Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Language

Political Parties and Voter Identification

Which of these can be about political parties since 1960?

B) People feel a stronger sense of identification with their political party.

Consumer-Like Voter Behavior

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of a voter thinking like a consumer?

A voter will not change his or her mind once they have chosen their candidate.

History of Political Polling in the US

We know that political polling in the US has been around since at least:

1824

Early Political Polling

Political polling in US began as:

Ballots printed in magazines.

Media and Polling

The "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline in the Chicago Daily Tribune is an example of what?

Media trusting in inaccurate polling data.

Effects of Polls on Electorate

When voters... Continue reading "American Political Communication and Polling: Key Concepts" »

Speech

• Transient
• Additive or 'rhapsodic'
• Aggregative
• Redundant or 'copious'
• Loosely structured grammatically
• People-centered
• Context dependent

Writing

• Permanent
• Hierarchically ordered within the clause structure
• Medium for logical reasoning
• Tends to avoid redundancy
• Structured grammatically, compact
• Topic-centered
• Context-reduced

Similarities

• Both depend on their culture
• Both change in different situations

Differences

• Speech is transient, writing is permanent
• Speech is loosely grammatically, writing is lexically and grammatically compact

Relationship between Language and Culture in Language Study

• Native speakers
• Cross-cultural

Key Linguistic Concepts

Footing

A term coined by sociologist Erving Goffman to denote the stance we take up to the others present in the way we... Continue reading "Speech vs. Writing: Key Differences and Similarities" »

In this essay, I am going to analyze performance to prove that the 'attacking mentality' of Abercrombie (Clarke Peters) changes the 'defensive mentality' of Dixon (Sam Rockwell). By being confident and decisive, Abercrombie will change Dixon's behavior from confrontational to submissive as he realizes his mistake and regrets his behavior. To demonstrate this, I will analyze the rhetorical strategies of film performance in both characters.

Universalism vs. Particularism in French Culture

This dimension explores what matters more to individuals: rules or relationships. In cultures leaning towards universalism, the emphasis is typically on applying rules consistently to all situations and individuals. Conversely, particularistic cultures prioritize relationships, often finding them more critical than strict adherence to rules. For instance, in some French contexts, the importance of personal relationships can influence decisions, potentially leading to cases being ruled in favor of individuals with significant connections, rather than solely based on universal regulations (Piispanen, 2019).

Individualism vs. Communitarianism in France

This dimension examines whether individuals primarily... Continue reading "Understanding French Cultural Dimensions for Global Success" »

Problems with the Term "Postcolonial"

1. Negative Connotation: The term "postcolonial" can be considered a second-class label. Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy are best-selling authors, but there seems to be a great deal of uncertainty as to what the term denotes.

2. Misleading Definition: "Postcolonial Studies" (PCS) would seem to label literature written by people living in countries formerly colonized by other nations, but there are many problems with this definition.

3. Misrepresentation: It's a sarcastic label for subjugated countries, ruled more by the influence of the United States than by their own indigenous governments.

4. Colonialism is Ongoing: The term "postcolonial" misleads by suggesting colonialism is over when most of the nations... Continue reading "Postcolonial Literature: Themes, Authors, and Challenges" »

Nowadays, traveling is easier than it was some years ago, and visiting a foreign country is as common as moving around your nation. For this reason, when people plan their holidays, they often have the dilemma of whether it is better to travel abroad or to stay in their own country. The aim of this essay is to compare and contrast these two possibilities in order to find similarities and differences between them.

Similarities Between Domestic and International Travel

First of all, both possibilities must be considered with the fact that no matter what you choose, you will get away from the daily workload. Although the landscapes may vary from one to another, you can relax while traveling. According to…

It is thought that traveling within Spain... Continue reading "Domestic vs. International Travel: A Detailed Comparison" »

Background

Robert F. Kennedy was the younger brother of John F. Kennedy, who served as president from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. As Attorney General, Robert Kennedy was a strong supporter of the civil rights movement. In April 1968, while running his own campaign for president, he gave this eulogy on the evening of King's assassination. Just two months later, Robert Kennedy was himself killed by an assassin's bullet.

Standard Focus: Analyze Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices are techniques that allow writers to communicate ideas more effectively. Rhetorical devices are commonly used in speeches because they help keep an audience's attention. By analyzing rhetorical devices, you can gain insight into what makes a speech powerful or... Continue reading "Robert F. Kennedy's Eulogy for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." »

Synopsis

This story is about a dwarf called "Hop-Frog." He was a small person, captured by the king and forced to act as a jester for the king's entertainment. The king was a nefarious person who abused Hop-Frog and another dwarf called Trippetta. She was similar to Hop-Frog but more beautiful and kind. The king always treated them despicably. On one occasion, the King and his seven generals (who were as despicable as the king) were planning a costume party. They were searching for someone to plan everything, and the only one capable was Hop-Frog. So, the king called him.

Hop-Frog found the king and his seven generals drinking beer. The king asked Hop-Frog for ideas, but Hop-Frog didn't have any at that moment. The king served a cup of beer and... Continue reading "Hop-Frog: A Tale of Revenge and Escape" »

2. EPIGRAM ENGRAVED ON THE COLLAR OF A DOG (Alexander POPE) (1688-1744)

The title introduces the reader to what he7she is going to read, it has The same length as the poem itself.

The ‘‘I’’ refers to His Highness and ‘‘you’’ refers to the reader. ‘‘I’’ In the poem refers to the author in this case is Alexander Pope.

What is given to Hid Highness is the collar of a dog or the dog itself.

Kew is a place of England.

This poem was written in 1738. And the rhythm is Tetrameter on both Lines. Both line form a couplet.

WHOSO LIST TO HUNT (SIR THOMAS WYATT) (1503-1542)

It is a sonnet written by Sir Thomas Wyatt who introduced the sonnet in England.

The genre is an English sonnet written during the Renaissance Period.

The I voice