Morphology/Semantics

Activity

Photo Credit: The Importance of Language

 Cancel Culture
To be cancelled is to be exposed in a
way that destroys your online
reputation. This happening to you
when you deserved it is not cancel
culture.

Remember when Trump got

cancelled.

The symbolism of the silencing of

Photo Credit: Sikich your personal point of view was
striking in the photo.
Ghosting
When a person cuts off all
communication with their friends
or the person they're dating, with
zero warning or notice before
hand. You'll mostly see them
avoiding friend's phone calls,
social media, and avoiding them
in public. I haven't seen Tom in 3
months.

I think he may be ghosting me.

Photo Credit: The Context of Things
The symbolism of being non
existent is powerful.
 Stan
A reference to the Eminem song Stan.
The song is about an overly obsessed
fan (named Stan) who writes letters to
eminem and ends up driving off a
bridge with his pregnant wife, because
Eminem didn't write him back.

Don't be such a stan

Photo Credit: HiphopDX
Clip is from the video of the
aforementioned singer.
Fomo
a state of mental or emotional
strain caused by the fear of
missing out.

They had concert fomo.

Age group seemed appropriate

and the young lady show a great
example of the fear of missing Photo Credit: Forbes

out.
 Salty
Being salty is when you are upset over
something little.

He was so salty after he lost iat video

games.

Goes with the generation I was

Photo Credit: Your Tango observing.
Extra
over the top excessive,
dramatic behavior way too
much

Robert's behavior was extra

when he refused to accept
Anna's apology.

These dresses seem excessive

and obnoxious. Extra! Photo Credit: Glamazon Diaries
 Smol
Something extremely small and cute

That kitty is so smol.

Cannot pass up a picture of an adorable

puppy that looks like a baby bear.
Photo Credit: Dictionary.com
Guap
A slang term for money. It can
mean that you have money in
your hands.

Taking a moment to count all

my Guap.

Clip is from the video of the

Photo Credit: YouTube
aforementioned singer.
 Sus
Giving the impression that something is
questionable or dishonest; suspicious.
This word gained popularity with being
the catchphrase in the online
multiplayer game among us.

It's a little sus that he seems to know

exactly how to play this game.

Photo Credit: Quizoto

Picture refers to where the name came
from. Which was video game.
Living rent free
When you are always thinking
about someone.

Girl you living rent free in my

head.

Resentment can be one of the

biggest occupiers of your
mind. Photo Credit: Know your Meme
 Reflection Discussion Question:
That the teenagers were using this language seamlessly without a gap of non-understanding in between.

I thought I was going to be completely lost until a person that's in their 40s.

I was very happy to see that I was able to understand some of the words within context. not really in the
word itself.

I think they have their own set of vocabulary partly because they want to belong and may help them develop
more confidence. According to healthychildren.org the teenagers that I was observing were in Middle
adolescence and would speak in absolutes or in black and white. Additionally they seemed self-conscious
about their appearance The article further confirms that the teenagers feel like they're always being judged by
their peers.

I can compare my teenage years and see the connection in my younger self trying my best to fit in. Saying what
I had to say when I had to say it to feel accepted.

I can easily see and relate to the way these teenagers were communicating as I used to do
the same thing when I was a teenager. I would use the words cool, rad, dope etc.
 Reflection Discussion Question Continued:
I can now see and understand that these teenagers are really no different than what I went
through when I was a teenager. one example of this was as I was observing them they
would stand around in a circle. That was exactly what I did at every lunch of every day of
my high school career

According to Yule (2017) “In semantic analysis, there is always an attempt to focus on what the words
conventionally mean, rather than what an individual speaker might think they mean or want them to mean on
a particular occasion." (p. 124). As I was listening to what these teenagers were talking about. I did not
understand some of the words but based on the context that was being used I was able to break apart and I
understood what they meant. All before I even had to look it up.

One principle I was able to spot as the teenagers were conversing was as mentioned by
Yule the associated or emotive meaning by reacting to the words in conversation.

After observing the teenagers they concluded that language is dynamic, reactive and
Alive.
These observations have helped me realize that I need to have a more conscious and intent for understanding
of my students and know where they are cognitively.
 Reflection Discussion Question Continued:
This taught me that taking a different approach with my future students is essential to teaching them. Meeting
them where they are rather than expecting them to be where you are at.
Work Cited / Resources
Stages of Adolescence. (2019, March 18). HealthyChildren.Org. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx

Urban Dictionary, April 11. (n.d.). Urban Dictionary. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from
https://www.urbandictionary.com/

Yule, G. (2017). The study of language. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.