Evening star., 1938-09-28
Vocabulary
Be
Simple
An Audience Must
Know Meaning
OF All Words.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

1hI~ok<A]O 4 n ASAs
THE vocabulary of professional peo-
ple-I am concerned mainly about
the words educational people use-has
always been a grief to me. Education,
to be of any real worth to society.
must penetrate through the specialized
groups to the great mass of people.
One would think that those who so
earnestly desire to teach the common
people would use words that they
could understand. They do nothing
Of the sort.
I still remember the educator who
was hearing group of post-graduates
recite ON methods Of education. He
called on a student, a man Of ability,
to outline a method of teaching pri-
mary children to read. The student
gave . clear. simply -worded state
ment, complete and practical.
Very good, Mr.. Young. Now in
the language of the psychologist and
pedagogue, that would be-?" And
the student had to rise and restate
the method Of teaching primary read
ing in words Of three and more syl-
lables..
I could not see the sense of that
then, nor since. If q SIMPLE word
will convey the roeaning, and be better
understood thar the long one, why
isn't it betterr I believe it Is. It is
useless to try to interest people in
any subject If its vocabulary is so
tortured. 50 obscure in their ears as
to deafen them to any sound Of sense
in 1t.
Adult education seems to me highly
important. Education does not, can
not. stop at any level Of maturity
without stunting the individual and
consequently reducing the power of
society. But adult education-and in
my opinion this applies to any adult
group however educated-must be
presented In clear, simple, direct Ian
guage.
Consider these words used in talking
to parents of public school children:
"Ambivalence of attitudes and varia-
tions in motivation; rapprochement;
coercing agent; schematizations; prob
lens emanate; rapport; idiosyncratic. I"
Consider such language in teaching
wary teachers who attend lectures in
hope of gaining help for their diff-
culties, inspiration for their work.
Consider it in relation to the education
OF fathers and mothers in child-train-
ing, school cooperation, personal ex-
periences. They will not read it: they
will not listen to it; they cannot benefit
by it. It kills the thing it hopes to
create-public interest and co-opera-
ton in the education of the public.
Most fathers and mothers and
teachers are interested in education.
They have to be. They sit gladly
at the feet Of any teacher who has
something to say to them and puts
1t IN words they can understand, but
they leave the lecture that was given
IN professional terms with the feeling
that this Is a mysterious matter, this
education Of children and parents.
and might better be left to the tech
nical experts. A very poor place to
leave public education.
"ueA The greatest xeacner who
ever lived taught the people heard
Him gladly. He told them stories in
the simplest words, in terms Of their
own experience. He used words big
with meaning, the little words that
children know and understand, that
older folk love and welcome because
they have stood the test of time and
are loaded with meaning. We teach
ers Of lesser degree might well follow
His example.
Mr.. Patri has prepared = leallet
entitled "A Parents Prayer" which
II an inspiring example for parents
T. follow in bringing mp children.
It Is suitable for framing. Send
for it, addressing your request u
p Mr.. Angelo Patri, Child Psychalexy
Department q this paper. Incloee
. self-addressed, stamped (3-cent)
envelope.
Copyright, 193S)