Word wizard to help out literacy program
San Diego Union-Tribune: November 9, 2005 by Pat Sherman
Vocabulary virtuoso and grammar grandmaster Richard Lederer has a term for the condition in which a person transfixed by a radio program is unable to remove himself from his carincarceration.
People who are reluctant to exit their vehicles and enter the supermarket or office during Lederer's weekly show, "A Way With Words," will get a chance to see the Presley of parlance in person. The KPBS host and self-described "verbivore," or one who "devours words," will give a presentation to benefit Escondido Public Library Literacy Services at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The literacy program offers adult language tutoring, bilingual computer classes, a mobile library and other services.
The evening with Lederer is free. Proceeds from the sale of Lederer's books, "Comma Sense: A Fun-damental Guide to Punctuation," "Anguished English" and "The Cunning Linguist" will benefit adult literacy services at the library. Lederer will sign books starting at 6:30 p.m. and again after the one-hour presentation.
Lederer co-hosts "A Way With Words" with etymologist Martha Barnette at noon Saturdays. It is rebroadcast Sundays at 10 a.m.
National Spelling Bee champ Anurag Kashyap of Poway has been a guest on the show. Other young listeners with language conundrums often phone in.
"I think our youngest caller has been about 5, and we get a lot of 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds," Lederer said.
He knows the value of a population who can read and write. According to READ/San Diego, a service of the San Diego Public Library system, 422,000 adults in San Diego County cannot read and write well enough to pursue their professional goals or meet daily needs. There are 2 million native English speakers statewide who are functionally illiterate, according to the National Adult Literacy Survey.
"Literacy is a gateway to reaping the full fruits of our civilization, because books allow us to enter other people's minds and lives and emotions," Lederer said. "If somebody is shut out from that, that's just a terrific shameand it's contagious ...
"An adult becoming literate almost guarantees and assures the next generation in that family or circle being literate, so it's really a multiplier."
During his presentation, the Scripps Ranch resident will have fun with language, while taking a moment to talk about breaking the cycle of illiteracy.
"We fight the good fight for standard English, not that it's superior, but it is more useful when you're trying to communicate with other standard speakers," Lederer said. "We would prefer that people pronounce n-u-c-l-e-a-r correctly. Some people in high places say nuk-u-lar, and we're not in love with it," Lederer said.
Literary Services Coordinator Josephine Jones said the number of people seeking the library's literacy services is on the rise.
"As the high schools are now going through exit exams, what happens to all these kids who can't pass the test?" she asked. "Is it tied to literacy issues? Will we be seeing more of them coming through our door?"
Jones said the program has helped many people learn to read and write.
"Some of the greatest success stories are parents who are now able to read to their children and help them with their homework," she said. "We've had learners who've won awards through the various literacy coalitions throughout the state."
The program currently needs volunteers to help adults on a waiting list, Jones said. For more information, call the literacy hotline at (760) 747-2233 or visit www.ci.escondido.ca.us/library and click on "literacy."
What: Literacy benefit with KPBS host Richard Lederer
When: 7 p.m. tomorrow
Where: Escondido Public Library, 239 S. Kalmia St., Escondido
Cost: Free
Information: (760) 747-2233
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