Vocabulary Activities...

A guide to resources from the American Memory collections used in this feature presentation.

As waves of immigrants arrived in the United States they brought with them their languages, dialects, and expressions, which have enriched "American English."

Try these vocabulary games to learn how immigrant groups have contributed to the the language of this nation.

In this activity, see how you would fare if you visited Ireland today. Although "English" is the Irish national language, is it the same English you speak? Can you speak Irish? Play the game and find out!
Native American languages are richly descriptive. Can you find the locations described by these Native American place names? Play the game and find out!
You may not realize just how many American English words have Spanish origins. Can you find the words that come from Spanish? Play the game and find out!
These six African Americans are known for their great accomplishments. Do you know who uttered these famous words? Play the game and find out!
The Spanish-speaking immigrants of the Caribbean brought creative new music--and new percussion instruments--to the United States. Can you name these instruments? Play the game and find out!