Title
Document Type
Definition Essay
Publication Date
1987
Excerpt
The English language is unparalleled in its ability either to invent new words, or to modify the meaning of old words to fit a particular situation. Often, though, the original meaning of the word is forgotten, and the term takes on a modified meaning. Tracing the origins of such words is the best way for a student to realize the changes that meanings undergo as time passes. Sometimes, a student will find that a word's meaning does not change at all, and other times a student will find that a word totally changes meaning. Still other terms gain meanings that are more relevant to modern times, while not losing their original meaning. "Underground" is such a term. Tracing the history of "underground" provides students with a prime example of a word getting a new, more relevant definition, while at the same time, keeping its original definition.
Recommended Citation
Mitchell, Joe, "Underground (1987)" (1987). The Valpo Core Reader. 466.
http://scholar.valpo.edu/core_reader/466