A List of the Current Chinese Languages

A List of the Current Chinese Languages Mandarin is the most common language in the world as it is the official language of Mainland China, Taiwan, and one of the official languages of Singapore. Thus, Mandarin is commonly referred to as Chinese.   But in fact, it is just one  of many  Chinese languages. China is an old and vast country geographically speaking, and the many mountain ranges, rivers, and deserts create natural regional borders. Over time, each region has developed its own spoken language. Depending on the region, Chinese people also speak Wu, Hunanese, Jiangxinese, Hakka, Yue (including Cantonese-Taishanese), Ping, Shaojiang, Min,  and many other languages. Even in one province, there can be multiple languages spoken. For example, in Fujian province, you can hear Min, Fuzhounese, and Mandarin being spoken, each being very distinct from the other.   Dialect vs. Language Classifying these Chinese languages as dialects or languages is a contested topic. They are often classified as dialects, but they have their own vocabulary and grammar systems. These different rules make them mutually unintelligible. A Cantonese speaker and a Min speaker will not be able to communicate with each other. Similarly, a Hakka speaker  will not be able to understand Hunanese, and so on. Given these major differences, they could be designated as languages. On the other hand, they all share a common writing system (Chinese characters). Even though characters can be pronounced in completely different ways depending on what language/dialect one speaks, the written language is understandable across all regions. This supports the argument that they are dialects of the official Chinese language – Mandarin. Different Types of Mandarin It is interesting to note, though, that Mandarin itself is broken up into dialects spoken mostly in Chinas northern regions. Many large and established cities, like Baoding, Beijing Dalian, Shenyang, and Tianjin, have their  own particular style of Mandarin that vary in pronunciation and grammar. Standard Mandarin, the official Chinese language, is based on the Beijing dialect. Chinese Tonal System All types of Chinese have a tonal system. Meaning, the tone in which a syllable is uttered determines its meaning. Tones are very important when it comes to differentiating between homonyms. Mandarin Chinese has four tones, but other Chinese languages have more. Yue (Cantonese), for example, has nine tones. The difference in tonal systems is another reason why the different forms of Chinese are mutually unintelligible and are considered by many as separate languages.   Different Written Chinese Languages Chinese characters have a history dating back more than two thousand years. The early forms of Chinese characters were pictographs (graphic representations of real objects), but characters became more and more stylized over time. Eventually, they came to represent ideas as well as objects. Each Chinese character represents a syllable of the spoken language. Characters represent words and meanings, but not every character is used independently. In an attempt to improve literacy, the Chinese government began simplifying characters in the 1950s. These simplified characters are used in Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia, while Taiwan and Hong Kong still use the traditional characters.

Twelfth Knight Essays - Twelfth Night, Theatre, Fiction, Free Essays

Twelfth Knight Essays - Twelfth Night, Theatre, Fiction, Free Essays Twelfth Knight In William Shakespeares Twelfth Night, Or What You Will many relationships are forged or sabotaged for and by the protagonists, and as a result these relationships are made comical. The use of disguise causes deception and misunderstanding which leads to love where it is not meant to be. Foolery leads the characters into inescapable traps, which causes chaos with their emotions, and finally pure physical attraction and not true love lead some characters into falsely believing that they were in love. Therefore relationships were twisted and contorted so often that comedy was bound to result. Throughout Twelfth Night deception caused confusion between many characters, but the one character who remain in the center of this confusion was Viola. The deception was caused because of her outward appearance. She was disguised as a man in order to get closer to Orsino. The confusion begins when Viola is sent to woo Orsinos love Olivia. She in turn falls in love with Violas counterpart Cesario. Olivias love is revealed when she sends her servant Malvolio to return a ring which Viola never gave to her. She says, Run after that same peevish messenger, The Countys man. He left this ring behind him I do I know not what, and fear to find Mine eye to great a flatterer for my mind. Fate show thy force. (actI,sc.v,310-315) This shows her love for Cesario and how she secretly lets her know. When Viola realizes what has happened she immediately realizes the love triangle which has occurred. This is apparent when she says Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her!What thriftless sighs p oor Olivia breathe! O time, thou must untangle this, not I. It is to hard a not for me t untie. (act II, sc.iii, 20-40) Another instance when violas disguise is believed and therefore causes a confusion is when she is mistaken for her brother Sebastian. Antonio who is looking after Sebastian, and when Viola got into a fight with Andrew and Toby, Antonio came to the rescue. He is arrested and begs Viola to explain to the officers that he has been protecting him all along. When Viola claims that she has never seen him. He says Will you deny me now?Do not tempt my misery, Lest that it make me so unsound a man As to upbraid you with those kindnesses That I have done for you. (actIII, sc.iv, ln.365) Violas disguise is so believable that a man who has spent an extended period of time with her brother mistakes her for him. Immense confusion and severe consequences result from this deception. Therefore the use of disguise is a main factor in the creation of comedy. The time period in which Twelfth Night was set, foolery was commonly used for multiple tasks. Some used foolery for pleasure and entertainment, while others used it as a tool to get what they wanted. The use of foolery occurred throughout the play, many times manipulating another person. When Maria becomes angered at Malvolio she decides to use foolery as a tactic to get even. She writes a false letter from her lady Olivia confessing her love to Malvolio. The letter suggests preposterous things for him to do to win her love. Her foolery is so believable that he believes every word of it, as seen in this quote I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady loves me Jove, I thank thee! I will smile. I will do everything that thou wilt have me. (actII,sc.iv,168-180) As a result of this letter Malvolio is tricked into doing silly and wild things which causes Olivia to think that he is mad. Therefore foolery proved to be successful, in the sense that she got her revenge. Malvolio is involved in another case of foolery, but this time it is with the fool. After Malvolio is imprisoned for his insane acts, he begs to see the light of day. Toby belch and the Fool scheme a plan for Malvolio. In this methodical plan the Fool is to dress up as a priest and talk to Malvolio. Throughout their entire conversation Malvolio tries to convince the Fool that he

Symbolism and Polarization in Death in Venice by Thomas Mann Essay

Symbolism and Polarization in Death in Venice by Thomas Mann - Essay Example It is known as one of the richest novels in terms of symbolism; it is hard to deny this is a masterpiece which will never be written again. The author has also described phases of old age, obsession and solemnity, which profoundly represent the wealth and class of the main character and how he rejects his own self because of his respectable and wealthy status. The main character of Gustav von Aschenbach is a prototype of a fussy, aged German writer who is a highly disciplined, respectable and dignified man. He is a complicated and complex person. He is a wealthy and honourable man in the society and is well known in his profession. He sets out to travel to Venice after his experience in the city’s famed English gardens. He experiences terror and horror when he encounters a ghostly appearing figure. He wishes to go to Venice, which is known as the city of beauty and romance, but surprisingly enough becomes a creepy and sinister place for the protagonist (Mann 35). The depiction of Venice is itself a representation of class and culture in the novel, which also relates to the Mann’s class of being an educational writer visiting countries for his personal satisfaction. The novel represents the class and wealth in many ways. The way the writer has created a great piece of literature with the discussion and explanation of some amazing scenes and expressions in the novel has made it one of the best novels of its time. There are many authors and professionals who have considered this book as a representation of their work. This novel would give many aspects to the reader to think about, starting with its extreme sustainability in the character’s personality to the representation of wealth, class and society. His fame and wealth lead him to live a life respectable and dignified until he falls into the biggest trap of his life. He fights with himself and just because of his respect he lets go on some of his own desires. He knew that as his respect fa lls in people’s eyes, his status and wealth will both go away from him and it will ruin all his life, and with it he could not afford to play. Many other great literature works were published during that time period; some managed to show the essence of age, for example, Heart of Darkness. The story was representing the ages of man and the art in their life, but it did not solely relate to the artistic purpose; in fact it represented the age, the wealth, the fame that came with age, and the life from three different points of view. Notes from Underground is another publication of that time which showed the culture and the revolution. It was a great piece of literature and was subjected to classicism just like the Death in Venice was written representing the classism of the culture and symbolism. It also included the elements of obsession, passion, art and a full retreat of the society (O’ Hehir 11). Though many literature works were published during that time, the maste rpieces were those which represented wealth, class and culture. Thomas Mann and other writers wrote much about the class of great artists and gave their novels a very artistic approach to enable them to relate to the society in which there was fame, money and class. These books were usually written in fiction, and portrayed a great message for the readers to learn and open their minds. The work of Thomas Mann related very closely to his own life. His novel and his main character described what

Chapter 13 discussion questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter 13 discussion questions - Essay Example Cases can be used to develop managerial leadership skills such as analytical decision making skills and increased understanding of situations that managers are commonly faced with. This method is good for demonstrating the fact that different people can react to the same situation in a variety of ways and helps trainees understand that there are multiple ways to approach a problem. Large-Scale Simulations allow trainees to analyze a situation and make decisions, however, unlike previous methods; this procedure allows them to experience the consequences of their actions. These simulations combine features of other training methods such as human relations cases, role-playing, in-basket exercise, and group problem solving exercises. They emphasize interpersonal skills, cognitive skills and decision making. The knowledge gained from this exercise can vary from increased individual self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses when working with strangers to reflecting the overall culture and relationships within a company when working with family or coworkers. Overall this method can be very useful in enhancing leadership skills. 2. Effectiveness of training depends on several key factors: clear learning objectives, clear and meaningful content, appropriate sequencing of content, appropriate mix of training methods, opportunity for active practice, relevant and timely feedback, high trainee self-confidence, and appropriate follow-up activities. Clear learning objectives – trainer should not only identify clear learning objectives, but also explain why training will help people improve their leadership effectiveness. Clear and meaningful content – trainer should focus on important things and include lots of examples to â€Å"facilitate comprehension and memorization of material.† Appropriate sequencing of content – should be organized in a way that will help the learning process, process from simple to more complex ideas and there should be a ppropriate intervals for rest between sessions to prevent trainees being overworked. Appropriate mix of training – Methods of training should be customized to compensate for differences in level of skill and knowledge, and should also take into account class size and time available to train Opportunity for active practice – there should be ample opportunity for trainees to practice new skills in order to aid in the remembrance of important points. Relevant and timely feedback – Feedback should be available from several different resources and should be â€Å"accurate, timely and constructive.† Enhancement of trainee self-confidence – trainers should be supportive of all trainees and encourage success and self-confidence. Praise, encouragement, and patience are necessary qualities for the trainer. Appropriate follow-up activities – A couple of options for this portion of training include holding a follow-up session after the training program has been completed or have trainees turn in projects that require them to utilize their recently learned skills. 3. Learning from experience is generally affected by amount of challenge, variety of tasks, and quality of feedback.

Cyrus the Great Essay Example for Free

Cyrus the Great Essay Cyrus continued his expansion by moving west and conquered Croesus of Lydia in 546 BCE and ordered it split and ruled by satraps. Continuing to move west, he conquered the Chaldean empire of Babylon in 538 BCE of whom was led by King Nabonidus. Cyrus’ expansion continued to the Aegean Sea, where he had acquired several Greek city-states in Anatolia and had turn them over to satraps. His successors would later unsuccessfully try to conquer Greece. His empire also continued east to the Indus River Valley, where he eventually met his demise and the end of his empire. He had several capitals throughout his massive empire including Persepolis, Susa, Babylon, and Pasargadae, where he is buried to this day. Woodard 2 The key factor that made Cyrus’ rule much more successful than previous and future leaders was the way he treated the conquered parts of his empire. He was known has a great leader even according to Herodotus, who compared him quite favorably to other Persian rulers. Herodotus said it is because of this fixing of tribute  [by Darius]  and other similar ordinances that the Persians called Darius the merchant, Cambyses the master and Cyrus the father  ; for Darius made petty profit out of everything, Cambyses was harsh and arrogant, Cyrus was merciful and always worked for their well-being.? Many accounts of his kindness were kept in the Cyrus Cylinder. The cylinder is written in Babylonian script stating that Marduk, the city-god of Babylon, had looked for a champion to restore Babylon to it’s old ways, and chose Cyrus, King of Persia, and declared him king of the world. ? Marduk ordered Cyrus to rule over the tribes of Iran justly, and to march on Babylon which was uncontested, and the King of Babylon surrendered and the people of Babylon rejoiced for Cyrus as their king. Cyrus had set himself apart from other rulers by compromising with his empire rather than forcing his entire will on them. He accomplished this by allowing people that had been moved from their homeland to return, most notably allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar had them exiled and held captive in Babylon.? On top of them returning, Cyrus also encouraged them to rebuild their temple, which was also one of his finer qualities. During his conquests, he would allow the people to keep their religions and cultural differences, while allowing them to part of the Persian Empire. While Cyrus did allow these freedoms, he also was able to create an empire-wide trade network as well as a commanding Woodard 3 army due to an overall agenda that allowed him to keep his people happy while allowing his empire to expand. By allowing the Jews to return home and build a temple, he knew fortifications would be built in order to protect the border of his empire. This also allowed for a buffer between the empire and Egypt. He also was able to utilize the Phoenicians by using their trade network to gain access to Egypt’s resources in exchange for being a part of the Persian Empire. His eventual downfall came during his conquests in the Indus River Valley. According to Ctesias, he fought against the Derbici, a central- Asian tribe, who were assisted by the Indians, and they wounded him with a spear.? He was taken back to the capital city of Persepolis to die peacefully. Another account by Herodutus claims that Cyrus was at battle with the Massagetae, and he was knocked off his horse by Tomyrus, the queen of the Massagatae. She then cut his head off with a single slice. Due to these, the exact cause of Cyrus’ death cannot be determined, though he was buried in Pasargadae. ? Throughout all of the rulers in the Ancient World, Cyrus the Great was one of the most successful because he knew how to be a benevolent ruler. Instead of being demanding and risking rebellions, he learned how to compromise with his people, and allow them to have freedom while still having control, which ultimately led to one of the greatest empires built to this day.

El Nino and its Impact on Coral Reefs :: Geology

El Nino and its Impact on Coral Reefs Introduction When individuals think of El Nino, they think of heavy wind, heavy rain, and the hot and cold temperatures in the wrong seasons. However, El Nino impacts are more than on humans and their surroundings. El Nino impacts the sea as well. The changes El Nino brings to our weather brings changes to ocean temperature. Changes in the ocean impact all forms of life in the ocean. It brings changes to fishes (affecting migration patterns), changes to aquatic vegetation growth, changes in the rest of the food chain , and most importantly changes (even death) to coral reefs. Coral reefs are more than collectable items, but they are a source of food, shelter and protection for most fishes and other forms of life in the ocean. During El Nino, coral reefs are damaged by the change of temperature. This leaves fishes homeless and in danger. What is El Nino El Nino is a disruption of the ocean off the coast of South America. El Nino starts when all the cold water on the bottom of the ocean does not come up to the surface because the trade winds blow differently during El Nino years. Instead, the warm water stays on top and becomes overheated. Then the water warms the jet streams, as well as sending more moisture into the air. El Nino has many important consequences for all the weather around the globe. For example, Illinois might be warm during its winter, and Brazil might be cold during its summer. Rainfall follows the warm water eastward. This is associated with flooding in Peru and droughts occurring in Australia. This kind of weather change is caused by El Nino. An El Nino may occur every three to seven years . It begins with a change in the trade winds. El Nino can last from a few months up to two years . It can be predicted a year before it happens. The warming of the ocean water begins in the Pacific and moves towards the coas t of South America. During a period of time that may last a year. A full blown El Nino starts in early December. El Nino effects continue for many months. (El Nino Theme Page, 1996). History No one knows exactly when the El Nino occurred, but ice core records from the Andes in Peru suggest these climate fluctuations have been part of Earth's weather cycle for El Nino and its Impact on Coral Reefs :: Geology El Nino and its Impact on Coral Reefs Introduction When individuals think of El Nino, they think of heavy wind, heavy rain, and the hot and cold temperatures in the wrong seasons. However, El Nino impacts are more than on humans and their surroundings. El Nino impacts the sea as well. The changes El Nino brings to our weather brings changes to ocean temperature. Changes in the ocean impact all forms of life in the ocean. It brings changes to fishes (affecting migration patterns), changes to aquatic vegetation growth, changes in the rest of the food chain , and most importantly changes (even death) to coral reefs. Coral reefs are more than collectable items, but they are a source of food, shelter and protection for most fishes and other forms of life in the ocean. During El Nino, coral reefs are damaged by the change of temperature. This leaves fishes homeless and in danger. What is El Nino El Nino is a disruption of the ocean off the coast of South America. El Nino starts when all the cold water on the bottom of the ocean does not come up to the surface because the trade winds blow differently during El Nino years. Instead, the warm water stays on top and becomes overheated. Then the water warms the jet streams, as well as sending more moisture into the air. El Nino has many important consequences for all the weather around the globe. For example, Illinois might be warm during its winter, and Brazil might be cold during its summer. Rainfall follows the warm water eastward. This is associated with flooding in Peru and droughts occurring in Australia. This kind of weather change is caused by El Nino. An El Nino may occur every three to seven years . It begins with a change in the trade winds. El Nino can last from a few months up to two years . It can be predicted a year before it happens. The warming of the ocean water begins in the Pacific and moves towards the coas t of South America. During a period of time that may last a year. A full blown El Nino starts in early December. El Nino effects continue for many months. (El Nino Theme Page, 1996). History No one knows exactly when the El Nino occurred, but ice core records from the Andes in Peru suggest these climate fluctuations have been part of Earth's weather cycle for

Book Review Last Song

In The Last Song God is talked bout a lot and believe since Sparks was Catholic, that influenced him to add his religion into his Story. I personally do not see the author in the Story. I think he did not want to add himself in the book. The book is written in third person point of view. The point of view written in the book helps the reader understand what the character was feel Eng and the inking. Throughout the story, the author uses a lot of literary devices. At least every other page has a literary device to it. A common one I found throughout the story is simile.Of ours it's the most common literary device. Ronnie loves her brother â€Å"even though they fight like cats and dogs† and â€Å"still [takes] him to the park every weekend† (Ronnie, 23) showing that she is still willing to do things for her only brother. Steve, Ronnie and Jonahs father, shows his love for his children throughout the novel. â€Å"Spending time with Joana had been like finding special tre asure,† Steve loved his kids and spending time with them, â€Å"and he wanted to spend time with [Ronnie] as well† (Steve, 1 00) and wanted to be a part of their lives again.Love is a main theme throughout the story and while love is shown differently by each character, it is all the same. Steve has love for music and his children. Ronnie has love towards her family and Will who she met and fell in love with during the summer. And Joana loves spending time with his father and picking on his sister. The story is about a girl named Ronnie, who has to spend the summer with her dad and brother. She hung out with the wrong crowd at the beginning but after an incident she stayed away. While there she meets Will, a guy who helps her trust again.He helped her find her true self and mature into a young woman. It takes time for Ronnie to let her father back into her life again because she was upset at him for leaving. The story had lots of phrases I liked. One in particular but i t is dialog between two main characters. ‘†Can I ask you a question? ‘ (Will) ‘I'm not sure I can stop you. â€Å"‘ (Ronnie, 151) do not know why but out of the entire dialog in the story that part just jumped out. It showed how straight forward Ronnie can be. The story is written using modern English. It is not to old were o cannot understand it.At the beginning of the Story, Ronnie felt distant with her father, maybe even hate towards him. When I was in middle school used to give my parents the cold shoulder. So I can kind of relate to how Ronnie felt at the beginning of the story. My favorite character is Ronnie because she will say â€Å"what [is] on her mind† (Will, 145) and not care what other people think. Marcus is my least favorite character. He â€Å"[thinks] only about himself† (Ronnie, 138) and his personality bugs me. In the beginning of the story Ronnie felt like she did not belong. In middle school when I just started as a sixth grader used to feel like I did not belong.But eventually just like Ronnie, started feeling like that's where I am supposed to be. Personally enjoyed the entire story. It had its happy moments and other bittersweet moments that made this story one of my favorites. My favorite part of the story is when Ronnie visited Will's house for the first time. She was like a fly in a glass of milk; the author writes, â€Å"She might as well have landed on mars† [Ronnie, 227] proving my point that she felt she didn't belong there. My least favorite part was when Blaze planted some Cad's in Rennin's bag so it looked like she was shoplifting.Blaze knew what would happen to her because Ronnie said she couldn't be caught shoplifting again during the year or they would not drop the charges from the other time she did it. Would definitely recommend this book. I have read it a couple Of times and seen the movie, each time finding something new in it. The book has a bittersweet ending to it but the message it gives is wonderful. Honestly, anybody would enjoy this, Nicholas Sparks writing pulls at the heart strings, if you are willing o put the time into reading this, you will not regret it because it is a good book.