I am thankful for the Biblical preaching and strong servant leadership at Church of the Redeemer, PCA where we are members.
Read about the Evangelical collapse here: http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2009/03/evangelical-collapse-revealed.php
September 18, 2009
Mom, how many words are in the English Language?
On the surface, John Michael seemed to pose a simple question...one that of course, Google would be able to answer. Right? However, this is what I found that lead into a one hour....yes, that's right, I said a one hour discussion on all the possiblities.
There are many problems in knowing even how to COUNT "words" -- some of which are mentioned below. But what we CAN say is that there is NO English dictionary that includes every word. This is for many reasons, including the fact that even "unabridged dictionaries" do not include all the scientific names in use, and cannot keep completely up to date with every word, since new ones are always being coined.At any rate, the number of *dictionary entries* in the most extensive unabridged dictionaries is slightly under a half million, so that would be a reasonable baseline and an estimate of a million is understandable, though not necessarily all that helpful
Anyway, here's where the problems begin. The question is WHAT do you include as a "distinct word" to list?
For instance:1) RELATED FORMS a) Do you count just the 'root form' (called a "lexeme")** or all the forms that are derived from it? e.g., do you just include "find" or do you add in the various forms finds, finding, found as separate words? Do you count "finder" separately? (and also the plural and possessive forms? b) Do you count noun & verb forms of the same root? c) When do you treat the different meanings of a noun (or any other word part) as a distinct word? (cf. "run" with the meaning "creek", "flaw" (as in a stocking), "scoring play in baseball", etc. )
2) COMPOUNDS a) How do you count COMPOUND words - you have "run" "away" and "home" -- are the nouns "run", "runaway" and "homerun" distinct? b) Related to compounds -- What about NUMBERS -- you can create new numbers ad infinitum! Does each one count as a new word? (More likely you'd want to count just one [or zero!] to twenty, thirty, forty...hundred, thousand, etc.) c) How far in series like "greatgrandfather" "greatgreatgrandfather" etc are we to count?
3) WORDS OF LIMITED USEa) DIALECTS - when a word is found only in one or a limited number of dialects, do you count it?b) technical terms limited to one field (e.g., medicine, law)c) foreign words (when are they added in as "English words"?)d) Archaic/obsolete/rarely used words -- when do we stop counting these (Does anything that has EVER been an English word count?)
Yes....we did discuss all of the possiblities and made multiple words lists. You know what? It was awesome!
There are many problems in knowing even how to COUNT "words" -- some of which are mentioned below. But what we CAN say is that there is NO English dictionary that includes every word. This is for many reasons, including the fact that even "unabridged dictionaries" do not include all the scientific names in use, and cannot keep completely up to date with every word, since new ones are always being coined.At any rate, the number of *dictionary entries* in the most extensive unabridged dictionaries is slightly under a half million, so that would be a reasonable baseline and an estimate of a million is understandable, though not necessarily all that helpful
Anyway, here's where the problems begin. The question is WHAT do you include as a "distinct word" to list?
For instance:1) RELATED FORMS a) Do you count just the 'root form' (called a "lexeme")** or all the forms that are derived from it? e.g., do you just include "find" or do you add in the various forms finds, finding, found as separate words? Do you count "finder" separately? (and also the plural and possessive forms? b) Do you count noun & verb forms of the same root? c) When do you treat the different meanings of a noun (or any other word part) as a distinct word? (cf. "run" with the meaning "creek", "flaw" (as in a stocking), "scoring play in baseball", etc. )
2) COMPOUNDS a) How do you count COMPOUND words - you have "run" "away" and "home" -- are the nouns "run", "runaway" and "homerun" distinct? b) Related to compounds -- What about NUMBERS -- you can create new numbers ad infinitum! Does each one count as a new word? (More likely you'd want to count just one [or zero!] to twenty, thirty, forty...hundred, thousand, etc.) c) How far in series like "greatgrandfather" "greatgreatgrandfather" etc are we to count?
3) WORDS OF LIMITED USEa) DIALECTS - when a word is found only in one or a limited number of dialects, do you count it?b) technical terms limited to one field (e.g., medicine, law)c) foreign words (when are they added in as "English words"?)d) Archaic/obsolete/rarely used words -- when do we stop counting these (Does anything that has EVER been an English word count?)
Yes....we did discuss all of the possiblities and made multiple words lists. You know what? It was awesome!
August 14, 2009
Pantry Party Anyone?
Hello All! Sorry for the long delay between posts. I'm rather frantically getting the details taken care of for the two Classical Conversations programs I will run this fall. I think I have everything sorted out, and low and behold.....it's that 4 am wake up call again. Yikes....I almost forgot to fill in the blank. I will schedule posting into my fall schedule.....really. It's on my To Do list.
Now on to the topic.......What is a Pantry Party? Is this something you simply MUST attend? THE social event of the year? Sorry....no.
Simply put, I had a wonderful time during triple coupon week at the local Harris Teeter. The cupboards are full, the freezer is full....and I just want to order everyone pizza and curl up with a good book. (but that would defeat the purpose of the time spent diligently cutting coupons and making careful grocery lists) Even fully stocked, I am completely uninspired.
SO, for the next 2 weeks...I challenge myself not to go to the grocery store. Some of you may say, "Well, 2 weeks, no big thing."
You obviously do not have a teen dancer, a 12 year old "man-child" preparing to grow another 6 inches very soon, a 9 year old in a growth spurt, a 6 year old and a hubby who, ahem, likes to eat good food daily. I still don't know why they all have to eat EVERY day. Good grief.
Since I need inspiration and I enjoy a good challenge, I am making a 3 colum list. Headings are: Meat/Fish; Starch; Veggie; I will go through each and every cabinet and both Fridge/Freezers Once I have my list I will put together meals using only what I have in the house. I've done this before, but thought it would be more fun to see if anyone wants to join me. It can get pretty interesting toward the end of the time period. (you set your own)
Going to make my list now.......more later.....
Now on to the topic.......What is a Pantry Party? Is this something you simply MUST attend? THE social event of the year? Sorry....no.
Simply put, I had a wonderful time during triple coupon week at the local Harris Teeter. The cupboards are full, the freezer is full....and I just want to order everyone pizza and curl up with a good book. (but that would defeat the purpose of the time spent diligently cutting coupons and making careful grocery lists) Even fully stocked, I am completely uninspired.
SO, for the next 2 weeks...I challenge myself not to go to the grocery store. Some of you may say, "Well, 2 weeks, no big thing."
You obviously do not have a teen dancer, a 12 year old "man-child" preparing to grow another 6 inches very soon, a 9 year old in a growth spurt, a 6 year old and a hubby who, ahem, likes to eat good food daily. I still don't know why they all have to eat EVERY day. Good grief.
Since I need inspiration and I enjoy a good challenge, I am making a 3 colum list. Headings are: Meat/Fish; Starch; Veggie; I will go through each and every cabinet and both Fridge/Freezers Once I have my list I will put together meals using only what I have in the house. I've done this before, but thought it would be more fun to see if anyone wants to join me. It can get pretty interesting toward the end of the time period. (you set your own)
Going to make my list now.......more later.....
July 14, 2009
My web picks for today...........
This was a thought provoking post. Long, but in my opinion, worth the read.
http://evangelicalinthewilderness.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-i-found-church-christian-society.html
and
My husband's aunt has a new website up. Check it out: www.genesisdays.com I am eagerly anticipating the rest of the story. Her personal story is amazing, but you'll have to email her to ask her about it, it's not on the web.
http://evangelicalinthewilderness.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-i-found-church-christian-society.html
and
My husband's aunt has a new website up. Check it out: www.genesisdays.com I am eagerly anticipating the rest of the story. Her personal story is amazing, but you'll have to email her to ask her about it, it's not on the web.
July 9, 2009
Cousin Time
Pictures from top to bottom:1 Luke, Matthew, John Michael and Noah waiting patiently for the cue to get in line at the fish fry.
2 Noah /Jake and John Michael /Abe Chicken Fighting in the pool at the Marina
3 Cousins Grayson, Matthew, Kendall, Jake, Noah, Mary Cameron, Luke and John Michael
4 Kendall, Matthew and Mary Cameron
Keeper of the Teddy Grahams
Cousin Kendall, keeper of all things "Teddy Graham" doling out a small sample of yummy chocolate bears to Luke........
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