Author: Alvin

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word Scimitar means a saber having a curved blade with the edge on the convex side and used chiefly by Arabs and Turks. This word was found in the reading piece ‘Sweat’ by Zora Neale Hurtston. It was in the context “One day as Delia came down the kitchen steps she saw his chalky-white fangs curved like scimitars hung in the wire meshes.” From the definition given above, I can conclude that the author used scimitars as a simile to describe how curved the snake’s fangs were.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word ‘Venture’ means to proceed especially in the face of danger. Which in simplest terms, it would be to take a risk. In the reading ‘A Jury Of Her Peers’ by Susan Glaspell, this word was found on the first page in the sentence “”The country’s not very pleasant this time of year,” Mrs.Peters at last ventured, as if she felt they ought to be talking as well as the men.” By the definition given above, I can interpret that Mrs.Peters talks to the men to join in the conversation but also approach it in risk.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “Retorted” means to pay or hurl back. Otherwise, it can mean to return an argument or charge. The word was found in a writing piece called “Sweats” by Zora Neale Hurtston, it’s included in the sentence “A god, an’ be dough. You all gimme twenty cents and a slice way, Clarke retorted.” I feel like the second definition as mentioned earlier makes for sense for this context so by using that definition, I can interpret that the context means that he argued his point since he did sound assertive in the sentence.

According to the Meriam-Webster dictionary is an act of marked courtesy, courteous attention to a lady, or amorous attention or pursuit. This word appears in the short story “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Gaspell along with line “”And yet,” said he, with the gallantry of a young politician.” Now knowing the meaning of “Gallantry” I can interpret that it means he resembles a young politician in a courteous way as he talks.

The word Alienation appears in the context “the shame over feeling any sadness, despair or strong emotion other than anger, let alone expressing it and the resulting alienation.” This word is included in the article “Teaching Men to Be Emotionally Honest” by Andrew Reiner. In view of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “Alienation” implies that a detachment of a man or a man’s affections from a question or position of the previous connection (noun). By definition of the word, the context means young men are experiencing childhood in a general public that genuine men don’t demonstrate emotions. Young men comprehend what feelings is on the grounds that each person is conceived with that normally in any case, they making a decent attempt not to demonstrate feelings that they are losing them self in an expression of judging.

The word Etiquette appears in the context “Dr. Kimmel came to my campus, Towson University, in 2011 to discuss the “Bro Code” of collegiate male etiquette.” This word is included in the article “Teaching Men to Be Emotionally Honest” by Andrew Reiner. As indicated by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “Etiquette” implies that the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life. Now knowing the meaning of the word I realize that the creator was stating they would examine about how guys are seen in the public eye and in their lives.

As I was reading “The Boys at the back” by Christina Hoff Sommers I came across the word “Noncognitive” in the third paragraph of the reading piece. It is included in the context “The scholars attributed this “misalignment” to differences in “noncognitive skills”: ” According to the Merriam-webster dictionary the word “noncognitive” means not relating to or based on conscious intellectual activity or not based on or capable of being reduced to empirical factual knowledge. Basically, the word means instead of referring to an individual’s ability to process thoughts, non-cognitive skills are those attitudes, behaviors, and strategies which facilitate success in school and workplace, such as motivation, perseverance, and self-control.

When reading “The Boys are not all right” during class. I came across the word “Commensurate” on the 17th line of the article. The Merriam-webster dictionary defines “Commensurate” as an adjective; corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree or equal in measure or extent. This word was found in the sentence “No commensurate movement has emerged to help them navigate toward a full expression of their gender.” Based on this context, I can include that it means that society has failed to recognize that men not expressing their masculinity is a problem and it should be talked about and helped.

During class, as the whole class was reading the article “A Masters Degree in Masculinity” by Jessica Bennett together. I came across a word in which I was not familiar with; ‘Phenomena’. I at first thought that this word looked extremely similar to the word ‘phenomenon’ which also I was not familiar with. I’ve seen these two words many times when reading articles, books, or even posts on the internet, but never bothered finding out what it means. The word ‘Phenomena’ according to the Merriam-webster dictionary had no definite meaning but tells me that it is the plural form of the word ‘phenomenon’ instead. So according to the Merriam-webster dictionary ‘phenomenon’ means a fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, especially one whose cause or explanation is in question. In plural form, it would mean an observable fact or event. In the article piece, the word appears in the sentence “It would also allow scholars to take seemingly unrelated phenomena – make suicide and the fact that men are less likely to talk about their feelings”. Now that I know what the word means I can interpret that this context means that scholars would now look into what it may seem insignificant clear fact that men are less likely to talk about their feelings.