CONTEXT 

Language is constantly changing. Adults may be baffled by the words and phrases kids and teens use just as they would be baffled by the words and phrases adults used as children. In the 1780s, Francis Grose published two editions of a dictionary of slang used by people in the 18th century. It contains words that were deemed too ‘vulgar’ and left out of the 1755 Dictionary of the English Language. Though likely originally a joke, this publication gives us a look into the language and lives of people in the 18th century.  

AIMS/OBJECTIVES 

Students will be able to… 

• Explore life in colonial 18th century America.  

• Compare and contrast life in the 18th century with life in the 21st century. 

MATERIALS 

• E-book: A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, by Francis Grose (London: S. Hooper, 1788) archive.org/details/b2876190x/page/n4  

• Thematic Overview – Life in the Late 18th Century

PROCEDURES 

• First, have students discuss how language changes over time. What words or phrases do they use today that might not have been used in the past? What words do they think of as old or old-fashioned?  

• Next, have students read a page or pages from A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Have students highlight, note, or call out things they find interesting, paying attention to things like spelling, pronunciation, and meanings. Allow them time to share their findings.  

• Then, in pairs, have students select at least five words and then put together a skit that uses each word appropriately. Allow them time to perform their skits.  

• Finally, wrap up by having students reflect on what these words tell them about life in the 18th century. Similarly, what do the words they use today say about life in the 21st century? 

EXTEND: Review or have students read the Thematic Overview, then discuss how this information helps them better understand the language they have been playing with.  

EXTEND: This activity can be extended by having students create a thesaurus or 18th to 21st Century dictions, one that would allow a time traveler from the past to understand conversation in the 21st century or vice versa. 

This activity is excerpted from Unit 3 of the Through Their Eyes: Major Causes and Events of the American Revolution Teacher Resource Guide. To see the full lesson and all supporting materials, visit www.amrevmuseum.org/teacher-resource-guides