[AAACE-NLA] aliens and where's the teaching.

[Wrigley, Heide]

The current discussion on aliens, human beings, and illegals, made me
think of an important distinction in language studies: Perhaps it is
useful for us to think in terms of both denotation (the dictionary or
legal definition of a term) and connotation (the feelings and
suggestions associated with a term). 
 
Certainly, "alien" is an established legal definition but it is not a
neutral term. Using it or not using it, accepting it or using an
alternative reflects a certain view of the world and hints at differing
cultural perspectives and (often deeply held) values. 
 
In these highly charged times, we might make our students aware of these
distinctions as part of culture and vocabulary study. 
 
Heide Spruck Wrigley 
 
 
________________________________

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.literacytent.org/pipermail/aaace-nla/attachments/20070504/770a9c95/attachment.html