How the words we teach English language learners changed

The words used to teach English language learners have evolved significantly over the past 70 years. In 1953, a list of about 2,300 essential vocabulary words was created, representing over 90% of general English usage. This list was updated in 2023, adding over 1,100 new words and dropping about 600 others. The changes reflect the evolving nature of everyday life and the increasing abstractness of the vocabulary used.

Some notable changes include the removal of words like "telegraph" and "motherhood," while words such as "computer," "website," and "mom" were added. Words like "apple," "fork," "soap," "umbrella," and "leaf" also did not make the updated list. Meanwhile, words like "mortgage," "corporation," "appropriate," "analysis," "fairly," and "despite" were included, despite lacking any tangible, physical representation.

The shift in vocabulary can be attributed to the changing nature of daily life. By 1953, manual labor was on the decline, and white-collar workers were becoming more prevalent. By 2000, fewer than one in four workers engaged in manual labor. Consequently, the vocabulary evolved to reflect this shift, with more focus on abstract concepts, institutions, systems, and ideas.

Furthermore, the tangibility of words plays a significant role in how they are processed in the brain. Concrete words, which can be experienced through the senses, are easier to recall and process. Abstract words, on the other hand, are purely verbal and rely solely on language for understanding. The growing presence of abstract words in the vocabulary list suggests a cognitive shift towards more conceptual thinking and less direct, physical interaction.