Daily Log

Friday, April 3

We finished, and summarized the point of, Mark Twain's curious re-translation of the "Jumping Frog" from French back into English: that its humor cannot be separated from its language, and that humor like poetry is often lost in the translation. The words we use matter, not just what those words mean. From that we passed to talking about levels of diction and about the distinction between denotation and connotation. We put a word on the white board, then generated other words with the same denotation but different connotations and levels of diction.

HW:
Students should continue working on their Huck Finn essays, whether or not they have finished their second drafts. (Second drafts turned in Monday after the break (April 13) will receive 80% credit.)
Students who feel they have done as much work on their essays as they can at this point may choose to read a classic of American literature, borrowed from Mr. Potratz or the school library, for extra credit. This will require students to come after school or during their lunch period to answer questions orally about their book. Up to 20 pts. extra credit, depending on the book and the answers. (Students who did not take a book but wish to read one should email Mr. Potratz for a brief list of approved choices.)