...Annika Czizik English 11 Honors 4B Why English Matters Response Due 09/10/14 Understanding English is one of the most useful skills one can obtain. There are immense benefits of having impressive knowledge pertaining to such a wide ranged subject. Abilities such as critical thinking and close reading are important for handling everyday tasks and problems effectively. Communication through writing and speech can be enhanced through vocabulary and grammar as well as appreciation for the language. Being proficient in English increases the amount of opportunities one can have throughout a lifetime. English class plays a crucial role in ones education and contributes essential skills used frequently in the real world. Throughout history, language has been proven to be powerful enough to both bring nations together, but also completely destroy them. It is fascinating to see world altering events such as the Holocaust and creation of the Declaration of Independence, along with countless more turning points be influenced by language. Proper diction and rhetoric allows one to clearly express ideas and thoughts, but also be purposely misinterpreted in order to control and take advantage of the subject. On a smaller scale, language is necessary to solve problems and think critically. Analyzing situations and concepts prevents one from getting taken advantage of or wronged by someone with corrupt intentions. It was surprising to discover that vicious advertisements rely on and target...
Words: 521 - Pages: 3
...Kalajdzic Bojan 212200694 kala6467@uni-landau.de The book I am about to review is written by Peter Trudgill and is called „Sociolinguistics - An Introduction to language and society (4th Edition)“. Product Details * Paperback: 240 pages * Publisher: Penguin Books; Fourth Edition edition (August 1, 2001) * Language: English * ISBN-10: 0140289216 About the Author Peter Trudgill is professor of English linguistics at Fribourg, Switzerland. An author of many books and articles on sociolinguistics and dialectology, he has carried out linguistic fieldwork in most countries. Book description This is a classic book on a fascinating subject. Peter Trudgill examines the close link between language and society and the many factors that influence the way we speak. These range from gender, environment, age, race, class, region and politics. Trudgill's book surveys languages and societies from all over the world drawing on examples from Afrikaans to Yiddish. He has added a fascinating chapter on the development of a language as a result of a non-native speaker's use of it. Compelling and authoritative, this new edition of a bestselling book is set to redraw the boundaries of the study of sociolinguistics. Introduction The way we talk is deeply influenced by our class, sex and ethnic background. It can also have a profound effect on how we are perceived by others. In this fully updated edition of a classic text, Peter Trudgill explores the evidence –...
Words: 3232 - Pages: 13
...over 6,000 forms of languages that are spoken in the world. We are living in such a culturally diverse world and encourage others to embrace everyone’s race, gender, ethnicity, age, religion, and even personal beliefs. However, a common issue today is sometimes people do not embrace each other’s characteristics. Characteristics of a person describe their features and qualities. In today's society multiple people experience oppression, the cause of that is those individuals interpret and express their power of language differently. This is a problem because certain groups or cultures experience oppression due to the power of language. Language evolves our ideas and beliefs into reality...
Words: 719 - Pages: 3
...history of the origins of the English language and introduces the reader to a few important points pertaining language and experience. Gioia mentions how, “by the time the English language had moved westward...Spanish was already rooted in California.” (201) this statement is followed by an ultimatum, despite English being our language it is still “slightly foreign to our environment” (Gioia 201). Given the example of, “an immigrant grandparent whose words and concepts don’t entirely fit in the new world.” (Gioia 201) Gioia paints a visual most can relate to with their own family members that may also have the issue of conforming to modern ideas and ways. With examples of English literature and comparisons of European climates to the West coast, Gioia expands on his point that it is difficult to be a California poet based on the simple fact that our language does not match our culture. An example of a comparison he makes is, “Our towns are named Sacramento and Santa Rosa, not Coventry or New Haven.” (Gioia 202) This statement is a play on words because Coventry and New Haven are cities in Connecticut, US but they are also both cities in England. Possibly Gioia made this specific comparison to entail how different California is from foreign countries in addition to the East coast of our own country. Gioia also lived on the East coast for twenty years in New York. On page 202 Gioia discusses, “California doesn’t fit the poetic archetypes of the English tradition.” Which after reading...
Words: 479 - Pages: 2
...diversity Central Idea: India is a fascinating country with diverse traditions related to their language, their costumes, and their cuisine. Organization: Topical Order Visual Aids: Power Point Presentation Audience: University colleagues especially those interested in travelling or in improving their knowledge about cultural diversity. Introduction: I. “Namaste.” A. Does anyone understand what I said? B. I greeted you in Indian. The same word can also be used to say good-bye. C. Have you ever been watching T.V. and found documentary on the Indian culture on the discovery channel? Do you just skip it because you are not interested in other cultures? If you do so then you have missed a lot of interesting information about this fascinating culture. II. Similarly to the way Indians can use one word in a variety of meanings, the diversity of life is a hallmark of the Indian culture. III. As a university student interested in cultural diversity, and after conducting extensive research, IV. I would like to open your eyes on another part of the world and share with you a glimpse of India's diversity of life by looking at its languages, its costumes, and its cuisines. (Transition: Let’s start with Indian languages) Body: I. India is distinguished by a large linguistic diversity. A) First, there are languages considered as majors such as : ...
Words: 959 - Pages: 4
...For example, over 1700 of the words in the English language were invented by William Shakespeare. This is fascinating because those words were not the flowery or eloquent words usually associated with Shakespeare’s plays. The words invented by Shakespeare are common words that are used in everyday language such as: uncomfortable, addiction, manager, and inaudible. Shakespeare used many methods to create words including: changing parts of speech of words, combining words together, adding prefixes and suffixes, and even fabricating completely new words. One of his favorite tactics was adding “in” or “un” to existing words, as well as using nouns as verbs or adjectives as nouns. Shakespeare’s influence on words completely changed not only writing, but also the English language as a whole, for centuries to come. In fact, Shakespeare even invented the names “Jessica” and “Miranda”, two very popular and common names for girls. Additionally, he additionally erected phrases or expressions such as “not slept a wink” or “catch cold” that are still frequently used nowadays. Also notable are his insults. Shakespeare cleverly formed insults to be vulgar, yet witty, comical and enjoyable. His use of pungent and cutting remarks have served as a basis for comedy and acting ever since. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Shakespeare’s works helped to standardize the language. Before...
Words: 2529 - Pages: 11
...Service Delivered Consideration in Working with Clients from Cantonese-Speaking Backgrounds, the authors discuss what speech language pathologists have learned from treating patients from China (Fung, 199). The lessons of the article are benefitting to read, and the concepts should be applied to treating any foreign dialect. The article, Service Delivered Consideration in Working with Clients from Cantonese Speaking Backgrounds, describes the culture and language development of the Cantonese people. More importantly the article emphasizes how these factors influence the challenges Chinese natives face when learning the English language (Fung, 199). Speech language pathologists often work with individuals who speak English as a second language. The article stresses the importance of knowing a client’s home country and culture (Fung,199). This is because culture shapes an individual’s personality, perception, and behavior. The article is beneficial to read because it relates to our project of transcribing “The Grandfather Passage.” The assignment is to transcribe a recording of “The Grandfather Passage” that is read by a man with an Asian dialect. This article supports that people from different countries have dissimilar dialects. The article states that the American Speech Language Association intends to gain a better understanding of the language and dialect of those from other...
Words: 834 - Pages: 4
...to sociolinguistics. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of linguistics (to me, at least) is the role that language plays in the brain – neurolinguistics. From the apparent critical period of language, most supported by the case of Genie, to how one can have their speech production severely handicapped if Broca’s area in the left hemisphere is damaged, the effects that changes to the brain can have on language (and the reverse – the effects that language can have on the brain) are wide-ranging and potentially not fully explored. As such, if I were given license to be a linguist, my focus would be on neurolinguistics; specifically,...
Words: 895 - Pages: 4
...present, large number of international students are moving to Australia in order to receive better education. Overseas students can be described as non-Australian students willing ton study further education in Australia, who usually speak English as a second language. There are three main reasons result in these students coming to Australia including reputation for excellence and high standard for education, fascinating environment. To begin with, it is no doubt that developed countries has high-quality education which attracts those students from the other developing countries. The universities in Australia have always been well-known for high standard of education and made important breakthrough in modern technology and science. According to research, over ten years, seven Australian universities entered into the top two hundred universities in the world. A large number of students prefer to gain better education, which is helpful to their future. Moreover, having international education background will improve the career opportunity as not only is the Australian degree higher acknowledge by international companies and organizations but also with the tendency of globalization, English language is the most widely used all over the world. Now English is always the basic requirement for applying a job. And amount of multinational companies need lots of talents who have top-university diploma, contributed to developing international affair. Furthermore, comparing to the entry requirement...
Words: 493 - Pages: 2
...In my case, I wanted to become a chef. I stuck with that idea until I attended a program about computer engineering. This changed my whole perspective about choosing a career. I found it super fascinating to be able to put a code or robot together and run it. I believe the career you choose to pursue should be something one enjoys. Similar to any other human, I changed my mind and decided to pursue computer engineering. Since the world runs on technology, I knew it would be a great major. I plan to apply to San Jose State university, University of California Santa Cruz and Merced. These schools have great engineering programs that have caught my eye. I have been fortunate to visit all of the three universities and they are truly beautiful. My goal is to keep my head up and pursue my career. I know there will be more obstacles throughout the way but I do not give up easily. I don't want to just follow my dreams i want to catch...
Words: 624 - Pages: 3
...my eagerness to improve my Spanish. To my astonishment, however, this journey brought me a surprising gift——a dream that I will pursue for my whole life: I want to learn as many languages as I can when travelling around the world. My dream sprouted in the special natural landscape of Spain. In the first two weeks, I was shocked by its wonderful landscapes—rolling mountains, deep blue and powerful Atlantic Ocean, dazzling and warm sunshine… Those fantastic views stimulate my interest in exploring more wonderful scenes around Spain, or even more, around the world. I was sure plentiful wonders were waiting for me to experience. In addition, Spain is all the more fascinating for its unique artistic achievement in the fields of literature, dancing, architectures, and more many. In the following two weeks I paid a visit to Sagrada Familia, the museum of Picasso and Casa Batlló. These masterpieces make this country mysterious with the sense of humanism. After that, I decided that I would be back one day exploring them more deeply. Furthermore, I was looking forward to more human landscapes worldwide. At this moment, my dream took shape roughly. To understand these landscapes thoroughly, learning Spanish is very important, for it is the basic tool to read and to listen. In Spain, few people can speak English well let alone Chinese. Once I lost myself in León. I asked one passer-by, “Could you please tell me where we are now?” “Lo siento. No te entiento.” (Sorry, I cannot understand...
Words: 446 - Pages: 2
...Did you know that King George III was not expected to live when he was born? King George III was born on June 4, 1733 in London, England and he died on January 29, 1820 in Windsor, England. In this paper you will learn about King George III’s childhood, how he impacted the world, and other interesting facts about him. In this paragraph you will learn about King George III’s childhood. When he was born, the small boy was not expected to live so he was baptized the same day. At a young age he was educated by private tutors and he could speak many languages. He could speak German, English, and soon he would learn French. George was shy when he was a kid. John Stuart and Earl Bute helped him act more like a king by teaching him about...
Words: 339 - Pages: 2
...least) English--not to mention three versions of Braille (English, American, New York Point) and the manual alphabet in which her renowned teacher Anne Sullivan first communicated with her. But let me dispense with the scare quotes for a moment. Helen Keller is famous--and justly so--precisely because she did, in many respects, overcome the physical impairments of deafness and blindness, as well as the formidable social obstacles facing people with disabilities at the end of the nineteenth century. Her story retains its power to startle and inspire even now, just as Anne Sullivan's story remains among the most startling and inspiring tales in the history of pedagogy. Keller's story is also a member of the genre of disability autobiographies in which the writing of one's life story takes on the characteristics of what the philosopher J.L. Austin called "performative" utterances: The primary function of The Story of My Life, in this sense, is to let readers know that its author is capable of telling the story of her life. The point is hardly a trivial one. Helen Keller was dogged nearly all her life by the charge that she was little more than a ventriloquist's dummy--a mouthpiece for Anne Sullivan, or, later, for the original editor of The Story of My Life, the socialist literary critic John Macy, who married Sullivan in 1905. And even for those who know better than to see Helen Keller as disability's Charlie McCarthy, her education and her astonishing facility with languages nevertheless...
Words: 1765 - Pages: 8
...Saturday, July 11, 2009 Lifestyle Saudi Arabia As first time traveler to Saudi, many will feel highly fascinating and quite surprised the way people live, business come to grind halt 5 times a day during and for prayer. First starts early in morning around 4 AM and next around 11AM, 3PM, 6:30PM & 8 PM, each prayer time and duration varies although minutely. One must keep prayer timings note particularly people who are on business trip. According to Law it’s mandatory for all Muslims whether traveler or resident or expat to pray during the timings, during prayer timings all shops will be shut down and non-Muslims can wait outside for shops to reopen In Saudi there are 2 types of police, one normal and one religious police. Religious police are to make sure that things are in accordance to religious laws. They have authority to check work permit, papers, passport etc. And also to make sure the couples travelling together are related!!! In Saudi men and woman cannot mingle easily and even talk in public. If we man goes along with a lady, she must be either his mother or wife or sister. Women are prohibited to work except in certain categories like Nurse, Doctor, and Teacher. And woman cannot drive either!!!In Saudi Alcohol is strictly banned and smuggling/carrying Drugs carries capital punishment. Entertainment is strictly restricted to in-house with DVD, VCD as there are no theatres; apart from this shopping is one major time pass for people living in Saudi. Now comes...
Words: 639 - Pages: 3
...up and slid the round window cover open, letting the intense sunlight in and watching the vast ocean expand below. I squirmed with anticipation in my seat and excitedly glanced around the plane cabin. Traveling to this new world seemed like a fascinating adventure to my five-year old mind. I stared in utter amazement through the window as the sun set with a faint scarlet glow; light shimmering off the clouds and waves below. I longed to see the shores of America peak over the horizon. As my initial excitement gave way to exhaustion, I quietly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a new and exhilarating life in the United States. Initially, I did not realize the consequences of moving to a foreign country. Once I stepped off the plane, I heard people around me speaking the equivalent of gibberish. Unsurprisingly, communication ended up being the first issue with immigrating to the United States. Being shunned as a result of not being able to communicate was part of every day at school. Alone and friendless, I spent many afternoons in a corner of the playground watching the other children play. Because I had no friends, recess became...
Words: 787 - Pages: 4
