grade 9 unit 5: understanding words and expressions

Grade 9 Unit 5: Understanding Words and Expressions

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Unit Objectives 2

Lesson 1: Word Etymology 3 Warm-up! 3 Learn About It! 4 Check Your Understanding 9 Let’s Step Up! 10

Lesson 2: Word Formation 11 Warm-up! 11 Learn About It! 12 Check Your Understanding 17 Let’s Step Up! 18

Lesson 3: Context Clues 19 Warm-up! 19 Learn About It! 20 Check Your Understanding 23 Let’s Step Up! 23

Performance Task 24

Self-Check: How Well Did I Learn? 26

Wrap Up 27

Bibliography 28

GRADE 9 |English

UNIT 5

Understanding Words and Expressions Reading is a good way of educating yourself. It allows you to learn and expand your knowledge. It is a great way to feed your mind and spirit. However, there are times when you find it hard to comprehend what you are reading. One possible reason is coming across words or expressions that are unfamiliar. In this lesson, we will learn ways in understanding unfamiliar words.

Unit Objectives

In this unit, you should be able to:

● explain how words are derived from names of persons and places; ● arrive at meaning of words through word formation (clipping, blending, acronymy,

compounding, folk etymology, etc.); and ● note types of context clue (restatement, definition, synonyms, antonyms) used for a

given word or expression.

2 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited

Lesson 1: Word Etymology

Have you ever wondered where some peculiar words are from? There are instances where we look for the meaning of these words and encounter situations that reveal quite an interesting history behind most English words. Read on to find out.

Warm-up!

Think-Pair-Share Read and analyze the conversation with a partner. What did you notice about Karla’s use of the word catastrophe? How did Marga react to it? Do you think Karla knows how to use the word correctly? Share your insights in class.


Learn About It!

Etymology helps us understand and translate words better. It looks at the origin of words and, in doing so, helps us to understand the deeper meanings of the words we use. You have probably encountered etymologies when somebody explained the meaning of a word or when you yourself attempted to look for the meaning or origin of a word. Let’s take the word “etymology” as an example:

Etymology is derived from the Greek word etumos, which means true.

Etumologia was the study of words’ true meanings, which evolved into etymology by way of the Old French etimologie.

1. Words Derived from Names of Persons In the English language, there are words for some objects or activities that are derived from the name of an individual with whom the object or activity is particularly associated. There are times when the individual’s name, which is always written with a lower-case initial letter, is slightly changed by, for example, the addition of a suffix as in “caesarean” and “malapropism.” Here are some examples of words derived from the names of people:


Word Meaning Derived from bowdlerize remove sexually offensive

words or passages from a written work before publishing it

Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825), who published an edition of Shakespeare that left out such things as the porter scene in Macbeth.

chauvinism fanatical patriotism or an intense belief in the superiority of one’s own gender, group, or kind

Nicholas Chauvin, a soldier in Napoleon’s Army who was a byword for stubborn loyalty to Napoleon’s Empire long after Napoleon’s defeat.

caesarean or caesarean section

medical procedure in which a child is delivered by being cut from the mother’s womb

Julius Caesar (101-44 BCE), a Roman general, politician, and dictator who was believed to have been born in this way

jeremiad a long, sorrowful complaint or lamentation

Jeremiah (7th -6 th century BCE), an Old Testament prophet who foretold great evils to the inhabitants of Judah if they did not repent of their sins.

malapropism the unintended misuse of a word by confusing it with another which sounds similar

Mrs. Malaprop, a fictional character who misused words in this way in the eighteenth century comedy The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816).


There are also scientific units of measurement derived from names of people. Take a look at the table:

Word Meaning Derived from

volt a unit of electrical potential Count Alessandro Volta (1745- 1827), an Italian physicist

ampere a unit of electric current André-Marie Ampère (1775- 1836), a French physicist

coulomb a unit of electrical quantity Charles-Augustin de Coulomb (1736-1806), a French physicist

watt a unit of power James Watt (1736-1819), a pioneer of steam engineering

newton a unit of force Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) Some elements from the periodic table are also derived from names of people from the field of science. Here are some of those elements:

Word Description (symbol

and atomic number) Derived from

einsteinium Es, 99 Albert Einstein (1879-155), physicist rutherfordium Rf, 104 Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937), British

chemist and physicist copernicium Cn, 112 Nicolaus Copernicus (1473- 1543), Polish

astronomer Take a look at the following sentences:

My mother gave birth to my sister via caesarean section.

In this sentence, caesarean section is used to describe the procedure of removing a baby from the mother’s womb through an operation. Caesarean section was derived from Julius Caesar as his name “Caesar” means “to cut” in Latin.

Can you look for a bulb with 5 watts for me?

Watts is a unit for measuring power. It is named in honor of James Watt who is a Scottish


engineer and inventor.

The editors bowdlerize the manuscript before handing it to publishing.

The word bowdlerize is derived from Thomas Bowdler who edited Shakespeare’s works for offensive passages before publishing it. The word means that it has to be edited for sexually offensive words or passages. 2. Words Derived from Names of Places There are also words for some objects or activities that are derived from the name of a place with which the object or activity is particularly associated. Places may often give their names to food which are made there, such as cheddar and champagne. Clothing, such as jerseys, and the materials for clothes, such as denim, are often known by the districts, towns, or countries with which they are associated. Here are some examples of words that originated from places:

Word Meaning Derived from balaclava a close-fitting woolen hood or

hat which covers the ears and neck and was originally worn by soldiers in the Crimean War (1853-1856)

Balaklava, a small port in southern Crimea in the Ukraine

champagne a sparkling white wine which takes its name from the region of France in which it is produced

Champagne, a former province in northern France

cheddar the name of several types of smooth, hard, pale yellow cheese

Cheddar, a village in Somerset

jersey a knitted pullover or garment covering the upper part of the

Jersey, an island in the English Channel


body marathon a race on foot over a distance

of 26 miles and 385 yards Marathon, a plain in Attica, Greece

Aside from the names of elements derived from names of famous scientists, there are also elements that are named after places where these elements were discovered. These are:

Word Description (symbol and atomic number)

Derived from

scandium Sc, 21 Scandia, the Latin name for Scandinavia, where the element was found

strontium Sr, 38 Strontian, a parish in Argyll in Scotland and the site of lead mines in which the element was found

polonium Po, 84 Poland, the native country of Marie Curie (1867-1934), who first isolated the element

Look at the following sentences:

We need to celebrate. Let’s open the champagne.

Champagne is a sparkling white wine which were produced from the grapes grown in Champagne, France. It is usually associated with luxury and special occasions from French royalties.

She is preparing for the marathon by training thrice a week.

The origin of marathon came from the place of Marathon in Greece. It was said that marathon started when a messenger ran from Athens to Sparta to seek help for an upcoming battle. This was then adapted as a sport where runners will run from Marathon to Athens.

Franz said we need to buy cheddar cheese for the party.


Cheddar is a hard yellow white smooth textured type of cheese that originated from Cheddar in Somerset, England.

Check Your Understanding

Using a dictionary, find the meaning and etymology of the following words and

use it in a sentence.

1. armageddon 2. dogmatic 3. Quixotic 4. serene 5. myriad


Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 2: Word Formation

As time goes by, words evolve depending on the current trends set by people. There are words that are familiar to millenials which are odd for those who are probably older

than them.

Warm-up!

Think-Pair-Share Read the conversation with a partner and answer the questions that follow.

Why do you think did Uncle Melo and Tristan fail to understand each other? Were they referring to the same jacket? What words did they use to distinguish the said jacket?


Learn About It!

Word formation can denote either a state or a process. It can also be viewed either diachronically or synchronically. Understanding the different word formation processes helps us to understand the creation of the English vocabulary. Types of Word Formation 1. Affixation or Derivation - This is the process of adding an affix to a word to create a different form of that word or a new word with a different meaning. This has two primary kinds: prefixation or the addition of a prefix, and suffixation or the addition of a suffix.

It was very selfish of you to send the old woman away. It is difficult to regain his trust.

We made sure there will be no disagreement in the proposal.

In these examples, selfish, regaining, and disagreements are words that are formed using affixes. Selfish is a combination of the root word self and the suffix -ish; regain is a combination of the root word gain and the prefix re-; disagreement is a combination of the root word agree and the prefix dis- and suffix -ment. 2. Coinage —This is the invention of totally new terms. Invented trade names are typical examples.

Do you have any aspirin with you?


Aspirin is derived from the words acetylation and Spirsäure or salicylic acid which are primary chemicals that are used to make aspirin.

My mother would often use Teflon cookware.

Teflon is a shortened term for tetrafluoron. It is a type of plastic that does not have a reaction with other substances.

I can’t pull my zipper up.

The origin of the word zipper comes from the word zip-fastener or a slide fastener. 3. Borrowing — This is the process of taking words from other languages.

We find sleeping in a futon very comfortable.

The word futon is a Japanese word which means “bedclothes, bedding”.

Making a slogan for Buwan ng Wika has been a challenging task.

The word slogan is an alteration of Scots slogorne, “battle cry”.

The catering will have a smorgasbord of cheese and crackers.

The word smorgasbord is a Swedish word which literally means “bread and butter table”. 4. Compounding — This refers to the process of joining two or more independent words to produce a new form. Here are some examples of words that use compounding.

fireplace (fire + place) mailman (mail + man)


fingerprint (finger + print)

5. Blending — This is a process of creating a new word by combining the parts of two different words, usually the beginning of one word and the end of another.

The family spent the night in a motel before heading off in the morning.

The word motel is a blending of the words motor and hotel. It is a place where travelers usually stay for a short period of time before they head off to their intended destination.

Don’t forget to bring the camcorder to the party.

Camcorder is a combination of the words camera and recorder. Camcorders are usually used for video recordings.

I love french toast and scrambled eggs for brunch.

Brunch is a combination of the words breakfast and lunch. It is a meal that is usually eaten after breakfast and before lunch. 6. Clipping — This involves reduction of syllables in a word. New words are created by shortening parts of a longer word. Examples of words that are clipped are:

flu (influenza) ad (advertisement)

fax (facsimile)

7. Backformation — This is another special kind of reduction where a word of one type (may be a noun) is reduced to another word of another type (may be a verb).

I did not know that the interview will be televised. The kids donate toys and clothes every Christmas season.


When our house was burgled, we noticed that the thief opened the door by force.

Televise is a backformation of the word television, donate is a backformation of the word donation, and burgle is a backformation of the word burglar. These words are used as verbs in these sentences. 8. Conversion or Functional Shift — In this process, new words are often formed by changing an existing word from one part of speech to another.

a. Noun to verb

The wine was brewed in France but bottled in Hong Kong.

b. Verb to noun

It is a must for you to visit your parents.

c. Adjective to noun

Stop shouting and running around like a crazy.

d. Adjective to verb

Can you empty the bin for me, please?

9. Acronymy — In this type, new words are formed from the initial letters of a set of words.

I can’t find the CD I bought three years ago. (compact disc) My classmates are looking for ways to collaborate with UNICEF. Scientists tried to shoot laser on the manmade moon panels.

In these sentences, acronym words are used. In the first sentence, CD means compact disc; in the second sentence, UNICEF stands for The United Nations Children’s Fund; and in the third


sentence, laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. 10. Folk Etymology — This refers to the changing of a word or a phrase over time which results from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more familiar one.

He is a very dashing bridegroom.

Bridegroom is an Old English word “bryd-guman” which means a man who is about to get married or a newly-married man. 11. Reduplication — This is a process of forming new words by doubling either an entire word (total reduplication) or part of a word (partial reduplication). Take a look at the following examples:

The kids wanted to have a set of walkie-talkies so they can communicate. The exam was just so-so. I am not sure how I will fair in it.

I’d love to stay and chit chat but I’m in a hurry.

12. Echoism or Onomatopoeia — In this type, new words are formed by imitating sounds. Take a look at these examples:

splash roar click


Check Your Understanding

Identify the type of word formation used in the following words and use it in a sentence.

1. emoticon - ______________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. millennial - ______________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. boondocks - ______________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. WiFi - ______________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. tsunami - ______________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________


Let’s Step Up!


Lesson 3: Context Clues

While you are reading a novel or an article while browsing the internet, you may encounter words that are unfamiliar to you.

You then rely on other sentences that may give you an idea about the meaning of the word you encountered. These are called context clues.

Warm-up!

Form a group with three to five members. With your group, analyze the following paragraph. Identify the unfamiliar words you see within

the paragraph and try to define each word. How did you know the meaning of the unfamiliar words? What hints did you get to define these words? Share your insights in class.


Learn About It!

When you come across a word you do not know, you can figure out the meaning of that word using the words around it. These words are known as context clues. A reader should rely on context clues when an obvious clue to meaning is provided or when only a general sense of the meaning is needed for the reader’s purposes. Context clues should not be used when a precise meaning is required, when clues suggest several possible definitions, when nearby words are unfamiliar, and when the unknown word is a common one that will be needed again. In these cases, a dictionary should be used. Types of Context clues Context clues come in various forms. These are as follows: 1. Definition — In this type, the new word may be formally defined or an explanation may be provided within the sentence or in the following sentence. Signal words include is, are, means, and refers to. Commas, dashes, and parentheses are also used.

His emaciation, his skeleton-like appearance, was frightening to see. An herbivore is an animal that eats only plants.

A gavel refers to a mallet used to command attention or confirm an action.

In these examples, the words are directly defined or explained within the sentence. The definition of these words are signaled by a comma or the words is and refers to.


2. Restatement — This type involves other ways of writing a new word. Restatements use key words such as in other words or that is.

The civilians resisted the new laws. That is, they did not agree with them or follow them.

In this example, the word resisted is restated in the sentence as they do not agree with the law or do not follow the law.

The new student was mischievous. In other words, he did not behave well and created trouble.

In this example, mischievous is restated as someone who does not behave well or creates trouble.

Brie felt her ire rise because of the comment. In other words, she got really angry.

In this example, ire is restated as an expression of being angry. 3. Synonym — In this type of clue, another word or phrase that is similar in meaning or can be compared to an unfamiliar word is used. Key words include also, as, like, resembling, similarly, same, and too.

My dog Barney travels everywhere with me. My friend’s canine buddy travels everywhere with him, too.

The young girl was very aloof. She always seemed unsociable and uninterested. Tony is such a headstrong person. He is hasty in making decisions for the team.

In these sentences, the synonym of the unfamiliar words are seen in the other parts of the sentence. Canine is the synonym of dog; aloof is the synonym of unsociable and uninterested; and headstrong is the synonym of hasty. 4. Antonym — Another word or phrase that means about the opposite of or is in contrast


with an unfamiliar word is used. Key words used are but, however, in contrast, instead of, on the other hand, though, and unlike.

Even if the group was befuddled with the problem, Cora explained it very well.

In this example, the opposite of the word befuddled is explained. This means that befuddled is confused or unclear.

When the light brightens, the pupils of the eyes contract; however, when it grows darker, they dilate.

In this example, dilate is the opposite of contract. This means that the definition of dilate is expand.

Romeo and Juliet remained intimate with one another despite the coldness of their families toward each other.

In this example, intimate is the opposite of coldness. This means that intimate is affectionate.


Check Your Understanding Encircle the letter of the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence.

1. Rick is an avid basketball fan. He started watching basketball because his brothers

are also fans. a. devoted b. dull c. cool

2. The theory is not yet proven to be true. We have to test it further. a. fact b. belief c. method

3. The chef’s slice was very precise that it has perfect thickness. a. crooked b. grooved c. exact

4. Hanna was limber while doing backbends while Cris was so stiff. a. rigid b. flexible c. awkward

5. His health deteriorated or became impaired because he did not take care of his body. a. weakened b. changed c. improved

Let’s Step Up!


Performance Task

NO TO PEER PRESSURE: A DOCUMENTARY

GOAL: Your task is to create a 10-minute documentary about teenagers experiencing different forms and effects of peer pressure and how they can cope with this issue. ROLE: You have been asked to present a documentary to the school community about peer pressure and ways to solve and avoid peer pressure in their surroundings. AUDIENCE: The target audience are teenagers aged 14 to 16 years old who are currently studying in your school, as well as teachers and school personnel. SITUATION: The challenge involves dealing with teenagers who are experiencing peer pressure from others. This involves their lack of awareness about the issue and coping mechanisms to address it. PRODUCT/PERFORMANCE AND PURPOSE: The task is to create a 10-minute documentary about teenagers experiencing forms and effects of peer pressure and how they can cope with it.

1. The class will be broken down to groups with at least 5 members. They will be asked to do a research on peer pressure by going to the library or searching for legitimate internet materials.

2. Based on their research they will create a script and storyboard of their short

film. They must incorporate the use of word etymology, word formation, and context clues in their script through the explanation of some terminologies they will introduce. This will be checked through group consultations with the teacher.

3. The finished documentary should be in MP4 or WMV format and submitted

through a USB flash drive. They are also to submit a printed written report of the contents of their documentary.


STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS: They will be graded based on the following rubric:

Criteria Beginning (0-12 points)

Developing (13-16 points)

Accomplished (17-20 points)

Score

Content (Focus on details/events are clearly evident; it is clearly related to the topic.)

Organization (Logical progression of details/events; clear transitions between ideas.)

Language (spelling, mechanics, grammar and usage)

Effective use of word etymology, word formation, and context clues

Unfamiliar words are not explained effectively.

Some words are not clearly explained.

All words are clearly explained.

Execution of the documentary film

The documentary was unclear and unpolished

Some parts of the documentary needed further details

The documentary was clear and concise.

Written output The written output has no connection with the documentary.

Some concepts in the written output were not seen in the documentary

The written output explains the documentary film well.


Total Score:

Self-Check: How Well Did I Learn?

Do a self-check on how well you learned the lessons in this unit. Place a checkmark in the appropriate box.

Skills I think I need more

practice and assistance

I am familiar and can perform well

with minimal assistance

I am confident that I can perform this on

my own

I can explain how words are derived from names of persons and places.

I can arrive at meaning of words through word formation (clipping, blending, acronymy, compounding, folk etymology, etc.).

I can note types of context clue (restatement, definition, synonyms, antonyms) used for a given word or expression.


Wrap Up

Understanding Words and Expressions

Word Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin of words and how the meaning of words changed over the course of history. It explores the history and development of individual words.

Word formation Word formation refers to the ways in which new words are made on the basis of other words. Types of Word formation include:

● Affixation or Derivation ● Coinage ● Borrowing ● Compounding ● Blending ● Clipping ● Backformation ● Conversion or Functional Shift ● Acronymy ● Folk Etymology ● Reduplication ● Echoism or Onomatopoeia

Context clues Context clues are hints found within a sentence or paragraph that a reader can use to understand the meanings of new or unfamiliar words. Types of context clues include

● Definition ● Restatement ● Synonym ● Antonym


Bibliography

Etymology. Wikipedia. 2017. Accessed May 25, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology Etymology — Tracing Word Origins. 2017. Accessed May 25, 2017.

http://www.nativlang.com/linguistics/historical-etymology-lessons.php Gusano, Cristina. An Introduction to Etymology: Eight Great Word Origins. 2016. Accessed May

25, 2017. https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/an-introductionto-etymology-eight-great-word-origins

Maddox, Maeve. 30 Words Inspired by 29 People and an Elephant. Daily Writing Tips. 2014.

Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.dailywritingtips.com/30-wordsinspired-by-29-people-and-an-elephant/

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.merriamwebster.com/ Four Types of Context Clues. Understand the Types of Context Clues to Master Vocabulary.

2017. Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/four-types-of-context-clues-3211721

Words Derived From Names of Persons. 2017. Accessed. May 25, 2017.

http://hullawe.org.uk/index.php?title=Words_Derived_From_Names_of_Persons Words Derived From Names of Places. 2017. Accessed. May 25, 2017.

http://hullawe.org.uk/index.php?title=Words_Derived_From_Names_of_Places Recommended Links for This Unit: Nordquist, Richard. An Introduction to Etymology: Word Stories. The Surprising Origins of

Everyday Words. 2017. Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/etymology-word-stories-1692654

Nordquist, Richard. Context Clue (Vocabulary). Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms.

2017. Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/context-clue-vocabulary-1689919

Nordquist, Richard. Word Formation. Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms. 2017.


Accessed May 25, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/word-formation1692501 Roell, Kelly.


grade 9 unit 5: understanding words and expressions

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