Music is all around us. We listen to it when we drive, we hear it when we shop, we use it as a boredom buster and sometimes even a mood lifter. Whether you like oldies, rock-pop, or good old country, music is all around you and there is no denying its importance within the lifestyle of our society.
Imagine for a minute how many artists we have in the United States and how many English songs are circulating the world these days. You probably have an i-pod, and its probably full of them. Thanks in part to the soundtracks of foreign-placed movies like Slumdog Millionaire and Invictus, a new interest has started to develop for music from other cultures in other languages. This month, we bring you just a taste of what the music of the world has to offer.
Korean- “Sorry Sorry” by Super Junior K-Pop (Korean Pop) seems to be catching on around the world with its catchy beats and upbeat lyrics. Songs like this one are full of fun listening even if you don’t understand what’s being said
Spanish- “Por Ti” by Ella Baila Sola Spanish music has recently come to be popularized in the US through hip hop songs and latin dance music, but there is so much more to be enjoyed. This acoustic love song uses fairly simple language, and can be enjoyed even if your level of Spanish is decent or non-existent
Icelandic- “Glósóli” by Sigur Rós Sigur Ros is said to be one of the most interesting bands out today. This single is sung in Icelandic, and the message of the song and video come through even without understanding the words.
Romanian- “Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone Chanes are, you’ve probably heard Dragonstea Din Tei before. Its commonly knows as “The Numa Numa Song” and has hit number one on music charts in several different countries. Though it comes off as a comical novelty song that doesn’t quite hit everyone’s taste in music, O-Zone has found a lot of international fame from its catchiness.
South African- “Thula Mama” by Vusi Mahlasela Vusi’s sound is a hybrid of folk, world, blues and soul that connects lyrically to South Africa’s apartheid past and promise for a better future. Many of his songs are in English, but the sound and words of his music are purely South African.
Living where we live and speaking the language we speak, it’s easy for us to understand certain phrases even when they don’t make sense translated verbatim. But have you really stopped and looked at some of the things we say? Living where we live and speaking the language we speak, it’s easy for us to understand certain phrases even when they don’t make sense translated verbatim. But have you really stopped and looked at some of the things we say?
Redundancy means repetition. In some cases, it can be useful to say the same thing more than once: for example, to emphasize your point (”That chocolate was good. I mean really, really good.”) or for dramatic rhetorical effect. However, there are some instances when redundancy is just plain wrong, and one of those times is when using acronyms.
ATM Machine The letters ATM stand for “Automated Teller Machine.” Therefore, when you say “ATM Machine” you’re really saying “Automated Teller Machine Machine.” This is obviously redundant.
PIN Number PIN stands for “Personal Identification Number.” Therefore, when you say “PIN Number” you’re really saying “Personal Identification Number Number.” Again, redundant.
HIV Virus “Human Immunodeficiency Virus.” Are you seeing a trend?
SAT Test “Scholastic Achievement Test.” You get the picture
Based on an article by englishchick.com
Although Shakespeare is long gone, the English poet and playwright lives on not only through his writings, but through the words and sayings created by him that still color the English language today.
You’re probably familiar with the “Romeo, O Romeo” speech and could name a few plays, but did you know that when you proclaim “It’s all Greek to me” or one of 1500 other phrases, you’re really quoting Shakespeare? Below are some common words and phrases attributed to Shakespeare’s creation.
“Knock Knock! Who’s there?” (Macbeth) “Love is blind” (Merchant of Venice) “Did not sleep a wink” (Cymbeline) “My own flesh and blood” (Hamlet) “There’s no such thing” (Macbeth)
Eyeball (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Bedazzled (Taming of the Shrew) Downstairs (I Henry IV) Investment (II Henry IV) Uncomfortable (Romeo and Juliet) Puke (As You Like It) Satisfying (Othello) Alligator (Romeo and Juliet)
Good communication is the foundation of successful relationships, both personally and professionally. But we communicate with much more than words. In fact, research shows that the majority of our communication is nonverbal. Nonverbal communication includes everything from posture, eye contact, gestures, personal space, expressions and locomotion.
We can tell a lot more from a person’s nonverbal communication then their words, which is one reason people who do not speak each other’s languages can communicate across borders. This type of communication can also complement, contradict, substitute or accent what a person is saying verbally.
People react to the unspoken just as much if not more then what is verbally said. Misunderstandings can often be clarified if the people involved have the ability to notice and comment on the nonverbal communications in an interaction. Being aware of physical habits and in control of the non verbal messages you are sending out is an absolutely crucial part of communicating with anyone; whether it be a friend, employer, client..or even someone speaking a different language.
“Less-on” of the month; the “less vs. fewer” debate rages on. Citi bank currently has a running advertisement for paperless statements, starting off with “Less paper today. More trees tomorrow.” and continuing to say “Less trees being cut down..”
While the advertisement starts out fine, the latter of the examples is enough to get grammarians going.
Less vs. Fewer Use “less” for amounts that cannot be counted as discrete items such as water, sunshine, and money.
Use “fewer” for numbers of items that can be counted as discrete items, such as drops of water, rays of sunshine, dollar bills, and … of course, trees.
The comment, popularized by teens, was judged more grating than “anyway” and less tolerable than phrases including “it is what it is” and “you know”.
“The impetus of this poll was a casual conversation where we started discussing those words that get on your nerves. You hear them over and over again,” explained Mary Azzoli, director of media for Marist, a US college which conducted the research among 938 adults.
Nearly 50 percent of people questioned said “whatever” was the word that bothered them the most. It was the most irritating word in all regions of the country, and among both sexes, all age groups, educational levels and income brackets.
“It is used so often in terms of casual conversation. Also, when you think of the meaning behind it, it is often a way to dismiss someone. It is irritating in that regard. It is much more off-putting compared to any of the other statement we asked,” she added.
A quarter of people selected “you know” as the phrase they would like to ban most from the English language. Eleven per cent simply could not tolerate “it is what it is,” while seven per cent found “anyway” irksome.
“At the end of the day”, notorious in Britain as a cliché employed by footballers also made an appearance in the list, although it attracted just two per cent of the vote. “In order to be a good conversationalist, the key is to always be aware of what you are saying and maybe to do a little research about which words are overused,” Miss Azzoli added.
Based on an article by Telegraph.co.uk
A few more comically mistranslated signs to ponder the meaning of…
No one really knows where or how language began. Nevertheless, most scientists who study the origins of language believe that mankind began to use some form of linguistic communication about 1 to 1 1/2 million years ago.
Homo habilis roamed the earth in small communities and family groups about 2 million years ago, hunted the open plains where sign communication could be used to an advantage, walked upright freeing his well-developed hands for communication, and had a poorly developed vocal tract which would have hampered speech as the primary mode of communication. These hunter-gatherers survived in groups, and one thing that helped them form a cohesive group was socialization. The strongest tool to enhance, encourage, and promote socialization quickly became language.
Linguists don’t believe that language started with one specific person; but rather, that many communities developed their own forms of communication simultaneously. As to why languages came into existence, scientists theorize that the human brain became sufficiently evolved to produce and utilize language, with an innate “language instinct,” much like a bird’s ability to sing specific songs or migrate. Comparing our language skills to that of a bird song can also be used to explain how and why children learn languages so effortlessly in their primary years.
Based on an article by valenciacc.edu
1. Capitalize
-The first and last words of the title -All nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives -Any conjunction or preposition of five letters or more –(This is optional. You can choose to go with an older rule that says not to capitalize prepositions or conjunctions regardless of length. The five letters or more standard has developed over the last two decades or so. Either form would be acceptable, as long as you use it consistently.)
2. Do not Capitalize
-Articles (the, a, an), unless the article is the first or (less likely, of course) last word of the title - Prepositions of four letters or fewer (unless the preposition is the first or last word of the title) - Conjunctions of four letters or fewer (unless the conjunction is the first or last word of the title) - The particle “to” used with an infinitive (unless the “to” is the first or last word of the title)
