Word associated with Christianity and British history taken out of the dictionary

[PeterCH]

Just tell me they didn't include "Web 2.0" in the new dictionary! OMW! The web and people who use it are becoming more retarded.

I so miss the 90's.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

When the hell are conservatives going to stop their relentless rampage against Western values? Actually what are Western values? I presume whatever they are they have always been exactly as they are today.


There is nothing stopping you buying a more complete version of the dictionary. Besides which vocabulary comes from reading books, not dictionaries.

Yes, but say for instance I want my kid to do look up stuff on his OWN - I would be inclined to buy this dictionary and not the Complete Dictionary. If you do not know what Western values are, then you have lived under a cave but among other things, it supports liberty, freedom and equal justice.

Of course most vocabulary comes from reading, but what if the word you want to find out is not in the dictionary because some multi-culti chop has removed it because it is representative of the old great British Empire.

Xarog: Children are easily influenced, this is where the greatest dumbing down can take place. The Labour party have already broken the education system, can't they just stop or are they still in the mindless pursuit of mediocrity? Are you not concerned that the words removed are too appease a certain other religious group?

As someone said on the Comments section:

This is yet another aspect of the impoverishment of British education.

A simple example: With the removal of the word 'aisle', suppose a child is in a shop and needs to refer to the gap or lane between the shelves, what do they call it? Or the gap between blocks of seats in a cinema or theatre. It's an aisle, isn't it, so what makes these lexicographers think that it's exclusively a religious term?

Idiots!

 

[rwenzori]

Yes, but say for instance I want my kid to do look up stuff on his OWN - I would be inclined to buy this dictionary and not the Complete Dictionary.

Out of interest, the "complete" 20-volume OED is going to set one back over R6k:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Engl...=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228793269&sr=1-5

( Yes, I do know there are smaller editions ).

I'd love a set, but that's a bit rich for me.

With my teenagers I just make sure that there are a few reasonably good dictionaries about the house to compensate for those horrible little tatty paperback ones they sometimes take in their school bags..


I also found this article interesting about schools in the UK:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...+refuse+gifts+of+'boring'+classics/article.do

Schools refuse gifts of 'boring' classics

Dozens of schools have rejected gifts of free classic books because today's pupils find them too 'difficult' to read, it has emerged.

Around 50 schools have refused to stock literary works by the likes of Jane Austen, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens after admitting that youngsters also find them boring.

...


She added that pupils are more interested in Japanese comics rather than literary greats. "Kids love action and adventure," Miss Read said. "They want books that excite them and are current. They love fantasy.

"The books for nowadays are Manga, the Japanese comic books that you read from back to front."

The librarian went on to say that the classics were "unattractive". She said: "I think they are unappealing to youngsters and you've got to fit them into your school bag."

 

[Albereth]

May I point out that it's the JUNIOR DICTIONARY?

I.e. the dictionary given to little kids. Now honestly, what do you think matters more to a little 6 year old : knowing what an aisle is, or knowing what an MP3 player is?

Stupid question - a 6 year old will know what an MP3 player is without having to look it up. Aisle on the other hand....

 

[Slaine73]

Bloody ridiculous....wait did I spell that right??!!

 

[daveza]

Around 50 schools have refused to stock literary works by the likes of Jane Austen, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens after admitting that youngsters also find them boring.

The librarian went on to say that the classics were "unattractive". She said: "I think they are unappealing to youngsters and you've got to fit them into your school bag."

Well no sh^t Sherlock ! Almost all my school books were unattractive and unappealing.

Manga is the new Shakespeare ? In England ?

Now that is depressing.

 

[ZA.Schmidt]

Oh ffs... I have nothing against embracing change in society, but it's the people who force it because it's the politically correct, 'hip' thing to do that irritate the sh*t out of me.

 

[PeterCH]

Well no sh^t Sherlock ! Almost all my school books were unattractive and unappealing.

Manga is the new Shakespeare ? In England ?

Now that is depressing.

Harry Potter!!! The new Shakespeare . (ok JK Rowling ).

 

[Devill]

That is completely retarded! Add words yes....but why remove so many or at all for that matter..?

+1. Add as many as you want, why take so many out?

May I point out that it's the JUNIOR DICTIONARY?

I.e. the dictionary given to little kids. Now honestly, what do you think matters more to a little 6 year old : knowing what an aisle is, or knowing what an MP3 player is?

See the situation we are sitting in atm with kids on average getting less intelligent? It is because of things like this

 

[Slaine73]

Why do they have to take out words, just add the new ones and keep all the old ones.

 

[PeterCH]

I also found this article interesting about schools in the UK:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...+refuse+gifts+of+'boring'+classics/article.do

Perhaps the idea is that the archaic style of writing should be made more
interesting for youngsters. In this day and age, everything becomes diluted.
Students at universities are spoonfed and there is a trend to move away from classic lectures and cramming from books and papers to 'small group discussions'. Heck, medicine is taught that way nowadays. The issue is no longer, accummulation of facts and critical diagnostic thinking gauged through the interaction with experienced physicians (consultants), the idea now is to focus more on patient-centeredness in the bio-psycho-social model. While it has its benefits I do think that the deficiences in factual knowledge many junior doctors possess is frightening!

I would extrapolate this to schools too. However maybe some books need to be translated into modern language. After all, learning English shouldn't be the only reason for reading Dickens. Dickens teaches us a lot about social history of Victorian England and his books contain deep insights into human psychology.

As for reading 'manga', those have been around for decades in Japan and over there kids have been able to balance cram schools, regular schools and entrance exams in a highly competitive setting. Of course this is now changing and fewer people are enrolling in universities over there, I for one had to convince my girlfriend to enroll - she's in her 3rd year now - but many people just don't see a need to study further and give up to quickly when they see the avalanche of work ahead of them.

 

[rwenzori]

Perhaps the idea is that the archaic style of writing should be made more
interesting for youngsters. In this day and age, everything becomes diluted.
Students at universities are spoonfed and there is a trend to move away from classic lectures and cramming from books and papers to 'small group discussions'. Heck, medicine is taught that way nowadays. The issue is no longer, accummulation of facts and critical diagnostic thinking gauged through the interaction with experienced physicians (consultants), the idea now is to focus more on patient-centeredness in the bio-psycho-social model. While it has its benefits I do think that the deficiences in factual knowledge many junior doctors possess is frightening!

I would extrapolate this to schools too. However maybe some books need to be translated into modern language. After all, learning English shouldn't be the only reason for reading Dickens. Dickens teaches us a lot about social history of Victorian England and his books contain deep insights into human psychology.

As for reading 'manga', those have been around for decades in Japan and over there kids have been able to balance cram schools, regular schools and entrance exams in a highly competitive setting. Of course this is now changing and fewer people are enrolling in universities over there, I for one had to convince my girlfriend to enroll - she's in her 3rd year now - but many people just don't see a need to study further and give up to quickly when they see the avalanche of work ahead of them.

Very interesting what you have to say. I'm intrigued by your first paragraph - it sounds very worrying.

I'm not sure about translating into modern language - Shakespeare's plays, for example, would lose their rhythm and a large part of their meaning. That said, I am also not sure that there is too much benefit prescribing Shakespeare in the SA syllabus. I, myself, only really got to grips with Shakespeare in a university course in which we were required to read and study ALL of his plays and poems in one term's course. Fairly intense, it was LOL!

A better idea would be to prescribe more modern classics, having, consequently, more accessible language - and there are plenty of them. Some courses do this, I believe, like the HIGCSE.

I have no issue with manga, as long as it is not used to replace proper reading LOL!

 

[PeterCH]

Very interesting what you have to say. I'm intrigued by your first paragraph - it sounds very worrying.

I'm not sure about translating into modern language - Shakespeare's plays, for example, would lose their rhythm and a large part of their meaning. That said, I am also not sure that there is too much benefit prescribing Shakespeare in the SA syllabus. I, myself, only really got to grips with Shakespeare in a university course in which we were required to read and study ALL of his plays and poems in one term's course. Fairly intense, it was LOL!

A better idea would be to prescribe more modern classics, having, consequently, more accessible language - and there are plenty of them. Some courses do this, I believe, like the HIGCSE.

I have no issue with manga, as long as it is not used to replace proper reading LOL!

Yes, there is a movement to do more small group workshops/tutorials. You'll have students discussing the implications of say - a person being diagnosed with an sexually transmitted illness, namely how that affects him, his partner, his community, then his fears, expectations and rights. While that's great,
there seems to be less teaching about HOW to diagnose the said problem, its implications on his biological systems and how to go about curing it and more about how to empathise with the individual and see him in the correct context. Don't get me wrong, I think that's great too, however I do believe we need to learn the mechanics of disease and its presentations before we can 'evaluate' a person's context and his expectations. I do know a similar
shift is also occurring in the USA and Europe - in speaking to colleagues from those parts of the world.

 

[rwenzori]

While that's great,
there seems to be less teaching about HOW to diagnose the said problem, its implications on his biological systems and how to go about curing it and more about how to empathise with the individual and see him in the correct context. Don't get me wrong, I think that's great too, however I do believe we need to learn the mechanics of disease and its presentations before we can 'evaluate' a person's context and his expectations.

I have to agree with you. My own experience is that I have been mis-diagnosed on numerous occasions ( thankfully with no serious consequence ) by doctors who must have learned under the older methods - so I'd hate to imagine how many times the new breed will get the diagnosis wrong!

 

[Slaine73]

I have to agree with you. My own experience is that I have been mis-diagnosed on numerous occasions ( thankfully with no serious consequence ) by doctors who must have learned under the older methods - so I'd hate to imagine how many times the new breed will get the diagnosis wrong!

That is just a bit worrying

 

[PeterCH]

I have to agree with you. My own experience is that I have been mis-diagnosed on numerous occasions ( thankfully with no serious consequence ) by doctors who must have learned under the older methods - so I'd hate to imagine how many times the new breed will get the diagnosis wrong!

Keeping an open mind when evaluating conditions is important. Common things occur commonly but as Pasteur said, 'Chance favors the prepared mind'.

 

[TheHiveMind]

They are removing the word empire? And they hold the record for the largest empire in history.. How.. stoopid

 

[Slaine73]

They are removing the word empire? And they hold the record for the largest empire in history.. How.. stoopid

Funny isn't it, almost like in SA, if we take the words away then history never happened

 

[grayston]

I have to agree with you. My own experience is that I have been mis-diagnosed on numerous occasions ( thankfully with no serious consequence ) by doctors who must have learned under the older methods - so I'd hate to imagine how many times the new breed will get the diagnosis wrong!

O--kay ... so you don't like the old methods because they led to misdiagnoses in your case.

And you're sceptical of the new method because ... you believe they will cause more misdiagnoses?

We're developing new ways of doing things all the time. It's a good thing. Who knows - perhaps getting doctors to actually sit and pay attention to you for a while will be more helpful.

People go to faith healers these days because they know they'll be assured of the personal touch. I certainly wouldn't mind getting the personal touch from a doctor who also knew what they were doing.

(Pun not originally intended, but left in for entertainment value.)

 

[rwenzori]

O--kay ... so you don't like the old methods because they led to misdiagnoses in your case.

And you're sceptical of the new method because ... you believe they will cause more misdiagnoses?

We're developing new ways of doing things all the time. It's a good thing. Who knows - perhaps getting doctors to actually sit and pay attention to you for a while will be more helpful.

People go to faith healers these days because they know they'll be assured of the personal touch. I certainly wouldn't mind getting the personal touch from a doctor who also knew what they were doing.

(Pun not originally intended, but left in for entertainment value.)

I take your point - I had not thought of things in that way. I'd be interested in what PeterCH makes of your post.