Word / Connections

English Language and Support (ELAS) Group
Poems Read - November to December, 2011
Ali (Iraq) and Sukeina (Saudi Arabia)

The English words that evoked questions with the Muslim college students are indicated before the slash, and my explanations follow the slash. These words and translations created a base dialogue for our subsequent poetry readings.  We now have a shared dialogue and understanding on which we build and scaffold more information about each other's language, culture, and values. However, I am cognizant my values as translator are being imposed upon these Enlish language learners until they know English well enough to make their own decisions for word choices.

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
(Jeffers, S., illus. Robert Frost: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. New York: Scholastic, 1978. Print.)
queer / odd, strange (also slang for a person who is gay or lesbian)
harness / understands the picture as a connection to the saddle, decorated with bells
sweep / broom action
downy / light, feathery

"After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost (p.224)
(Untermeyer, L., ed. "After Apple Picking."  Robert Frost's Poems. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1971. Print.)
two-pointed ladder / understands my sketch of a ladder
barrel / container
bough / branch
trough / feed or water container for farm animals
stem / holds and connects apple to the tree
blossom / flower, bottom or other end of apple, the beginning of the apple's life
woodchuck / wild animal and smaller than a deer (I recited, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"  My quick rendition met with their delight!)
*Ali asked about Untermeyer's commentaries and added critics analyze Arabic poetry.

"The Pasture" by Robert Frost (p.15)
(Untermeyer, L., ed. "The Pasture."  Robert Frost's Poems. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1971. Print.
pasture / sheep grazing
rake / device used to remove leaves, make one with hand and fingers, they use one for for date  tree picking, tree  gardenging, led to discussion about date gardening and the tree climbing belt
calf / Muslims don't raise beef, but know what beef is
totters / understands as movement
sha'n't / understands as old slang for "shouldn't"