Often, in non-fiction, readers encounter a specialized vocabulary. Sometimes it is slang, but more often is jargon, the technical language used by people who are more familiar with the subject matter and work with it every day.
In your comments:
- In your text, what unfamiliar words or groups of words confront you as a new reader of non-fiction?
- Does your book have a glossary? If so, is it helpful?
- Should it have a glossary? Why/Why not?
- What web page or resource would be helpful to new readers in this content area?
- Search for resources from which a rookie non-fiction reader might benefit and list them below.
As always, provide examples.
In my text, there arent many words that I have come across that I have not seen before. It does not have a glossary and I dont believe it should because the author uses pretty common vocabulary. I think that to anyone that is new to reading non fiction, it might be helpful to search the author of the book before reading it to see what his or her vocabulary is like, or to see what their writing style is.
ReplyDeleteThe memoir i'm reading hasn't really had any words that i haven't heard before. It also doesn't have a glossary. It's better without a glossary because there aren't any words or phrases that need to be referenced when you're reading. I agree with Alex that you should look up any author that's new to you on things like amazon so that you can find out their writing style before actually reading anything by them. Amazon could also show you what other people have thought of the book that way you can understand others views on it.
ReplyDeleteThere are no words or terms that I have crossed so far that I don't understand. My book doesn't have a glossary and I don't think one is needed. Skloot explains what things are. For people who are new to nonfiction I suggest that if they are interested in a book that may contain certain terms they are unaware of they should see if the book has a glossary. If they are unaware if there will be terms that they don't know, then I agree with Alex and they should look up the author's writing style.
ReplyDeleteThere haven't been too many words that I haven't heard before, with the exception of people and places. I was originally wrong, there is actually no glossary in this book. The book could use a glossary or a some sort of dictionary almost in the back just for all the ancient places and people that are being talked about.
ReplyDeleteIn my book, there aren't a lot of words that I'm not familiar with but some of the technical terms for golf can be a little confusing. If someone who wasn't familiar with golf was reading this they would have a tough time understanding it. My book does not have a glossary and I don't think that it particularly needs to because the book is intended for readers who are already familiar with the sport and with Arnold Palmer. Just looking up the words on dictionary.com would be helpful if needed.
ReplyDeleteIn the memoir that I am reading, I have not come across many words that I am unfamiliar with. Like Ryan, there are some people, places, and names of military stations and guns that I have never heard before. There is no glossary in my book, but I think that a glossary would be helpful to help understand the location of the areas mentioned as well as help give an understanding to the military parts mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThe book I am reading is pretty common language except for when medical terms are being talked about. With it being about a boy with cerebral palsy, they do use some unfamilar words. I think the this memior should have a small glossary with some of the medical terms because for someone like me reading I don't know all the terms associated with cerebral palsy.
ReplyDeleteIn Anne Frank's Diary, some of the names of the people are abbreviated to their initials, which did confuse me at first but eventually I caught on. some other wrods I didn't know where insolent and cynical. They are description words though. My book does not have a glossary. I think that it should have a glossary because some of the words she uses are old words and are unused now.
ReplyDeletePreface or prologue.. i didnt know that there was a difference or what that difference is. No my book dosnt have a glossery but it stars certain words and has their definition/back story at the bottom of the page and yes its helpful because otherwise i wouldnt have known what they ment. Just the back gorund on her like waching her movies to see just how she acted and the way she was as a movie star before you go into how she is as a person.
ReplyDeleteI haven't come across any words yet that I did not already know. My book does not have a glossary and I don't think it needs one because anyone who would chose the read this book will already know what all the words mean. If someone didn't know one or two of the words they could always look them up on dictionary.com like Rachel said.
ReplyDelete1. In my book, the only really unusual words are musical/band jargon or slang terms for drugs. I've heard most of them before, but I had to look up a couple.
ReplyDelete2. Nope
3. No a glossary wouldn't be necessary, as it's mostly just conversational words, no like educational terms or anything.
4. Just maybe the Wikipedia pages on the members and the band.
5. Reading text book about nonfiction writing, looking online and reading excerpts.
In my book there are some words that I have not come across before. This may be because I am not familiar with the topic of mountain climbing which is a main part of the book. There is a glossary in the back of the book that I have had to use frequently. Without the glossary I would probably not understand most of what is happening. Maybe reasearching mountian climbing, what is used while climbing and the conditions would help a reader understand better.
ReplyDeleteThere has been a few words here and there where i have no clue what Erik Larson has said. I would usually skip over them but his words affects the rest of the sentence so i had to look them up on dictionary.com because there is no glossary or foot notes. I think there should be a glossary or a footnote on un common or synonyms at the bottom for unfamiliar words so that a reader like me could comprehend the sentence.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all who ahve contributed so far. You offer a fine range of vocabulary strategies.
ReplyDeleteAny one of you would be a great editor for non-fiction becuase you seem to kow what the reader should have in order to understand and enjoy a non-fiction text--
think about these ideas for your teachers' guides.
Thanks to all who ahve contributed so far. You offer a fine range of vocabulary strategies.
ReplyDeleteAny one of you would be a great editor for non-fiction becuase you seem to kow what the reader should have in order to understand and enjoy a non-fiction text--
think about these ideas for your teachers' guides.
For me, I haven't come across any unfamiliar terminology yet in my book. It doesn't have a glossary for terms, and I don't think that it needs one because I think it does a pretty good job of explaining things that someone unfamiliar with the subject in a way that is thorough enough and simple enough for a rookie reader. I can't think of any outside sources necessary for reading my book.
ReplyDeleteIn my text there is really no unfamiliar terminology. Since I know some background on the Doors and Morrison terminology related to their work isn't unfamiliar to me however the authors do list the names of the albums in the back and make it clear when they are talking about works of either Morrison or the Doors. So, overall it isn't really necessary for this book to have something such as a glossary.
ReplyDeleteI understand everything in my book so far, there is no unfamiliar terms. My book does not contain a glossary, and so far I do not think it requires one. New readers may benefit from researching cars perhaps because there are some types of cars that I did not know much about.
ReplyDelete