The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have declared “podcast” as the Word of the Year for 2005. It now officially has the definition: “A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player.” The term was coined by combining “iPod” and “broadcast”. However, the amalgamation is something of a misnomer as Apple Computers, which makes the iPod, originally had little to do with podcasting technology. Podcasts can, in fact, be listened to on any maker of digital audio player and are becoming ubiquitous in broadcasting and online. Erin McKean, the dictionary’s editor-in-chief, said: “The word has finally caught up with the rest of the iPod phenomenon.”

McKean, a seasoned lexicographer, has the unenviable and near impossible task of choosing the word of the year. She said: “It is incredibly difficult. Not just because of the enormous amount of data. We look at everything from blogs to technical journals to suggestions sent to [our website].…Everyone has such strong opinions about what makes a word Word of the Year material. You’d be amazed at how hard our editors campaign for their favorites. I’m surprised nobody tried to bribe me - except that the only thing I really want is more cool new words.” Runners-up for the 2005 Word of the Year include “bird flu” (a fatal virus emanating from wild fowl), “sudoku” (a Japanese logic-based numerical puzzle) and “squick” (to cause immediate and thorough revulsion).

WARM-UPS

1. I’M A WORD: You are now a word. Write down the word that you want to be. Talk to the other “words” in the class about life as a word. What do you like about yourself? Do you like your spelling? Do you like the way you are pronounced? Are you a useful word? Do you have any words you don’t get along with? What are your plans for the weekend?

2. MY FAVE WORDS: Write down three English words you really like and three you dislike. Talk about these with you partner(s). Repeat this activity using three words from your own language you like and dislike.

3. OUR ENGLISH WORDS: In pairs / groups, make a list of the English words that have entered the vocabulary of your own language. Discuss whether you like these words being part of your language. Are they intruders? Have any words from your language become part of the English language? Which words from your language do you think should be used internationally?

4. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Editors / dictionaries / podcasts / words / personal audio players / the Internet / the Apple iPod / Word of the Year / blogs / bribery / bird flu / sudoku / revulsion

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

5. NEW WORD OPINIONS: Do you agree with these opinions on new words? Talk about them with your partners.

• Young and old people don’t understand each other because they use different vocabularies.
• It’s getting harder and harder to keep track of new vocabulary.
• I love new words, especially the geeky, nerdy ones.
• I think it’s better to learn traditional vocabulary. New words come and go.
• I wish they’d stop inventing new words. It’s difficult enough trying to learn the old ones.
• It’s fantastic that English is absorbing so many words from other languages.
• You have to be a computer geek to understand new words.
• There should be a strict committee governing the creation of new words.

6. PODCAST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “podcast”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

7. QUICK DEBATE: Have a quick debate with your partner about the word “podcast”. Students A think “podcast” is the best term, Students B think “blogcast” or “audioblog” are better terms.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Apple Computer has declared “Podcast” as the word of the year.	T / F
b.	The term was coined by combining “iPod” and “podcast”.	T / F
c.	Apple was the main developer of podcasting technology.	T / F
d.	Podcasting is becoming increasingly ubiquitous.	T / F
e.	A dictionary editor said choosing 2005’s word of the year was easy.	T / F
f.	What makes a word Word of the Year material evokes strong opinions.	T / F
g.	People offered bribes to the Oxford English Dictionary editor-in-chief.	T / F
h.	“Sudoku” is a Japanese logic-based word puzzle.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	coined	grease one’s palm
b.	amalgamation	ever-present
c.	misnomer	created
d.	ubiquitous	wordsmith
e.	phenomenon	combination
f.	seasoned	disgust
g.	lexicographer	misleading name
h.	bribe	veteran
i.	emanating	sensation
j.	revulsion	arising

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	A digital recording of a radio	of a misnomer
b.	The term was coined by	thorough revulsion
c.	the amalgamation is something	up with the rest of the iPod phenomenon
d.	…becoming ubiquitous	lexicographer
e.	The word has finally caught	Word of the Year material
f.	a seasoned	in broadcasting and online
g.	the unenviable and near	broadcast or similar program
h.	what makes a word	emanating from wild fowl
i.	a fatal virus	impossible task
j.	to cause immediate and	combining “iPod” and “broadcast”

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

“Podcast” is 2005 Word of the Year

The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have ________ “podcast” as the Word of the Year for 2005. It now officially has the definition: “A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, ________ available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player.” The term was ________ by combining “iPod” and “broadcast”. However, the amalgamation is something of a ________ as Apple Computers, which makes the iPod, ________ had little to do with podcasting technology. Podcasts can, in fact, be listened to on any maker of digital audio player and are becoming ________ in broadcasting and online. Erin McKean, the dictionary’s editor-in-chief, said: “The word has finally ________ up with the rest of the iPod ____________.”		coined phenomenon declared originally made misnomer ubiquitous caught
McKean, a ________ lexicographer, has the ________ and near impossible task of choosing the word of the year. She said: “It is incredibly difficult. Not just because of the enormous amount of data. We look at everything from blogs to technical ________ to suggestions sent to [our website].…Everyone has such strong opinions about what makes a word Word of the Year ________. You’d be amazed at how hard our editors campaign for their favorites. I’m surprised nobody tried to ________ me - except that the only thing I really want is more ________ new words.” Runners-up for the 2005 Word of the Year include “bird flu” (a fatal virus emanating from wild fowl), “sudoku” (a Japanese ________ -based numerical puzzle) and “squick” (to cause immediate and ________ revulsion).		cool seasoned bribe journals thorough unenviable material logic

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

“Podcast” is 2005 Word of the Year

The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have __________ “podcast” as the Word of the Year for 2005. It now officially has the __________: “A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player.” The term _____ _______ by combining “iPod” and “broadcast”. However, the amalgamation is something of __ _________ as Apple Computers, which makes the iPod, originally had little to do with podcasting technology. Podcasts can, in fact, be listened to on any maker of digital audio player and are becoming _____________ in broadcasting and online. Erin McKean, the dictionary’s editor-in-chief, said: “The word has finally _______ ___ _____ the rest of the iPod phenomenon.”

McKean, a _________ lexicographer, has the _________ and near impossible task of choosing the word of the year. She said: “It is incredibly difficult. Not just because of the enormous amount of data. We look at everything from _________ to technical journals to suggestions sent to [our website].…Everyone has such strong opinions about what makes a _____ _____ of the Year _________. You’d be amazed at how hard our editors campaign for their favorites. I’m surprised nobody tried to _____ me - except that the only thing I really want is more cool new words.” Runners-up for the 2005 Word of the Year include “bird flu” (a fatal virus emanating from wild ______), “sudoku” (a Japanese logic-based ___________ puzzle) and “squick” (to cause immediate and ___________ revulsion).

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘pod’ and ‘cast’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “POCAST” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about podcasts and new technology.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

declared officially coined amalgamation ubiquitous caught

near enormous material bribe emanating thorough

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. What do you think of having a word of the year?
3. What would be word of the year in your language?
4. How interested are you in English vocabulary and your own language’s vocabulary?
5. What do you think of the word “podcast”?
6. Do you like spending a long time looking at dictionaries?
7. Do you ever coin your own words – either in English or your own language?
8. Do you think it is unfair that Apple is strongly linked to podcasting even though it didn’t originate the technology?
9. Do you ever worry that you can’t keep up to date with new words?
10. Do you download and listen to podcasts?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you have strong opinions about words?
4. What do you think makes a word Word of the Year material?
5. What do you think of the idea of podcasts?
6. Would you like to make your own podcasts and put them online for the whole world to hear?
7. What do you think of the new word “squick”?
8. What “cool” words or slang do you use in your language, which perhaps are not in the dictionary?
9. What do you think is the word of the century?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

THE RUNNERS-UP: Match the runners-up for Word of the Year 2005 with their definitions.

1.	IDP (internally displaced person)	a.		A more efficient or effective way of completing an everyday task.
2.	IED (improvised explosive device)	b.		A logic-based puzzle consisting of squares that form grids within a grid.
3.	lifehack	c.		Software installed on a computer by someone other than the owner, intended to conceal other programs or processes, files or system data.
4.	persistent vegetative state	d.		Cause immediate and thorough revulsion.
5.	reggaeton	e.		Someone forced to relocate within a country because of a natural disaster or civil unrest.
6.	rootkit	f.		A Latin American dance music which combines elements of reggae music with hip-hop and rap.
7.	squick	g.		A homemade bomb.
8.	sudoku	h.		A condition in which a patient recovering from a coma retains reflex responses and may appear wakeful, but has no cognitive functions.

• In pairs / groups, talk about which of the words you like and don’t like.
• Agree on a ranking in order of which words should definitely stay in the English language.
• Change partners and compare and explain your rankings.
• Write down eight questions using all of the above words (one of the words in each question).
• Change partners again and ask your questions.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on podcasts. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

3. MY WORDS: Make a poster with the top five contenders for word of the year in your own language. Include full explanations in English of the meaning of the words and why they are on the top five list. Show your posters to your classmates in your next lesson. Ask your partners to rank the words in order of preference.

4. NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Write a newspaper article using all of the words that were runners-up as Word of the Year 2005 (see “Speaking” section). The story can be on any subject. Show what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. How different were your stories?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. T

g. F

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	coined	created
b.	amalgamation	combination
c.	misnomer	misleading name
d.	ubiquitous	ever-present
e.	phenomenon	sensation
f.	seasoned	veteran
g.	lexicographer	wordsmith
h.	bribe	grease one’s palm
i.	emanating	arising
j.	revulsion	disgust

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	A digital recording of a radio	broadcast or similar program
b.	The term was coined by	combining “iPod” and “broadcast”
c.	the amalgamation is something	of a misnomer
d.	…becoming ubiquitous	in broadcasting and online
e.	The word has finally caught	up with the rest of the iPod phenomenon
f.	a seasoned	lexicographer
g.	the unenviable and near	impossible task
h.	what makes a word	Word of the Year material
i.	a fatal virus	emanating from wild fowl
j.	to cause immediate and	thorough revulsion

GAP FILL:

“Podcast” is 2005 Word of the Year

The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have declared “podcast” as the Word of the Year for 2005. It now officially has the definition: “A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player.” The term was coined by combining “iPod” and “broadcast”. However, the amalgamation is something of a misnomer as Apple Computers, which makes the iPod, originally had little to do with podcasting technology. Podcasts can, in fact, be listened to on any maker of digital audio player and are becoming ubiquitous in broadcasting and online. Erin McKean, the dictionary’s editor-in-chief, said: “The word has finally caught up with the rest of the iPod phenomenon.”

McKean, a seasoned lexicographer, has the unenviable and near impossible task of choosing the word of the year. She said: “It is incredibly difficult. Not just because of the enormous amount of data. We look at everything from blogs to technical journals to suggestions sent to [our website].…Everyone has such strong opinions about what makes a word Word of the Year material. You’d be amazed at how hard our editors campaign for their favorites. I’m surprised nobody tried to bribe me - except that the only thing I really want is more cool new words.” Runners-up for the 2005 Word of the Year include “bird flu” (a fatal virus emanating from wild fowl), “sudoku” (a Japanese logic-based numerical puzzle) and “squick” (to cause immediate and thorough revulsion).

THE RUNNERS-UP:

1.  e

2.  g

3.  a

4.  h

5.  f

6.  c

7.  d

8.  b

 

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