The Dawn of Ancient Greek Heroism

The unwitting defeat of Leonidas and the thousands of Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae has confounded the minds of many historians and has compelled them to deduce any possible logical explanation.Sparta was a superpower at the time of ancient Greece. The Greek historian Xenophon, stated that it â€Å"had the greatest power of any Greek community but also one of the smallest populations† (Powell, 2001, p. 218).The Spartan society was known for its patriotism, and courage in war.1 The way of education of the society was unique for Sparta, where it emphasized the development of the physique thru compulsory military training for both boys and girls at a very early age.2 This intensely strict mandate has produced the psychology of dying rather than defeat at war.3 The outstanding accomplishment that was born out of this way of living was a supreme military. Sparta seemed unconquerable with a population who would choose death over loss at battle and a military feared by other polis. The strength of heart of the Spartans, however, was put to the test during the famous Battle of Thermopylae.King Leonidas lead an army of 4000 to defend the straits of Thermopylae from the attacking Persians. They fought courageously, giving big losses to the army of Persian emperor Xerxes but suffered defeat when a Greek traitor told Xerxes of an alternative trail to attack the Spartans. Upon knowing this treachery, Leonidas sent away most of his army and faced the Persians with the remaining 300. Leonidas and his army fought with all courage and died as heroes.4That point of Greek history was arguably â€Å"Spartan’s finest hour† (Caltredge, 2002) and became an outstanding source of inspiration to poets and literary figures who tried to immortalize that event. Francois Rene de Chateaubriand (Bernard 2003) described the event, thus:I cannot describe the confused feelings which overpowered me. The hill at whose foot I stood was, then, the hill of the citadel of Sparta†¦. I dismounted, and ran all the way up the hill of the citadel. As I reached the top, the sun was rising behind the Menelaian hills. What a beautiful spectacle! But how melancholy! †¦ I stood motionless, in a kind stupor. A mixture of admiration and grief checked my steps and my thoughts; the silence round me was profound. Wishing, at least, to make echo speak in a spot where the human voice is no longer heard, I shouted with all my might, â€Å"Leonidas!† No ruin repeated this great name, and Sparta herself seemed to have forgotten it. (p. 1)Herodotus attributed that courageous decision of Leonidas and his army to die to the fulfillment of the oracle at Delphi, where Sparta would decide to sacrifice its king or to suffer the obliteration of the whole city.5 However, it would be unreasonable to always accept the truth of the oracle since it is only a conjecture, an alternative explanation to the fiasco caused by man’s wrong decision-making so he may n ot be blamed.6 In order not to attribute events to the supernatural, one must therefore, peruse the history book again, look for the most possible and grave explanation, and find the reasons that would satisfy logic.One can look at two things: the form of government and the way of life. These are mutually inclusive ideas however these are looked upon as factors that would affect the standards of morality of society. The Greek historian Theopompus sees democracy, the political system of Sparta, as a way leading â€Å"to luxury and dissolute living, and luxury is thoroughly corrupting† (Flower, 1994, p.79), assuming this is true for Sparta, democracy would not explain the heroism of Leonidas and his army.The Spartan way of life however, revolves around the education of its young to become the warriors that could protect its city. Therefore, the education of the Spartan society would explain the rationale behind this tragic decision.   Every man in Sparta underwent rigorous ph ysical training, and in this process, patriotism was being built. The decision to die for society was being taught along the process. When one sees death better to taste than defeat, it would become easy to die and accept the reality of dying. For this society, it is scornful to be a coward and glorious to die at the battlefield.Caltredge (2002) cited in his article:Spartan wives and mothers were not shrieking violets. They openly berated and chastised any hint of cowardice in their sons. They wept tears of pain if their son or husband came back safe but defeated from battle, tears of joy if he died in a winning cause.The Spartan way of educating their citizens that the way to glory is thru death at battle has driven Leonidas and his men to carry on fighting until death, because only then can they show that indeed, it is glorious to die for a good cause rather than be defeated.Notes1 See Pomeroy (1999, p.132).2 See Starr (1965, p. 258) for a detailed description of the education of men; Caltredge (2002) for the description of the education of women.3 See Caltredge (2002).4 See Platts (1865, p. 258).5 See Hodkinson (1994).6 See the footnote on Dyer (1894, p.52).ReferencesBernard, A. (2003 Spring). Common Place Book: Ruins.American Scholar, 72(2), 1.Cartledge, P. (2002 August). To Die For? Paul Cartledge Sees Ancient Spartan Society and Its Fierce Code of Honour as Something Still Relevant Today. History Today, 52(20), 1.Dyer, L. (1894). Studies of the Gods in Greece at Certain Sanctuaries Recently Excavated: Being Eight Lectures Given in 1980 at the Lowell Institute. New York: Macmillan and Co.Flower, M. (1994). Theopompus of Chios.New York: Oxford University Press.Hodkinson, S. (1994). The Shadow of Sparta.New York: Routledge.Pomeroy, S. (1999). Ancient Greece: A Political, Social andCultural History. New York: Oxford University Press.Platts, J. (1826). A New Universal Biography.London: Sherwood, Jones, and Co.Starr, C. (1965). A History of the Ancient World.N ew York: Oxford University Press.

Jane Eyre Essay

How does Charlotte Bronte engage the reader’s sympathy for Jane Eyre in the opening two chapters of the novel? Charlotte Bronte the third daughter of Patrick and Maria Bronte, who was born in 1816 at Thornton, a moorland village near Bradford and was almost four when the family moved to Haworth. There, she, like the rest of her family was to spend almost all her life. The family liked privacy and since Mr. Bronte was busy with work and their mother was ill with cancer and died after only 18 months at Haworth, the children spent all their time together and were extremely close. The nurse who looked after Mrs. Bronte said that they were different from any children she had ever seen because they seemed so quiet and serious. When Charlotte was eight, Mr. Bronte sent her, with Maria, Elizabeth and later Emily, to a school for the daughters of clergy at Cowan Bridge. He thought education would be useful to his girls in the future, but their experiences were all too similar to those Charlotte Bronte gives Jane Eyre at Lowood. Maria and Elizabeth both died of tuberculosis, after less than a year, and Charlotte and Emily were taken away from the school and returned to studying at home with their father. Charlotte considered herself to be very plain, even ugly, and did not really hope for marriage, although she received three proposals. Like Jane Eyre, she was always sad that she was not more obviously attractive. Beauty was something she admired and longed for. At Roe Head, she worked hard, was successful and made several long life friends. She hated the job but when she was not teaching or marking books she had to work at mending the pupils’ clothes. She became so depressed and ill that she had to leave. The next idea was that the girls should set up a school of their own. In order to finish training for this, Charlotte and Emily went to study in Brussels. As well as learning much, however, she fell in love with Monsieur Heger, the husband of the head of her school. No real relationship could ever develop, apart from friendship, and she left Brussels broken-hearted. This Experience provided the ideas for two of her books â€Å"The Professor† and â€Å"Villette†. At the age of 38, Charlotte agreed to marry Arthur Bell Nicholls, a curate who assisted her father for many years and who had loved her for a very long time. She had rejected his affection in the past, but their marriage was successful and they developed a happy companionship so it was all the more tragic that she enjoyed it for only one year. She died in 1855 of complications arising from pregnancy. Her father, who had outlived all her children, had said that â€Å"she was not strong enough/for marriage†. Bronte engages sympathy towards Jane because of the utilization of the first person by the narrator. â€Å"I was glad of it: I never liked long walks. † By using ‘I’ the writer ensures that we see things and feel things from Jane’s point of view. We have empathy for her. Jane is made to feel isolated when the Reeds sit together and exclude her. â€Å"The said Eliza, John, and Georgiana were now clustered round their mama in the drawing-room†. Also, we feel compassion when Aunt Reed talks to her and tells her that she does not want her to be in with her own children since she was very rude when she was near her elders. Sympathy is engaged again when Jane goes to the breakfast-room alone because she was told to sit somewhere else and be silent until she could speak pleasantly. In the Breakfast room Jane finds a bookcase. Soon she was â€Å"possessed† by a volume which she made sure should be one â€Å"stored with pictures†. As she looked the book she describes the landscapes in the book are and the places where they may be found. The reader is completely on Jane’s side when John Reed verbally and physically abuses her. â€Å"The volume was flung, it hit me, and I fell, striking my head against the door and cutting it† â€Å"I felt him grasp my hair and my shoulder†. The reason for this is because of the brutality described. Jane tries to fight back but Miss Abbot and the nurse pull her away from John, and they hold her down. â€Å"My impulse was to rise from it like a spring; their two pairs of hands arrested me instantly. † Although John is bigger physically she still wants to attack him, because he said, she was less than a servant to him. †Master! How is he my master? Am I a servant? † â€Å"No; you are less than a servant. † Nobody is on Jane’s side, not even the servants. They all came to rescue John Reed from Jane. Again, our sympathy for Jane is reinforced. The sheer injustice of Jane’s circumstances gets our sympathy. Nobody accepts her version of events, even though Mrs. Reed is aware that John has been bullying Jane. â€Å"He bullied and punished me; not two or three times in the week, nor once or twice in the day, but continually. † â€Å"Every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh in my body shrank when he came near. † â€Å"†¦the servants did not like to offend their young master by taking my part against him and Mrs. Reed was blind and deaf in the subject: she never saw him strike or heard him abuse me†¦.. †. Again, the reader’s sympathy is engaged when we hear that Bessie will tie Jane to a stool in the Red Room. â€Å"If you don’t sit still, you must be tied down, said Bessie. † This is a complete over-reaction. Abbot and Bessie talked about their opinions of Jane in front of her which is very rude. â€Å"And you ought not to think yourself an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because Missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. † Jane describes the Red Room as being very grand but cold. She also states that it is not frequented by people much because Mr. Reed had died there nine years ago. â€Å"Only the housemaid went there by herself on Saturdays, to wipe from the mirrors and furniture a week’s quiet dust: and Mrs.Reed herself, at far intervals, visited it to review the contents of a certain secret drawer in the wardrobe, where were stored divers parchments, her jewel-casket, and a miniature of her diseased husband; and in those last words lies the secret of the red-room – the spell which kept it so lonely in spite of its grandeur. † Jane’s childish imagination is engaged when she realises she has been locked into this forbidding room. She sees herself in the mirror – ghostly as she remembered Bessie’s stories about phantoms. Superstition is with Jane. We now hear Jane’s opinion about her unfortunate situation. Our compassion is with her as we hear her side of the story. â€Å"John Reed’s violent tyrannies, all his sisters’ proud indifference, all his mother’s aversion, all the servants’ partiality, turned up in my disturbed mind like a dark deposit in a turbid well. † She talks about John’s behaviour and tells us that he has mentally affected her and this indicates that she would be more that happy to run away just for his sake. â€Å"Georgiana, who had a spoiled temper, a very acrid spite, a captious and insolent carriage, was universally indulged. â€Å"

Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern

Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern Election Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern Election Colin Campbell Prof. R Hurl TA: Matthew Lesch Tutorial: Thursday, 4:00 PM, UC 67) U. S. Government and Politics (POL 208 Y1Y) 1 November 2012 Alexander Hamilton’s Electoral College and the Modern Election When American's leaders assembled in Philadelphia in 1787, they originally had the goal of solving issues that had arisen from the Articles of Confederation, which had governed the young nation since separating from Britain.Instead, they drafted a completely new document that established a more permanent and effective central government. With it, they established the office of President of the United States. Rather than being directly elected by the people or selected by the legislature – as described by Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist Papers – the head of state was to be elected by an independent institution that exist ed solely for the purpose of finding a man who was up to the job: a group that would become known as the Electoral College.However, as the political nature of the country evolved in an unanticipated and partisan way, the independence of this body became increasingly irrelevant, resulting in a system which fails to meet the standards of a true modern democracy. Although the Electoral College system has never substantially been reformed, it is now a mere formality which leads to the types of campaigns which it was designed to prevent. In The Federalist, Number 68, Hamilton argues that the president should be elected by individuals selected exclusively for that purpose, rather than by an existing body or by national popular vote. Hamilton, par. 8) Although never named as such in this or any other constitutional document, this would be the basis for the institution now known as the Electoral College. Rather than submitting the national leaders-in-waiting to the rigors of campaigning, wh ich would lead to what amounts to a popularity contest, the Founding Fathers believed that â€Å"a small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations. † (par. 3) Unlike the Congress, however, the ElectoralCollege would never meet as a single body. Each state's electors would convene in their respective capitals, then send notice to Washington of their votes. Hamilton believed that keeping the electors apart would reduce corruption by making it more difficult for any one political faction to manipulate the contenders, allowing them to focus exclusively on serving the interests of their state. (par. 4) Furthermore, selecting the president through this independent body would mean that he is accountable solely to the people and not to a legislative body which could depose of him if the two branches were not in agreement.His re-election would n ot be controlled by legislative enemies and allies. (par. 6) Each state would be granted as many electors has they had seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate combined, effectively compromising between the preferred plans of either all states having equal weight (as they do in the Senate) or distributing power based on population (as it is in the House). If no candidate were to receive a majority of the votes, the House would convene to select the President from the top five candidates. par. 7) Hamilton wished for the vice-president to be elected by the same body and through the same method, except that the Senate would select the winner for this office if no candidate won a majority. (par. 9) He notes that this is one of the few aspects of the new constitution that received little dissent, and the final system was ultimately very similar to the one he described. The vice-presidency was, until the passage of the twelfth amendment in 1804, awarded to the second place-can didate.However, this inherently resulted in a rival with opposing political views being first in line to the presidency, and therefore the system was changed to allow the electors to vote for both positions separately. (Nardulli 23) Each state is free to determine how its electors are selected, and various models have been used in the past. At the time of enactment, however, several assumptions about the system were made that would quickly prove to be untrue. It was generally believed that electors would selected from individual districts in a manner similar to congressmen, would exercise personal judgement when voting.It was also believed that they would frequently endorse candidates from their home state, ultimately meaning that no candidate would win a majority and that Congress would determine the victors from a short list of candidates. (41) Some states appointed their electors legislatively rather than through election, meaning that voters did not cast a ballot for either the president or the Electoral College. The emergence of organized political parties by the third election in 1796 led to nationally coordinated campaigns that severely reduced the number of expected candidates, and thus the likelihood that no one would achieve a majority. 44) The results of the 2000 election between George Bush and Al Gore – in which Gore won the popular vote but narrowly lost the Electoral College after a controversial recount in Florida – highlight what is the largest criticism of the Electoral College: it is possible for a candidate to win the Presidency without winning the popular vote. Because less populous states have more electoral votes per capita than larger states, individual votes are disproportionately stronger. (Bennett 9) Detractors of the College claim that this is inherently undemocratic, as all votes should be considered equal in a true democracy.Final victors have only lost the popular vote on two other occasions (in 1876 and 1888), and there has therefore never been substantial support for re-examining the system until 2000. Although the disproportionate power of smaller states has been commonly criticized, it is in fact the winner-take-all method in which states pledge their electoral votes that is responsible for discrepancies with the popular vote. It is currently possible a candidate to win the presidency by only winning as little as eleven states.He could win by a single vote in each of these states, but lose by a significant margin in every other state, yet his electoral count would still indicate him as the majority winner. Five of the seven elections between 1964 and 1988 were won by significant margins in the Electoral College. On each occasion, the winning candidate took at least forty states while barely winning more than 60% of the popular vote. This was most pronounced in the 1984 race between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. The latter received 40% of the popular vote, yet received the electoral vot es from Minnesota and D.C. Furthermore, in 1968 (when some states were won by independent candidate George Wallace) Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey both won approximately 43% of the popular vote, yet Nixon won the election outright with 56% of the Electoral College. (Bennett 37-42) While none of these instances resulted in the popular vote being overruled, they do demonstrate that elections are not a matter of getting the most people to vote for you, but rather the importance of getting the most people in the right places. Analysts have suggested that his year's race between President Obama and Governor Romney could produce a first for the Electoral College: a tie. Although unlikely, this cycle's set of swing states, along with the states that each candidate is presumed to win, allows for a specific combination of votes wherein each candidate would receive 269 electoral votes. While the college has failed to produce a winner in the past, it has always been due to the presence of a third-party candidate. It is also predicted that Republicans will retain control of the House, while the Democrats will continue to hold the Senate.Should the electoral votes come to a tie, these two chambers would be responsible for selecting the President and Vice-President, respectively. Assuming each party would support its nominee, the result would be a Romney-Biden government. (Hamby) Not since the twelfth amendment was passed have opponents been simultaneously elected to the lead the executive. While such a scenario is mathematically rare, it is absurd that a system of government would allow for such a possibility. Despite the counterintuitive relationship that the Electoral College has with the popular vote, there are some key benefits to keeping the system.It emphasizes the federal nature of the United States; that it is not just a monolithic country, but rather a federation of sovereign governments. Indeed, the fact this is found in the fact that each state is free to sel ect their electors any way they choose (through legislative appointment, districts, or winner-take-all). Most states (the exceptions being Maine and Nebraska) use the winner-take-all model to maximize their influence. If they were to be allocating their electors proportionally in a close race, opposing electors would essentially cancel each other out. Nardulli 28) Furthermore, guaranteeing a certain amount of power to each region ensures that it's power will not be reduced based on local factors such as bad weather. For example, even if New Jersey experiences very low voter turn-out because of Hurricane Sandy, those that do manage to get to the polls will still be able to exercise its fourteen electoral votes on behalf of the state. The real problems with the Electoral College do not stem from the mathematic anomalies and misrepresentations, but rather because it serves a political culture that Alexander Hamilton had not envisioned.He explicitly states that it is meant to find the b est man for the job, rather than subjecting the country to tumultuous elections. In modern times, however, electors are designated by their political parties, usually legally bound to vote for a particular candidate, and not even named on the ballot. It is no longer independent individuals who actually consider all possible candidates, but instead a mere rubber-stamp for the will of the electorate. Bennett 55) The Electoral College system envisioned by Alexander Hamilton was designed to be independent of the usual partisanship, with the principle goal of finding an individual who would best be suited as the country's chief administrator and head of state. While it still has the arguable benefit of forcing candidates to pay attention to less populous states, its members are effectively bound to follow the will of their constituents and are therefore unable to fulfill the intended mandate of their position. Works Cited Bennett, Robert.Taming the Electoral College. Palo Alto CA: Stanfo rd University Press, 2006. Hamby, Peter. â€Å"Electoral College Tie Possible in Obama-Romney Race. † CNN. com. Cable News Network, 30 July 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2012. Hamilton, Alexander. The Federalist Papers: Number 68. 1788. Retrieved 29 October 2012. Nardulli, Peter. Popular Efficacy in the Democratic Era. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007.

Steam Reforming and the Production of Hydrogen Gas Essay

Steam Reforming and the Production of Hydrogen Gas - Essay Example About 50% of the global production of Hydrogen is produced by this process(www.getenergysmart.org/Files). eg. activated carbon filters, pressurisation and depending on the reformer design, either pre heated and mixed with processed steam or directly injected with the water into the reformer without the need for an external heat exchanger. The water is normally demineralised using appropriate water conditioning systems. Two options are available for reforming one option is high pressure reforming at a working pressure upto 16 bar. The other option is to use low pressures (1.5 bar) with increased conversion ratios (www.global-hydrogn-beus-platform.com). 2.2 Steam Methane Reforming: The process involves the use of high temperature steam (700C) which is reacted with natural gas( primarily methane) to produce Hydrogen. Methane reacts with steam under 3- 25 bar pressure in the presence of a catalyst to produce Hydrogen, Carbon Monoxide and a relatively small amount of Carbon Dioxide. This process is endothermic and hence heat must be supplied to the process to proceed. (www1.eere.energy.gov) The methane steam reforming reaction is endothermic. Hence this reaction requires a high process temperature to proceed. As the number of moles also changes for the reaction, the reaction is facilitated by as low a pressure as possible to maximise the Methane conversion rate. Another way to shift the equilibrium to the right side is to increase the ratio of steam to methane. Overall, the conversion rate of methane is a function of pressure, temperature and steam/ Methane ratio. The reformer reactor consists of catalyst filled tubes surrounded by a fire box that provides the heat for the reaction as shown in the process flow diagram ( Fig.3) Water Gas shift Reaction: CO + H2O CO2 + H2 (H = - 41.2kJ/mol) (2) The water gas shift reaction is exothermic and needs as low a temperature as possible to proceed. Based on Le Chatelier's principle, the WGS reaction rate: (1) Increases with increase in steam fraction in the inlet gas (2) Decreases with increase in Hydrogen in the inlet gas (3) Decreases with increase in temperature The reactor temperature influences the flame temperature of the reactants. Hence at higher temperature more Methane is converted and less Hydrogen. The presence of a catalyst such as Nickel helps in the formation of Hydrogen rich reformate. The heat required for the first reaction is obtained by the combustion of fuel gas and/ or purge tail gas from the PSA system. Following the reforming step, the synthesis gas is fed into the CO conversion reactor to produce additional Hydrogen. This process occurs in two stages consisting of a High Temperature Shift ( HTS ) reactor at 350C and a Low Temperature Shift ( LTS ) at 190 to 210C.High temperature shift catalysts have an Iron Oxide-Chromium Oxide basis while LTS catalysts consist of Copper Oxide. 3.0 Gas Purification: Hydrogen purification by means of pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The PSA units reach hydrogen

Alzheimers disease Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Alzheimers disease - Assignment Example There is another gene that is associated with the form of Alzheimer’s disease that people are likely to get as they grow older. The risk of being diagnosed with the disease is greater in those people who have two copies of the gene: one from each parent – than those with one copy of the gene. Genetic tests do not provide enough information to determine with certainty if someone who is genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease will get it. The test indicates a higher risk factor, but it does not necessarily mean that the individual will get Alzheimer’s disease. Since the disease is incurable there is no way for individuals to take preventative measures. The most accurate way for physicians to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease is to examine brain tissue during a biopsy. Physicians determine a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by reviewing a patient’s medical history, neurological and psychological tests, physical exams as well as a brain scan. A test measuring levels of protein in spinal fluids has often been found to be an accurate test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. People with moderate Alzheimer’s disease may benefit from medication that can help to improve memory. Some of these medications include Aricept, Cognex, and Reminyl. These medicines help maintain cognitive functioning. â€Å"FDA-approved drugs temporarily slow worsening of symptoms for about 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half of the individuals who take them†. (â€Å"Alzheimer’s Myths† n.d.).

Corporate compliance plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Corporate compliance plan - Essay Example iodic review and risk assessment of company processes, performances, regulations and policies; the recommendation of necessary changes as determined by such risk assessment; the development of internal audit procedures to be used in the risk assessment, and; the formation and composition of the teams that will be tasked to conduct such periodic risk assessments. Riordan Manufacturing shall conduct business with customers in a transparent, professional, honest, fair, respectful and friendly manner. Relative to this, the company shall ensure that all its products have passed rigid quality control. Any valid complaint against the Company and its products shall be immediately acted upon and investigated. Restitution and compensation, if applicable and necessary, will be immediately effected. The Company accepts its liability for defective products without need for any court intervention. The Company shall ensure that its business conduct is within the bounds of all federal, state and local laws with regards to unfair competition and the tangible and intellectual property laws. It shall also defend vigorously its own rights under the same by going to court to enforce it if necessary. Riordan Manufacturing joins environmentalists in the promotion of a safe and livable earth. In this respect, it shall comply with and vigorously implements industry-wide standard regulations. It shall undertake monitoring activities and periodic risk assessments to ensure strict compliance with the same. In the event of any unforeseen accident in which Company activities have, in any way, caused damage to the environment, it shall voluntarily call the attention of appropriate government agencies and initiate corrective and cleaning up measures. The Company strictly enforces compliance with this CCP. Any employee found in violation of it shall be made subject to disciplinary actions. Any person who has knowledge of any violation of this CCP is obligated to report it to the CCO through a

Ross-Cultural Awareness Impacts on Communication Skills Essay

Ross-Cultural Awareness Impacts on Communication Skills - Essay Example One culture might have different meanings than another. In these regards, they are not trying to be disrespectful, yet may be perceived as such. I also believe cultural awareness will help me develop strategies and create much more effective advertisements for my company. Some words and jokes might not be easily translated and sometimes you may need to adapt your marketing policy or modify your product to that region. Trompenaar noted that understanding cultural differences gives clues about how people solve their problems. With proper knowledge you can see opportunities in the area and expand your business. Cross-cultural awareness removes the barriers between people and provides healthier relationships. With knowledge of verbal cultural differences, I hope to communicate with people from different ethnic backgrounds more efficiently. When I’m communicating with people, I need to choose my words more sensibly to not offend them. Another point with this knowledge is that I wil l become more tolerant with people because I will know that they are not trying to be disrespectful or arrogant; it is part of their culture. As communication largely occurs through verbal elements, I believe that gaining an increased understanding of different languages will in-turn contribute to greater amounts of cultural understanding. The improvement of this cultural understanding will then extend to areas that are not simply linked to language, but also will include a more comprehensive recognition of the deep and meaningful elements.

Canadas Health Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Canadas Health Policy - Essay Example The Chapter discusses how social structure and healthcare policy correlate. How is the correlation of social structure and health Socioeconomical factors are deterrent of health. There is no question that income levels have direct link to health. For example, social classes of higher income are more likely to report their health as good. Those below the poverty level are more likely to address their health as poor. How does socioeconomical status affect people psychologically, physically, and emotionally These variables are referred to as stressors. Stressors are interconnected with the bodies physiological results its common knowledge that high levels of emotional issues are heavy influence on common diseases such as respritory illnesses and even worse illnesses. The example given in this chapter done by Kiecolt-Glaser, Malarkey, Cacioppo on page 169 discusses how abusive relationships between married man and women lead to decreased levels of proved decreased levels of health protecting hormones. This decrease was much more promanate with women then with men. The Social Gradient discussed on page 164 and beyond details into deeper theory into how social class influences health. This distribution of inequality of classes within a country has different healthcare reactions due to the actual country. Comparative examples of how social status affects countries would be alcohol related deaths in France, coronary diseases in Great Britain. Easily states, different illnesses in different countries. The Social Gradient is indirect support of the main theme of SES. Human's relative position in society is a factor but not as stated further into the chapter. Stressors have a larger impact of an individual's health. However, it's a well knows fact that higher income levels are more likely to care better and seek better levels of care. This Chapter addresses the basic fundamentals that create the demographic data needed in shaping Canada's Healthcare Policy. Economists value the state of the economy, culture, and distribution of wealth among the country when deciding in care coverage and reimbursements. How are the needs of the citizens distributed across the country This is just a surface scratch of how the Canadian government formulates and controls healthcare and provides access to all its citizens. Socio-economoical class fits inside both Interpretivist and Positivist Approach. If the premise for Interpretivist is the truth is experienced, then social experience needs to be witnessed first hand and the voices of the people of the community must take a very active role in forming health policy. Positivist Approach asks the questions how truth and facts. This is the scientific and analytic approach based on empirical evidence. Demographic Data can be collected, analyzed, trended and statistically manipulated in order to conclude on such ideals as income levels influence heart attacks. How does the status of social groups form healthcare policy The different groups address the different needs of patient population throughout the country. Do these groups require different levels of care and coverage The current healthcare policy as a universal policy promotes equality among the social classes. Many classes in society have the same basic needs

Speech Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Speech Writing - Essay Example Though he was unjustly imprisoned for 27 years, he showed himself true to his education and that was what defined him through his lifetime. Without further ado, let me introduce an exceptional man who made us tremendously honored during our graduation ceremonies, Mr. Nelson Mandela. A man of character deserves more than just an articulate speech but perhaps there could be no honor that will give justice to a notable man such as Liu Xiaobo. For years, he has been the voice for those who did not have the courage, position or opportunity to speak their minds. We all have wars to fight and this brave writer and literary critic chose to fight for the rights of his people through the use of his sharp pen. It is one thing to fight for one’s self, a better thing to fight for one’s family but to fight for those whose knees are feeble and whose screams are unheard; it is worth more than a Nobel Prize. Anyhow, it is an honor to salute you sir Liu Xiaobo for a job well

How Do Employees Of XXX Perceive the Effectiveness of the Companys Research Paper - 1

How Do Employees Of XXX Perceive the Effectiveness of the Companys Staff Appraisal System - Research Paper Example In light of the research question, what constitutes an effective performance appraisal needs to be determined first, in order to appreciate, identify with and empathize with staff perceptions. Personal development is a necessary element for both personal and organizational benefits, and performance appraisals are the best means of identifying the training needs of staff, as well as being a systematic mechanism for evaluating the standards of staff performance, determining salaries and advancements and detecting any factors that impinge on staff effectiveness. An effective appraisal system is one that considers cultural values (Feng, Foster & Healing), that is perceived by staff as being fair and acceptable, that is a reciprocal cooperation between staff and management and one that is appropriate to daily duties (Duraisingam & Skinner, 2005). Such a system fosters staff satisfaction and motivation. A number of factors other than performance appraisal methods must be considered when developing a new and effective system; other factors that might explain staff perceptions of personal appraisals are fairness and cultural awareness. Kavanagh, Benson & Brown (2007) discuss theoretical support for performance appraisal processes and explain that such support is evidenced in ‘control theory and social exchange theory’ (p.134). Process control theory proposes that staff perceptions of fairness are related to the degree of control each employee is able to employ within the process (Konovsky, 2000, p.493 cited in Kavanagh, Benson & Brown, 2007). Social exchange theory, on the other hand, refers to ‘relationships that entail unspecified future obligations’ (Kavanagh, Benson & Brown, 2007, p. 134), wherein the way management treats employees is of significance. Fairness, therefore, may be perceived in relation to the amount of control an employee has within the p rocess and the way in which their appraiser handles the process.  

Language in society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Language in society - Assignment Example Gender stereotypes are basic generalizations about the gender attributes, variations and the roles of individuals or groups. Gender stereotypes can be both positive and negative, perpetuated when people automatically apply assumptions based on gender to others in disregard of evidence to the contrary.Looking at the linguistic behavior of both women and men across languages; we will identify many specific differences. Gender stereotypes can be identified in the use of language in diverse contexts. Historically, Language forms may maintain old attitudes which portray men as morally, intellectually, spiritually or absolutely superior to women. Men and women are socially diverse in that society places special social roles for them, expecting different patterns of behavior (Trudgill, 1992). This may cause offence in today’s society, so we view these forms as appropriate for change. For example, terms such as men, man or mankind depict male as the norm-the term for the species or pe ople in general is identical to that referring to one sex only. It had been so different three years ago, the night she'd met Stefan de Vaux. There'd been a party. Bella always threw a party when she'd sold a picture because poverty, she'd explained, was a great inspiration. She'd been wearing a brilliant blue caftan, her fair hair twisted on the top of her head, the severity of it accenting her high cheekbones, the little jade Buddha gleaming on its silver chain round her neck. Claire, pale from England and the illness that had allowed her to come to Tangier to recuperate, had been passed from guest to guest - "Ah, you're Bella's cousin" - like a plate of canapes, she thought ruefully, attractive but unexciting. Until Stefan de Vaux had taken her out onto the balcony and kissed her. "Well?" he'd said softly, in his lightly accented voice, letting her go at last, and she had just stood there, staring at him, at his lean, outrageously handsome face, his laughing mouth, amber brown ey es. "Angry? Pleased? Shocked?" And she'd blushed furiously, feeling all three. This article can be analyzed to reveal whether men and women speak differently, and to explore the nature of masculinity and femininity and their association to ideologies conveyed in language. Women supposedly speak in emphatic language that includes the use of italics. For example, the speaker in the article uses the words ‘so different’ or ‘ruefully’ to create emphasis in her speech. Use of redundant qualifiers, also linked to women’s language is evident in the phrases ‘attractive but unexciting’, ‘lightly accented voice’, ‘outrageously handsome face’ and ‘amber brown eyes’. The speaker employs the use of direct quotation when she talks of â€Å"Ah, you're Bella's cousin", "Angry? Pleased? Shocked?" and "Well?" in her description of the conversations between characters. Use of special lexis of color can be identified in the phrases ‘a brilliant blue caftan’ and ‘silver chain’. Women use questions more often in speech as a rhetorical means of engaging the other partner’s conversational contribution or of getting attention from others conversationally. This can be spotted in the article where the speaker asks the

The Role of Grammar in Language Teaching & Learning Essay Example for Free

The Role of Grammar in Language Teaching Learning Essay Introduction In this ever changing world, the barriers to communication and understanding must be lowered. The acquisition of linguistic skills requires that one must be able to master it and use it to communicate effectively to people who are using that same language, like English for instance. For learners of this particular language to communicate effectively, teachers in the language arts have a very important role to play in teaching every aspect of English, particularly its grammar and use. This is because, to understand and be understood, grammar is an important part of language and communication. The English Language The English language, a language belonging to the Germanic languages branch of the Indo-European language family, is widely spoken in six continents. It is the primary language of the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and various Caribbean and Pacific island nations; it is also the official language of about 45 nations including India, the Philippines, and many sub-Saharan African countries. Other than this, it is the second most widely spoken native language in the world, the mother tongue of more than 350 million people, and the most widely taught foreign language (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, 2006). The United Nations uses English not only as one of its official languages but also as one of its two working languages. The language is also the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, diplomacy and the Internet (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2003). Usage English relies mainly on word order: usually subject-verb-object, to indicate relationships between words. But many, including native speakers of the language, are still finding it hard to use the language correctly. In the past, there have been those willing to provide guidance to the public on correct usage of the language. Americas most famous lexicographer, Noah Webster, for instance, published a dictionary and speller which taught not only spelling but also pronunciation, common sense, morals, and good citizenship. Other lexicographers have also attempted to produce material that would serve as guide for the public regarding correct use of the English language (Encyclopedia of American History, 2006). Like other languages, English has changed greatly. English easily borrows words from other languages and has coined many new words to reflect advances in technology. Changes of every sort have taken place concomitantly in the sounds (phonetics), in their distribution (phonemics), and in the grammar (morphology and syntax) (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2003). English is the most widely learned and used language even in non-native English speaking nations. It is widely learned and used for communication purposes especially in the academe and in businesses. Because of this wide use of the language, it has often been referred to as the global language or the lingua franca of the modern era.   It is currently the language most often sought and taught as a second language around the world (Wikipedia, 2007). Grammar Today, use of formal Standard English is required in the workplace and in the academe. It is the language of most educational, legal, governmental, and professional documents. It is used in newspapers, magazines, and books. It is the English we hear from radio and television announcers and persons making formal speeches. It is the language spoken in international commerce. Hence, many schools are focused on teaching students proper English speaking and writing skills. English grammar is a body of rules specifying how meanings are created in English. Basically, English is a subject verb object (SVO) language, meaning, it prefers a sequence of subject–verb–object in its simplest, unmarked declarative statements. But word order is a complicated matter in English (Wikipedia, 2007). Standard English can vary in different situations, but certain conventions or rules within it are fairly constant, and well-educated people deem them worthy of being observed. That is why the name â€Å"standard† is applied to this variety of English. If a person wants to succeed in the academic and business worlds, as well as in many other pursuits, he or she must master the conventions of Standard English. Formal and Informal English Standard English is used in so many different situations. Its use may range from casual telephone conversations to formal speeches, that it would be impossible to name a particular kind of English appropriate for each situation. Two domains of Standard English may be distinguished, however, and that is formal English and informal English. Formal English, like formal dress and formal manners, is a language for special occasions. It is sometimes referred to as literary English. It is also the language used in serious writing. It is used in formal essays, essay answers to examination questions, formal reports, research papers, literary criticism, scholarly writings, and addresses on serious or solemn occasions. Formal English is likely to include words that are rarely used in ordinary conversations. The sentences are likely to be more elaborately constructed and longer than those of ordinary writing. Contractions are rarely used. Formal English pays close attention to refinements in usage and avoids slang. Informal English, on the other hand, is the language most individuals use most of the time. It is the language of most magazines, newspapers, books, and talks intended for general audiences. The conventions of informal English are less rigid than those of formal English. Sentences may be long or short, and they are likely to sound more like conversation than the stately rhythms of formal English. Contractions often appear in informal English, and sometimes a slang expression is used. Excellent Language Skills While individuals can generally speak about three kinds of English: formal standard, informal standard, and non-standard, the lines between them are not always easy to draw. One kind of usage shades into another. An expression that one may think of as being informal may turn up in a formal address. A slang word or colloquial that originates in non-standard English may become an acceptable part of the informal vocabulary. Many words and constructions which one may think of as belonging to standard speech may come into use among speakers of non-standard English. This essentially means that the great majority of words and one’s ways of putting them together are common to all three kinds of English. If the language conforms to the conventions of Standard English, one’s main concern will be to vary his or her specific word choices to meet a particular need. The need will be determined by the nature of the audience, whether one is speaking or writing. There will be times when one cannot be sure whether a particular word or expression is suitable for the occasion. One can get help with his or her decision by turning to a textbook on grammar and usage, by turning to a dictionary, or by consulting a special book on English usage. Most of all, one can pay closer attention to the preferences of people who speak the language with obvious care. With careful observation, one may also notice that the rules of grammar are useful but not an invariably reliable guide to usage. Grammar describes the system of a language. Usage, however, is concerned with appropriate forms of expression. The two – grammar and usage – are not always the same, for language is a living and growing thing, and life and growth are not always logical. The people who use a language are constantly changing it. Since the rules of grammar describe the way the language works, when the system changes, the rules also change. Importance of English Grammar Effective speaking and writing goes beyond mere acceptance of the most appropriate grammatical rules. It embraces such qualities as clarity, forcefulness of expression, honesty, originality, freshness, and often, brevity. Yet the conventions of Standard English should never be underestimated as the essential foundation of good speaking and writing. If one deviates from the conventions of Standard English, people will think more about how one is expressing himself or herself about what he or she is saying. Any language that calls attention to itself or strikes listeners as unsuitable to the situation gets in the way of communication. For instance, if an applicant speaks casually with a prospective employer, as he or she does with close friends, that applicant may ruin his or her chances of getting the job. Moreover, if a person jokingly uses non-standard language around strangers, then these people who hear the speaker may get the impression that he or she does not know Standard English. It is thus important to know the different forms of English to make wise choices from them. Language Teaching English is basically the medium of instruction in most schools all over the world. In teaching the English language, most teachers begin with the parts of speech, their identification and their function. For some students, the study of English may point to certain aspects that are already familiar, like grammar for example, but for others, especially for those who will learn the language formally for the first time, grammar will not be very familiar. Grammar is important. It gives learners the ability to talk about language by providing a terminology and a system of classification. Also by making a learner aware of the basic patterns of English sentences, grammar can help the learner develop a varied and interesting style in their speaking and writing. This is one of the main goals of the study of English. Teacher and Learner Roles One can hardly imagine a language learning situation in the absence of interaction between and among students, fellow students, the teacher and the textbook. Every time a student interacts with any of these sources, he or she makes various hypotheses about what is being learned, and accepts or rejects them, trying out new ones. In an attempt to learn a foreign language, the student-learner is dependent on other people with whom he or she can interact with, as he or she develops a wide range of strategies which will be tested only in a communicative context. According to Thanasoulas (1999), these strategies can be distinguished in three categories: production strategies, comprehension strategies and interactive strategies. These strategies will not be explored in this paper. However, what is being pointed at here is the importance of human interaction in the classroom or learning setting as a condition for successful language learning and intellectual, emotional and social development (Thanasoulas, 1999). The Teacher’s Role It has been suggested that language teaching is a complex issue, encompassing linguistic, psycholinguistic, socio-cultural, pragmatic, as well as instructional and curricular dimensions. There are numbers of factors contributing to the dynamics of the educational process, such as internationalism and the pragmatic status of the foreign language (e.g., English), teaching and learning styles, and program characteristics. For example, the general expectation by students, parents and teachers that learners should achieve a high level of proficiency in English when they leave school influences both language policies and how foreign language learning will evolve. Furthermore, the teaching-learning process reflects different cultural traits and traditions. In some cultures, students tend to feel more at ease in the classroom, expressing their viewpoints and agreement or disagreement; in others, a passive attitude towards the teacher and the target language is more common. For instance, Greek society and its educational system favour rote memorisation, while western countries, in general, do not value it. Instead, they practice and take tons of drills to perfect their study of grammar and the English language. Moreover, such issues as the degree of preparation of teachers and the validity of testing and evaluation procedures can have a tremendous impact on language learning (Thanasoulas, 1999). As is patently obvious, the task or act, one may say, of teaching encapsulates a lot more than merely providing instruction and guidelines for students. It presupposes a psychological and philosophical knowledge on the teachers part, so as to combine techniques in class, as well as sufficient command of the basic structure of human existence, with a view to assessing any situation accurately and appropriately (Thanasoulas, 1999). Clearly linked to the roles defined for the learner are the roles the teacher is expected to play in the instructional process. Teacher roles, too, must ultimately be related both to assumptions about content and, at the level of approach, to particular views of language and language learning. Some instructional systems are totally dependent on the teacher as the source of knowledge and direction; others see the teachers role as catalyst, consultant, diagnostician, guide, and model for learning; still others try to teacher-proof the instructional system by limiting teacher initiative and building instructional content and direction into texts or lesson plans. Teacher and learner roles define the type of interaction characteristic of classrooms in which a particular method is being used. Teacher roles in methods are related to the following issues: the types of functions teachers are expected to fulfil (e.g., practice director, counsellor, model), the degree of control the teacher influences over learning, the degree to which the teacher is responsible for determining linguistic content, and the interactional patterns assumed between teachers and learners (Richards, 1994: 23). Undoubtedly, the teacher is called upon to perform several functions in foreign language learning. These are the following: teacher as director and manager; teacher as counsellor and a language resource; and teacher as a model and independent language user (Thanasoulas, 1999). The Teacher as a Director and Manager. One of the main concerns of the teacher as a director and manager is to create a warm, stimulating atmosphere in which the students will feel secure and confident. It is very important for learners to feel very much at home with both their teachers and fellow-learners, if they are to be expected to venture out into the deep waters of foreign language learning, to experiment with new and strange sounds, and to role-play in a language which they have barely begun to learn (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 95). Apart from assisting in creating the right atmosphere, the teacher should also make decisions on the materials to be used, as well as the activities and games which will best accord with the learners needs and abilities. Inasmuch as learners do not necessarily share the same cognitive and linguistic abilities, or interests and motivation, it is incumbent on the teacher to choose a wide variety of materials and teaching techniques and strategies in order to respond to the students interests and capacities. To this end, the teacher is supposed to organize the class, deciding whether a specific role-play or game will be simulated in pairs or in groups. Bearing all this in mind, the teacher may help develop a learner-centred approach to foreign language learning, as he / she takes into account the learners preferences, tailoring the materials and strategies to their needs (Thanasoulas, 1999). The Teacher as Counsellor and a Language Resource. The second function that the foreign language teacher is expected to fulfil is that of counsellor and a language resource. In other words, the responsibility is on the teacher to provide the learners with the necessary input in order to foster understanding of the relation between grammar, language, and communication. In short, the teacher must modify and simplify the language used according to the needs arising in each communicative situation, and to the grammatical competence and language proficiency of the students. In addition to simplifying teacher talk, it is also the teacher’s prerogative to resort to miming and facial expressions (Thanasoulas, 1999). Learning and teaching is multi-sensory and everything in the classroom and method must imply that learning is relaxing, fun and possible to be attained (Papaconstantinou, 1991: 35). Moreover, the teacher as a language resource should help learners to acquaint themselves with, and acquire a taste for, the target language and culture. It is the teacher’s duty to make explicit that language is not to be held in a vacuum but should always be learnt in connection to its users and the uses to which it is put. In light of this, grammar, though it is very important, should not be the sole reference point in foreign language learning; the teacher has to draw his students attention to the socio-cultural and pragmatic aspects of the foreign language, in order to help them assess the accuracy and appropriacy of the language they produce, both at the sentence level and the discourse level. As J. C. Richards (1994: 157) notes, a focus on grammar in itself is not a valid approach to the development of language proficiency. The teacher as a counsellor and a language resource should see it as her goal to provide enough remedial work, in order to eradicate students errors, and encourage learners to develop their own learning strategies and techniques, so as to discover the answers to their own questions (Thanasoulas, 1999). The Teacher as a Model and Independent Language User. In order to become a successful communicator and model for learners, the teacher should promote a wide range of behaviours and psychological and social relationships such as solidarity and politeness. Often learners have difficulties in adopting these behaviours because of the psychological and social distance that there exists between learners and materials. As a result, learners have a tendency to adopt the teachers language behaviours to indicate attitude and role relationships, rather than those presented in materials. This is understandable, of course, since the teacher is a live model, a real human being to whom they can more easily relate (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 101). In short, the teacher should help learners to negotiate meaning in the target language through his or her own active participation in it, and act as a mediator between the linguistic and extra-linguistic context of foreign language learning, as these are reflected in the textbooks and audio-visual aids, etc., or literature, respectively (Thanasoulas, 1999). Teachers play an essential role in the foreign language classroom. Not only are they directors and managers of the classroom environment but they also function as counsellors and language resources facilitating the teaching-learning process. In addition, teachers can become models and independent language users in order to overcome the inherent shortcomings of the foreign language classroom environment (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993:104). The Learners What roles do learners play in the design of educational programs and systems, and how much leeway are they left with in contributing to the learning process? In the last two decades or so, there has been a shift from Cognitive and Transformational-Generative Grammar Approaches to a Communicative view of learning. Learners, who were formerly viewed as stimulus-response mechanisms whose learning was the product of practice reminding one of the well-known dictum, Repetitio est mater studiorum are nowadays regarded as individuals who should have a say in the educational process. The role of the learner as negotiator between the self, the learning process, and the object of learning emerges from and interacts with the role of joint negotiator within the group and within the classroom procedures and activities which the group undertakes. The implication for the learner is that he should contribute as much as he gains, and thereby learn in an interdependent way (Breen and Candlin, 1980: 110, cited in Richards, 1994: 22-23). Three Factors Responsible for Student Learning Age, cognitive and learning factors. Age variation in foreign language learning and learning differences between children and adults are significant factors that must be taken into account in choosing the right approaches, design and procedures. Experiments have shown that there are a lot of biological factors at work in language learning. In young learners, both hemispheres of the brain are responsible for the language function, while at puberty it is only the left hemisphere that takes over, which makes language acquisition and learning more difficult. This process is called lateralisation and it may be responsible for learning differences between children and adults. Cognitive and learning styles, already acquired through mother tongue, may influence foreign language learning. According to Papaefthymiou-Lytra, â€Å"Of all personality characteristics attributed to individuals, certain cognitive and learning variables have been researched to determine the degree of their influence on successful foreign or second language learning. These are: field-dependence and field-independence, formal operations, the monitor and foreign language aptitude† (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 84-85). Field-independent individuals are more analytical by inclination and tend to learn through reasoning faculties, whereas field-dependent individuals view learning in toto, acquiring knowledge subconsciously. Piagets formal operations theory relates to adults more mature cognitive capacities as opposed to the unconscious automatic kind of learning (Genessee, 1977, 148, cited in Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 85) that characterizes young learners less mature cognitive system. According to this theory, adults are thought to deal with the abstract nature of language more easily than young learners; it is very often the case, though, that young people may prove better learners in the long run. Another factor that influences language learning is the monitor use employed by learners. Three types of monitor users have been identified: over users, under users and optimal users. Over users are associated with analytical conscious learning†¦On the other hand, under users are associated with subconscious learning and extrovert personalities†¦Finally, the third category is that of optimal users who seem to be the most efficient (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 85-86). Social and affective factors. Successful foreign language learning calls for an examination of the social and affective factors at work. First of all, the teacher should take into consideration the social proficiency which learners have attained. By social proficiency we mean the degree to which the learner employs, or taps into, the foreign language in order to communicate and negotiate meaning or achieve certain social goals. Some learners, for example, may complain when their classmate uses their pens or pencils because they have not learnt to use language in a socially accepted way. For instance, they cannot cope with making requests, asking permission, giving condolences, etc. It is worth noting that different cultures favour different attitudes on the part of the learner and, as a result, it is very probable that most of these situations do not necessarily reflect lack of social proficiency. Apart from social factors, affective factors also play an important role as they may facilitate or preclude learning. It is a commonplace that an atmosphere that fosters and promotes confidence and emotional stability will produce better students. Harmony in the classroom helps relieve tension and keeps the door to language processing open. A teachers task is like that of an orchestra conductor, who tends to fly into higher spheres, and has a tendency to fly and pull himself and the others above everydays problems towards a more creative reality (Papaconstantinou, 1991: 65). In this reality the learner may easily identify with the teacher and venture out into new aspects of the target language, dealing with it in her own, individual way. Unless she feels at ease with her teacher and her fellow-students, she will not learn. If she feels rejected and is afraid of being told off or scoffed at whenever she makes a mistake, she will withdraw from the educational process and lag behind, both cognitively and emotionally. Consequently, the content of materials for classroom use as well as classroom practices should be compatible with the affective variables influencing learners (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 90). Learner’s needs and interests. Indubitably, a successful course should consider learner needs. For this reason, the concept of needs analysis has assumed an important role in language learning. Needs analysis has to do with the aims of a course, as these are determined by the uses to which the target language will be put on completion of the programme. For example, is our aim to achieve a high level of language proficiency or are we called upon to respond to the needs of, say, adult learners who need to master specific skills, such as academic writing or note-taking? All these parameters will have to inform the methods and techniques we use in class, as well as the materials design we are supposed to implement in order to achieve the best results. With regard to learners interests, it is worth noting that we, as teachers, should be cognizant of the differences between children and adolescents. For instance, the former are interested in body movement and play, whereas the latter want to learn about human relationships in general and achieve a deeper understanding of their abilities, with the aim of developing a sound personality and character. It has become evident that foreign language learning is far from a simple, straightforward process where teachers are the purveyors of knowledge and students the passive subjects who receive that knowledge. For successful foreign language learning, students must have both the ability and desire to learn. Otherwise, the objectives we set are doomed to failure. Foreign language teachers, therefore, must be flexible enough and sensitive enough to respond well to the individual learning preferences, interests and needs of their learners in terms of materials, techniques, classroom methodology and teacher talk. After all, language learning is not a monolithic process since not all personality and environmental factors can be kept under control in a foreign language situation (Papaefthymiou-Lytra, 1993: 94). Grammar in Communicative Language Teaching Linguists define grammar as a set of components: phonetics or the production and perception of sounds; phonology or how sounds are combined; morphology, which refers to the study of forms, or how elements are combined to create words; syntax referring to how words are strung together into sentences; and semantics or meaning. Because all languages are characterized by these components, by definition, language does not exist without grammar (Musumeci, 1997). Musumeci (1997) asserts however, that grammar has not always been defined in these terms. Originally, the term grammar, grammatica, referred to the art of writing, as compared to rhetoric, rettorica, the art of speaking. As used today by many teachers and learners, grammar is loosely understood to be a set of rules that govern language, primarily its morphology and syntax. But morphology and syntax are only two components of grammar. Communicative language teaching has brought a renewed emphasis on the role that semantics plays in the definition of language. Communicative language teaching is fundamentally concerned with making meaning in the language, whether by interpreting someone elses message, expressing ones own, or negotiating when meaning is unclear. Viewing grammar with all of its components helps learners as language teachers understand the complexity of what it means to know the grammar of a language. Clearly, the goal of language learning in the communicative classroom is for learners to acquire the grammar of the second language in its broadest sense, to enable them to understand and make meaning; that is, to become proficient users of the second language. Research and experience have shown that explicit teaching of grammatical rules, even if linguists were able to formulate them all, does not produce such competence (Musumeci, 1997). Adnan (n.d.), however, disagrees with this contention of Musumeci and asserts that there are many aspects of SLA such as the strategy of learning, the role of communicative language teaching, the role of formal grammar teaching etc. Adnan (n.d.) attempts to study the role of formal grammar teaching for two reasons: First, this has generated a great debate in second language teaching and a lot of research has been done on it. Second, there is an indication that grammar teaching has been neglected in English teaching in favour of developing communicative competence in language which results in students having poor knowledge of grammar. Now, some people have called for the return of grammar teaching into the English class to solve the problem. It was noted that similar problems occurred in the immersion program in Canada. Although Krashen (1982) praises the program for producing learners with very high levels of second language proficiency, many researchers have for some time recognised that immersion learners fail to recognise some grammatical distinctions (Ellis, 1994). According to Adnan (n.d.), the Indonesian language teaching circle are beginning to use the communicative approach and he is concerned that if this circle gets affected by the strong view that only communicative activities are important in developing second language proficiency, and therefore, grammar teaching is of little importance, this may lead to the same problems. He stresses in his study that he is not advocating a grammar dominated classroom or a return to grammar translation method. Nor is he trying to advocate that communicative activities are not important either. It is stressed that they are also very important. What is being done is discuss the research findings on the role of grammar teaching so as to have a good understanding of what it can offer and what problems it has (Adnan, n.d.). It was determined that there were some problems that occurred in grammar teaching. And these were: it can have deleterious effects, e.g. avoidance of certain grammar points which once traumatised the learner (Pienemann, 1987), it can de‑motivate if the teaching is not interesting, it can lead to wrong generalisation (Lightbown, 1983; Felix, 1981), and it can be ineffective if the learners are not ready. (Pienemann, 1987). Nevertheless, the advantages are the following: formal grammar teaching can improve accuracy Ellis (1989); Pica (1985); Lightbown and Spada (1990), it can accelerate acquisition when learners are ready (Pienemann, 1987) it can help eliminate inappropriate use of expressions (Adnan, 1994), and it can result in new knowledge (Pienemann, 1984). In light of this, it is clear that to improve learner acquisition of a second language, there is a need to consider teaching grammar at an appropriate time. Spada (1987) suggests that formal instruction may work best when it is combined with opportunities to engage in natural communication. Ellis (1990) explains how formal instruction works. According to him, the main mechanism by which instruction works is by developing explicit knowledge of a grammatical feature which subsequently helps learners to acquire implicit knowledge (which in his mind is responsible for actual performance). Pienemann argues that grammar should be taught only when learners are ready for it. In an extensive review of research in the second language acquisition, Ellis (1994) suggests that the ideal approach to teaching is the combination of both formal teaching and engaging students in communicative activities. This is also supported by research findings in good learners studies which generally concluded that successful learners pay attention both to forms and functions i.e. engage in communicative use of the language. Pienemanns argument, namely teaching grammar when learners are ready, that is, when they begin to use it and ask about it, is appealing. This is also in line with Krashens hypothesis of comprehensible input. However, most have not had a standard sequence of the acquisition order of a different language like say Adnan’s language which is Indonesian, by foreign learners though it is noted by Adnan that this is being done as they do in English and German. Before the learners are ready, grammatical explanation is kept to a minimum or presented indirectly through games or other types of exercises. Learners at tertiary levels (or perhaps adults in general) appear to need grammatical explanation from an early stage. But it is believed that time should not be sacrificed to develop communicative mainly oral skills in favour of detailed grammar teaching. Their needs should be met by providing grammar books which explain grammar in language that they can understand. References Adnan, Z. (n.d.). The Role of Formal Grammar Teaching on Second Language Acquisition: A Review of Research and on Views. Retrieved on March 5, 2007 from http://intranet.usc.edu.au/wacana/2/grammar.sla.html Crystal, David (1997). English as a Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Dendrinos, B. (1992) The EFL Textbook and Ideology. Athens: N. C. Grivas Publications Ellis, Rod (1994). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press English language. (2006). Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved on March 7, 2007 from http://concise.britannica.com/ English language. (2003). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia University Press. Retrieved on March 7, 2007 from www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ English Language. (2006). Encyclopedia of American History. Encyclopedia of American History through a partnership of Answers Corporation. Retrieved on March 7, 2007 from http://www.answers.com/topic/english-language English Language. (2007). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved on March 6, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language English Grammar. (2007). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved on March 6, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_grammar Felix, S. (1981). The effect of formal instruction on second language acquisition. Language Learning. 31: 87‑112 Krashen, S. (1982) Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press Lightbown, P. (1983) Exploring relationship between developmental and instructional sequences in in L2 acquisition in H. Seliger and M. Long (eds.) (1983) Classroom Oriented Research in Second Language Acquisition. Rowley, Mass: Newbury House. Lightbown, P. and Spada, N. (1990). Instruction and the Development of Questions in L2 Classroom SSLA. Vol. 15, pp. 205‑224 Lixin Xiao. (2006). Bridging the Gap Between Teaching Styles and Learning Styles: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Volume 10 Number 3. Retrieved on March 6, 2007 from http://tesl-ej.org/ej39/a2.pdf McArthur, T. (ed.) (1992). The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford University Press. Mora, J. K. (1999). Major components of the study of syntax and grammar: Teaching grammar in context. San Diego State University. Retrieved on March 5, 2007 from http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/Grammar.htm Musumeci, D. (1997). The role of grammar in communicative language teaching: A historical perspective. The McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved on March 5, 2007 from http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/foreignlang/conf/grammar.html Papaconstantinou, A. (1991) Suggestopedia: An art of Teaching, an art of Living. Athens: Hellinika Grammata Papaconstantinou, A. (1997) Creating the Whole Person in New Age. Athens: A. Kardamitsa Papaefthymiou-Lytra, S. (1993) Language, Language Awareness and Foreign Language Learning. Athens: The University of Athens Press. Pienemann, M. (1987) Learnability and Syllabus Constructions. In Hyltenstam, K. and Pienemann, M. (Eds.) Modelling and Assessing Second Language Development. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Pienemann, M. (1984). Psychological Constrains on the Teachability of Languages. SSLA, 6 (2), pp. 186‑214 Richards, J. C. (1994). The Context of Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Spada, N. (1987). Relationship between Instructional Differences and Learning Outcomes: A Process‑product Study of Communicative Language Teaching. Applied Linguistics, Vol. 8, pp. 137‑61 Thanasoulas, D. (1999). Classroom: Forum or Arena? Retrieved on March 7, 2007 from http://www.englishclub.com/tefl-articles/classroom.htm

Movie Analysis Of Walt Disneys Enchanted Film Studies Essay

Movie Analysis Of Walt Disneys Enchanted Film Studies Essay A film from Walt Disney pictures, Enchanted, is a fantasy musical film starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey and Susan Sarandon. It is directed by Kevin Lima and written by Billy Kelly. Enchanted garnered two nominations at the 65th Golden Globe Awards and three nominations at the 80th Academy Awards. The film earned more than $340 million worldwide at the box office.1 The movie starts with a storybook showing the story in the magical kingdom of Andalasia. There is an evil queen named Narissa (Susan Sarandon) who tries to prevent her step son from marrying a maiden in fear that she will lose her throne. On the other hand, there is a girl named Giselle (Amy Adams), who hopes that a prince will come for her and share true loves kiss. Still, no matter how hard the evil queen prevents the prince from ever meeting a maiden, Prince Edward (James Marsden) still meets Giselle when he heard her singing True Loves Kiss. They fell in love at first sight and decided to marry each other. On the day of their wedding, an old lady showed up and said that she has a wedding gift for Giselle. But, it is a trap set by the evil queen. The queen pushed Giselle into the well which led her to Earth, a place which the queen called as a place where there is no happily ever afters. The comical character of Giselle became a real lady in the real world. She comes out of a manhole and, knowing nothing about the real world, is surprised with what she saw. She tries to find help on how to go back to Andalasia but ended up getting her tiara stolen by an old guy. She walks until she finds a billboard with the picture of a palace which she thought was a real one. On the way home after work of Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey) with her daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey), Morgan told her dad that there is a princess in the castle and goes out of the cab. Giselle falls down from the billboard and fortunately Robert caught him. Seeing that Giselle had no place to stay, Robert let Giselle stay in th eir home for the night. In search for Giselle, Prince Edward goes into the real world, together with the chipmunk Pip. They also came out of the manhole which made people wonder where they are coming from. Waking up in the morning and seeing how messy the place was, Giselle called her animal friends and they cleaned the house together. Nancy (Idina Menzel) who is Roberts fianceeà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ¡ saw Giselle in his home and she got mad at him. Queen Narissa sent Nathaniel to search for Prince Edward to prevent him from finding Giselle. Nathaniel met the Prince and Pip tried to say to the Prince what the Queen plans to do to Giselle but the Prince could not understand it because the chipmunk cannot talk on earth. In the meantime, Robert came with Giselle to their office. They went for a stroll in the park where Nathaniel gave Giselle a poisonous apple which she luckily did not get a chance to eat. Giselle asked Robert how Nancy knows he loves her. Giselle started singing a song which Prince Edward has luckily heard. Giselle sent Nancy a heart-shaped flowers with doves to help Robert in expressing his love for Nancy. On a restaurant where Giselle and Robert ate, Nathaniel, in an attempt to poison Giselle, gave her a poisonous drink. When she was about to drink it, Pip kicks the glass and successfully told Giselle that Prince Edward is there too. Nathaniel saw Pip so it hid under the pizza which Nathaniel threw in the fire. It made the news that Pip was still alive. Giselle was interviewed in the television where Prince Edward saw him. Prince Edward went to that place and searched for Giselle. By this time, Giselle and Robert have fallen in love with each other but they just could not admit it since they both have lovers. In the morning, the Prince met Giselle and they are both glad to see each other again. Prince Edward and Giselle went on a date so she has to say goodbye to Robert and Morgan. But Giselle went back because she has to go to the ball. Morgan helped her buy clothes with the help of her daddys credit card. Queen Narissa could not accept that Prince Edward and Giselle are together again so she followed to the real world. At the ball, she showed up as an old lady and gave Giselle an apple which made Giselle fall asleep with just one bite. Prince Edward kissed Giselle to try to wake her up, but she did not. When Robert kissed Giselle, she woke up which means that Robert is her true love. Queen Narissa turned into a dragon and fought with Giselle but Queen Narissa fell and was burned in fire. The film ends with each page of the storybook telling what happened to each character in the story at the end. Prince Edward and Nancy went back to Andalasia and got married. Nathaniel has been a well-known writer in the real world while Pip has been a well-known writer in Andalasia. Robert, Giselle and Morgan became a happy family in the real world. The excellent acting skills of the actors and actresses in the movie made it possible for the movie to win awards. Amy Adams showed how good she is not only in acting but also in singing. James Marsden also did a good job in portraying a prince, who also sings. Though Patrick Dempseys role did not require him to sing, he still did well in acting. Almost all of the casts gave justice to their roles. For the editing, I can say that it was perfect. The scene where there are even cockroaches and rats helping Giselle do the cleaning was edited nicely. Also, the transition from the fairytale to the real world was blameless. The effects used in the scene where the Dragon, Narissa, falls down the building while burning with fire and disappears magically was superbly done. I liked the costume designs of the characters especially Amy Adams and James Marsdens which shows real prince and princess outfit. The background music chosen for each scene was very appropriate. When the fight scene at the top of the castle was shown, the background music added a lot to the atmosphere of the said scene. Since this is a musical film, there has to be production numbers. I can say that they have allotted so much time in practicing for the major production number for the song Thats How You Know since we can see how coordinated everyone is and how perfect their movements are. It was a colorful one. There are old couples, brides and grooms, and even construction workers dancing too. The melody was good and was made even better by the beat of the drums and the voice of Amy Adams. There are also humorous scenes injected in the movie. One can laugh at the scene of Prince Edward when he asks the television like it was a mirror to tell him where the place Giselle was and the reporter actually said the location then Prince Edward thanked the television. Another is when Giselle made a dress out of the curtains which left a trace of the outline of the dress. Overall, I can say that I really liked this movie for it combines fairytale, which everyone has liked in their childhood, and the real world where we are. I also loved all the songs played in this movie.

The Principles And Misconceptions In Effective Interpersonal Communications Psychology Essay

The Principles And Misconceptions In Effective Interpersonal Communications Psychology Essay Good interpersonal skills, with the aid of communication skills and emotional intelligence, are a weapon that can work for or against the future of newly married couples. Learning ones behavior depends, solely, on the level of interaction between the parties, guided by principles of communication. The latter influences the unfolding of future events basing on perceived trust. In the modern society, family unions, especially marriages, are facing turbulence times in spite of professional counselors. The result is that a high proportion of these unions usually end up in divorce, justifying the rising number of single parent families globally. The cause of such a trend, to an extent, is poor communication skills in relationships and misconceptions that arise thereafter. Therefore, lack of clear knowledge of the guiding principles of interpersonal relationships is the leading cause of instability in many unions. To begin with, there is not one known way to remedy social conflicts arising from interpersonal relationships. Experts in marital and family matters (guiding and counseling professionals and psychotherapists) have, for a long time, proposed application of an amalgam of various measures to salvage breaking marriages. Among them, are as described below: The principles and misconceptions in effective interpersonal communications Interpersonal relationships established basing on openness and honesty are hinged on clarity of interpersonal communications. When one of the couples feels withdrawn from the conversation, then the signal sent is very clear, implying that the quality of communication is deteriorating gradually. Hence, in the near future decision making becomes one persons responsibility. Therefore, conflicts emerge and its devastative effects become imminent or disastrous (LeBaron, 2008). Consequently, as put forward by Pierce, in his book Training in Interpersonal Communication Skills with the Partners of Deteriorated Marriages, respect is the, fundamental, core value of any successful interpersonal relationships. The most critical part of it is that couples should first understand and agree with the fact that respect is mutually earned, but not commanded. As a result, couples will appreciate themselves, of who they really are, in terms of personality and capabilities. Subsequently, couples should not confuse respect for fear. This is because fear brings inferiority complex to the afflicted party. The above highlighted points are of equal importance to avoiding of unnecessary interruption to the other party through understanding their mood, attitude, and behavior. Unnecessary interferences take many forms depending on the couples likes and dislikes. For example, couples should learn and practice listening and speaking skills. This enables a smooth flow of conversation, which put understanding to the optimum. Therefore, chances of misunderstanding are low, as the union survives through future probable conflicts (Pierce, 2001). Define emotional intelligence and its role in effective interpersonal relationships Emotional intelligence has various versions of definitions. This concept as defined by Salovey and Meayer, (1990) could imply the understanding of ones feelings and applying the same in logical thinking. It also encompasses the ability to understand other peoples emotional link to the same issue in comparison to your view. The key issues highlighted in this definition forms the basis of understanding and improving interpersonal communication and interpersonal relationships. For example, a couple should know their emotions and motivate each other to change for their better lives. Management of individual emotions and that of others improves ones skills in handling conflicts in relationships especially marital unions, which in most cases have strong attachment. Other scholars like Marques, (2007) further attached the meanings of these emotions in the process of solving interpersonal problem among relationships. According to John Cox, (2011), emotional intelligence has tremendous results when applied effectively. In support of that, Cox outlined the various roles of emotional intelligence, whose impacts resulted to great benefit to couples who adopted his proposal. For example, one of the crucial roles of emotional intelligence is self-awareness. This enhances ones ability to recognize their emotions, enabling them to understand its effects on them and other people. As a couple, you will accurately evaluate yourselves in terms of strength and weakness and in turn learn to adopt each other, therefore building self-confidence and trust amongst yourself. Another role of emotional intelligence is that of self-management. This skill helps couples to adapt to their new environment, enabling them to develop proactive measures to unknown situation. Motivation that comes along with self-management compels one to perform even better. The trustworthy of couples improves as each party can link emotional consistency to behavior, a reason justifying their integrity. Therefore, all events culminate to couples becoming optimistic of spending a lifetime together. Social awareness is another component of emotional intelligence whose contribution is equally important as those discussed above. Social awareness enhances empathy, which is, understanding and developing concern to other peoples welfare. As couples with a view to live happily with true love, parties in the union must feel empathized with, especially when they are down emotionally. Couples will learn to be service- oriented because of being socially aware of what they are required to do. R elationships management forms the last component of the roles played by emotional intelligence in personal development. Emotional intelligence helps one to inspire and guide other peoples behavior as a role model. This is through challenging others to improve on their performance and realize their full potential, also initiating change management attitude. Learning other peoples reactions, especially that of your spouse enhances amicable conflict resolution strategies among the couples. This is because negotiation skills will improve their interpersonal communication. Identify the barriers to effective interpersonal interactions.   Interpersonal interaction requires both attentive listening and audibility in speaking. Human beings usually feel appreciated when given the attention they deserve or talked to humbly with respect. Couples should learn to speak and listen to each other at a time. Clashing of conversations is usually perceived to have emanated from competition for attention between the couples, which in most cases develops to a quarrel a misunderstanding. Some of the barriers to listening as put forth by Beebe et al. 2000 are as follows: Having a critical attitude towards the speaker, couples should be cautious while approaching each other with a preset mind or attitude because it develops into a habit with time. External distraction can cause loss of concentration to a conversation, either temporarily or permanently. Conversing in an environment with high-pitched noise automatically distorts the intended information and as a result, misunderstanding could lead to unnecessary conflicts. Distorted focus- diverted attention, which is, trying to focus on listening to the speaker and at the same time attending to other matters. When being talked to by your partner, your listening time is highly valuable because it determines the result of the conversation or subsequent responses and reactions. Barriers to effective speaking include but not limited to the following: Ambiguity- a conversation, which lacks clarity tends to obscure the message relayed. The use of abstracts, jargons, and unaccepted informal dialects, in most cases leads to misunderstanding. Prejudging attitude- rushing to making conclusions usually result in facts conflicting. Couples should try as much as possible to; at all times have a full appraisal of each others view before making binding decisions. Stereotype and generalization- alluding to stereotypes usually blocks the flow of information. Thus, to avoid being looked upon as narrow-minded by your partner, for quoting common and meaningless statements, couples should quit such behaviors. To conclude on this issue of barriers to effective communication, several strategies to support listening and speaking skills are as follows: For example, direct your focus on your partner during conversation, pay attention, and concentrate on the speaker. At the same time, be empathic with your partner to show that actually you are actively participating in the conversation. Barriers to effective speaking could reduce if the speaker focuses on the issue at hand rather than the person to avoid being emotional. Also, enhance genuineness throughout the talk to show credibility (Beebe et al. 2000). 4). Evaluate appropriate levels of self-disclosure in relationships Self-disclosure is a situation whereby an individual decides, voluntarily, to share information regarding their private or personal lives, which the other party would not have known. Disclosure happens when relationships that people form has grown strong and mutual trust usually exist between the persons. According to West Turner, (2006), disclosure heightens the level of intimacy in the relationship. That is, the strength of bond between the couples usually improves and withstands the test of time from marital forces. Couples should learn to trust each other with their properties, and most importantly information pertaining to their lives. This is because disclosure of one party influences the other party to try to justify their part, a situation West Turner referred to as dyadic effect. That is, the compelling tendency of a persons disclosure influencing the other party to also expose some information they once regarded as private or a secret. Couples should adopt such a style be cause they will live free of past haunting guilt and they will understand each others behavior comprehensively. Though self-disclosure has its own benefits in marriages or unions of any kind, it is prudent to know the limits of disclosure to avoid hurting the other party. Therefore, there are some guidelines purposely for limiting partners from disgracing with their personal information. These principles limits when and to whom to share your personal data. They include: Self-disclosure should be confined between two intimate people. It is relieving experience where a couple feels light-hearted, free from inner invisible burdens. The same could take place in group therapy settings and public counseling lectures. Self-exposure is reciprocal, that is, for it to be successful, it has to be two way (dialogue). The other will also feel the urge to disclose their hidden secrets, because their counterparts disclosed. If a breakdown of reciprocity occurs, then trust between the couples is shaken. Disclosure has to occur in a certain context of time, not anytime. The duration of the relationship matters a lot on the type of information to disclose and that to retain. The case of newly married couples is challenging, the level of information disclosure should be progressive, just as the relationship grows. Couples should know that definitions of certain statements changes with time. Therefore, the meaning of information disclosed now can imply something different in the future. For example, a historic statement can be associated to one of the couples behavior in future, in case they behave in manner likely to be that which they expounded. Have reasons for self-disclosure. Release of information should not be too voluntarily without justification of a phenomenon. A couple wanting to experience catharsis have a different perception to self-disclosure from those wanting to know themselves better. Maintaining existing relationship and initiating one, requires some degree of understanding between these partners. Therefore, they have to expose part of their identity to the other partner for the growth and development of their relationship apart from themselves being healthy and free of stress (West, 2006). Some people have had reasons not to disclose their information whatsoever. According to West Turner, (2006), couples should consider the effect of their disclosure prior to disclosing their data. Majority of the people will fail to release their data because of the following reasons: evading hurting or rejection, avoid unnecessary conflicts, and be conservative with their personality, which reduces potential stress of whether the other party accepted the information with sincerity. However, in the process of disclosing information regarding their past life, the key principles of disclosure should be observed. For example, when couples choose to disclose their information to each other, honesty and consistency should be explicit. The relevance of the content of the information should remain straightforward; otherwise, one of the parties might be worsening the situation. 5). Describe strategies for managing interpersonal conflicts Conflicts are inevitable in marital lives or unions. Conflicts usually occur when there is interdependence between people, when couples are aware that they have different goals in life or perceive the other arty as a hindrance to self-actualization. Another principle in understanding marital conflicts is by accepting the positive and negative effects of the conflict resolution process. In spite of conflicts seen as an indicator of turmoil in unions, majority shows the relationship is worthy (Michelle, 2008). The sources of conflicts usually occur in a sequential style and they include competition for anything, losers denying the credibility of the conflict resolution processes and declare their dissatisfaction. Furthermore, avoiding conflicts and accommodating defeats implies sacrificing their personal needs for the sake of peace. Therefore, it is high time for couples to adopt conflicts management techniques, which resembles the steps as outlined by Michelle, (2008): Conflicts management begins with conflict definition. The conflict description should encompass content and relationship issues. Storing of grievances and retrieving during arbitration endangers the relationships future. Hence, the specific problem should be identified and relevant measures developed to solve the problem. The next step is to examine possible solution through an open conversation. Involve each party of the union equally in problem solving and identification of solutions. Each party should consider the costs and benefits of their proposal. The third step in conflict resolution after identifying the solution is to test its practicability. This will give room for early improvement on the chosen remedy before its full implementation. The fourth step is to evaluate the solution to identify its effects, in terms of mutual peace among the parties and their degree of satisfaction. In case the solution proposed is not favorable to both parties, revision or harmonization is necessary for its acceptance. In conclusion, my recommendations to most newly married couples are to improve on their emotional intelligence regardless of their status. This as explained earlier in the text helps in understanding our emotions in relation to other peoples emotions. Therefore, managing stress, conflicts, and misconceptions that see day-old unions break, are avoidable. Knowledge of interpersonal communication barriers helps individuals to know when and how to express their feelings in a certain way, depending on the circumstance. Understanding such concepts will reduce the escalating number of single families globally, also couples will experience happy marital lives rather than enduring their marital lives. Yours faithfully, Name