Exceptional Expressions Posted 04/03/2010 Permanent Link
#29 Imagine
EVERYDAY EVENTS:
This week’s Exceptional Expression for Everyday Events hones in on the word imagine. In the classroom students may be asked to use their imagination for a variety of learning exercises, such as a creative writing assignment or to study a certain time period. Students may be asked by the teacher to use their imaginations to write a fictional story about a fantasy land of their own creation. A teacher may also ask a student to imagine what it would be like to be one of the very first settlers in a new world.
EXCEPTIONAL EXPRESSION:
The word imagine can be used to mean to conceive or to dream up an idea of a fictitious nature. In this case imagine is used as a verb to describe the act of visualizing a concept that has yet to become a reality. An example of this idea would be Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “I Have a Dream Speech” where he challenges us to conceive of a society where racial boundaries have ceased to exist.
FOLLOW-UPS:
- How does visualizing a plan before acting on it help a person to avoid problems that may arise?
- When might it be helpful to imagine things that aren’t really there? When might it not be helpful?
THE SPANISH CONNECTIONS:
The word imagine comes from the late 12th century Anglo-Norman word, imagener, that meant to assume, suppose. From the definition of the Anglo-Norman cognate, we see that the original meaning for imagine has remained, although it is not the more commonly used definition today. The Spanish word for imagine is the cognate imaginar. Imaginar came from the classical Latin word imaginare, which in turn came from a 12th century British word. Imagine is an example of a word that does not share a common root with its cognates, but instead one word is derived from the root of the other word.
WORD CHANGES:
1) IDIOMS:
- Can you imagine?
- Fancy/imagine that!
2) COMMON PHRASES:
- Just imagine
Click here to download the printable version of E4: Imagine.
