using AAVE:

Winfrey would introduce guests of different races with different dialectical tones or features. She would introduce guests of African American descent more in a AAVE dialect than she would a guest of white race.

Oprah Winfrey is suggested to introduce guests of African American
descent with different, more AAVE geared language than she
would a white guest.
[Source]

Bailey claims that this is because the speaker wants to appeal to the audience; so, Winfrey is simply playing to that tune.

Being a listener to different dialects, we tend to make assumptions, which, of course, is what my purpose on here is all about—figuring out those assumptions. In an article by Jose Rodriguez, Aaron Cargile, and Marc Rich, the three men found that those who spoke AAVE were found to be perceived as “less status-possessing” than those who spoke the Standard American English, which, we have seen from my last post, is a “standard” that has been favored by white elitists. Rodriguez, Cargile, and Rich examine an array of AAVE dialects and conclude that the stronger the accent, the less seriously the person is to be taken.

This idea that those who speak AAVE are less “status-possessing” is a social class issue that weighs heavily on classism and racism. In her article about reactions to AAVE, Jacquelyn Rahman states that AAVE has always been common in the working class, but AAVE is blooming in the middle class now as well. Unfortunately, with this blooming of AAVE in the middle class, the stereotyping and stigmas attached to AAVE speakers carries over as well. Rahman recognizes that AAVE is a part of an identity of a person, but she also recognizes that this can be a problem in the professional world—a world that is controlled by mainly white males. Standard American English in African Americans can be a major aid in the professional world, but it becomes a sort of suspicion in the cultural world of African Americans. She states that there are “conservative norms” in which the ideal speech pattern excludes accents of any kind.

This leads me to the conclusion that because of the various articles that I have mentioned and explained in this and my last post, I have learned that the controlling powers in society, which are mainly white male figureheads, are the group of people that determine the acceptability of dialects. They also choose the standard that everything should be based off of. It is because of their choice that many of us are lead to perceive AAVE negatively and judge it as “uneducated” or “less status-possessing.”

The Proof is in the Pudding: Dual Language Research Availability to the Public

          As the population of English language learners rapidly increases, schools are looking into the implementation of dual language or bilingual education. This program offers students with limited proficiency in English the chance to increase their learning of the second language as well as maintaining their native tongue. Teachers and administrators must find convincing research to present to parents and district superintendents to receive the funding necessary for implementation. For example, administrators need to find research available to provide to parents placing their children within the program. If a child is a native English speaker and is placed into the program, parents will want to see proof that bilingual education not only increases EL learning but their child's as well. Three articles I found for my term paper were accessed through scholarly databases made available through my university’s library. However, when entering the same website articles through Google, the availability changed. Within the three sources I searched, only one showed the full text through a PDF file. Regina Cortina, Carmina Makar and MarFaith Mount-Cors’s article concerns dual language as a social movement and is available to the public. The article provides full research concerning the need for dual language programs, creating and executing studies within two differing school districts.  Having this accessible to the public further promotes the implementation of Bilingual education, providing results correlating with students scoring higher in comparison to those placed in English only classrooms. The article also offers its readers the history of dual language education and how it has changed over time throughout the classroom.

Researching scholarly articles for dual language education can be done through Google Scholar. However, the access to articles is limiting and is shown in two of the articles below. 

          The attainability of scholarly articles with provided research to promote dual language programs are limited in for the public. For example, an article written by Vickie Lake and Eleni Pappamihiel overviews the effective practices to help ELL students when learning the new language. However if someone were to search the article title, an abstract would be the only available text for the public eye. For those that have access to scholarly databases, readers will gain insight on how to promote a child’s language proficiency that is not their native dialect. For example, the authors stress the necessity that instructors provide an appropriate language environment as well as providing both formal and informal opportunities to orally learn their second language. Not publicizing this article to society is limiting administrators reasoning for implementing dual language education into the classroom. It also prevents instructors from becoming educated on how to teach students classified as English language learners.

                MariaAdelaida Restrepo, Gareth P. Morgan and Marilyn S. Thompson’s article concerning vocabulary intervention for dual language learners offers a brief overview of the study, revealing the purpose, method and results. However, in order to receive the full context of the article readers must subscribe to the article. The article alone is $15.00 to purchase and is only available for a twenty four hour period once the viewer subscribes.  To the public press, it reveals limited information but ultimately, the website gives its readers the key facts. This limited availability concerning strategies for vocabulary development is helpful concerning teachers looking for effective strategies but without the full article, cannot help school districts enforce a newer way of instructing language.

             Although scholarly articles are limited to find for public access, the popular press offers their opinions to the public concerning the need for dual language education. Through the popular press and research for scholarly articles, administrators and parents can learn the importance of children being enrolled in Bilingual education. 

           

What strategies can teachers use in the classroom to assist ELLs towards success?

The last and final topic for discussing English Language Learners revolves around a simple question--What instructional strategies can teachers implement during reading that is beneficial for struggling English Language Learners? Using evidence and peer-reviewed articles, the focus of this discussion will explore effective ways a teacher can approach literacy instruction in the classroom.  

            Teachers can use pedagogical knowledge when implementing strategies, instruction, and programs in order to assist Hispanic students acquire proficient reading abilities in the English language. Teachers should become aware with cross-linguistic transfer and why it plays an important role when learning a new language. During this process, students utilize linguistic devices and resources from L1 (primary language) and applying them to a new L2 (secondary language). With that being said, teachers can implement transitional bilingual programs in which reflect cross-linguistic transfer. This program brings to light the interdependent relationship of L1 and L2, and uses a student’s language acquisition from their native language by applying it to the English language. Teachers can focus on linguistic devices already developed from L1 and gradually transfer that knowledge to L2 using various types of instruction, practice, and assessment.

            Reading comprehension abilities can be influenced by using an instructional model that focuses on comparing and contrasting. The Compare-Contrast text structure acknowledges ELLs struggling during reading. Dreher and Gray discuss that ELLs are likely to be challenged by certain books due to three main reasons:

1.     Students are unfamiliar with the author’s use of comparing and contrasting material throughout a book. Students are not sure how to interpret information presented in this format.

2.     Students lack background knowledge about either of the two types of content that were being compared and contrasted.

3.     Students have gaps in their English vocabulary that were causing them to have trouble with understanding the material and expressing their thoughts.

A graphic organizer designed for comparing and contrasting reading material.  

The Compare-Contrast text structure has been found to work effectively during reading at the early elementary level. This model allows students to differentiate information between two types of content found in a book. For example, students in the classroom use the compare and contrast model when reading an informational text to gain a better understanding by comparing and contrasting spiders to insects. In addition, teachers can provide visuals and graphic organizers that are specially designed for the comparing and contrasting format. Students can use this source to help visualize the information, make inferences, and draw conclusions. This model allows teachers to link students’ previous knowledge (background knowledge, previous experiences with text, and cultural/linguistic background) with the new content that teachers are presenting. It is important for teachers to acknowledge ELLs native background and knowledge when learning reading strategies in the English language. Students will feel more comfortable by incorporating what they already know from L1; then will gradually start to adapt to new language skills and abilities.

Teachers can implement various interventions that meet the learning needs for ELLs through small-group reading instruction. This secondary-tier intervention is designed to target specific reading abilities and allows students to work at a slower pace. Teachers can group ELLs who perform at the same level and allow them to catch up on critical literacy skills. For example, if the group of ELLs showed a weakness in English vocabulary, the teacher can have students work on word study using groups of words with similar components such as vowels, blends, and beginning sounds; as well as comprehension and reading activities.

Sustaining Successful Dual Language Programs

The amount of students who do not speak English are growing more and more every year. Schools are in demand for teachers who can teach bilingual students. Many teachers teaching in dual language programs are not qualified to do so. These teachers are having a hard time finding successful strategies to educate bilingual students and they have an even harder time sustaining the program once it finds success.

Their are many key concepts to successfully running a dual language program, but as I mentioned in my previous blog post, Anne Raeff, of the Times Magazine, bilingual education, total immersion, and integrating cultural awareness into dual language programs are critical to the student's success.  The students need a proper balance of both languages to ease the transition from their new language to their target language and they must be exposed to the new language as frequentlyblog post, Rachel Hazelton, of The Atlantic sees an obvious relationship between the student's cultural background and their academic performance.  If the student's interests and culture are incorporated into the classroom, then they are more likely to feel comfortable and apply themselves.
as possible. As I mentioned in my previous

Bilingual Students Communicating

Iliana Alanis has written articles about successfully sustaining dual language programs, and in one study she examines an elementary school that has successfully run a dual language program for over ten years. Alines believes if you have a qualified bilingual teacher, active family involvement, time, and leadership, then the school's dual language program will have a higher chance of sustaining success. An active family involvement is one of the most important requirements required for student success. This elementary school encourages parent's involvement in and outside of the classroom, they allow the parents to play a role in lesson planning, and the offer parent classes for bilingual development. Young students are around their families more than anyone else, therefore if their parents are engaged and interested then they are more likely to be engaged and interested. Nobody knows their child better then a parent, so having them participate in lesson planning plays a major role because they can help incorporate strategies their child learns best from as well as incorporating their interest into the lesson. If the parent is taking parent classes, they will be able to understand what their child is going through, as well as teaching their child everything they learn. This way not only will the student be learning in school but they will also be learning more while they are at home too.

Amanda Kibler has written articles that examine ways in which students learn about themselves and their new language by participating in dual language programs. The teacher should provide opportunities for the students to recognize their peer's linguistic identities, develop awareness for learning through the use of language, and to appreciate their own and their peer's linguistic resources. Students in the class will begin to develop confidence in their bilingual abilities from interacting with their peers and from participating in a healthy classroom environment.  The more comfortable students are with their own abilities, the more confidence they will have and the more they will want to participate.

Academics, Champions and Common Players: Perspectives on Scrabble Language and Dictionary Use

Illustration by Bill Watterson, Courtesy of calvinandhobbes.wikia.com

Digging deeper into the lexicographical side and details of Scrabble, I have found that one crucial dimension to understanding the trends and meanings behind dictionary usage and Scrabble itself comes from a mathematical perspective as well as data collection in the contemporary age.  I was led to an interesting and very recent interview conducted by the Chicago Manual of Style academic publication’s online source with Peter Sokolowski.  His work as an editor at large for Merriam-Webster places him in a position not only to attend professional and academic conferences about dictionaries but also participate in how lexicographers deduce knowledge about linguistic trends when individuals look up over a billion words a year on Merriam-Webster.com.  Through the use of Google Analytics, Sokolowski is able to locate academic, business and international traffic on which words and language is being explored by people in the U.S. and abroad.  Bringing it back to my topic, Sokolowski also was able to find not only spikes in dictionary use on smartphones, which possibility indicates trends in age group language use, but also when people searched for words both fundamental and new to Scrabble specifically.  In the broader sense, the interviewer also inquired about the rate of change and permanent status of word additions to Merriam-Webster and in turn the Scrabble dictionary itself as they are directly interrelated.  A central point he makes that assures a growing understanding about current lexicographical and linguistic flux of language came when he stated “the increase in volume of text is more than matched by the speed of research”.

            In addition to the professional and academic research perspective of Sokolowski, the reigning world champion of Scrabble, Craig Beevers, also provides a perspective that adds to the meaning and understanding between common players and those in positions of authority to recognize and validate the evolution of language used in Scrabble.  He asserts throughout his article in the Guardian that the new influx of over 6,500 words including “shizzle” and “twerk” in the most recent addition in May 2015 is as welcomed to him as any in the competitive and general Scrabble community.  Beevers also recognizes not only the novelty of the new growth in the Scrabble/Merriam-Webster lexicon but also in its diversity of origin.  He locates many words coming from advanced technologies and modern advances juxtaposed to more societal and youth slang usage.

            Another Guardian article by Stephen Moss discusses where mathematics and love of language create a separation which is meaningful to the growth and use of the Scrabble dictionary.  Such words as “AA” or “MM” are words which Ross points out “you could go through several lifetimes and never hear this collection of abbreviation, archaisms and Greek and Hebrew letters in everyday speech.”  This led to his demanding if they were in fact words.  One of the top ranked Scottish women’s players in 2014 spoke to the mathematics of focusing on memorizing more than understanding the meanings behind the words themselves.  Ross contends that this is a problematic dimension of a word based game where patterns and recognition are no doubt crucial, but his article questions whether semantic knowledge should be required.  This observation of the game speaks volumes to the great questions Scrabbles arouse about linguistics, understanding expanding dictionaries and the “integrity” of language use.  A great deal of slang today, even as a member of this generation, or even playing the stray technological term of which no understanding is involved leads to the question of not only what should be new words but how society is facing these new terms and a growing English language.  Scrabble provides a forum where these greater questions are faced in basements of Churches and Thanksgiving tables.