Language 321 L11, C1

Practice activity (Answer key)

(30 minutes)

I View the meaning video segment and review the types of meaning discussed in today’s reading
assignment. (10 minutes)

II Prepare the exercises below as directed. (20 minutes)

A) Define the following ideas in your own words and answer the associated questions.

e.g. coat – an article of clothing worn on the upper body that covers other clothing
 Consider the various coats pictured in the Power point slide
 Can you think of different names for some of these coats?
Ski jacket, fur coat, sweat shirt, winter coat, business suit coat, coat of arms, hoodie,
parka, rain coat, ranger’s jacket, etc.
 How does use or function influence our conceptualization of coats?
(answers vary)

1. wall
 Does your L2 use different words for interior walls (e.g. the wall of a bedroom) and
exterior walls (e.g. the Great Wall of China)?
e.g. In Spanish, ‘pared’ (interior) vs. ‘muro’ (exterior)

2. thin
 In your L2, does this idea apply equally to objects (e.g. a thin cell phone) as well as to
people (e.g. my brother is really thin)?
(answers vary)
 Does skinny mean the same thing as thin when applied to objects or people?
Skinny has a negative connotation, i.e. thin in an unhealthy way. However, it can be used
in a playful way, such as in Spanish when a husband may refer to his wife as ‘mi flaca’
(my skinny wife)

3. grind
 Some languages use a form of grind to refer to the ‘back teeth’, which have this purpose.
Does your L2 do this?
Some English speakers use the term molar, which is related to ‘mill’ (used for grinding)

4. city
 What factors are useful in distinguishing city from town?
size, services offered, location, historical development
 How might the culture, geography, and demographics of different societies affect this
distinction?
(answers vary)
5. take
 Use a synonym to identify the shift in meaning when take is used with different Objects
e.g. take ‘a bus’, ‘a test’, ‘a seat’, ‘a drink’, ‘a shower’, ‘my hand’, ‘advice’
ride a bus, do a test, sit down, drink something, shower/bathe, hold my hand, listen to
advice

6. justice
 Explain why abstract ideas such as justice are hard to define
They are understood differently by many because their experience with it varies more
than with tangible ideas

B) Define the following ideas in your own words and then indicate what secondary ideas are
often associated with them in our society today. How do these connotations make it difficult to
express these ideas adequately to people of other languages and societies?

e.g. Thanksgiving – national holiday celebrated the last Thursday of November and based on
historical events that encourages people to recognize their blessings

 a family gathering, lots of people traveling, a big meal with turkey, televised football
games, early Christmas shopping, etc.

1. mall – a commercial center that includes a variety of retail stores

 In the U.S., many young people socialize at malls and older people exercise by walking
around malls. Most malls are enclosed, they are common in suburban areas, and they
often have extensive outdoor parking.
However, there are also outdoor malls as well as malls in urban areas, where parking is
confined to an enclosed structure.

2. barbeque – a meal prepared outdoors on a grill

 The traditional U.S. barbeque uses a self-contained grill, usually purchased at the store
rather than on an open fire. The standard meal includes hamburgers and hot dogs.
Most often it is done in the back yard of a home.
Of course, other foods may be grilled in other ways and in different locations.

3. lunch – the mid-day meal

 For Americans, lunch represents a brief break from the work day. It is a light meal often
consisting of a sandwich and chips. There is not much time to socialize or otherwise
rest.
Individual circumstances may vary from this norm

4. suburbs – the outer area of big cities

 U.S. suburbs tend to be populated by middle- and upper-class families. Home
construction is often very similar, with larger lots than in crowded cities. Often, the
suburbs have convenient public services (water, gas, sewer, police, etc.) and fewer
problems than in cities.
As always, exceptions occur.
C) Define the meaning of the highlighted word parts and explain what insights this knowledge
might offer in understanding these words in the religious context given.

e.g. Christ’s atonement offers salvation to all (at one)

 This most significant event was the result of Christ submitting himself fully to the will of
his Father and thus becoming one in purpose. By extension, we may become at one with
the Savior and our Heavenly Father as we receive the atonement and all that it implies in
our lives

1. The Lord called Hyrum Smith a man of integrity (integer)

 ‘Integer’ is a number that is whole or a multiple of one. Thus, a person of integrity is
never “two-faced”, but acts the same in all places and in every circumstance. Integrity
involves being one (or true) to yourself and to God.

2. President Nelson leads our church today (preside)

 The president of the Church is the person who ‘presides’ as the senior officer by virtue of
his service, experience, and wisdom.

3. Man communicates with God through prayer (commune)

 To ‘commune’ is to come together with someone and share something in common. When
we communicate through prayer, we seek to know God’s will and make it ours.

4. My bishop is truly an inspired man (breathe in)

 ‘Inspiration’ comes as we breathe in the Spirit, which illuminates our mind and quickens
our thoughts.

5. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel (letters)

 Literal represents something that relates to letters or how an idea is presented in writing.
The gathering of Israel was prophesied in writing in the Old Testament so this event will
occur just as it was written. During his earthly ministry, the Savior often told the people
of events and principles that had come to pass ‘as it is written’, which is to say they
literally came true.