Hey, Just kidding, this is my real final post...lol. So I'm going to describe a scene and hopefully you guys know what I'm talking about.
It's 10:30 am and I'm taking off the layers of jacket, sweater, scarf, hat and gloves which defended me from the bitter, snapping cold outside. I sit down at my black swivel chair and look down into a desk with glass across the top protecting the computers underneath. I look up at the clock who's hands are frozen in time. Young people file into the room and as mechanical as a well oiled machine, they sit down at their assigned spots and wait...
Bye everybody, see you around next semester!!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Farewell
Hey Everybody, so here is my last post the day before Finals. I hope the rest of you have either finished or are nearly finished with your final essays and that they turn out well. I just wanted to comment on the overall experience that I've had this semester in English Comp 1. I feel that I've really learned alot and have begun to see how my writing can improve. I feel that I now pay attention to every sentence and word I write because each has to have a purpose. Not to mention that it's not just what you say but how you say it. I never thought about writing as a performance, but now I see that it is and I see the importance of thinking of writing as a performance. I've really enjoyed this class and I hope you all have too. Have a wonderful Christmas Break!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Hey Eng. Class,
Last day of class!!! YAY!!! Anyway, I hope everybody's narrative is coming along well. I just wanted to comment about dialogue really quickly... I happen to like it!! I feel that by adding dialogue to my paper, it's giving it character. Like my audience will be able to really see what I saw. I mean, while I can describe what is being said, it doesn't come accross the same way. Not to mention that it's a good contrast for all the descriptive language used. Dialogue is just great insight within a narrative, and although I was kind of iffy about it at first, I'm really starting to like it, get the hang of it, and have some fun with it.
Last day of class!!! YAY!!! Anyway, I hope everybody's narrative is coming along well. I just wanted to comment about dialogue really quickly... I happen to like it!! I feel that by adding dialogue to my paper, it's giving it character. Like my audience will be able to really see what I saw. I mean, while I can describe what is being said, it doesn't come accross the same way. Not to mention that it's a good contrast for all the descriptive language used. Dialogue is just great insight within a narrative, and although I was kind of iffy about it at first, I'm really starting to like it, get the hang of it, and have some fun with it.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Breaking English Barriers
Hey Everybody,
First of all, I know you are all busy studying for finals, and I just want to wish you all good luck! Secondly, I just wanted to comment about using language when learning a different language. This Friday, I have a paper due in my foreign language class and so, this past weekend, I started writing my paper. But I didn't start writing in in the foreign language, instead, I started writing it in English first. While I am capable of writing a paper without writing it in English first, I just feel like I can get my thoughts straight if I have them in English first. I know this is a barrier and I want to overcome this barrier, but I just wonder if this is possibly the reason that many people who take foreign language classes cannot speak like a native. What do you all think?
First of all, I know you are all busy studying for finals, and I just want to wish you all good luck! Secondly, I just wanted to comment about using language when learning a different language. This Friday, I have a paper due in my foreign language class and so, this past weekend, I started writing my paper. But I didn't start writing in in the foreign language, instead, I started writing it in English first. While I am capable of writing a paper without writing it in English first, I just feel like I can get my thoughts straight if I have them in English first. I know this is a barrier and I want to overcome this barrier, but I just wonder if this is possibly the reason that many people who take foreign language classes cannot speak like a native. What do you all think?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Hey All,
I'm not sure how many of you watched President Obama's Afghanistan Speech, but I think that it was a great example of how powerful a person's words can be. Whether you agree with his policies or not, what cannot be denied is that President Obama is an impressive speaker, able to put emphasis on specific words or phrases in a way that is deliberate and effective.
For instance, in this speech, he begins by reminding the American public about how the United States became involved with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and surrounding areas. Since his ultimate point is to let the general public know that he has decided to increase troop levels in these areas, by reminding Americans of the terrorist attacks which launched the War on Terrorism, he was essentially recreating the sentiments which were felt on 9/11 and thus reminding Americans of their need for safety and security.
Then, he goes on to express his empathy for U.S. troops by listing the things he has done to see how the war is affecting troops and families including writing and reading letters to and from families of fallen soldiers and going to actually see the caskets of fallen soldiers on their way back to the U.S. With each experience he adds, President Obama is given more credibility in regards to his decision.
After that, he then goes on to talk about how he feels our future actions will be different from our past by focusing more on peaceful diplomacy and creating peaceful and lasting relations with Middle Eastern leaders for the sake of their citizens as well as American citizens.
The way that President Obama wields his words, forming them in a way that utilizes Logos, Ethos, and Pathos, makes him an effective speaker capable of persuading a vast amount of people.
I'm not sure how many of you watched President Obama's Afghanistan Speech, but I think that it was a great example of how powerful a person's words can be. Whether you agree with his policies or not, what cannot be denied is that President Obama is an impressive speaker, able to put emphasis on specific words or phrases in a way that is deliberate and effective.
For instance, in this speech, he begins by reminding the American public about how the United States became involved with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and surrounding areas. Since his ultimate point is to let the general public know that he has decided to increase troop levels in these areas, by reminding Americans of the terrorist attacks which launched the War on Terrorism, he was essentially recreating the sentiments which were felt on 9/11 and thus reminding Americans of their need for safety and security.
Then, he goes on to express his empathy for U.S. troops by listing the things he has done to see how the war is affecting troops and families including writing and reading letters to and from families of fallen soldiers and going to actually see the caskets of fallen soldiers on their way back to the U.S. With each experience he adds, President Obama is given more credibility in regards to his decision.
After that, he then goes on to talk about how he feels our future actions will be different from our past by focusing more on peaceful diplomacy and creating peaceful and lasting relations with Middle Eastern leaders for the sake of their citizens as well as American citizens.
The way that President Obama wields his words, forming them in a way that utilizes Logos, Ethos, and Pathos, makes him an effective speaker capable of persuading a vast amount of people.
The value of words
Hey Everybody,
The other day, I was helping a friend write a persuasive essay about "political correctness" and it's effects in a university environment, and it made me think about the limitations of free speech and the way people use their words. While I feel it's good to be able to say whatever is on your mind because, one, it's your opinion, and two, because it might lead to an interesting discussion, debate, or new idea; I also feel that using language appropriately and thoughtfully is important, especially in an academic setting. Even though people have differing opinions and are, at times, very passionate about their opinions, the way people express their opinions can either hinder their purpose in stating it, or it can lead to positive results or feedback. Many times, people don't realize the value or impact their words have. For instance, mindlessly stating one's opinion can offend or even cause harm to other people; whereas, as Malcolm x found out, words, if well-considered and planned out, can positively effect a community.
The other day, I was helping a friend write a persuasive essay about "political correctness" and it's effects in a university environment, and it made me think about the limitations of free speech and the way people use their words. While I feel it's good to be able to say whatever is on your mind because, one, it's your opinion, and two, because it might lead to an interesting discussion, debate, or new idea; I also feel that using language appropriately and thoughtfully is important, especially in an academic setting. Even though people have differing opinions and are, at times, very passionate about their opinions, the way people express their opinions can either hinder their purpose in stating it, or it can lead to positive results or feedback. Many times, people don't realize the value or impact their words have. For instance, mindlessly stating one's opinion can offend or even cause harm to other people; whereas, as Malcolm x found out, words, if well-considered and planned out, can positively effect a community.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
What's "ya'll"?
So, in class we are talking about the way we wield language, and it made me thing of a childhood experience in which I was hindered by my inability to wield language. When I was younger, I lived in a small, southern town for about 11 years. In that time, I never acquired the southern accent or fully understood the lingo. For instance, I didn't realize until middle school that "reckon" meant "think" and I still don't quite understand how "fixin' to" can mean "about to."
Often times, I found that I couldn't keep up with class discussions, not because I didn't know the material, but because I didn't understand some of the language being used by the students and sometimes even the teachers in the discussions. What really made me realize just how little I knew about the place I lived in was when I took a Spanish class in high school and the teacher wrote "ya'll" on the board as one of the pronouns that we would have to learn in Spanish. For the first 10 minutes of class, I just stared at this word trying to figure out if it was a Spanish word or an English word. Then, when I raised my hand to ask what "yaee" meant, (the double "L" in Spanish is pronounced like "ya") my teacher gave me a weird look and I didn't understand why. When I pointed to the word on the board, though, he chuckled and said, "that's 'Ya'll.'" With that, I was then the one giving him a weird look as I responded, "What's 'yaaa'll'?" Thinking that I was joking he ignored my question, but after class I stayed for a few minutes to ask him again, "What is 'ya'll?'" Realizing that I legitimately didn't know, he explained it to me, but from then on, he would joke that not only was he teaching Spanish to his students, but he was also teaching English, and thus should be paid more.
Often times, I found that I couldn't keep up with class discussions, not because I didn't know the material, but because I didn't understand some of the language being used by the students and sometimes even the teachers in the discussions. What really made me realize just how little I knew about the place I lived in was when I took a Spanish class in high school and the teacher wrote "ya'll" on the board as one of the pronouns that we would have to learn in Spanish. For the first 10 minutes of class, I just stared at this word trying to figure out if it was a Spanish word or an English word. Then, when I raised my hand to ask what "yaee" meant, (the double "L" in Spanish is pronounced like "ya") my teacher gave me a weird look and I didn't understand why. When I pointed to the word on the board, though, he chuckled and said, "that's 'Ya'll.'" With that, I was then the one giving him a weird look as I responded, "What's 'yaaa'll'?" Thinking that I was joking he ignored my question, but after class I stayed for a few minutes to ask him again, "What is 'ya'll?'" Realizing that I legitimately didn't know, he explained it to me, but from then on, he would joke that not only was he teaching Spanish to his students, but he was also teaching English, and thus should be paid more.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish?
Hey Bloggers,
So the other day I found this article on CNN, "But What's a Latino" which gives an interesting perspective on the diversity within the Hispanic Discourse and how little is known even by the members of the Discourse. I personally feel that doing a census which allows a person to specify exactly what they feel they are should be allowed with limits. (The limits being, that you couldn't say you are a race that you are not. For example, if you are fully African American, you cannot choose to say you are Caucasian, Asian, or Hispanic). When I fill out surveys which ask my race, it's difficult to pick which race I belong to because I belong to several and I'd like to refect that. Further, I agree that by giving Hispanics more options to choose from, that they will be more willing to participate in the census.
Also, as the auther points out, alot of people mix up the meanings of Spanish, Hispanic, Mexican, Latino et cetera. This leads to alot of stereotyping, descrimination, and misunderstandings. It is extremely important for the generations to come to be aware of the differences of these Discourses because there are so many people from these Discourses in the United States. It is the duty of the government to lead by example by not assuming they are all the same. They do not come from the same continent or region, they do not all have the same skin-tone, and they don't all speak the same language. There is alot of diversity within these groups, and they have the right to be recognized as being different from the others.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/10/24/living.cepeda.latino.census/index.html
So the other day I found this article on CNN, "But What's a Latino" which gives an interesting perspective on the diversity within the Hispanic Discourse and how little is known even by the members of the Discourse. I personally feel that doing a census which allows a person to specify exactly what they feel they are should be allowed with limits. (The limits being, that you couldn't say you are a race that you are not. For example, if you are fully African American, you cannot choose to say you are Caucasian, Asian, or Hispanic). When I fill out surveys which ask my race, it's difficult to pick which race I belong to because I belong to several and I'd like to refect that. Further, I agree that by giving Hispanics more options to choose from, that they will be more willing to participate in the census.
Also, as the auther points out, alot of people mix up the meanings of Spanish, Hispanic, Mexican, Latino et cetera. This leads to alot of stereotyping, descrimination, and misunderstandings. It is extremely important for the generations to come to be aware of the differences of these Discourses because there are so many people from these Discourses in the United States. It is the duty of the government to lead by example by not assuming they are all the same. They do not come from the same continent or region, they do not all have the same skin-tone, and they don't all speak the same language. There is alot of diversity within these groups, and they have the right to be recognized as being different from the others.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/10/24/living.cepeda.latino.census/index.html
Sunday, October 18, 2009
If you could choose to be apart of a group or discourse, what would you choose to be? Would you choose to be apart of another race? In "Goin' Gangsta, Chosin' Cholita," teenagers talk about how they have chosen to change their identity, or rather, their image, but, in reality, these teens are white. My question is, though, that if discourse heavily relies upon being recognized as a specific discourse, are these teens really apart of these discourses.
For instance in the movie, "Save the Last Dance," the main character, Sara, moves to New York to live with her father, and attends a prodominately African American school. As the movie progresses, she starts to hang out more often with African American teenagers who act, speak, and dress in an urban fashion. The more she hangs out with them, and relates to them, she begins to pick up some of their speach, action, and dress patterns. Even so, when she starts to date an African American guy, her guise does not hold true to some of the other African American characters who feel she should not date him because she is white.
The issue here is that the other characters would not accept her as being "Black." Although she could dress like them, speak like them, attend their school and clubs, and later even dance like them, she was still white in their eyes. Her progression into Urban Society, though shows how one's environment can affect the discourse that a person chooses. Surrounded by African Americans, she chose to try and fit in even though she never lost her true identity.
Ergo, are the teens in "Goin' Gangsta, Chosin' Cholita" ever really gansta or cholita? Personally, I don't think so because these discorses are related to specific groups within races. Instead, I think that these teens have created a different discourse all together.
For instance in the movie, "Save the Last Dance," the main character, Sara, moves to New York to live with her father, and attends a prodominately African American school. As the movie progresses, she starts to hang out more often with African American teenagers who act, speak, and dress in an urban fashion. The more she hangs out with them, and relates to them, she begins to pick up some of their speach, action, and dress patterns. Even so, when she starts to date an African American guy, her guise does not hold true to some of the other African American characters who feel she should not date him because she is white.
The issue here is that the other characters would not accept her as being "Black." Although she could dress like them, speak like them, attend their school and clubs, and later even dance like them, she was still white in their eyes. Her progression into Urban Society, though shows how one's environment can affect the discourse that a person chooses. Surrounded by African Americans, she chose to try and fit in even though she never lost her true identity.
Ergo, are the teens in "Goin' Gangsta, Chosin' Cholita" ever really gansta or cholita? Personally, I don't think so because these discorses are related to specific groups within races. Instead, I think that these teens have created a different discourse all together.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Welcome to the English Blogging Community
Hello Bloggers,
So, today in my English Class, we were discussing communities. One of our assignments was to construct a list of different communities that we belong to. Being the ever diligent student, I made a huge tree-like graph of all the different groups and subgroups I belong to…The human race, several ethnic groups, religious groups, the college I attend, my area of study, clubs, likes, dislikes, et cetera. What I couldn’t add before this very moment, though, is that I also belong to the Blogging Community. Before taking a college English class, although I’d glanced at quite a few blogs, I never thought of “blogging” as a genre. In fact, I would call myself blogging illiterate!
Apparently, blogging is a huge part of everyday life now – the era of technology constantly evolving. First, it was, “you have to computer savvy,” then it was, “you have to be internet savvy,” and now, not only do people have to be able to use Microsoft works, read/write emails, and use the Google browser to succeed in life, school, and jobs, but we have now entered the world of Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and Blogging all of which take the place of photo albums, resumes, and diaries – Personally, I liked keeping those things private…I don’t want people seeing my humiliating pictures of birthdays-past where my mom thought it would be funny to smoosh my face into the cake; nor my 7th grade diary entries about how enamored I was with the guy who sat in front of me in my history class. Oh well, such is life when taboos are redefined as normalcy.
Here’s a few things to think about, though. Who says we have to blog, twitter, or create Facebook profiles to be literate and why do people feel the need to belong to this community?
Here’s a list of a few things I feel have changed in American Society due to the redefining of literacy (computer literacy):
· Dating/Making Friends
· Researching/ Education
· Politics
· Vocabulary/Grammar
· Letter writing
· Job/College Applications
· Recruiting
· Gossiping
· Shopping
· Jobs
So, today in my English Class, we were discussing communities. One of our assignments was to construct a list of different communities that we belong to. Being the ever diligent student, I made a huge tree-like graph of all the different groups and subgroups I belong to…The human race, several ethnic groups, religious groups, the college I attend, my area of study, clubs, likes, dislikes, et cetera. What I couldn’t add before this very moment, though, is that I also belong to the Blogging Community. Before taking a college English class, although I’d glanced at quite a few blogs, I never thought of “blogging” as a genre. In fact, I would call myself blogging illiterate!
Apparently, blogging is a huge part of everyday life now – the era of technology constantly evolving. First, it was, “you have to computer savvy,” then it was, “you have to be internet savvy,” and now, not only do people have to be able to use Microsoft works, read/write emails, and use the Google browser to succeed in life, school, and jobs, but we have now entered the world of Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and Blogging all of which take the place of photo albums, resumes, and diaries – Personally, I liked keeping those things private…I don’t want people seeing my humiliating pictures of birthdays-past where my mom thought it would be funny to smoosh my face into the cake; nor my 7th grade diary entries about how enamored I was with the guy who sat in front of me in my history class. Oh well, such is life when taboos are redefined as normalcy.
Here’s a few things to think about, though. Who says we have to blog, twitter, or create Facebook profiles to be literate and why do people feel the need to belong to this community?
Here’s a list of a few things I feel have changed in American Society due to the redefining of literacy (computer literacy):
· Dating/Making Friends
· Researching/ Education
· Politics
· Vocabulary/Grammar
· Letter writing
· Job/College Applications
· Recruiting
· Gossiping
· Shopping
· Jobs
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