I hold up a handful of wooden coffee stirrers and say to the class: “I took these from the Three Star Diner yesterday. Would it be correct to say I stole them?”
Heads shake and I’m given reasons why stole is too strong a word.
“How about these plastic spoons from the Carvel store? Ripped off?” Heads shake. Same reasons.
I hold up a stainless steel fork. “Luigi’s Pizza Garden. Stolen?”
“Yes,” everyone shouts, laughing, and from the back of the room a girl calls, “And bring it back! Luigi’s my uncle.” Lots of laughs.
These scenarios lead us into a discussion of the distinctions between synonyms for steal; and by the time we’re through, we have covered the differences between pilfer, shoplift, rob, swipe, purloin, rip off, filch, embezzle, swindle, and any other theft-related word the class offers, including hijack, plagiarize and pirate.
My emphasis, though, is on pilfer, and it’s the only word I ask them to write on their Found Vocabulary list.
“Anybody have a pilfering story?” I ask. A raised hand.
“Yes?”
“My —.” I interrupt quickly. “No names, please.” Laughter.
The funny, outrageous and sometimes plainly criminal stories could go on for an hour. (Sheets and pillow cases dropped from motel windows into waiting arms?)
We talk about the ethics of pilfering by office workers, restaurant goers and hotel guests. It’s a vocabulary lesson, a critical thinking lesson, an ethics lesson. And, as usual, I’m having students associate their vocabulary word with something in their life experience. That’s what makes new words stick most of all.
