...CSM 104 Research Essay Why you should learn Spanish before you learn French? Speaking a new language helps you to get to know another people and culture, as language and culture go hand in hand. Because language simultaneously is defined by the world around us, learning another language opens one's mind to new ideas and new ways of looking at the world. While most of us can't hope to learn the languages of more than one or two cultures other than that of our own, those that we can learn help us to learn how other people learn and think. In North American, most people choose French and Spanish as their second or third language. Many people believe that Spanish is actually more useful than French, and obviously the foreign language most spoken and studied--by far--in the North America is Spanish. Compare with French, Spanish can offer a wealth of literature of Latin language, both modern and traditional. For example, when you are reading a Latin American websites, you may find that you could gain a sense of how other people think and fee if you know Spanish. As a matter of fact, both of the languages belong to the Latin group of languages. Hence, they show some similarities too. On the one hand, French is spoken by the country of France in the continent of Europe. On the other hand, Spanish is spoken in the country of Spain in the continent of Europe. However, French and Spanish are two languages that show enormous differences between them when it comes to the pronunciation...
Words: 1469 - Pages: 6
...THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE CODESWITCHING IN INCREASING ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS AMONG MEXICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH by MELISSA MAIER BISHOP Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Arlington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON December 2006 Copyright © by Melissa Maier Bishop 2006 All Rights Reserved ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A wise professor told me before starting my PhD work to not forget my distractions. Therefore, this work is dedicated to my three favorite distractions—my husband Jeff and my two sons, Abel and Peyton. Thank you, Jeff, for all of your encouragement, your support, and your shoulder to lean on and your ear to listen during the past five years as we’ve come together on this journey. Thank you, Abel and Peyton, for sharing me with my studies and for often keeping me company while I studied for my exams and wrote my papers. Thank you also to my wonderful committee who were all so encouraging and patient with me, especially my Chair, Dr. Mark Peterson. Your excitement for my ideas inspired me as well as your belief in me. You have an unselfish and self-sacrificing nature that shines through you, and you are a gift to all of your students. Many thanks also to Dr. Roger Dickinson, who was a great support to me over the past five years and a big reason I decided to join the program in the first place. Thanks to my parents and to Jeff’s parents...
Words: 21464 - Pages: 86
...The Power of Language: Using Language to Reclaim and Reform Identity In her essay “Spanish Lessons,” Christine Marin describes her struggle with two language identities and how finding her voice in both Spanish and English allowed her to discover the power of language. Similarly in “Coming Into Language,” Jimmy Santiago Baca discusses how, in spite of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, language became a powerful outlet through which his life was changed. Both essays describe situations in which language and education were used as tools to empower the authors to reclaim their respective identities. I identify with the authors’ struggle to turn language and education from sources of humiliation to platforms of empowerment. Marin describes to...
Words: 968 - Pages: 4
...transmit complicated ideas or even to hurt people. Generally speaking, using the language correctly allows people to communicate better, compared with animals. However, we live in a big world, which has more than 6 billion people now. With the existence of many different languages, the issues of translation are generated. After reading Alberto Rios essay – Translating Translation: Finding the Beginning, I know Rios understands languages and translation in complex and stratified ways, from cultures and manners. He writes “Language is more than what we say – it’s also how we say it, and whether or not we even understand what we are saying. ” in his short essay (508). It can be understood easily why Rios pays so much attention to languages and translation. He grew up on the southwestern borderlands, having a Mexican father and an English mother. (504) The place he grew up is a place where cultures of the United States and Mexico meet and collide. Based on his own experience of dealing with different cultures and different languages, he points out how to say is more significant than what we say. The elements making his essay to be persuasive and compelling is worth to be analyzed, such as his personal background, the examples of his experience he gives, the way he arrange the examples and the his unique writing style. Rios’ personal background not only determine the topics he prefers to write about languages, but also make his writing on these topics become more convincing...
Words: 1880 - Pages: 8
...associated with. A person who speaks with a deep accent may be judged for speaking “differently”. Language is a great thing. It’s what we use to communicate with others. Each country has different kinds of languages with different accents. Communication is used everywhere in the world. Everyone communicates all the time. But communication is much more than just talking and listening; it involves understanding and interpreting. Language can both include and exclude groups of people through the use of slang, family adaptations, and non-natives. First, there are many types of communication that involve slang everywhere in the world. Professional communication or slang in my opinion, is the way someone speaks naturally rather than trying to sound high class or use big words. Just because someone knows bigger, broader words doesn’t make it professional. In George Orwell’s essay, Politics and the English language, he states how language is full of bad habits when he says, “Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation.” This is true because bad habits do stick, just like slang. The world communicates with slang which makes it hard for some to communicate. Professional communication can be looked at as a way in which someone presents themselves, rather than the way they speak. There is no legitimate right way of speaking English but the way in which one best interprets it. People easily adapt to slang wherever they go...
Words: 1407 - Pages: 6
...One of my very first distinct experiences in writing started in my childhood. Being born and raised in a Hispanic country it was very challenging to learn the English language. My mother pushed me very hard and taught me English through writing. Thinking in Spanish and writing in English not only helped my writing but also helped me adopt my new language. As years went by my writing matured and I became proficient in the English language. My proficiencies in writing English became detrimental in reference to my childhood studies. My studies as a child were not the typical studies of an average student. I was raised in a Christian curriculum home school setting. My parents used to host bible studies in our home and sometimes my dad would make me write the study for the class he was going to give. That time of my life was very challenging but my dad always pointed me in the right direction. Once I became fluent in writing in English, It became my main source of communication when corresponding to my loved ones from Iraq during my deployment. Never thought that writing would be this important in my life until I found that it was my only source of communication to the outside world. Even though my family was fluent in Spanish, writing in English also became important considering I then made new friends in the united states as well. Writing my loved ones from Iraq was just the tip of the ice burg when it came to a writing experience during my...
Words: 556 - Pages: 3
...“Analyze the causes of either the Spanish Civil War or the Korean War.” The Spanish Civil War is a classical example of a country changing from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy to a republic. This process was done through many different phases and most importantly through corruption and appealing speeches. I will throughout this essay closely examine some of the most important causes of the Spanish Civil War. Write about the weaknesses of the government and the unstructured Spanish army: • Explain why the why the elections in Spain were corrupt o The rich had the power o The party leaders were easily manipulated by the wealthy. • The government was also weak because the king was allowed to interfere in the progress of electing a new prime minister o Builds on the corruption part above o King had a lot of power • No difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals o No difference means it was only a matter of the party leader to convince other to support them o Weakness is that Spain could only go in one direction with two parties with the same goals and ideology. • Explain how the army had lost support o Army known to be violent o Too many officers and people with power o They changed the system in Spain from a absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy The powerful Catholic Church linked to the weaknesses of the government • Explain the how the Catholic Church influenced the education o They were against modernization and...
Words: 526 - Pages: 3
...The success of Innocent’s marketing techniques Introduction This assignment is about the Innocent company, its brand portfolio and the potential entry into the Spanish market. In the first part I give information about the company itself including its history, its current operations, markets and distribution channels. In the third section I conduct a macro environmental analysis and a more market-specific analysis by the 12C - framework as well as the Porters Five Forces – model. The fourth section comprises an assessment of the principal challenges that the Spanish market represents to the company in selling its products. The last part involves a personal evaluation of relevant entry modes for the company into the Spanish market. The Innocent company History and Facts The 'Innocent' company is originally a manufacturer and distributor of smoothies. It was founded in 1999 by Richard Reed, Adam Balon and Jon Wright (Datamonitor, 2009). Their business of selling fruit drinks without adding sugar or concentrates growth rapidly. Starting with a turnover of £0.2 millions in 1999 they could record revenue of £114 millions in 2007 with a 71 % value share of the UK smoothie market. This success is lead back to the constant expansion of new product lines and markets. Innocent developed the new brand 'This water' and launched it in 2007. To extend its product range the company initiate 'Orange juice' and 'Vegetable pots' in 2008. Starting from offering their products within...
Words: 2200 - Pages: 9
...stereotypes are no longer a useful way of examining the human condition and economic activity? Choose an element in the texts which you find interesting and explain your reaction to it by giving examples from your own experience. It is commonly regarded that globalization is a world trend today, thus national and cultural stereotypes are drawing attention. Before reading, the definition of stereotype should be clarified. Stereotypes are traits but different from the country, language, culture and other factors. Furthermore, stereotype is ‘a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing’ (Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press, 2014). This essay will compare and contrast the ideas from two articles named ‘Intercultural communication for sale’ (Piller, 2011) and ‘East meets West: How the brains unites us all’ (Yong, 2009), then consider whether stereotypes are useful to examine people’s mind and business activities. It is shown in two texts that national stereotype is a common topic that both Piller and Yong discussed in their articles. Yong (2009) refers to stereotypes that easterners have a holistic world view, while westerners tend to think more analytically. Piller (2011) uses the ideas of stereotypes and shows how they can be exploited to help sell products. Moreover, both Piller and Yong have mentioned or implied that human thoughts can be shaped by different cultures. In Yong’s article, researches are referenced...
Words: 1759 - Pages: 8
...are many reasons why the Spanish Armada failed but one of the most important reasons is simply because they were not organized and prepared. They came into battle being arrogant. The Spanish were not prepared for the worst thing that could happen. The English planned what they were going to do step by step. They surprised the Spanish by waiting for them at sea instead of having a land battle with them. All of this history is very significant because it shaped how England is today because if the Spanish Armada had won, England would be totally different to how it is today and this essay is going to be telling you exactly what happened and why the Spanish Armada failed. One of the main reasons of why the Spanish Armada failed was because of their planning and preparation. The English were fully prepared because they had 16,000 experienced sailors on board and 76,000 soldiers waiting on land. The English fleet consisted of 177 ships which were small and less than 100 tons. Also 34 of them were Royal Warships so they were ready for anything. On the other hand the Spanish armada was equipped with enough ammunition, food, water for 4 weeks. This was quite a big problem because this was much longer than they expected to be at sea. The Spanish Armada had 16,000 sailors and 34,000 soldiers at sea. Philip believed that God was on the side of the Roman Catholics so he has 180 priest monks on board so they could have daily masses. Another reason why the Spanish Armada failed was because...
Words: 804 - Pages: 4
...The Effects of Clashing Cultures Our world today is populated with distinctive cultures and their unique languages, communication, beliefs, etc. that make our universe exquisitely diverse. As human beings, we tend to adapt to our own culture quite fast and we become used to perceiving our group of people as the only thing that is "good." We fear wanting to assimilate or broaden our knowledge to other cultures, for it is our natural instinct to shut out anything unfamiliar to us. In her essay, "Arts of the Contact Zone," Mary Louise Pratt argues for importance of understanding the point where two cultures clash, the contact zone, and that it can be powerful to engage in one's culture by expanding our grasp of knowledge and wisdom in the diversity we live in today. Pratt introduces three major concepts in her argument that exemplify the objective of her essay: the contact zone, autoethnographic texts, and transculturation. Upon viewing two other pieces by Richard Rodriguez, “The Achievement of Desire” and Gloria Anzaldua’s “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Rodriguez and Anzaldua demonstrate Pratt's argument by supporting her concepts about the influence of contact zones between two juxtaposing cultures. In her argument, "Arts of the Contact Zone," Pratt introduces the theme of her argument, the contact zones: the point where cultures clash and come together in unison. Where one culture has a lot more power than the other. A contact zone is the root of how...
Words: 1885 - Pages: 8
...There are countless languages, words, phrases, and ways of communication. The way we all speak is different based upon our surroundings. Communication is a way of expression among people. The various ways of communication can also influence other individuals on how to speak and write. The various ways of communication do not matter if it is the same language or not because slang, text, or more can all be in the same language or in various languages such as Spanglish. Although, we mostly speak Spanish in my family, in various moments we tend to speak Spanglish. Spanglish is a form of bilingualism that consists of English and Spanish. Even though we include a mixture of English and Spanish we understand what we are saying to one another. “Language...
Words: 943 - Pages: 4
...communities their language no longer reflects that of their identity but of their new cultural surroundings. When an immigrant, immigrates to a new country they become marginalized, they’re alienated from common cultural practices, social ritual, and scripted behavior. It’s not without intercultural communication and negotiation do immigrants conform to new surroundings. In “Drown,” the title story of his narrative collection, Junot Diaz enumerates the story of a Hispanic youth growing up in New Jersey. Though Diaz explores issues of queerness, shamelessness, and familial relations within this selection, it is his use of language that proves most intriguing. Rather than simply describing the struggles of adapting to a new language or customs, Diaz portrays how, at an early age, he manipulated language as a tool to makes sense of his new hybrid identity. The use of language in Junot Diaz’s Drown is spare and unadorned, often rendered in "Spanglish," an unpredictable mixture of both English and Spanish. Diaz uses Spanish words in the midst of standard English sentences to fortify the differences between Dominican and American cultures. Although, the integration of street slang with Spanish may confound the typical reader, it accurately depicts the taxing experience of new immigrants struggling to make sense of new phenomena in the United States and engages the harsh reality of the multilingualism. The difference in language between the Dominican and...
Words: 1680 - Pages: 7
...The Contact Zone [Pratt] The idea of the contact zone is intended in part to contrast with ideas of community that underlie much of the thinking about language, communication, and culture that gets done in academy (507). - Mary Louise Pratt Arts of the Contact Zone In her lecture turned essay, Arts of the Contact Zone, Mary Louise Pratt introduces many new terms to her readers, including contact zone and community. The term imagined community can also be applied to her essay, and many communities in general. On one hand, it is true that these former two terms can be considered complete opposites. Pratt herself states that “the idea of the contact zone is intended in part to contrast with ideas of community” (507). They are, nonetheless, also indubitably related. Insiders, for example, often times view their group as a community, homogenous in its views and goals. Conversely, many outsiders may view the group as a heterogeneous contact zone. This discussion also leads to a truly intriguing question: Can you, simultaneously, consider a group you belong to as both a community and a contact zone? Although there are surely many examples of groups that could be described as communities and/or contact zones, one very relatable instance to me, along with many others, is the high school experience as a whole. My father, who recently retired, was active duty in the United States Air Force for twenty-two years, including nearly my entire childhood. Due to this fact...
Words: 1733 - Pages: 7
...A Brief History of Philippine Literature in English I. Pre-Colonial Period - Consisted of early Filipino literature passed down orally; oral pieces have a communal authorship – it was difficult to trace the original author of the piece since oral literature did not focus on ownership or copyright, rather on the act of storytelling itself; - Many oral pieces became lost in the wave of the new literary influence brought about by the Spanish colonization; however, according to the Philippine Literature: A History & Anthology, English Edition (Lumbera, B. & Lumbera C.), the pre-colonial period of Philippine literature is considered the longest in the country’s history; - Literature in this period is based on tradition, reflecting daily life activities such as housework, farming, fishing, hunting, and taking care of the children as well; - Oral pieces told stories which explained heroes and their adventures; they attempted to explain certain natural phenomena, and, at the same time, served as entertainment purposes; - Pre-colonial literature showed certain elements that linked the Filipino culture to other Southeast Asian countries (e.g. oral pieces which were performed through a tribal dance have certain similarities to the Malay dance); - This period in Philippine literature history represented the ethos of the people before the arrival of a huge cultural influence – literature as...
Words: 2082 - Pages: 9