Morphology/Semantics

Activity
Amanda Valdivia
LAPU ENGL 420 Principles of Lang.
“Banger”
Definition: A super awesome song. The kind you
listen to for three hours on repeat on
Spotify.(Smith, 2011)

In a sentence: This song is a banger!!

Legit
Definition: A shortened form of the
word "legitimate". however, this term is
nowhere near the real meaning of
"legitimate", since it is commonly used
to describe things as cool or extremely
awesome.(Smith, 2011)
In a sentence: That bike he has with the
chrome rims is LEGIT!
Hard
Definition: cool, really outstanding,
look nice. (Smith, 2011)

Sentence: Those speakers go hard in

your car.
Sus
Definition: 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. (Smith, 2011)

In a sentence: That girl is acting really sus…she’s up to no good.

Humblebrag
Definition: Subtly letting others know about how
fantastic your life is while undercutting it with a bit of
self-effacing humor or "woe is me" gloss. (Smith,
2011)

Sentence: I love how my husband works so hard for

our little family so I can stay home and focus on the
kids and school. (ex: humblebragging)
Doggo
Definition #1 : A force so powerful we
could easily die close to one

Sentence: This doggo has those threes

blown to pieces.

Definition #2: Another word for "dog" or a

cute way to say “dog”.

Sentence: I love my doggo! He’s so cute .

(Smith, 2011)
Ghosting

Definition: 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. (Smith, 2011)

Sentence: That girl is ghosting me by not calling

me after our date.
FOMO
Definition: a state of mental or emotional strain
caused by the fear of missing out. (Smith, 2011)

Sentence: I have FOMO if I don’t get invited to

that birthday party everyone else is going to.
Gaute
Definition : Gaute is Cool, sexy hot and
awesome, these words describe Gaute, as
they were, gods or emperors.(Smith, 2011)

Sentence : “Oh wow, that girl has

Gaute.”
What struck you about the language being used by the teenagers whom you observed?

Teenagers have their own special way of conversing, with words and phrases that are unique to them. When you observe them,
you can see how fast their language changes as new slang words pop up all the time. Additionally, they often shorten words, use
emojis, and share funny internet pictures called "GIFs" when they talk online. Understanding how they talk can tell you a lot
about who they hang out with and what they're into. (Heim, I., & Kratzer, A. (1998).

Before listening to them, I anticipated hearing relatively new words, some of which might be annoying. Personally, I neither
understand nor have much interest in learning their new slang. However, as an educator, I recognize the importance of
understanding my students and being attentive to disrespectful language, as much of their new slang can be disrespectful.
Why do teenagers have their own set of vocabulary? Be sure to consider the
developmental stages of adolescence, and what is being accomplished intra- and
inter-personally, by creating a shared language.

Adolescence is a period marked by significant identity exploration and development. Teenagers are figuring
out who they are, what they believe in, and how they want to present themselves to the world. Developing a
shared language with their peers allows them to express their individuality and establish a sense of belonging
within their social groups. Developing their own vocabulary allows teenagers to assert their autonomy and
differentiate themselves from adults. It's a way for them to carve out their own cultural space separate from
that of older generations. In addition, I believe the ultimate reason for this type of language expression is
because teenagers are heavily influenced by popular culture, including music, movies, social media, and the
internet. They often adopt language trends and slang terms popularized by celebrities, influencers, and
online communities. This constant exposure to new linguistic expressions contributes to the evolution of their
own vocabulary(Zeh, N. (n.d.)..
What comparisons/connections can you make
to your own adolescent linguistic practices?
My choice of language was greatly influenced by my close circle of friends at school, and some of these
words continue to be influenced by the same friends I associate with today. However, I made sure to use
appropriate language when communicating with my elders and teachers, which doesn't seem to be the norm
in today's society. I observe that today's generation often uses their slang as their primary form of
communication, sometimes even using these words disrespectfully towards their elders.
How do you connect this activity (morphology/semantics in practical application) to
your readings about morphology/semantics from a theoretical perspective?

Language is always changing in the real world and as it happens. This happens because of lots of things like
society, culture, and technology. Morphology (how words are formed) and semantics (the meanings of
words) are always changing too, to keep up with these shifts. People make up new words, meanings of words
change, and the way we use words shifts as people talk in different situations. So, knowing about morphology
and semantics helps us understand how language changes and grows to match what society needs at any
given time(Heim, I., & Kratzer, A. (1998). .
How will you apply this information in your
future classroom?
As a teacher, I will have a great chance to get my students involved in analyzing how language is used in real
life. This means looking at how language changes over time and in different social and cultural situations,
which I personally believe is extremely important. I will do this by helping students explore how words and
phrases are understood in books, movies, and everyday conversations. It's also important to discuss with my
class how social and cultural factors influence the way we use language. Also, by digging into the subtle
meanings and variations in language, I can encourage my students to think deeply about how language works
and how it affects communication with others, such as their classmates. This might involve talking about how
powerful words can be, how language shapes our beliefs and feelings, and why it's crucial to use language in
a respectful and responsible manner above all. Today, one’s dialect might come off as illiterate to others,
when in fact it is certainly a form of their own language influenced by their culture.
Does this learning change the way that you will approach
students from a linguistic perspective?

Yes because if I understand teenagers' slang and new language, I can establish better connections with my
students. By showing that I understand and value students' language choices, I can make the classroom
environment more welcoming and supportive for everyone. Additionally, acknowledging and respecting
teenagers' slang and new language demonstrates that I value my students' identities and perspectives. This
can contribute to a positive classroom culture where my students feel respected, heard, and accepted(Zeh, N.
(n.d.).
References:

A. Heim, I., & Kratzer, A. (1998). Semantics in Generative Grammar. Blackwell Publishers.
B. Smith, R. (2011). Urban dictionary: youth slanguage and the redefining of definition. English Today,
27(4), 43–48. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266078411000526
C. Plag, I. (2003). Word-Formation in English. Cambridge University Press.
D. Zeh, N. (n.d.). Teaching morphology to improve literacy. In A Guide for Teachers (pp. 3–11).
https://www.uwo.ca/fhs/lwm/teaching/dld2_2017_18/Zeh_Morphological-Awareness.pdf