Slartibartfast Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 http://www.wistv.com/story/26163145/blogger-gets-fired-from-language-school-for-homophones?clienttype=generic&mobilecgbypass (RNN) - A social media strategist for a Utah school that teaches English as a second language was fired for a blog post about homophones – words that sound alike but have a different meaning.Tim Torkildson was let go from the Nomen Global Language Center because his boss, Clark Woodger, thought it would make people think the school had a gay agenda because homophone sounds kind of like homosexual - or homophobe. WHAT!??! That sounds like a "quality" language school that fires people over things that are learned in the first grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I saw this. I'm pretty speechless. That is one of the dumbest things I've ever read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I'm waiting for more to come out about this story. I have a local friend who says the teacher was new to the school and already on shaky ground prior to his being fired. I'm curious what was actually in the blog post. (if it's true, then yes, it's absolutely ridiculous) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Who was the guy who was pilloried for using the term 'niggardly'? This sounds like the same kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Unbelievable. The fact that the ESL school's principal had to look up the meaning of the word "homophone" is not a ringing endorsement for his institution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I'm waiting for more to come out about this story. I have a local friend who says the teacher was new to the school and already on shaky ground prior to his being fired. I'm curious what was actually in the blog post. (if it's true, then yes, it's absolutely ridiculous) I don't think he was a teacher, I think he was working as their social media guy. But, yes, firing him for an article about homophones that he wrote for a LANGUAGE SCHOOL is total insanity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 And this person runs a school?! A school of what? Idiocy? Illiteracy? Insanity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hmm, n is right next to b on the keyboard, so maybe he originally had a typo and drew a lot of negative attention? Sounds too weird to be true. Unless of course it was a joke post and he was talking about phones for homo's or something like that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Unbelievable. The fact that the ESL school's principal had to look up the meaning of the word "homophone" is not a ringing endorsement for his institution. I'd also like to know what is so advanced about the concept that we use different spellings of similar sounding words for different things? to, too, two bare, bear pare, pair, pear your, you're there, they're All of these would need to be covered in an ESL setting if the students are going to meaningfully take on English.....wouldn't they? Oh my gosh....the stupid in that article has given me a headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Headdesk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I wonder if they can't have homogenized milk at this "school". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hmm, n is right next to b on the keyboard, so maybe he originally had a typo and drew a lot of negative attention? Sounds too weird to be true. Unless of course it was a joke post and he was talking about phones for homo's or something like that.... Here is a link to a cached version of the original blog post that has been removed by the school in the mean time https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kvBQPW_wGYEJ:nomenglobaltoday.blogspot.com/2014/07/help-with-homophones-1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I wonder if they can't have homogenized milk at this "school". Might need to steer clear of Homo sapiens too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 Here is a link to a cached version of the original blog post that has been removed by the school in the mean time https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kvBQPW_wGYEJ:nomenglobaltoday.blogspot.com/2014/07/help-with-homophones-1.html Ah yes, phones for homos. I am sure that is a common topic among teachers writing in a professional capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I saw this yesterday. Sounds like there's skepticism about how real it is and the man was hired on April Fool's Day or that was his first day. Could totally be real, though. Just ridiculous. well, he definitely DID write a blog post about homophones early in July: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kvBQPW_wGYEJ:nomenglobaltoday.blogspot.com/2014/07/help-with-homophones-1.html and it has been removed from the school's blog since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Priceless comment from a user on the school's website: "I sure hope they don't have a theatre program. Those are usually filled with thespians." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 Priceless comment from a user on the school's website: "I sure hope they don't have a theatre program. Those are usually filled with thespians." :smilielol5: :smilielol5: :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Here is a link to a cached version of the original blog post that has been removed by the school in the mean time https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kvBQPW_wGYEJ:nomenglobaltoday.blogspot.com/2014/07/help-with-homophones-1.html Hmm it's not a very good blog post (his definition of homophone is lousy); if I had hired someone to blog for my business that would be unacceptable quality...but offensive or controversial?!? Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hmm it's not a very good blog post (his definition of homophone is lousy); if I had hired someone to blog for my business that would be unacceptable quality...but offensive or controversial?!? Nope. I doubt someone who runs a language school and yet is *unaware* of the meaning of the word "homophone" is in a position to assess quality writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I doubt someone who runs a language school and yet is *unaware* of the meaning of the word "homophone" is in a position to assess quality writing. True, that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Priceless comment from a user on the school's website: "I sure hope they don't have a theatre program. Those are usually filled with thespians." When I was a kid, I was afraid to ask what the "thespian society" in school was all about. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 You know, I saw that and immediately went to see if it was written by the Onion. Nope. ETA: Wonder if they fired him because they were too niggardly to continue the job. :leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Yeah, it was pretty poor and maybe he's making up the stuff about homophobia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hmm it's not a very good blog post (his definition of homophone is lousy); if I had hired someone to blog for my business that would be unacceptable quality...but offensive or controversial?!? Nope. It seemed fine for an audience that is learning English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 If the principal thought homophones were too complicated for the language school then I have to assume the blogger is supposed to be writing simplistically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I doubt someone who runs a language school and yet is *unaware* of the meaning of the word "homophone" is in a position to assess quality writing. :thumbup1: My BIL is an international ESL teacher. His blog and recorded lessons are very annoying to me, but it would seem that those who are teaching English to non-native speakers know more about effective presentation than those of us who are native speakers but ignorant about ESL teaching. BIL instantly came to mind when I read that cached post. p.s. Have you ever noticed that anytime you want to talk about English on the internet your words come out all ungrammatical and wrong? It's like a disease. I used to really worry about it but now I just leave the carnage. I can't fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 :thumbup1: My BIL is an international ESL teacher. His blog and recorded lessons are very annoying to me, but it would seem that those who are teaching English to non-native speakers know more about effective presentation than those of us who are native speakers but ignorant about ESL teaching. BIL instantly came to mind when I read that cached post. p.s. Have you ever noticed that anytime you want to talk about English on the internet your words come out all ungrammatical and wrong? It's like a disease. I used to really worry about it but now I just leave the carnage. I can't fix it. I don't know, I bet your BIL tries to define things correctly even if using simple terms. This: "In English a homophone is a word that has several different meanings and spellings, but always sounds the same" is really not a correct definition. Err and air, for example, are not "a word that has several different meaning and spellings"; they are in fact two separate words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I saw this yesterday. Sounds like there's skepticism about how real it is and the man was hired on April Fool's Day or that was his first day. Could totally be real, though. Just ridiculous. My first day at Boeing, back in the day, Was April 1. I lasted 5.25 years there before getting laid off in the wake of 9-11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I don't know, I bet your BIL tries to define things correctly even if using simple terms. This: "In English a homophone is a word that has several different meanings and spellings, but always sounds the same" is really not a correct definition. Err and air, for example, are not "a word that has several different meaning and spellings"; they are in fact two separate words. Well, probably. Probably my BIL is better at his job. But let's remember this teacher wasn't fired for getting his parts of speech wrong, anyway (as has been pointed out, it's not like his supervisor would know). He was fired for talking about teh gays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I tend to take claims about "why I got fired" with a grain of salt, because the employer is not able to give its side of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I tend to take claims about "why I got fired" with a grain of salt, because the employer is not able to give its side of the story. Not willing. Several news outlets have tried to reach the employer to get his side of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Not willing. Several news outlets have tried to reach the employer to get his side of the story. I think legally they would be advised not to publicly disclose personnel information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Unbelievable. The fact that the ESL school's principal had to look up the meaning of the word "homophone" is not a ringing endorsement for his institution. 1ds had a high school english teacher who accused him of plagerism because "teen's don't use those words". after speaking with her directly, I understood why she'd think that. *SHE* didn't use "those words". her vocabulary was pretty basic compared to our family's standard. (i also did some cringing over her misuse of words. she's an ENGLISH teacher!!!!) she did eventually apologize - after she heard ds speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Not willing. Several news outlets have tried to reach the employer to get his side of the story. if he has been legally advised to not give his side of the story - it is "not able". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Here is a link to a cached version of the original blog post that has been removed by the school in the mean time https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:kvBQPW_wGYEJ:nomenglobaltoday.blogspot.com/2014/07/help-with-homophones-1.html Just took a look at the cached page. Yep, can see why they fired the guy. That stuff was over the top!!! Just what was the blogger thinking? :laugh: (( :confused1: , yes, that was sarcasm)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I tend to take claims about "why I got fired" with a grain of salt, because the employer is not able to give its side of the story. same thing with hospital patients. before kalanmak died, she was saying how there were so many things going on at the hospital that were reported on in the news making the hospital look bad - but they couldn't legally say anything to defend themselves. (and when those things eventually do/did come out, boy did that change things!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Ah yes, phones for homos. I am sure that is a common topic among teachers writing in a professional capacity. i used to frequent a writer's site that would occasionally descend into rants about misuse of homophones, homonymns, antonyms, etc. their motto was "spell check is not your friend". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 i used to frequently a writer's site that would occasionally decend into rants about misuse of homophones, homonymns, antonyms, etc. their motto was "spell check is not your friend". Of course it is easy to make an error, but that doesn't seem to be what happened. Spell check drives me batty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Maybe the principal of the school is a closet homophonephobe. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xuzi Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I hope the school's theater department didn't draw his ire. It's full of thespians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 This word, which I can hardly even say correctly, is now stuck in my brain. Thanks, Cat! Maybe the principal of the school is a closet homophonephobe. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.