This is something I copy&paste from www.liewcf.com , thought it might be useful...
If you no longer want to see a friend on Friendster for any reasons (perverts, quarrel with friends, etc), it is easy to delete him/her from your Friendster friend list.
Login your Frindster home page.
Click “View All” at the upper right hand side (next to “My Friends”).
List of your friends will be loaded. Find your friend ex-friend.
Click on the X button in your ex-friend’s box.
Click “Yes” to confirm delete the friend.
Done. No more friend!
That’s easy! So far there is no way to do “batch friends delete” on Friendster yet.
Showing posts with label copy n paste. Show all posts
Showing posts with label copy n paste. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
My Car, My Home
This article from The Star caught my attention...
BESUT: An octogenarian is living in his car in memory of his wife.
MC456, Volvo Car, Kampung Alor Teratai, Kuala Besut is the unofficial address of 86-year-old former Customs officer Ngah Muhamad.
Home, sweet home: Ngah taking it easy in his ‘66 Volvo.
It’s a parking lot of the Alor Teratai mosque which gave him a “permanent place and allowed him to use facilities at the place of worship.”
Ngah has turned his dream car – a 1966 Volvo 122C (registration number MC456) which he bought for RM16,000 in 1975 – into his home for the last six years.
The booth and rear seat are the storage spaces for his belongings.
Ngah decided to live in the car after the death of his fourth wife in 2002.
“I bought the Volvo because she had this passion for the model. This is the car that I use to bring her out on dates. It brings back memories of her,” he said.
Asked why he was living in the car and if he owns a house, he said nonchalantly: “You know if you love someone so much, what they long for during their existence should be cherished.
“I really can’t explain; this is fondness for someone you love so much, you can only understand me once you have lost someone dear.
“I was an orphan at a young age so I don’t mind living a lonely life at my age. I don’t like to trouble my children, they have their own lives too,” he added.
Ngah said the Volvo had been his second car.
His first was a Morris Sport edition. “People used to call me a P. Ramlee carbon copy back then as I was among the few people who owned a sports car then,” he quipped.
“I used to date my first three wives with the Morris.”
Ngah recalls driving from Johor Baru to Kuala Terengganu in the Volvo in 23 hours in 1976.
“Its something amazing then as you don’t have good highways. Now you can make it in nine hours,” he said.
Ngah joined the civil service in 1937 with a salary of RM37. In 1945, he was promoted and transferred to Pasir Gudang, Johor where he spent most of his working life and returned to Kuala Besut after retirement.
Asked why he chose to stay in a such condition and not with his children, he said: “They have done their filial duties enough.”
Living in car in memory of fourth wife
By R.S.N. MURALI
By R.S.N. MURALI
BESUT: An octogenarian is living in his car in memory of his wife.
MC456, Volvo Car, Kampung Alor Teratai, Kuala Besut is the unofficial address of 86-year-old former Customs officer Ngah Muhamad.
Home, sweet home: Ngah taking it easy in his ‘66 Volvo. It’s a parking lot of the Alor Teratai mosque which gave him a “permanent place and allowed him to use facilities at the place of worship.”
Ngah has turned his dream car – a 1966 Volvo 122C (registration number MC456) which he bought for RM16,000 in 1975 – into his home for the last six years.
The booth and rear seat are the storage spaces for his belongings.
Ngah decided to live in the car after the death of his fourth wife in 2002.
“I bought the Volvo because she had this passion for the model. This is the car that I use to bring her out on dates. It brings back memories of her,” he said.
Asked why he was living in the car and if he owns a house, he said nonchalantly: “You know if you love someone so much, what they long for during their existence should be cherished.
“I really can’t explain; this is fondness for someone you love so much, you can only understand me once you have lost someone dear.
“I was an orphan at a young age so I don’t mind living a lonely life at my age. I don’t like to trouble my children, they have their own lives too,” he added.
Ngah said the Volvo had been his second car.
His first was a Morris Sport edition. “People used to call me a P. Ramlee carbon copy back then as I was among the few people who owned a sports car then,” he quipped.
“I used to date my first three wives with the Morris.”
Ngah recalls driving from Johor Baru to Kuala Terengganu in the Volvo in 23 hours in 1976.
“Its something amazing then as you don’t have good highways. Now you can make it in nine hours,” he said.
Ngah joined the civil service in 1937 with a salary of RM37. In 1945, he was promoted and transferred to Pasir Gudang, Johor where he spent most of his working life and returned to Kuala Besut after retirement.
Asked why he chose to stay in a such condition and not with his children, he said: “They have done their filial duties enough.”
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Drink Water On Empty Stomach
DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH
It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven a its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese med ical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, ga str itis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and men str ual diso rd ers, ear nose and throat diseases.
METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth , drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water .....interesting
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days
2. Ga str ic - 10 days
3. Diabetes - 30 days
4. Constipation - 10 days
5. Cancer - 180 days
6. TB - 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwa rd s - daily.
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.
Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals .not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed . It will slow down the digestion.
Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
p/s; my friend - a nutritionist also said the same thing... drink at least two glasses of water after waking up in the morning
It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven a its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese med ical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, ga str itis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and men str ual diso rd ers, ear nose and throat diseases.
METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth , drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water .....interesting
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days
2. Ga str ic - 10 days
3. Diabetes - 30 days
4. Constipation - 10 days
5. Cancer - 180 days
6. TB - 90 days
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwa rd s - daily.
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.
Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals .not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed . It will slow down the digestion.
Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
p/s; my friend - a nutritionist also said the same thing... drink at least two glasses of water after waking up in the morning
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Danger of Plastics
The Danger of Plastics
1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.
He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as CorningWare, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in
the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.
He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as CorningWare, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in
the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
English Grammar n Style
Fun with English grammar and style
By OH TEIK THEAM
LOOK at the following ‘stories’ and see if you can replace the italicised words with some other words to make the writing concise.
The accountant
The best friend of Tom’s wife saw him in the company of a bald man at the football stadium and told her about it. When Tom reached home later that evening, his wife accused him of lying. “You told me you were going to see your accountant,” she said.
Tom said, “That was my accountant.”
Change “in the company of” to “with”.
The secretary
The boss had asked for a duplicate copy of the document, and the new secretary asked a colleague who happened to walk by, “Do you know how this thing works?”
Smiling, the colleague turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button. “Simple, isn’t it?” he said. “This is an efficient shredder.”
Delete either “duplicate” or “copy”.
The maid
Before the arrival of the invited guests, the hostess said to her maid, “Bridget, make sure you don’t spill anything when you wait on them.”
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” Bridget said. “I won’t say a word.”
Delete “invited”.
The house
A man and his wife were looking over a house. They were undecided about the purchase until the estate agent mentioned that the house was in proximity to the bus stop.
“We’ll take it,” said the man after consulting with his wife. “There’ll always be something to do in the evening, throwing stones at buses.”
Change “in proximity to” to “near”.
copy n paste from: The Star
By OH TEIK THEAM
LOOK at the following ‘stories’ and see if you can replace the italicised words with some other words to make the writing concise.
The accountant
The best friend of Tom’s wife saw him in the company of a bald man at the football stadium and told her about it. When Tom reached home later that evening, his wife accused him of lying. “You told me you were going to see your accountant,” she said.
Tom said, “That was my accountant.”
Change “in the company of” to “with”.
The secretary
The boss had asked for a duplicate copy of the document, and the new secretary asked a colleague who happened to walk by, “Do you know how this thing works?”
Smiling, the colleague turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button. “Simple, isn’t it?” he said. “This is an efficient shredder.”
Delete either “duplicate” or “copy”.
The maid
Before the arrival of the invited guests, the hostess said to her maid, “Bridget, make sure you don’t spill anything when you wait on them.”
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” Bridget said. “I won’t say a word.”
Delete “invited”.
The house
A man and his wife were looking over a house. They were undecided about the purchase until the estate agent mentioned that the house was in proximity to the bus stop.
“We’ll take it,” said the man after consulting with his wife. “There’ll always be something to do in the evening, throwing stones at buses.”
Change “in proximity to” to “near”.
copy n paste from: The Star
Friday, December 12, 2008
It's Not Always Black and White
Let’s take a brief look at just some of the references to colour in English:
Red
Red (Communism or Socialism).
Red faced (Embarrassed).
In the red (Owing money).
A red rag to a bull (Something which makes a person angry).
Caught-red handed (Caught in the act of doing something wrong).
Red herring (Something that takes attention away from the main subject or event).
Redskins (A slightly derogatory term for native American “Indians”).
Red tape (Bureaucracy and officialdom).
Red letter day (A day to remember an important event).
Paint the town red (Go out and have fun).
Blue
Feeling blue (Depressed).
The Blues (Music reflecting human hardship, poverty and broken-down relationships).
Blue movie/joke (Sexually explicit movie/joke).
Blue sky thinking (Open to new ideas and suggestions).
Blue-blooded (Royal or aristocratic).
True blue (Loyal, faithful, staunch).
Once in a blue moon (Very seldom).
Out of the blue (Unexpected).
Blue collar (Working-class person).
Green
Greenhorn (Naïve, inexperienced person).
Green belt (The undeveloped area surrounding a city).
Greenhouse gases (Pollutants and emissions which are causing an atmospheric temperature rise).
Green-fingered (Skilled at gardening).
Give the green light (Give approval).
Brown
Brown nose (A “yes man”, a boot licker, a sycophant).
Browned off (Annoyed).
Pink (Yeah I know...this is not pink.. )
In the pink (A now unused and old-fashioned term for being in good health).
Yellow
Yellow (Cowardly).
Yellow skin (A slightly derogatory term for an East Asian person, usually Chinese).
Orange
Orange (A supporter of the Orange Lodge, or Protestantism).
Grey
A grey day (Cloudy or wet weather).
A grey area (Not clear, not legally defined).
Grey matter (Referring to one’s intelligence).
Black
Black Power (A power struggle against white supremacy).
Black eye (A bruised eye).
Black tie (Formal dress, in evening wear).
Black magic (Evil magic).
Black market (Illegal trading).
Black Maria (A vehicle for transporting prisoners).
A black day (A bad day, a financial loss).
The Black Death (Disease in Mediaeval times spread by rats, similar to the bubonic plague).
Black-hearted (Mean-spirited, cruel and unmerciful).
Pitch black/Jet black (Very black in colour).
Blackmail (To procure money, or favours, by means of intimidation and threatening to expose a secret).
Blackout (No electricity, no lights, a loss of consciousness).
Black sheep of the family (Someone who does not meet the expectations or standards of the rest of the family).
Black and blue (Badly bruised).
White
White elephant (Something expensive yet unused).
White lie (A slight untruth told to avoid trouble).
White collar (Management or office personnel, professional middle class).
White magic (Magic used for good purposes).
There we have it, a rainbow of English expressions which can delight or disgust, amuse or annoy. So if you show your “true colours” and let others see how good your language skills can be, I’m sure you’ll bring colour to future conversations or successfully pass an English exam with “flying colours”.
Vance Carson currently teaches in Libya and has previously taught English at SMAPK, Kajang.
copy&paste from here
Red
Red (Communism or Socialism).
Red faced (Embarrassed).
In the red (Owing money).
A red rag to a bull (Something which makes a person angry).
Caught-red handed (Caught in the act of doing something wrong).
Red herring (Something that takes attention away from the main subject or event).
Redskins (A slightly derogatory term for native American “Indians”).
Red tape (Bureaucracy and officialdom).
Red letter day (A day to remember an important event).
Paint the town red (Go out and have fun).
Blue
Feeling blue (Depressed).
The Blues (Music reflecting human hardship, poverty and broken-down relationships).
Blue movie/joke (Sexually explicit movie/joke).
Blue sky thinking (Open to new ideas and suggestions).
Blue-blooded (Royal or aristocratic).
True blue (Loyal, faithful, staunch).
Once in a blue moon (Very seldom).
Out of the blue (Unexpected).
Blue collar (Working-class person).
Green
Greenhorn (Naïve, inexperienced person).
Green belt (The undeveloped area surrounding a city).
Greenhouse gases (Pollutants and emissions which are causing an atmospheric temperature rise).
Green-fingered (Skilled at gardening).
Give the green light (Give approval).
Brown
Brown nose (A “yes man”, a boot licker, a sycophant).
Browned off (Annoyed).
Pink (Yeah I know...this is not pink.. )
In the pink (A now unused and old-fashioned term for being in good health).
Yellow
Yellow (Cowardly).
Yellow skin (A slightly derogatory term for an East Asian person, usually Chinese).
Orange
Orange (A supporter of the Orange Lodge, or Protestantism).
Grey
A grey day (Cloudy or wet weather).
A grey area (Not clear, not legally defined).
Grey matter (Referring to one’s intelligence).
Black
Black Power (A power struggle against white supremacy).
Black eye (A bruised eye).
Black tie (Formal dress, in evening wear).
Black magic (Evil magic).
Black market (Illegal trading).
Black Maria (A vehicle for transporting prisoners).
A black day (A bad day, a financial loss).
The Black Death (Disease in Mediaeval times spread by rats, similar to the bubonic plague).
Black-hearted (Mean-spirited, cruel and unmerciful).
Pitch black/Jet black (Very black in colour).
Blackmail (To procure money, or favours, by means of intimidation and threatening to expose a secret).
Blackout (No electricity, no lights, a loss of consciousness).
Black sheep of the family (Someone who does not meet the expectations or standards of the rest of the family).
Black and blue (Badly bruised).
White
White elephant (Something expensive yet unused).
White lie (A slight untruth told to avoid trouble).
White collar (Management or office personnel, professional middle class).
White magic (Magic used for good purposes).
There we have it, a rainbow of English expressions which can delight or disgust, amuse or annoy. So if you show your “true colours” and let others see how good your language skills can be, I’m sure you’ll bring colour to future conversations or successfully pass an English exam with “flying colours”.
Vance Carson currently teaches in Libya and has previously taught English at SMAPK, Kajang.
copy&paste from here
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Filler Entry: Mistakes In Advertising
Here are some silly English mistakes from people who really should know better:-
COCA COLA
When Coca Cola was first introduced into China they named it Ke-Kou-Ke-La. Unfortunately, the Coke company did not discover until after thousands of signs had been printed that the phrase means "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect.
Coke then researched 40,000 Chinese characters and found a close phonetic equivalent: Ko-Kou-Ko-Le, which can be roughly translated as "happiness in the mouth." (have you seen what it can do to teeth?).
PEPSI
Not to be outdone by Coke when Pepsi started a marketing campaign in Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out as "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead."
copy&paste from here
COCA COLA
When Coca Cola was first introduced into China they named it Ke-Kou-Ke-La. Unfortunately, the Coke company did not discover until after thousands of signs had been printed that the phrase means "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect.
Coke then researched 40,000 Chinese characters and found a close phonetic equivalent: Ko-Kou-Ko-Le, which can be roughly translated as "happiness in the mouth." (have you seen what it can do to teeth?).
PEPSI
Not to be outdone by Coke when Pepsi started a marketing campaign in Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out as "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead."
copy&paste from here
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
ESP: English For Specific Needs
Epsilonians.... a directive from your KJ (not Khairy Jamaludin), read on....
English suited for specific needs
By LYNNE McGREADY
MY LAST article on gender-free language generated a lot of discussion and even questions. One question that was raised was “What is ESP?”
I rejoiced at the question because it is a subject that is close to my heart and a topic that I believe needs some discussion.
If people are about to enter university in a country where they will pursue tertiary studies in English, there is the strong possibility that they will attend an English course that is designed to help them become more comfortable with language that is used in their particular course – English for Academic Purposes.
However, since the 1970s (some theorists argue it was the 1960s) when English for Specific Purposes [ESP] was introduced, this term (while still in use) has been replaced by a myriad of courses some of which are entitled:
·English for Business
·English for Nursing
·English for Hospitality
·English for Law
·English for Finance and so on ... The list is growing longer as I write (and as ESOL book publishers wake up to the reality that more and more people want to learn English for their specific purpose)!
These different courses or syllabuses are designed to meet the needs of learners who want to learn how to be able to speak and write in the context of their work rather than the standard General English which, in my opinion (and maybe a little unfairly) doesn’t say very much about its real ‘purpose’ particularly for working adults.
Interestingly enough, to cater for the increasing demand for English that is directly related to work, some examination bodies such as the University of Cambridge ESOL have even introduced examinations that test learners on their ability to use English in these different contexts.
For example, a recent addition is International Certificate in Financial English.
The oft-repeated statement “English continues to gather momentum around the world as the language of international communication” is no less true now and will continue to be repeated again and again as our world shrinks — particularly for vocational and professional purposes.
I am often told, “I want my employees to communicate in English.” To me, this means that they need to improve their English writing and speaking skills. My response generally is, “Tell me a little bit more about your organisation, the industry and the nature of their work so we can provide material that is directly related to their work or their future careers as General English may not be as effective for your employees.”
For example, every industry has its own vocabulary. One might even call it “Specialist Vocabulary” because it is specific to a particular type of work and relates directly to the needs of the learners.
Let me share with you an example. At my age, one tends to spend a little time in hospitals being checked for potential health hazards. So, you spend a few hours in the Reception areas of different departments looking around, reading and listening ... particularly if you are curious about everything.
All around, there are posters that read “International Patient Assistance” and you notice that the “patients” are of different nationalities. You hear different languages spoken and you realise that the hospital is now an international organisation.
The slogans almost sound like “Make Malaysia your health care destination” rather than “holiday” destination!
This means that they are catering for people from all over the world and must ensure that their employees are able to truly speak to their “customers” explaining procedures and services available, giving directions, explaining the use of equipment, etc, and even understanding the cultural differences without the use of an interpreter.
Another good example – some colleges are offering courses to students who are preparing to work in the hospitality industry. They learn different skills relating to the different areas or departments of the hotel – for example, using the hotel reservation system. But can they get their message across to English-speaking guests or understand their needs? Are they able to use more than the standard expressions of greeting, thanking, etc? Can they respond when the guest throws a curve ball at them or simply asks questions that are not in the manual?
In my mind, if we are truly serious about building confidence in our students’ ability to become more confident in English, we need to help them discover and explore English for their specific purpose.
I say, “It is time we started digging deeper into finding the English that is best suited for our specific needs!”
copy&paste from here
next post - auto publish in an hour (8:30am today)
English suited for specific needs
By LYNNE McGREADY
MY LAST article on gender-free language generated a lot of discussion and even questions. One question that was raised was “What is ESP?”
I rejoiced at the question because it is a subject that is close to my heart and a topic that I believe needs some discussion.
If people are about to enter university in a country where they will pursue tertiary studies in English, there is the strong possibility that they will attend an English course that is designed to help them become more comfortable with language that is used in their particular course – English for Academic Purposes.
However, since the 1970s (some theorists argue it was the 1960s) when English for Specific Purposes [ESP] was introduced, this term (while still in use) has been replaced by a myriad of courses some of which are entitled:
·English for Business
·English for Nursing
·English for Hospitality
·English for Law
·English for Finance and so on ... The list is growing longer as I write (and as ESOL book publishers wake up to the reality that more and more people want to learn English for their specific purpose)!
These different courses or syllabuses are designed to meet the needs of learners who want to learn how to be able to speak and write in the context of their work rather than the standard General English which, in my opinion (and maybe a little unfairly) doesn’t say very much about its real ‘purpose’ particularly for working adults.
Interestingly enough, to cater for the increasing demand for English that is directly related to work, some examination bodies such as the University of Cambridge ESOL have even introduced examinations that test learners on their ability to use English in these different contexts.
For example, a recent addition is International Certificate in Financial English.
The oft-repeated statement “English continues to gather momentum around the world as the language of international communication” is no less true now and will continue to be repeated again and again as our world shrinks — particularly for vocational and professional purposes.
I am often told, “I want my employees to communicate in English.” To me, this means that they need to improve their English writing and speaking skills. My response generally is, “Tell me a little bit more about your organisation, the industry and the nature of their work so we can provide material that is directly related to their work or their future careers as General English may not be as effective for your employees.”
For example, every industry has its own vocabulary. One might even call it “Specialist Vocabulary” because it is specific to a particular type of work and relates directly to the needs of the learners.
Let me share with you an example. At my age, one tends to spend a little time in hospitals being checked for potential health hazards. So, you spend a few hours in the Reception areas of different departments looking around, reading and listening ... particularly if you are curious about everything.
All around, there are posters that read “International Patient Assistance” and you notice that the “patients” are of different nationalities. You hear different languages spoken and you realise that the hospital is now an international organisation.
The slogans almost sound like “Make Malaysia your health care destination” rather than “holiday” destination!
This means that they are catering for people from all over the world and must ensure that their employees are able to truly speak to their “customers” explaining procedures and services available, giving directions, explaining the use of equipment, etc, and even understanding the cultural differences without the use of an interpreter.
Another good example – some colleges are offering courses to students who are preparing to work in the hospitality industry. They learn different skills relating to the different areas or departments of the hotel – for example, using the hotel reservation system. But can they get their message across to English-speaking guests or understand their needs? Are they able to use more than the standard expressions of greeting, thanking, etc? Can they respond when the guest throws a curve ball at them or simply asks questions that are not in the manual?
In my mind, if we are truly serious about building confidence in our students’ ability to become more confident in English, we need to help them discover and explore English for their specific purpose.
I say, “It is time we started digging deeper into finding the English that is best suited for our specific needs!”
copy&paste from here
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Monday, October 13, 2008
Oxymorons
This is an article taken from Wednesday, October 1, 2008 thestaronline
Are oxymorons moronic?
By JOHN EVANS
WHAT is an oxymoron? It is a figure of speech in which two contradictory words are brought together intentionally to create a paradox, usually for emphasis or effect. The word comes from Greek, and literally means “pointedly foolish”.
It could be said that oxymorons reflect the complexities and ironies of life itself and of things not being quite what they seem. Oxymorons may be employed for humorous or polemical purposes too: couplings such as “honest politician”, “business ethics” and “military intelligence” have been considered as oxymoronic, either seriously or in jest.
Writers might try to spice up their prose with oxymoronic phrases such as “deafening silence”, “silent scream”, “beautiful noise” (once the title of a hit single by the American singer Neil Diamond) or “savage beauty”, but it is extremely hard to come up with an original oxymoron as opposed to a hackneyed or clichéd one. “Concrete jungle” is a cliché par excellence, and yet it still manages to pack a punch despite rampant overuse.
Other everyday oxymorons include:
“open secret”,
“working holiday”,
“smart casual”,
“a definite maybe”,
“open prison”,
“stop-go” (policy),
“glorious defeat”,
“bloodless coup” (or revolution),
“love-hate relationship”,
“bittersweet memories”,
“cold comfort”,
“lonely city”,
“poor little rich girl” (or boy),
“black comedy”,
“earthly paradise”,
“wise fool”,
“living legend”,
“living hell/death/nightmare”,
“big baby” (when the “baby” is not an infant),
“found missing”,
“pretty ugly”,
“terribly kind”,
“frightfully/awfully nice”,
“small crowd”,
“plastic glass”, and
“accidentally on purpose”.
George W. Bush has been described as a “dry drunk”, and the Rolling Stones have been compared (perhaps with admiration as much as with denigration) to “walking corpses”.
It is not always clear whether an expression deserves to be called an oxymoron or not. “Neighbour from hell” could be considered oxymoronic if one accepts that neighbours are supposed to be friendly. After all, the adjective “neighbourly” implies a friendly and helpful disposition.
Similarly, “gentle giant” could be considered an oxymoron if one accepts that in the realm of fiction at any rate, giants are usually intimidating.
Oxymoronic idioms include “baptism of fire”, “dripping with jewellery”, “turn a blind eye (to something)”, “being cruel to be kind”, “iron hand/ fist in a velvet glove”, and “method in someone’s madness”.
An oxymoron which is mentioned with depressing regularity in the media is “friendly fire”. This expression refers to weapon fire coming from one’s own side that causes accidental injury or death to one’s own forces. No doubt the person who coined this oxymoron-cum-euphemism was full of good intentions, but the fact remains that to be shot or bombed whether by friend or foe is an equally “unfriendly” experience ...
Oxymorons are not limited to the English language. That famous Japanese word “karaoke” literally means “empty orchestra” and the French expression “idiot savant” could be translated as “knowledgeable idiot”, and refers to a person with learning difficulties who performs brilliantly at some specialised intellectual task, such as giving the day of the week for any calendar date past or present.
Again, the full name for a piano is “pianoforte” which is derived from Italian and literally means “soft and loud”.
Oxymorons are being coined all the time, and one could be forgiven for assuming that they are a 20th-century linguistic phenomenon. Not so. Oxymoronic phrases were especially cultivated in 16th century literature. In Act One of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo jests about the nature of love by using a rapid-fire series of oxymorons in a single speech.
Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate,
O anything of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
Still-waking sleep that is not what it is!
Are oxymorons moronic?
By JOHN EVANS
WHAT is an oxymoron? It is a figure of speech in which two contradictory words are brought together intentionally to create a paradox, usually for emphasis or effect. The word comes from Greek, and literally means “pointedly foolish”.
It could be said that oxymorons reflect the complexities and ironies of life itself and of things not being quite what they seem. Oxymorons may be employed for humorous or polemical purposes too: couplings such as “honest politician”, “business ethics” and “military intelligence” have been considered as oxymoronic, either seriously or in jest.
Writers might try to spice up their prose with oxymoronic phrases such as “deafening silence”, “silent scream”, “beautiful noise” (once the title of a hit single by the American singer Neil Diamond) or “savage beauty”, but it is extremely hard to come up with an original oxymoron as opposed to a hackneyed or clichéd one. “Concrete jungle” is a cliché par excellence, and yet it still manages to pack a punch despite rampant overuse.
Other everyday oxymorons include:
“open secret”,
“working holiday”,
“smart casual”,
“a definite maybe”,
“open prison”,
“stop-go” (policy),
“glorious defeat”,
“bloodless coup” (or revolution),
“love-hate relationship”,
“bittersweet memories”,
“cold comfort”,
“lonely city”,
“poor little rich girl” (or boy),
“black comedy”,
“earthly paradise”,
“wise fool”,
“living legend”,
“living hell/death/nightmare”,
“big baby” (when the “baby” is not an infant),
“found missing”,
“pretty ugly”,
“terribly kind”,
“frightfully/awfully nice”,
“small crowd”,
“plastic glass”, and
“accidentally on purpose”.
George W. Bush has been described as a “dry drunk”, and the Rolling Stones have been compared (perhaps with admiration as much as with denigration) to “walking corpses”.
It is not always clear whether an expression deserves to be called an oxymoron or not. “Neighbour from hell” could be considered oxymoronic if one accepts that neighbours are supposed to be friendly. After all, the adjective “neighbourly” implies a friendly and helpful disposition.
Similarly, “gentle giant” could be considered an oxymoron if one accepts that in the realm of fiction at any rate, giants are usually intimidating.
Oxymoronic idioms include “baptism of fire”, “dripping with jewellery”, “turn a blind eye (to something)”, “being cruel to be kind”, “iron hand/ fist in a velvet glove”, and “method in someone’s madness”.
An oxymoron which is mentioned with depressing regularity in the media is “friendly fire”. This expression refers to weapon fire coming from one’s own side that causes accidental injury or death to one’s own forces. No doubt the person who coined this oxymoron-cum-euphemism was full of good intentions, but the fact remains that to be shot or bombed whether by friend or foe is an equally “unfriendly” experience ...
Oxymorons are not limited to the English language. That famous Japanese word “karaoke” literally means “empty orchestra” and the French expression “idiot savant” could be translated as “knowledgeable idiot”, and refers to a person with learning difficulties who performs brilliantly at some specialised intellectual task, such as giving the day of the week for any calendar date past or present.
Again, the full name for a piano is “pianoforte” which is derived from Italian and literally means “soft and loud”.
Oxymorons are being coined all the time, and one could be forgiven for assuming that they are a 20th-century linguistic phenomenon. Not so. Oxymoronic phrases were especially cultivated in 16th century literature. In Act One of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo jests about the nature of love by using a rapid-fire series of oxymorons in a single speech.
Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate,
O anything of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
Still-waking sleep that is not what it is!
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