Hi everyone. It's been a while since I lasted updated my blog and a lot has happened in the last week.
Saturday I went to Yeongcheon with a few friends of mine, Chris and Tamara. Chris, my friend from Australia, teaches at an Elementary school in Busan. He's been in Korea for almost two years. Tamara, his girlfriend, is also an Elementary teacher in Busan. She's from Toronto and has been in Korea for a year and a half. We caught a bus Saturday morning and arrived around noon in Yeongcheon where we met Chris and Tamara's friend Thomas, a middle school teacher from England. Thomas showed us around the small city of about 100,000 people. We went for lunch then caught a taxi to the Yeongcheon dam. Korean taxi drivers are nuts and the one that we had was no exception. He got us to the dam in half the time that it should have taken all the while whipping around corners disregarding any safe road rules. We nearly ran into an oncoming car along the way. He seemed pretty confident with his driving skills, unbuckled and all but we on the other hand were not as enthusiastic and were holding on the dear life.
Anyway, after surviving the taxi ride we arrived at a small lakeside town. Tamara got distracted by a really cute puppy chained in front of a store. We got some drinks and snacks and played with the puppy for a few minutes then were on our way up the mountain. Along the way we walked through a Korean graveyard. Looking around I noticed that they burry the dead under large mounds of earth rather than burying them 6 feet under ground. I believe that the larger the mound is, the more important that person was during his or her lifetime. Each mound had a statue or some kind of marking next to it. It was so peaceful and quiet. Very relaxing.
After our hike we caught a bus back to Yeongcheon. We didn't want to risk loosing ours lives again after our taxi experience. Plus the bus is cheaper. When we arrived we went for Bulgogi (Korean marinated beef bbq) and hung out for a while. Afterward we went to a DVD Room and watched "Head in the Clouds", a world-war 2 buffet of a movie. Compared to the setting the love story felt somewhat insignificant and pointless but the production was very good. Anyway, after the movie we were still hungry so we got some Pizza at a local pizza place. We ordered Hawaiian but it wasn't quite what we expected. The pizza had little pieces of fruit on it that tasted like lychee and the ham wasn't exactly ham, it tasted more like spam. After dinner we went to a pub and had a few drinks then we went to Thomas' place and crashed for the night.
The next day we got up, had some cereal and caught a taxi to an orphanage that Thomas and his friend Mar volunteer at. It was a new experience for me because I had never been to an orphanage before. We played games and ran around with the kids for a while. Their smiles were wonderful to see and it made me happy to know that we brought a little bit of happiness into their lives even for a moment.
After visiting the children at the orphanage we had bibimbop at a local restaurant. They served everything in pottery dishes. All I could think of was my sister who would have been in pottery Heaven. Gleeee!!! After lunch we caught a train back to Busan and had dinner at a restaurant near Chris' apartment. We drank two pitchers of beer that were served in some sort of bong tower then headed home.
It was a fun filled weekend that I'll remember for a long time. If you want a visual, see pictures on my facebook and flickr accounts. Click on the link on the side bar under "Jon's Pictures".
Thanks for reading :)
Thursday, April 30
Thursday, April 23
Best TV Edit EVER!!!!
Plus I uploaded some new pics and vids on my flickr and youtube accounts. The pics are from my trip to the Children's Park with my grade 4s. Click on one of the links on the sidebar to check them out.
Tuesday, April 21
Values and standards
Yesterday I arrived at my school expecting another typical busy Monday but yesterday was anything but a typical Monday. When I walked onto the school yard I saw a van with three people standing in front of the school holding video cameras. People with cameras? This could only mean one thing... the MEDIA! Slightly caught off guard I thought, great my school once again failed to inform me of another important event. (This happens quite often) It turns out that a local broadcasting station was filming some sort of program for the local news at my school.
Anyway, a few hours later I was teaching my grade 6 class some expressions to describe the four different seasons. In the middle of class the camera crew walked in and started filming. I was going to continue with my lesson plan but my co-teacher encouraged me to get the guitar. I assume that he wanted me to put on a little show for the cameras. So reluctantly I went into the office and got the music and put on my performance face. It was difficult to ignore the cameras but I think we managed pretty well and on the plus side the kids were very well behaved! They're all such great actors. Normally they're bouncing off the walls but in front of a camera they're different people...
different people... different people...
It's interesting that when the camera is in front of us we like to fabricate things and become "different people". Many of us are subjected to sensationalism everyday without even realizing. I guess being exceptional rather than ordinary is better but distorting the truth is dishonest. I'm no Robin Williams and my class is definitely not the Dead Poets Society, but I refuse to pull a Susan Boyle just to look good. Does that make any sense????
Anyway, I'm sure most of us are familiar with the Susan Boyle sensation. Last week she wowed the world with her rendition of "I dreamed a dream" from Les Mis. But was it her voice that captured our attention or was it the ovations of the audience and the expressions of the judges? It's easy to get caught up in a show like that, especially if Simon Cowell is on it. He's built a reputation and now we trust every word he says. But the truth is we all fell for the production, not the singer; the packaging and not the content. Susan Boyle seems like a wonderful person but unfortunately she was subjected to media bias.
We see this in so many shapes and forms everyday. How many times have you told someone that you are feeling fine when you really aren't? How many times have you untagged yourself from a picture on facebook that is not satisfactory? Have you ever posted a bad profile picture before? We try to create an ideal image of ourselves in order to be appreciated and accepted by others. The hardest part is facing people's reaction when they see the truth. None of us like to hear the truth, we prefer to hide it and forget about it. Society and "the media" has played a huge role in this dilemma. We see celebrities everyday on TV and magazines. They look "perfect" and we all strive for this perfection. We are forced to compare ourselves and our friends to these "perfect" images. When celebrities are not at their best, i.e. Britney Spears, we love to tear them down. As a result we are afraid to expose our vulnerable side. We are afraid to show our true colours. But here's where I get confused.
Why are we slaves to a standard set by a greedy corporation? It doesn't make sense. They're values are completely out of whack.
What if the world didn't have these standards? Would we be less judgemental? Would there be less competition? Would we become lazy? Would humanity regress back to the stone age? We definitely need standards because they encourage us to better ourselves, however we must look at the values behind the standards before we cast any judgement. We can either choose to follow "the media" who value greed, narcissism and indulgence or we can choose to follow the values of kindness, respect, humility and compassion.
I hope that people start realizing what's going on here because I'm getting tired of having to put with all this nonsense. Things have to start changing soon or else I'm going to start complaining!!!! (See post below)
Anyway, a few hours later I was teaching my grade 6 class some expressions to describe the four different seasons. In the middle of class the camera crew walked in and started filming. I was going to continue with my lesson plan but my co-teacher encouraged me to get the guitar. I assume that he wanted me to put on a little show for the cameras. So reluctantly I went into the office and got the music and put on my performance face. It was difficult to ignore the cameras but I think we managed pretty well and on the plus side the kids were very well behaved! They're all such great actors. Normally they're bouncing off the walls but in front of a camera they're different people...
different people... different people...
It's interesting that when the camera is in front of us we like to fabricate things and become "different people". Many of us are subjected to sensationalism everyday without even realizing. I guess being exceptional rather than ordinary is better but distorting the truth is dishonest. I'm no Robin Williams and my class is definitely not the Dead Poets Society, but I refuse to pull a Susan Boyle just to look good. Does that make any sense????
Anyway, I'm sure most of us are familiar with the Susan Boyle sensation. Last week she wowed the world with her rendition of "I dreamed a dream" from Les Mis. But was it her voice that captured our attention or was it the ovations of the audience and the expressions of the judges? It's easy to get caught up in a show like that, especially if Simon Cowell is on it. He's built a reputation and now we trust every word he says. But the truth is we all fell for the production, not the singer; the packaging and not the content. Susan Boyle seems like a wonderful person but unfortunately she was subjected to media bias.
We see this in so many shapes and forms everyday. How many times have you told someone that you are feeling fine when you really aren't? How many times have you untagged yourself from a picture on facebook that is not satisfactory? Have you ever posted a bad profile picture before? We try to create an ideal image of ourselves in order to be appreciated and accepted by others. The hardest part is facing people's reaction when they see the truth. None of us like to hear the truth, we prefer to hide it and forget about it. Society and "the media" has played a huge role in this dilemma. We see celebrities everyday on TV and magazines. They look "perfect" and we all strive for this perfection. We are forced to compare ourselves and our friends to these "perfect" images. When celebrities are not at their best, i.e. Britney Spears, we love to tear them down. As a result we are afraid to expose our vulnerable side. We are afraid to show our true colours. But here's where I get confused.
Why are we slaves to a standard set by a greedy corporation? It doesn't make sense. They're values are completely out of whack.
What if the world didn't have these standards? Would we be less judgemental? Would there be less competition? Would we become lazy? Would humanity regress back to the stone age? We definitely need standards because they encourage us to better ourselves, however we must look at the values behind the standards before we cast any judgement. We can either choose to follow "the media" who value greed, narcissism and indulgence or we can choose to follow the values of kindness, respect, humility and compassion.
I hope that people start realizing what's going on here because I'm getting tired of having to put with all this nonsense. Things have to start changing soon or else I'm going to start complaining!!!! (See post below)
Monday, April 20
All about complaining
Definitely Not The Opera's PODCAST has got me thinking again. This week it was all about complaining. I usually like to bite my tongue before voicing a complaint because I don't like to bother people. But I now realize that isn't always the best idea. After listening to the podcast I'm now reconsidering on where I stand.
It is fine to tell people how you feel. It's good to express your feelings. The last thing that you should do is bottle everything up. But I believe that complaints are only ok if they are focused on a positive resolution and not just solely on a negative problem.
Listen to the podcast and let me know what you think.
**Right click on the link if you want to save the podcast**
It is fine to tell people how you feel. It's good to express your feelings. The last thing that you should do is bottle everything up. But I believe that complaints are only ok if they are focused on a positive resolution and not just solely on a negative problem.
Listen to the podcast and let me know what you think.
**Right click on the link if you want to save the podcast**
Sunday, April 19
Flickr
Hi everyone. Just thought that I would let you know that I opened a flickr account so that I can organize my photos a little better. Some of you don't have facebook so this will allow you to browse through my recently posted pics. Flickr's the best online photo program around.
To access my account and pictures all you have to do is click here. You can also look at my photos as a slideshow. Make sure you bookmark the site.
To access my account and pictures all you have to do is click here. You can also look at my photos as a slideshow. Make sure you bookmark the site.
Saturday, April 18
Hiking and Noraebang
So once again my co-teachers dragged me along another round of hiking and noraebanging. Lunch time, Friday, April 17th, I found myself scraping my lunch and being herded onto a small van bound for Geumjeong mountain. Having hiked this mountain before I knew that I was in for another back breaking afternoon followed by some dinner and some noraebanging. I love noraebanging but the novelty wears of pretty quickly. I sang my token song, usually an Abba song, then I quickly sang and dashed hoping that no one noticed. My co-teachers say that I have a nice voice, but I think that they were just being nice. After two bottles of soju, I don't think anyone would have a nice voice.
Anyway, noraebang was good. Sorry about the nonchalant blog. I know it was pretty random but two bottles of soju will do that to you.
Anyway, noraebang was good. Sorry about the nonchalant blog. I know it was pretty random but two bottles of soju will do that to you.
Thursday, April 16
Sanctuary, a podcast
What is your sanctuary? Could it be a cabin in the woods? Could it be your favourite chair in your house? Could it be found in the company of your friends? What do you think, is sanctuary an actual place or can we find it within ourselves?
"Cindy Bisaillon ruminates on the idea of SANCTUARY (55 mins) in her off-the-grid cabin in the woods, interweaving her thoughts with tales from a naturalist, a refugee and a monk. She discovers clues to our future survival."
- CBC, IDEAS
For me sanctuary is camping in the woods or listening to a choir rehearse in a church or taking a long walk on a sunny day. Sanctuary for a moment was this podcast, particularly while Cindy was in her cabin. Listening to the sounds of the snow under her boots and the tinning of the can and the crackling of the fire. (25:30) One summer my cousin Jess and I spent an entire weekend recording sounds of a campground when we were kids. I think I still have the recording somewhere.
“The value of solitude depends upon one's self; it may be a sanctuary or a prison, as we ourselves make it.”
- John Lubbock
****Right click the link if you want to save the podcast****
"Cindy Bisaillon ruminates on the idea of SANCTUARY (55 mins) in her off-the-grid cabin in the woods, interweaving her thoughts with tales from a naturalist, a refugee and a monk. She discovers clues to our future survival."
- CBC, IDEAS
For me sanctuary is camping in the woods or listening to a choir rehearse in a church or taking a long walk on a sunny day. Sanctuary for a moment was this podcast, particularly while Cindy was in her cabin. Listening to the sounds of the snow under her boots and the tinning of the can and the crackling of the fire. (25:30) One summer my cousin Jess and I spent an entire weekend recording sounds of a campground when we were kids. I think I still have the recording somewhere.
“The value of solitude depends upon one's self; it may be a sanctuary or a prison, as we ourselves make it.”
- John Lubbock
****Right click the link if you want to save the podcast****
Wednesday, April 15
On the road to fitness
So the other day I did the unthinkable. The absolute unimaginable. The unspeakably unspeakable. The incredibly incomprehensible!!! I... decided... to... buy...a... GYM PASS!!!
I know what you're thinking. How could Jonny and his celery stick legs even think about going to the gym? They would completely snap off if applied to any kind of force or pressure. Here's to hoping that won't happen because I quite enjoy having two sets of arms and legs.
Scrawniness be gone, I'm now on the road to fitness.
I know what you're thinking. How could Jonny and his celery stick legs even think about going to the gym? They would completely snap off if applied to any kind of force or pressure. Here's to hoping that won't happen because I quite enjoy having two sets of arms and legs.
Scrawniness be gone, I'm now on the road to fitness.
Tuesday, April 14
Classroom update
Today was a productive day. I had a great lesson with my grade 5s. I taught them everything there is to know about the words "On, In and Under". I know, sounds pretty boring... but today I learnt that as long as you go into the classroom with enthusiasm (and a fun game), the kids will love the class. At least this rule applies for my grade 4 and 5 classes. They are amazing. However, the grade 6 classes are starting to lose interest and no matter what I do, I can never get them involved in the class. So today I thought that I would change things up a bit. I brought in my guitar and taught them a new song called CAN DO KID. We watched the youtube clip a few times and then sang it all together. I think they really enjoyed it.
Here's the clip...
Here's the clip...
Saturday, April 11
The subway station
Another weekend is here concluding another week in Korea. During my usual week I found myself walking home following the same old route, looking at the same old things, hearing the same sounds and smelling the same smells. I usually walk through the Sasang subway station, 5 minutes from my apartment, to avoid having to cross the busy street which provides shelter from the chilly breeze.
Last week I felt like I was going in circles not really heading in any specific direction. I found myself arriving at the same point, over and over again until I stopped and asked myself, am I trapped in a lifetime of monotonous routine? Is there any way out of this daily cycle? I get up every morning, take a shower, eat a bowl of cereal, get dressed, walk to school, turn on my computer, reset my computer, turn on my computer, (it's a crappy computer) open my text book, plan a quick lesson, teach. Noon arrives, I eat lunch, go up to the fourth floor and sit in the office for 3 hours. 4:30 arrives, I pack my things and I head home via the subway station. Sounds pretty redundant, I know. At the end of the day I asked myself, how do I eradicate the redundancies of life? Is it possible to reboot my life to a new start, like my computer?
On my way home I came to a crossroad. The subway station. Do I go through the station and follow the same old route or should I break the routine and take the long way home? I thought, menh... life's short. Live life dangerously. So I turned away from the entrance to the subway and started walking. During my walk I noticed so many beautiful things. I stopped a few times to smell the blooming flowers. I looked up and saw a beautiful canopy of cherry blossoms providing a moments relief from the sun. No longer did I hear cars and horns in the streets, but birds singing in the trees. Obviously it is difficult to tune out the noise of the city, but if you take a moment to listen, you'll hear things that you didn't hear before. I wouldn't have seen any of these things if I decided to go through the subway.
Life doesn't need to be redundant or monotonous. We weren’t born just to do the same things every day when we wake up. We weren’t born even just to eat, sleep, work and die. We were born to do more and to bring more good things to the world. Doing so will allow us to see that there is an abundance of life and beauty in the world.
In the words of Felicia Hemans, “There’s beauty all around our paths, if but our watchful eyes can trace it midst familiar things, and through their lowly guise.”
Last week I felt like I was going in circles not really heading in any specific direction. I found myself arriving at the same point, over and over again until I stopped and asked myself, am I trapped in a lifetime of monotonous routine? Is there any way out of this daily cycle? I get up every morning, take a shower, eat a bowl of cereal, get dressed, walk to school, turn on my computer, reset my computer, turn on my computer, (it's a crappy computer) open my text book, plan a quick lesson, teach. Noon arrives, I eat lunch, go up to the fourth floor and sit in the office for 3 hours. 4:30 arrives, I pack my things and I head home via the subway station. Sounds pretty redundant, I know. At the end of the day I asked myself, how do I eradicate the redundancies of life? Is it possible to reboot my life to a new start, like my computer?
On my way home I came to a crossroad. The subway station. Do I go through the station and follow the same old route or should I break the routine and take the long way home? I thought, menh... life's short. Live life dangerously. So I turned away from the entrance to the subway and started walking. During my walk I noticed so many beautiful things. I stopped a few times to smell the blooming flowers. I looked up and saw a beautiful canopy of cherry blossoms providing a moments relief from the sun. No longer did I hear cars and horns in the streets, but birds singing in the trees. Obviously it is difficult to tune out the noise of the city, but if you take a moment to listen, you'll hear things that you didn't hear before. I wouldn't have seen any of these things if I decided to go through the subway.
Life doesn't need to be redundant or monotonous. We weren’t born just to do the same things every day when we wake up. We weren’t born even just to eat, sleep, work and die. We were born to do more and to bring more good things to the world. Doing so will allow us to see that there is an abundance of life and beauty in the world.
In the words of Felicia Hemans, “There’s beauty all around our paths, if but our watchful eyes can trace it midst familiar things, and through their lowly guise.”
Friday, April 10
Lately I've been trying to get out of the school as much as possible so that I can soak in and enjoy the sunshine. Today I took a walk during lunch hour. It is absolutely gorgeous outside. During my walk I noticed that there are a lot of independently owned industrial parts manufacturing stations surrounding my school. Every other building had a man working on some sort of gear or machine that made different tools, cranks, molds and an endless variety of gadgets and gizmos. I noticed a faint smell of oil in the air that wasn't there before. Fortunately the lingering smell doesn't bother me but anyone with a keen sense of smell might find it bothersome.
It's getting hot outside. Everyday it is getting steadily warmer but it is usually around the same temperature. Unlike Winnipeg where we can experience drastic changes in the weather in a single day, Korea's temperature is fairly constant, changing only a few degrees. On my walk I stopped at a 7-Eleven where I picked up a Banana popsicle. It was deeeeelicious. I made sure to finish it before returning to the school to avoid getting mobbed by the kids. No doubt if they saw me with a banana popsicle I would have had to run away with my tail between my legs. Recently the students have developed the classic "if you got one, I want one" tendency. I've gotten myself into trouble a few times rewarding prizes to students that work hard in class. Sometimes I get attacked by a group of kids after class who want the same thing. The language barrier obviously doesn't help here so I usually cross my arms or my fingers in the form of an X and firmly say "NO". They understand this so it's quite useful.
In a few hours I get to teach my parents class!!! It's so refreshing working with them because the teaching atmosphere is obviously less chaotic. Lately I've been teaching them classic songs by some of their favourite Western artists like the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and John Denver. Today we're going to learn "Sunshine on my shoulders" upon their request. Quite appropriate now that it's Spring.
It's getting hot outside. Everyday it is getting steadily warmer but it is usually around the same temperature. Unlike Winnipeg where we can experience drastic changes in the weather in a single day, Korea's temperature is fairly constant, changing only a few degrees. On my walk I stopped at a 7-Eleven where I picked up a Banana popsicle. It was deeeeelicious. I made sure to finish it before returning to the school to avoid getting mobbed by the kids. No doubt if they saw me with a banana popsicle I would have had to run away with my tail between my legs. Recently the students have developed the classic "if you got one, I want one" tendency. I've gotten myself into trouble a few times rewarding prizes to students that work hard in class. Sometimes I get attacked by a group of kids after class who want the same thing. The language barrier obviously doesn't help here so I usually cross my arms or my fingers in the form of an X and firmly say "NO". They understand this so it's quite useful.
In a few hours I get to teach my parents class!!! It's so refreshing working with them because the teaching atmosphere is obviously less chaotic. Lately I've been teaching them classic songs by some of their favourite Western artists like the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel and John Denver. Today we're going to learn "Sunshine on my shoulders" upon their request. Quite appropriate now that it's Spring.
Friday Podcast
It's been a while since I posted a podcast. Lately I haven't heard anything particularly stimulating, but this one definitely struck a chord with me. It's called Survival of the Kindest. (55 mins)
Anyone who thinks that nice guys finish last, think again. Listen to this interview with Dacher Keltner, professor of Psychology at the University of California.
"Professor Keltner’s studies of human emotion seem to turn the Hobbesian view of human nature - that life is nasty, brutish, and short - on its head. We only need to look at emotions such as compassion, awe, and embarrassment, to see that humans are wired to be good."
Anyone who thinks that nice guys finish last, think again. Listen to this interview with Dacher Keltner, professor of Psychology at the University of California.
"Professor Keltner’s studies of human emotion seem to turn the Hobbesian view of human nature - that life is nasty, brutish, and short - on its head. We only need to look at emotions such as compassion, awe, and embarrassment, to see that humans are wired to be good."
Thursday, April 9
Ode to Spring
Spring is in the air, flowers are popping, birds are singing, buds are budding and creativity is blooming. Here's a little ode that I wrote to Spring.
Haste springtime clear,
Leave winter drear,
Save eternal air,
Place with fragrance here.
Song of blissful night,
Play within my sight,
Call with truthful sound,
Peace come to me bound.
Here at last presents a bud,
Between my toes covered in mud,
This wondrous sight is hard to miss,
Life creeps again, a spring of bliss.
Melt away white winter's grasp,
Be present now, away the past.
____________________
South Korea's national flower - 무궁화
In Korean it's pronounced mugunghwa, which means 'immortality'.
In english we call this flower the Hibiscus syriacus.
I love Spring.
Haste springtime clear,
Leave winter drear,
Save eternal air,
Place with fragrance here.
Song of blissful night,
Play within my sight,
Call with truthful sound,
Peace come to me bound.
Here at last presents a bud,
Between my toes covered in mud,
This wondrous sight is hard to miss,
Life creeps again, a spring of bliss.
Melt away white winter's grasp,
Be present now, away the past.
____________________
South Korea's national flower - 무궁화
In Korean it's pronounced mugunghwa, which means 'immortality'.
In english we call this flower the Hibiscus syriacus.
I love Spring.
Wonderful Winnipeg
I never thought that I would ever say this, but I miss Winnipeg.
If the video isn't working on my blog just click on the video itself and it will take you to youtube. You should be able to watch it there.
If the video isn't working on my blog just click on the video itself and it will take you to youtube. You should be able to watch it there.
Wednesday, April 8
Languages are challenging
English is a tough language to master. I've been teaching a parents class for the past couple of weeks and after running into this blog entry, I now understand how frustrating it can be for people trying to learn English as a second language.
1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
12. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
13. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
14. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
15. They were too close to the door to close it.
16. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
17. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
18. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
19. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
20. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
Consider the following words:
1) though
2) through
3) cough
4) rough
5) plough
6) ought
7) borough
8) hiccough.
It's amazing that most of these words, although they have a common ending -ough, sound different. None of them are pronounced the same way. But how do we, as anglophones, know which is which?
For those who took french immerson, I am sure you can relate to the saying "If it ends with an e, then it is feminin". Unfortunately, this is wrong and is simply a generalization. There are many feminin words that don't end with e, like la maison and la natation. And how about for masculin words like, le singe and le livre. They are exceptions to the "rule". There is no exact way, there is no absolute pattern, there are always exceptions, it is just a memorization game.
Languages can be annoying but they are amazing tools created by people over thousands of years constantly changing and evolving.
All I have to say is that Engrish is tough.
1. The bandage was wound around the wound.
2. The farm was used to produce produce.
3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4. We must polish the Polish furniture.
5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10. I did not object to the object.
11. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
12. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
13. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
14. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
15. They were too close to the door to close it.
16. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
17. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
18. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
19. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
20. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
Consider the following words:
1) though
2) through
3) cough
4) rough
5) plough
6) ought
7) borough
8) hiccough.
It's amazing that most of these words, although they have a common ending -ough, sound different. None of them are pronounced the same way. But how do we, as anglophones, know which is which?
For those who took french immerson, I am sure you can relate to the saying "If it ends with an e, then it is feminin". Unfortunately, this is wrong and is simply a generalization. There are many feminin words that don't end with e, like la maison and la natation. And how about for masculin words like, le singe and le livre. They are exceptions to the "rule". There is no exact way, there is no absolute pattern, there are always exceptions, it is just a memorization game.
Languages can be annoying but they are amazing tools created by people over thousands of years constantly changing and evolving.
All I have to say is that Engrish is tough.
Tips on singing
If you are interested in voice lessons, look no further. You've come to the right place.
Monday, April 6
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)