Word Origins & Metaphors: Take Their Word for It!
A rebus — a picture puzzle that represents words. Can you figure it out?
Students learn how scientific terms are formed using Latin and Greek roots, prefixes and suffixes, and on that basis, learn to make an educated guess about the meaning of a word. Students are introduced to the role played by metaphor in language development.
Engineers often research so deep into a topic that their resulting textbooks and articles are full of technical words that are hard to understand. Just like in medicine, in science and engineering, recognizing Latin and Greek word origins can help with the understanding and communication of technical material. Even so, the well-educated engineer is skilled at explaining technical concepts to audiences of all backgrounds, and often uses metaphors to explain scientific and engineering concepts.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Incorporate source materials into their speaking and writing (for example, interviews, news articles, encyclopedia information).
- Write and speak in the content areas using the technical vocabulary of the subject accurately.
- Read, respond to and discuss literature that represents points-of-view from places, people, and events that are familiar and unfamiliar.
- Understand that well-educated engineers are skilled at explaining technical concepts to audiences of all backgrounds