Diurnal and Nocturnal; Log-Blog #06; Saturday, September 15, 2007
(a blog, or log, about the Word Info site)
A record of efforts to present an illustrated history of the English language
Starting last year, I decided to re-do my An Illustrated Approach to a Bigger and Better Vocabulary which I self published way back in the late 1980s. This was a workbook which students could use to get an idea about the history of English development and a series of vocabulary exercises with illustrations.
This vocabulary presentations consisted of ten sets of activities, plus additional illustrated material. All of the sets included pictures with questions and multiple-choice answers relating to thematic units of words based on Latin and/or Greek elements.
The first part of the activity book was about the History of English and those illustrations have been translated form black and white pictures to color and the project is still in progress after more than a year of back-and-forth efforts with an artist, or artists, from a company in India which specializes in the production of images for various kinds of publications.
The current presentation of modified B&W illustrations, to color versions, may be found at this English-History Index or users may go directly to the first page of this project by going to English and Its Historical Development, Part 1.
There are about 31 sections, or parts, with about 46 color images which it is hoped will enhance the history of English so it will be more interesting and visually clarified.
Several hours were used to include several illustrations into their proper sections and then I found out that two images which were sketched were not completed in color. I hope to get these (22c & 22d) from my illustrating source so those parts can have their designated images.
More information about H.G. Wells and his predictions
On Monday, September 10, I introduced an article from the September-October, 2007, issue of The Futurist titled: "Anticipations: The Remarkable Forecasts of H.G. Wells" by Paul Crabtree, pages 40-46. Today, I will be adding some more of H.G. Wells "forecasts".
"In 1901, H.G. Wells looked to the century ahead and predicted suburbia, flying machines, American superpower status, and moving sidewalks, but he had a few misses, too."
Today, H.G. Wells predictions about "moral relativism and the decline of codes of conduct"
The fourth chapter of Anticipations, focused on the home and family environment, forecast a general breakdown of commonly accepted standards of morality in favor of a variety of standards.
- Mr. Wells predicted that all kinds of vice would be practiced and tolerated; such as, an increase in the number of childless marriages, and the decline of traditional marriage.
- He saw a relaxation of marriage laws and living arrangements and more children of all ages in boarding schools.
- It is a modern truism that moral standards changed dramatically over the course of the twentieth century.
- He is considered correct in his forecast about marriage laws and cohabitation; as well as, his prediction about a rise in childless marriages.
- His prediction that young people would be routinely sent to boarding school instead of being raised at home has not proven to be true.
- What we now consider normal, or at least common in terms of male and female relationships; such as, divorce and remarriage, homosexuality, pornography, depiction of violence, drug use, etc. would no doubt seem to be a shockingly high level of vice to the average person at the beginning of the twentieth century; fully validating Mr Wells' judgments.
The next chapter of predictions will suggest the "end of democracy and the decline of serious news media".