Cognates of Cognition

Cognates of Cognition Cognates of Cognition Cognates of Cognition By Mark Nichol Cognition is the use of mental processes such as learning, remembering, thinking, and understanding. It stems from the Latin verb cognoscere, meaning â€Å"become acquainted with.† Not every word with the letter string â€Å"c-o-g† is related, but quite a few are. Details about cognition’s cognates follow. But first, a look at the construction of the words. The syllable cog isn’t the basis of terms related to knowing and thinking; cognoscere consists of co- and gnoscere; that word means â€Å"come to know.† Know itself is cognate with gnoscere and the Greek verb gignÃ… skein- the basis of gnome, best known as the name of a subterranean dwarflike creature in folklore but also a synonym for maxim, and gnosis, a word referring to spiritual knowledge that is also the root of prognosis (literally, â€Å"foreknowledge†) and diagnosis, meaning â€Å"identification† or â€Å"analysis.† Cognate itself is not cognate with cognition: It means â€Å"related,† and stems from the Latin word nasci, meaning â€Å"to be born,† and is cognate with nascent (and native). Nor is cognomen, which means â€Å"nickname† or â€Å"additional name† and derives from the Latin noun nomen, meaning â€Å"name.† Interestingly, cogent, meaning â€Å"necessary† or â€Å"urgent,† and especially its cognate cogitation, which means â€Å"intent thought,† are also unrelated to cognition; they derive respectively from the Latin verb agere, meaning â€Å"drive,† and its frequentative (repeated or recurrent) form agitare, which is also the origin of agitate. Another word with a distinct etymology is cog, referring to a tooth on a wheel in a gear mechanism and probably borrowed from a Scandinavian language. Words in the cognoscere family in English include recognition (literally, â€Å"knowing again†) and precognition (literally, â€Å"knowing before†); the latter was the unusual ability of the Precogs in Steven Spielberg’s film Minority Report and the Philip K. Dick short story on which it is (loosely) based. Two other words that are related- unexpectedly so- are reconnaissance (â€Å"military survey†) and that word’s verb form, reconnoiter, both adopted from French but ultimately stemming from recognoscere, the Latin origin of recognize. Other relatives are cognizance (â€Å"awareness,† â€Å"acknowledgment,† or â€Å"responsibility†) and recognizance, derived from an earlier sense of reconnaissance (â€Å"acknowledgment†) and used in legal contexts in phrases such as â€Å"released on his own recognizance† to indicate that someone recognizes his obligation to appear in court at a later date. Connoisseur (â€Å"expert†), from French, and its Italian cousin cognoscente (which in English developed a separate sense of â€Å"someone in the know†) are also related, as are incognito (â€Å"unknown,† from Italian and referring to being in disguise or anonymous or using a false name) and â€Å"terra incognita† (literally, â€Å"unknown land†), taken directly from Latin. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of Humor3 Types of Headings10 Terms for the Common People

How to Write a Homeschooling Philosophy Statement

How to Write a Homeschooling Philosophy Statement A homeschooling philosophy statement is a useful tool both for your own planning and for explaining what your student has learned to schools and colleges. It is easy to be swayed by the latest and greatest curriculum on the market or to stress when your student struggles academically. A homeschooling philosophy statement can help you evaluate curriculum choices in light of your homeschools purpose and keep your overall goals at the forefront when the steps to reach them are proving difficult. When your student begins applying to colleges, it is helpful to include an explanation of your goals and methods with his applications. It is particularly helpful for parents who use a narrative transcript that doesnt include grades to explain their familys goals in designing their homeschooling courses. Sample Homeschooling Philosophy Statement A homeschooling philosophy statement may include specific goals in some subjects, such as in the area of language arts, math, science, and social studies. Read this sample statement below, and use it as a model to create your own. Our Homeschooling Goals As teacher and parent, my goal in homeschooling is to give my children the skills and information they need to become successful adults. When presenting a subject, I focus on those aspects I believe will continue to be useful once the course is done. Instead of covering large amounts of material superficially, we try to delve more deeply into fewer topics. Whenever possible, I also try to let my children incorporate their own interests into whatever we are studying. For the most part we do not use textbooks, but rely on books written by experts for a general audience. The one exception is math, for which we use traditional textbooks. In addition, we use documentaries, videos, websites, magazines, and newspapers; related art, literature, drama and movies; news stories; family discussions; and hands-on projects and experiments. We also take advantage of classes, lectures, and performances for high school students or the general public at local colleges and other learning institutions. And we made field trips to museums, studios, workshops, farms, factories, parks and nature preserves, landmarks, and historic sites. Time is also allowed for pursuing individual interests and projects that are not part of any structured homeschool program. In my childrens case this included computer game design, robotics, writing, film making, and animation. I do not issue grades, except as required for early enrollment in community college classes. Testing is limited to standardized tests as required by the state, and tests in the math textbooks. Their level of understanding is demonstrated through discussion, writing, and other projects. Where workbooks and textbooks are used, we only move ahead when material is mastered, and go back and review when necessary. Language Arts The overall goal in language arts is to foster a love of reading and an appreciation for different types of literature and informational writing, to use their own writing as a creative outlet, and to develop the skills to entertain, convey information, and express opinions to other readers. Reading is done on an individual basis, as part of homeschool book discussion groups, and as a family. Selections include a mix of short stories, novels, non-fiction works and news and analysis. Plays and films are also given a critical analysis. Writing includes essays, research papers, poetry, creative writing, blogs, journals, and personal projects. Math In math, the goal is to help my children develop number sense by showing what is going on behind the algorithms and encouraging them to employ a variety of ways to solve a problem, if appropriate. We do this with carefully chosen textbooks, hands-on manipulatives, and by using math in other school projects and everyday life. Science For science, the goal is to understand the concepts underlying the different disciplines and how they apply to the world around us. We mainly focus on new discoveries and areas of research and their effect. A large part of our studies include designing and carrying out observations and hands-on lab activities. We also learn about scientists and science hobbyists through reading, videos, lectures, and visits to museums, research centers and colleges. Social Studies In social studies, the goal is to explore interesting people, places, and times throughout history around the world, and to gain the background needed to give context to present-day events. After covering the history of the world and the United States chronologically over several years (beginning in the elementary grades), we are focusing on special topics and on current events. Every year includes an in-depth history research project on a chosen topic. These can incorporate biographies, geography, literature, film, and visual arts. How to Write a Homeschooling Philosophy Statement To craft your own homeschooling philosophy or mission statement, ask yourself questions such as: What are my basic goals for homeschooling? When my children graduate, they should be able to...What are my overall goals for each subject?Why did we decide to homeschool?Why do we continue to homeschool?What do we hope to accomplish by homeschooling that could not be accomplished in a traditional school setting?What life skills do I want my children to have?What are our familys priorities (i.e. academic success, community involvement, specific character traits)?What does the ideal homeschool day look like to me? To my children?What are our goals, short-term and long-term?How is learning accomplished in our home?What materials do we use to accomplish our educational goals? Use your answers to those questions and the sample above to craft a unique philosophy statement that captures and outlines your familys homeschooling purpose. Updated by Kris Bales