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Societal Bilingualism, 2003.
An examination of the language choice pattern of Belgium.
1,394 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 46.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how there are many historical and modern-day factors that can be held responsible for the language divide of Flemish and French in Belgium. It looks at how these include politics and the government, education and employment and even social affairs, and are often based around linguistic disputes. It attempts to show how the country has suffered from wars and has even divided itself into what can be seen as two separate countries purely for the sake of a language choice.
From the Paper
"In the 1830's the Belgian constitution of the time called for neutrality regarding the linguistic education of the country's children. However, this worked to the disadvantage of the Flemish who felt that their children were being taught in the less-well equipped schools, whilst the French attended private schools thus making French the language of public administration and of the refined classes. As a result, Flemish came to be considered the language on suitable for the streets."
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English, Swedish and Latin, 1996.
An examination of the influence of Swedish and Latin on the English language.
1,419 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses two foreign sources which have had an influence upon changes in the English language. Firstly, it examines the influences of the Scandinavian language family, from the time of Donsk Tunga and the 9th century Viking invasions of the British Isles. Secondly, the paper discusses Latin influences on the English language, from the 14th century to the late 20th century. The paper provides examples from each source language and looks at how the source languages in question have influenced British English with regards to dialects, place names, surnames, prefixes and compounds.
From the Paper
"Before proceeding, however, it should be noted that up until the 9th Century, there was one Scandinavian language spoken throughout the countries now known as Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. This was called Donsk Tunga (Danish Tongue). The Viking period led to differences between the East Scandinavian dialects, from which Danish and Swedish have evolved, and the West Scandinavian dialects, from which Norwegian and Icelandic have evolved. Today, Danish and Swedish remain extremely similar, and it is quite usual that literate Swedes, Danes (and Norwegians) can understand each others' languages without a great deal of difficulty. Icelandic, however, has diverged further so that it is mutually unintelligible with Swedish, Danish and Norwegian."
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English as the Official Language, 2005.
An opinion paper arguing that English should remain the official language of the United States.
845 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 30.95
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Abstract
The author of this paper disagrees with opinions that English should not be the official language of the United States. He shows that if English is not the official language, it makes learning it optional and in some cases, for non-English speakers, trivial. The author feels, however, that the United States government should offer federally-funded programs to help immigrants learn English. The paper examines several sources on the subject.
From the Paper
"Overall, I do not feel that any extreme is the right solution to a situation. I feel that in the United States, English is a common bond that allows people of diverse backgrounds to reach common understanding. However, I do not agree with the "English-only" movement. In my opinion, it is the extreme of English becoming the official language of the United States. I believe that anyone that resides in the United States should be able to speak proper English. But, people can still speak whatever language they choose at home and in private life."
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TESOL Teaching Material, 2005.
An analysis of two sets of teaching materials for a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) course.
6,306 words (approx. 25.2 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 147.95
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Abstract
This paper sets out to analyse two sets of exercises in teaching various aspects of English language, from grammar, to vocabulary, to communication. The two texts are "Studying Strategies Students' Book" by B Abbs and I Freebairn and "Cutting Edge Pre-Intermediate" by S Cunningham and P Moor. It looks at how each book approaches the teaching of these areas in different manners, one following a more audio-lingual based method of teaching, and the other focusing more on tasks and communication.
From the Paper
"Looking first at the extract from Studying Strategies, which includes such Audio-linguist teaching tools as drills role-plays, it is apparent that this is a method in which Kuwaiti students would feel comfortable as a result of the entirety of their education being based on rote learning. They would feel comfortable with the tight structure and teacher-led instruction that extract A offers, as the only demands made of them would be to learn and repeat. In general, Kuwaitis are excellent at mimicking languages, thus making them quite proficient in oral work, the area of language learning that they feel most comfortable. In fact, the majority of Kuwaiti students are able to hold a conversation in English quite easily, and yet their accuracy levels fall below par in comparison."
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Pennsylvania Dutch, 2005.
Examines the history and future of this German dialect in the United States.
4,639 words (approx. 18.6 pages), 18 sources, MLA, $ 120.95
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Abstract
Just as many other language varieties, Pennsylvania Dutch has become the victim of our time, which is a time of constant and rapid change, in which nothing remains stable. Only in small religious communities such as the Mennonites or the Amish, the dialect has been preserved and is still spoken today. In this paper, firstly, the immigration history of the Pennsylvania Dutch is described briefly; afterwards a closer look at the dialect itself and its special features is taken. The paper then discusses why language varieties vanish in general and why Pennsylvania Dutch, specifically, is facing the phenomenon of the so-called "language death." Afterwards, the paper examines what may prevent a language from dying out and why may contribute to its preservation. This is done using the example of Pennsylvania Dutch, with special account of its survival in little religious communities such as the Amish.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
Immigration History of the Pennsylvania Dutch
The Dialect of Pennsylvania Dutch
Why Dialects Vanish: The Case of Pennsylvania Dutch
Preservation of the Dialect
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper
"A different and probably one of the most influential factors to contribute to the loss of a language is mass culture (cf. Schiffman 5/2000: 4). With the distribution of television and radio networks the English language prevailed. English was the fashionable language and was now omnipresent for speakers of a dialect. It cannot be denied that television and radio and the media in general have a tremendous impact on people's attitudes, which can be observed in our society today as well, in which the media plays a central role in public as well as in private life."
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Ezra Pound: Translation, Theory and Language, 2005.
An investigation into translation theories with a focus on Ezra Pound's translation of Chinese poetry.
4,022 words (approx. 16.1 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 108.95
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Abstract
Everybody has problems in translation. This paper attempts to clarify concepts and theories in translation theory - from Walter Benjamin to Ezra Pound - and focuses on Ezra Pound's translation of Chinese poetry and how Pound became a successful translator in modern poetry. It looks at how Pound's attention to detail and foreignizing technique made him a very vivid and innovative translator of the 20th century. The paper discusses some of Pound's translation strategies as well as explaining them by giving specific examples from his best known work "Cathay".
From the Paper
"First of all, it is worthwhile to define 'translation'. In dictionary, to translate has several meanings. To translate is "to express or be capable of being expressed in another language or dialect", or "to express or explain in simple or less technical language", or "to interpret or infer the significance of (gestures, symbols, etc.)", or "to transform or convert", or "to move or carry from one place or position to another". Within the limits of these definitions, one can easily understand that the practice of translation is not simple as it seems. Rather, it is a sophisticated matter since it involves number of things, when translating something to something else-this can be a word, a gesture, a movement, or something else. Interestingly, translation can be seen as an "interpretation"; generally, the word interpretation is used in literary circles for an attempt to clarify and explain literary works. "
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The Power of Code-Switching, 2005.
An analysis of why people might naturally switch between several languages in one conversation.
1,429 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
Code-switching is the mixing of more than one language between both speakers in the conversation. This paper examines code-switching, providing multiple examples. It also discusses reasons for code-switching, various ways to code-switch and grammatical types of code-switching. In conclusion, the paper compares the advantages and disadvantages of code-switching, especially code-switching in the classroom.
From the Paper
"Professionals studying code-switching continue to debate about the advantages and disadvantages of code-switching for second language learners. Some arguments against code-switching say it is not a true language; one is not fluent enough in either language if code-switching is necessary; or, code-switching is not academically appropriate. On the other hand, there seem to be more arguments in support of code-switching. For example, code-switching is a form of personal expression and preserving one's culture; the ability to code-switch signifies a strong knowledge of two languages; code-switching requires creativity since some Spanish words cannot be translated."
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Childhood Language Acquisition, 2005.
Examines the current state of research in childhood language acquisition.
1,655 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the psychological, linguistic and scientific elements involved in language acquisition. It explores the building blocks of language and the complex processes involved in learning a first language. The paper examines Celia Genishi's article "Young Children's Oral Language Development," Steven Parker's empirical study, "Language Acquisition" and Michael Gurian's book, "Boys and Girls Learn Differently". Each of these works addresses the issue of language and learning development in children and ultimately suggests different teaching methods, individualized approaches and the basic breakdown of learning language for the first time.
From the Paper
"Steven Pinker, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology conducted an empirical study, titled "Language Acquisition" that closely examines different theories of learning that revolve around the acquisition of language. Pinker combines biology and psychology with teaching methods at home and in the classroom. Like Genishi, Pinker acknowledges that the English language is composed of simple structures and that these structures are one of the main components that help children learn their first language. However, Pinker is different than Genishi because he examines the question of success in the learning process. He explores what it takes for a child to succeed in the language acquisition process and why others cannot succeed (Pinker 2002)."
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Language as Prejudice, 2004.
An analysis of the use of language to convey sexual prejudice.
1,172 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the semantics of female suppression and derogation in various cultural proverbs. The paper explains that a proverb is figurative communication with instructive functions that support the male attempt at maintaining control over dialogue in society. The paper examines the portrayal of womanhood in cultural proverbs, finding to to be commonly negative: Women are typically portrayed as being unreasonable, cynical, indulgent and feeble. The paper explores oral literature, especially in male dominated cultures, identifying the role of male oriented language in various proverbs which indicate prejudice and antagonism toward women in social communication.
From the Paper
"Proverbs and sayings in many languages express the view that women are always talking. Furthermore, stereotypes which infer that woman talk more politely and that women use more questions have been commonly believed by the public. Two Japanese proverbs proclaim 'Where there are women and geese, there's noise' and 'when three women get together, it's noisy.' Obviously, these two proverbs suggest to us that women talk too much. Depending upon the context of the conversation, women's over excessive participation in dialogue may assume to be nonsense. Present day Japanese language has evolved very differently from European languages. One relatively unique aspect of Japanese is the diversity of its gender constructs and their usage."
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The Honeybee Dance Language, 2004.
A five part analysis of the dance language method of communication of honeybees.
1,733 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper uses evidence from ten different sources to analyze the hypothesis that honeybees can communicate the relative distance, direction and even the quality of the food source from their hive to their colleagues with their unique "dance language." This paper also examines alternative explanations and possibilities for the evidences.
Outline
Hypothesis
Evidence
Alternatives
Possibilities
Summary
From the Paper
"Even with the overwhelming contradicting evidences to Frisch's original experiments, his original hypothesis of honeybees using forms of "dances" (dance language) to communicate the distance, direction, and quality of food sources is still true. The dances never had to be 100% accurate nor reliable for it to be considered true-even we (humans) make mistakes with our languages. For example, if you forgot someone's directions, does that disprove the fact someone communicated to you the directions using a language in the first place? There is no way to proof whether the bees that did not locate the resources just chose not to (which brings up more questions), or maybe just have forgotten the information-they do have very small brains!"
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