Describing places

                                          The tree house

I loved going to granny’s. It was summer and we were visiting her once again, as we did every summer. She had such a lovely house, the most beautiful one on the countryside off of a small town.  Driving to her property down the long gravel road past the clustered chestnut oak row on both sides, the sun was always gleaming from this one opening in it. Other than this spot the long road was rather shady, yet the green of the leaves was as bright as it could be. A three-minute ride later the car stopped in front of granny’s house. The Victorian villa stood there in such a manner. It fitted in so well with its pastel green outside to the surrounding vegetation of the countryside. As soon as we got there my sister and I grabbed our bikes and cycled to this opening that we knew so well. When we were little our mother told us stories that when you step through this arch you step out of the reality. My sister and I didn’t like the reality, so we loved to get away to our magic land. Stepping over some dry branches we saw the familiar pounded path which the landowner used to walk on around his fields and look out for his crops. The crops were all harvested by this time so we could clearly see the densely wooded area behind the field. We hasty cycled along the path to our desired place, threw down our bikes and there it was. High up in the treetop the old, dark brown planking of the tree house peeked through the leaves. It was high enough to be able to watch over all the fields around; even to watch the fields on the other side of the main road. It must have been a former watch tower for some forest warden; otherwise I couldn’t explain to myself the height of it. We could reach the tree house only by a ladder on casters which was somewhat withstanding. So we climbed up the ladder. Sometimes it seemed as if it would take forever to reach the top with the smallest porch you had ever seen. Every time we reached that porch we first had to rest because we were out of breath. While resting, we silently stared in the distance and listened to the sounds of the animals beneath and around us. We merely had to turn around to unlock and open the narrow door and step into the cosy space that our mother and we had created over the years. There wasn’t much in the house, more or less pillows on the floor and a couple of beanbags so it wouldn’t be crowded. Next to the narrow door we had some games and books in case we would get over company or would become bored. I remember one time our two friends and the two of us had a sleepover there and we stayed up all night doing girly things. We were watching the starry sky and kept talking until everyone fell asleep. I am sure I will never forget the tree house and spending time there with my sister and friends.

©

Hello guys! I didn’t want to write an introduction to this post as I thought it would take away the curiosity of what I wrote. This was a short story about a dear place of mine which I remember fondly from my childhood. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Until next time, bye!

A poem

Hello, my dear readers!

Today, I do not want to make a long introduction because I simply want to share a poem with you, called “Wander through violets”. Enjoy reading it!

A dream to go far, far away

And soak in the rays of sun I have

That fall on the fields of violets.

Under the province sun to sit,

Just under a shady old truffle oak.

Oh, how I would like to wander

On a carpet of greens and purples,

Reds, browns and yellows,

Fondle the soft surfaces of the velvet cloak,

to free the sweet yet herbal scent.

But it is not of the heat

That my legs won’t go.

It is merely the tiredness of my feet.

Anon I softly open my eyes again,

Some sun rays fall atop my face,

A book on my chest,

Oh, I tried to rest!

And realise that it was just a dream,

A dream to go far, far away

And soak in the rays of sun

That fall on the fields of violets.

(by Magdalena Bijelic)

This is a short poem that I spontaneously wrote about getting through January and away of all the exams and all the studying that I have to do. Maybe you can relate to my feelings for this period. I hope you enjoyed it because I really had to jump over my shadow to share it with you.

     This was my inspiration for the poem. Thank you, Renee Auguste for this          wonderful painting.

The challenges of being a (language) student

Hello, my dear readers!

Never judge a book by its cover, they say. This time around you could say it is literally. I have to admit I expected these studies to be a lot easier – but it’s not. I guess that is what you get when specialising a field in studies. Still, how much could have changed since I last was in school learning so called “proper” English? It kind of took me by surprise that not everything that I currently know, is enough to keep up with a native speaker’s demands. Even though most of what I know is due to self-studies. What a bummer! When I first realised this, I felt sad, a bit depressed and not motivated to work as hard as I normally would do. Now, when I look back I think that was a mistake. For one, I lost quite some time which I could have spent organising my assignments on. Secondly and personally more important, I should have realised at the beginning that no one can take away my knowledge or make me feel like what I know is not enough. I am a hard-working person, a quick learner and I know my potential. Therefore, I will keep working even harder if that’s what it takes. After all, no one said it would be easy but in the end, it’s going to be worth it.

                                      

May I help you?

Hello, my lovely readers out there!

How are you doing? Is your studying going as planned? Did I see you shaking your head? Well, neither is mine. That is why today’s post is going to be about the different use of language, the register. Since I am currently studying this topic I thought I might as well write a post about it and combine these two tasks.

There are unwritten rules, called ‘register use’, that are followed when speaking English whether with your friends, in discussions at work or with strangers. With the use of registers, you can communicate efficiently. Thus, incorrect register use can cause problems in your everyday life, cause people to treat you differently, or it can send the wrong message. Correct register use is very difficult for many ESL learners. In German, French or Italian e.g. formality can be expressed with the formal or informal ‘you’ (du - Sie, tu - Vous, tu - Lei), but in English register is an essential factor when expressing grades of formality.

This input focuses on different situations and the correct register used in various situations. All of you who are also currently studying this topic, maybe this will help you.  To begin with, let's have a look at some example conversations.

          

Examples of correct register use:

(wife to husband)

- Hi honey, how was your day?

 - Not so good. We have a big project that’s due in one week. How was your day?

- Fine, but stressful. Let’s go blow off some steam in the gym!

- Yeah, I could use that.

(friend to friend)

- Hi Peter, can you give me a hand?

- Sure Peter. What's up?

- I can't get this to work.

- Why don't you try to use a screwdriver?

(subordinate to superior - at work)

- Good Morning, Mr. Jones, may I ask you a question?

- Certainly, how can I help you?

(superior to subordinate - at work)

- Excuse me Peter; I seem to be having a problem with the file you sent me. We'd better get together to discuss it.

- That’s all right, Mr. Jones, would 2 o'clock suit you?

(speaking to a stranger)

- Pardon me. Do you think you could give me the time?

- Certainly, it's nine o’clock.

- Thank you.

- Not at all.

As the relationship becomes more formal it also becomes less personal, without most emotions. In my examples above I tried to make the difference between appropriate and inappropriate register use in everyday life situations visible.

Examples of incorrect register use by Kenneth Beare:

(Wife to Husband)

- Hello, how are you today?

- I'm fine. Would you mind passing me the bread?

- Certainly. Would you like some butter with your bread?

- Yes, please. Thank you very much.

(Friend to Friend)

- Hello, Mr. Jones. May I ask you a question?

- Certainly. How may I help you?

- Do you think you could help me with this?

- I'd be happy to help you.

(subordinate to superior - at work)

- Good Morning, Charles. I need a raise.

- Do you really? Well, forget about it!

(superior to subordinate - at work)

- Hey Jack, what are you doing?! Get to work!

- Hey, I'll take as much time as I need.

(speaking to a stranger)

- You! Tell me where the supermarket is.

- There.

I have to say that I find this kind of incorrect register use very funny. Can you imagine going one day by using it like that? I would feel strange using consciously formal instead of informal when in a supermarket or vice versa with my superior.

Take a look at this overview of registers with examples for specific occasions.

LANGUAGE REGISTERS (adapted version – click here for source)

1. Frozen: Language that does not change - Prayers and pledges, "set" speech which is often scripted

2. Formal: Complete sentences and specific word usage. It is often used to show respect used in places such as work, school and public offices. Formal writing includes: business letters, letters of complaint, some essays, reports, official speeches, announcements, professional emails.

3. Consultative: Formal register used in conversation with colleagues, peers, etc.

4. Informal or Casual: Used in conversation with friends. It’s idiomatic and often full of slang, used to signal belonging to a given group. It includes: personal e-mails, phone texts, friendly letters, most blogs, diaries and journals

5. Intimate: Language between lovers - "private" language full of codes words only known to the two.

6. Neutral: It’s not necessarily formal or informal. It is not usually positive or negative. A neutral register is used to deliver facts. We use the neutral language register with non-emotional topics and information. It includes: reviews, articles, some letters and essays, technical writing. 

(source:http://www.really-learn-english.com/language-register.html)

                             

Example: Greetings

1. Frozen - Welcome to the Hugh Brothers Industrial Centre. Where tomorrow's world meets today's. Please remember that no flash photography is allowed during this tour...

2. Formal - Good morning. May I speak to the director, please?

3. Consultative - Hello, Mr Smith. How are you this morning?

4. Casual - Hey, Jack. What's up?

5. Intimate - How's my little snuggy wuggy?

Example: Complaints

1. Frozen - This is a complaint for damages and injunctive relief arising out of manipulative activities in the gold market from 1994 to the present time...

2. Formal - I hope you don't mind my stating that the service is unsatisfactory. I would like a refund.

3. Consultative - Excuse me Ms Carter. As I understand the task, we need to focus on improving our delivery times rather than blaming our suppliers.

4. Casual - Oh, Bob. Just a moment! Listen, you know... well... what was with that off-key comment last night?

5. Intimate - I'm sick and tired of your crap!

Example: Encouragement

1. Frozen - I offer you all my prayers, works, joys and suffering of this day...

2. Formal - Thank you for applying for this position. We'll let you know within a week if you have been chosen for an interview.

3. Consultative - Thanks for following-up on the Jones account. Great job!

4. Casual - Whoa, way to go! Nice catch!

5. Intimate - You're so good. I'm crazy about you, Honey.

(source here)

Although the formal, informal and neutral are most commonly used in writing, you see I wrote about all types of registers. As you might have noticed, this post was written in two different registers. Can you guess them? Now that you know them I am sure it won’t be very challenging for you to recognise them. :D

What does a good blog look like?

Hello, my lovely readers!

True story - it gets better though!

Okay. I am staring at this blank page, hoping some words and ideas will fall from the sky and into my blocked mind. I hate when that happens! Does this happen to you too? All I can think of during gathering my thoughts is: why is it so hard for me to post regularly? How do other students manage to post so much, while I was and still am struggling with it all the time? Aren't blogs supposed to be just about the author's interests, and what he/she has to say and wants to publish? Personally I do not like my creative choices to be taken away. Therefore, I am not exactly pleased about the given tasks. I believe it takes away the fun and motivation to put in some effort in any piece of writing. Anyway, blogs are known for their casual writing and unpredictable subject material, right? Yet the best blogs have shown that — regardless of punctuation and spelling — even beginners can be entertaining enough to attract a broad audience. The secret of it lies in one him-/herself, meaning you may not even be aware that you are capable of writing something solid and longer than an e-mail to a friend, which is cherry-on-top low register. So here is what I think are the most important features a blog should hold.

1. VISUAL APPEARANCE

Surprise, surprise. I dare to say that it is the most important feature, hence the first figure. All humans are visual creatures, so if your blog does not look appealing to the reader or visitor they will probably not even bother to read what you wrote. Also, the appearance of text structure is key for clearness on a website. But don’t go overboard on colours; it’s usually more distracting than embellishing!

2. PROPER GRAMMAR

Gosh! That's sometimes a pretty delicate subject on the Internet.  Basically, to avoid grammar mistakes you should know at least some basic writing and grammar rules. It really does not look good if the reader can see misspelled words or horrible sentence structure just by going over your text. Put in some effort and use grammarly.com e.g. to be sure that everything is correct.

3.CONCISENESS
“A lot of information reaches the eye, but much is lost by the time it reaches the brain”. That states that what you have to say should be concise and evident. If you want to write a review, for example,  it is fine if the blog post is longer than say 500-800 words. Your blog will also be more clearly arranged if you use helpful symbols like bullet points or letters to display your thoughts.

4. DO NOT SPAM YOUR BLOG…

…with posts that look like Facebook posts. No one really wants to know every detail about your everyday life and it really does not make a good blog. Do not post about what you ate or how you spent your Sunday with a hangover from last night out - unless you are a celebrity. :D Just kidding - not even then.

5. CONTENT

Instead of spamming your blog and the internet, I would suggest writing about what moves you. Are you upset about unfair working conditions in India? Then by all means write about it. Is it going to start up controversy? Maybe it is. However, you are not writing to stir up controversy – you are writing because it is something you are passionate about. But don’t spark controversy for the sake of sparking controversy.

These are three of the blogs from WS13 that I thought were good:

·  -http://aboutlizi.blogspot.co.at/  This is the one and only blog I was attracted to visually, and I like what she offers her audience in terms of topics. She has a personal writing style, so the reader can feel her.

· -http://sarahleins-english-world.blogspot.co.at/ Sarah has such great topics, I must say! I can relate to her posts the most, because she chooses topics that I would too. Plus, I like when people are not shy to criticise our society.  

·  -http://itsjosephasblog.blogspot.co.at/ Josepha writes in a kind of style I can relate to. It is the kind of story-telling-style that I like to read in blogs, you know. She gives that something that makes her posts feel like it is the time again to listen to a story or read a book.­­

Reliving the past

Hello, my lovely readers!

Let me just ask you one thing before I go on about this topic: If you had the opportunity to travel through time and live in (or at least visit) a different era, which would you choose and why? Just think about it for a few minutes! Would you want to go back to the past and relive a period in time that you maybe think you had fitted in better? Would you want to change something? What historical events or movements would you want to experience first-hand? Do you find life today “boring” compared to some past time periods?

I’m sure you have met people you thought they did not fit into today’s society and time; maybe you even felt sometimes yourself this way. I have thought about all the questions above; keep on reading to learn about what my thoughts were. 
First of all, I am in favour of social justice, the good in people and good behaviour. None of this is likely to be found in today’s society but more the opposite. I know that whichever era one imagines one can never find the ideal period when there were solid human rights and a humane society at the same time. Although this is the case, at least in the past there were all kinds (in my writing’s case) of good manners which people today seem to have forgotten. This is one of the reasons I wish to have lived in the 1920s to 1940s era. The past decades have brought innumerable social, cultural and technological advances. One that brings me the most joy is music.  Jazz! Oh dear! It is  a  rhythmic flexibility that can be mind boggling using inventive ways of playing permutations, subdivisions and metric modulations that can go so far as to suggest another tempo against the ongoing pulse. It is also called “against the time” meaning that a polyrhythm is created by a musician playing a subdivision with such clarity and consistency that another pulse has been created. That is mind-blowing for people like me who are not talented enough to create music themselves but still have an ear for music. I am getting goosebumps just thinking about the rhythm, and imagining walking down the streets of New Orleans and hearing these fantastic sounds from every corner. The birthplace of jazz would have definitely been the residence for me. I simply love the architecture of this town, which is actually more European than American; much influenced by the distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture.  For ordinary folks, material possessions were rather basic and elementary than sophisticated, and people were satisfied with what they had. Still I would have loved to be able to take my ‘Duesenberg’ for a ride ‘round town to spend some cash in a boutique with the latest fashion. (I cannot describe what is up with me and vintage things and feeling like we belong together.)

Furthermore, there were some historical events that I would have been experiencing first-handed. Some good ones and some bad of course.

·       For instance August 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the rights to vote. Women started from the 19th century all the way to 1920, to finally seek victory. Women marched, lectured, fought, wrote, did everything that they could to make this come true, and it worked. After years of hard work, it paid off because they got what they were dreaming for all along. The 15th Amendment was passed, allowing African Americans to vote, and from that point on, women haven't given up.

·       March 3, 1920: The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement first known as the "New Negro Movement" which was named about Alain Locke. The Harlem Renaissance influenced French-speaking black writers and Caribbean colonies. The majority of the Harlem Renaissance was African Americans who were enslaved and now living in the South. A huge contributor was Langston Hughes, and the Harlem Renaissance is still influencing many people.

·       November 4, 1922, the tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of Kings, after 5 years of diligent work the tomb was discovered. Near the base of the tomb of Rameses VI, one of Howard Carter's workmen found a hidden step. He didn't just find a normal ancient Egyptian tomb, but the tomb laid there undisturbed for more than 3,000 years. King Pharoah Tutankhamun was found inside his tomb, after a whole 3,000 years!

·       November 18, 1928: The debut of Mickey Mouse was in the cartoon Steamboat Willie in New York. Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks worked together to co-direct the cartoon Steamboat Willie. The show was intended as a parody Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill Jr. which was released on May 12, 1928. It was the third cartoon that Mickey was in, but the first official one that he was in. These films were black and white, until 1935 where they were showed in color. Most of the films he started in were short.

·       29 October 1929: On Black Thursday, a drop of stock prices triggered, putting everyone is a panic that was uncontrollable. Then later on October 29, on Black Tuesday, the panic of October 24 turned into "bedlam on the trading floor". Because of this major drop in the stock, everyone was in a huge struggle. All throughout the weekend, sleepy clerks worked and worked to get the accounts in shape for Monday's opening. Times Index fell from 367.42 to 318.29, 9,212,800 stocks were shared.

·       March 12, 1930: Gandhi started a salt march because India needed to be freed from British control, and in order to do so Gandhi proposed a march protesting British Salt Tax. The Salt Tax made it illegal to produce or sell salt, helping British. In India, many people were affected because salt was a big impact on the everyday lives of the people of India. The journey took 23 days, from March 12 to April 5. Gandhi picked up a lump of salt, broke a law, and a month later got put in prison.

·       September 24, 1936: The Cotton Club Grand Opening. Basically, the Cotton Club was a jazz music night club which was located in Harlem of New York City from the years 1923 to 1940, but it became famous on the day of September 24, 1936, and everyone enjoyed the place for another four years. Today there is a new incarnation, and it is located on West 125th St. The club first started out as a white-only club, but as black entertainers came and entertained people, blacks took over and made the night club more lively and better.

·       September 1, 1939: World War II or the Second World War began on September 1, 1939 and ended on September 2, 1945, making it a six-year, and one-day war. This was one of the bloodiest wars, because from 40 million to 50 million deaths were recorded. The War was between the Axis (Germany, Austria, Italy and Japan) on the one hand, and the Allies (Canada, India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Rhodesia, Jamaica, British etc.) The outcome was that the Allies beat the Axis. This was the most widespread war.
(Source)

Obviously every generation has to carry their own cross, meaning that we have to suffer inconveniences that are in front of us right here, right now. Nonetheless, I find that past times were more exciting than they are today, even if we have plenty of goods to keep us occupied so we are not bored and uninvolved. But the real question is, does it contribute to social or cultural advances? There is no doubt that it contributes to the advancement of technology, but frankly I could live without it all. Also, more than before you never see smiling faces. Nobody ever says ‘hello’. In the past, children enjoyed the our-doors even into the night. Now it is not even safe for adults to leave the house after dark. Our generation has not done one thing to better our world. It is hard to dream about differences I would want to make in the past if I had lived then, when our society closes their eyes and minds to every inhumane and unnatural action. So my dream just stays a dream.

 “I still have a dream, a dream deeply rooted in the American dream – one day this nation will rise up and live up to its creed, "We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream...“Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)

Have a look at this video: 

Somehow it warms my heart when I hear this music associated with these old motion pictures.

Disney's depiction of New Orleans's streets

       

        

               Jazz musicians

                                                           

           

New Orleans at night