PUNJABI HISTORY Names, meaning and evidence Learner worksheet A source-literacy lesson separating a dictionary headword, a documented person’s name, spelling variation and an individual’s naming intention. Suggested group: Secondary learners and adult family-history groups Session: approximately 45 minutes Goal: Write a name record that distinguishes documented use, lexical evidence and a meaning that has not been established. Preparation: Use the named examples in the pack. Learners may choose one of these examples instead of discussing their own name. Native forms are shown with their recorded source; recognising or pronouncing either Punjabi script is not a prerequisite. READINGS Aman: a name in Punjab’s public records https://punjabihistory.com/names/aman/ Article ID: PH-NAM-0001 Anand: joy and a documented public-name form https://punjabihistory.com/names/anand/ Article ID: PH-NAM-0009 Arjan: a historical name, a Guru and a modern bearer https://punjabihistory.com/names/arjan/ Article ID: PH-NAM-0010 Balraj: an actor’s name in film and Punjabi literary records https://punjabihistory.com/names/balraj/ Article ID: PH-NAM-0015 ACTIVITIES 1. Three questions for one name (12 minutes) Read the Aman and Anand entries. Build a table with three headings: documented use; dictionary evidence; personal intention. Fill only the fields supported by the cited records. Use ‘not established in these sources’ wherever evidence is missing. Find the evidence: Aman: a name in Punjab’s public records — Meaning remains a separate field https://punjabihistory.com/names/aman/#meaning-limits Anand: joy and a documented public-name form — A documented Punjabi word https://punjabihistory.com/names/anand/#evidence-1 Notes and source locators: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 2. Keep a spelling with its source (12 minutes) Compare the Arjan and Balraj entries. Record one full public-name form and the source that supplies it. If a variant or native form appears, identify whether it comes from a dictionary, an institutional record or a particular person. Explain why those are different claims. Find the evidence: Arjan: a historical name, a Guru and a modern bearer — A name recorded in an early dictionary https://punjabihistory.com/names/arjan/#evidence-1 Balraj: an actor’s name in film and Punjabi literary records — A Punjabi publication with a spelling detail https://punjabihistory.com/names/balraj/#evidence-3 Notes and source locators: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 3. Make a small evidence record (11 minutes) Choose one of the four entries. Write a record of no more than 80 words containing the name, one supported statement about its use, one evidence limit and a source ID. Exchange it with a partner and check whether every statement can be traced to the cited record. Find the evidence: Anand: joy and a documented public-name form — Anand at the start of a recorded public name https://punjabihistory.com/names/anand/#evidence-2 Arjan: a historical name, a Guru and a modern bearer — A different bearer and a commemorated full name https://punjabihistory.com/names/arjan/#evidence-3 Notes and source locators: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ REFLECTION Which of the three questions—use, lexical meaning or personal intention—was hardest to answer from the available evidence, and why? EXTENSION Use the names explorer to compare a record with documented lexical evidence and one whose meaning remains unestablished. Identify the different source types; do not rank the names by how complete their records are. This is an English guided-reading resource. Timing is a suggestion; adapt the reading load. Article citations and limitations remain part of the activity. This pack does not certify attainment or imply external curriculum approval.