English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Explore words with new or contested usages
Explore words with new or contested usages
What you'll learn
- Identify at least three examples of words with new or contested usages in contemporary media (e.g., articles, social media posts) and explain the different perspectives surrounding their use.
- Analyze the impact of context on the meaning and acceptability of five different words with evolving usages, providing specific examples of how context alters interpretation.
- Apply critical thinking skills to evaluate the validity of arguments for and against the use of a chosen contested word, formulating a well-reasoned opinion supported by textual evidence.
- Create a short persuasive text (150-200 words) either advocating for or against the mainstream acceptance of a specific word with a new or contested usage, demonstrating an understanding of audience and rhetorical strategies.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify words with new or contested usages in various texts, including articles, speeches, and literature.
Define and differentiate between key concepts such as neologism, semantic shift, and jargon.
Analyze the rhetorical effect of using a contested word in an argument or narrative.
Evaluate the appropriateness of using a new or contested word based on audience, purpose, and context.
Incorporate a new or contested word into their own writing with clear justification for its use.
Articulate a clear position on a word's usage, using evidence from dictionaries, style guides, and real-world examples.
Have you ever heard someone use 'literally' to mean 'figuratively' and wondered if they were wrong? 🤔 Language is constantly changing...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
NeologismA newly coined word or expression that is not yet in mainstream use, but may be in the process of entering common language.The word 'doomscrolling,' meaning the act of spending an excessive amount of screen time devoted to the absorption of negative news, became popular in 2020.
Semantic ShiftThe evolution of a word's meaning over time. A word can gain new meanings, lose old ones, or its meaning can become more positive or negative.The word 'awful' originally meant 'full of awe' or 'awe-inspiring.' Today, it means 'very bad or unpleasant.'
Contested UsageA word, phrase, or grammatical construction whose correctness or appropriateness is disputed by language users or experts.Using 'they' as a si...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Audience and Purpose Principle
The appropriateness of a word is determined by the intended audience and the writer's purpose.
Before using a new or contested word, ask yourself: 'Who am I writing for?' and 'What am I trying to achieve?' A neologism that works perfectly on social media might be inappropriate in a formal research paper.
The Context is Key Convention
The meaning and impact of a word are shaped by the surrounding text and the situation in which it is used.
Don't judge a word in isolation. Analyze the entire sentence, paragraph, and genre to understand why the author made that specific choice and what effect it creates.
The Rhetorical Impact Rule
New and contested words are often used deliberately to create a specific rheto...
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Challenging
The use of the singular 'they' as a pronoun for a nonbinary individual is a point of contested usage. This situation is a complex intersection of which two key concepts?
A.Semantic shift and contested usage
B.Neologism and jargon
C.Jargon and semantic shift
D.Diction and neologism
Challenging
A student writes a thesis on 19th-century poetry and includes the sentence: 'Emily Dickinson's vibes were just different.' Their teacher flags this as inappropriate. The student defends the choice, saying 'It's a valid neologism that captures her unique aesthetic.' Why is the student's justification weak?
A.Because 'vibes' is not a real word and can never be used in writing.
B.Because it ignores the Audience and Purpose Principle; the anachronistic, informal slang is inappropriate for the context of a formal academic thesis.
C.Because the teacher is simply committing the 'New Means Wrong' Fallacy.
D.Because 'vibes' is jargon from the field of psychology and is being used incorrectly.
Challenging
A political candidate's official social media account posts: 'Our opponent's policies are straight-up cringe.' Which is the most sophisticated analysis of this diction choice?
A.The candidate is unprofessional and does not know how to use formal language.
B.The candidate is using jargon to communicate with other politicians.
C.This is a strategic use of a neologism ('cringe' as an adjective) to build rapport with a younger demographic, adopting their vernacular to appear relatable and dismiss the opponent's policies as out of touch.
D.This is a semantic shift, as 'cringe' used to mean something completely different.
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What grade level is "Explore words with new or contested usages"?
Explore words with new or contested usages is a Grade 9 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Explore words with new or contested usages?
You'll be able to: Identify at least three examples of words with new or contested usages in contemporary media (e.g., articles, social media posts) and explain the different perspectives surrounding their use; Analyze the impact of context on the….
Is "Explore words with new or contested usages" free to practice?
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How many practice questions are included with Explore words with new or contested usages?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.