Quiet
EVERYDAY EVENT: On many occasions, teachers direct
students to the noise level of an activity. Sometimes, students
are asked to read part of a text aloud to a partner. Students
may be asked to give an answer aloud. More typically,
directions have to do with decreasing rather than increasing the
noise level. Students are told to read silently or they are asked
to have a quiet time after lunch or recess.
EXCEPTIONAL EXPRESSION:
There are three possible definitions for quiet. The first definition of quiet is using the word
as a command. A teacher may tell the class to work quietly on their math assignment or a
class may be told to settle down and be quiet.
The second definition for the word quiet is quiet as a state of being. A teacher may ask the
class to remain calm during a fire evacuation drill so that the students don’t trample one
another. The teacher may also single out a student and tell him or her that they must be
calmer during quiet reading time.
The final definition for the word quiet is to keep information a secret from others. The
teacher may ask a student to keep test answers quiet from the other students.
Let’s see how many of these words on the attached graphic you and your students can
integrate into your everyday classroom talk.
FOLLOW-UPS:
• How is being a calm person different from quieting down?
• What are some words that you can use to quiet down a classroom?
• When is it reasonable to expect complete silence?
• When is it proper to ask students not to divulge certain information to others?
THE SPANISH CONNECTION:
Quiet is an Anglo-Norman and Middle French word for quiet and tranquil. The AngloNorman and Middle French word may have been based on the Latin word quietus. The
Spanish word for quiet differs in the meaning and usage of the word. For example, the
Spanish word for quiet in the phrase “a quiet day in the office” is tranquilo. In this case,
tranquilo is also the Spanish cognate of tranquil. Quiet is an example of how words in
different languages can have the same root word, but have slightly differing definitions and
usages.
WORD CHANGES:
1) IDIOMS
• Quiet as a church mouse
• So quiet you can hear a pin drop
• Keep it on the QT
2) COMMON PHRASES
• Top secret
•
•
•
•
•
•
Keep it on the down low
This is very hush-hush
Don’t rat me out
All quiet on the western front
The silent majority
Silence is golden
Copyright © 2009 TextProject. Exceptional Expressions for Everyday Events is a trademark of TextProject.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send
a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
Quiet
Quiet as a state
of being
placid
serene
still
tranquil
calm
low-keyed
Quiet as in not
to divulge
information
secret
divulge
Quiet as a
command
hush
shush
silence
calm (down)
settle
Quiet
Idioms
* Quiet as a church
mouse
* So quiet you can
hear a pin drop
* Keep it on the QT
The Spanish
Connection
silent/silencio
tranquil/tranquilo
serene/sereno
placid/placido
Common phrases
* Top secret
* Keep it on the down low
* This is very hush-hush
* Don’t rat me out
* All quiet on the western
front
* The silent majority
* Silence is golden
Copyright © 2009 TextProject. Exceptional Expressions for Everyday Events is a trademark of TextProject.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send
a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
Quiet
Quiet as a state
of being
placid
serene
still
tranquil
calm
low-keyed
Quiet as in not
to divulge
information
secret
divulge
Quiet as a
command
hush
shush
silence
calm (down)
settle
Quiet
Idioms
* Quiet as a church
mouse
* So quiet you can
hear a pin drop
* Keep it on the QT
The Spanish
Connection
silent/silencio
tranquil/tranquilo
Common phrases
* Top secret
* Keep it on the down low
* This is very hush-hush
* Don’t rat me out
* All quiet on the western
front
* The silent majority
* Silence is golden
Copyright © 2009 TextProject. Exceptional Expressions for Everyday Events is a trademark of TextProject.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send
a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.