Two plus two equals..

What distinguishes us from other animals is our ability to infer things. We can figure out things we have never seen before using what we already know. Or can we ?

In a recent exam we had asked students to give two examples of "liquid waste" and "deficiency diseases". We hadn't actually used these terms in the class ever. We were surprised to see that most students failed the question. When one knows 'liquid', 'waste', 'deficiency' and 'diseases'; can't one get 'liquid waste' or 'deficiency diseases' ?

This was depressing. Science is all about inferring, extrapolating, discovering things. Making a wise guess. So where did we get de-railed ?

The answer may be in the way we teach languages rather than sciences. We are teaching words and grammar rules. Marks in languages are given for correct answer to questions on chapters. Is this what language is ?

Words are not just entries in dictionary or text-book, they have wordy-ness. One needs to learn how to extrapolate or transform words to new meanings. Being good in language should mean you are expressive, imaginative, innovative, eloquent and engaging.

In languages, as also in science, two plus two can become more than four. It would need a different kind of teaching.