Transcript Loaded Words - Cloudfront.net

Bellwork

Look at the following sets of sentences and decide which
is the most positive, the most negative, and the most
neutral:
1. My best friend is svelte.
My best friend is scrawny.
My best friend is thin.
2. There are over 2000 bums in the city.
There are over 2,000 people with no fixed address in
the city.
There are over 2,000 homeless in the city.

The difference is in the CONNOTATION of the words.
Denotation and Connotation
 Denotation:
The most specific or direct
meaning of a word. The dictionary
definition of the word.
 Connotation:
The idea or meaning
suggested by or associated with a word or
thing. This term deals with the feeling that
a word provoke.
Loaded Words


Loaded Words are words (or phrases) which
have strong emotional overtones or
connotations and which evoke strongly
positive (or negative) reactions beyond their
literal meaning.
With your partner, find 3 examples of loaded
words in the article “Kids are Kids – Until
they Commit Crimes” and explain what their
connotation is.
Focused Questions about the articles
1. Do you think that sentencing juvenile killers to the
death penalty is a “cruel and unusual” punishment?
Use “constitutional” or “unconstitutional” in your
answer.
2. Should juveniles be punished less harshly than
adults? Use “leniently” in your answer.
3. Describe the demeanor of a teenager that you
know. Do you think that demeanor would cause a
jury to be lenient?
4. Do you think execution should be banned for some
age groups of juveniles? Which ones?
More Focused Questions
5. What factors do you think juries should take into
account when they sentence juveniles?
6. Do you agree with Lundstrom that it’s inconsistent to
deny privileges like voting and drinking to teenagers
but then sentence them as adults? Why?
7. Do you think juveniles should be tried as adults if
they commit especially bad crimes? Use the word
“heinous” in your answer.
8. Do you agree with Lundstrom that the media
perpetuates the stereotype of violent youth?