(continued from previous blog (A is for Adorkable))

WEBSTER AND S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G

Noah Webster believed the American people needed a new alphabet, a new language, a new Bible, new social reforms, a new government.  In 1783 he created the American Spelling Book which embodied his principles that spelling, grammar, and usage should be based upon the living, spoken language rather than on artificial rules.  Welcome to the New World.

Did these Websterian ideas and principles from the 1700’s of a living, spoken language contribute to the addition of words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary today such as dumbphone, level up, mojo, false positive, and baller?

ballyhoo

noun

bal·​ly·​hoo | \ ˈba-lē-ˌhü  \

plural ballyhoos

Definition of ballyhoo

1: a noisy attention-getting demonstration or talk

2: flamboyant, exaggerated, or sensational promotion or publicity

3: excited commotion

dumbphone

 noun

dumb·​phone | \ ˈdəm-ˌfōn  \

plural dumbphones

Definition of dumbphone

: a cell phone that does not include advanced software features (such as email or an internet browser) typically found on smartphones 

level up

verb

Definition of level up

transitive + intransitive

: to advance or improve (oneself, someone else, or something) in or as if in a game

mojo

noun

mo·​jo | \ ˈmō-ˌhō  \

Definition of mojo 

: a sauce, marinade, or seasoning that is usually composed primarily of olive oil, garlic, citrus juice, and spices (such as black pepper and cumin)

false positive

noun

Definition of false positive

: a person or test result that is incorrectly classified as positive (as for the presence of a health condition) because of imperfect testing methods or procedures

baller

adjective

Definition of baller 

informal

: excellent, exciting, or extraordinary especially in a way that is suggestive of a lavish lifestyle

Webster did not simply endeavor to teach children how to spell, he tried to bundle spelling, reading and a little bit of moral instruction.  In the “Blue Black Speller” as the American Spelling Book was dubbed, note the following notes, references, and exercises to teach children how to read and to know their duty. 

dub

\ ˈdəb  \

dubbed; dubbing

Definition of dub

: to confer knighthood on was dubbed Sir Philip

: to call by a distinctive title, epithet, or nickname

Critics have dubbed him the new king of rock 'n' roll.

: to execute poorly

: to add (sound effects or new dialogue) to a film or to a radio or television production 

: Jamaican music in which audio effects and spoken or chanted words are imposed on an instrumental reggae background

EXCERPTS FROM AMERICAN SPELLING BOOK

N. B. Foreigners are very apt to pronounce th like d as, dis dat, for this, that.  A little care will break this habit both in children and adults.

TABLE XIII.

Lessons of easy Words, to teach Children to read, and to know their Duty.

LESSON I.

No man may put off the law of God.

My joy is in his law all the day.

O may I not go in the way of sin.

Let me not go in the way of ill men.

Lesson II.

A bad man is a foe to the law.

It is his joy to do ill.

All men go out of the way.

Who can say he has no sin?

Lesson III.

The way of man is ill.

My son, do as you are bid.

But if you are bid, do no ill.

See not my sin, and let me not go to the pit.

Noah Webster bundled activities like Flo bundles insurance. While we teach our children how to spell, let us teach them how to live.

“ Lesson 12.

Be a good child; mind your books; love your school, and strive to learn.

Tell no tales; call no ill names; you must not lie, nor swear, nor cheat, nor steal.

Play not with bad boys; use no ill words at play; spend your time well; live in peace and shun all strife. This is the way to make good men love you, and save your soul from pain and woe.

A bad life will make a bad end.

He must live well that will die well. He doth live ill that doth not mend. In time to come we must do no ill.

Lesson 13.

A good child will not lie, swear, nor steal. – He will be good at home, and ask to read his book; when he gets up he will wash his hands and face clean; he will comb his hair, and make haste to school; he will not play by the way, as bad boys do.

Lesson 14.

When good boys and girls are at school, they will mind their books and try to learn to spell and read well, and not play in the time of school. When they are at church, they will sit, kneel or stand still; and when they are at home, will read some good book, that God may bless them.

Lesson 15.

As for those boys and girls that mind not their books, and love not the church and school, but play with such as tell tales, tell lies, curse, swear, and steal, they will come to some bad end, and must be whipt till they mend their ways.”

Ways to Celebrate National Dictionary Day

1. Play a game of Balderdash with friends.

2. Host a Book Reading Club

3. In comments below please share the coolest word you know (doesn’t have to be English) with the definition. (optional use it in a sentence)

4. Please comment and share this blog with others and spread the word.

5. GAMES - FAVORITE NEW WORDS IN THE DICTIONARY

   https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-games/new-words-2022

   Part 3 of this blog will be released tomorrow. Webster and the… C is for_________. Please give me a good word that starts with the Letter C. Comment Below. :-).
   

* R e f e r e n c e s

1. The American Spelling Book by Noah Webster

2. Definitions listed in this blog are from the Merriam Webster Dictionary.