tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27145188455078500152024-03-13T12:08:29.311-07:00Grammar GangAdventure across the hemispheres - where Owls, Possums and Kiwis meetThe Purdue and UniSA Connectionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01873311749547093059noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-77508802672768149612014-09-04T00:17:00.000-07:002014-09-04T00:17:19.584-07:00Bon voyage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qiB7B9beZRg/UeJ8Nbxm1LI/AAAAAAAAAFU/3zkbJc_aTwU/s1600/Ghan%2Band%2BDarwin%2B2012%2B027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qiB7B9beZRg/UeJ8Nbxm1LI/AAAAAAAAAFU/3zkbJc_aTwU/s1600/Ghan%2Band%2BDarwin%2B2012%2B027.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The Grammar Gang editors are going holiday! We'd like to thank all our followers and everyone who has contributed a post over the years.<br />
<br />
This is not a final farewell. We hope to be back in the future. In the meantime, though, if you have any questions about English academic writing and grammar please visit Ms Parrot's <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/" target="_blank">English for Uni </a>website and the interactive English for Uni <a href="http://english-for-uni.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">blog</a> where you can ask and answer questions to do with English.<br />
<br />
Au revoir!<br />
<br />
Andrea Duff<br />
Julia Miller<br />
Jyh Wee Sew<br />
Lisa Emerson<br />
Helen Johnston<br />
Brady Spangenberg<br />
Susanna Carter<br />
Linda Bergmann <br />
<br /></div>
Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-88777081578623682892014-08-01T02:36:00.001-07:002014-08-02T19:49:15.060-07:00A review of the book "Web 2.0 for schools"<span lang="MS" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: MS; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Julia Davies and Guy Merchant, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0 for schools: Learning and social participation</i>, New York: Peter Lang, 2009, pp. xi + 146. ISBN 9781433102639<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In this book, Davies and Merchant (D & M) explain that a significant amount of learning occurs in out-of-school contexts, leaving the concept of formal learning institutions outdated. Understanding online interaction as a new way of learning helps us to appreciate the various online interactions found in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0. </i>A paradigm shift in learning practice is engendered by digital technology, and in particular networking, participative and collaborative developments are maintained constantly in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0</i> (Sew, 2010).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">D & M identify an advantage of web-based learning, namely that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0 spaces give voice to participants and suggest new possibilities for social engagement and citizenship</i> (p. 8). Indeed, there is much efficacy to be harnessed from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0</i> including the learning of Malay as a foreign language (Sew, 2009, 2012). As a space to cultivate personal interests, the fan sites powered by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0 </i>have become the avenue to develop self-esteem for a male Chinese American immigrant. In dealing with his literacy fallout in the formal classroom setting, the teenager was able to find his (English) voice through interacting with the fans of his website created in dedication to Ryoko, a celebrated female singer of Japanese pop songs (Lam, 2000). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">D & M's project investigates the impact of digital media on two areas: firstly, changes in holistic individual identities that occurred with the use of digital media; and secondly, the extent to which digital media have altered conventional social organizing criteria, such as gender, ethnicity and language (p. 17). The answers are found in the deliberations and vignettes in each chapter. At the outset, the holistic social identities of online users may be fragmented by digital technology (Asthana, 2012). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the web-based features may include user presence, the ability to modify content and user-generated content, and the social participation of online users (p. 5). As a result, the self becomes a fluid concept in online activities. Debunking a unitary concept of self(less) in an interface of real and virtual worlds, Thorne’s observation (2003) that artifacts, including digital media, take their character from the activity itself is insightful to us for contextualizing the notion of pattern-randomness. The notion of pattern-randomness involving distributed identity-self generated by hybrid chase games such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Can You See Me Now?</i> illustrates a shift of embodied-self to a digital production of a telematic posthuman self (cf. Chatzichristodoulou, 2009).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In contrast to the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">affinity spaces</i> introduced in Gee and Hayes’ book (2011), D & M use the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spaces of reflection</i>. Among other reasons, participation in these spaces is not absolutely collaborative, as opposition is a common outcome from interacting with others online (p. 18). However, the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reflection</i> has a didactic underpinning that may not correlate with the motive(s) of participation among like-minded online gamers or chat room users online. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Despite the terminology quibble, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">affinity spaces </i>as a term appears frequently in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chapter 4</i> describing the intricacies of online photo sharing. While acknowledging the use of webcams and internet-based video conferencing, D & M contend that most online interactions come in written formats that are stripped of the prosodic and paralinguistic features of oral and face-to-face communication (p. 19). Such a view is contestable with literacy outcomes manifested in different modes of semiotic expression following the application of a multimodal approach to second language writing (Nelson, 2006). Additionally, online bilingual English-Cantonese-chat interaction is multimodal with its digital content inherent in different forms of emoticon and animation (Lam, 2004). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Technical terms such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">folksonomy</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tag cloud</i> are introduced to highlight the varying aggregation of tags and tag clusters assigned to the respective visual content stored in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flickr.</i> Some of the interesting themes useful for pedagogical purposes reflected in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flickr</i>’s membership groups include <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">5 picture story</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">photo dominoes</i> (pp. 48-49). The former photo group requires individuals to upload five images that tell a story, while the members of the latter have to contribute an image that is relatable to the previous photo in either content or theme. Diverse uses of photo sharing in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flickr </i>may foster creativity with new interests. Davies develops an interest for street-art from studying the online photos in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flickr</i> while Merchant enhances his understanding of different types of padlock following his participation in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flickr</i> micro-community (pp. 43-44). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">D & M find the data collected by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Technocrati</i>’s blog-count in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Web 2.0</i> rather bare because the number says little about whose blogs are being commented or visited regularly; nor do the statistics reveal who owns multiple blogs (p. 27). D & M’s reporting on 2 billion images found in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flickr</i> until Nov. 2007 (p. 35), however, does not tell much about the types of picture that are more frequently uploaded, or the categories of image that attracted more online viewers with extensive comments. It is explicated further that music sharing is an extremely popular online practice among 15-25 year olds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In relation to the disregard of copyright laws by online users of music sharing sites, e.g., <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Napster</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BitTorrent</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">LimeWire </i>(p. 73-72), D & M make a timely suggestion for media education to include legality issues surrounding music sharing. Beyond verbal warnings against downloading music files illegally, educating young learners on the musical materials that are available for free sharing and selecting intellectual properties endorsing maximal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Creative Commons</i> are instrumental to responsible digital citizenry. Teaching responsible digital social media in schools is critical to bridge the ethical vacuum in current digital media use. D & M stress that the dynamic features of shared knowledge and distributed authorship qualify wikis as a valuable learning tool. The characteristics of wikis outlined in the book indicate that open wiki participation is conducive to intense interactivity online (p. 99), so encouraging learning involvement online entails a change of teachers’ role from transmitting knowledge to coordinating and facilitating learner participation. In this respect, teachers are considered as the brokers of learning in the learning landscape of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Using wiki-writing as an example, D & M outline the principles of 4P as the structured conditions to implement online learning practice (p. 106). Furthermore, appreciating the underlying operatives that include purpose, participation, partnerships and planning are critical to prevent a recycling of traditional learning with digital technology. An <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">old wine in new bottles</i> phenomenon occurs when digital media are used to maintain traditional learning practices, namely essayist literacy (see Lankshear & Knobel, 2006). At the cognitive level, we are reminded that <span style="color: black;">pigeonholing ICT skills according to the requirements of different subjects</span> is not in sync with learning in the digital age (Buckingham, 2007)<span style="color: black;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">An alternative would be playing literacy games </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">involving both children and parents<span style="color: black;"> towards </span>transformative learning. <span style="color: black;">Through</span> structured repetition and feedback programmed digitally, literacy games are <span style="color: black;">relevant for improving English reading skills</span> in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">the United Kingdom</st1:place></st1:country-region> (Homes, 2011). In line with the possible strength of digital media to foster learning, a different picture complementary to the current practice of teacher-centred chalk and talk is presented in the book. D & M introduce the readers to many digital platforms available for constructive exploitations in formal learning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Peppered with interesting anecdotes, the strengths and the shortcomings surrounding each type of digital media are examined in the book. The theoretical grounding and hands-on skills provided by the authors have positioned digital media strategically for classroom learning. Useful information is made available for educators and parents to appreciate the significance of various digital literacy practices in out-of-classroom contexts. Readers may find the idea of brokering learning to maintain learners’ participation online at all levels of education an important strategy for progressive learning. In the current learning landscape, infusing digital technology into pedagogy is indeed a relevant literacy practice.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">References</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Asthana, S. (2012). <i>Youth media imaginaries from around the world</i>. New York: Peter Lang.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Buckingham, D. (2007).<i> Beyond technology: Children’s learning in the age of digital culture</i>. Cambridge: Polity Press.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chatzichristodoulou, M. (2009). When presence-absence becomes pattern-randomness: Blast theory’s can you see me now? In A. Bentkowska-Kafel, T. Cashen, & H. Gardiner (eds.), <i>Digital visual culture: Theory and practice</i> (pp. 79-87). <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bristol</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place>: Intellect Books.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gee, J. P., & Hayes, E. R. (2011). <i>Language and learning in the digital age</i>. London: Routledge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Holmes, W. (2011). Using game-based learning to support struggling readers at home. <i>Learning, Media and Technology, 36</i>(1), 5-19.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lam, E. W. S. (2000). L2 literacy and the design of the self: A case study of a teenager writing on the Internet. <i>TESOL Quarterly</i> <i>34</i>(4), 457-482.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lam, E. W. S. (2004). <a href="http://llt.msu.edu/vol8num3/lam/default.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Second language socialization in a bilingual chat room: Global and local considerations</span></a>. <i>Language Learning and Technology, 8</i>, 44-65. <a href="http://llt.msu.edu/vol8num3/lam/default.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;">http://llt.msu.edu/vol8num3/lam/default.html</span></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Lankshear, C., & Knobel, M. (</span>2006). <i>New literacies: Everyday practices and classroom learning</i>. Maidenhead: Open University Press.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">Nelson, M. E. (2006). Mode, meaning and synaesthesia in multimedia L2 writing. </span></b><i><a href="http://llt.msu.edu/"><span style="color: black;">Language Learning & Technology</span></a></i><span style="color: black;"> <b><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">10</span></i></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">, 56-76. </span></b></span><a href="http://llt.msu.edu/vol10num2/nelson/default.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;">http://llt.msu.edu/vol10num2/nelson/default.html</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="X-NONE">Sew, J.W. </span><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-weight: normal;">(2012)</span></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">Learning Malay </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">o</span></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">nline </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">a</span></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">t </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">t</span></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">ertiary </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">l</span></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">evel.</span></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><i><span lang="X-NONE">GEMA: Online Journal of Language Studies 12</span></i><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-weight: normal;">(1), 147-162.</span></b><span lang="X-NONE"><b> </b><a href="http://www.ukm.my/ppbl/Gema/GEMA%20vol%2012%20(1)%202012/pp_147_162.pdf"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.ukm.my/ppbl/Gema/GEMA%20vol%2012%20(1)%202012/pp_147_162.pdf</span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="X-NONE">Sew, J.W. </span><span style="color: black;">(</span><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black;">2010</span><span style="color: black;">). </span><i><span lang="X-NONE">Persembahan@Media.com</span></i><span lang="X-NONE" style="color: black;">. Kuala Lumpur: University Malaya Press.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="X-NONE">Sew, J.W.</span><b><span lang="X-NONE"> </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">(2009). Wired new learning: Blogging Malay literacy. <i>Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 6</i>, Suppl. 1, pp. 302–314. <a href="http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/v6sp12009/sew.pdf"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://e-flt.nus.edu.sg/v6sp12009/sew.pdf</span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thorne, S. L. (2003). Artifacts and cultures-of-use in intercultural communication. <i>Language Learning & Technology,</i> <i>7</i>, 38-67. <a href="http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num2/thorne/default.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;">http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num2/thorne/default.html</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jyh Wee Sew</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Centre for Language Studies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">National University of Singapore</span></div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-19850754136395247972014-06-29T21:09:00.002-07:002014-06-30T17:03:08.758-07:00An Australian Cultural Dictionary<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jSQsrsPVukA/U7DZXI12rxI/AAAAAAAAAKw/eKs_tPUOExw/s1600/Koala+Joanna+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jSQsrsPVukA/U7DZXI12rxI/AAAAAAAAAKw/eKs_tPUOExw/s1600/Koala+Joanna+3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A koala at a wildlife park near Adelaide, Australia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Where do you turn to in order to understand unfamiliar words
and expressions when you’re living and studying in a new culture? My first point of call is
usually a dictionary. Not all dictionaries contain local expressions, however.
That’s why we’ve come up with an <a href="http://www.culturaldictionary.org/" target="_blank"><i>Australian Cultural Dictionary</i></a> containing
words and expressions suggested by English language students in Adelaide, Australia.
All these words and expressions are ones that the students found hard to understand in their first weeks in Australia.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This dictionary is free, it’s online, and it’s designed specifically for
learners of English. That means that we’ve included information that learners really need:</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aqyU_ChPudg/U7DYzrxQ1wI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/AAT2yOOW6HQ/s1600/Kangaroo+and+joey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aqyU_ChPudg/U7DYzrxQ1wI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/AAT2yOOW6HQ/s1600/Kangaroo+and+joey.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A kangaroo with a joey in its pouch</span></td></tr>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">spelling;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">definitions, written with a limited defining
vocabulary (i.e. a set number of words used in the definitions so they are
simpler to understand);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">pronunciation, both in the International Phonetic Alphabet and in audio files (which work fine on Firefox, Safari and Google
Chrome and will soon work well on Internet Explorer too, we hope);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">grammatical information, giving information on
whether a noun is countable for example, or how to make it plural;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">usage notes, so that learners know who usually
uses a word (for example, older or younger people) and when they might use it (formally or informally);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">example sentences taken from a corpus (i.e. a collection) of real
English sentences;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">photographs of all the words or of situations in
which the expressions are used; and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">videos of some words and expressions (there is nothing like
seeing a kangaroo hopping to understand how it really moves!).</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There is also a link to an online survey, and we really hope
you’ll give us some feedback (and maybe win a $20 Amazon voucher).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The words and expressions are all used in Adelaide, and most
of them are used throughout Australia. Even if you don’t visit our country, we
hope the dictionary will give you an idea of some of the common words and
expressions you might encounter here.You can find the dictionary at this website: <a href="http://www.culturaldictionary.org/">http://www.culturaldictionary.org/</a></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SH9sTaMtyXk/U7DZKYXCw-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/ihsbP-uZPkA/s1600/Alpacas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SH9sTaMtyXk/U7DZKYXCw-I/AAAAAAAAAKk/ihsbP-uZPkA/s1600/Alpacas.jpg" height="240" width="320" /> </a></span></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Alpacas at the Royal Adelaide Show</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Acknowledgements</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This dictionary was produced by Julia Miller, Deny Kwary and Ardian Setiawan. We'd like to thank the School of Education at the University of Adelaide for giving us some funds to help put the project online. We'd also like to thank the PEP students at the university's English Language Centre for suggesting the words and giving us feedback on the types of definitions that worked best. Thank you also to Adam Kilgarriff for allowing us to access the VOLE corpus. And a big thank you to Athena Kerley and Alex Lovat at the University of Adelaide for lending us their voices for the audio files!</span></span><br />
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Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-31962088062029440142014-05-24T00:00:00.000-07:002014-05-27T17:24:37.143-07:00Primary learning in a multilingual society<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eunice Lee is a seven-year old girl who is studying in primary one. She is enrolled in a private school, which requires her traveling for two hours each morning to the so-called better school. On the eve of Labour Day, she returned to her grandparents' house with exercises from school in three languages. Eunice has to learn Malay, English and Mandarin in school. Her favorite language is English and she dislikes Mandarin, her school-based mother tongue. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right after lunch at 3 o’clock one afternoon Eunice started to complete her homework. The problem-solving strategy that required her selecting and creating answers for the blanks was invoked. This strategy was chosen with the awareness that she hated the Spartan learning style, which made her cry before when she was attending kindergarten. It was the least stressful method in solving linguistic problems for her without sacrificing learning too much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> Eunice doing her mother tongue homework at her workstation </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malay was the first exercise type that Eunice did. She was asked to spell and read the words including the instructions. Whenever she was stranded at a syllable, spelling aid was rendered and she continued with the pronunciation before figuring out what to do with the questions. Her tasks included selecting the right color terms for different objects, such as grapes (anggur), hibiscus (bunga raya), grass (rumput), etc., naming objects by pairing the words with images, and serializing pictures in a flow of before-and-after sequence. The tasks were relatively manageable for Eunice; however, the reading of instructions and words via syllabic segmentation was rather challenging. She had to figure out that [i] is a suffix in /mempunyai/ (owns), which is a four-syllabic word /mem-pun-ya-i/ rather than three */mem-pun-yai/. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In comparison to Malay, English was relatively easy for Eunice who had to decide which picture should be matched with /thank you/ in a relationship chain. The person who received a gift or assistance would require the politeness tag as the corresponding utterance. In another Malay exercise, Eunice had to construct sentences for a pictorial sequence, namely one with a girl smiling at a birthday cake and the other showing the girl thanking her mother for a present. This exercise was trying for Eunice as she needed help in Mandarin to clarify matters and draw upon her personal experience from celebrating her sister’s birthday. The language of metacommunication for completing school work oscillated between Mandarin and English in a complicated way. Mandarin was used to encourage her thinking about Jessie, her sister, and the things related to Jessie's birthday celebration. Yet, English was required to fix the syntactic and spelling errors. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XfPe2hVBPco/U2milFEf-XI/AAAAAAAAAJo/qc3hpNL8KGE/s1600/248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XfPe2hVBPco/U2milFEf-XI/AAAAAAAAAJo/qc3hpNL8KGE/s1600/248.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> Jessie and Eunice at Legoland</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly, English became the means of explanation in approaching the Malay exercise and English plus Mandarin were the language mediums for talking about the English exercise. The metacommunication of homework solving was a combination of English and Mandarin plus some onomatopoeia for making academic tasks more aligned to a primary school pupil’s mind. Not a single phrase at the metacommunication level was sanitized according to the standard written format in a particular language. This was obvious at the syntactic level as each phrasal segment contained a smattering of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and sounds conjoined within a code-mixing mould involving two of the three languages that Eunice learns. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mandarin, a tricky subject for Eunice, was the last exercise type to complete. Eunice, who dislikes Mandarin, has to deal with Mandarin school work that contained very many characters testing one's linguistic-visual spatial memory. The hardest exercise already had the answer choices marked with the number of the questions. Eunice informed that the teacher dropped hints for them, reinforcing negatively the pupil's belief that Mandarin was indeed difficult. The hints </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that resolved 15% of the work have made learning Mandarin more opaque. For the remaining Chinese exercises, Eunice had to match pictures with phrases, fill in the blanks with phrases, copy Mandarin characters in a series of writing transformation beginning from the basic strokes to a radical formation before the complete emergence of the Mandarin character; and she had to place punctuation marks, namely a question mark, a comma, or a period in the correct places within or at the end of several Mandarin phrases. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the learning interactivity, Mandarin was used to talk about the Chinese exercises, as it is the common language between Eunice and her maternal grandparents and parents (her biological mother tongue is Hokkien, spoken in her paternal household).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> S</o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>peaking Mandarin is very different from learning the written Chinese characters and understanding the syntactic constructions. A very young Chinese speaker such as Eunice, who may be fluent in spoken Mandarin, was unable to identify all the corresponding written Mandarin characters in complex phrases. Eunice also had difficulties in construing and producing syntactic segments according to a common Chinese scheme of knowledge, especially when she was already getting used to the logics of English scripts constructed for children in programs like Hi-5, Disney Junior, Okto Channel. </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> Eunice and her cousin, Jiayi, undoing their mother tongue on stage in their glocal world</o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>One may be interested to know that (Chinese) adults who sing the Mandarin pop songs of Jay Chou and Wang LeeHom may not recognize each Mandarin characters in the lyrics. A cognition with sound symbolic mapping capability and tone-sensitive filter would be sufficient for the musical rendition (cf. Sew 2014a on Mandarin /chun/ or spring being construed as leftover in Hokkien by means of sound symbolism). </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>The same principle applies when one sings in Hokkien, a southern Chinese dialect, because the target verbal Hokkien words are matched with the corresponding sound symbolic Mandarin characters since there is only one set of Chinese character for all the Chinese dialects. </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese do not share the same tones. For example, /sui/, or <em>pretty</em> in Hokkien is represented with 水, or water in written Mandarin on the Kara-oke screen. Although the tone of the Hokkien-/sui/ is different from 水, a 'polyglotal' Chinese may easily sort out the dialectal mapping almost instantaneously. Most of the time, however, the dialectal-phonetic-tonal pairing is irrelevant because only singing and performing matter in the verbal repertoire for singing out loud. </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>The metacommunication of learning interaction in a multilingual society is a form of complex primary speech much more complicated than the monolingual prints on the exercise sheets (see MacCorquodale, 1970, p. 95 for a explanation on primary speech). In fact, the mode of metacommunication reflects the contemporary language use in a global world that involves a mixing of language codes (Hall & Cook, 2012). The complex dialogue structures in the English conversation between a female representative of an international organization with a prominent local figure in a Guyama community is a good example (Bartlett, 2014, p. 23). </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>Despite the romantic belief that language learning occurs in the guise of the formal language, spoken utterances on the fly either in a formal, or informal (learning) interactivity do not adhere to the standard variety at morphological and syntactic levels. This is due to the fact that other non-linguisitic indexes are required to complete communication tasks (Sew, 2009, Clark, 1996). </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>One may want to ponder further if dropping out of the primary school has anything to do with the code of metacommunication. The code of instruction that is very different from the code of interaction at home might pose a learning hurdle to a child in acquiring academic knowledge in monolingual and multilingual societies. The notions of elaborated and restricted codes are relevant to understanding the matter (Bernstein, 1964) although this article does not correlate social class with the codes. </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>Many a times at secondary school level, educators are reminded to speak the language of teenagers in order to connect with the youngsters and secure their attention. Symbolic as it may seem, language as social capital is another factor underpinning language learning (Sew, 2012). The use of slang, for example, is a case in point. Slang is something frowned upon as a bad linguistic behavior despite its familiarity in the spoken and digital discourse of youngsters (see Sew, 2014b for a natural occurence of slang in a language learning situation). </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eunice did not cry after three and a half hours of homework coaching on Wednesday, although her eyes began to swell in tears when she was asked to take out the Mandarin work sheets the next day for reading practice. The reading practice was intended as a means to strengthen her linguistic-visual spatial memory for Mandarin. She did not do it, of course. The domestic helper came to her rescue by switching on the DVD player showing Walt Disney’s top computer-animated musical fantasy-comedy film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Frozen</i>. Yes, I let it go by asking Eunice to play the song ‘Let it go’ sung by Idina Menzel again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">References</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bartlett, T. (2014). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Analysing power In language: A practical guide</i>. London: Routledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bernstein, B. (1964). Elaborated and restricted codes: Their social origins and some consequences. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>American Anthropologist 66</em>(6), Part 2, 55–69.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Clark, H. H. (1996). <em>Using language</em>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Hall, G., & Cook, G. <span class="Date1">(2012</span><span class="journal">). </span>Own-language use in language teaching and learning</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">. </span><span class="journal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Language Teaching</span></i></span><span class="journal"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></span><i><span class="volume"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">45</span></span></i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">(<span class="journalnumber">3),</span><span class="pages"> 271-308.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">MacCorquodale, K. (1970). <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Chomsky's review of Skinner's '</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Verbal Behavior'</span><em>. </em></span><em>Journal of the </em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="citation-volume"><em>Experimental Analysis of Behavior 13</em></span><span class="citation-issue">(1),</span><span class="citation-flpages"> 83–99.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sew, Jyh Wee. (2009). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Semiotik <span style="font-family: Calibri;">P</span>ersembahan <span style="font-family: Calibri;">W</span>acana</i> [Semiotics of discourse performing]. Kuala Lumpur: University Malaya Press.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">____________. (2012).<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malay and global literacy. <em>Akademika 82</em>(2), 25-35. </span><a href="http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6118/1/Akademika_82(2)Chap_3-locked.pdf"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-small;">http://journalarticle.ukm.my/6118/1/Akademika_82(2)Chap_3-locked.pdf</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">____________.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (2014a). Spring in other dialect. <em>Grammar Gang</em> (January issue).</span><br />
<a href="http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/01/spring-in-other-dialect.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/01/spring-in-other-dialect.html</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">____________. (2014b).</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slang: Beyond a knee-jerk reaction. <em>Grammar Gang</em> (April Issue). </span></o:p></span><a href="http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/04/slang-beyond-knee-jerk-reaction.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/04/slang-beyond-knee-jerk-reaction.html</span></a></div>
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Jyh Wee Sew <br />
Centre for Language Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore</div>
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CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-26576163946899883732014-05-01T21:55:00.000-07:002014-05-01T21:55:23.058-07:00Spot the mistake!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xvWJtvowcHE/U2Btek1jc4I/AAAAAAAAAJc/SQRhH-3Pk-A/s1600/Subject+verb+agreement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xvWJtvowcHE/U2Btek1jc4I/AAAAAAAAAJc/SQRhH-3Pk-A/s1600/Subject+verb+agreement.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Subject verb disagreements like this are becoming increasingly common in English. It's as though the writer or speaker looks at the last noun they've used and makes the verb agree with that, instead of searching for the subject of the sentence. In this case, it is the "illuminated red beam on the doors" that should change to green, not the doors themselves, so the sentence should read: </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Please do not enter lift cart until the illuminated red beam on the doors <b>changes</b> to green.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Am I being unnecessarily pedantic? I don't think so. The UK <i>Guardian</i> newspaper recently published an article about the <a href="http://idler.co.uk/product/events/bad-grammar-award-starring-jeremy-paxman/" target="_blank">Idler Academy's</a> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/28/bad-grammar-award-shortlist-english-language-nhs-tesco?CMP=fb_gu" target="_blank">Bad Grammar Awards</a>. Stray apostrophes feature there, as well as confusing subjects/objects and inaccurate spelling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do these things really matter, though? Surely communication is the main thing? After all, language is all about communication. Yes and no. Spelling mistakes may not matter in the long run, but if communication is impeded by bad grammar or punctuation then there may be serious problems. Think about these sentences from the <a href="http://cybertext.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/a-light-hearted-look-at-how-punctuation-can-change-meaning/" target="_blank">Cybertext Newsletter</a> blog:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <i> Most of the time travellers worry about their luggage.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Most of the time, travellers worry about their luggage.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Are we talking about ordinary travellers or time travellers?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of my other favourites is this Australian sign:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vNS6PDP0X_Q/U2MiUZqtF6I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/W7Vd2ftu2P4/s1600/slow-down-kids-bounce-apex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vNS6PDP0X_Q/U2MiUZqtF6I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/W7Vd2ftu2P4/s1600/slow-down-kids-bounce-apex.jpg" height="301" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> www.australiantimes.co.uk</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Without the punctuation, this could mean that drivers should go more slowly because children could be injured if a car hit them. However it can also mean that children should walk more slowly and not bounce along the road!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Finally, let's look at another sign:</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xl6b8BBdsso/U2BwHlvZixI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5_d4oIrVAC8/s1600/would+of.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xl6b8BBdsso/U2BwHlvZixI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5_d4oIrVAC8/s1600/would+of.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The top line starts, "You would of noticed . . ." When we speak in English we usually say "would've". The writer here obviously didn't realise this sound meant "would have" and not "would of".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Little mistakes like this don't matter in terms of communication, but they make the reader think that the writer is either careless or uneducated, and that is not helpful if someone is trying to sell a product, impress a future employer or write a good academic essay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What common mistakes have you noticed around you, and have your own writing mistakes ever had a comic or serious effect in your life?</span><br />
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<br />Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-58555661660391645722014-04-01T00:56:00.000-07:002014-04-01T18:43:19.508-07:00Slang: Beyond a knee-jerk reaction<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a snippet of what was going on in a Malay language classroom. At the beginning of one particular tutorial discussion, the compound word <i>air </i>[water] <i>mata</i> [eye], or <i>tears </i>in the lyrics of a Malay song, entitled <i>Sahabat</i> (<i>Friend</i>, performed by Najwa Latif and featuring Sleet and Shamkamarul) was highlighted for discussion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before the lesson could proceed to the next Malay compound selected for discussion, one female student raised a question, “Isn’t <em>air mata</em> boyfriend?” This knee-jerk reaction in foreign language learning indicated that Malay learners at tertiary level may also be interested in the slangy meanings, i.e. boyfriend or girlfriend beyond<em> </em>the dictionary meaning of <em>air mata</em>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In terms of language pedagogy, the learning diversion was an exciting topic to some male students who began to show a heightened interest in the morpheme. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The learning episode makes an interesting discussion of slang words in this blog post, not least because many young people incorporate slang in verbal communication when they make reference to a romantic partner. Actually, <i>mata air</i>, the inverse of <i>air mata</i> (<i>tears</i>) is the slang for <em>romantic partner</em> in Malay<em>,</em> which may imply that a boyfriend, or girlfriend has the potential to provoke tears. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mata air (image taken from <a href="http://travellermeds.blogspot.sg/2013/08/pemandian-air-panas-mengeruda-soa-ngada.html">http://travellermeds.blogspot.sg/2013/08/pemandian-air-panas-mengeruda-soa-ngada.html</a></span></span></span></div>
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In Standard Malay, the word <em>mata air</em> has a dictionary meaning which is <i>spring</i>, or <i>water source</i>. Reflecting further on the meaning in <i>mata air </i>may suggest that the reason for tears to be co-opted into the slang has to do with (erratic) emotional reactions that may come with maintaining a relationship. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turning to English, the slang for the same reference is associated with a popular word often uttered in American movies and television programs, namely <i>chicks</i>. From a second speaker viewpoint, the slang <i>chicks </i>may well be referring to small and cuddly qualities, reflecting further a functional aspect of the relationship in the particular speech culture. I welcome alternative explanations as the slangy meanings of <em>chicks</em> in American English. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTQNqQL9zHc/UymhI_hIJII/AAAAAAAAAJI/d1MqLPJNfYE/s1600/white_chicks_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTQNqQL9zHc/UymhI_hIJII/AAAAAAAAAJI/d1MqLPJNfYE/s1600/white_chicks_01.jpg" height="320" width="222" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image taken from </span></o:p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><o:p><a href="http://www.jackasscritics.com/movie.php?movie_key=557">http://www.jackasscritics.com/movie.php?movie_key=557</a></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly, the slangy <em>chick</em> has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in literature studies. Reflecting a particular literary genre, the term chick-lit is coined for writings about women of all ages. It is an indisputable fact that chick-lit has received considerable amount of media and academic attention across the globe (cf. Donadio, 2006). Among others, Indigeneous Australian writer, Anita Heiss' work, <em>Not Meeting Mr Right</em> and <em>Avoiding Mr Right</em> are regarded as significant works of chick-lit (Ommundsen, 2011). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During my undergraduate years, my peers co-opted the Cantonese word <i>vegetable</i> [<i>choy</i>] as the slang word for a potential boyfriend or girlfriend. Due to the multiple uses of this slang in Hong Kong drama and movies, the Cantonese morpheme remains a robust slang currently cutting across different types of speech situations. The slangy use of vegetable as romantic partner is also true among young speakers of Southeast Asian Mandarin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently, <i>vegetable</i> or 菜 <em>cài</em> has become a slang word in Taiwanese Mandarin. The Mandarin 'vegetable' was used as slang in the interview between a host and a famous Taiwanese actress on television, as she replied to the local host, “You are not my <em>vegetable</em>” [ni bu shi wo de <u>cài</u><em><strong>...</strong></em>] to reject the tongue in cheek offer from the male host as her boyfriend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Along the green vein, so to speak, many fruit names such as <em>apple, banana, cucumber, </em>and <em>grapes</em> are part of the descriptions for referring to certain human characteristics in English (Sew, 2014). The derivation of human references based on vegetables and fruits may have started as slangy references before the full acceptance and common use of the meanings in verbal communication.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are several reasons for speakers to include slang as part of their utterances in communication. Peer-group bonding, or aping may be a reason for the use of <i>choy</i> when a young speaker is chatting with his friends casually. Peer-group identification or the desire to connect with her clique underpins my Chinese student's interest in using <i>mata air</i> as slang when she interacts with her Malay friends. One study reports that the use of slang is a self-protecting strategy for interaction in certain Malay speech community (Noriah & Norma, 2006). In this instance, slang becomes a masking tool in face-to-face communication.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In claiming that texting occupies an important position among youngsters, Deborah Tannen has noticed that young people prefer a digital text to a phone call, which is considered to be intrusive (McLaughlin, 2010). As a typical semiotic culture in using social media, inserting slangy lingo in electronic text augurs well with texting as an intimate form of communication for young people. For example, Eva Lam (2004) has studied the digital records of two female chat room users and noticed that certain texts contained hybrid phrases combining English and Cantonese. Lam's digital data such as <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>open laugh mei</em> (are you kidding) and <em>hate 4 nei</em></span> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(hate you forever)</span> </span>are slangy digital exchanges. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ontologically speaking, our mind may be more poetic and capable of making hybrid connections to many abstract, or metaphorical notions derived from the original linguistic meanings when we operate digitally. The medium of communication is a relevant factor contributing to slang production because it is easy to text slangy morphemes via a smart phone, or utter slangy references face-to-face than to spell them out in print for mass distribution (Sew, 2010).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The inclusion of an alternative lingo within the electronic discourse runs parallel to the use of slang as a pragmatic diversion in oral communication. It is logical to assume that y<span style="font-family: Arial;">oung netizens' construction of semiotic codings while interacting with each other, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">as a form of personal </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">texting in the digital spaces, may be the underlining pragmatic reason for online advertisements </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">to include hybrid </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chinese expressions and phrases that are different from the standard grammar (Feng & Wu, 2007).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We may equate <i>mata air</i> in Malay with <i>chicks</i> in American English, 菜 or <i>choy</i> in Cantonese, or<em> cài</em> in Taiwanese and Southeast Asian Mandarin as the slangy lingo of young speakers, although <i>chicks</i> is limited to a female reference. (Perhaps, <em>cock </em>may be the English slang word referring to the male counterpart). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Readers who know any slangy words communicated in the same way as <i>mata air</i>, <i>chicks</i>, or <i>choy </i>are invited to share their collection of slang words, as well as their reasons for making use of the slang words in daily communication. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Donadio, R. (2006). The Chick-Lit Pandemic. <em><strong>The New York Times</strong>,</em> 19 Mar<em>. </em></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/books/review/19donadio.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/books/review/19donadio.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Feng, J.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">W., & Wu, D. (2007). Cultural value change in mainland China's commercial discourse. In Shi-xu (Ed.), <strong><em>Discourse as cultural struggle</em></strong> (pp. 73-90). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lam, W.S.E. (2004). Second language socialization in a bilingual chat room: Global and local considerations. <em><strong>Language Learning & Technology</strong> 8</em>(3), 44-65. <a href="http://llt.msu.edu/vol8num3/lam/default.html"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://llt.msu.edu/vol8num3/lam/default.html</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">McLaughlin, J. (2010). To text or not to text: Even young people don't know the answer. <em><strong>Inside Fordham</strong></em>. <a href="http://www.fordham.edu/campus_resources/enewsroom/inside_fordham/december_6_2010/news/to_text_or_not_to_te_77749.asp"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.fordham.edu/campus_resources/enewsroom/inside_fordham/december_6_2010/news/to_text_or_not_to_te_77749.asp</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Noriah Mohamed, & Norma Baharom. (2006). Pembentukan kata dalam slanga lelaki gender ketiga. In Paitoon Chaiyanara et al. (Ed.), <em><strong>Bahasa: Memeluk akar menyuluh ke langit</strong></em> (pp. 126-171). <span style="font-family: Georgia;">Singapura: Universiti Teknologi Nanyang. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ommundsen, W. (2011). Sex in the global city: Chick-lit with a difference. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>Contemporary Women's Writing</strong> 5</em>(2), 107-124. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">S</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ew, J.W. (2010). <em><a href="mailto:Persembahan@Media.com"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Persembahan@Media.com</strong></span></a></em>. Kuala Lumpur: Universiti Malaya Press.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sew, J.W. (2014). Going bananas. <em><strong>Grammar Gang</strong>,</em> 1 February. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/02/going-bananas-with-green-tomatoes.html">http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/02/going-bananas-with-green-tomatoes.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>Jyh Wee Sew</o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>Centre for Language Studies, </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p>National University of Singapore</o:p></span></div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-63028587086854340042014-03-12T00:33:00.000-07:002014-03-12T00:33:01.993-07:00Games for language teaching and learning<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.speakinglish.com</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Following on from Jyh’s post about the play museum, I
thought I’d write about how we can use games in language teaching and learning. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As a language teacher in Portugal in the 1990s, there were
lots of games I used with my students. One favourite was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">grammar auction</i>, where students had an
amount of (imaginary!) money and had to bid for sentences. If the sentence was
correct, they doubled their money; if it was ungrammatical, they lost their
money. Fortunes were made and lost in the space of a lesson! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Another favourite activity was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">picture pairs</i>, where cards represented pairs of words and pictures.
For example, a picture of an umbrella was matched by the word ‘umbrella’ on
another card. All the cards started off face down, and students could turn over
two cards at a time in order to find a perfect pair. These cards could be
difficult for the artistically challenged teacher to make, but fortunately
there were several good books of grammar games with photocopiable activities. Two
very useful <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>books were Penny Ur’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grammar Practice Activities </i>and Mario
Rinvolucri’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grammar Games. </i>There
were others whose names I’ve forgotten, but perhaps you’d like to share your
ideas in the comments box below?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCtpOH8YIao/UyACaKB9ccI/AAAAAAAAAIE/pq3g89X-PTU/s1600/snakes+and+ladders.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCtpOH8YIao/UyACaKB9ccI/AAAAAAAAAIE/pq3g89X-PTU/s1600/snakes+and+ladders.bmp" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">www.gamecarpets.com</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Another game was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">snakes
and ladders</i>, in which students threw a dice to go round a board and answer questions
on aspects of English grammar. If they answered wrongly when their counter was
on the head of a snake, down they went to the snake’s tail a few rows below.
However, if they answered correctly at the foot of a ladder, they could go a
long way up the board. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We also played <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dominoes</i>,
with words and definitions, or pictures and written words, on different domino
rectangles. And of course, we played<span style="font-size: small;"> a lot of <i>bingo</i>, with numbers and words. A </span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EqiE7WHv5Aw/UyAMqhjOQlI/AAAAAAAAAIw/NQqzR_NhsDQ/s1600/spelling+shark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EqiE7WHv5Aw/UyAMqhjOQlI/AAAAAAAAAIw/NQqzR_NhsDQ/s1600/spelling+shark.JPG" height="161" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo by Julia Miller</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">slightly less lugubrious variation
on the word game </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>hangman</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"> was the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>spelling shark</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">, in which students had a
limited number of opportunities to guess the letters that made up a word. If
they weren’t quick enough, and didn’t guess the word in number of chances
available, the stick figure on the whiteboard walked off a cliff and fell into
the mouth of a hungry shark. The number of chances increased if the teacher was feeling generous!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t7wEYKTbVkU/UyAIP9hZ2SI/AAAAAAAAAIg/DEzMheNWp9Q/s1600/Coloured+paper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t7wEYKTbVkU/UyAIP9hZ2SI/AAAAAAAAAIg/DEzMheNWp9Q/s1600/Coloured+paper.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photo by Julia Miller</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With very young students, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">musical colours</i> was a winner. The children danced around to an
English song, and when the music stopped they had to stand on a large piece of
paper in the colour called out by the teacher. We also did this activity with
shapes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Many games were enjoyed by students of all ages. However,
some adult learners and parents of younger students worried that games were not
a ‘serious’ learning activity. Their fears were unfounded, as students in my
classes were motivated by the games and did well in exams. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Although, as a teacher, I spent a lot of time preparing
materials, these games could be used again and again, and brought a lot of
pleasure to my students, while at the same time stimulating them in their
language learning. Nowadays, of course, there are so many opportunities for
online language games too. What are some of the language learning games and
websites that you like best?</span></div>
Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-33454733721542532562014-03-01T20:28:00.000-08:002014-03-01T18:27:13.781-08:00Playing in Singapore <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Currently, there is a worldwide movement acknowledging the importance
of play in the development of children. Playeum, or The Play Museum places several
play stations in an enclosure emulating the concept of</span><span style="font-size: small;"> museum without walls. The aim is to
provide multi-disciplinary cultural experiences for families and such a concept is
well-received because Playeum has found its
sponsorship in major cities. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fkv9asCPtvM/Uww25L4jD_I/AAAAAAAAAHw/koUAsyXLamU/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fkv9asCPtvM/Uww25L4jD_I/AAAAAAAAAHw/koUAsyXLamU/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Parents and children collaborating at the pictorial wall</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">According to the organizer's flyer, Playeum has found its way to Melbourne through ArtPlay Arts
Grant in 2011, won a Traiblazer Award presented at the British Museum, London, in
2010, and earned a Whitmore Drawing Inspiration Award, London, in 2009.
In Singapore, Playeum became a reality at Tampines Central Community Complex, on
23 February 2014. It was a well-organized event </span><span style="font-size: small;">attended by many parents and close-knit family members along with young children.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ae03JCEPeT4/Uww3RLoKc7I/AAAAAAAAAH4/4BEwZDsXfs8/s1600/IMG_2071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ae03JCEPeT4/Uww3RLoKc7I/AAAAAAAAAH4/4BEwZDsXfs8/s1600/IMG_2071.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Playeum at Tampines Central Community Complex Feb. 2014</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are many play stations set up for children to create,
innovate, shape and design with confidence. Some of the playful activities included drawing on a large
pictorial wall, using flour to mold various shapes with plastic casts, assembling
hand-made designs on cards as part of the creative display for the wall mounted on the stage, and running through a
maze of cloths to draw on the paper found in selected panels. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Designing on a T-Shirt is another interesting play form that offers much scope for creativity. Young children were captivated by the task. Some put their hard work to practical use by wearing the shirt immediately after they had put their heart and sweat into the designs.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wEwuGUPtZm0/Uww38dM7HbI/AAAAAAAAAIA/Wo0FqP6tIjM/s1600/IMG_2072.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: small;"> Molding with flour was a captivating activity at Playeum</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Guest-of-Honor, Mr. Heng Swee Keat, Minister of Education in Singapore, was present at the Community Centre. In his speech, he informed parents that unstructured play is an important part of a child’s life. At present, schools in Singapore are also putting emphasis on the EAGLES Award that speaks of students' leadership achievements as an integral part of holistic education. EAGLES stand for <i>Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service</i> which is awarded to Singapore students based on their co-curricular activities and contribution to community services over a one-year period.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the Community Complex, many parents picked up useful tips from experts who shared some of their observations from studying children at play. One panelist shared her findings
that all children wanted to be with their parents as indicated in their narratives for the
pictures they drew, which always contain a participating parent event though the parents were not
made visible in the picture. Another expert noticed that a child might develop a
routinized feeling towards extracurricular classes that they are enrolled in if they are not provided with their own
play time. Going to a music lesson, for example, is not the same as playing
the instrument on their own and recognizing their particular strength in the
musical genre.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QrPQ3RcREus/UwxEaX2purI/AAAAAAAAAIk/KMHmn9Ue1As/s1600/IMG_2089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QrPQ3RcREus/UwxEaX2purI/AAAAAAAAAIk/KMHmn9Ue1As/s1600/IMG_2089.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> A sense of satisfaction: wearing a self-designed T-shirt </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">More importantly, an expert also informed that pre-school children lacking drawing ability may indicate a lack of confidence due to the fear of drawing something incorrectly. The resolution is simply to encourage the child to draw openly according to her own view. Confidence would eventually develop from the drawing task. Another expert reminded parents that it is acceptable to have play-talk with young children as a form of bonding. Conversation need not always be a question-answer formulaic sequence. Questions may lead to more questions as a form of interactivity between parents and children. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The message is clear from Playeum that as part of a normal childhood, children must be given the space to explore with colors, glue, flour, paper, ribbon, cloth, straws, etc., not least because such behavior might not be readily available nor would it be a welcome way for some children to spend time at home. The organizers might have generated the realization that it is alright for children to make a mess during play and have fun through the experience even though there is no practical outcome simply because such activities are part and parcel of the personal development in childhood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I still remember how American television programs such as <i>Sesame Street</i> and <i>The Electric Company</i> enhanced my own command of alphabetical compositions and counting in English. Puppet characters like the <i>Count, Cookie Monster, Ernie</i> and <i>Big Bird</i> successfully reinforced my English counting and spelling that I painstakingly learned in primary school with plenty of fun via rhythmic beats and melodious tunes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Playeum reminds me that, despite a nightmarish experience in primary school, my language development was rescued by means of playful methodology such as mimicking a cartoon's words, or aping the puppet characters' pronunciation through pseudo-personification. The joy of watching and listening to English on television was all the more important because English as a subject was only spoken occasionally during contact time for a total of 4-5 hours a week many decades ago. One might recall the mimicking effort of a three year-old girl learning to sing in formal Mandarin phrases while dancing in front of the television according to the Chinese music video (Sew, 2013). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Readers of this blog entry are welcome to share their experiences of playing or playful activities that have contributed to their language or personal development.</span></span><br />
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Further references<br />
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Playeum <a href="http://playeum.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://playeum.wordpress.com/</span></a><br />
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Sew, Jyh Wee. (2013). Sing to read. Grammar Gang. <a href="http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2013/08/sing-to-read.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2013/08/sing-to-read.html</span></a><br />
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Jyh Wee Sew<br />
Centre for Language Studies<br />
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences<br />
Kent Ridge Campus, National University of Singapore</div>
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CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-81905342988479953292014-02-18T20:14:00.000-08:002014-02-20T20:16:59.623-08:00Immediately on Top<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Year 2014 is the year of the horse in the Chinese Zodiac. One word that revolves around the concept of <i>horse</i> in Chinese, English and Malay is <i>horsepower</i>. As a specific value, horsepower is a common unit of measurement for mechanical power. The horse notion is iconically prevalent in <i>horsepower</i> in some other languages, such as /</span><span style="font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马力</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">; mǎ (horse) lì (power)/ in Mandarin, or /kuasa [power] kuda [horse]/ in Malay. <span style="color: #333333;">A short discussion on iconicity is available in Sew (2005)</span>.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EKrmyRr-VT8/UvcJdPyZAhI/AAAAAAAAAG8/LSRbSse2EFI/s1600/HORSEPOWER-l.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas><v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype></span></a> image taken from <a href="http://thedesigninspiration.com/photos/horsepower/">http://thedesigninspiration.com/photos/horsepower/</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Cataloging lexical compounds between Chinese, English and Malay for a contrast of morphosyntactic variation makes a typical comparison. The morpheme <i>horse</i> is at the initial position of the English and Chinese lexical composition in contrast to the final position of the Malay compound. In terms of lexical combination, the Malay bipartite compound <i>kuasa kuda</i> exists in an opposite combinatory to <i>horsepower</i> and <span style="color: black;">/<span style="font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马力/ <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times New Roman;">in </span></span></span>Mandarin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">In the remainderof this blog post, the focus is on the Chinese characters <i>horse</i> and <i>top</i>. <span style="color: black;">/</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">mǎ </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">shàng/, which initially denote on top of a running horse, is currently an adverb meaning</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <i>immediately. </i></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Jim Gibney (2011), who teaches English in China, observes that /mashang/, which literally means 'at horse speed', turns out to be 'eventually' when it comes to getting repair work done for his building.</span></span></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In the visual representation below, the idiomatic /mashang/ combines with two other Chinese characters <i>have</i> 有 and <i>presents</i> 礼 to denote a wish that is synonymous to <i>receive gift immediately</i>. From a semiotic viewpoint, the visual representation depicts a gift (written with the character <span style="color: black;">福 <i>fortune</i></span>) sitting on top of equine as the main component of /mashang/<i>.</i> If iconic symbolization may be part of cultural semiotics (Sew, 2005), the red paper cutting represents an original aspect of /mashang/. </span><br />
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In Chinese culture, apart from material objects, gift as a cultural concept may refer to the money offered to the host of a wedding or birthday banquet (see the Mandarin skit illustrating the plight of a married Chinese couple who hatched a plan for throwing a 10th anniversary wedding banquet as a strategy to make some quick money in <i>Chun Wan</i> 2014, <a href="http://www.chun-wan.com/).%20"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.chun-wan.com/).</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Receiving gifts is a double-edged sword, as it may be interpreted as bribery, although it is a cultural practice in many parts of the Chinese-speaking world for establishing guang 关 shi系 (relationship), or networking in a cultural-specific corporate world. The delivery of hampers among business associates normally peaks during the month before Chinese New Year in Singapore and Malaysia.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsHM65bbWGY/UwAWUEaDjAI/AAAAAAAAAHY/X-pOS3K7T_0/s1600/imagesCAGHK8BP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsHM65bbWGY/UwAWUEaDjAI/AAAAAAAAAHY/X-pOS3K7T_0/s1600/imagesCAGHK8BP.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Image taken from <a href="http://www.fudan.org.cn/archives/20119/mashang"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.fudan.org.cn/archives/20119/mashang</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Interestingly, there is a reversal of meaning change in the pragmatics of /mashang/. <span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Diachronically, the horse character </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">/</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">/ and top character /<a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: MingLiU; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">/ </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">undergo the process of semantic bleaching becoming less equine- and top-like in /</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">/. Semantic bleaching is related to grammaticalization - a process in which a lexical word loses its original meaning in time. </span></span>In terms of diachronic grammar, many claim that grammaticalization is unilateral, i.e. a one way development in which a full lexical word becomes more grammatical gradually. There are others who do not subscribe to the unilateral direction of grammaticalization. This post merely recounts a usage-based situation in which a grammaticalized word regains its original lexical meaning. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p>For illustration and comparison of Chinese wishes in the real world that begin with /mashang/, Table 1 contains two types of wish shared verbally during Chinese New Year in Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore and Malaysia. The first type is the <i>immediately-have-thing</i> wish such as <i>immediately own</i> <i>money, house</i>, and <i>car</i>. The second category, in contrast, is the <i>immediately-be-in-a-state</i> wish including <i>immediately be prosperous, immediately be lucky</i>, and <i>immediately be happy</i>. </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Mandarin wishes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Hanyu Pinyin<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Meaning<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117.9pt;" valign="top" width="157"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E6%9C%89"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">有</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E9%92%B1"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: MingLiU; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">钱</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ma shang you qian</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Tho, 2014)</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Get rich immediately </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Tho, 2014)</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117.9pt;" valign="top" width="157"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E6%9C%89"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">有</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E6%88%BF"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">房</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ma shang you fang </span></i><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Tho, 2014)<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Own a house immediately </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Tho, 2014)</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117.9pt;" valign="top" width="157"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E6%9C%89"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">有</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E8%BD%A6"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: MingLiU; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">车</span></a>[<a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E5%8F%B7"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">号</span></a>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ma shang you che [hao] </span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(Tho, 2014, brackets mine)<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Obtain a car [licence plate] immediately (Tho, 2014, brackets mine)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117.9pt;" valign="top" width="157"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E5%8F%91"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: MingLiU; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">发</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E8%B4%A2"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: MingLiU; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">财</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ma shang </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">fā <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cái</span></span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Strike a fortune immediately<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117.9pt;" valign="top" width="157"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E5%A5%BD"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">好</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E8%BF%90"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">运</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 139.5pt;" valign="top" width="186"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ma shang </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">hǎo</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">yùn</span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Become lucky immediately<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 117.9pt;" valign="top" width="157"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: MingLiU; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">马</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E4%B8%8A"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">上</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E5%BF%83"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">心</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/?define=%E7%A6%8F"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">福</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ma shang xin </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">fú</span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: rgb(0,0,0) 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 221.4pt;" valign="top" width="295"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Blessed with happiness immediately <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Table 1: Select Chinese New Year Greetings in Mandarin</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The year 2014 offers an immediate opportunity for the <i>horse</i> and <i>top</i> characters to spring into life, as it were, via a zodiac-based fortification in the semantics of wishing repertoire invoked as a face-to-face cultural practice. Both characters /mashang/ reverberate an <i>on-top-of-the-horse</i> meaning because the <i>immediately</i>-wishes in Table 1 are not commonly shared with each other in Chinese New Year yet become relevant and popular in conjunction with the ushering in of the year of the horse.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">After knowing that /mashang/ is used to wish for something immediately, or get into a wonderful state immediately, we may append many things or states that are desirable for listeners in our verbal interaction. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A well-tailored wish in the year of the horse will definitely enhance one's CQ (cultural intelligence) immediately, so to speak. The scope that follows the <i>immediately</i>-wish is definitely diverse ranging from good health, youthfulness, longevity, pregnancy, daughter, son, or promotion for everybody in accordance to one's preference(s). </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Data base and work consulted</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chinese </span><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">https://chinese.yabla.com/</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Gibney, Jim. (2011). What ma shang really means. <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chinadaily.com.cn </i></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/mychinastory/2011-12/26/content_14327802.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/mychinastory/2011-12/26/content_14327802.htm</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sew, Jyh Wee. (2005). Iconicity. In P. Strazny (ed.). <i>The Encyclopedia of Linguistics</i> (pp. 487-488). </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">New York: Routledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">__________. (2014). Spring in other dialect. <i>Grammar Gang</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/01/spring-in-other-dialect.html"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">http://thegrammargang.blogspot.sg/2014/01/spring-in-other-dialect.html</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tho, Sin Yi (2014). </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Cheeky equine greetings of the Horse 2014.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rightways: Sowing the seeds to success</i><b>.</b> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://rightwayssuccess.blogspot.sg/2014/01/cheeky-equine-greetings-of-horse-2014.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://rightwayssuccess.blogspot.sg/2014/01/cheeky-equine-greetings-of-horse-2014.html</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jyh Wee Sew</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Centre for Language Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kent Ridge Campus, National University of Singapore<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-81579721118654509852014-02-09T16:30:00.000-08:002014-02-09T16:30:42.108-08:00A flying start to university - language know how<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIBGsK87r3o/UvgQAhGuovI/AAAAAAAAAbw/-aMkE64xxWU/s1600/balloons2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZIBGsK87r3o/UvgQAhGuovI/AAAAAAAAAbw/-aMkE64xxWU/s1600/balloons2.png" /></a></div>
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Starting university (and even returning to university) is a time of great celebration. There are many new things to explore and learn as you enter this new phase of your life.<br />
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In South Australia, new students will shortly start their orientation to university, ahead of the first week of the semester (in March).<br />
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There will be much to learn including where to get the best food on campus; how to buy books; who are the key people in your program of study.<br />
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There will also be new ways of <em>doing </em>which can take a while to learn. As I reflect on my own journey as an undergraduate and postgraduate student, I remember it took me lots of twists and turns before things fell into place with regard to understanding the types of assignments and the style of language required.<br />
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By the time I became a Learning Advisor who worked in our <a href="http://www.unisa.edu.au/Student-Life/Support-services/Language-and-Learning-Services/" target="_blank">Language and Learning services</a> area, I was aware there were some language fundamentals to grasp in order to become successful at uni. I would like to share these with you.<br />
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<strong>Firstly</strong>,<strong> </strong>be aware of the different types or <em>genres</em> of writing required. The free-flowing form of <a href="http://resource.unisa.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=23790" target="_blank">essay writing</a>, with its arguments and justifications, is quite different to the highly objective tone of a <a href="http://resource.unisa.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=23518" target="_blank">report</a> - with its headings and numbered sections and sub sections. <br />
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<strong>Secondly</strong>, no matter what the genre, structure is also an important part of making yourself understood; ordering your points of difference and giving credibility to your work. A well structured piece - whether within the whole assignment; at the paragraph or sentence level - is a key way to earn marks. <a href="http://resource.unisa.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=27408" target="_blank">Linking words</a> - simple or complex - can aid this process.<br />
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<strong>Thirdly</strong>, the tone of writing also plays an important role. Where an informal tone and use of the first person 'I' might be appropriate for a reflective writing piece, a technical report will let the data speak and create more distance between the reader and the author. An essay - which may have strong points of justification - will sit somewhere between the two. Mostly, the tone of your work at university will require <a href="http://resource.unisa.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=27409" target="_blank">objectivity</a>.<br />
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<strong>Finally</strong>, we end with where we really ought to start. Whenever you approach an assessment piece at university, seek help. Clarify any points with your lecturer and - if you are able - take your early pieces of writing to your student support unit (they are called various things in different universities). <br />
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We wish you all the best for a flying start at university OR a successful new year.<br />
<br />
Andrea and the Grammar Gang<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-6890942241182141622014-02-01T20:38:00.000-08:002014-02-02T19:32:18.819-08:00Going bananas<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s talk about the fruits
used in the idioms of daily life. Many terms from the fruit category are invoked for
describing human beings or human behaviors. For example, it may be good at first for a worker to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the apple of the boss’ eye</i> because it means that the
person has become a favorite of his superior. In a different scenario, however, a worker
who is genuinely capable at work and received promotion based on merit might be
accused of being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the apple of the
boss’ eye</i> due to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tall poppy
syndrome</i>. This is a social phenomenon whereby the talented ones are often resented
and criticized for standing out in the crowd due to peer-group jealousy. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Whether it is the apple in sight,
or the upper poppy, a person may enjoy a smoother path at work although he or
she may be the fruit of envy among the colleagues. I would call the associated jealous crowd
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">green tomatoes,</i> based on the name
of a tomato species called <em>Green Envy</em>. The green tomatoes would more likely to consider
the successful peers as the <em>bad apples</em>. It is hence twice as hard for the
so-called <em>bad apples</em> to maintain <em>a cherry condition</em> with their colleagues,
especially if they are in the <em>top banana</em> positions. For one reason, the <em>second
bananas</em> or subordinates may have the tendency to turn into <em>sour grapes</em>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pds5GZBYXLI/UtsoIibxi6I/AAAAAAAAAF8/sn8jmLm6SJc/s1600/2011-08-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pds5GZBYXLI/UtsoIibxi6I/AAAAAAAAAF8/sn8jmLm6SJc/s1600/2011-08-12.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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Green Envy (image taken from <a href="http://www.mporchards.com/index.php/about-us/tomatoes">http://www.mporchards.com/index.php/about-us/tomatoes</a>)</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Malay, we use <em>sweet
corn</em> to describe a person's attributes. A person is inexperienced if he practices a
particular trade for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">setahun jagung</i> [planting
sweet corn for a year]. If a person is a green horn, he may be regarded as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seumur jagung</i> [as old as sweet corn],
which is about 100 days (cf. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kamus Dewan</i>,
2007). Furthermore, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jagung kampung</i> [village
sweet corn] is a term invoked for referring to a hillbilly living in seclusion and remaining oblivious to the outside world. While a Malay lady’s beautiful calf may be considered as resembling the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bunting padi</i> [a paddy bulge] a woman’s pregnant
stomach may be described as resembling the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bunting
keladi</i> [the bulge of water hyacinth] (<em>keladi</em> in general may also refer to yam or taro; see Sew, 2009 for more examples of Malay idioms containing fruit references). </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S3QGDje3ck8/UttfZ_MqobI/AAAAAAAAAGY/meRdq0WZxiM/s1600/DSC00726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S3QGDje3ck8/UttfZ_MqobI/AAAAAAAAAGY/meRdq0WZxiM/s1600/DSC00726.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> Bunting padi (a paddy bulge)</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> Image taken from <a href="http://seswap.blogspot.sg/2012/02/betis-bak-bunting-padi.html">http://seswap.blogspot.sg/2012/02/betis-bak-bunting-padi.html</a></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vTUDmHP1iZ8/UtteOXamu9I/AAAAAAAAAGM/qe6ByB82EWs/s1600/kiambang+pokok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vTUDmHP1iZ8/UtteOXamu9I/AAAAAAAAAGM/qe6ByB82EWs/s1600/kiambang+pokok.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bunting keladi (the bulge of water hyacinth), image taken from <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rBgKL_dWzJI/T_xMcFTIfjI/AAAAAAAAAMs/wtkfkpbVdV4/s1600/kiambang+pokok.jpg">http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rBgKL_dWzJI/T_xMcFTIfjI/AAAAAAAAAMs/wtkfkpbVdV4/s1600/kiambang+pokok.jpg</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the 1940s, my grand
aunt was considered a delicate beauty in her hometown. She was called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ong-lai-huey</i> in Hokkien literally meaning
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the pineapple flower</i>. (Beauty in this context is beyond the standards of the Hollywood circle). The household
received fresh seafood delivered by the soldiers during wartime. The fruit idiom was
an interesting reference that incurred abundance for the family and sustained personal
success in her strides, i.e. generated two marriages, the second after the death of her first husband. Marriage was a strategy to fight off
poverty and the hardships of life in the 1940s for very many illiterate Southeast Asian women.
Half a century ago, singlehood was a social taboo begetting gossips and hate
speeches insinuating that the (female) singles were worthless (see the recent Singapore's Media Corp television drama serial <em>The journey: A vogage</em>). It is still the case
today in certain Malay communities (Maznah Mohamad, 2013).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Indeed, life is not <em>a
bowl of cherries</em> given the fact that there are always <em>rotten apples</em> and <em>sour
grapes</em> in our surrounding. We have to learn how to <em>cherry pick</em> our friends and associates.
Hence, it is necessry to act intelligently in different situations as we may have to <em>pass the
olive branch</em> in one occasion and be <em>as cool as a cucumber</em> in another. As a rule
of thumb, we cannot afford to <em>not know beans about </em>our company, not least the ignorance may be an opportunity
for others <em>to upset the apple cart</em>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">References</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>Kamus Dewan</em> [Malay
Dictionary]. (2007). Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Maznah Mohamad. (2013). Globalisation and gender dissonance among poor Malays. The 14th Malaysia Singapore Forum, 9-10 Dec. Universiti Malaya, </span>Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. <br />
<br />
Sew, Jyh Wee. (2009). <em>Semiotik persembahan wacana </em>[Semiotics of discourse performing]. Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p>Jyh Wee Sew </o:p><br />
<o:p>Center For Language Studies</o:p><br />
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences<br />
<o:p>National University of Singapore</o:p></div>
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CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-18204208575168282282014-01-18T18:16:00.001-08:002014-01-18T18:16:04.978-08:00Spring in other dialect<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I must write down this Chinese verbal example that I
heard while having breakfast in a market-cum-hawker centre before I forget. The
reopening of the market place near my house in Jan. 2014 after it underwent renovation for nine
months was a relief, especially for people like me who wanted a fast and nutritious
breakfast before going to work. Breakfast is never complete without a glass of
hot coffee or hot tea in good old Southeast Asian style.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sit2jswx_b4/UtiLlzxqr1I/AAAAAAAAAFs/Vwsvoo2HDAE/s1600/dsc_4137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sit2jswx_b4/UtiLlzxqr1I/AAAAAAAAAFs/Vwsvoo2HDAE/s1600/dsc_4137.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hot tea served in the heartland coffee shops in Singapore</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The image is taken from <a href="http://beverageclub.wordpress.com/">http://beverageclub.wordpress.com/</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As I was sipping my tea one working morning, I
overheard the guy serving me coffee talking about somebody acting in a silly
manner by sticking the Mandarin word </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">春</span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">[<strong>chūn</strong>] meaning /spring/ in English on the back of the wok. As some background
information, it is perfectly fine to see this Chinese word stuck on the doors and in selected corners of a Chinese
house to symbolise the arrival of spring for ushering in Lunar Chinese New Year.
(Spring is a symbolic concept in a tropical country like Singapore) It is a traditional as well as a current practice for invoking the sense of
festivity by putting up red strips of spring- and fortune-related Chinese words among
many Chinese household in Southeast Asia. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w1idi9-4RnY/UtiKExAbIOI/AAAAAAAAAFg/ap6jmZNpsvw/s1600/chun2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w1idi9-4RnY/UtiKExAbIOI/AAAAAAAAAFg/ap6jmZNpsvw/s1600/chun2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><o:p> The Mandarin Character for Spring</o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><o:p> The image is taken from <a href="http://mydiamondsutra.net/index.php">http://mydiamondsutra.net/index.php</a> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">According to the coffee seller, however, sticking the Mandarin word
/spring/ on the wok at the hawker centre is not a good commercial-cultural strategy, not least the
word is also sound symbolic to the word /chuun, tonal marking excluded/, which means /remain/ in Hokkien,
another Chinese dialect spoken in Singapore, Malaysia and some parts of
Indonesia. Playing by a Hokkien ear to the Mandarin /spring/ in a food business context
would simply beget a possible situation whereby the food prepared for sale will remain as leftover in the
stall. The three patrons including me had a hearty laugh while eating our breakfast,
paying little interest to the validity of the cultural hypothesis, at first.</span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">Instantaneously speaking in Hokkien, one male patron responded in a rather logically
manner that it would definitely be the accurate move to stick the word in the
kitchen at home, for at least there would be leftover every day. Of course, having
leftover is not a good practice in the critical eyes of a nutritionist who would be insisting
on all the meals served fresh. However, to a common Chinese mind, (cooked) food available in a kitchen is a sign of abundance </span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">and indexical to some form of basic happiness with
hunger kept at bay. </span></span></div>
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<span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">While I am not sure if anybody would pay too much attention to
the cultural semiotics underpinning the traditional practice of putting up
auspicious Chinese words, I bet nobody in a normal mindset would dare to stick
an inauspicious phrase or evil-sounding word at home, in the car or one's bedroom. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">We did have popular rock bands singing out loudly unauspicious words in their songs and in the case of one rock group, the lead singer wound up in a self-inflicted tragic ending. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">The moral of the lesson is to offer good words to our loved ones no matter how redundant or insignificant they may seem to be at first. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">I remember seeing loving words in the Christian households, religious reminders in the Malay households, encouraging words in my hostel mates’ rooms and, of course, wealth-related words in Chinese commercial sites. There must be good reason if not symbolic-semiotic reason to be surrounded with good words in whatever language that speaks to our heart and soul.</span></span></div>
<br />
Jyh Wee Sew<br />
Centre for Language Studies<br />
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences<br />
National University of SingaporeCIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-36404571223515932562014-01-12T17:32:00.001-08:002014-01-17T00:17:03.155-08:00Chinese Lion Twerking<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning, my
brother-in-law, KT, updated his <em>Facebook</em> status with a video clip of a Chinese lion
dance. Indeed, it is an apt move in the remaining two and half weeks
leading up to Chinese New Year. Upon clicking the video clip, I felt a sense of
festivity looking at two Chinese lion masks styled by two youngsters,
respectively prancing around in unison mimicking lion-like moves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly, to my horror,
the drumming and beating of cymbals turned into an upbeat English tune blaring
a familiar song I knew from <em>The X-Factor Show</em>. The Chinese lion dance teams suddenly
took to the English tune with the dancers swaying into a modern dance performance re-hatching
a typical roadshow scene that has become a common sign of out-door jamboree in
this part of the world.</span><br />
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<a href="https://fbcdn-vthumb-a.akamaihd.net/hvthumb-ak-frc3/s130x130/409890_10150694635624989_10150694629649989_34914_1282_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://fbcdn-vthumb-a.akamaihd.net/hvthumb-ak-frc3/s130x130/409890_10150694635624989_10150694629649989_34914_1282_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><a href="https://fbcdn-vthumb-a.akamaihd.net/hvthumb-ak-frc3/s130x130/409890_10150694635624989_10150694629649989_34914_1282_b.jpg">https://fbcdn-vthumb-a.akamaihd.net/hvthumb-ak-frc3/s130x130/409890_10150694635624989_10150694629649989_34914_1282_b.jpg</a></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While fusion as a means
of survival was the only consolation I could think of, I would at least like
the modernistic mediation to incorporate an upbeat Chinese pop song by the songstress A-Mei,
or the pop band Wu Yue Tian, both of whom are Taiwan-based Mandarin performers who have a
massive following in the Chinese world. The video simply showed an example of
global force unpacking a local tradition (although at the back of my mind I
heard Walter Mignolo saying….it’s glocalization).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I am not pointing
fingers, nor am I taking a purist stand against Chinese lion dance twerking; I
myself prefer listening to Rihanna rather than Fish Leong. For me, no Karaoke session
is complete these days without Pink’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just
Give Me A Reason</i> with Nate Ruess. But at the same time, I would not stick in English phrases when I sing </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">当</span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">爱以成往</span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">事</span></span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">[</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Dang Ai Yi Chen Wang Si (lit. means <em>when love becomes a thing of the past</em>),
the theme song of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Farewell to my
concubine</i>, for which Leslie Cheung acted in the movie and sung the theme
song.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Authenticity becomes
all the more important with the threat of globalization or glocalization. We
need to safeguard certain qualities in traditions that took decades if not centuries
to evolve. Although languages may be an exception to this point, as they
thrive with the introduction of calques, coinages, and loans, the
transformation is really based on the need for naming rather than a
fanciful change of heart (although slang and certain street cultures are
counterexamples). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">For example, the word /twerking/ is a case in point. It seems to me /twerking/ sounds like a calque of the word /twist/ and /jerk/; although the Oxford Dictionaries' record says it is a twenty-year old American English word that originates in bounce music scene from New Orleans, USA (see the reference below). The point here is that something remains best in its original
taste/form, just as we would not change our fish and chips, Chinese chicken
rice, Malay satay, chocolate cake, etc. when they have achieved gold standard in our
hearts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reference</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oxford Dictionaries </span><a href="http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/08/what-is-the-origin-of-twerk/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/08/what-is-the-origin-of-twerk/</span></a></div>
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Accessed on 13 Jan. 2014</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jyh
Wee Sew</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Centre
for Language Studies</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Faculty of Arts & Social
Sciences</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">National University of Singapore<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-28702224989046427572013-11-25T16:40:00.000-08:002013-11-25T16:41:56.993-08:00My Essay Rules!<div style="text-align: right;">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is plenty of good advice around on essay writing, and our own Grammar Gang blog has some great posts. You can find them by typing ‘essay writing’ in the box in the top left hand corner of the page. <br /><br />Today, for a bit of fun, I’m going to include some text from a video called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3otxnlQuIr8" target="_blank">My Essay Rules</a>, which features the famous grammar detective Ms Parrot attempting to ‘bake’ an essay. There are twelve stages, like the hands on a clock moving round in five minute blocks.<br /><br />1. First consider your topic or title, to give you an idea of what your finished product should be like. Look at this well before the due date and give yourself plenty of time to work on the essay. <br /><br />2. Then brainstorm all the things that might be associated with your topic. <br /><br />3. After that, look for the right ingredients. This is like doing research.<br /><br />4. Now you need to plan. You may have to put those things aside that you don’t need. Just because you spent a long time finding something, that doesn’t always mean it’s going to be useful. You need to weigh everything and make sure there’s a good balance. Then put the ingredients in order, ready to use. <br /><br />5. Now draft your conclusion. How will everything finish? What are you aiming for? What final impression do you want your reader to have? It might seem strange to start by writing a conclusion, but unless you know where you’re going you can easily lose direction.<br /><br />6. The next thing is to write the body of your essay. This is a bit like mixing your ingredients, getting the balance right. Each paragraph should make one main point.<br /><br />7. Now draft your introduction. What do you want your reader to know about your topic? How will you lead them in to the rest of your essay? The final sentence is usually the thesis statement, where you explain what your essay will cover.<br /><br />8. Remember to include references every time you refer to another person’s ideas. References should appear in the text and in a reference list at the end of the essay.<br /><br />9. Read your draft essay and change things if you need to. Make sure everything is linked to your title.<br /><br />10.Edit your essay. Is there anything you need to add or take out? Should you change the order of any paragraphs?<br /><br />11.Proof read your essay. Are there any little mistakes you need to correct?<br /><br />12.If your essay’s ready, it’s time to submit it. And if you get a good mark, that’s the icing on the cake!<br /><br />If you’re still stuck at the planning stage, though, try Massey University’s <a href="http://owll.massey.ac.nz/academic-writing/assignment-planning-calculator.php" target="_blank">assignment planning calculator</a> for some excellent time management tips, as well as advice on all aspects of essay writing.<br /><br />Happy writing!</span></span>Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-26576355064674096262013-10-22T01:28:00.000-07:002013-10-21T17:34:28.319-07:00Saying 'No'<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Learning to say 'no' has been the advice to many. Indeed, negating words are important linguistic forms to teach in a foreign
language curriculum. These forms enable the students to either make a refusal, or denial when they are dealing with an uncomfortable</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> invitation or proposition. A verbal negation is also relevant to prohibit an
ongoing action that disturbs the tranquility of a place. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Furthermore, the intelligence to negate provides the power to keep risky offers arising from verbal communication at bay. In terms of shopping, negating words are relevant for
bargaining. Saying 'no' generates a capacity for the speaker to negotiate for a simple agreement. In a typical foreign language classroom, Malay students would learn the following three
Malay words to perform a simple negation in daily interaction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; margin: auto auto auto 18.9pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><tbody><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Negating Words<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
</td><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span></strong><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 99pt;" valign="top" width="132"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">English gloss<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
</td><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span></strong><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.7in;" valign="top" width="355"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Example<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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</span></tr>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span>
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="126"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Bukan</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>(contrastive)<o:p></o:p></em><o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 99pt;" valign="top" width="132"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Not or No</span><br />
<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.7in;" valign="top" width="355"><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><em>Kuih ini bukan pisang goreng.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This kuih</span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2714518845507850015#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
is not fried fritters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><em>Rumah saya bukan di Jurong.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My house is not
in Jurong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Tidak</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(descriptive)<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
</td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 99pt;" valign="top" width="132"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Don’t or No</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
</td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.7in;" valign="top" width="355"><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <em>
</em></span></span></span><em>Saya tidak tidur lewat.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not sleep
late.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><em>Abang saya tidak kurus.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My elder brother
is not thin.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
</td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 94.5pt;" valign="top" width="126"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Jangan</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(prohibitive)<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
</td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 99pt;" valign="top" width="132"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Do not</span><br />
<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
</td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.7in;" valign="top" width="355"><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><em>Jangan makan di dalam perpustakaan<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not eat inside
the library.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
</td><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span></tr>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span></tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <strong>Table 1: Basic Malay Negative Words</strong></span></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Table 1 contains three negating words in Malay that are
commonly used in verbal communication.</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2714518845507850015#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though the examples in Table 1 are
quite straightforward, a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>student of
<em>Elementary Malay</em> may pose interesting questions including the possibility of
using 'ini kuih' (kuih this) instead of 'kuih ini' (this kuih) in example 1.
The basis of such a query is understandable if students have the experience
of learning the instantiated Malay syntactic form, 'ini’ +<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘kuih’ in deictic expressions by looking at
the pictures while reading out the nouns in view. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G9mISM1bM3k/UjgCP99wkLI/AAAAAAAAAEg/NusYetG4fjI/s200/gorengpisang12.jpg" width="200" /> "Ini kuih pisang goreng" (This is a fried fretter) </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">(Source: </span><a href="http://zustastebuds.blogspot.sg/2009/05/wadeh-you-chak-kueh-jeneket-goreng.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">http://zustastebuds.blogspot.sg/2009/05/wadeh-you-chak-kueh-jeneket-goreng.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">More e<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">xplanations are required to satisfy an inquisitive mind that examines and generates a particular syntactic pattern across varying types of expression. </span>As a foreground to our understanding of Malay grammar, it is explained that a Malay noun comes before a demonstrative in a typical Malay construction, as follows:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">6. <em>Rumah ini rumah saya</em>.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> This house is my house </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I call this linguistic rule ‘the more important thing comes first’ syntactic principle. A Malay deictic expression that begins with a demonstrative 'ini' is, hence, irregular Malay syntax because the ini-headed phrase inverts the syntactic principle. Hence, the student's query of *'Ini kuih bukan pisang goreng' is actually an ill-formed negative expression in Malay because it goes against 'the most important thing comes first' principle. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
We may test the negation further for more information.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">7. Kuih ini bukan pisang goreng [this kuih is not fried fritter]</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">8. *Ini kuih bukan pisang goreng [*kuih this is not fried fritter]</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">That only 'kuih ini bukan pisang goreng'
is a grammatical negation in <em>Standard Malay</em> grammar but not *'ini kuih bukan pisang goreng' suggests
to us that negating a Malay sentence with an inverted noun phrase (NP) runs into a conflict of meaning, not least basic negative expressions entail a specific reference but not its presupposition<span style="color: blue;">.[</span><span style="color: blue;"><u>3]</u> </span> In other words</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">, a specific NP is required to provide a scopal dependence for processing the negated information <span style="color: blue;">[4]. </span>A similar contrast of English examples illustrating ill-formed negations with non-dependent specification includes the following examples.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">9. Today is not Monday<em>.</em> vs. 9a. <em>*</em>Monday is not today. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">10. This rice is not chicken rice. vs. 10a. *Chicken rice is not this rice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In conclusion, recognising and understanding the different negative expressions between languages, especially in the case of English first language speakers learning Malay, is useful for teaching Malay negative words. Interlanguage contrast provides a space of contemplation by invoking a familiar path into the terrain of negation in another language. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Informing Malay learners that negating certain Malay
phrases works well with a specific noun reference, but not with its deictic counterpart, is a relevant start towards acquiring Malay negation.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jyh Wee Sew, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Centre for Language Studies, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">National University of Singapore</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2714518845507850015#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Kuih, a Malay delicacy, is more complicated than a snack in terms of preparation but
less elaborate than a cake in terms of size and appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: footnote;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div>
<div align="left" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: footnote;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2714518845507850015#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"> Interested readers may refer to Asmah Haji Omar, <em>Nahu Melayu Mutakhir</em> (5th ed., Kuala Lumpur, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2009) for more examples of Malay negative words; and also Asmah Haji Omar, <em>Rekonstruksi kata dalam bahasa Melayu induk</em> (Kuala Lumpur, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1995) for the origins of a Malay negative word.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: footnote;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: footnote;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: x-small;"><u>[3]</u></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">See</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Jyh Wee Sew, <em>Reduplicating nouns and verbs in Malay: A conceptual analysis,</em> Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press, 2007. <em></em></span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: footnote;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<div align="left" class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element: footnote;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-small;"><u>[4]</u></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">See discussions in Jyh Wee Sew, Review of Liu F., Scope and Specifity, <em>Australian Journal of Linguistics 19</em>(2) (1999), 262-264; as well as Jyh Wee Sew, Evolusi kata nafi bahasa Melayu dan kesejagatan bahasa, <em>Jurnal Dewan Bahasa 43</em>(12) (1999), 1136-1151. </span></span></div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-27592043117581238742013-08-27T22:04:00.000-07:002013-09-16T18:09:58.603-07:00I literally love language!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gHsc8b28wCo/Ug2iUEYqX8I/AAAAAAAAAGk/ZLCxLCHMk_o/s1600/Burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gHsc8b28wCo/Ug2iUEYqX8I/AAAAAAAAAGk/ZLCxLCHMk_o/s200/Burger.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Image from stock.xchng</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">I was interested to read the
following <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/15/living/literally-definition" target="_blank">CNN post</a> recently, saying how dictionaries are defining the
word <i>literally</i> with its most current meaning rather than its traditional
meaning. Thus <i>literally</i> is now used as an intensifier, meaning <i>very</i>
or <i>really, </i>rather than meaning, well, <i>literally</i>. That means that
you can now say, <i>There were literally hundreds of choices on the menu</i>,
when in fact there were about forty choices. All you are doing is implying that
there was a lot of choice. Usage changes, and dictionaries reflect current
usage, though larger dictionaries always include original uses too. Of course,
dictionaries always try to show the latest uses of words, though purists often
object. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Many words are not used literally,
though. I loved the CNN comment that "next thing they'll be telling us that there's no ham in hamburger, no egg in eggplant, a boxing ring isn't round and tennis shoes aren't just for tennis". This reminds me of Ogden Nash's poem on the hamburger (also known as a <i>beefburger</i>, particularly in the UK):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><br />
In mortal combat I am joined<br />
With monstrous words wherever coined.<br />
"Beefburger" is a term worth hating,<br />
Both fraudulent and infuriating,<br />
Contrived to foster the belief<br />
That only beefburgers are made of beef,<br />
Implying with shoddy flim and flam<br />
That hamburgers are made of ham.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">We have so many words in English
that are not literally what they claim to be, or which have changed from their
original spelling. Did you know that <i>a newt</i>, for example, used to be <i>an
ewte</i>, but assimilated the <i>n</i> from the indefinite article? The same is
true of <i>an apron</i>, which was originally <i>a napron</i>, and <i>an umpire</i>,
which used to be <i>a numpire. </i>This process is called ‘metanalysis’, and
you can read more about it in Stephen Ullmann’s fascinating book <i>Semantics</i>:
<i>An introduction to the science of meaning</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Other words may be ambiguous,
depending on the variety of English you are using. For example, the verb <i>to
flog</i> is used colloquially to mean <i>to sell</i> in the UK, but both <i>to
sell </i>and <i>to steal </i>in Australia. Likewise, <i>to barrack</i> a
team in the UK means <i>to shout abuse</i>, while in Australia </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><i>to barrack for</i></span> means <i>to
shout encouragement</i>. As with ‘literally’, the word has come to change its
meaning. There is obviously potential for confusion there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">When you think you are using a word
to say one thing, but you are actually saying something else, that word is
called a ‘false friend’. This was brought home to me when I lived in Portugal,
where the word <i>marmelada</i> refers to a kind of quince jam. For me, as an
English person, <i>marmalade</i> was always made from citrus fruit, and often
had a bitter taste. Our local supermarket didn’t know this, though, and they
ordered several boxes of what turned out to be English orange marmalade. No one
bought it except for my family, so the price went down and down and we ate
marmalade for months. Paddington would have been happy!</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBa9YZgzSXM/Ug2ijHoL7GI/AAAAAAAAAGs/kqHOFVtNN2g/s1600/Paddington.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBa9YZgzSXM/Ug2ijHoL7GI/AAAAAAAAAGs/kqHOFVtNN2g/s200/Paddington.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">www.paddingtonbear.com</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">All this goes to show that language
develops constantly, from one country to another, from one variety to another,
and from one year to another. Online dictionaries try to reflect these changes
and are a great place for learners of a language to check current usage.
However, there are always new things that we can watch out for, and it's fascinating
to see how words change their meaning. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">That’s why I literally love language!</span>
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Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-43563144931361317972013-08-11T19:07:00.000-07:002013-09-13T17:16:58.676-07:00Sing to read<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is the prerequisite of singing reading? Adults normally read the lyrics first before they upgrade the words into a song by adding melodious intonation. Or if the opposite is true, one would then claim that one sings first before checking out the lyrics. Normally, we listen to songs before deciding if we would like to be part of the fandom as a (singing) listener. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For Jia Yi, a three-year old, she sings first. The songs she sings contain 30 to 40 Chinese words. She does not understand the lyrics but she likes Chinese New Year songs very much, as the songs are sung by her peers in colorful costumes. Jia Yi sings and dances along for hours while watching her peers singing joyously. Below is a sample of Jia Yi having fun while watching a video in her parents’ bedroom:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwKa7F9mHce9MGjlzZ0UfDtRiH9Znb_zUnjv3iFEC8mJDmVuX5dKHloxGC7bAbN7vQmcIHj2IUXsacR6iqGHw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Jia Yi singing to her favourite tune in her parents' bedroom</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In case you think Jia Yi is a monolingual Chinese girl, she is also a true blue fan of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hi-5</i> and she watches <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disney Junior Channel</i>, which is part of a paid telebroadcast delivered by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ASTRO,</i> a company offering a private telebroacast service. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disney Junior</i> shows English cartoons and musical programmes especially tailored for children below 12.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arguably, singing has a captivating effect on young and adult minds. In Jia Yi’s case, the CD-Rom of Chinese New Year songs is a launch pad to pronounce Mandarin words in a melodious manner. We may regard the singing as an enhancement of linguistic and rhythmic intelligences in Jia Yi’s cognitive development. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D8lUkzwgsJM/UgnL5gr2wKI/AAAAAAAAAD8/6k3S7vGFxsQ/s1600/Cphoto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D8lUkzwgsJM/UgnL5gr2wKI/AAAAAAAAAD8/6k3S7vGFxsQ/s320/Cphoto.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> The CD cover of Jia Yi's favourite Chinese New Year songs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The magical effect of singing on reading seems to garner a steady following. In an alumni sharing session, it was mentioned that Thai songs were used to teach secondary school students Thai before their actual volunteer work in Thailand. My Thai teacher Achaan Sudha included a lot of songs in her Thai lessons as part of our learning extension. My Thai learning became quite a memorable experience with the use of songs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beyond reading development via rhythmic intelligence, cultural strengthening is another plus point when Chinese New Year songs are used in early childhood. The songs in Jia Yi's CD-Rom are concerned with the celebration of spring in the lunar calendar. There are plenty of Mandarin references to red packets, good wishes, auspicious terms, as well as communal semiotics such as the color red, mandarin oranges, gold coins, the God of Fortune, peach blossoms and willow tree. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29EWVFi9i2U/UgW9EA8GA5I/AAAAAAAAADo/OaTvTZT9YH4/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29EWVFi9i2U/UgW9EA8GA5I/AAAAAAAAADo/OaTvTZT9YH4/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></div>
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Jia Yi requesting a snap shot</div>
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<br />
T<span style="font-family: Calibri;">he time spent listening to the songs is a blessing in disguise, not least because it is a positive distraction that prevents Jia Yi from playing digital games too often, like <i>Scarecrow</i> and <i>Candy Crush</i>, which are<i> </i>readily available on the family's iPad. That means Jia Yi's digital exposure to terms such as <i>divine, life, saga</i> and <i>sugar</i> is lessened. The risk of developing a distorted or engineered English comprehension by means of gaming lexicon also decreases. While <i>Harry Potter </i>and <i>Lord of the Rings</i> make some interesting alternatives in her collection of CDs, it is appropriate for Jia Yi to sing about some of the cultural references that are closely associated with her cultural heritage before her next trip to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">LEGOLAND</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jyh Wee Sew</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Centre for Language Studies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">National University of Singapore</span></div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-74571061746768173012013-07-31T17:18:00.000-07:002013-09-16T18:10:29.594-07:00Reading at three in a multilingual society<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Jia Yi Chee is a three year-old girl born in January, 2010. She
is the youngest growing up with three elder brothers.
Literally speaking, she comes from a working
class as both her parents are working full time, although
her mother drives Jia Yi to school before work every
morning. After the domestic helper left the family, Sheena, Jia Yi’s
mother chose to put her daughter on a full day child care system. Currently,
Jia Yi attends a multilingual childcare facility six
days per week in the multilingual Pekan Nenas, a town in the state of
Johor, south of the
Peninsular Malaysia. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iLf-eEYGrRA/Uejydr2FUBI/AAAAAAAAAC8/YC_5kFsT2I0/s1600/4,JPPG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iLf-eEYGrRA/Uejydr2FUBI/AAAAAAAAAC8/YC_5kFsT2I0/s320/4,JPPG.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p> Jia Yi (posing for iPhone)</o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Among other things, Jia Yi has received books and a few sets
of mono-word card after six months attending the childcare facility. In between
dinner and breakfast, Jia Yi watches a lot of English and Mandarin cartoons on
television. Television, once-called the idiot-box, is a surrogate baby-sitter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite her ritual television
viewing, Jia Yi enjoys reading. Her reading stimulations are the word
cards, which display words in English, Malay and
Mandarin that are arranged in random order. The following are her progressive reading
outcomes based on selected word cards as her mental stimulants:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid black; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Reading stimulants<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Jia Yi’s reading output<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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</span></tr>
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Bantal<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">bantal (pillow in Malay)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span class="shorttext"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #333333; font-family: SimSun; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: SimSun;">学</span></b></span><span class="shorttext"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #333333; font-family: SimSun; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: SimSun;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Xué</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">*tóng</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">
> xué (learn in Mandarin)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Scissors<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: black;">scissor
[sic]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">love<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">love<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span class="shorttext"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #333333; font-family: SimSun; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">女</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Nǚ</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">nǚ</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (female in Mandarin)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Skirt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">skirt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Luka<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">luka (scar in Malay)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">You<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">you <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">eye<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">eyes [sic]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Play<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">play<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Towel<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">*mouth > I don’t know (in Mandarin) > towel (upon correction)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">saya, wo, I (upon correction)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Pagi<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">pagi<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Seluar (pants)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">*selamat > *beautiful (with a smile) > seluar (upon correction)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Kasut<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">kasut (shoes in Malay)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Morning<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">morning<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Kawan (friend)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">*friend, *pen yu > kawan (upon correction)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 18;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Baju<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">baju (shirt in Malay)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 19;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Toothbrush<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">toothbrush<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 20;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Girl<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">girl <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 21;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Milk<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">milk<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 22;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 33.25pt 44.2pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #777777; font-family: SimSun; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">爸</span><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">bà</span></span><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(father)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><tbody><span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in; width: 0.75pt;" width="1"></td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in; width: 0.3pt;" width="0"></td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span></tbody></table>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="color: black;"></span></o:p><br /></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">ba ba (wrong tone in Standard Mandarin; correct colloquially) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 23;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Feel<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">*Fail > *fail (with a smile) > feel (upon correction)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 24;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span class="shorttext"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #333333; font-family: SimSun; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: SimSun;">开</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">kāi</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">kai (open in Mandarin)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 25;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: right 86.75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span class="shorttext"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #333333; font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">心</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Xīn</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">xin (heart in Mandarin)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 26;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Perempuan<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Perempuan (women in Malay)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="height: 9.4pt; mso-yfti-irow: 27;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 9.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Mouth<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 9.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 70.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">mouth<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 28; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 112.1pt;" valign="top" width="149"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Saya<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 298.85pt;" valign="top" width="398"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">saya (I in Malay)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td><span style="color: black;">
</span></tr>
<span style="color: black;">
</span></tbody></table>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Table 1: A three year-old’s reading output in a multilingual society<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FHUVOo2SKGk/Uejyxz5OQ9I/AAAAAAAAADE/GI-ZTGzoDvU/s1600/photo5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FHUVOo2SKGk/Uejyxz5OQ9I/AAAAAAAAADE/GI-ZTGzoDvU/s320/photo5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Jia Yi's favourite reading area (in front of the TV)<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Initially, prior to the outcomes in Table 1, Jia Yi used to
read in phrases: “I love you” for the word love, “good morning” for the word
morning, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">má</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> má </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">for
the mono-syllable word mother </span><span class="st"><span lang="ZH-CN" style="color: #222222; font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: SimSun;">妈 </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">in
Mandarin. Jia Yi has eventually corrected her
reading output by tailoring it to a word-by-word
reading pattern. This
seems more like a reading
detour if we believe that language development
is not a word-based transformation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending on one’s
preference, one may look at formulaic language as part of psycholinguistic development
(Alison Wray), emergentism (William O'Grady), nonlineal parallel processing as a state of mind (cf. Naomi Goldblum, among others), form-function construction as the cognitive process for language
(Adele Goldberg), or core syntactic properties shared by human languages
(Noam Chomsky) as our reference point(s).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The reading outputs contained in Table 1 were observed and
recorded by the blogger who held the word card to Jia Yi’s face. The blogger said
yes/good if Jia Yi has read correctly, nope if she has read wrongly, and
offered the ‘accurate’ pronunciation if she has read the word on the card wrong
for twice. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ii2z3Oc_o0o/UejbSUfWSHI/AAAAAAAAACw/Scgq3WvOMtE/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ii2z3Oc_o0o/UejbSUfWSHI/AAAAAAAAACw/Scgq3WvOMtE/s320/photo+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Jia Yi before watching a movie on a Friday evening</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">What is interesting is that Jia Yi has
recurrent difficulties with verb-to-be such as /are/ in a different observation
and personal pronoun /I/ compared to nouns such as /scissors/. She uses any of
the three languages as a basis of her reading knowledge and attempts to correct
herself in two other languages. Jia Yi mimics the
pronunciation of a word in a third language when she receives a correction in a
third language. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Based on the simple reading interaction with Jia Yi, there
are four questions that this blog post would
like to raise as its concluding remarks. Firstly,
is word-for-word the right way to adopt in teaching reading to preschools? Secondly,
do the children growing up reading in a multilingual setting
require different sets of learning materials
compared to the children growing up reading and
learning in monolingual setting? Thirdly,
should language learning begin with one language per each contact time in a
multilingual setting, if not across all the learning
settings? Lastly, do the language educators and policy planners understand the
difference between children coordinating multilingual stimulations and children
receiving monolingual stimulations well enough when they manage language acquisition in general and plan reading practice in particular</span>?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-SG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p>Jyh Wee Sew</o:p></span></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-SG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p>Centre for Language Studies</o:p></span></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-SG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p>Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences</o:p></span></h2>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-SG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p>National University of Singapore</o:p></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-10183091490146019272013-07-14T04:03:00.003-07:002013-07-14T04:03:42.209-07:00I used to be so passive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
passive voice is one that causes many problems for speakers of English as an
Additional Language (EAL). This may be because it does not exist in their
language, or because it is used differently. The passive voice, however, is
frequently used in academic writing, especially in reports or in other
situations where the action or outcome of an action are more important than the
person who performed the action.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For
example, it might be important to highlight people’s names in some cases,
because you want the reader to focus on that information:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marie
and Pierre Curie discovered radium and polonium.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
other cases, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">however, y</span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ou might not want to highlight the names, but you still want to
include them:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Radium
and polonium were discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Alternatively, you could omit the names completely and concentrate on an action and the
outcome of that action:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Radium
and polonium were discovered in a shed.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(That’s
true – you can read about it on the <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/themes/physics/curie/" target="_blank">Nobel Prize</a> website.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here
are two more sentences:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
shed was falling down, so we had it repaired.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
shed leaked, so we got the roof replaced.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You
might have noticed something unusual about these last two sentences. Most
passive voice constructions use the verb “to be” followed by a past participle.
However, it is possible to have a passive-type construction using “get” or “have”,
as in the examples above (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had it repaired</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">got the roof replaced</i>). In these
cases, “have” and “get” are followed by a past participle. They are called “causative
verbs” and often mean that someone does something for you at your request. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
asked someone to repair the shed.</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>– active </span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
shed was repaired.<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span></span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">– passive</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
had the shed repaired.<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span></span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">– causative “have”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
is also another construction which many learners of English are not aware of.
It comes midway between the active and the passive, and is sometimes called the
“middle voice”. This occurs with verbs such as “break” and “open”:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <i> </i></span><i>Tim broke the window. </i><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"><i> </i> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>– active </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <i> </i></span><i>The window was broken (by Tim). </i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>–
passive</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>The window broke. </i><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"><i> </i> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>– middle</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>Kate opened the window.</i><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"><i> </i> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>– active</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>The window was opened (by Kate).</i><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>–
passive</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i>The window opened.</i><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>– middle </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With
the active voice, we know who did the action. With the passive, we know that
someone did an action, but we do not need to include their name if we don’t
want to. With the middle voice, it seems as though the action happened
spontaneously; there is no need to include a person at all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
are several hundred of these “ergative verbs” which can be used in the middle
voice in English, and using them in this way makes a writer’s English sound
more like that of a native speaker. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You
can find a list of ergative verbs at the <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/passive-voice/" target="_blank">English for Uni</a> website,
together with exercises and a new video story. This story is called “Stolen on
the Ghan”, and is set on the train from Adelaide, in South Australia, to Darwin,
in Australia’s north. In addition to grammar detective Ms Parrot, the video features
the singer Bobby Dylan and the film star Dizzy Delite, both of whom suspect
that their necklaces have been stolen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is
Bobby Dylan who sings the <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/passive-voice/" target="_blank">video’s</a> opening song, with a mixture of active,
passive and middle voice:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I used to be so passive;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Every door was closed to me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I used to be so passive;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No door was opened to me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Then the door opened;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It opened ergatively. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> [I made up that
adverb to remind you that "open" is an ergative verb!]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So I pushed it open;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I opened it actively.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now I’m no longer passive;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I open every door that I see.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No, I’m no longer passive –</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The doors open wide for me!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I
encourage you to explore the passive voice and the middle voice, and learn more about ergative verbs. You might find
the doors opening wide for you too!</span></div>
<br />Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-45049126063767648992013-06-12T20:58:00.001-07:002013-09-13T17:19:46.140-07:00On the fat road<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like many Malay words, the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fat</i> in English is bi-categorical in terms of grammar. This means that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fat</i> may be considered as an adjective as well as a noun. The examples to illustrate the adjectival and nominal status of fat are as follows: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Her second husband is a very fat man vs. There is plenty of fat in this piece of fried chicken.</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vt0ocXt90k8/UblFm4xPJoI/AAAAAAAAABk/4zEqstEm6FI/s1600/Alpha+Lipid+SD2+Gemuk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" height="177" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vt0ocXt90k8/UblFm4xPJoI/AAAAAAAAABk/4zEqstEm6FI/s320/Alpha+Lipid+SD2+Gemuk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.rahsiaslimdiet.com/2012/11/alpha-lipid-sd2-cara-kuruskan-badan.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.rahsiaslimdiet.com/2012/11/alpha-lipid-sd2-cara-kuruskan-badan.html</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Interestingly, the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fat</i> may become metaphorical in the following phrases:</span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; margin: auto auto auto 0.2in; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid black; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 184.5pt;" valign="top" width="246"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fat-phrases<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(236, 233, 216); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 243.9pt;" valign="top" width="325"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Metaphorical Meaning<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 184.5pt;" valign="top" width="246"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fat cheque</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black rgb(236, 233, 216); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 243.9pt;" valign="top" width="325"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A draft worth plenty of money issuable by the bank</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 184.5pt;" valign="top" width="246"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fat chance</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black rgb(236, 233, 216); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 243.9pt;" valign="top" width="325"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unlikely</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 184.5pt;" valign="top" width="246"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fat hope</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black rgb(236, 233, 216); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 243.9pt;" valign="top" width="325"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wishful thinking </span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 184.5pt;" valign="top" width="246"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A fat lot of good use</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black rgb(236, 233, 216); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 243.9pt;" valign="top" width="325"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Neither good nor useful at all</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 184.5pt;" valign="top" width="246"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s not over until the fat lady sings</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(236, 233, 216) black black rgb(236, 233, 216); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 243.9pt;" valign="top" width="325"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The outcome of a situation is not yet final</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In comparison, the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jalan</i> in Malay may refer to the verb <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">walk</i> as well as the noun <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">road</i>. Here is a contrastive comparison of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jalan</i> as verb and noun in separate syntactic contexts:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rumah itu di tepi jalan besar<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>vs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jangan jalan ke hadapan lagi <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(That house is by the main road)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Don’t walk forward any more)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border: currentColor; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGeajJ8eEgQ/UblKRS2AWXI/AAAAAAAAAB4/chufHy8g364/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGeajJ8eEgQ/UblKRS2AWXI/AAAAAAAAAB4/chufHy8g364/s320/untitled.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.johor-properties.com/2011/11/johor-bahru-development-land-for-sale-at-rm260/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.johor-properties.com/2011/11/johor-bahru-development-land-for-sale-at-rm260/</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along the vein of non-literal expression, /jalan/ may be metaphorical in these Malay constructions:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan-phrases<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Meaning<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan (road) buntu (deadlocked)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dead end (mental block) vs. jalan mati [die] (dead end )</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan (road) pendek (short)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shortcut / cutting corner</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan (road) cerita (story)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Plot</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan (road) belakang (back)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unorthodox way</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan (road) damai (peace)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Solution for peace</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jalan (road) serong (slanted)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unscrupulous approach</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is obvious why many people would want a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fat</i> bank account but a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fat</i>-free diet, indicating that we are constantly in a love-hate relationship with fat. Similarly, in the Malay world, everybody would like to find their path to attaining success although sometimes one may be tempted to select the shorter route as there is certainly more than one road to Rome, as the Chinese saying would have it. By comparison, the English expression is that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all roads lead to Rome</i>, putting a different slant on the meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This article suggests that words are always inbuilt with a potential to generate many types of references offering a variety of meanings for the speakers to select and combine in verbal communication. It is because of the versatility of each word in producing different types of reference that we are spared the trouble of creating a new word for every single denotation, keeping the linguistic stock within a manageable mental portfolio for expression and interaction.</span></div>
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Jyh Wee Sew<br />
Centre for Language Studies<br />
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences<br />
National University of SingaporeCIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-24186678094566721252013-05-16T23:13:00.002-07:002013-05-17T00:41:59.065-07:00Symbolic colours in idiomatic references <span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
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</span></span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you ever wondered about the relevance of colours in metaphorical expressions? Colours seem to be an important component in the connotation of certain idiomatic references by means of collocation or compounding. Take for instance <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">red herring</i>, referring to facts that have become more of a distraction from the main issue. We cannot change the colour of the idiomatic reference to black, for example, as a black herring will not have the same connotations.</span></span>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We also have the term <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">black sheep</i> which refers to a member of a group who is undesirable or has become a source of embarrassment. The opposite in terms of colour, i.e. a white sheep could not complete the pragmatic task if the original connotation is intended as part of one’s communication. In terms of financial stability, a film studio or modeling agency certainly would want to keep the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">golden goose</i> (but not a brown goose) in the organisation to ensure a steady income flow. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://my.opera.com/Words/blog/2009/05/07/black-and-white-picture-feature">http://my.opera.com/Words/blog/2009/05/07/black-and-white-picture-feature</a></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When it comes to selecting a representative from the talent pool the manager might want to avoid the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">green horn</i> in place of an old bird. At this juncture, I point out that there is an interesting comparison between English and Malay when the metaphorical horn is invoked in the reference. In Malay, we have the saying ‘sudah dapat gading bertuah, tanduk lama tidak berguna lagi’ which may be literally translated as ‘when one gets a lucky tusk, the old horn becomes useless’. The Malay idiom is used to refer to a person losing interest in the old flame or staff when s/he gets a new beau, or worker, who may well be the blue-eyed boy.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Red seems to be a popular choice in idiomatic expressions. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Red tape</i> refers to the official rules that cause a slowdown in the progress of any project. A more undesirable phrasing with red may sound like this: ‘a person certainly would not want be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">caught</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">red-handed</i> in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">red light district</i> after a couple glasses of red wine’. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Black is comparable in being a robust colour choice for metaphor expressions:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Businessmen are not supposed to import goods from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">black market</i> or they could end up on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">blacklist</i> of the business dealers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly, unscrupulous business may be categorised as the black shop literally among Chinese speakers. Like in English, the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">black</i> in Mandarin also connotes negative meanings, for a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">black shop</i> or </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黑</span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">店 </span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">refers to a shop that sells low grade cut-price goods. Like the Chinese speakers, the Malays use black to refer to a triad or a secret society, which is </span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黑社会</span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">[hei she hui] in Mandarin and /kongsi gelap/ in Malay. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黑</span><span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> [hei] is the Mandarin character for “black” and /gelap/ is Malay word for “dark”. And whenever the stock market crashes in Wall Street the news makers would describe the particular day with the colour black, be it a black Monday or a black Friday. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope to have convinced the readers that there is more to colours especially when they are compounded as a symbolic category in metaphorical expressions in </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">many languages, for if I have succeeded in driving home the point I might be considered as a person with a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">silver tongue</i>, although unfortunately I was not born with a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">silver spoon</i> in my mouth. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jyh Wee Sew</span></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>Centre for Language Studies, </o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>National University of Singapore</o:p></span></div>
CIkguhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13483926325576091587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-63052271151298867422013-04-01T19:56:00.000-07:002013-04-01T20:12:14.343-07:00A review of the Cambridge learner's dictionary<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Macmillan Publishers Ltd announced in 2012 that they would no longer be producing printed versions of their learner’s dictionary. This announcement was greeted in various ways by the lexicographical community, with some applauding the decision and others criticising it. Given the present climate of increasing online use, is it still worth publishing paper dictionaries? I was recently given a new learner’s dictionary to review, so I’ll put some thoughts here and leave you to decide what you think. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Cambridge learner’s dictionary</em> (fourth edition) 2012, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">ISBN: 978-1-107-66015-1</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2jtXHKabpIo/UVpIEP2socI/AAAAAAAAAEc/00m9Z7FqkRU/s1600/CLD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mta="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2jtXHKabpIo/UVpIEP2socI/AAAAAAAAAEc/00m9Z7FqkRU/s200/CLD.jpg" width="136" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The <em>Cambridge learner’s dictionary</em> is designed for intermediate learners of English as an addition language (EAL), for levels A2-B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. I am not familiar with the CEFR, but the website http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/about-us/what-we-do/international-language-standards/ informs me that A1 is a beginners’ level while C2 indicates mastery of a language. The dictionary also indicates the CEFR levels for many entries, so that inexpensive, for example, is labelled as B1, while meeting and melon are labelled as A2. It would be really helpful if future editions could also relate the CEFR levels to other exams such as IELTS and TOEFL. There seems to be no direct equivalence between these tests, but https://www.ielts.org/researchers/common_european_framework.aspx shows roughly how the scores equate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This dictionary has many excellent features. For example, it highlights “Word partners” (collocations) and provides boxes for “Other ways of saying”, so that learners can use language idiomatically and in context, while expanding their vocabulary. It also indicates “Common learner errors”. For instance, on p. xii we read, “I need some advice. I need an advice. To make advice singular say a piece of advice.” Extra help pages at the end of the dictionary provide further exercises (with answers).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Alternative British and American English spellings are frequently given, with many words (e.g. <em>centre/center</em>) listed at both these variants. Other words (e.g. <em>harbour</em>) appear only with the British spelling, however, making the dictionary occasionally less user-friendly for American English speakers. Only British English spelling is used for definitions and examples, and Australian variants are not included at all. For instance, <em>lolly</em> is defined as "a large, hard sweet on a stick". In Australia, <em>lolly </em>is the term for what is called a <em>sweet</em> in the UK, and it is usually not on a stick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The example sentences used at many entries are generally helpful, showing how words are used in context and how they can be varied grammatically. For example, at the verb <em>fan</em> we read, "The spectators sat in the bright sun, fanning themselves with newspapers". Phrasal verbs are also included, so that under the entry for <em>fan</em> we find <em>fan out</em>: "If a group of people fan out, they move out in different directions from a single point". There is also a picture of an electric fan and a hand held paper fan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Labels such as "informal" help the reader to know when to use a word. Synonyms are explained, not merely listed, so that the reader can distinguish between them. This is a helpful feature that is not included in most thesauri.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The colour pictures are attractive and helpful, with up-to-date examples. For example, alongside <em>dress</em> and <em>jacket</em> we find <em>salwar kameez</em>. Some pictures are not to scale, however, or include no point of comparison. Thus we have a good black and white picture of a koala on p. 409, but no indication of how big this animal is. The colour pictures of various sports are also not always easy to follow. Do <em>pitcher</em> and <em>batter</em>, for example, refer to people or equipment?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some entries are not entirely clear, as in <em>lone</em>, defined as "alone: lone parents". It would be hard for a learner to work out the meaning or use of this word. Similarly, the word partners for <em>love</em> include "brotherly/unconditional love", implying that <em>brotherly</em> and <em>unconditiona</em>l are synonyms. At other times, more information would be helpful. <em>Mayonnaise</em> is defined as "a thick, cold, white sauce that is made from eggs and oil". It would be useful to add that mayonnaise is often put on salads.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The centre material is generally very good, with "Pieces and quantities" pointing out important collocations such as "a drop of oil" and "a hunk of bread". It is also useful to have UK and US variants for parts of a car, and to point out elsewhere that the UK and US use imperial units. However, some explanations might be confusing: "In the UK, people usually say their weight in stones and pounds. e.g. I weigh nine stone three." Here, the singular use of the word <em>stone</em> should be explained. The "Speaking naturally" section is helpful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The CD-ROM gives spoken pronunciation and allows the user to record their voice for pronunciation practice. There is also a thesaurus, so you can really expand your vocabulary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you want to get the most out of this dictionary, you really should read the section on “How to use this dictionary”. Most users don’t refer to this material, but we sell ourselves short when we fail to use it; it really is invaluable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I can recommend the <em>Cambridge learner’s dictionary</em> for intermediate learners of English, and the <em>Cambridge advanced learner’s dictionary</em> for those who want a wider range of vocabulary and don’t mind using a larger book. Both are also available online at <a href="http://dictionary.cambridge.org/">http://dictionary.cambridge.org/</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Is there still a place for paper dictionaries? I think there is. Not everyone has access to the internet, or to a computer. In those circumstances, a paper dictionary is invaluable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Let us know what you think by voting in the poll to the right of this post!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></em>Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-67907031353987306362013-03-21T18:18:00.002-07:002013-05-17T00:32:03.479-07:00Welcome to our first Singaporean Grammar Gang member<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is with delight that we welcome Mr <a href="http://ap3.fas.nus.edu.sg/fass/clssjw/" target="_blank">Jyh Wee Sew</a> as the latest addition to the Grammar Gang. Jyh will be our first Singaporean contributor and we welcome his insights into all things </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singlish" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Singlish</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">! (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not, of course, to undermine Jyh's extensive credentials as a linguist.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jyh has been an editor in a Malay publishing house; a teacher of Malay; has worked for the Ministry of Education and is member of the Centre for Language Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the National University of Singapore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jyh has been a recipient of many awards including an 'Outstanding Contribution Award' (2004) from the Ministry of Education in Singapore, & 'Hadiah Karya Kencana' (2011) in the category of Social Sciences and Humanities from Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka (Malaysian Language and Literary Board) in Kuala Lumpur. He is currently an editorial member of </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><a href="http://tpls.academypublisher.com/" target="_blank">Theory and Practice in Language Studies.</a> </em></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jyh's publications include three books with University Malaya Press; a selection of refereed articles and many Malay articles in internally refereed publications.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Our warmest Grammar Gang welcome, Jyh.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-eQTp2hhkY/UUvNwUZ4POI/AAAAAAAAAYM/m1tzrZDmc20/s1600/Singapore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N-eQTp2hhkY/UUvNwUZ4POI/AAAAAAAAAYM/m1tzrZDmc20/s200/Singapore.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<em><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Helen Johnston - University of South Australia</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Linda Bergmann - Purdue University US</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lisa Emerson - Massey University New Zealand</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Julia Miller - Adelaide University</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Andrea Duff - University of South Australia</span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-89111567969190841372013-02-27T15:11:00.001-08:002013-02-27T15:12:50.276-08:00Eager Beavers <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(Photo from stock.xchng)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Associating a particular animal with a human being in idiomatic phrases is an interesting form of description used in many languages. English, for example, has many interesting animal-like descriptions which are often invoked in sarcasm, jokes, speeches, and written expressions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The skunk is used to describe a person with bad qualities, e.g. unfair or unkind attributes. The pig is invoked to highlight greed or gluttony in a person, and the tortoise is associated with slowness, while the chicken is the target animal in referring to cowardice. A snake may be used as a reference for deceitful person. In contrast, another reptile, the crocodile, seems more neutral as it is used in British English for referring to people walking in a line (cf. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English). It is also used negatively, though, when we refer to someone shedding <em>crocodile [false] tears</em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the unpleasant end of the linguistic spectrum, we have several animal-like terms used as references for less favorable human traits. <em>Catty</em> refers to a quarrelsome (female) character, while <em>bitchy</em> refers to a person fond of using hurtful words. The word <em>dog </em>finds its way into several human-related references. Someone can be a di<em>rty dog</em> or a <em>lucky dog</em> (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 1987, p. 301), and the Longman Dictionary also says that a dog may refer to ‘a very unattractive woman’ in American English.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In comparison, the Malay reptile <em>buaya</em> (crocodile) is used to refer to a lecherous man, similar to <em>biawak</em> (monitor lizard), normally invoked as a reference for a womanizer. The Malay word <em>anjing</em> (dog) is a negative reference usually meant for an untrustworthy person or a cheat. According to a student who was studying Malay as a foreign language, he once overheard someone calling her husband <em>suami anjing</em> (a dog husband) angrily on the phone. <em>Kucing</em> (cat) is normally used as a reference for a pretentious or duplicitous person, like a tame cat which is yet capable of snatching a fish in a split second.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the Mandarin word for pig, 猪, refers to stupidity, the Malays use<em> udang</em> (prawn) as the equivalent of low intelligence in humans. I vaguely recall the phrase <em>prawn-head</em> in English denoting the same reference.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other animals used in Malay as metaphorical references for humans includes <em>lintah</em> (leech) for referring to loan sharks, or persons living at the expense of others or parasites; <em>tupai </em>(squirrel) for referring to a man who is irresponsible in sexual relationships; <em>ayam</em> (chicken) to denote a wife; and <em>kerbau</em> (ox) for a husband (cf. Sew, 2009).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In conclusion, animal-human references are a smart communicative strategy created for humans to talk about humans. It may be conjectured that speech communities across the world introduce animal attributes as indirect references of humans to maintain gregarious social interaction. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What human/animal expressions do you have in your language? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>References</strong></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (New Edition). 1987. Essex, UK: Longman House.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sew, Jyh Wee. (2009). Semiotik Persembahan Wacana [Semiotcs of discourse performing]. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Universiti Malaya.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>The writer of this post, Jyh Wee Sew, teaches Malay at the Centre for Language Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore. </em></span><br />
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Julia Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212715483947336555noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714518845507850015.post-47432163333765873162013-01-28T16:28:00.001-08:002013-02-12T22:07:09.236-08:00The Grading Game - A guest review<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UfQDaf-M6MY/UQcUpafKh3I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/nnD6snn_lqQ/s1600/chad.habel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UfQDaf-M6MY/UQcUpafKh3I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/nnD6snn_lqQ/s200/chad.habel.jpg" width="166" /></a><i>This submission is a review of an online game from <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/chad.habel" target="_blank">Dr Chad Habel.</a></i><br />
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<i>Chad is a Lecturer in Higher Education and is the Coordinator of Adelaide University's University Preparatory Program.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>Images taken here are from The Grading Game</i><br />
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My interest was immediately piqued when I came across a <a href="http://kotaku.com/the-grading-game/">short review</a> of <a href="http://www.gradinggame.com/">The Grading Game</a> during my usual web-trawling. Although not obsessed with grammatical correctness, I have done enough teaching of grammar and writing to wonder if a game could effectively build these skills into an engaging and fun format. With my particular interest in game-based learning I was keen to see if gameplay elements could combine with digital pedagogy and assessment design to potentially build player's language skills. The Grading Game is about the best I've seen and with a free version and a very cheap ($0.99) full version it's certainly worth a look.</div>
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This game was developed during a "game jam" event where participants were encouraged to develop (yet another) shooter game. (Game jam is like boot camp for game developers, where groups of developers get together for 48 hours to create new game designs.) The outcome is the Grading Game, which uses content from Wikipedia (correctly attributed via an information page) to pose 'correction' challenges for the player.</div>
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You, the player, act as a misfortune-plagued teaching assistant to the despotic Dr Snerpus. Not only does the Professor berate his teaching staff and goad them for their financial troubles, his main aim seems to be failing his students and ensuring that they get the lowest grades possible. This will appeal to anyone who has undertaken postgraduate studies while trying to make ends meet by teaching. This approach may slightly alienate those not familiar with the North American system, though.</div>
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The core gameplay revolves around ‘grading’ assignments written by fictitious students, who are given names and Instagrammed photographs to build the scenario. The gameplay is perfectly designed for the iPad, as the aim is to read a piece of text and tap on each error in a limited timeframe. Finding all errors (up to twenty or thirty) will earn a time bonus, while touching words that are not errors will erase two seconds off your time limit. You score points for corrections and accuracy in the form of money, which is taken off your fictional student loan. There are a variety of game modes in the full version, and a surprisingly large amount of content: nearly a hundred different topics that ‘students’ write on. The errors are generated so you don't see the same sector errors twice, and they consist of spelling errors, extra words, run-on sentences, and vaguely defined ‘grammar’ errors. The presentation is simple but slick, with minimalist animations and sound effects. All this makes The Grammar Game quite impressive, and overall it is fun, engaging and quite addictive.</div>
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The question that comes to mind is how well this game helps players to learn anything about grammar, or find errors in their own and others’ writing. On the up side, the game does engage players in an authentic task: reading text for errors and identifying them under pressure. Unfortunately, though, the actual errors that occur are a little less authentic, since they could often be found by a spellchecker and are generally unlikely to arise in student writing. What is very useful, however, is that the errors are typified: at the end of a round the player is shown the errors they didn't pick up and they are tagged as spelling, grammar, run-ons, and so on. This element of the game may encourage the player to begin thinking about why a particular error is wrong, and this could lead to more strategic thinking about language use is properly transferred across contexts. Ultimately, the game does a good job at giving players opportunities for finding errors under pressure, and this skill in and of itself can be quite valuable, if writers can apply it to their own work.</div>
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Unfortunately, however, the main learning model present here is all-too prevalent in learning games. Players are expected to learn through exposure and drill exercises, which is a pretty limited form of learning. For example, identifying why an error is wrong is not built into the gameplay or the reward/assessment system, so any learning along those lines is likely to be coincidental. Having said that, it is true that language development is one area where immersion and regular contact and practice is more beneficial than it may be in other domains. There is also some effort towards direct instruction within the game environment<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2714518845507850015" name="_GoBack"></a>: Dr Snerpus' memos often contain explanations of points of language use, although they are not usually linked to the activities to follow. Put simply, this game is not designed for learning, it is designed for fun.</div>
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To be fair, The Grading Game is never presented as a learning system beyond introducing some interesting trivia in the content of the levels. The learning element is an expectation I have applied to it based on my own interests. As a game for fun, it is fantastic, and I am inclined to enthusiastically recommend games which have people playing with words or numbers, even just for the general contact with the life of the mind. At the same time it feels like there is an opportunity lost here, but it will require specific expertise in both game design and pedagogy to build a learning game for grammar that has genuine power to help people learn about the nuances of our language.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1