Study these terms before completing the activities below.
1. Vignette
A short, vivid literary sketch that captures a single moment or impression rather than a full story; Esperanza's assignment is to write a vignette about something that defines her
2. Inheritance
Something passed from one generation to the next; names, stories, and expectations can all be inherited; Esperanza's name is an act of inheritance from her mother
3. Prophecy
A declaration about the future; in Yoruba tradition and in Esperanza's grandmother's oral tradition, a child's name is a prophecy pressed into their identity at birth
4. Oral Tradition
Cultural knowledge, stories, and values passed down through speaking and listening, not writing; Esperanza's grandmother maintains an oral tradition in book form
5. Code-switching
Adjusting how you speak or present yourself depending on your social environment or audience; Esperanza's family learned code-switching like table manners
6. Heritage
The cultural background, traditions, and values passed down from those who came before; Esperanza's maternal lineage comes from a heritage traceable seven generations
7. Lineage
One's ancestry; the chain of descent from one's forebears; Esperanza carries an entire lineage in her four names
8. Epithet
A name or phrase used to characterize a person; Esperanza's great-grandmother wore "horse woman" like an epithet she had turned into armor
9. Diaspora
The scattering of a cultural group from their homeland; the Dominguez side arrived as part of a diaspora that shaped how they moved through the world
10. Metaphor
A figure of speech that says one thing IS another without using "like" or "as"; the window is a metaphor for waiting for a life that never arrived
11. Synesthesia
A literary device in which one sense is described in terms of another — like describing a name as "the number nine" or "a muddy color"
12. Belonging
The feeling of being accepted and genuinely connected to something; Esperanza discovers belonging not to a place but to the long story of who she comes from
🏭 Etymology Exploration — Where Do These Words Come From?
Use a dictionary or etymonline.com to research each word's origin. Words in this unit often have roots in Latin, Greek, Spanish, or African languages — the history of a word reveals the history of a people.
Term
Language of Origin
Original Meaning
How Has the Meaning Changed Over Time?
1. Vignette
2. Inheritance
3. Prophecy
4. Oral Tradition
5. Code-switching
6. Heritage
7. Lineage
8. Epithet
9. Diaspora
10. Metaphor
11. Synesthesia
12. Belonging
💬 Connotation vs. Denotation — How Word Choice Shapes Meaning
A word's denotation is its dictionary definition. Its connotation is the emotional feeling it carries. The same idea can feel very different depending on word choice.
Vignette
📖 Denotation (dictionary meaning)
A short, vivid literary sketch that captures a single moment or impression rather than a full story; Esperanza's assignment is to write a vignette about something that defines her
💬 Connotation (emotional feel)
How does word choice here shape meaning? Write a sentence using Vignette to show its connotation:
Inheritance
📖 Denotation (dictionary meaning)
Something passed from one generation to the next; names, stories, and expectations can all be inherited; Esperanza's name is an act of inheritance from her mother
💬 Connotation (emotional feel)
How does word choice here shape meaning? Write a sentence using Inheritance to show its connotation:
Prophecy
📖 Denotation (dictionary meaning)
A declaration about the future; in Yoruba tradition and in Esperanza's grandmother's oral tradition, a child's name is a prophecy pressed into their identity at birth
💬 Connotation (emotional feel)
How does word choice here shape meaning? Write a sentence using Prophecy to show its connotation:
Oral Tradition
📖 Denotation (dictionary meaning)
Cultural knowledge, stories, and values passed down through speaking and listening, not writing; Esperanza's grandmother maintains an oral tradition in book form
💬 Connotation (emotional feel)
How does word choice here shape meaning? Write a sentence using Oral Tradition to show its connotation:
Code-switching
📖 Denotation (dictionary meaning)
Adjusting how you speak or present yourself depending on your social environment or audience; Esperanza's family learned code-switching like table manners
💬 Connotation (emotional feel)
How does word choice here shape meaning? Write a sentence using Code-switching to show its connotation:
📰 Real-World Usage Hunt
Find 6 of your vocabulary words in the real world — in a news headline, song lyrics, social media post, or book. Write where you found each one and how it was used.
Find #1
Vocabulary word found:
Source (news headline, song, caption, etc.):
How was it used? What does it mean in that context?
Find #2
Vocabulary word found:
Source (news headline, song, caption, etc.):
How was it used? What does it mean in that context?
Find #3
Vocabulary word found:
Source (news headline, song, caption, etc.):
How was it used? What does it mean in that context?
Find #4
Vocabulary word found:
Source (news headline, song, caption, etc.):
How was it used? What does it mean in that context?
Find #5
Vocabulary word found:
Source (news headline, song, caption, etc.):
How was it used? What does it mean in that context?
Find #6
Vocabulary word found:
Source (news headline, song, caption, etc.):
How was it used? What does it mean in that context?
🔁 Word Relationship Maps
For each word, fill in synonyms (words with similar meaning), antonyms (opposite meanings), and thematically related terms from the unit.
Vignette
🔗 Synonyms
↔️ Antonyms
🌐 Related Terms
Inheritance
🔗 Synonyms
↔️ Antonyms
🌐 Related Terms
Prophecy
🔗 Synonyms
↔️ Antonyms
🌐 Related Terms
Oral Tradition
🔗 Synonyms
↔️ Antonyms
🌐 Related Terms
✏️ Paragraph Writing Challenge
Write a paragraph of at least 5–7 sentences using 5 or more vocabulary words from this lesson. Underline each vocabulary word you use. Your paragraph should connect to the themes of Identity & Voice.