Today’s picture: Scene from the United States Museum (photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute and Flickr Commons)

Part 1: Today's word

Legitimate has a narrow meaning which is when something is right and proper according to laws or customs. So, for instance, ‘legitimate business expenses’ are those expenses which can be claimed according to the rules. A wider meaning of ‘legitimate’ is when some behaviour is considered fair and reasonable. So, for instance, you could say that illness is a perfectly legitimate reason to ask for extra time to complete an assignment. A government may need to defend its legitimacy if it is challenged. They can do this in various ways – for instance, by showing that they have popular support or that they have gained power in the normal way. In fact, all claims can be challenged and so it is often necessary, to defend the legitimacy of the claim – even in academic writing.

Click here for interactive exercises on academic vocabulary and writing.

Part 2: Test

Here are FOUR sentences with the word of the day. But only THREE are correct. Which is the Odd One Out?

The legitimacy of their claim to customary ownership of the land has been challenged by other tribes.

Post-modern approaches to sociological research call into question the legitimacy of the scientific method.

Regardless of her good intentions, the excessive legitimacy of her spending was severely criticized.

The legitimacy of this restraint of trade is likely to be challenged in the courts.

Part 3: Practice Questions:

Do you know any examples of governments whose legitimacy has been called into question?

Do you know of any cases of illegitimate expenses claims?

Part 4: The Phrasal Test – part 3

19) Do you know anyone who’s been stood ______ on a date?
20) How late do you tend to stay ______ over here?
21) Have you ever been taken ______ by some false story?
22) Would you be happy to be tied ______ to one employer on a long-term contract?
23) What aspects of the opposite sex really turn you ______?
24) What really winds you ______ about the English language?
25) Do you know anyone who’s written ______ their car in an accident?

Part 5: Kiwi Quiz Question

Which famous Maori leader challenged the legitimacy of the early British rule in New Zealand by cutting down the flagpole?

More information about this can be found here

Part 6: Today's online listening:

This is an interview from Radio New Zealand with James Cuno, an American academic who has interesting views about the role of museums with the regard to national and global history and culture

Vocabulary for the article:

antiquity
descent
nationhood
entity
encyclopedic
legacy
enlightenment

Questions for the article:

1) Cuno argues that descent is one way in which governments seek to increase their ...

legitimacy
antiquity
nationhood
income

2) Cuno argues that national claims on culture have the negative impact of ...

weakening
distortion
confusion
limitation

3) Cuno argues that modern states such as Afghanistan and Turkey cannot claim ownership of the historical culture of their geographical regions, because culture is ...

temporary
fluid
universal
democratic

4) Cuno feels that the most negative aspect of national cultures is their effect on ...

globalisation
minorities
history
education

5) What kind of national culture does Cuno believe to be legitimate?

inclusive
transformational
democratic
ecological

6) Cuno believes the original purpose of the British Museum was linked to ..

imperialism
nationhood
enlightenment
colonialism

7) Cuno argues that museums have a right to keep artefacts from far-away cultures in order to ......

protect national identities
raise cultural awareness
increase their self-esteem
restore antiquities

8) Cuno uses the analogy of advanced healthcare to argue that ...

all nations should have access to encyclopaedic museums
specialisation is the only means of achieving progress
advances in technology will increase access to culture
a public-private partnership model is appropriate to cultural policy

9) Cuno believes that visitors to museums...

are given an interpretation by the museum
are unfairly influenced by the surrounding culture
are able to develop their own understandings of the artefacts
need to form a physical connection to the artefacts

10) Cuno believes that individuals ....

need to reject their own national culture
have a considerable degree of freedom of identity
are inevitably influenced by the market place
need to form cross-cultural relationships

Today’s musical suggestion: from the USA
Harvest for the World by the Isley Brothers
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