Thought Socks

The editors of the American Heritage dictionaries have compiled a list of 100 words they recommend every student to finish High School should know.

Senior editor, Steven Kleinedler, says “The words we suggest, are not meant to be exhaustive but are a benchmark against which graduates and their parents can measure themselves. If you are able to use these words correctly, you are likely to have a superior command of the language.”

Here’s the list.

I can’t decide whether it’s good or bad. On one hand it promotes the furthering of language and vocabulary in the texting generation, which is a necessary and wonderful thing to do. On the other it seems silly: I won’t dispute that knowing the entire list would make you a, urm, superior commander, but I wouldn’t bet on there being more than 50-100 individuals in the UK who know that entire list when they finish compulsary education - more than that select bunch have a superior command; thelist is no indication. Take for instance ‘Ziggurat’ (One which I had to look up). It seems to me like a word one might pick up on the off chance and for some reason - probably because it begins with ‘Z’ - remember. It’s a piece of random general knowledge, of no use to you in general conversation, unless you’re into Babylonian and Assyrian history. Or Mitosis - it’s used only in biology. They’re trying to include high school scientific terms - they are, I suppose, just trying to cover all the bases, which they’ve by no means done.

But a definite stance doesn’t have to be taken. We get vocabulary from literature anyway, not lists, and intelligence is indicated by the clarity not elaborateness of the explanation, especially in high school exams.

Thoughts are very welcome. Some interesting ones on this are offered at 9rules Education Notes.