German Language and Culture

This article is the direct result of a thread (of related messages) in one of our forums. The discussion centered around the supposedly simple concept of being nice, as in smiling or wishing someone a nice day. It soon became apparent that just because you CAN say something in German does not mean you SHOULD. The phrase Ich wà ¼nsche Ihnen einen schà ¶nen Tag! sounds rather odd. (But see the comment below.) Trying to say Have a nice day! in German is a good example of language that is culturally inappropriate—and a good illustration of how learning German (or any language) is more than learning just words and grammar. It is becoming more common in Germany to hear the phrase Schà ¶nen Tag noch! from sales people and food servers. In an earlier feature, Language and Culture, I discussed some of the connections between   Sprache  and  Kultur  in the broadest sense. This time well look at a specific aspect of the connection, and why it is vital for language learners to be aware of more than just the vocabulary and structure of German. For example, if you dont understand the German/European approach to strangers and casual acquaintances, youre a prime candidate for cultural misunderstanding. Take smiling (das Là ¤cheln). Nobodys saying you should be a grouch, but smiling at a German for no particular reason (as in passing on the street) will generally get the (silent) reaction that you must be a little simple-minded or not quite all there. (Or if theyre used to seeing Americans, maybe youre just another one of those weird smiling  Amis.) On the other hand, if there is some apparent, genuine reason to smile, then Germans can and do exercise their facial muscles. But what I may consider nice in my culture may mean something else to a European. (This smiling thing applies to most of northern Europe.) Ironically, a scowl may be better understood and accepted than a smile. Beyond smiling, most Germans  consider the phrase have a nice day an insincere and superficial bit of nonsense. To an American, its something normal and expected, but the more I hear this, the less I appreciate it. After all, if Im at the supermarket to buy anti-nausea medicine for a sick child, I may have a nice day after all, but at that point, the checkers polite have-a-nice-day comment seems even more inappropriate than usual. (Did she not notice I was buying nausea medicine, rather than, say, a six-pack of beer?) This is a true story, and a German friend who was with me that day happens to have a good sense of humor and was mildly amused by this strange American custom. We smiled about that because there was a real reason to do so. I personally prefer the custom of German shopkeepers who rarely let you out the door without saying Auf Wiedersehen!—even if you didnt buy anything. To which the customer replies with the same farewell, just a simple good-bye without any dubious wishes for a nice day. Its one reason many Germans would rather patronize a smaller shop than a big department store. Any language learner should always keep in mind the saying: Andere Là ¤nder, andere Sitten (roughly, When in Rome...). Just because somethings done in one culture doesnt mean we should assume it will automatically transfer to another. Another country does indeed mean other, different customs. The ethnocentric attitude that my cultures way is the best way--or equally unfortunate, not even giving culture a serious thought--can lead to a language learner who knows just enough German to be dangerous in a real-life situation.

The Principal Conflict Of Merchant Of Venice By William...

The principal conflict of The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare is man versus man between the title character Antonio the merchant and the Jewish moneylender Shylock. Shylock despises Antonio for his cruel treatment toward him and Antonio dislikes Shylock because he is a Jew (49). This causes greater conflict later on when Shylock demands repayment from Antonio in the form of his flesh. The Duke must decide between doing what is morally right or doing what is required by law. Shylock faces conflict against society in Venice where Jewish people are not welcome and he is treated poorly (49). The conflict of man versus nature arises when his ships crash and his investments are lost (113). The play presents these conflicts through†¦show more content†¦When the time comes for Antonio to accept defeat, he does not blame Bassanio and instead wishes him the best (171). Antonio’s sadness throughout the play could be contributed to how Bassanio searches for a love whic h would end their bromance and even then Antonio is willing to support his friend’s endeavours. Characters Though the title of the play, The Merchant of Venice, would suggest, the main character is Antonio. It is through him that all other characters are connected. He is a very sincere and extroverted man who can be melancholy at times but gives all of himself to help his friends. His sadness is mostly likely due to being in love, though he denies it, with his friend Bassanio. This love could be proven by Antonio’s willingness to fund his friend’s ventures even though his investments are already risky. Antonio remains a somewhat self-pitying mess throughout the story finally losing his best friend to Portia. The restoration of his wealth probably cannot make up for his lost love. Bassanio could be seen as the hero of the story but he would not have been able to win over Portia without the help of his friends. He is a loving and active man who goes to great lengths to win over his love but is also known to be irresponsible with his money. It is difficult to determine who the main character is mainly because of how the focus of the plot shifts between different characters and how each of them are deeply connected.Show MoreRelated Hath Not a Jew Eyes? The Identity of Shylock and Purpose of Anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice1992 Words   |  8 PagesShakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice continues to receive criticism because of the many controversial topics integrated within an already debatable plot. One such reproach is whether the play demonstrates factors of anti-Semitism or persists as a criticism of the anti-Sematic tendencies of Christians during Shakespeare’s time. The factor of genre plays an essential role in how the play is interpret ed when regarding anti-Semitism, particularly when viewed as either a romantic comedy or a genre thatRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice1532 Words   |  7 Pagesuseless dialogue can make readers skip over what seems like a false beginning to a good story. But think about this: what if those seemingly lengthy, extra, useless words were actually important? For example, the opening 115 lines of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice are provide minimal support to the story at first glance. In these lines, Antonio and his friends are discussing the dynamics of happiness and sadness in order to find the root of Antonio’s sad mood. This portion of the play givesRead MoreThe Case of Shylock vs. Antonio in The Merchant of Venice3461 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿Case Shylock vs. Antonio in The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeares tragic comedy The Merchant of Venice is recognized for the complex concepts that it puts across, considering that it relates to a wide range of fields. The English poet and playwright is also known to have incorporated a great deal of concepts into his plays with the purpose of appealing to an educated public. The Merchant of Venice is clearly legal in nature, considering the numerous law references present in theRead MoreEssay on Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice1955 Words   |  8 Pagesscenarios that are caused by the indecision of the person in the middle or the inability of the others to move on. The same is seen in The Merchant of Venice, in which Antonio and Portia fight for Bassanio. Throughout the play we see many bonds or connections between both Antonio and Bassanio as well as Portia and Bassanio. To many, the main plot may seem to be the conflict between Antonio and Shylock, when in reality it’s the love that Antonio and Portia have for Bass anio that leads to everything. The mainRead MoreEssay on Theme of Censorship in Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511669 Words   |  7 PagesHowever the NAACP are not the only ones pushing for the banning of this book. A small group of parents have protested the book for the same purposes (Grossman). Another novel The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare was banned in Michigan because it portrayed a negative image of Jews. However other novels of Shakespeare were challenged also because parents and officials thought that some characters depict a homosexual image (Ockerbloom). Although these books were banned it did not stop the inevitableRead MoreEssay on Brown Vs. Board of Education1458 Words   |  6 PagesHowever the NAACP are not the only ones pushing for the banning of this book. A small group of parents have protested the book for the same purposes (Grossman). Another novel The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare was banned in Michigan because it portrayed a negative image of Jews. However other novels of Shakespeare were challenged also because parents and officials thought that some characters depict a homosexual image (Ockerbloom). Although these books were banned it did not stop the inevitableRead MoreComparison between the Great Gatsby and Macbeth3983 Words   |  16 Pagesbecause it reveals Shakespeares creative process. The play was written in 1605--1606. Its one of the plays where the date is pretty firmly established by internal references to external events, and most scholars have agreed on the date. Shakespeare was at the height of creative powers, and his theatrical company, the Kings Men, was the official royal acting company. He had the large Globe Theater, a large public playhouse on the south bank of the Thames. He would soon open the BlackfriarsRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pageshis lonely, restricted life. Because the school for black children in Topeka was across town, Carrie enrolled Langston in first grade at the all-white Harrison Street School, which was within walking distance of their apartment. At first, the principal refused to admit him, but Carrie took her argument before the Topeka school board and won. Langstons teacher resented having to teach one small black boy and told other students, in his presence, that if they ate licorice, they would turn blackRead MoreA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 PagesTrithemius in Book 2 of his notorious Steganographia (1500) and in his Antipalus Maleficiorum (c. 1500). One copy (British Library, Sloane manuscript 3679) passed down from Simon Forman (d. 1611) to Richard Napier (d. 1634) to Elias Ashmole (d. 1692) to William Lilly (d. 1681). E.M. Butler wrongly associates it with Gio. Peccatrix, (no doubt a pseudonym) who edited an Italian version of the Key of Solomon (British Library, Sloane manuscript 1307). Misled by some com ments by Mathers and others, Dr. Butler

Chlamydia Essay World Wide Example For Students

Chlamydia Essay World Wide Chlamydia is one of the most commonly sexually transmitted diseases in the United States today. In 1997, 526,653 cases of Chlamydia were reported in the U.S. It infects the penis, vagina, cervix,, urethra, or the eye. Chlamydia is the name of different kinds of bacteria. Certain kinds cause different illnesses. Chlamydia Trachoma causes blindness in the eye. Chlamydia is spread through the vagina orual. In some cases, the disease can spread from the woman to her fetus when she is pregnant. Chlamydia rarely has any symptoms. Most females or males do not show any symptoms and are unaware that they are infected by this disease. However, when symptoms do occur, they can begin in five to ten days after the person has been infected. The symptoms vary slightly in men and women. Women commonly experience bleeding between menstrual periods, vaginal bleeding after sexual, and painful ion. Some long-term symptoms include Perihepatitis, which is an infection around the liver.Men commonly experience pus or a slight milky discharge from the penis, a burning feeling while ing, or swollen testicles. These symptoms are very similar to those of gonorrhea. Chlamydia can also cause bleeding or itching from the rectum in both sexes. Chlamydia is very common today. Over three million men and women become infected every year. The disease is most commonly spread through men and women under the age of twenty-five. As many as 1 in 10 adolescent girls that are tested for this deadly disease, are infected. Girls 15-19 make up 46% of people infected. Statistics have shown that for every person that has herpes, there are six that have Chlamydia. Chlamydia is regarded as a very serious and dangerous threat today. Chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can block fallopian tubes. This can make many women sterile. If fertilized eggs develop in the fallopian tubes when a woman is infected with PID then there is a very high chance that she will die even if she undergoes emergency surgery, which is usually the case. About 40% of women who are infected with Chlamydia and are untreated, will develop PID. Chlamydia also makes men sterile if it spreads from the urethra to the testicles. This is called epididymitis, an inflammation of the testicles. Symptoms of this include fever and extreme pain in the scrotum. Reiters syndrome is a result of Chlamydia and usually in younger men. Men with the Reiters syndrome often develop arthritis, which disables one out of every three men who develop this syndrome. Chlamydia can also cause proctitis, which is an inflamed rectum. A certain strain of Chlamydia can cause a very rare STD, which is called lymphogranuloma venereum. This is commonly called LGV and is identified by swelling and inflammation of the lymph nodes in the groin. If this is not treated, there may be lasting effects. This disease is most commonly in 3rd world countries but also in the United States, where it is most commonly found in homosexual men. Chlamydia is a serious risk to children too. 20 to 50 percent of children that are born by women with Chlamydia will be infected as well. Over 180,000 babies are born each year with eye infections that are a result of Chlamydia. New babies have a 50-50 chance of developing conjunctivitis. Symptoms of infection can occur within four weeks of birth. Chlamydia also causes very heavy bleeding before the actual delivery, which causes miscarriage, stillborn, or premature delivery. Fortunately nine out of ten pregnant women with Chlamydia are treated successfully. Chlamydia can be diagnosed in three ways. First, the examination of cervix and cervical discharge. Second, tests of cells from the penis, urethra or cervix. Third, an examination of urine samples. At first, it was difficult to distinguish between Gonorrhea and Chlamydia because they are very similar in their symptoms and often occur together. However, now scientists use certain techniques and a dye to find the bacterial proteins. This is slightly less accurate then other tests, but is less expensive and more rapid. .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 , .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .postImageUrl , .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 , .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:hover , .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:visited , .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:active { border:0!important; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:active , .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607 .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue3d3c349bbc43da04b146b6c0179d607:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The House Of The Seven Gables EssayChlamydia is simple to treat. Both sexual partners need to be treated at the same time. Antibiotics kill off chlamydia bacteria. There are two major antibiotics that are used today, Doxycycline and azithromycin. The difference between these two antibiotics is that azithromycin is taken in one dose, while doxycycline is taken over a span of seven days. Doxycycline is sometimes preferred over azithromycin because it is cheaper. These are not the only medicines prescribed to patients. Erythromycin is often given to pregnant women with Chlamydia and it treats infants that suffer from eye infections or pneumonia as a result of Chlamydia. PID i s also often treated with certain medicines. Surgery is sometimes necessary. There are some things that one must know if they are being treated for Chlamydia or other STDs for that matter. One who is infected with Chlamydia should take all the medicine that was prescribed. Do not be fooled if the symptoms disappear. It is possible that the bacteria are still in your system. You must schedule check-ups to make sure that the disease is completely gone from your body before youual again. Another very important thing to remember is that you must make sure that your sexual partner is treated as well so that you do not reinfect each other. People who are most likely to get the disease are those who have a large number of sexual partners. Having a great deal of sexual partners is dangerous because one can never be sure that they havent had sexual with someone who has the disease. People who dont use condoms are very likely as well. People who have had a history in which they had other sexu al diseases, they are more likely to get Chlamydia then someone who has never been infected with a sexual disease. People with Chlamydia can avoid spreading this deadly disease by informing the people theywith that they have the infection. Another way is to notual intercourse with anyone until the disease is completely treated. Using condoms every time is one of the most effective ways of not spreading Chlamydia. In order to avoid being infected there are three ways to make sure you are not or will not become another victim of Chlamydia. Wear a condom every time youual, go to routine check-ups to see if you have been infected, or abstain from sexual. These are the three most effective ways to make sure if you do not receive this STD. Another way to lower the risk of being infected by Chlamydia is to not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These cause people to make stupid decisions, especially life altering ones. There are some myths or misconceptions that go around about how one becomes infected. One of the most common misconceptions is that people on birth control are more susceptible to Chlamydia then others. It is true that taking birth control may alter the cervix to make it slightly more open to being infected by Chlamydia. However, women who do use birth control, have a lower risk of developing PID from Chlamydia then those who do not use birth control. Many ask, What is being done to address the problem? In 1993, Congress appropriated money to start a sexually transmitted disease prevention program. This program helps with family planning, health care programs, and health laboratories. However, because of minimal resources, the program only exists now as demonstration projects. Some programs still need to be started and are needed dearly. Surveys have shown that more then 200,000 women that go to STD clinics do not have access to screening and treatment. Nationwide, there is dire need of programs to test for infection and treatment for this disease. Such programs have to be able to test and treat both women and men.

The Seven Organizational Approaches to Studying the Human Body free essay sample

The seven organizational approaches to studying the human body are body planes and body directions, body cavities, quadrants and regions, anatomy and physiology, microscopic to macroscopic, body systems and medical specializes. The body planes and body direction is the division of the body in to sections from front to back, right and left, and top and bottom. These sections are called the midsagittal plane, the coronal plane, and the transverse plane. This approach is used when studying organs and its function or specific areas with in the body like lungs, brain, and joint and tendons. The body cavity is the study of the body cavities and the organs in the cavities. This approach is used when studying certain organs in the body and how a disease affects different organs. The quadrants and regions divides the lower torso into four sections and nine region sections to identify the areas where internal organs are placed. We will write a custom essay sample on The Seven Organizational Approaches to Studying the Human Body or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This approach is a good reference to be used when conducting a physical exam of internal organs. The anatomy and physiology is the study of the structures with in the body and how they function in the body. This approach is good to be used when studying the structure and how cell work or the nervous system. Microscopic and macroscopic is the study of the smallest parts of the body and how they come together to make larger parts and more complex structures or systems. This approach is good to use when studying how cells combine to make organ. The Body systems approach is the study of the body’s organs and how they function together in the body. This approach is good to be used when studying the bodies systems such as the circulatory system, the respiratory system and how they function in the body. Medical specialty is the study of the human body for medical uses. This approach is also divided in to many different categories which are the use or study of anatomy, physiology diseases, diagnostic tests, medical and surgical procedures, and drugs. This approach is used when studying different types of illnesses and diseases.