So... I haven't posted in a while, but I have read a great deal. In 2013, I would like to be a slightly more consistent blogger. (Hopefully this resolution doesn't follow the others to that very sad land of failed resolutions.)
In any case, to get started, here is a quickie post sharing Random House's list of literary insults. I know some people may find it tedious to actually click on the books to see the results and prefer and actual list; however, I like this design choice simply because it means I can pick and choose which insults I would prefer to see based on which books I've actually read. I also happen to like cover art, so seeing it is also a plus.
Design aspects aside, I think it's really great Random House publishing is putting out "articles" like this on their Web site because I think it really shows how much language gives us and can help people appreciate the power of words.
I mean, when I was a kid, I used to really love those "Yo' mama" jokes. If I could have read some of these insults, I think I would have been cooler for it. (Or maybe my nerdiness status would have persisted, but at least now I could look back and say I had that Tina Fey or Neil Patrick Harris persistent awesomeness.)
However, if later coolness is not something that appeals to your students, teachers may be able to tell students that using a quote such as Kurt Vonnegut's, "If your brains were dynamite there wouldn’t be enough to blow your hat off" then they're less likely a) to get beat up by other students and b) get in trouble with teachers.
No comments:
Post a Comment