cdrumm4448 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Do you think a public schooled 16-year-old should know what a penal colony is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I would say yes, even if only from a passing reference in something, or from history (Australia?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Do you think a public schooled 16-year-old should know what a penal colony is? If not, as with anything else, it's a teachable moment! Point out the root word (as in PENALty); mention a few historical instances. If the student gets into it, use it as a great springboard for discussion on capital punishment, imprisonment and whether it works as either punishment for crime and/or character reform, etc. Have fun! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Most of the public schooled 16 year olds that I work with would think that was a sexual innuendo. (That's probably reflective of my particular students, but - that's what they would think, especially if they HEARD it instead of READ it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Most of the public schooled 16 year olds that I work with would think that was a sexual innuendo. (That's probably reflective of my particular students, but - that's what they would think, especially if they HEARD it instead of READ it.) Yes, this is what happened. He couldn't stop giggling and made it apparent he didn't want to know what it really is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariston Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I think they should definitely know the concept, especially as it relates to the US colonies or australia, although I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't recognize the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Yes. But I bet a lot don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Probably. They should at least know the concept if not the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Yes, this is what happened. He couldn't stop giggling and made it apparent he didn't want to know what it really is. Well, that's just teen boys. :001_rolleyes: Of course "penal colony" is going to get a reaction. [Gracious, I have to confess to getting a bit of an unplanned mental picture from that one, myself...] Loads of sound-alikes triggering giggles over the years here, too. The one that ended up putting us all on the floor in stitches (and effectively ending science for the day -- LOL) was from the science textbook which should have *known* better than to use any of these words, but worse, to put them all together in one sentence: "...this deviation is called a perturbation... The source of Uranus's perturbation was uncovered in 1845..." Sometimes, you just have to laugh. ;) (And, in case you wanted to know what in the world that REALLY meant, it was from a chapter on how, due to gravitational attraction, the mass of larger planets, when close enough in their orbits, can cause smaller planets to deviate from their normal orbits.) cheers! (and chuckles!) Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I had to think about this. British pronunciation of the two words is very different. PEE-nuhl vs. PEE-NILE. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 What had my kids rolling was when Jesus rode in on his @ss! They fell off their chairs! Or, the Victorian use of the word ejaculation. Oy vey! I do think a 16 year old should understand the concept of penal colony. I also think a 16 year old is going to snicker at the words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 To be honest, I was shocked he had no idea what it was. Keep in mind, this was also happening at Easter dinner. My father was having a serious conversation with my family, and my nephew kept interrupting with snide giggles. I understand the compulsion of a 16-year-old to giggle at the word, but the occasion didn't call for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropymama Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I wouldn't be shocked. We learned about the Australian penal colonies last year but when I just asked the kids, they didn't remember the word, though they knew the concept. Even if he learned about it he may have forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 To be honest, I was shocked he had no idea what it was. Keep in mind, this was also happening at Easter dinner. My father was having a serious conversation with my family, and my nephew kept interrupting with snide giggles. I understand the compulsion of a 16-year-old to giggle at the word, but the occasion didn't call for it. Oh yes, that definitely is a different situation. Even if he didn't know the word, and it sounded suggestive/funny to him, at that age, you'd think he'd get what whether or not it was an appropriate time to snigger... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Well, that's just teen boys. :001_rolleyes: Of course "penal colony" is going to get a reaction. [Gracious, I have to confess to getting a bit of an unplanned mental picture from that one, myself...] :lol: OP, I agree the situation should have made it clear to your nephew that the phrase wasn't suggestive. Perhaps the attraction of boys to body related, and bodily function related, humor was too much to overcome. :001_rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 :lol: OP, I agree the situation should have made it clear to your nephew that the phrase wasn't suggestive. Perhaps the attraction of boys to body related, and bodily function related, humor was too much to overcome. :001_rolleyes: Yes, even more "mature" people have fallen prey to much smaller temptations. Thought it sounds like it was a good lesson in polite behavior! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 To be honest, I was shocked he had no idea what it was. Keep in mind, this was also happening at Easter dinner. My father was having a serious conversation with my family, and my nephew kept interrupting with snide giggles. I understand the compulsion of a 16-year-old to giggle at the word, but the occasion didn't call for it. I don't know about the penal colony but a 16 year old should know not to giggle when an adult is talking seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 the question is really judgmental - you are asking us to give you permission to look down on him for not knowing or caring. a lot of kids retain next to nothing from what they learn at school. 'should' has nothing to do with it. and it sounds like he REALLY didnt want to be there. Please, try to be kind to your family members, esp young ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 the question is really judgmental - you are asking us to give you permission to look down on him for not knowing or caring. a lot of kids retain next to nothing from what they learn at school. 'should' has nothing to do with it. and it sounds like he REALLY didnt want to be there. Please, try to be kind to your family members, esp young ones. First of all, you are judging me. Second, the only question I asked is whether a 16-year-old should be familiar with the term. I added the background AFTER I received responses to my original question. Third, don't tell me how to behave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I hope you all realise that I'm never going to hear the words "penal colony" the same way again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmead Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 In Melville's "The Encantadas", he compares the Galapagos to a "penal conflagration". Kids are pretty sure that's really, really naughty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Huh, I pronounce it PEE-nuhl and I'm not British. I think you misunderstood me. I pronounce the colony PEE-nuhl and the anatomy PEE-NILE. I wouldn't confuse the two words because they are pronounced differently. Terminal 'ile' spellings in British English do not normally become a schwa. For example, 'missile' in British English is MI-SSILE', not 'MI-ssuhl' as in most N. American accents. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Well, that's just teen boys. :001_rolleyes: Of course "penal colony" is going to get a reaction. [Gracious, I have to confess to getting a bit of an unplanned mental picture from that one, myself...] Loads of sound-alikes triggering giggles over the years here, too. The week I always dreaded teaching 8th grade was the week the vocabulary book introduced "chafe," "endow," and "penal" in the same week. Who writes a middle school vocabulary program and doesn't think about these things?!? At least the original sentences that week were creative - gotta work hard to get that innuendo in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danielle1746 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I wouldn't mind too much that he laughed/giggled initially--at least he was at the table and listening as opposed to sitting in a corner with headphones on, but when he continued to let it be a distraction, I could see getting frustrated. 16 is too big for that, imo. Were his parents there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I think you misunderstood me. I pronounce the colony PEE-nuhl and the anatomy PEE-NILE. I wouldn't confuse the two words because they are pronounced differently. Terminal 'ile' spellings in British English do not normally become a schwa. For example, 'missile' in British English is MI-SSILE', not 'MI-ssuhl' as in most N. American accents. Penile and Missile have different ending pronunciations in my area (Alabama). Like you, penal is PEE-nuhl, and penile is PEE-NILE. But we say MIS-sulh. And even with the different pronunciations between penal and penile, they're close enough that I'd expect a public schooled boy to giggle, though NOT at the dinner table in the situation described. I'd expect it if a homeschool mom was reading about history on the couch. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 The giggling was an immature response considering the occasion. He may have known what it was, but playing dumb just allowed him more giggles and attention. In Internet terms, it sounds as if he was trolling (playing dumb is part of that. Having others correct him just feeds it.). Hopefully his behavior will change as he matures. It is up to his parents to educate him on appropriate behavior during somewhat formal gatherings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 No I wouldn't expect him to know the term, but I would expect him to know the definition. I would expect a brief snicker but any more is unacceptable. FYI ,My 9 year old and 11 year old did NOT laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 He is not special needs, and his parents were present. He also asked (in front of every single person there) to go home and play his Playstation because he was bored. He had been at my house for about an hour, and they live almost 2 hours away. I have since found out he was profane in front of my children. So, my level of patience has dropped drastically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 After that last post he sounds like he needs to seriously grow up. However, for a normal, polite person with a goofy sense of humor, if the word struck me as funny I'd have a hard time not giggling, especially if I was supposed to be serious. I'm 40 so I'd keep it in, but sometimes those innappropriate giggles are hard to stop. And sometimes they're hardest to stop when you know that everyone is being super seious. I remember shaking with suppressed laughter on the front row at church when my pastor, who often bungled prononciations, said that Jesus rose from the gravy, and that he healed 10 leopards, and sat under a jupiter tree. Thankfully, that wasn't all in the same sermon, or I'd have never held it in. And it would be hit or miss whether he'd know what a penal colony is. It would depend on whethere it had been covered in his history classes yet and whether or not he was paying attention that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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