Free Essays on English 99

As a child or an adult, each of us has someone to look upon to as a role model. Usually, when we admire someone it’s because he or she has certain characteristics that you and I do not have or need to be improved. A role model for me is someone who contributed something positive in my life. Someone who has changed my outlook on life drastically, and someone that I can mirror my way of life to his own. In my case, the person that I consider a good role model in my life would be my very own mother. My mother is intelligent, hardworking and knows how to handle tough situations in life. My mother’s name is Rosa, and she was born in a small village in the Philippines called Panay. She has 6 brothers, and 4 sisters. My mother is the third oldest child, and when she was fourteen years old, she decided to move to the big city called Manila to work as a nanny. To move to a big city such as Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, takes a lot of guts especially for a young woman. My mother told me that moving to the big city was scary for her because she did not know anyone, and it was her very first time living far away from her family. My mother did the cooking, laundry, cleaning house and baby sitting for a wealthy family, and in return she was allowed to stay free of rent in her employer’s house. My mother wanted to finish school, and at night she went to school to get her high school diploma. After a couple of years working and going to school in the evening, my mother received her diploma. My mother changed dramatically after she met my father. My father worked for the U.S Army Base in the Philippines. My parent’s relationship did not last very long; they ended up separating in less than five years of living together. Now my mother is stuck with two little boys on her own; I was four years old and my brother was only three months old. She did everything she could to make sure that my brother and I went to school; we had a ... Free Essays on English 99 Free Essays on English 99 As a child or an adult, each of us has someone to look upon to as a role model. Usually, when we admire someone it’s because he or she has certain characteristics that you and I do not have or need to be improved. A role model for me is someone who contributed something positive in my life. Someone who has changed my outlook on life drastically, and someone that I can mirror my way of life to his own. In my case, the person that I consider a good role model in my life would be my very own mother. My mother is intelligent, hardworking and knows how to handle tough situations in life. My mother’s name is Rosa, and she was born in a small village in the Philippines called Panay. She has 6 brothers, and 4 sisters. My mother is the third oldest child, and when she was fourteen years old, she decided to move to the big city called Manila to work as a nanny. To move to a big city such as Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, takes a lot of guts especially for a young woman. My mother told me that moving to the big city was scary for her because she did not know anyone, and it was her very first time living far away from her family. My mother did the cooking, laundry, cleaning house and baby sitting for a wealthy family, and in return she was allowed to stay free of rent in her employer’s house. My mother wanted to finish school, and at night she went to school to get her high school diploma. After a couple of years working and going to school in the evening, my mother received her diploma. My mother changed dramatically after she met my father. My father worked for the U.S Army Base in the Philippines. My parent’s relationship did not last very long; they ended up separating in less than five years of living together. Now my mother is stuck with two little boys on her own; I was four years old and my brother was only three months old. She did everything she could to make sure that my brother and I went to school; we had a ...

19 Colleges With the Lowest Acceptance Rates

19 Colleges With the Lowest Acceptance Rates SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Acceptance rates are an important factor to consider when deciding where to apply to college. A school’s acceptance rate is often considered a measurement of its quality. While this is accurate in many cases, some schools have low acceptance rates for reasons unrelated to the academic excellence of admitted students. In this article, I’ll tell you what the lowest college acceptance rate is, explain why some colleges have such low acceptance rates, and list the colleges with the lowest acceptance rates. Why Do Some Colleges Have Such Low Acceptance Rates? A college can have a low acceptance rate for a variety of reasons. The most common reason for a low acceptance rate is a combination of high academic standards and popularity among prospective students. This happens at Ivy League schools and schools such as Stanford and MIT, which have strong name recognition both in the US and internationally. As a result of their reputations, these schools get huge numbers of applicants every year. They end up with low acceptance rates because they need to turn away the vast majority of applicants in order to maintain their reputations for academic excellence. Only the most qualified students are admitted, and even those who technically meet academic standards might be rejected depending on their other credentials. In 2017, an impressive 47,450 students applied to Stanford- and only 2,040 were accepted! That's an acceptance rate of just 4.3%, giving Stanford one of the lowest college acceptance rates. Low acceptance rates also happen at schools that have very specific criteria for admission and are popular for other reasons. Military schools such as West Point and the US Naval Academy have low acceptance rates because they require applicants to meet other strict criteria besides academic qualifications. Meanwhile, music schools such as Juilliard might have especially low acceptance rates because they’re only willing to accept extremely talented students in a very specific area of study. There are also schools where students are offered free tuition or must meet financial need qualifications in order to be accepted. This means that these schools are popular (everyone wants to avoid paying for college!), but only a small subset of applicants make the cut. In the next two sections, I’ll go through a list of the schools with the lowest acceptance rates in the country; these fall into both the "non-specialized popular and academically rigorous" category and the "popular and specialized" category. How I imagine auditions for Juilliard. Non-Specialized Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates This is a list of schools that do not cater to a specific subset of students and have acceptance rates of less than 10%. These schools include Ivy League institutions and other colleges that have extremely high academic standards and widespread popularity. Keep in mind that you can’t necessarily expect to be accepted just because you meet the average academic requirements. These schools receive many applicants who are academically competitive, but acceptance isn’t a sure thing unless you’ve done something incredible in high school. Any college that has an acceptance rate of less than 15% is a reach school for all students. School Name # of Applicants* Acceptance Rate Average SAT Average ACT Stanford 47,452 4.8% 1465 33 Harvard 42,749 5.2% 1520 34 Columbia 40,203 6.1% 1515 34 Yale 35,307 6.3% 1505 34 Princeton 35,370 6.4% 1500 33 MIT 21,706 7.2% 1528 34 Caltech 8,208 7.7% 1560 35 Pomona 10,245 8.4% 1450 32 UChicago 32,283 8.7% 1530 34 Claremont McKenna 6,272 9.0% 1490 32 Northwestern 40,425 9.2% 1490 33 Brown 35,437 9.3% 1488 32 Penn 44,491 9.3% 1490 33 *Based on fall 2017 admissions data as reported in the College Board's BigFuture database To me, the most intimidating aspect of this building is that the engraved "Us" looks like "Vs." That's how you know something is prestigious. Specialized Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates This is a list of schools that are geared toward specific types of students and have acceptance rates of 15% or less. This includes music schools, military schools, and schools with special financial stipulations that lead to selectivity and popularity. Curtis Institute of Music Undergraduate Enrollment: ~175 Number of Applicants: Not reported Acceptance Rate: 4% Average GPA: Not reported Average SAT/ACT: Not reported Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Admission at the Curtis Institute of Music is, as the website emphasizes, "based on artistic promise alone." Only the most talented student musicians are accepted, and spots are highly limited (only 40 students were accepted for 2017-18). The school also provides a full-tuition scholarship to each of its students. The Juilliard School Undergraduate Enrollment: 566 Number of Applicants: 4,045 Acceptance Rate: 5.9% Average GPA: Not reported Average SAT/ACT: Not reported Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Like the Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard is looking for a very specific, very talented subset of students. Applicants must audition for faculty members as a part of the application process, and performance standards are extraordinarily high. US Naval Academy Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,495 Number of Applicants: 16,086 Acceptance Rate: 8.5% Average GPA: 3.94 Average SAT/ACT: 1410 / 31 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? In order to attend the US Naval Academy, students must apply for and receive a nomination from a representative, a senator, or the vice president. Applicants must also pass a physical fitness assessment and medical examination to be eligible for admission. Academic standards are high as well. All these factors combined make for a very low acceptance rate. US Military Academy (West Point) Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,491 Number of Applicants: 12,294 Acceptance Rate: 9.6% Average GPA: 3.73 Average SAT/ACT: 1300 / 25 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? West Point has such a low acceptance rate because it requires students to excel in other ways besides earning high test scores and grades. Like applicants to the US Naval Academy, students must complete a physical fitness assessment and apply for a nomination from a congressperson, a senator, or the vice president. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Undergraduate Enrollment: 867 Number of Applicants: 2,574 Acceptance Rate: 13.1% Average GPA: 3.50 Average SAT/ACT: 1393 / 31 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? At the all-honors college Cooper Union, every student not only gets a half-tuition scholarship but is also automatically considered for extra merit scholarships. In addition, the school is home to some highly specialized programs in architecture, fine arts, and engineering. Students applying to the Cooper Union must take "home tests" designed by the school as a way to determine students' individual skill levels. Admission is based significantly on creative abilities as well as academic achievement. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Undergraduate Enrollment: 380 Number of Applicants: 878 Acceptance Rate: 13.4% Average GPA: 3.90 Average SAT/ACT: 1497 / 34 Why Is the Acceptance Rate So Low? Olin is an extremely small engineering school that gives a half-tuition scholarship to every student. With Olin also pledging to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, competition is fierce for the approximately 90 spots each year. Students must not only demonstrate overall academic achievement but also excel in fields such as calculus and physics. At Olin, students have the opportunity to take classes at neighboring schools such as Babson, Brandeis, and Wellesley. You get to wear a cool hat if you graduate from West Point. How to Get Into Colleges With Low Acceptance Rates If you’re hoping to attend one of these colleges, you’ll have to do quite a bit of legwork in high school. For the first group of selective schools, you'll be expected to maintain a very high GPA and earn elite standardized test scores to meet admissions standards. On top of that, you should think about what your true academic and extracurricular passions are and try to translate those into concrete accomplishments. To stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to show these schools that you’re capable of more than just high grades and test scores. Their goal is to admit students who will make a strong, positive impact on the world. We give you more tips in our expert guide on how to get into the most selective schools. For the colleges with low acceptance rates on the second list, the key to acceptance (for the most part) is effective planning and an understanding of exactly what it takes to get in. If you’re looking at a high-caliber music school, for example, you’ll need to be extremely dedicated to practicing music every day and preparing for your audition. For the military schools, you’ll need to apply for your nomination from a government official well before the application deadline. All these schools are challenging to get into, but not impossible if you plan ahead and play your cards right. Just remember that such lofty goals will require lots of dedication and effort! I'm sure you'll ace the college application process. If not, you can always become a professional poker player. From what I've seen, the qualifications are just owning a pair of sunglasses and being severely emotionally stunted. What's Next? If you're interested in schools with low acceptance rates, you'll almost certainly have to have a high GPA. Read this article on how to get good grades in high school for some tips and strategies! Are you a little intimidated by the college application process for competitive schools? Check out our complete guide on how to apply to college. Extracurricular activities can go a long way toward strengthening your application beyond grades and test scores. Learn more about your extracurricular options and why they matter. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The effict of divorce on children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The effict of divorce on children - Essay Example To handle children while making them aware of the divorce, parents must keep in mind the age group to which a child belongs, as children of each age group have different ways of understanding situations and react differently as well (Janet and Art) The effects of divorce on children can be many and diversified depending on many factors. The various factors that are contributing factors towards effecting a child post and pre divorce situations are discussed below: There are several studies based on reviewing the effects of divorce on girls and boys of different age groups after divorce. It has been shown that boys seem to be more effected by divorce than girls, even in preschoolers, it has been seen that although both girls and boys show a disruption in play time and in play- ground, girls catch up pretty fats but the feeling of abandonment lingers on in boys a bit longer (Hughes, Jr. Robert). It has also been shown in many studies that although the performance in schools is affected in both genders but boys take much longer to perform well; seldom have they failed to perform at all in schools as compared to girls. There has been variation in studies carried on age related effects of divorce on children and it has been shown that children who experience loss of a parent after divorce at a very early age do not confront as serious problems as do children who have to suffer the same loss at age 6 and above. Children might develop anti-social tendencies or might find it difficult in interacting with peers, in some instances intellectual abilities might be disturbed as well. The conditions of a family and the features at the time of divorce and after that also play a critical role in contributing towards effecting broken-home children. It has been seen that socio-economic status of divorced families also plays an

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE TO GEORG WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Essay

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE TO GEORG WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - Essay Example As a foreign student from Saudi Arabia, the university therefore, represents all my ideals where I would be able to realize my dreams. In the highly competitive environment of advancing technology and rapid globalization, the need for understanding of cross cultural values has become vital ingredient of success. The University excels in meeting the challenges of the emerging new dynamics of social structures and business equations through innovative course curricula. It encourages constructive ideologies and proactive participation of the students coming from different race, culture and nationality. Its sensitive approach towards issues like environment, racial discrimination, climate change etc. are features that strongly indicate university’s mission of equipping students with an all round development of learning. I am a highly self driven person who is also ambitious and aspires to reach the highest level of professional excellence, both in terms of gaining knowledge and at the same time, gaining appropriate status. My professional mission is to serve as Ambassador of my country to United States. My short term and medium term goals and objectives are to achieve high grades in business studies. I want to establish myself as a creative and skilled business professional. I would also like to gain an enviable reputation for making good business decisions on informed choices.

A peaceful woman explains why she carries a gun Essay Example for Free

A peaceful woman explains why she carries a gun Essay Hasselstrom was Justified for her need to own a gun as she wanted to be rotected, safe and have a peace of mind. Desire to be protected Justified Hasselstrom to get a gun; however, she considered other means of protection first. To begin with, Hasselstrom used improvised means for protection. For example, she had her own gun (spray cans of deodorant) which did not have to be registered. However, one night while camping, the author and her friend, harassed by two young men, decided not to tempt fate and use their improvised mace, but simply leave the camping area. When improvised means of protection did not work, Hasselstrom onsidered another option- a citizens band radio, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals which does not require a license. However, she rejected this method of protection providing an example of a woman who got beaten and raped using a CB radio to get help with a flat tire. The last method Hasselstrom considered as a mean of protection was self-defense. For her, kung fu class was a smart decision because on the top of her self-preservation, her height and weight did not give her any benefit. Therefore, looking for protection, Hasselstrom provided the eaders with Justified steps she took prior to the extreme measure of protection- a Also, the author was well-grounded for her need of a gun because she gun. wanted safety. Firstly, she did not feel safe on her land. While Hasselstrom lived on a ranch in secluded area 25 miles from the nearest town, she, somehow, managed to have uninvited guests on her property. For example, one day she noticed an armed man on her land who wanted to shoot ducks. As a result, she could not feel safe even on her territory. Secondly, as the author was vulnerable even while driving her car, her possession of a gun was reasonable. Hasselstrom provides the readers with examples to prove her right. In one of the examples, an unknown car was following her on her way home, and made her stop by flashing a blinding spotlight in her face. Another example depicts a man who was playing cat-and-mouse with Hasselstrom within 30 miles when she was driving in a desolate part of Wyoming. Thirdly, the fact that Hasselstrom did not feel safe even in public places Justified her to own a gun. She provided an example of her and her friend being harassed and scared by men while camping in the West. Moreover, looking for some help from the local rangers, he had to face with their carelessness and unwillingness to protect and help. In addition to Hasselstroms desire of protection and safety, there is a desire of peace she was looking for which Justified her to possess a weapon. First of all, she could not get a peace ot mind being harassed on a daily basis. Whether sne was among people or on her property, she faced acts of harassment or danger which took her further away from a peace she was searching for. Then, she could not find a peace of mind if she was constantly stressed out, suspicious and scared about everything. One day the author found deep tire ruts in her yard and garbage in her driveway. More likely, that fact would lead a person like her to suspect that someone unfriendly had an intention to hurt or do her harm. Third of all, Hasselstrom lived in the environment where women did not stand much for a chance of not being harassed. Men in her area worried her, and their harassment would not stop until stronger measures were taken. However, Hasselstrom did not want to be either daily harassed, be another victim of rape or permanently stressed out and scared. Threfore, she believed that having a gun handy would lead her to a peace of mind she was looking for. In conclusion, relying on Hasselstroms examples provided in the article, she was Justified for her need to own a gun. She had no choice but to use it in dangerous situations to protect herself. When used responsibly, women in the same situation as the author would live protected, safe and with peace of mind they desire. What Hasselstroms message was in this article is that no one, man or woman, should live in fear. And in her situation, owning a gun gave her that security.

Genealogy of Alfalfa :: Plants Environment Planting History Essays

Genealogy of Alfalfa In this paper on the genealogy of alfalfa I will begin by telling you about the background and history of alfalfa in the United States. Secondly, I will tell you about the different sources of alfalfa germplasm. Next, I will talk about different studies and experiments that have been done to diversify the breeds of alfalfa. Finally, I will tell you about the genetic makeup of alfalfa and what distinguishes it from other popular plants. Alfalfa otherwise known today as the â€Å"Queen of Forage† is thought to have originated in Iran over 2,400 years ago. It was the only forage crop that was cultivated before recorded history therefore the history of its origin isn’t one-hundred percent accurate. The first attempt to grow alfalfa in the United States was recorded in Georgia in the year 1736. The introduction of alfalfa to California came first by Spanish settlers and later by Europeans. The Europeans were headed to California during the gold rush. They obtained alfalfa seed when sailing around South America. Alfalfa flourished in the western states because of its favorable climate. Because alfalfa has a good yield, is palatable, and has a high value of nutrition. Word spread and so did the planting. Alfalfa then spread eastward to the Midwestern states. The distribution of alfalfa to states east of the Mississippi river was a failure due to its acid soils, plant disease, and humidity. Most of the genetic diversities of alfalfa come from nine germplasm sources. These nine germplasm sources are M. falcate, M. varia, Turkistan, Flemish, Chilean, Peruvian, Indian, and African. According to Barnes, Bingham, Murphy, Hunt, Beard, Skrdla, and Teubar â€Å"M. falcata has orange-yellow flowers and an early fall dormancy therefore it is known to have a heavy first cutting and a light second cutting. It also has some bacterial wilt and foliar disease resistances. Strains were usually classified as M. varia because they had variegated flower colors and variable pod shapes. M. varia sources were introduced to South Dakota in 1907 as seed from a single hybrid plant found in Russia. These sources are winter hardy, more vigorous than M. falcata and are susceptible to bacterial wilt. Turkistan alfalfas have been described as poor seed producers, susceptible to leaf diseases, and resistant to many insects and crown and root disease. They vary in winter hardiness from moderately hardy to hardy.

Intro to Early Childhood Essay

Friedrich William Froebel (1782-1852) had a significant influence on early childhood education as we know it today. He is known as the inventor of kindergarten, a German word meaning â€Å"children’s garden†. The model of the modern day kindergarten was conceived by Froebel, who opened his own kindergarten in 1836, calling it a Play and Activity Institute. There he implmented such practices as promoting a child’s right to play, to have toys, and to be in the care of trained teachers. He believed that education should be pleasant for the child, because of his own unhappy childhood, instead of shifting the role of the teacher from strict disciplinarian to friendly facilitator. Froebel also had the idea that men as well as women should teach, which was not heard of in those times. His system of teaching was centered around self activity and the development of a child’s self- esteem rather than relying on sterile and rigid instructions. (Hewes 1993). Froebel observed the children and came to an understanding of how they learned and what they like to do. It was his belief that children learned much in the process of playing. (Ann Miles Gordon and Kathryn Williams Browne 21, 22) We can see the fruits of Froebel vision alive today in a variety of ways. For example, many early childhood programs are teacher-directed, with the focus being on planting ideas for the children to cultivate in their own time. Also, you may encounter a teacher of the male persuasion in your child’s classroom. Often, teachers in early childhood education are required to pursue some type of training and/or education relating to childcare, which was encouraged by Froebel. ( Ann Miles Gordon and Kathryn Williams Browne 21, 22) Froebel’s philosophy was that life was a school and the world was a classroom. He wanted the environment in which children learn to be full of discovery and adventure. He called the educational toys he created â€Å"gifts†, giving us insight into how he viewed learning and the teaching of the young mind. There are children in kindergarten all over the world thanks to the dedication of Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel. His work is an accomplishment that reflects on the way children are taught and cared for today. (Ann Miles Browne and Kathryn Williams Browne 21,22) Works Cited Gordon, Ann Miles and Kathryn Williams Brown. Beginnings and Beyond-Foundations in Early Childhood Education. 8th ed. California. Wadsworth. 2011, 2008.

Celebration to Individualism in Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” Essay

What comes to mind when the idea of â€Å"Romantic Literature† enters your head? Immediate imageries consisting of two lovers, a rose, or even a starlit sky may come to mind. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, she disproved these imageries by creating her own scenario with grotesque images and lonely characters. Many have overlooked this novel as a romantic literature but it is actually one that contains the most elements of a romantic literature. Romantic literature emerged through a movement called Romanticism. Romanticism can be defined as a movement in art and literature that revolted against rigid social conventions. In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly stresses the importance of individualism in Romantic Literature by developing various narratives of the story to generate perspectives of the same environment through different narratives. Robert Walton begins the novel through an epistolary frame for the actual story to build on. We learn that Walton is on a journey to venture to an area where no man has gone before and is also in search for a close companion. Although he is amongst a huge crew of men, he felt as if he was on the voyage by himself. He narrates the story through several letters to his sister until we learned that he encountered a new friend, â€Å"Victor Frankenstein†. Frankenstein then began to tell his story as the narrative switched from Walton to Frankenstein, the main narrator of the book. As the story shifts to Victor Frankenstein, we begin to understand his life story as an individual that was much isolated from everyone else. With the congregation of his life studies, Frankenstein was able to bring life or artificially gave birth to a grotesque monster. At first he was proud of his work but he later abandoned the creature due to its hideous looks. The monster proceeds to kill the people that are closest to Victor in his life, leaving him totally alone. Though torn by remorse, shame, and guilt, Victor refuses to admit to anyone the horror of what he has created, even as he sees the ramifications of his creative act spiraling out of control. Frankenstein then finds himself next to the monster in a cave as the monster decides to describe the loneliness he had felt ever since he was â€Å"born†. The monster that Frankenstein created began narrating his life and the  cruelty he had to endure alone. It is born eight feet tall and enormously strong but still has a mind much like a newborn. Abandoned by his creator, it was confused as it tried to integrate himself into society, only to be shunned universally. Looking in the mirror, he realizes his physical grotesqueness, an aspect of his being blinded society to his initially gentle, kind nature. Seeking revenge on his creator, he kills Victor’s younger brother. After Victor destroys his work on the female monster meant to ease the monster’s solitude, the monster murders Victor’s best friend and then his new wife. It was once in a gentle spirited nature, it had become angry and violent as it remained in solitude. The emphasis on the individual’s expression of emotion is displayed through out the novel. The development of the characters in the story is presented by each character alone. The split narratives of these three characters allowed the story to unravel all the mysteries that the other narrators left out. Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the monster isolated themselves from others as each one told their own story. The celebration of individualism in the novel permitted a better understanding of each character individually as each one of them are left alone in the end.

Data Collection and Analysis essays

Data Collection and Analysis essays September 11, 2001, was a day when our world changed for the worst. No longer were we invincible, we had enemies and they made themselves known to us in one of the worst possible ways. Two United Airlines flights and two American Airlines flights were hijacked, two of the hijacked planes were flown into the World Trade Center buildings, one flight was flown into the Pentagon and one flight was crashed by the passengers into a field in Pennsylvania after they confronted the terrorist. Since that fateful day almost three years ago Americans have flown less on average than at any other time in modern aviation. The airline industry is slowly beginning to rebuild itself due to new and improved safety measures implemented by the FAA and by the airlines themselves. For the year 2000, a total of 599,909,724 passengers took to the friendly skies on domestic flights, for 2001 only 560,358,842 passengers flew (www.transtats.bts.gov). The drop in passenger traffic can be directly attributed to the September 11 terrorist attacks. As the public begins to feel safer with the new measures implemented by the FAA the number of passengers has slowly begun to increase. It was June of 2002 when passenger traffic began reporting the type of numbers experienced before Sept. 11. The transportation safety board shows that airline traffic for domestic flights has now reached pre 9-11 numbers. Indeed for the first five months of 2004, nearly half of the total passenger count for 2001 had already flown, 250,549,294 as compared to a total of 560,358,842. These numbers bear out the fact that the safer we feel the more we will fly. The federal air marshals first began in 1968, first known as the Sky Marshal Program. It continued through the 1970s to prevent hijackings from Cuba. After a hostage situation in 1985, President Reagan wanted an immediate expansion of the program on all air flights coming to, traveling wi ...

Definition and Examples of Diachronic Linguistics

Definition and Examples of Diachronic Linguistics Diachronic linguistics is the study of a language through different periods in history. Diachronic linguistics is one of the two main temporal dimensions of language study identified by Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure in his Course in General Linguistics (1916). The other is synchronic linguistics. The terms diachrony  and synchrony  refer, respectively, to an evolutionary phase of language and to a language state.  In reality, says  Thà ©ophile Obenga, diachronic and synchronic linguistics interlock (Genetic Linguistic Connections of Ancient Egypt and the Rest of Africa, 1996). Observations Diachronic literally means across-time, and it describes any work which maps the shifts and fractures and mutations of languages over the centuries. In gross outline, it is similar to evolutionary biology, which maps the shifts and transformations of rocks. Synchronic literally means with-time, though etymology is misleading here, since Saussures term describes an atemporal linguistics, linguistics which proceeds without time, which abstracts away from the effects of the ages and studies language at a given, frozen moment.(Randy Allen Harris, The Linguistic Wars. Oxford University Press, 1993) Diachronic Studies of Language vs. Synchronic Studies - Diachronic linguistics is  the historical study of language, whereas synchronic linguistics is the geographic study of language. Diachronic linguistics refers to the study of how a language evolves over a period of time. Tracing the development of English from the Old English period  to the twentieth century is a diachronic study. A synchronic study of language is a comparison of languages or dialects- various spoken differences of the same language- used within some defined spatial region and during the same period of time. Determining the regions of the United States in which people currently say pop rather than soda and idea rather than idear are examples of the types of inquiries pertinent to a synchronic study.(Colleen Elaine Donnelly,  Linguistics for Writers. State University of New York Press, 1994)-  Most of Saussures successors accepted the synchronic-diachronic distinction, which still survives robustly in twenty-first-century linguistics. In practice, what this means is that it is accounted a violation of principle or linguistic method to include in the same synchronic analysis evidence related to diachronically different states. So, for example, citing Shakespearean forms would be regarded as inadmissible in support of, say, an analysis of the grammar of Dickens. Saussure is particularly severe in his strictures upon linguists who conflate synchronic and diachronic facts.(Roy Harris, Linguists After Saussure. The Routledge Companion to Semiotics and Linguistics, ed. by Paul Cobley. Routledge, 2001) Diachronic Linguistics and Historical Linguistics   Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Language change is one of the subjects of historical linguistics, the subfield of linguistics that studies language in its historical aspects. Sometimes the term  diachronic linguistics is  used instead of historical linguistics, as a way of referring to the study of language (or languages) at various points in time and at various historical stages. (Adrian Akmajian, Richard A. Demer, Ann K. Farmer, and Robert M. Harnish,  Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication, 5th ed. The MIT Press, 2001)     For many scholars who would describe their field as historical linguistics, one legitimate target of research involves a focus not on change(s) over time but on the synchronic grammatical systems of earlier language stages. This practice can be called (not unrevealingly) old-time synchrony, and it has made its mark in the form of numerous studies providing synchronic analyses of particular syntactic constructions, word-formation processes, (morpho)phonological alternations, and the like for individual earlier (pre-modern or at least early modern) stages of languages. . . . Gaining as much synchronic information as possible about an earlier stage of a language must surely be viewed as a necessary prerequisite for doing serious work on the diachronic development of a language . . .. Nonetheless, pursuing the synchrony of earlier language states solely for the sake of (synchronic) theory-building.., as worthy a goal as it may be, does not count as doing historical linguistics in the literally dia-chronic (through-time) sense that we wish to develop here. At least in a technical sense, then, diachronic linguistics and historical linguistics are not synonymous, because only the latter includes research on old-time synchrony for its own sake, without any focus on language change. (Richard D. Janda and Brian D. Joseph, On Language, Change, and Language Change. The Handbook of Historical Linguistics, ed. by B. D. Joseph and R. D. Janda. Blackwell, 2003)

Space & time Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Space & time - Essay Example Moreover, it is perhaps because space was not considered in situ that those space-time geometries (which are actually geometries of points of view, made by distance, and light) have burgeoned. And behind these local distortions of points of view, as interesting as they can be, we always find the abstract, traditional separation of concepts which is here proven wrong. (3) There is, as such, a universal simultaneity (with light at a certain point of its travel, incidentally) To validate the proposition of space in situation with its underlying implications must initially require the potential to grasp the traditional understanding of space in an unorthodox presentation where it may be put in a frame of reference capable of projecting or conveying its imperceptible dynamic property. By his findings in the combined queries and discourse of the philosophy of space, Kant states â€Å"Space is not something objective and real, nor a substance; nor an accident, nor a relation; instead, it i s subjective and ideal, and originates from the mind’s nature in accord with a stable law as a scheme, as it were, for coordinating everything sensed externally.† Reason for which the model in place is currently privileged At first sight, it looks surprising to see this identification presence/present being overlooked to this extent: beyond the homonymy, it is difficult to doubt that what is present spatially (what is not absent, what takes place) is actually neither past nor future, and vice versa! However, this obvious point has remained, at best, counterintuitive. Admittedly some people say â€Å"only the present exists†, but in the same breath they admit that it is â€Å"uncatchable†. And with good reason: they see it only as a temporal limit! The reason for all this is simple, fraught with consequences, yet easy to adjust: The conscience of the past, present and future, i.e. the conscience of duration, of temporality (and beyond that the one of Histor y) makes us inevitably isolate, abstract the concept of time, and in return the one of space! And therefore prevents us from seeing space as it really is: in situation. This is why the separation a priori of the concepts of space and time has, until now, always prevailed. Though time and space are disposed unto each other in forming one whole structure for the purpose of serving perspectives treated in the light of relativity on one hand, and with absolute principle on the other, they seem equivalently disposed to separatist realm. Since their discovery and evolution through concepts, human perception has been trained to detect time in fluid behaviour while space thrives in passivity no matter how it is signified to consist of and encompass conceivable dimensions. Time can be measured and quantified in seconds, minutes, hours, years, and so on so that its trait of definitiveness in this regard is a established scientific fact. Space, similarly, can be made quantifiable in volumetric terms considering the size of what can be occupied yet it appears, nevertheless, time is much more concrete for it is sought to be identified with events in dynamic flow along with all the important characters and figures constituting them. It would strip history off of its essence in being a field of