"The Lost Words," a book of "spells" and illustrations, puts nature in the mind's eye.

Part of its enchanting and galvanizing power can be traced to its origin story, a real event alluded to in the title and in the opening lines. In 2007, Oxford’s “Junior” dictionary, for children age seven and above, tossed out several words from the natural world. Words like “moss,” “blackberry,” and “bluebell” were erased from Oxford’s dictionary for children in order to make room for technological terms like “blog,” “chatroom,” and “database.”

Then, in 2015, a group of 28 writers penned an open letter to the publisher. Why, they wanted to know, should children have to choose between the hard-edged language of the internet and the name of a flowering plant? Why was the word “voicemail” more important than “wren?” “In light of what is known about the benefits of natural play and connection to nature; and the dangers of their lack, we think the choice of words to be omitted shocking and poorly considered,” the authors declared.

https://qz.com/quartzy/1480959/if-you-love-nature-here-are-20-words-to-say-aloud/

Posted on December 19, 2018 11:20 AM by biohexx1