Week 1: Aug. 31 - Sept. 6

In class:

Introduction to the course. What is nonsense?

Denotation = the literal or primary meaning of a word

Connotation = a positive, negative, or neutral feeling or association with the word

Discuss different definitions of “nonsense” with your group and come up with a dictionary definition of the word. What does the word mean? How have you heard the term used? In which contexts? Was the connotation positive, negative, or neutral?

Definition of nonsense developed in class by us:

1) illogical, paradoxical, logically unsound; lacks reason

2) something with no clear purpose or meaning; indecipherable, unexplainable

3)  seemingly incoherent thoughts, concepts, ideas, objects or art, language, or behavior that you can’t interpret because you lack context or ability, due to cultural bias, or because they’re new or strange

4) phenomena that break laws of physics or nature, literally (but not metaphorically) impossible

5) language or behavior that defies convention, societal norms or expectations, bizarre or confusing

6) Something you don’t agree with...something you think is wrong. A dismissive, derogatory label put onto something by a defensive or close-minded person (resistance to nonsense = closemindedness)

7) Something whimsical, humorous, silly, fun

7a) potentially to the point of being distracting or numbing 

8) not substantial, serious, or productive 

9) a more creative way to express sense

10) the antithesis of sense, but not lacking meaning

After the first class:

1) Click the link below to sign up for an individual conference time to meet with Dr. Callaghan on Thursday, Sept. 3, or Friday, Sept. 4. Conferences last 25 minutes and will be held in English House 201.

2) Complete the questionnaire before your appointment.

Before class:

1) Post a bio in the "Meet the Class" forum in the top block on Moodle. Follow the instructions to resize your photo when you upload it.

2) Read:

Meet with me for an individual conference on Thursday or Friday in my office, English House 201. When it's time for your appointment, please knock on the door in case my previous conference is running long.

English House is across the street from the Merion parking lot. Be careful crossing New Gulph Road. When you enter the front door of English House, go upstairs and turn left down the long, winding hallway. My office is near the end of the hall.