Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero - 1517 Words

Some may wonder, who is Aristotle and why does he label Shakespeare’s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeare’s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous and delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines many features that cause the characters to make unwise decisions. Full of great tragedy, the play is about a man named Othello who marries a young woman, Desdemona. However, Iago gets jealous that Desdemona and Othello are married, and the couple†¦show more content†¦A tragedy is a disagreement that ends up being resolved and brings out the sense of pity and fear. This play touches the audience s emotions, making the readers feel a sense of pity, fear, and sadness through out the whole play. The play communicates a sense of pity for Cassio, who is treated so hatefully by Iago, as well as pity for Othello. This generates a feeling of pity and fear in the audience by the way the characters are treated by Iago. Shakespeare uses a great amount of tragedy throughout the play. A tragic story needs â€Å"performers and audiences to put themselves in the places of persons quite unlike themselves† (â€Å"Greek Drama†). In Othello, Aristotle defines many areas throughout the play as a tragedy. He describes many qualities that are displayed throughout the play like disloyalty, uncertainty, and making unwise decisions. In the tragedy, people speak, think, and conduct themselves differently than people today (â€Å"Thinking about Greek Tragedy†). Shakespeare wrote the tragedy in English, but differently than how people speak English today. Now, people do not think, speak, and behave the same as they did when Shakespeare wrote the play. However, Aristotle also recognizes that â€Å"the protagonist, the hero or chief character of a tragedy, is a person ofShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1323 Words   |  6 PagesIn literature tragic heroes can be defined as a character that makes a flawed judgment that inevitably leads to their own demise. William Shakespeare’s Othello the Moore of Venice is a play about a heroic individual that goes through a tragic event based on his decisions throughout the play. Many of the characters that Shakespeare presents in his plays reveal attitudes and value that is reflective of both the Elizabethan society in sixteenth century England and William Shakespeare; these values areRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1322 Words   |  6 PagesA hero usually a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities (Dictionary.com). In life, heroes will arise whenever they are needed. It may be a tall man that wears a cape and has super powers. As a matter of fact it may be the everyday heroes that are seen giving a homeless man a coffee or helping an old lady cross the street. It may be the heroes that are see in movies and graphic novels, rescuing the princess from her tower or leading their countryRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Shakespeare s Othello1613 Words   |  7 Pagesfocus on a tragic hero who possesses a flaw which ultimately leads to their downfall. In fact, Aristotle prescribes the three most important points to any tragedy to be hamartia, a tragic flaw in the tragic hero’s character that brings about his downfall, catharsis, a purgation of the audience’s emotions and anagnorisis, the character’s revelation of some fact not previously realized. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, Othello is an excellent example of an Aristotelian tragic hero. He was a characterRead MoreEssay on The Tragic Hero in William Shakespeare ´s Othello617 Word s   |  3 PagesTragic heroes tend to have very pre-determined paths; usually making the most virtuous of characters destined to suffer. The hamartia or ‘tragic flaw’ is the typical reason the hero falls. Shakespeare was noted to be one of the best writers of tragedies, one of his most prominent to be Othello. In Othello, we find a number of tragic flaws two including pride and ambition. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, pride and ambition are used to identify the outcomes for the main characters in the playRead MoreOthello As A Tragic Hero872 Words   |  4 PagesVenice, Othello is transformed into a crazy, senseless man. William Shakespeare uses the idea of a tragic hero in almost all of his dramas. A tragic hero can be described as a person of high status who is neither completely good nor completely evil, possesses a tragic flaw, and leaves this flaw to be the reason for his/her downfall. Othello believes he can trust one of his soldiers, Iago, who i s determined to seek revenge on Othello for not promoting him to be a lieutenant. Othellorsquo;s temperRead MoreOthello is Not a Tragic Hero Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesOthello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is â€Å"Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?† Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeedRead MoreTragedy In Shakespeares Othello1519 Words   |  7 Pagesclassic tragedy. This can be observed through action as seen in Shakespeare’s Othello. Shakespeare’s play Othello, most closely resembles the Greek philosopher’s theory of tragedy that achieves Aristotle s four unities (simplify this sentence): Hamartia, Peripetia, Anagnorisis and Catharsism. With Shakespeare adapting Aristotle’s theory of tragedy and its unities, it enables the playwright to present Othello as the tragic hero of the play that drives the narrative rather than Machiavellian Iago. AudiencesRead MoreThe Tragic Flaw Of Shakespeare s Othello1108 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Othello† tragedy, written by Williame Shakespeare, is an excellent example of Renaissance humanism. Tragedy is a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw. Othello was brought down by a fatal fault jealousy in his character. Shakespeare s other great tragedies -- Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear -- deal with issues that affect the well-being of entire nations, whereas Othello is a tragedy withRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare Essay1203 Words   |  5 PagesDramatic play entitled Othello is an unusual story full of jealousy, dark misunderstandings, lies, and regrets. Following Aristotle s definition of a true tragedy, where does the tale of Othello fall? Is Othello too dramatic too be considered a tragedy or does it barely fall along the lines of tragic? Shakespeare s innovation with poetry and dramatic plays have been recognized by critics and playgoers throughout the centuries (Lee,1899). The Bard s play entitled Othello, is among some of the mostRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of William Shakespeare s Othello1523 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s definition fits perfectly with William Shakespeare epic play, Othello. The famous Shakespeare play is about the downfall of a Moorish general who expresses jealousy and murder. Othello was an amazing general for the Venice army, but his downfall cost him everything he loved so dearly. He killed his own wife because he believes Iago’s lies about her cheating on him. His beliefs in Iago cost him everything that is precious to him. Othello can be seen as a great tragedy, and the play filled

Literature Review Language Attitudes - 2398 Words

Literature Review Draft 1. Introduction to language attitudes Language attitudes, which include people’s perception about the language variety in their own community and language varieties in other communities, has been one of the crucial topics in sociolinguistics since 1960s. When people speak of affective qualities of a language variety, it is not the language that is being evaluated, but an underlying stereotype of the speakers themselves. For this reason, attitudes toward divergent language varieties â€Å"are better understood as attitudes towards the members of language communities† rather than the variety itself (Edwards, 1994, p. 89). In this way, then, by judging the speakers of in-group language varieties, respondents are also indirectly evaluating members of these in-groups as well , essentially making qualitative judgments regarding language and their own group identity (Edwards, 1985). Fundamentally, as Edwards (1985) writes, language attitudes â€Å"allow some insights into the perception and presentation of identity† (p. 151). Therefore, by looking at attitudes of learners of Mandarin toward regional accented-Mandarin, we can probably understand whether this language variety is more likely to be used, emulated, and accepted thr oughout learners of Mandarin. The way to figure out what are people’s attitudes towards a language variety is to conduct attitude surveys. Several investigative techniques have been adopted during the long history of language attitude studies,Show MoreRelatedThe Benefits Of Bilingual Education873 Words   |  4 Pagesthe circumstances of the use of JC. In this chapter the focus is to attempt to answer the research question through a combination of the information from the literature review with that from the findings gathered. The plan, to gather qualitative information from secondary school teachers which would highlight their opinions and attitudes on the use of creole in the Jamaican classroom, had achieved the purpose for which it was intended. Teachers were able to identify areas where creole could beRead MoreEarly Generation Vietnamese Americans : An Investigation On Attitudes1749 Words   |  7 PagesHeritage Language Maintenance in Second-Generation Vietnamese Americans: an Investigation on Attitudes Chi Phan ERE220 Spring 2017 California State University, Fresno Lit ¬erature review This study investigates the attitudes of second-generation Vietnamese Americans towards Vietnamese language maintenance. The purpose of this literature review is (1) to describe the theoretical framework of the study and (2) to analyze and summarize current research on the problem of practice. In terms of the theoreticalRead MoreThe Identity Of Saudi Arabia900 Words   |  4 Pages2013). Seeing the language as social practice, we consider its influenced and influencing on our identity. Moreover, in language learning and/or acquisition, identity is subject to change and struggle. For a first look, Saudi Arabia lacks the diversity in concern of languages that other countries have, such as the United States and Canada. However, this monolingual situation is deceivable. Hence, there is a language diversity that need to be addressed and discussed. Mehri language is one of the familyRead MoreUnderstanding Americans Perspective Toward Immigration Essay1362 Words   |  6 Pagesimpacted the U.S. politically, socially and culturally. The population of America sharply divides over the issues of immigration, especially their concerns regarding the rise in illegal immigration and how to resolve issues of their legal status. The attitudes of Americans differ considerably toward documented immigration, but overall they favor keeping documented immigration levels either below the current level or the same. There seems to be a general consensus that illegal immigration should be reducedRead MoreAnalysis Of Article Writing Style1068 Words   |  5 Pagesorganization was not clearly delineated. There was an ineffective use of headings. The research question and population sampling were embedded within the text which required the reader to search for these items. There was no Literature Review heading. The review of the literature was discussed within the Introduction section. References were listed throughout the research article. Terms or â€Å"jargon† used was defined and related to public internet social netwo rk programs. Definitions were also includedRead MoreVariation Between Females And Males Anxiety Level Of English As Foreign Language Learning1025 Words   |  5 Pagesfemales and males anxiety level in English as foreign language learning. Importantly, students from both of the two genders can perceive considerable level of language anxiety inside and outside the classroom environment. This phenomenon seems natural in foreign language classroom with relevance to the stress level of accompanied learning. Consequently, this led the researchers to study the role of anxiety among foreign language learners and review the current psychological factors which are involvedRead MoreAn Based Palliative Care Educational Program Essay1529 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review The purpose of this project is to implement an evidenced-based palliative care educational program in the intensive care unit. The protocol aims at educating registered nurses who work in the intensive care unit to identify those patients that can benefit from early implementation of palliative care. Nurses who have adequate skills and knowledge and are at ease communicating with patients, families, and health care providers about palliative care can significantly help improve theRead MoreCultural And Social Capital Theory999 Words   |  4 PagesChinese international students’ academic success. Yuan (2011) examined the experiences of ten Chinese students at one American university. This study examined the challenges faced by Chinese international students, their social interaction, and their attitudes to adapting into the American culture and society. The result indicated that Chinese participants identified spoken English and class discussion as their major challenges while studying at American higher education institutions. Besides, they statedRead MoreQuantitative Data Analysis And Results902 Words   |  4 Pagesconclude the analysis by comparing mean scores and standard deviations of strategies to investigate whether or not there are any significant differences between male and female students. The following research questions are delineated from the literature review, and are the central focus of the study and analysis: 1. What vocabulary learning strategies do students use to learn new English words? 1.1 What discovery strategies do students use to find the meaning of new words? 1.2 What consolidation strategiesRead MoreThe Effects Of Violence Against Women On North American Society1663 Words   |  7 Pagesaddress all the areas affecting the attitudes of the population. We are a society that does not overtly condone violence against women and yet the problem persists. There is no one discipline that could cover the many facets of our social conscience that contributes to the underlying beliefs of society. To truly understand how a persons’ attitudes are developed and sustained we must consider the sources of information they are exposed to. The link between language and thought is often underestimated

Anxiety Speaking English Second Language -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Anxiety Speaking English Second Language? Answer: Introducation In the functions of management, communication is the very basic function and helps the individuals in making good decisions, in conceiving the plans, in creating sound business structure and also allows the person to be well linked to their associates. Communication is crucial in order for the person to attain managerial and even organizational effectiveness (Mikkelson, York Arritola, 2015). Through adoption of good communication, employees are able to be more involved in the work they do and also enables in developing a better understanding of the jobs which they have. Owing to clarity, timeliness and precision in communication information, problems can be avoided from being raised in the organization. In absence of proper communication, neither would the employees know on what is being done by their co-worker, what their goals are and even the manner of assessing their performance, nor will the managers be able to give out instructions to the ones below them in hierarchy level. Th is would also lead to the management not getting the information which is crucial for drawing out plans and taking the relevant decisions. This makes the communications, the nervous system for any business/ organization (National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, 2018). Reflective essays are helpful in gaining an insight about an individual, in terms of who they are, how they change, their strengths, their shortfalls, and the various other aspects of their personality. It is basically the reflection of a person. When it comes to analysing the communications of any person, the reflective essay prove to be quite helpful. Through this reflective essay, my shortfalls would be identified and evaluated and would be worked upon so that it could help me in my future business life. In order to identify the flaws which I have, I would be making use of five distinctive diagnostic tools, taught to us in this coursework under the modules. Once I identify the tools with the help of these tools, my weaknesses would be evaluated by me and a discussion of the same in context of the varied literature present for identification of the two key shortfalls would be done. When this is done, the literature would be taken as guidance for creation of an action plan for the n ext six months. The timeline of this action plan would be presented through Gantt chart. Lastly, the discussion would end with drawing out a conclusion of the entire leanings of this reflective essay. In order to embark upon my reflective journey, I had to initially identify my flaws and for this purpose, I began with the use of Communication Skills Self-Assessment diagnostic tool. As covered in the introductory part of this reflective essay, communication skills are the backbone and a crucial skill which is required in order for a person to succeed in their place of work. If an individual wants to be an expert communicator, they need to be effective in all the points covered under the communication process. This includes the effectiveness from sender to receiver. The individual needs to be able to be comfortable in all the modes of communication, be it face to face or telephonic (Mind Tools, 2018a). The next tool which I used was the Nonverbal Immediacy Scale-Self Report, also referred shortly as NIS-S. This tool depicts the non-verbal communication which an individual makes use of, which predominantly includes their body language and the hand gestures while communicating. This t ool helps in depicting that an individual is closed to communication or that the person is over-indulged in the communication they use for putting across their viewpoints (Richmond, McCroskey Johnson, 2003). The third diagnostic tool which I used for the purpose of this reflective essay was Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale or SPCC. This tool helps in depicting the communication apprehensions held by an individual where they are required to speak in public places, where there are strangers, and these are high in number. Through this tool, one can gain an insight on the level of comfort which a person holds in addressing the crowds (Neuliep McCroskey, 1997). The fourth diagnostic tool I used was to gain an understanding on how good are your people skills. These are often referred to as the soft skills, which impact the chances of success of the technical skills. These become crucial when a person gets the leadership or management role (Mind Tools, 2018b). The last diagnostic tool which was used for this discussion was How good are your presentation skills? which helps in understanding the feelings which an individual gets when they have to make a presentation (Mind Tools, 201 8c). Upon finishing the markings on the five diagnostic tools, the scores were calculated and these were analysed on the basis of the given guides with these tools. In the first diagnostic tool which was Communication Skills Self-Assessment, I got a score of 116, which was over the marking of 110. This shows that when it comes to the mediation skills, I have mastery in it. The next tool I used was NIS-S, where I got a score of 91. This shows that I have average non verbal skills. On the third diagnostic tool which I used, i.e., on SPCC, I got average scoring in public at 66.67, low in marketing at 33.33, high in group at 100, low in dyad at 66.67, low in stranger at 25, average in acquaintance at 75, high in friend at 100, and a total score of 66.67 which puts me on an overall average rating. The fourth diagnostic tool I used was to gain an understanding on how good are your people skills and on this I got a score of 48. This put me in average range, which shows that I understand that wor king with others is crucial but there is room for improvement, owing to the stress and pressure which I could feel in such situations. The last tool which I made used of, for this reflective essay, was How good are your presentation skills? This also puts me in the average rating which shows that my presentations are okay and also shows that I am an average presenter. This means that the impressions which I leave are neither good nor bad, and are essentially nonexistent. These diagnostic tools show that I have two key shortfalls or weaknesses, i.e., public speaking apprehensions and presentation skills. I deduced these predominantly due to the ratings which I got in SPCC. These ratings showed me that I was very comfortable in my communications with the individuals I knew, and with whom I was comfortable, but when it came to the ones who were new to me, I got very nervous with them and lacked even the average ratings on it. Presentation skills are a very important part of business communications and in the diagnostic tool which tested this skill of mine, I got an average rating, which have to be improved by me, if I have to excel in my professional interactions. These two shortfalls can be further elucidated by two recent professional interactions. In order to gain experience for my future, I got internship in a local firm, which was preparing for a city based marathon. For this, I was asked to prepare a budget presentation, which I had to present before the manager and the budget committee. I prepared a good presentation in my view but was unable to deliver it with confidence and even stammered a bit. I felt a bit numb and my heart raced, and even began sweating. I was eve asked to take a short break by my supervisor but I refused to do so, as I found it very embarrassing. This even affected by feedback and I was told that my presentation could have been way better, had I presented what I actually planned to do, originally. I was even given a chance to present this at a meeting which followed but I could not answer to the questions which were put before me due to the apprehensions I felt at that moment. There was another professional interaction where my weaknesses were highlighted before me. I was working as a server at a fast food joint in our locality and while working there, I was asked to communicate with new customers on daily basis. However, this job proved out to be very tough for me. On the very first day of my job, I was asked to cater to the walk in customers but I could not engage in conversation with them. Irrespective of the questions put by them, be it a question I knew the answer to or otherwise, I could not respond to the customers properly. A middle-aged woman tried to make me feel at ease and told me to not get nervous about it, and yet I could not control the manner in which I reacted. Ultimately, I was asked by the manager to either improve my communication skills or to leave the job. Unfortunately I gave up and left the job on the third day only. One of the most common issues which is faced by people from different walks of life is public speaking, and this problem is common in not only the pupils but also in the individuals from general public. In the view of North and Rives (2001), where the people have a common feeling of anxiety when they have to indulge in public speaking and when that happens, they face a number of symptoms when such people have to speak in public. The symptoms include the feeling of discomfort, sweating, palpitations, feeling confused, and muscles getting tensed and even in some cases would be coupled with gastrointestinal discomfort. In the views presented by Burnley, Cross and Spanos (1993), it was shown that nearly 85% of the public had faced some level of anxiety when they were faced with public speaking. Rossi and Seiler (1986) have also presented their views on public speaking and stage fright where they presented that the public speaking is an issue which has been largely studied and investigate d upon and the history of it could be traced back to the mid part of the 1930s. Anxiety is often liked to public speaking and almost runs parallel to it. This shows that the individuals feel quite apprehensive and uneasy about public speaking and have a fear of speaking in public due to their anticipations on things which are taken to be threatening, even when these are not threatening in reality. Scovel (1991) also presented his views on public speaking and its related anxiety. He stated that when the anxiety felt during the public speaking is facilitated, the results are positive over the performance of the learning party, and in such cases where the anxiety takes a negative toll it results in the individual performing poorly. Speaking is not an easy task, when it comes to the one taking place in public, due to the anxiety which comes with it. In view of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1991), this is exactly true for the students, when they are faced with speaking in class, particularly when the student is an anxious one. For the anxious students, it becomes difficult to make clear difference between the sounds and the structures, and at times, even in apprehending the simple word meanings. Other authors like Beatty and Friedland (1990), Beatty, Balfantz ad Kuwabara (1989) have also contributed to the emotional predisposition faced by individuals when it comes to public speaking and the sole reason for such predispositions have been attributed to the anxiety felt by them. Communication skills, in view of Dunbar, Brooks and Miller (2006) are an essential tool for students as it is not only important in their studies in college or high school life, but is very crucial when they make transition from education to w orkplace. Two types of anxiety reactions have been identified by Woodrow (2006), where psychological reasons are the first one, and the cognitive reasons are the second one. When the person is faced with the first type, i.e., the psychological reactions, their body shows their anxiety. This is in terms of stammering, fidgeting, and raced heart rate. The second type is cognitive reaction, where the brain reacts and the person starts getting irrelevant thoughts, and/ or self-depreciating thoughts. An anxious person holds negative thoughts, which ultimately contributes to the anxiety levels of the person. By facilitation of this anxiety, in view of Jones (2004), there is a need to provide assistance to the anxious individual by learning the way through which the hurdle being faced by the individual could be surmounted. In his view, upon the job which made the individual anxious in the first place, ends, the anxiety also ends. When an individual is able to push himself for doing the task which makes them anxious, the individual can surmount the very cause of their anxiety. It has been identified by Ohata (2005) that by indulging in such facilitating effects, the learners could be motivated and this is dependent on the attitude and perception of the individual learner. He further stated that apprehensions in communication are just a form of anxiety and this result from the negative self perceptions of individual resulting in such anxiety-filled behaviour. The study conducted by Woodrow (2006) was based on inferring the anxiety particularly in the verbal communications. It was identified by her that before speaking in public, the individuals would get butterflies in their stomach. The same would also happen when a person was asked to give a formal presentation as this was also coupled with anxiety. She suggested that there was a need of psychology the way in which the person could address the public without having to fear on such a subject with could possibly never take place. And even in such cases, where the feared upon thing takes place, it does not result in a devastating or detrimental effect as the individual feared upon from the very start. In the research undertaken by Marinho, Medeiros, Gama and Teixeira (2017), it was depicted that competence in public speaking was a crucial element of business life and in order for an individual to be successful in their professional life, there was a need for the individual to be fluent in their communication skills, as these helped the individuals in establishing their credibility. Russ (2012) had also presented similar results through his research in which he provided that with the help of good communication skills, the staff could easily enhance the interpersonal workplace relationships and included in the staff were the key managerial personnel. Majorly, the literature which is associated with the public speaking highlights the requirement of harnessing the skill of communicating with efficiency and indulging in public speaking without being apprehensive or anxious, in order for the individual to get the success they aim for. This is true for not only the education life of the individual but holds particular significance in the business or professional life of the person. Even though the educators have chosen the path of exploring the technological advanced forms of communication through the use of internet in terms of blogging or pod casting, in view of Sheets and Tillson (2007), this is coupled with age-old problems. As per Sheets (2004) and McCannon and Crews (1999), this is due to the improper mechanics, grammar and its usage. Scott (2001) has attributed it to poor written forms of business correspondence which is characterized by the inadequacy in organization and planning. And Hoff and Tian (2005) have attributed it to the deficient oral presentation skills. As a result of these fundamental issues, the mastery of students can be thwarted and this is true for both business communication and academic disciplines. As per Sheets and Tillson (2007), the inability of an individual in delivering oral presentations in an effective manner stems from the communication related anxiety which is known as oral communication apprehension. The level of anxiety and fear anticipated by the individual is deemed as the reason for the poor oral presentation performance as per McCroskey (1977). This is due to the learned negative expectations and the learned helplessness felt by an individual as per Seligman (1975). Both these contribute towards increased anxiety and lost self confidence, resulting in the negative impact on the actions of an individual in engaging in oral communications. This is true for very kind of communication, be it face to face, or in presentation or speeches. Even in the 21st century, the apprehensions of speaking before new groups continue to be a problem. As per Krannich (2004), the fear of delivering a presentation/ speech continues to be the number one fear in majority of individuals, which includes adults and students, and even in adults from different backgrounds. In view of Gallo (2006), there are a number of options available to the universities and colleges to improve upon the performance of the students in delivering presentations in class. This requires the full support of the administrators and the curriculum to be revised in order to include oral communication requirements. In this regard, there is a need to take help of instructors who can teach the students about presenting in class and this can be done by linking it to actual work life cases. Parvis (2001) had noted that for speaking effectively before a group, there is a need to teach the students and this skill has to be honed throughout their college life and also in th e job-market. Thus, there is a need for the educators to bring in their full support in order for the student to be successful in their efforts and this would not benefit a handful of students; but would be beneficial for the majority of the students in education field, which includes both the present and the future ones. The literature review conducted in the previous segment highlighted that fear of public speaking and communicating with new people is a key shortfall in the majority of individuals. And stemmed from this shortfall is the problem of giving presentations, which due to the apprehensions and fear of public speaking. In order to improve upon the shortfalls faced by me, I would work on the suggestions presented in the different literature in order to work on bettering myself and to remove the apprehensions I have. In order to do so, I have chalked out an action plan for the next six months. The very first step which I will be working upon is taking the help of my tutor. This is because the literature suggested that the university personnel can help the students best in improving upon their presentation skills. I would be requesting them to increase presentation related activities to be scheduled in class to help all the students in improving their presentation skills. I would also be sched uling an interactive activity between the different classes of our university, where the individuals would get a chance of harnessing their communication skills. This activity would be a kind of treasure hunt, which would predominantly involve communication skills and presentation skills of the individuals. I would also be taking up university communications to improve on my apprehensions on speaking to the strangers and this would help me in getting a personal growth. I would be maintaining a daily journal for keeping track of my progress and would also help me in deciding at the end of six months, and in tracking, the progress which I have made. I would be taking up presentations before our class, which the tutor would hopefully have included in our curriculum, which would further help me out. Also, I would make attempts to carry out weekly interactions with strangers I come across at work or at places where I go, to see if I have gained the confidence of speaking easily. The success of my action plan depends on delivering the presentation without feeling nervous, getting sweaty or my heart pounding in my chest. This would be coupled with the same feelings being controlled efficiently when faced with stranger interactions which I would be carrying out. A detailed action plan is presented below: Gantt Chart depicting Action Plan Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-17 May-18 Jun-17 Jul-17 Tutor help Scheduling activity University Communication Daily Journal Presenting before Class Weekly interaction with strangers To come to the conclusion of this reflective essay, a journey has been undertaken in the previous segments of this discussion. This journey started by making use of five diagnostic tools to identify my communication related weaknesses. Upon identifying these as fear of public speaking and shortfalls in good presentation skills, I undertook a literature review which presented the problem of public speaking as a common issue. The literature also highlighted that from this very issue, was my second shortfall of poor communication skills born. Thus, based on the suggestions found in the literature, I created an action plan to be followed by me during the next six months, which would hopefully help me in overcoming my weaknesses. References Beatty, M. J., Balfantz, G. L., Kuwabara, A. Y. (1989). Trait-like qualities of selected variables assumed to be transient causes of performance state anxiety. Communication Education, 38, 277-289. Beatty, M.J., Friedland, M. H. (1990). Public speaking state anxiety as a function of selected situational and predispositional variables. Communication Education, 39, 142-147. Burnley, M., Cross, P., Spanos, N. (1993). The effects of stress inoculation training and skills training on the management of speech anxiety. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 12, 355-366. Dunbar, N., Brooks, C. Kubica-Miller, T. (2006). Oral Communication Skills in Higher Eduation: Using a Performance-Based Evaluation Rubric to Assess Communication Skills. Inovative Higher Education, 31(2). Gallo, C (2006). The 10 worst presentation habits. BusinessWeek.com. Retrieved from: https://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/02/mistakes/index_01.htm Hoff, E. Tian, C. (2005). Socioeconomic status and cultural influences on language. Journal of communication Disorders, 38, 271-278. Horwitz, E. K., M. B. Horwitz and J. A. Cope (1991). "Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety" in E. K. Horwitz and D. J. Young, Language Anxiety, 27-39. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Jones J.F. (2004). A Cultural Context for Language Anxiety. EA (English Australia), 21(2), 30-39 Krannich, C. R. (2004). 101 Secrets of highly effective speakers: controlling fear, commanding attention [Recorded by B. McDonald]. [CD]. New York: Listen Live Audio, Inc. Marinho, A. C. F, Mesquita de Medeiros, A., Gama A. C. C, Teixeira, L. C. (2017). Fear of public speaking: perception of college students and correlates. Journal of Voice, 31(1), 127.e7127.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2015.12.012 McCannon, M. Crews, T. B. 1999. Most common grammatical and punctuation errors made by undergraduates as perceived by business communication professors. The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 41, 179-186. McCroskey, J. C. (1977). Oral communication apprehension: A summary of recent theory and research. Human Communication Research, 4, 78-96. Mikkelson, A. C., York, J. A., Arritola, J. (2015). Communication competence, leadership behaviors, and employee outcomes in supervisor-employee relationships.Business and Professional Communication Quarterly,78(3), 336-354. Mind Tools. (2018a). How Good Are Your Communication Skills?. Retrieved from: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm Mind Tools. (2018b). How Good Are Your People Skills?. Retrieved from: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm Mind Tools. (2018c). How Good Are Your Presentation Skills?. Retrieved from: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management. (2018). Training Program on Effective Communication. Retrieved from: https://www.manage.gov.in/studymaterial/EC.pdf Neuliep, J. W., McCroskey, J. C. (1997). The development of intercultural and interethnic communication apprehension scales. Communication Research Reports, 14, 385-398. North, M., Rives, J. (2001). Virtual reality therapy in aid of public speaking. International Journal of Virtual Reality, marketing. Ohata, K. (2005). Language Anxiety From the Teachers Perspective: Interviews With Seven Experienced ESL/EFL Teachers. Journal of Language and Learning, 3(1), 133-155. Parvis, L. F. (2001). The importance of communication and public-speaking skills. Journal of Environmental Health, 63, 44. Richmond, V. P., McCroskey, J. C., Johnson, A. D. (2003). Development of the nonverbal immediacy scale (NIS): Measures of self- and other-perceived nonverbal immediacy. Communication Quarterly, 51, 502-515. Rossi, A., Seiler, W. (1989). The comparative effectiveness of systematic desensitization and an integrative approach in treating public speaking anxiety: a literature review and a preliminary investigation. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9, 49-66. Russ, T. L. (2013). The Influence of Communication Apprehension on Superiors' Propensity for and Practice of Participative Decision Making. Communication Quarterly, 61(3), 335- 348. doi: 10.1080/01463373.2013.776989 Scott, J. C. (2001). Using the process approach to improve scholarly writing. The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 43, 57-66. Scovel, T. (1991). "The Effect of Affect on Foreign Language Learning: A Review of the Anxiety Research" in E. K. Horwitz and D. J. Young, Language Anxiety, 101-108. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Seligman, M. E. (1975). Helplessness: On depression, development and death. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman. Sheets, B. H. (2004). Effects of English grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling instruction in college business communication classes. Journal of Business and Public Affairs, (Fall), 31, 48-54. Sheets, B.H., Tillson, L. (2007). Strategies To Improve Students Presentation Skills. Retrieved from: https://www.westga.edu/~bquest/2007/presentation7.pdf Woodrow, L. (2006). Anxiety and speaking English as a second language. RELC Journal, 37(3), 308-328.

King Henri Iv Essays (1377 words) - Dauphins Of France,

King Henri Iv King Henri IV was born at Pau in Bearn on December 13, 1553. Raised by his mother, Jeane d'Albret (Queen of Navarre), Henri was brought up in a remote castle in the Pyrenees. He grew up amongst the peasant children of that area and raised on a diet of bread, cheese, and garlic. As a youngster Henri was brought up in the Protestant faith, which was the opposite of his father's wishes. As result, Henri was taken to Paris on his father's orders and given a Catholic tutor. However, he stubbornly refused to attend Mass. Consequently, after the death of his father, Henri was once again instructed by a Protestant tutor. By the age of ten, Henri had already changed religions twice. Remaining in Paris, Henri attended classes at the College de Navarre. Gradually he learned to speak and write fluent Latin and Greek, and he had managed to attain some Spanish and Italian. In 1567 Henri reestablished himself in Pau, reuniting with his mother and sister Catherine. His education was continued, this time including fencing and military arts. Five years later, after an outbreak of several religious wars, the marriage between Henri and the reining king's sister, Marguerite de Valois (a Catholic), was arranged so as to bring temporary peace to France. After Henri's mother's death, the wedding took place. The two were wed on August 18, 1572 at Notre-Dame. Little did the new king know, that day would mark the prelude of a great tragedy. During the wedding, Catherine de Medici consented to the assassination of Admiral de Coligny. On August 22 he was shot at from a window but was merely injured. The Huguenots (French Protestants) were enraged. Queen Medici finally agreed that a general massacre was the only solution to terminate Admiral de Coligny. Before dawn on Sunday, August 24, 1572, the Duc de Guise's swordsmen broke into the Admirals bedroom. He was brutally skewered with a pike, then his corpse was thrown out of a window and hanged by the ankles from the public gibbet. The signal was given and the Paris mob was unleashed. The mob was totally merciless, savagely slitting the throats of all possible Protestants without the willing pity unto children and pregnant women. The Louvre was transformed into a slaughterhouse; the bodies of dead and tortured Huguenot bodies gathered along staircases and piled up against walls. Henri and his cousin Conde were spared only for the sake that they beheld royal blood within the ir vanes. After that, Henri was forced to change his religion for a third time. In addition, he remained prisoner at court for four years. After the death of King Charles IX, Henry of Navarre's cousin, Henri III became king. King Henry made peace with the Huguenots. After being defeated multiple times by superior Catholic armies, King Henri III turned to Henri of Navarre for help. The help of Henri of Navarre made it once again possible for Henri III to recover his lost powers. Together the pair soon controlled the entire area between the Loire and the Seine. On July 30 he besieged Paris with an army of 40,000. On the peak of this achievement, the king was stabbed by Dominican friar, Jacques Clement. Henry III died that night after ordering his followers to take an oath of allegiance to Henri of Navarre. As result, Henri by name became king of France. However, Henri was refused loyalty by most of his subjects on account that he had been excommunicated and that he was Catholic. Only a mere sixth of France supported Henri. His only source of the reconciliation of loyalty, he soon found, would to be to appeal to those who preferred peace rather than religious war. After victoring numerous accounts of battle with Catholics, Henry IV eventually managed to besiege Paris with 15000 men in May. Unfortunately, Paris remained totally Catholic. Henri then decided to starve the city into submission rather than cause war. By July Paris was pathetically hungry. Cannibalism was a common case?children could be seen chased through the streets by starving elders. People resorted to eating dead dogs (including the skin), rats, garbage, and flour made from bones (those who ate the flour died). Thirteen thousand

Employability and Entrepreneurship The WritePass Journal

Employability and Entrepreneurship 1. INTRODUCTION Employability and Entrepreneurship 1. INTRODUCTION  2. OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH  Ã‚   2.1 Terms of reference  Ã‚   2.2 Methodology   2.3 Main findings3. PERSONAL REFELCTION   3.1 Personal analysis3.2 CV Covering letter3.3 Gap analysis3.4 Career action plan4. CONCLUSION5. REFERENCES AND BIBILIOGRAPHY Related 1. INTRODUCTION Employability is the combination of factors and processes that enable people to progress towards or get into employment, to stay in employment and to move in the workplace. The purpose of this report is to discuss the opportunities I as a graduate go through after the completion of my degree, what the employers are looking for in an employee, as well as the role marketers or marketing related careers play in enterprises, then finally the knowledge, skills and attitude I have and hope to obtain. I have always wanted to work in the marketing sector so I have compiled analysis of six different companies, which consist of large-scale companies, small, and medium sized companies. I have used a mixture of analysis to compare various methods that can be used to start a career in the marketing sector and also be successful in the field. I have decided to work in the marketing sector because it provides many job opportunities such as personal selling, advertising, packaging, transport, product development and retailing.   2. OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH This section of the report would examine the factual reflections of the findings from the occupation.   Ã‚   2.1 Terms of reference The purpose of this report is to look at the graduate opportunities in the UK marketing sector. Research will be made on six different organisations in this sector. The main aim is to show what has to be achieved and how to achieve it.   Ã‚   2.2 Methodology The methods used to approach this research were carried out through primary and secondary resources. The primary research was used to exchange e-mails with one of the staffs of Business Monitor International and PKF to clarify some issues. However most of the research done on this report was from information gathered online which is the secondary research such as graduate job websites like prospect, inside careers and also watching some videos on employability. The companies’ websites were used to get more information. The organizations used in this reportare Standard Life, Glaxo Smith Kline, Akzo nobel corporate, Business monitor international, PKF and Sanofi Aventis.    2.3 Main findings In marketing, there are variety of challenging and interesting job opportunities such as retailing, market research, personal selling and wholesaling. In addition from my findings, there are so many individuals who are employed in non-business organizations that are also engaged in marketing activities. The skills from marketing are used to promote civic, political, cultural and charitable activities, even if an individual earns a living through marketing activities or performs them without compensation in non-business settings, the knowledge and skills gained from marketing are valuable assets. Our highly complex economy relies heavily on marketing activities. The economy produces the profits that are necessary for the growth of individual businesses and also provide health and ultimate survival for the economy as a whole. In essence the general employment trend must be known. According to the survey by BBC, it claims that graduate unemployment rose by 25%. The higher education poli cy institute said in December 2008 the unemployment level rose from 11.9% to 25% among graduates aged under 24. It also said that 17.2% of male graduates were out of work compared with 11.2% of females as at the end of 2009. The report from the institute came a day after a research body had warned that unemployed graduate level could hit record levels as a result of planned public spending cuts. The Higher Education Career Service Unit (HECSU) said that because so many college leavers join the public sector, they were especially vulnerable to cuts. According to the guardian survey, it claims that the unemployment figures are set to rise by 22,000. However those leaving university during the summer face the most difficult job market in more than a decade. There are up to 22,000 more graduate whom are likely to be unemployed this year compared to last figures. The Higher Education Career Service Unit (HECSU) calculated at least one in 10 of this summer’s graduates would not be successful to find a job after six months they leave university, which is equivalent to about 35,000 and 40,000 graduates out of the 350,000 leaving UK universities after first degrees. There are many opportunities for marketing degree holders. There are lots of organisations that are recruiting graduates in marketing or marketing related occupations. According to the Witan Jardine growth statistics marketing opportunities have grown by 47% from last year and experienced growth of 5% over the last quarter. The opportunities in the marketing financial sector grew by 30%, which made an increase of 29% over the last quarter. The media sector roles in marketing for graduates increased by 25% year on year. The professional services marketing roles have soared by 77% compared to January 2006. (Ambition, 2009) Marketing is a very popular career for graduates. Last year, there were 17,000 students who graduated with degrees in marketing, and the research by the Marketing and Sales Standard Setting Body (MSSSB) claims that 580,000 people in the UK are employed in marketing roles. (Inside careers, 2011) There are important roles for graduates in the marketing sector in the future especially those who want to go into retailing. The retail sector is said to accounts for more than 10% of jobs in England. There were 2,777,000 people employed in the retail sector in 2002, the amount of people employed in the retail sector was predicted to rise to 2,869,000 in 2005 and continued growth forecast through to 2012. In 2012 it is predicted that over 250,000 new jobs are expected in this sector. However, there is going to be replacement demand whereby there will be need for new people to replace those leaving the sector is predicted to be five times this figure, with sales and customer service occupations alone needing almost half a million people to replace those leaving the sector (National Guidance Research Forum, 2010). As a marketing graduate your responsibilities can vary depending on the size of the organization and sector and also whether the focus is on selling a product, service or ra ising awareness of an issue that affects the public. A recent marketing degree holder can play roles in organization such as liaising and networking with wide range of stakeholders like colleagues, customers, partner organizations and suppliers. One could also communicate with his target audience and also managing their customers’ relationships. One can also generate advertising opportunities and placing adverts in the press locally, regional, national and specialist publications or on the radio, depending on the organization and the campaign. As a marketing degree holder, one could ensure there is effective distribution of marketing materials, and also maintain and update customer database. One could also attend and organize events such as seminars, conference, exhibition and receptions. Marketing graduate could organize marketing research such as creating customer questionnaire, focus groups and also contributing to the development of marketing plans and strategies (Prospec ts, 2009). These jobs are advertised in newspapers and magazines such as marketing week, they can also be found online in job search sites like prospects, graduate-jobs, inside careers etc. Based on the research done on the organisations, there are some key skills, knowledge and experience expected from a marketing graduate. These organisations are looking for people that are highly organized and proactive, with the ability to do different tasks simultaneously to meet deadlines. They are interested in people with the ability to work both independently and in a team environment. A core skill expected is ability to interact and maintain beneficial relationships with other teams across the business. High level of competency in Microsoft office, particularly excel is expected. They also search for people with good skills in leadership with ability to influence without authority in a matrix environment. They are also interested in people who have excellent written and verbal communicatio n skills and also those that can speak good English. As a marketing graduate a lot is expected, only in very exceptional circumstances that organisations accept application from people who don’t meet their academic requirements. This means that the applicant has to provide strong justification for why the organisation should accept him/her. The minimum academic criteria expected by their organisations are minimum of at least 280 UCAS points with a first class or 2:1 degree. The selection process is done step by step. It is a chance for the graduate to show the organisation what they are made of and that they have the skills required. The first step is to fill in an online application form. This gives you the chance to tell the organisation a bit about yourself and also include your CV and cover letter. The second step is to take an online verbal and numerical reasoning test. The third step is a telephone interview to discuss your understanding of the role you have applied for. The forth step is to attend an assessment centre to meet members of the organisation. The fifth step is to receive an offer. 3. PERSONAL REFELCTION In this section of the report, I am going to reflect upon and evaluate my current skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the ones required by the organisation I have researched on.    3.1 Personal analysis During the course of my study, I developed some key skills such as working both independently and also as a group. I worked as a group in my coursework that enabled me to play roles like encouraging the group when motivation is low. During my research, I identified that I need good leadership skills. These leadership skills have been achieved as a group leader in university coursework that also enabled mi to take responsibility for the direction and action of the group. I have developed my interpersonal skills, I have also developed skills to be able to use my own initiative as well as problem solving skills. I strongly believe with my academic achievement, skills and experience, I definitely have a career in marketing. 3.2 CV Covering letter My CV and covering letter are addressed to Business monitor international. See appendix 3.3 Gap analysis Gap analysis is the space between where we are and where we want to be. I have developed some skills that I am confident in. I am confident in my team working skills. I have good interpersonal skills especially in the way I carry myself. In general I have most of the skills these organisations are looking for. However, there are some areas that I really need to focus my personal development like my presentation skills; I lack the confidence to speak in public. I also lack a little bit of computing skills such as using Microsoft office excel. I intend on improving the skills that I am weak at by going for public speaking programmes and career fares to improve on my confidence level. I also plan on using self guide on how to use Microsoft excel to improve on my computing skills. 3.4 Career action plan See appendix 6.3 page 11 4. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this research has given me wide range of knowledge about the recent employment trends for graduates in the marketing sector and also more knowledge about different roles and skills required. While I was doing this report, it helped me realise what knowledge and skills I have now. In general, my career action plan would also help me as a guideline to enable me meet my goals. 5. REFERENCES AND BIBILIOGRAPHY Akzo Nobel (2010) What do we look for? Available at akzonobel.com/careers/graduates/what_we_look_for/index.aspx [Accessed 15th march 2011] Ambition (2008) Marketing Sales Recruitment Trends, Available at ambition.co.uk/sales-marketing-jobs/recruitment-trends.asp [Accessed 19th march 2011] BBC (2010) Graduate unemployment rate rises 25%, Available at bbc.co.uk/news/10500124 [Accessed 20th march 2011] Business Monitor International (2011) Employment listing, Available at https://www5jh.openhire.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.jobinfojobid=173530company_id=1005source=ONLINEJobOwner=992284bycountry=1bystate=0bylocation=GB%2Ekeywords=byCat=38747tosearch [Accessed 14th march 2011] Glaxo Smith Kline (2010) Experienced hires: search and apply, Available at gsk.com/careers/uk-saa-jobsearch.htm [Accessed 15th march 2011] Inside career (2011) skills required for marketing, Available at insidecareers.co.uk/__802574D800556E37.nsf/id/7nwndntden!opendocument [Accessed 20th march 2011] National Guidance Research Forum (2010) LMI future trends, Available at guidance-research.org/future-trends/retail/info/futureemp [Accessed 20th march 2011] PKF accountants and business advisers (2010) The PKF experience, Available at pkf.co.uk/pkf/careers/work_experience/home [Accessed 15th march 2011] Prospects (2009). Marketing executive: Job description and activities, Available at http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/marketing_executive_job_description.jsp [Accessed 22nd march Sanofi Aventis (2010). Job Details, Available at http://www24.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_sanofiaventis01.asp?s=bkMjPUrEcTFkHhTczjobid=54551,2221122152key=12073363c=865256627269pagestamp=sewfxdjbvkssyzdycm [Accessed 22nd march 2011] Standard life (2011) sales and marketing, Available at standardlife.com/careers/graduates/grad_sales_marketing.html [Accessed 15th march 2011] The guardian (2009) Graduate unemployment figures set to rise by 22,000, Available at guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jul/02/graduate-unemployment-rise-recession-jobs [Accessed 20th march 2011]

Biology Word Dissections - Understanding Science Terms

Biology Word Dissections - Understanding Science Terms Pneumono-ultramicroscopic-silicovolcano-coniosis.Yes, this is an actual word. What does it mean? Biology can be filled with words that sometimes seem incomprehensible. Similar to how many biology students will dissect a frog, by dissecting these words into discrete units, even the most complex terms can be understood. To demonstrate this concept, lets begin by performing a biology word dissection  on the word above. Well take this long, seemingly impossible to understand word and break it down into its affix components to make it much easier for us to understand. To perform our  word dissection, well need to proceed carefully. First, we come to the prefix (pneu-), or (pneumo-) which means lung. Next, is ultra, meaning extreme, and microscopic, meaning small. Now we come to (silico-), which refers to silicon, and (volcano-) which refers to the mineral particles that make up a volcano. Then we have (coni-), a derivative of the Greek word konis meaning dust. Finally, we have the suffix (-osis) which means affected with. Now lets rebuild what we have dissected: Considering the prefix (pneumo-) and the suffix (-osis), we can determine that the lungs are affected with something. But what? Breaking down the rest of the terms we get extremely small (ultramicroscopic) silicon (silico-) and volcanic (volcano-) dust (coni-) particles. Thus, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is a disease of the lungs resulting from the inhalation of very fine silicate or quartz dust. That wasnt so difficult, now was it? Key Takeaways Similar to how many biology students will dissect an animal, by performing a biology word dissection, even the most complex terms can be understood.Once you understand the common prefixes and suffixes used in biology, obtuse words are much easier to understand.For example, a large word like: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis can be broken down into its constituent parts. After parsing, we realize that it is a disease of the lungs resulting from the inhalation of very fine silicate or quartz dust. Biology Terms Now that weve honed our dissection skills, lets try some frequently used biology terms. For instance: Arthritis(Arth-) refers to joints and (-itis) means inflammation. Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint(s). Bacteriostasis(Bacterio-) refers to bacteria and (-stasis) means a slowing or stoppage of motion or activity. Bacteriostasis is the slowing down of bacterial growth. Dactylogram(Dactyl-)  refers to a digit such as a finger or toe and (-gram) refers to a written record. A dactylogram is another name for a fingerprint. Epicardium(Epi-)  means upper or outermost and  (-cardium)  refers to the heart. Epicardium  is the outer layer of the heart wall. It is also known as visceral pericardium as it forms the inner layer of the pericardium. Erythrocyte(Erythro-) means red and (-cyte) means cell. Erythrocytes are red blood cells. Okay, lets move on to more difficult words. For instance: ElectroencephalogramDissecting, we have (electro-), pertaining to electricity, (encephal-) meaning brain, and (-gram) meaning record. Together we have an electric brain record or EEG. Thus, we have a record of brain wave activity using electrical contacts. Hemangioma(Hem-) refers to blood, (angio-) means vessel, and (-oma) refers to an abnormal growth, cyst, or tumor. Hemangioma is a type of cancer consisting primarily of newly formed blood vessels. SchizophreniaIndividuals with this disorder suffer from delusions and hallucinations. (Schis-) means split and (phren-) means mind. ThermoacidophilesThese are Archaeans that live in extremely hot and acidic environments. (Therm-) means heat, next you have (-acid), and finally (phil-) means love. Together we have heat and acid lovers. Additional Terms Using our new found skills, we should have no trouble with the following biology related terms. Angiomyogenesis (angio - myo - genesis): This is a medical term that refers to the regeneration of heart (myocardial) tissue. Angiostenosis (angio - stenosis): This term refers to the narrowing of a vessel, typically a blood vessel. Angiostimulatory (angio - stimulatory): Angiostimulatory refers to the stimulation and growth of blood vessels. Biotroph (bio - troph): Biotrophs are parasites. They do not kill their hosts as they establish a long-term infection as they get their energy from living cells. Bradytroph (brady - troph): This term refers to an organism that experiences very slow growth without the presence of a particular substance. Necrotroph (necro - troph): Unlike biotrophs, necrotrophs are parasites that kill their host and survive on the dead remains. Oxalotrophy (oxalo - trophy): This term refers to the metabolism of oxalates or oxalic acid by organisms. Once you understand the commonly used prefixes and suffixes, obtuse words are a piece of cake! Now that you know how to apply the word dissection technique, Im sure youll be able to determine the meaning of the word thigmotropism (thigmo - tropism).

Are video games or online role-playing games ever likely to become a Essay

Are video games or online role-playing games ever likely to become a mainstream pastime for people of all ages and social levels Explain the reasons for your answer - Essay Example Mostly arcade games encompass video games and these games were the source of inspiration that later led to the formation of online games. People adopted this emerging trend fast since video games have been an addictive source of pastime from the beginning. Technology keeps modifying things and later video game arcades also began to lose their captivating charm when they were superseded by home video game consoles and computers. The idea of gaming through computers across internet was favored specifically and this gaming trend is spreading quickly throughout the world affecting not only youth but people from all age groups and social backgrounds equally. The fame and attraction of video games and online role-playing games is sky-rocketing currently. This is understood from the above discussion that people have been playing video games for many years to entertain themselves. Video games have come a long way with features and storylines constantly being modified to match the public’s changing tastes. Now thousands of free online video games can be surfed and downloaded from the internet in no time. New innovative ideas related to video gaming keep cropping up, one of which is online role-playing games. This allows online gaming between people themselves from different areas of the world. A broader term for such games is massive multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG). Another genre of popular online video games among people is party video games which is quite a patent source of entertainment. It seems like video games have been growing alongside internet keeping people from all age groups equally engaged. This is a reality that video games interestingly allow people a chance of forgetting their day-to-day tensions f or a while, replacing them by little joys that are absolutely necessary to keep going on with life. I, on my part, have been forming opinion regarding the vigorously spreading charm of video games for years. I myself

An Energy Management or Efficiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Energy Management or Efficiency - Essay Example In today’s world, thanks to the great technological strides; wind turbines have been developed to wring electricity from the breeze. Thus as more and more people resort to wind energy over the past decade: wind turbine use has increased at more than twenty five percent a year-though only still proving a fraction of the world’s energy. Undoubtedly, most wind energy comes from turbines that can be as tall as a twenty story building and have three 200- foot- long (60-meter-long) blades. These contraptions look like giant airplane propellers on a massive stick. The wind spins the blades, which turns a shaft connected to a generator that produces electricity. Other turbines work on the same principle, but the turbine rests on a vertical axis (Burton, 2011, 57). Interestingly, the biggest wind turbines generate enough electricity to supply about 600 United States homes. Furthermore wind farms can contain tens and sometimes hundreds of these turbines lined up together in particular windy spots, for example along a ridge where the wind is blowing strong. However smaller turbines erected in a back-yard can produce electricity enough to power a single home or meet power needs of a small business. Wind is a clean source of renewable energy that produces no air or water pollution. Interestingly since the wind is free, there are minimal if not, nearly zero operational costs once a turbine is erected. Mass production coupled with technology advances are making turbines cheaper, and many governments are offering tax incentives to spur wind-energy development. Even so, not all people look at wind energy favorably. Some think that the turbines look ugly and complain about the noise generated by the machine. The slowly rotating blades can also kill birds and bats. But this cannot be compared to road carnage, destruction by power lines, and high-rise buildings. The wind is also variable in

“The Things They Carried” Essay Example for Free

â€Å"The Things They Carried† Essay In â€Å"The Things They Carried,† Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is torn between being a good leader to his soldiers and his love for Martha, thus making him a truly dynamic character. A dynamic character is someone who undergoes an important, internal change because of action in the plot. For example, personality or attitude would be two that play a role in against Lieutenant. Jimmy cross shows us in the story just what a dynamic character is, and I am going to explain how he acts before the climax and how he evolves after. Dreamy Lieutenant Cross must lead his men through rice paddies in Vietnam. No matter how hard he tries to be a good leader, he cannot stop fantasizing about Martha. He would rather be back in New Jersey with her, a girl who does not love him back. The hardest thing that Lieutenant carries is his emotional attachment to her. It tortures him that she doesn’t feel the same way, but she never will. His love for her is to the point it’s an obsession. As it mentions in the story all the soldiers carry all their necessities they want to make them feel warm and at home, whereas, Jimmy Cross carries in his wallet two photographs of Martha. It reads, â€Å"The first was a Kodacolor snapshot signed love, though he knew better,† and â€Å"The photograph had been clipped from the 1968 Mount Sebastian Yearbook.† We can see this whole dream the he carries around with him distracts him from his job. Throughout the whole story Lieutenant Cross struggles to stop thinking about Martha and start being a better leader to his soldiers. Although he proves to us he is so wrapped up in his fantasies; it takes the death of Ted Lavender for Lieutenant Jimmy Cross to open his eyes and snap out of it. Cross believes he could have prevented it if he wouldn’t have been thinking about Martha. There he decides he has to learn to think only of his job in the field. He will never forgive himself for mistaking the responsibility of his men. Jimmy Cross was being selfish and his now paying for it by having to go on throughout the day missing a soldier. Martha had a way of leading on Jimmy Cross and to allow his love for her to grow. The letters she sent in the mail, the pebble she sent him, and to the words separate but together  quality can make Jimmy Cross very distracted. A lot of times its easy to just get your hopes up and to think about that daily non-stop. Jimmy had a love for Martha that she didn’t ever give back. Often leading him to get his hopes up. I suppose it would be hard to be so far away and just to have that someone you know will be there when you get home and to love you like you love them. That’s all Lieutenant Jimmy Cross wanted. However to overcome all this he burns all of Martha’s letters, throws the pebbles away, and concentrates on being a leader he was supposed to be in the beginning to his soldiers.

An Analysis of the Detective Genre Essay -- English Literature

An Analysis of the Detective Genre Sherlock Holmes, is a fictional yet convincing character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. With plots bizarre, singular and tantalising, Doyle has created of one of our most popular genres. The heroes in the detective genre often display the best of human qualities, and are aware of the idolised role they have been placed in by their closest companions. In the adventure of The Speckled Band the hero, Sherlock Holmes, reveals his concern for his clients and comforts the victim by informing her, "You must not fear". This allows, the reader to understand the distinction between the emotional and professional side of his occupation. During the same conversation Holmes' phrases such as , "I am all attention" indicate his conscientiousness and professionalism. His powers of observation are able to pinpoint a minor flaw in appearance to which others are oblivious, "all comprehensive glances" and "I observe the second half of a ticket". Holmes conveys his equanimity, when threatened his reaction is to chuckle "heartily" and only is insulted when he is associated with the, "official force". In doing so he warns his opponent that intimidation is not enough to put him off. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has created not only an idol but a hero respected by those who know him best for his wit, his methods and his amiable character. Heroes in the modern day version of the genre come from many backgrounds and cultures. This new variety contrasts the Victorian stereotype of a strong and witty character such as Sherlock Holmes. In The Devil's Foot and The Man with the Twisted Lip the hero, Holmes is again portrayed as both judge and jury. Holmes is, "without rest" until a clear picture of... ... in the modern detective genre is a major contrast to earlier detective fiction and has improved the view of women to which others take. The new role of women can be proven in the TV series, "Randall and Hopkirk Deceased" as one of the detectives, Genie is a woman. Although it has taken a hundred years, time has successfully altered the role of women. Whilst comparing modern detective fiction with the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle I have learnt that time has transformed from the prescriptive possibilities for ingredients essential of a detective genre. Such ingredients have been altered by a change in society opinions on various matters from the discrimination of gender to stereotyping characters. From observing fiction such as comic or dramatic I have found that the techniques and plans originate from Holmes himself have nevertheless stayed the same.

Essentials of Planning Study Guide

CHAPTER 4—ESSENTIALS OF PLANNING MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Planning is a. a complex and comprehensive process involving interrelated stages. b. organizing, implementing, and controlling. c. finding the best person for a job. d. communicating effectively with stakeholders. 2. Strategic plans are designed to a. implement operational plans. b. establish day-by-day procedures. c. shape the destiny of the firm. d. carrying out the functions of management. 3. The purpose of tactical planning is to a. establish a general purpose for the organization. b. translate strategic plans into specific goals and plans for organizational units. . tell entry level workers what to do on a daily basis. d. compensate for past mistakes. 4. Branch manager Hector establishes recycling goals for his branch to support the company's strategic goal of being a good environmental partner. What is Hector doing? a. tactical planning b. strategic planning c. long-range planning d. vision formulation 5. A study of CEO failure indicated that 70 percent of the time their failures were attributed to a. poorly developed plans. b. poor execution, not poor planning. c. over-ambitious plans. d. lack of adequate cost controls. 6.A manager controls the plan when he or she a. creates a vision statement. b. creates a mission statement. c. establishes a budget to pay for the action plan. d. checks to see how well goals are being attained. 7. A contingency plan is implemented if the a. strategic plan is too modest. b. control processes do not work. c. original plan cannot be implemented. d. action plan succeeds. 8. Which one of the following is a component of true business strategy? a. a high level of operational effectiveness b. a set of activities common to other firms c. giving customers trade-offs d. aving quite different activities to make similar products for different markets 9. A key difference between a vision and a mission is that a. b. c. d. the mission relates more to today's realities. a mission is set farther into the future. a vision does not deal with products or services. a vision deals more with operations. 10. A recommended procedure for formulating strategy is for top-level managers to a. form a small committee to do most of the work. b. gather inputs from large numbers of people. c. perform the task themselves during a retreat. d. base strategy on fixing customer complaints. 1. The purpose of the strategic inventory is to help the manager a. size up the environment accurately. b. determine how much inventory is on hand. c. involve workers at all levels in formulating strategy. d. develop operating plans. 12. Which one of the following strategies should be classified as a business-level strategy? a. strategic alliances b. diversification of goods and services c. product differentiation d. sticking to core competencies 13. The purpose of a SWOT analysis is to assess a. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. b. strategy, weaknesses, options, and time. . sa tisfactions, worst options, and trade-offs. d. successes, winners, and ominous threats. 14. Which one of the following is not one of the five competitive forces that business strategists are supposed to take into account? a. competition among business units within the firm b. the power of customers to affect pricing and reduce profit margins c. the threat of similar or substitute products d. the power of suppliers to influence the company's pricing 15. The firm's purpose and where it fits into the world is identified by the a. strategy. b. policy. c. mission. d. objective. 16.McDonald's states that it would like â€Å"to satisfy the world's appetite for good food, well-served, at a price people can afford. † The preceding reflects McDonald's a. cost-leadership strategy. b. mission. c. annual goal statement. d. advertising campaign. 17. Krispy Kreme donuts, a well-known donut retailer (but much smaller than Dunkin Donuts), most likely emphasizes which one of the following busi ness strategies? a. cost leadership b. product differentiation c. strategic alliances d. high speed 18. When two pharmaceutical firms get together to market a drug, their strategy is referred to as a. igh speed. b. cost leadership. c. product differentiation. d. a strategic alliance. 19. Suppose that Starbucks opens a nation-wide chain of carwashes, called Starbucks Car Wash. After two years, the executive team sells of the car washes, and invests the cash back into building more Starbucks stores. The strategy illustrated is referred to as a. high speed. b. sticking to core competencies. c. product diversification. d. a strategic alliance. 20. A functional strategy for becoming and remaining a successful organization is to a. form a strategic alliance. b. ind and retain competent people. c. get to market faster than others. d. export products. 21. Assume that Motorola developed a cell and camera phone so small it comes with a strap to wear on the wrist like a watch. Which strategy d oes this product launch most likely fit? a. cost leadership b. product differentiation c. focus d. high speed 22. Save-A-Lot has become one of the most successful grocery chains by serving the poor and offering low prices. This is an example of a. focus strategy. b. premium pricing. c. product differentiation d. cost leadership 23.Policies serve as guidelines to action a. that still allow for some interpretation. b. that must be followed quite strictly. c. for workers below the top-management level. d. mostly in the areas of finance and human resources. 24. Management by objectives (MBO) includes a. reviewing group members’ proposals. b. creating action plans to achieve objectives. c. establishing unit objectives. d. all of the choices. 25. Part of Domino’s Pizza’s original success was based on getting pizzas delivered more quickly than competitors. This strategy is called a. strategic planning b. cost leadership c. ocus. d. high speed TRUE/FALSE 1. T The first step in the planning process is defining the present situation. 2. T In planning, measuring external threats is part of defining the present situation. 3. F The major thrust of business strategy is to achieve a high level of operational effectiveness and efficiency. 4. T An exit strategy might be part of the contingency plan. 5. T A firm's strategy is a master plan for achieving its goals and objectives. 6. T A major aspect of the nature of business strategy is to choose a unique set of activities to deliver a unique value. 7.T The mission of the Grand Union supermarket chain is probably to provide food, beverages, and related merchandise (all of high quality) to the general public. 8. T The purpose of crowdcasting is to obtain widespread input into the development of business strategy. 9. T To bring about a successful SWOT analysis, it is important to be clear about what you are doing and why. 10. T Firms must constantly change in order to be aligned with their key environments. 11 . T The major purpose of the strategic inventory is to help the manager size up the competition, the customers, and the technology necessary to compete effectively. 2. T Corporate-level strategy is concerned with the total direction of the enterprise and the selection of specific businesses. 13. F A SWOT analysis is often used to decide upon which weapons and tactics will be used to deal with a corporate crisis such as a contaminated food product. 14. T One of the five competitive forces is the power of customers to affect pricing and reduce profit margins. 15. F Corporate-level strategy helps answer the question, â€Å"Which businesses should we enter? † 16. F One of the competitive forces identified by Michael Porter is the power of charities to extract money from a corporation. 7. F The experience of General Motors in diversifying into financial services illustrates how sticking to core competencies is the most effective business strategy. 18. F The Rolls Royce and Mercede s Benz automobiles are examples of a cost leadership strategy. 19. F Nike and Apple get together to produce a soccer ball that plays tunes when in motion, illustrating a functional-level business strategy. 20. T An example of the business strategy of sticking to core competencies is for a company like Papa John's Pizza to concentrate on selling pizza and related food and beverage items to the public. 1. T A medical products firm specializes in the manufacture of prosthetic arms and legs, thereby illustrating a focus strategy. 22. T A rule is a specific course of action or conduct that must be followed;. 23. T Operational planning often focuses on the short term. 24. T An MBO program involves people setting many objectives for themselves. 25. F In management by objectives, the objectives start at the bottom of the organization and move upward. ESSAY 1. Explain the nature of business strategy, including its four major components.Use a real or hypothetical company in at least two place s in your answer. ANS: A strategy is an integrated overall concept and plan of how the organization will achieve its goals and objectives. According to Porter, business strategy has four components: Strategy involves more than operational effectiveness; Strategy rests on unique activities (Southwest Airlines’activities focus on low-cost, convenient service); A sustainable strategic position requires trade-offs (Dollar General has low prices but lacks an inviting store atmosphere); and Fit drives both competitive advantage and sustainability.PTS: 1 DIF: M REF: pp. 123-125 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking, Strategy 2. Several laptops were stolen from an office by a group of people pretending to be part of the cleaning company. Every laptop stolen contained sensitive client data. After the theft, all clients had to be notified that their personal information may have been compromised. The breach of security prompted 25 percent of the company’s clients to close their accoun ts. 1. What are policies and rules? 2. Could policies and rules have prevented this situation? Explain ANS: 1.Policies are general guidelines to follow when making decisions and taking action; they are plans. A rule is a specific course of action or conduct that must be followed; it is the simplest type of plan. Ideally, each rule fits a strategic plan. 2. If the company had policies and rules on how computer ID and passwords should be stored, and how laptops should be secured, these problems would most likely have been avoided. PTS: 1 DIF: D REF: pp. 140-141 NAT: AACSB: Technology, Information Technology 3. Write a memo to managers in your company, explaining an MBO program that your company intends to implement.ANS: An MBO program involves sequential steps: Establishing organizational goals; Establishing unit objectives; Reviewing group members’ proposals; Negotiating or agreeing; Creating action plans to achieve objectives; and Reviewing performance. PTS: 1 DIF: M REF: p. 143 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking, HRM 4. Using the planning model, how would you plan an event for 500 people. ANS: The steps of the planning model include: 1. Define the situation (a birthday); 2. Establish the goals and objectives (good food, good music, good setting, 500 friends); 3.Analyze the environment in terms of aids and barriers to goals and objectives (aids: many people to help, ballroom with a nice atmosphere available–barriers: high costs); 4. Develop action plans to reach goals and objectives (list calls to be made to florist, restaurant, musicians); 5. Develop budgets (establish cost per person for food and beverage, cost for centerpieces, cost for musicians); 6. Implement the plans (reserve the ballroom, musicians, send out invitations); 7. Control the plans (oversee the food service, the music, the seating. ) PTS: 1 DIF: M REF: p. 119 NAT: AACSB: Reflective Thinking, Strategy

Pttls Unit 1

1. Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities The key legal and regulatory requirements relating to my role as a teacher are:- †¢ Children Act (2004) – Every child matters †¢ Copyright, Designs & Patents Act (1988) †¢ Data Protection Act (1998 amended 2003) †¢ Equality Act (2010) †¢ Freedom of Information Act (2000) †¢ Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) †¢ Human Rights Act (1998) Protection of Children Act (1999) †¢ Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) There will be Codes of Practice, either generic or specific, that will need to be followed such as the Code of Professional Practice (2008) introduced by the Institute for Learning. 2. Explain own responsibilities for promoting equality and valuing diversity It is important that students are able to attend, and participate in their choice of course or learning event, for it to be accessible on equal ter ms.To support this ideal, I must adhere to the equal opportunity legislation in place, which ensures that learners are not discriminated against in terms of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, pregnancy or maternity, religious or other belief, marriage, civil partnership or gender reassignment. Whilst this is an ideal situation we are not able to treat everyone exactly the same. It is important to understand the needs of learners so that we can give them the best experience in the learning environment.If I have a student who uses a wheelchair, then I must ensure that access to the learning venue is suitable and that any portable ramps etc are available. Where I have students that are from diverse cultural backgrounds I should encourage an environment where differing opinions are respected and prejudice or stereotyping are challenged. Where further support is required by a learner, it should be offered 3. Explain own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning First ly, I need to identify the needs of the organisation, individuals and me personally.I will ensure that any forms are easy to complete and cater for different languages or print size and are available in hard copy or electronically. I will need to make an initial assessment of the needs of learners and agree learning plans. I need to prepare a scheme of work to include session plans, learning materials to meet the needs of the syllabus and liaise with other interested parties. I will need to facilitate learning using a variety of approaches including formulating ground rules, record keeping, incorporating different teaching and learning materials and even knowing who and where the nominated first aider is.I will need to assess the learning, ensuring that the awarding body rules are met. I must ensure that relevant documentation is completed and kept safe and confidential. I will need to check the students lerning outcomes have been met and that they have gained the necessary skills a nd knowledge. I need to evaluate my teaching experience by obtaining feedback from others. I can obtain this from the student, awarding body and organisation I am working for.I will also evaluate my own work in order to make improvements to my teaching ability and the learning experience. 4. Explain own role and responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of the learners I can identify the learners needs at the application stage, by interview, questionnaire, or at a student 1to1 session, or at the beginning of the session or programme. I must give clear guidance on the process and information to ensure the course meats their personal learning needs. Once I have the information this will help me with my planning.I need to ascertain the required learning support (help with ITC, numeracy, literacy), or student support (help with personal issues, general guidance or advice), and again use the information in my planning and course execution. 2. 1Explain the boundaries between t he teaching role and other professional roles It is important to understand where my role as a teacher ends and where I need to involve other professionals. These might include Heads of Dept, H&S officers, technicians, support workers or admin staff. Within the ACO I may need to refer to parents/guardians Wing, Region or Head Quarters specialists.I, for instance as a teacher am not qualified to repair a broken plug socket so I would refer to an electrician, similarly I am not a social worker therefore any issues that are of a personal nature (to the student)I would pass over to the relevant specialist rather than trying to deal with it myself, potentially causing more harm. 2. 2Describe points of referral to meet the needs of learners It is possible that I will encounter students with a variety of degrees of needs so I need to remain impartial and sensitive to individual situations. I will not be able to deal with every situation that arises.I must be aware of where I can refer stud ents for help both within and externally to the organisation. Below is a table containing example points of referral. |INTERNAL |EXTERNAL | |accommodation officers |awarding organisations | |careers advisers |banks or building societies | |colleagues carers | |Counsellors |charities | |examination officers |childcare agencies | |financial services staff |Citizens Advice Bureau | |first-aiders |employers | |health and welfare officers |health centre. , slimming clubs, general | |information , advice and guidance staff |practitioners, hospitals | |interpreters |Job Centre Plus | |learning support staff |motoring and transport organisations | |mentors |police | |student support staff |telephone help-lines and agencies such as abuse, alcohol, bereavement support, | |student union representatives |Childline, Crimestoppers, debt, drug, lesbian and gay switchboard, gambling, | |teachers |NHS Direct , parentline, Samaritans, victim support | | |websites which are relevant | Table from ‘Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector’ by Ann Gravells – Pg 53 2. 3Summarise own responsibilities in relation to other professionals My main responsibility is to my students, however I need to be aware of the impact my actions will have on other groups or individuals. I will need to be conscious of how I work with other managers on site as well as my peers, with awarding bodies including internal and external verifiers & Ofsted inspectors and other external agencies. Within the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO). I will also have responsibilities with regard to parents/ guardians and other members of the ACO. I must remain professional and not exceed my role boundaries 3. Explain own responsibilities in maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment It is imperative that the environment is safe. The room or area for teaching must be large enough to support the activities being undertaken and the number of people involved. A risk assessment s hould be carried out to highlight and eliminate (so far is practicable) any potential dangers. Consideration must be given to lighting, heating, ventilation and toilet facilities to ensure the comfort of learners and teaching staff. I must inform the group regarding procedures for housekeeping, and emergency evacuation. 3. 2Explain ways to promote appropriate behavior and respect othersI would establish with the group some ground rules both for the learners and myself to promote the appropriate safety, behaviour and respect of everyone. It is important that these rules are negotiated and agreed with the group. These rules can be reviewed and changed as the course progresses as needed. For the group – what they should expect from each other, things like courtesy, respecting others views etc. For myself – What the learners can expect from me. Some rules may be imposed – health and safety, no smoking, no anti-social behavior. Some more negotiable – standard of dress, break timings, turning off mobile phones. Reference Book Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector’ by Ann Gravells

David Foster Wallace on SNOOTS - Extreme Usage Fanatics

David Foster Wallace on SNOOTS - Extreme Usage Fanatics After reading this article, decide if you are a SNOOT: one of the Few, the Proud, the More or Less Constantly Appalled at Everyone Else. Question: What Is a SNOOT? Answer: SNOOT (n) (highly colloq) is this reviewers nuclear familys nickname clef for a really extreme usage fanatic, the sort of person whose idea of Sunday fun is to hunt for mistakes in the very prose of [William] Safires column [in The New York Times Magazine]. This definition of the family word SNOOT (an acronym for Sprachgefà ¼hl Necessitates Our Ongoing Tendance or Syntax Nudniks of Our Time) appears in footnote number five of David Foster Wallaces review article Authority and American Usage (in Consider the Lobster and Other Essays,   2005). There, the late author of Infinite Jest devotes more than 50 smart and entertaining pages to the topic of grammarin particular, to the dispute between linguistic conservatives and linguistic liberals, otherwise known as the Prescriptivists vs. the Descriptivists. Before deciding whether you would feel comfortable characterizing yourself as a SNOOT, consider Wallaces description of SNOOTitude: There are lots of epithets for people like thisGrammar Nazis, Usage Nerds, Syntax Snobs, the Grammar Battalion, the Language Police. The term I was raised with is SNOOT. The word might be slightly self-mocking, but those other terms are outright dysphemisms. A SNOOT can be defined as somebody who knows what dysphemism means and doesnt mind letting you know it.I submit that we SNOOTs are just about the last remaining kind of truly elitist nerd. There are, granted, plenty of nerd-species in todays America, and some of these are elitist within their own nerdy purview (e.g., the skinny, carbuncular, semi-autistic Computer Nerd moves instantly up on the totem pole of status when your screen freezes and now you need his help, and the bland condescension with which he performs the two occult keystrokes that unfreeze your screen is both elitist and situationally valid). But the SNOOTs purview is interhuman social life itself. You dont, after all (despite withering cultural pressure), have to use a computer, but you cant escape language: Language is everything and everywhere; its what lets us have anything to do with one another; its what separates us from the animals; Genesis 11:7-10 and so on. And we SNOOTS know when and how to hyphenate phrasal adjectives and to keep participles from dangling, and we know that we know, and we know how very few other Americans know this stuff or even care, and we judge them accordingly.In ways that certain of us are uncomfortable about, SNOOTs attitudes about contemporary usage resemble religious/political conservatives attitudes about contemporary culture: We combine a missionary zeal and a near-neural faith in our beliefs importance with a curmudgeonly hell-in-a-handbasket despair at the way English is routinely manhandled and corrupted by supposedly literate adults. Plus a dash of the elitism of, say, Billy Zane in Titanica fellow SNOOT I know likes to say that listening to most peoples public English feels like watching somebody u se a Stradivarius to pound nails. We are the Few, the Proud, the More or Less Constantly Appalled at Everyone Else.(David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster and Other Essays. Little, Brown and Company, 2005) As regular visitors to this site may have noticed, we strive to remain on speaking terms with both sides in the Usage Wars. Looking at how language works (description) happens to interest us more than laying down arbitrary laws on how language should be used (prescription). And yet its clear that most readers arrive at About.com Grammar Composition in search of rulings, not linguistic ruminations, and so we do try to be accommodating. But how do you define your interest in language? Are you a fan of Lynne Trusss Eats, Shoots Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (2004), or do you feel more at home with David Crystals The Fight for English: How Language Pundits Ate, Shot, and Left (2007)? Are you inclined to fuss at a child who uses aint, or are you more interested in finding out that until the 19th century in both England and America aint was an acceptable usage? In short, do you consider yourself a SNOOT?