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Believe it or not, this is not the first time I've heard of this happening.

I'm just thankful that no racy information is available on the internet.

Blow me.

Charlie

That's just funny!

Quote:

Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary The dictionaries were in the reference section of the fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms. "They will determine the extent to which the dictionaries support the curriculum, the age appropriateness of the materials and its suitability for the age levels of the students," ... ... these dictionaries are the same ones we use in our spelling bees," ...

Might believe this version may be meant for college students, many most popular ones are, Random House has a Webster's college dictionary, too.  I haven't compared them for certain definitions.

I don't know what is meant by "these dictionaries", unless that particular dictionary is the official spelling reference, but spelling certain words can get difficult and the "suitability for the age levels" in spelling bees can go far beyond their present grade.  Compromising to an edition with many less words will not be easily decided.

If a parent, I'd keep a thick and thorough dictionary at home anyway and very accessible whether or not a school provides one.

Looking up silly words doesn't stop in elementary school, what are they going to do for sixth and seventh graders at middle schools next?

I was struck by the concluding sentence in the article....

"At the end of the day, if my kid is digging through the Merriam Webster dictionary to find words he and his friends are going to giggle over but along the way find other words they will use, I think that is a day well spent in school," he said.

Which reminded me of my Father....an 8th grade graduate who was as well-spoken as any college grad.

He had a reverence for the English language that I find woefully rare. While he wouldn't have said sh*t if he had a mouthful...he told me (and I believe fervently)that the English language is the most expressive and descriptive ever....and I should learn as many words as possible....including profane. Use them, or not, at least KNOW them...or you are an uneducated man...and therefore bereft. He'd add..an educated man knows when to use the proper word(s).....

Please, spare me from those who know what's best for me.... thank you very much, but I am an intelligent man...I was raised to be....and I'll make my own decisions on what is appropriate or not...shield your children if you will...just don't make decisions for me or mine....

In his house, we had an 18" thick dictionary that had ALL the words.....To this day...when I come across a new dictionary...the first thing I look up is the "dirty" words....if someone ELSE has decided what I should or should NOT know....what else then has been removed...for my benefit, of course...sheesh....

You can have my "unabridged" dictionary when you pry it out of my cold dead hands...thanks Dad....you TRUSTED me to think for myself...after insuring I was enabled to do so.....

Rant over....

Best,

Jon

Really well said, Jon. Thanks for posting it;  I couldn't agree more.

Jon, your Dad was a very wise man... and brought you up to be one also. I agree wholeheartedly with your rant.

My mom was 83 and each year we got her a "Word-a-Day" calendar for Christmas and each day she LEARNED a new word and forpetesake USED that word ALL damn day!!

A NO, I don't want anyone thinking for me. I have a perfectly good brain (with MRI pictures to prove it!) so I don't NEED people telling me what's good for me. I can make my own mistakes thank you very much.

Insofar as kids looking up the "wrong" words in the dictionary - so what? At least they're doing something productive and maybe learning something ... Lordy, I can remember a lot of my class sitting in the hall during lunch hour reading Shakespear cause we heard he wrote some "dirty" stuff in his plays. He did and we READ it all.

Hugs BD :-*

Back in the stone tablet days of my yute, we all spent time pouring over Webster for such stuff. It was part of growing up.

When censored or not found, hangin' around Mr. Carlson's news store solved a lot of problems.

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Jan 28^th, 2010 at 9:48am:

hangin' around Mr. Carlson's news stope solved a lot of problems.

??? hadda check.  Ran across stork.  It's where babies come from, picture and all.   giggle.

"Stoop" might fit START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Jan 27^th, 2010 at 12:58pm:

Blow me.

The act of sucking one's ......

better not in case there's any kids on board...



Lefty..!