Summary and reaction Essay Example for Free

Summary and reaction Essay The writer started his article by describing a group of people called Tuvans, who lives in a remote area in the Republic of Tuva, in Russian Federation. The importance of this group came from the fact that they are speaking Tuvan, a language consider by linguists to be among a group of languages that are considered to be on the edge of extinction because of the low numbers of people that speak it. The earth population speak approximately 7000 languages. Tuvan is among the 3500 small languages that are spoken only by 8. 25 million people in the entire world, which is a very low fraction of the seven billion people who inhabit the earth. On the other hand, seventy eight percent of the earth population are speaking only 85 languages, Mandarin, Spanish, and English are among the top spoken languages on the globe. Linguist predicted that in the next century almost half of the spoken languages may vanish, and at this point more than 1000 languages are considered on the extinction. The writer mentioned the reasons that lead to this languages dilemma. He mentioned the effect of the dominant languages, that controls communications and commerce, on the small one that do not have any defense mechanism, like television or currency, to protect its existence. Because of that the people of Tuva must speak Russian or Chinese if they want to stay in contact with the outside world. The writer then mentioned another endangered languages known as AKA, the native language of AKA people in Plaizi a small village in India. The writer describe its people as a very self-dependent people that produce everything they need in their daily life. The AKA language was protected from outside influence because of the location of the village that makes it very difficult for outsiders to reach it. The authors then described two trends in the field of linguistics. The first one is based on the theory of Noam Chomsky who mentioned that all languages came from one single origin which is fixed in the human genes. The second trend is the increase interest in small endangered languages around the world, and how the field linguists are interested in idiosyncrasies that distinguish each language from the others and the cultural effects on it. There are 85 percent of the needs to be documented in order to understand it, and the main reason for this documentation comes from the fact that each language contains unique human experiences that reveals many aspects of life . The writer declared very important point regarding the loss of any language. His main idea was based on the fact that every language contains a valuable information about the culture and the knowledge that accumulated from generation to generation in this culture. The author gave us another example of vanishing languages which is the Cmiique Itiom, a language used by the Seri in Mexico and how their language contains the knowledge that is important for all humans. Cmiique Itiom managed to preserved its original form without any outside interference . The Seri managed to keep their language untouched mainly because their hostility to the outsiders. Even the modern commodities likes cars the Seri managed to bring it to their culture but they used for it a unique names that merged from their own language so they never used there Spanish names. The writer mentioned a way to preserved the vanishing languages which is to: â€Å"†¦ enshrine it in writing and compile a dictionary. †. He gave an examples for linguists that worked in those kind of projects like David Harrison and Greg Anderson who compiled the first Tuvan- English dictionary. Also, Steve and Cathay Marlett who worked to finish Cmiique Itiom dictionary, but the writer mentioned very important point which is stated in page 86 : â€Å"But saving a language is not something linguists can accomplish, because salvation must come from within. †. The salvation must come from the people who are using this language by teaching it to the next generation, and also by using dictionaries and books to preserve it and keeping it active as long there is something to speak about it. Writer Choices The writer starts his article by using a story as a hook for the readers, to grab their attention for the rest of the article, and he kept telling the readers different stories about the people he met during his travel. The writer also used creative language ,like figurative language which includes metaphor in many places in the article, and he also used compare and contrast in many other places . Numbers was used by the writers to support his main idea, he mentioned a specific numbers related to the languages in the first page. Visuals aid had been used by the writer to illustrate the subject of his article in a very professional way, yet it was very simple and effective, we can see that from the beautiful pictures for all the people that he met during his trip. Reflection on the Reading Process I found the article hard to read at the beginning, but after using SQ4R and reading the article in class for many times it became much easier for me to understand, and this make the whole process of reading very interesting. The language used not always clear, with difficult word as shown below: Nomadic: roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed pattern of movement. Proselytize: to try to persuade people to join a religion, cause, or group. Dwindle: to gradually become smaller. Thatch: to make (a roof) with dried plant material (called thatch). Supplant: to supersede (another) especially by force or treachery. Atelier: a room where an artist works. Propitious: likely to have or produce good results. Reading process included: Skimming and Skamming ,summarize the article and annotate the key points in it, and SQ4R. Reaction Languages is the soul of human civilizations. The connection between the two of them is very similar to the relationship between human soul and body because without the sole the body will surely collapse because humans need their soul to drive the physical body and to keep him from perishing. In contrast, language plays the same role in people collective awareness about their on existence in the society and culture. Language is the invisible glue that hold the culture pieces together, and without this glue everything will collapse. It’s the strong foundation that up hold the society structures and grant it the strength to resist any outside threats. Why the language is so important? Because it’s the memory of the society. This memory is the experiences and knowledge that transferred from generation to generation until it reached this point in time, and no it will very hard to live without our memories. Losing any language would be similar to someone who lost his own memory. The only thing he can do is to embrace a new experiences and knowledge, and to start accumulating new memories about his new life. Unfortunately, it is the same thing for languages, when the people abandon their own language in favor for new ones they will lose their cultural experiences and knowledge. They will eventually lose their own identity that distinguished them from the rest of humans. Finally, losing any language on earth would be a lost for humanity in general because we will lose our diversity that make life on earth interesting . I think life with one color would be very tedious, and for life to be interesting it should contain whole spectrum of color. Spinoff Topics One of the spinoff topics would be a to study the individuals that abandon their own language and how they adopt with their new languages and cultures.

Chinas Rise Essays -- Chinese History, Mao

China’s last dynasty ended one hundred years ago, and the last great dynasty ended one thousand years ago. (Dharmananda)Nonetheless, China is rising out of the ashes in modern times. China became a communist nation in nineteen hundred and forty nine. (Woods, 2009) With the help of the U.S.S.R., China made multiple nuclear weapons in the nineteen fifties. This sparked the start of China’s military modernization and their reemergence to the international community. China’s international policy is to promote world peace. They hope to do so by staying neutral and only defending their interests, and not instigating. The only contradiction in China’s policy is that it interferes with Tibet and Taiwan. If Taiwan ever tries declaring independence, China will declare war on them and it just so happens the United States is an ally of Taiwan. The global superpower of today is the United States of America. (Vale, 2010) The United States has the strongest military for ce in the world, with the most funding of any country by billions of dollars. The United States is also China’s number one trading partner, so if China were to oppose the United States, China’s economy would crumble. China’s rise is not a threat to global security. Pre-communist China was a nation in turmoil. In the nineteen forties the country was in a civil war, between the Nationalist’s and Communist’s. China’s economy was in shambles. The weapons that the Communist’s used were primarily from the U.S.S.R. and the Nationalist’s used weapons from the U.S.A. (Global Security, 2005) When the Communist’s won the war, the U.S.S.R. continued to support the Communist regime of China. In the nineteen fifties China began their nuclear weapons program, building multiple nuclear bombs... ...ates they would lose their number one trading partner by almost $70 billion dollars. (Prasad & Gu, 2009)The loss of the United States would devastate the Chinese economy. China at this point in time isn’t ready to oppose the United States. China’s rise is not a threat to global security. They promote peace and international development. Their international policy is not a threat to global security. The only issue they have is if Taiwan ever declares independence. If China declares war on Taiwan then the United States would declare war on China. Global security relies on the United States for their military force. If China were to oppose the United States they would lose. Since China depends on United States for trade they wouldn’t go to war against them. Global security is not threatened by China’s rise because China and the United States depend on each other.

A Critical Essay on Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” Analysis

How can a poem written more than fifty years ago manage to find a more contemporary reading, and inspire a healthy yet critical discussion between ‘classicists’ and ‘modernist’ readers or audiences?Such is the charm exhibited by the poem My Papa’s Waltz written by Theodore Roethke. Even before jumping straight to the discussion of the meat and matter, or the content of the poem itself, there is already so much to say about the poem if we are to judge its literary merit in terms of form.NARRATIVE STRUCTURE, LANGUAGE AND RHYMEThe poem is very easily understood and is presented in a clear chronological order, from the time the father comes home, up to the conclusion of the ‘waltz’ with the speaker in the poem off to bed (Roethke).     Because of a clear chronology of events, the poem is light, delightful, and yet, remains thought-provoking.The language used is also very light and appropriate, as it is seen that the speaker in the poem is a child and the addressee is the papa, or the father of the speaker (Roethke). Such easy vocabulary is appropriate for the speaker in the poem, thus creating a high level of believability in the reader and lending credibility to the speaker in the poem.We see clearly and immediately the distinction between the speaker and the addressee, and we can also create in our minds the right profile for both speaker and addressee in the poem. The rhyme scheme is A-B-A-B-C-D-C-D-E-F-E-F-G-H-G-H.There is a wonderful mix of masculine rhymes; like head-bed in lines 13 and 15 (Roethke), and dirt-shirt in lines 14 and 16 (Roethke); and feminine rhymes like dizzy-easy in lines 1 and 3 (Roethke), and knuckle-buckle in lines 10 and 12 (Roethke) in the poem. The few ‘sloppy’ rhymes found in the poem are also interesting since they can be, again, attributed to the fact that the speaker is a person of tender age.IMAGERY AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGEThe narrative structure of the poem is further b olstered by a clear and vivid rendering of images. The very first two lines – â€Å"The whiskey on your breath/Could make a small boy dizzy† (Roethke); – clearly and certainly presents a clear mental picture, where, not only the mind’s eye, but as well as other senses are able to participate: to be specific, in these lines, the sense of smell.Even the ‘mind’s ears’ are able to participate in the sensory experience of the poem as evidenced by lines 5 and 6 – â€Å"We romped until the pans/Slid from the kitchen shelf† (Roethke); where one could easily hear the racket that these pans sliding off kitchen shelves may have caused.This poem is simply a delight to the senses! The use of figurative language is superior as well. With lines 7 and 8 – â€Å"My mother's countenance/Could not unfrown itself† (Roethke), and the final lines – â€Å"Then waltzed me off to bed/ Still clinging to your shirt† (Roe thke) – are excellent and very inventive use of figurative language, not to mention it being far from clichà ©.The poem is a brilliant gem of literature that exhibits mastery, not only of poetic form, but as well as content. Speaking of content, this is exactly what has been subject of heated debates and lively discussion regarding the theme or the reading of the poem.DUALITY OF READINGThe poem presents a multilayered theme, capable of multiple readings. This conflict of reading and interpretation of the poems thematic or symbolic meaning stems from a difference in reader response to the poem.Most ‘classicists’ view the poem as an innocent and nostalgic retelling of a ‘bonding time’ between a doting father and a beloved son/child. On the other end of the spectrum are the ‘modernists’ interpretation of the poem as one which speaks of child abuse by physical punishment of a drunk father.The classicists argue that a reading of a poem shoul d also take into consideration the era or period at the time of the poem’s writing. They argue that the poem should not only be read and appreciated or criticized by using intrinsic information within the poem, but also extrinsic factors, such as the reference to line 1’s whiskey breath (Roethke), and lines 7 and 8’s mother’s countenance (Roethke).The modernists are in the view that this is not an enjoyable scenario for a child when such a dance is considered ‘not easy’ (Roethke) in line 4, as well as a ‘hung to death’(Roethke) in line3. Furthermore, violence is suggested by the hand holding on to the persona’s wrist in line 9, which is described as batter in one knuckle in line 10. There is also a strong suggestion of violence by the scrapping of the right ear in a buckle at every misstep (Roethke) in lines 11 and 12. Delivering the final nail to the coffin of the argument are the final lines 15 and 16’s waltzing o ff to bed still clinging to the abusive father’s shirt (Roethke), which shows reluctance and forcible tucking in of the speaker to the bed.I identify with the modernists in the reading and interpretation of this poem. I see violence and abuse in the poem, but to debate on such matters would be to entirely miss the point. The point here is that, this work is a marvelous piece of literature because it has the timeless quality of a classic, as well as a multi-faceted and multi-layered interpretation.After all, a good poem should impart a significant human experience, and it should draw from the reader, empathy, and a participation of the senses. Whether this is a nostalgic recall of good times between father and child or a violent episode of child abuse, the fact remains that the poem succeeds both in form and substance or content, and transcends time, is of essence. Its allowing for multiple readings is only a testament to the sterling qualities of this timeless classic.

Plantation Management in the Old South Essay

William Scarborough’s, The Overseer, examines the importance and the daily duties of the plantation overseer and how they influenced and contributed to the production and efficiency of slaves in the â€Å"Old South†. This position was unarguably, the most important position in the southern plantation system as they determined the success or failure of a plantation. In some small plantations, but mostly larger ones, the overseer was in charge of the supervision of enslaved Africans, care of the land, planting, farm tools, and harvesting. The overseer has been especially known in history as the handler of harsh disciplinary actions against slaves for breaking heavy or mild rules. The emergence of job advertising stormed through the south with higher number of individuals owning slaves. Over time leading up to the Civil War, the position of overseer has been professionalized with some planters even requiring letters of recommendations from their applicants. The goal of the author is to gather facts and accurate evidence that demonstrate how overseers effectively completed their task set forth by plantation owners and were less concerned about the torture and harsh beating of the enslaved Africans. The writer focuses more on the profession itself as opposed to examining the individual’s social class or morals in society. He also attempts to provide a valuable interpretation of one of many groups that made up the white middle class of the Old South. The book is divided into three sections with the first concerning the history and role of the overseer in the plantation establishment. It also gives key details on contract negotiations between the overseer and the plantation owner. Lastly, this section shows the view of the overseer by the general public. The second section examines the managerial duties and responsibilities and some of the disagreements between the plantation master and the overseer. The final section shows the occupation and the importance of the plantation supervisor during the Civil War and how the loss or reduction in available overseers affected the surviving plantations after the war ended. The overseer system was first introduced in the United States by the Virginia Company of England with the primary job function of upholding gained territory. When Africans were shipped to the Louisiana Territory as slaves, this very system was implemented. The vast majority of overseers during the colonial period were indentured servants whose terms of service had expired. One major reason for the increase in overseers in the antebellum south, during the 18th century were the cultural change that demanded plantation owners to indulge in the arts and other cultural pursuits. The profile of many of the men that went into this profession were most likely either the son of a planter, white lower class men, and men who actually saw the economic benefits of being an overseer. One distinctive feature of the overseer system during the colonial period was the practice of leasing developed plantations with slaves as stock. With this agreement the overseer was in charge for maintenance of the s lave force, and in return received one-third of the net proceeds from the selling of the crops. This profession would soon become highly profitable when cotton became the forefront of agriculture in the United States although to some had a negative view of the position. Although most of the overseers were originally poor and uneducated, they still gained enough respect by their employers to be acknowledged as a semi-elite professional with a very profitable position. Whatever may have been the view of the planter class regarding the step on the â€Å"social ladder† occupied by slave managers, the overseer himself had no feeling of class inferiority and showed little resentment toward the proprietary group. One of the major duties of the overseer was the welfare and discipline of the slaves, the care of livestock and other agriculture implements, and the production of staple and subsistence crops. The overseer assigned certain task to specific slave groups and supervised the labor of slaves in the field. The overseer was expected to have basic medical understanding to be able to examine the slaves and make note of any who actually needed professional treatment to treat certain physical hinders. The slave manager was obliged to make periodic inspections of slave cabins and was responsible for the distribution of clothing for the slaves. Lastly, and most importantly, the overseer was expected to ensure the security of the whites against uprisings of slaves, which was to some, inevitable. Depending of the plantation, there were also a second set of rules that were handed down from the planter to the overseer to instruct to the slaves. Some plantations had very harsh working conditions and required long hours, regardless of age or gender, while other were pretty mild with less work demanded from pregnant women and children under the age of seven. Some planters stated that â€Å"a happy slave is a productive slave† and the overseer had to abide by the wishes of the planter although they may have had different views on the use and managing of the slaves. The relationship between the overseer and the planter became pivotal leading up to the Civil War in 1861. As the Civil War began to run its course, the production of agriculture (with slave labor) was extremely important in the surviving and continuity of the south. The role of the overseer became even greater than ever with the departure of healthy white men leaving to join the Confederate Army. In many areas in the south, the only remaining security against insurgencies from the slaves was the overseers. It was no surprise that the drafting of plantation managers to the Confederate Army, angered many planters knowing that there would not be enough qualified managers to keep the slaves productive and fearful. There were even laws put into place in states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana that limited the number of overseers that could be drafted into the army. The south also made a rule stating that any wounded soldier who is able must return and oversee a plantation in order to contribute to the production of goods in the south. With this reduction in overseers, many slaves were able to escape and a number of large plantations fell due to the absence of the â€Å"slave Manager†. Scarborough’s The Overseer, examines the life and impact of the plantation overseer and how it shaped the working system of slavery and production in the United States. The author’s uses key facts to back his thesis on the importance and professionalism of the overseer. Scarborough did extensive research by exploring primary sources such as the memoirs of planters, public records, legal documents, and advertising posters. He incorporates a number of different employment contracts between planters and overseers and compared them based on the size of the plantation, state and region, and number of slaves. The author seemed to look at this job description from a professional standpoint as opposed to the ills and negative view that society and some historians have placed on the managers of plantations. He mentions that some overseers who were uneducated or inexperienced greatly affected the outlook for this profession and shadowed the somewhat complex job of managing an entire plantation.

Edgar Allan Poe essays

Edgar Allan Poe essays Edgar Allan Poe, a great poet, who is known world wide for his stories of terror, grief, revenge, and misery. Yet all his ideas all target the same thing, French writer Charles-Pierre Baudelaire. The story of Poes life is nearly as compelling and horrifying as the stories that came form is evil, insane imagination. Poe was born to his actor parents Elizabeth Arnold and David Poe Jr. Born in Boston in 1806; he was conceived while the acting company was performing Hamlet. He was named Edgar after the theatre manager. His mother later gave birth so his sister Rosalie, and struggled to support her family, so she sent Edgars brother William to live with David Poes family in Baltimore. Elizabeth soon became sick with tuberculosis and died on December 8, 1811 at the age of 24.His sister was sent to like with the MacKenzie family. When Edgar was about 3 he was sent to live with Frances and John Allen. His early years with the Allans were pleasant. When Poe was 6 his life made a sudden change again. John Allen took the family on an extended business trip with him to England for 5 years. There he attended London academy in 1816 and in the fall of the next year went to the Manor House School in Stoke Newington. Judging from the poems he would write later on, the 3 years he spent in the gloomy narrow halls of the Manor House were important ones. He seemed to have absorbed the Gothic atmosphere into his very soul. (Poe, pg 21) Often in Poes writing the image of a dying woman appeared often, and also in his life. Poe first experienced the death of his mother and then later on at the age of 15 he encountered the death of another woman in his life. Jane Stanard. She was the mother of Edgars classmate Robert, and he had an odd crush on her. Poe always referred to her as Helen, a name that is often associated with beauty. She become sick and died in April 1824. This painful los ...

African Instruments

The history of African musical instruments is rich and diverse as the people that populate the African continent. Because music Is so deeply rooted in African culture, knowing about African instruments helps you understand the continent as well as the people. Apart from Africans themselves, this knowledge Is usually restricted to ethnomusicology and historians. The roots of African-American Instruments are burled deep within the music of the African continent. The history and evolution of African-Americans instruments are as rich and complex as the history of AfricanAmericans themselves. The essence of African-American Instruments Lies In Its expression of the human experience. Although the different styles vary widely In their tone, topic and the tools used to produce them, African-American Instruments have the ability to cross all color and culture lines. Styles such as the blues, country, jazz, gospel and hip hop have spread their Influence all over the world. Drums, banjo, and shakers have been a important key to making beautiful, inspiring music. Drumming was an important part of many African musical and religious radiation.The drum heads at either end of the drums wooden body are made from hide, fish-skin or other membranes which are wrapped around a wooden hoop. Leather cords or thongs run the length of the drums body and are wrapped around both hoops; when you squeeze these cords under your arm, the drum heads tighten, changing the instruments pitch. Drums served as an early form of long distance communication, and were used during ceremonial and religious functions. Ceremonial functions could include dance, rituals, story-telling and communication of points of order.The traditional drumming found in Africa is actually of three different types. Firstly, a rhythm can represent an idea (or signal). Secondly it can repeat the profile of a spoken utterance or thirdly it can simply be subject to musical laws. Drum Communication were based on actual natural languages. The sounds produced are conventionalism or idiomatic signals based on speech patterns. The messages are normally very stereotyped and context-dependent. By playing the drums the slaves would send warnings such as, the king is approaching or the enemy is attacking.After the work day was over, slaves would get together and sing out affirmations, pledges and prayers that they eventually lengthened out with repetitive choruses. At first, they accompany their vocals with handmade drums, but slave owners soon grew worrisome that this may be some sort of signal being made from one set of slaves to another that would ultimately lead to a revolt so the use of drums was abolished. African Instruments By Serenading populate the African continent. Because music is so deeply rooted in African culture, the people.Apart from Africans themselves, this knowledge is usually restricted to ethnomusicology and historians. The roots of African-American instruments are buried deep within the music of the African continent. The history and evolution of Americans themselves. The essence of African-American instruments lies in its expression of the human experience. Although the different styles vary widely in their tone, topic and the tools used to produce them, African-American instruments jazz, gospel and hip hop have spread their influence all over the world.

Analyzing sports in Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyzing sports in Latin America - Essay Example Strictly speaking the region encompasses many different people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Although some people would argue that the continent has been dominated by Spanish and Portuguese colonization, many successive waves of immigrants from various parts of Europe, Asia and Africa has made a significant impact on the continent. For example Nestor Kirchner (The former president of Argentina) was of German descent, and Alberto Fujimori (The former President of Peru) was of Japanese descent. This has played a significant role in the impact of sports in Latin America insofar as people tended to bring their own cultural traditions with them when emigrating to Latin America. For example cricket (A sport which was created by the British) plays a more domineering role in the Falkland Islands, and baseball plays a more important role in the Dominican Republic (A nation with some historic ties with the United States). Physical geography plays a significant role in the impact of sport in Latin America because the continent is extremely diverse. FIFA had a temporary ban on international matches stadiums at high altitudes which made it difficult for nations like Bolivia. Moreover, nations that have access to lakes and oceans are more likely to engage in paddling sports than those that are landlocked. For the purpose of this paper the major sports that will be discussed are soccer (football), baseball, and basketball. Without question, soccer plays a significant role in Latin America. Although the sport is likely played across the entire continent some nations have become international powerhouses. Argentina is a nation that not only performs well in international competitions (Such as the World Cup) but has also give us some of the most memorable players. Diego Maradona is a player who came from humble roots in Buenos Aires yet is remember for two major goals during his career â€Å"The goal of the Century† and the â€Å"Hand of God† goal. Just after the completion of the Falkland war Argentina and England came face to face at the 1986 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final. The first half of the game was scoreless yet in the first few minutes of the second half, an English player tried to clear the ball yet accidentally hooked it towards the English goalkeeper. At this point Maradona jumped , screeching through the air with his fist extended which came into contact with the ball which went into the goal. The referee never saw the infraction and the English. However just a few minutes later Maradona ran at full steam for over sixty meters, blazing past five English defenders and ran 'dribbled' the ball around the English goalkeeper to score the goal that the English could not return. Although Argentina went on to win the World cup, it was often stated that beating England was more important as it satisfied their revenge for the Falkland war. Although some soccer players ar e relatively unknown in the United States they are often more popular than movie stars in their own country. Player such as Lionel Messi (Argentina) Ronaldinho (Brazil), Marcelo Salas (Chile), or Cladio Pizarro (Peru) are all international celebrities. Soccer plays a significant role in South American sports but it is by no means the only Sport. In nations such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Venezuela