Essay on The Japanese Rape of Nanking, China - 879 Words

In December of 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army invaded Nanking, China. They killed 300,00 out of the 600,000 people in China’s capital city. The six-week rampage by the Japanese is now known as the Rape of Nanking and the single worst atrocity during WWII era in either the European or Pacific theaters of the war. Before Nanking was invaded a tough battle in Shanghai began the war in the summer of 1937. The Chinese put up a shocking battle against japan. This was slightly embarrassing to Japan because they predicted that the would conquer all of China in only three months. The battle in Shanghai alone lasted a little over five months. This infuriated the Japanese and increased the appetite for revenge that was led up to Nanking. After†¦show more content†¦Many filmed footage and photos taken by the Japanese to document the brutality. They show smiling teenagers decapitating innocent civilians and POW soldiers, lifting their heads in triumph, or use the living POWs as bayonet practice. Some show soldiers standing among a pile of bodies that were mowed down by machine guns. Also there is a video of three POWs tied up, blind folded, soaked with gasoline and burned alive, it showed them squirming while their flesh sizzles. After the reign of terror committed by the Japanese against the Chinese POWs, next was the civilians, they specifically targeted the women of Nanking. Old women over the age of seventy and little girls younger than eight were drug away from their families and raped by the soldiers. More than 20,000 females were taken and gang-raped by the viscous soldiers then stabbed to death or shot so they cannot tell the tale to anyone because that was against the code of military honor. Not even pregnant woman were spared, in several occasions they were raped then had their bellies slit open and the fetus torn out. Sometimes when the Japanese stormed the homes and encountered the entire family, the soldiers would force the fathers rape their daughters, sons were forced to rape their own mothers, and brothers had to rape there sisters while the rest of the family must watch. All throughout the city of Nanking, random acts of murder occurred as soldiers would fire theShow MoreRelatedHistory of Nanking Massacre1009 Words   |  5 Pageshorrific Nanking Massacre occur 70 years ago, its history is barely buried like many of the dead were at the time. The Nanking Massacre (also known as the Rape of Nanking) occurred as a part of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War, which would then become part of World War II. This war involved the Republic of China defending against the invading Japanese forces. Unfortunately, China was weakened due to a civil war between the Communists and the Nationalists, so it was easily invaded. The Nanking MassacreRead MoreThe Nankin Massacre in China: Historically Forgotten1399 Words   |  6 Pagesoccurrence of the Raping of Nanking continues to be subjected to such interpretations. On December 12, 1937, an outbreak of mass murder and rape was committed by the Japanese troops against Nanking China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. This i ncident, which came to be known as the Nanking Massacre or the Rape of Nanking, lasted for six weeks during which the Imperial Japanese Army murdered tens of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants. Since Japanese military records about theRead MoreThe Rape of Nanking1097 Words   |  5 PagesLit Accel Dudek April 4, 2014 Rape of Nanking In late 1937, the Japanese army brutally murdered and assaulted civilians in Nanking, China over a period of six weeks. This event in history was one of the most horrendous and also an event that is rarely talked about or taught in school. This part of history was known as the Second Sino- Japanese war. The Japanese had a contempt for the Chinese people, thinking that they were the lowest race on the planet. China had a benefit by being a largerRead MoreEssay about Rape of Nanking1241 Words   |  5 PagesRape of Nanking In December of 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army marched into Chinas capital city of Nanking and began to murder 300,000 out of 600,000 civilians and soldiers in the city. The six weeks of carnage would become known as the Rape of Nanking and represented the single worst atrocity during the World War II era in either the European or Pacific theaters of war. The actual military invasion of Nanking was preceded by a tough battle at Shanghai that began in the summer of 1937Read MoreMain Reasons for the Nanking Massacre1636 Words   |  7 PagesPart A: My research question is: ‘’What Was the Main Cause of the Nanking Massacre?’’ In this project, I will be investigating the different potential causes of the Nanking Massacre. I will then evaluate my sources and then come to a conclusion in which I will state the main cause for this treacherous act. I will consider the roots of the cause, and also the effect that it has had. I will look at the way that it has tied in with the massacre itself, and I will explore further about the ways thatRead MoreIris Changs The Rape Of Nanking And The Forgotten Holocaust1416 Words   |  6 PagesNanking, now modern day Nanjing, was once the former capital of China, boasting a flourishing economy. However, the tranquility of the populous city would soon collapse. In 1937, the Japanese army attacked the capital, and for weeks bloodshed and rape ensued. In the midst of war, the city became dilapidated and riddled with destruction. The aftermath resulted in a debatable death toll, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers. Despite the atroc ities and chaosRead MoreThe Invasion Of Japan Into China1660 Words   |  7 PagesThe Japanese and Chinese have always had disputes with one another, and one of the biggest reasons for the Chinese and Japanese hating each other is the Invasion of Japan into China. It began with Japan invading and occupying Manchuria causing the hatred between the two countries to grow immensely. According to the New World encyclopedia, what made matter worse, was that China was at war with itself, the war was between the Chinese Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party. Sun Yat-sen diesRead MoreNanking Massacre Essay example876 Words   |  4 PagesNanking Massacre 1. The Japanese invasion of China immediately before and during World War II lasted from the early 1930s to 1945. During this dark period in modern Asian history, the Japanese military machine was motivated by an uncontrollable desire for aggression, expansion and imperialism. The brutalities and atrocities committed by the Japanese military in China and elsewhere in Asia finally ended with destruction on Japanese soil -- the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in AugustRead MoreThe Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich1455 Words   |  6 Pagesrather for research purpose only as to be honest, it was quite boring in my opinion. The Rape of Nanking Introduction The forgotten holocaust of World War II some say, others, an event that never happened according to the Japanese government. The Rape of Nanking written by Iris Chang touches upon the invasion of the Japanese military on the capital city in China, Nanking. It suggests that the massacre of Nanking, from 1937- 1938, was the was the darkest period of the history of Asia regarding violenceRead MoreDispute between Japan and China1288 Words   |  5 PagesEast China Sea has inflamed relations between Japan and China for the last two years - but they were tense even before. So I think in order to have a better understanding of why Sino-Japanese relation is that much tense all the time, we need to know the background that is history of two countries. I will start from the second Sino-Japanese War because it was the largest Asian War and the most devastating War for the Republic of China. The Nanking Massacre, also known as the rape of Nanking, was

Essay on Fight Club - 1189 Words

This movie is mainly about a narrators search for meaning and the fight to find freedom from a meaningless way of life. It setting is in suburbia, an abandoned house located in a major large city. Ed Norton, plays the nameless narrator, Brad Pitt, is Tyler Dunden, and Helena Boaham Carter is Marla Singer, the three main characters. David Fincher directs this film in 1999, which adapted it from the novel written by Chuck Palahnuik. It begins depicting Edward Norton, the narrator, working for an insurance company as a representative, who produces evidence for recalling automobiles. He lives in a 15 story, glass front condominium, with the best expensive furniture, designer clothes and a totally empty way of life. Society has yet to†¦show more content†¦The narrator undergoes a complete personality makeover when Tyler emerges. When they first meet, the narrator thinks Tyler has a soap making business, and works as banquet server until he gets his business off the ground. T he narrator is a more laid-back, average sort of man and Tyler is an aggressive outgoing, confident, attractive man, with out fear. He is everything the narrator would like to be. The first event that leads us into this plot, is that after meeting Tyler the very first day the narrator?s condo is bombed, he ends up with nothing and nowhere to live. He calls Marla then changes his mind and moves into what he thinks is Tyler?s House. This house should have been torn down because the electricity and leaky plumbing do not work correctly, and it has a dirty water problem in the basement. This abandoned house is a real sight and the total opposite of his former life conditions. The narrator goes from riches to rags so to speak and it leads the audience into believing the rest of this story. The narrators shattered reality continues, and gets the audience ready for the next chain of events. Tyler is so aggressive and gets the narrator to hit him and the secret society of the Fight Club begins. This club creates a means to escape the reality of every day life, and a society controlled by consumerism. These male participants in the secret club want to feel alive again and use fighting as mans to achieve theirShow MoreRelatedFight Club1673 Words   |  7 PagesMelissa Gonzales Prof. O’Connell English 215 09, December 2013 Fight Club Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk uses violence for most of recorded history, violence has played a major role in our lives; for example, through country conflicts to world wars, violence seems to be the tool to our defense. Even in our daily lives, when encountered a conflict, we humans want to make it disappear as quick as possible. We do this by using violence unconsciouslyRead MoreFight Club Essay1184 Words   |  5 PagesFight Club In the book Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk, the narrator is an employee for a travelling car company, who suffers from insomnia. When he asks his doctor for medication the doctor refuses and advises him to visit a support group to witness what suffering really is. The first group the narrator attends is for testicular cancer victims. He finds an emotional release that relieves his insomnia and becomes addicted to support groups. After a flight home from a business trip, the narratorRead MoreFight Club Analysis1745 Words   |  7 PagesFight Club There is enough on earth for everybodys need, but not for everyones greed.† Mahatma Gandhi This quote fits perfectly on me. Even though I have enough clothes to last an entire lifetime, yet I keep finding myself at the mall, buying things I simple do not need at all. And I am not the only one, millions of people is doing the same thing. It is because we need certain things: we desire different certain things. Now what is that problem called? Consumerism. Modern society is basedRead MoreFight Club Essay1525 Words   |  7 PagesFight Club â€Å"The first rule about fight club is that you don’t talk about fight club† (Palahniuk 87). The story of Fight Club was very nail biting; you never knew what was going to happen next. There were so many things that led up to a complete plot twist. It was amazing how closely directed and written Chuck Palahniuk and David Fincher’s versions were. However, the role in both that stood out to me the most was the role of Marla. Marla was the biggest influence in discovering the narratorRead More Fight Club Essay768 Words   |  4 PagesProblems with Adaptation, says â€Å"We expect the film to duplicate exactly the experience we had seeing the play or in reading the novel. That is, of course, completely impossible† (Boggs 672). No one told this theory to David Fincher, the director of Fight Club. Fincher stuck almost like glue to the novel. He did however, change a few events in the novel and the ending but stills successfully puts Palahniuk’s words on screen that even made Palahniuk happy to earn his profits. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;MostRead MoreFight Club Essay2874 Words   |  12 PagesAlan Badel English 100/Major Essay #2 Professor Raymond Morris 23 October 2015 The Fight Club Aims to Free Individuals from Society’s Emasculating Shackles Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is an exciting fictional novel that will hold the audience captive following three revolving main characters in Marla Singer, Tyler Durden, and the narrator himself as they take the reader through confusing twists and perspectives, while providing a most revealing closure. Although the title suggests an exclusiveRead MoreFight Club And The Man1874 Words   |  8 Pagessomeone else’s wishes. Unfortunately, most people pay this price without fully realizing the cost of American conformity. In their novels, Chuck Palahniuk and Sloan Wilson reveal the negative effects of the conformity supported by American society. Fight Club and The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit take a similar stance on the matter. Firstly, both novels suggest that societal expectations are inherently emasculating and serve to dampen one’s inner power. They suggest that one must give up a piece ofRead MoreFight Club Ethics1495 Words   |  6 Pagesfilm, Fight Club exemplifies various ethical dilemmas relating to cultural standards, organizational structure, and ethics systems.   These ethical dilemmas are presented through both personas of the main character, Tyler Durden.   The situations that he faces can be related to real-life ethical issues that are relevant today.   Fight Club illustrates many ethical notions that tie strongly to the culture of the organization and the situations that arise. The culture that exists around the fight clubRead MoreEssay Fight Club1439 Words   |  6 PagesChuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is a seductive novel which chronicles an unnamed narrator’s ability to cope with an emasculated, self-centered, materialistic society by creating an alter ego. Throughout the text, the theme of the emasculated modern man is presented both in the life of the narrator, and in the lives of the male characters he surrounds himself with. Through notions of absent fathers, consumerism and an innocuous/aimless existence, Palahniuk presents how men in modern society have lostRead MoreFight Club Essay2019 Words   |  9 PagesIf you have watched the film Fight Club in regards to the early 1990’s and it’s American Consumerism it has a major effect on the countries early audiences which are males between 15 and 34 primarily all white. This led to a huge problem and was considered a controversial film. A film that would impact the world an d the society in which people lived in leading to a public response. The huge question towards fight club is if the society would allow such in tolerant actions and if it’s possible to

The Impact of Sms free essay sample

IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2005 THE IMPACT OF SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS) LANGUAGE ON LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OF LEARNERS AND THE SMS DICTIONARIES: A CHALLENGE FOR EDUCATORS AND LEXICOGRAPHERS Mampa Lorna Mphahlele Department of Applied Languages, Tshwane University of Technology, Soshanguve Campus, Pretoria Kwena Mashamaite Sesotho sa Leboa Lexicography Unit, University of Limpopo, Polokwane ABSTRACT The language is achieving new colours and tones in the world in which we live. Technology has become the buzzword in communication circles. The requirements in language versatility, which are universally understood, are overcome by the new short message service (SMS) language that is emerging rapidly. The cellphones that are conveniently used for social communication and in business transactions are invaluably helpful but can equally be extremely detrimental to the learning and development process of learners of other languages especially foreign language learning. The short message service (SMS) language that is used by cellphone users and the advertising industry has also been discovered to be abundantly used by the learners in their written work. This discovery has prompted one to investigate the impact of this prevalent use, for it is believed that the SMS language is influencing the language proficiency of learners in a negative way. The purpose of this paper is to explicate how the SMS language affects the language proficiency of learners, and the role dictionaries can play in the improvement of learners’ language proficiency. KEYWORDS Language, Technology, Cellphone, Short Message Service (Sms), Sms Language, Language Proficiency, Communication, Dictionary, Lexicographers, Learners, Educators, Advertising, Metalexicography 1. INTRODUCTION Technology plays a very important role in communication today. The cellphone is one of the most effective, convenient and widely used technological instruments used for communication globally. It uses a communication facility known as the short message service (SMS) which is relatively cheaper both in terms of time and money spent during the process of communication. One uses fewer and shorter words compared to direct communication over the cellphone. Notwithstanding the myriad benefits provided by the SMS in enhancing communication and improving global business generally, the SMS has been found to be of detrimental effect on the language proficiency of learners. Learners use it as if it is an officially accepted and standard language. They mix it with the standard language they learn at school, especially the English language and consequently commit numerous errors ranging from incorrect spelling to ungrammatical sentence constructions. The aim of this paper is firstly, to show how the SMS influences the learners’ English language proficiency. Secondly, to highlight the challenge the SMS language is posing to both educators in their 161 ISBN: 972-8939-02-7  © 2005 IADIS endeavour to help learners master the English language, and the lexicographers, of the need to develop an SMS dictionary. Evidence of the influence of the SMS language on learners’ language proficiency especially in English is realised in the learners’ official written work such as tests, assignments and reports. The use of this SMS language affects the learners’ performance since it does not observe grammatical and syntactic rules of a standard English language. It is neither an official nor a standard language. An example from a test script of a tertiary learner registered for a module in Communication reads: †if we do get the money how shud it be used? † The learner used ‘SHUD’ instead of ‘SHOULD’. The pronunciation of these two words is the same, and it is advantageous to use the first spelling from an SMS message, because it saves space and time. It is even simpler to write because it is spelled like it is spoken. This simplified spelling would also affect words like ‘WOULD and COULD’. Nevertheless, the simplified spelling is not acceptable according to the English grammar rules. Ultimately the learner becomes a victim of the SMS language in the hands of the educators as he is punished for wrong spelling. 2. SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS) The Short Message Service (SMS) is a service that a cellphone service provider provides to his clients for ease of communication. Cellphone users can communicate with one another using symbols and or abbreviated form of words and sentences to save space, time and money. The following table resembles the SMS dictionary that Vodacom provides to its clients when one purchases a cellphone. Table 1. Vodacom SMS dictionary WORDS IN FULL As far as I remember Love Thanks Today Before Have a nice day see you SWYP At Tears in my eyes Sealed with a kiss Keep it simple, stupid Such a laugh At a moment Parents are watching Random act of kindness Please reply Second You’re on your own As soon as possible Hugs and kisses ABBREVIATIONS OR SMS LANGUAGE AFAIR LUV THNX 2day B4 HAND CU So what’s your problem? TIME SWAK KISS SAL ATM PAW RAK RSVP SEC YOYO ASAP HAK Some of the above SMS words are semantically confusing because of their dual meanings, that is, they have both the conventional meaning and the SMS meaning. This situation arises where the SMS word has the same spelling as that of the English or the Afrikaans word. For example, (a) Hand (English) – part of your body at the end of your arms (Collins Cobuild English Dictionary) (b) Hand (SMS ) – have a nice day (c) ATM (English) automated teller machine 162 IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2005 d) (e) (f) (g) (h) ATM (SMS) – at the moment Swak (Afrikaans) – weakness, weak (Pharos Bilingual Dictionary) Swak (SMS) – sealed with a kiss Rak (Afrikaans) – rack, shelf (Pharos Bilingual Dictionary) Rak (SMS) – random act of kindness More English and Afrikaans examples appear in the tables below. Some words like the SMS word ‘AFAIR’ meaning â€Å"as far as I remember† do not have the same spelling as the English word but may be mistaken for the misspelled English word ‘AFFAIR’ which means â€Å"an event or situation; a sexual relationship† thereby creating confusion of meaning. There are abbreviations from the SMS glossary which are acceptable English words and Afrikaans words, which are explained differently from the SMS glossary in the above Table. Such words can also confuse the learners. The actual meanings are as follows: English: The meanings will be provided from Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners. [2002] Table 2. English meanings of the SMS words HAND TIME KISS ATM PAW YOYO -SMS: Have a nice day. the part of your body at the end of each arm that you use for picking up and holding things help -SMS: Tears in my eyes quality clock measures period -SMS: Keep it simple, stupid to touch someone with your lips because you love them or have sexual feeling for them SMS: At a moment automated teller machine Parents are watching the foot of some animals such as a cats, dogs, and bears informal ‘a person’s hand’ -SMS: You’re on your own a toy consisting of a round plastic or wooden object on the end of a str ing that you can make rise and fall by tying the string to your finger and moving your hand up and down Afrikaans English equivalents will be provided from Bosman et. al. (2003) Bilingual Dictionary. Table 3. Afrikaans – English equivalents from Bosman et. al. (2003) Bilingual dictionary HAK SWAK SAL RAK SMS: Hugs and kisses heel SMS: Sealed with a kiss weakness, weak SMS: Such a laugh shall SMS: Random act of kindness shelf rack Every cloud has a silver lining. The following are the abbreviations which are not tempered with. 163 ISBN: 972-8939-02-7  © 2005 IADIS Table 4. Abbreviations not tempered with. RSVP SEC ASAP ESP SMS: Please reply please reply -SMS: Second second SMS: As soon as possible as soon as possible SMS: Especially Especially Likewise, the frequently used SMS word â€Å"LUV† for â€Å"Love† which appears many times on the television screens especially during â€Å"phone-in† and â€Å"send your SMS† programmes confuses learners to the extent that they may believe that both spellings are correct. This kind of language ther efore hampers learners’ language proficiency, in particular, grammatical and spelling skills especially in English. For example, the following quotation was recorded from the programme ‘PLAY TV’ on SABC3 on Monday, 12 July 2003, at 15:30, in which viewers were asked to phone-in or SMS a greetings message for a prize. The SMS messages appeared on TV as supplementary information. The message read: â€Å"we luv u 2† The learners love watching the TV. They take the language used in the media as acceptable, official and standard especially that this language is being watched and used nationally, and in some cases internationally. Besides appearing on our national television screens, the SMS language is also used abundantly on cards and artifacts that are used as memorabilia for the celebration of popular days marking social events such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day. One such message reads: I LOVE MY MOM. The word ‘love’ is replaced with a symbol of a red heart. The SMS language has an influence even on the academics in the sense that they also use it when they write official documents such as circulars and memoranda. They regard it as easy and convenient to use as it saves time, space and it is less expensive to implement. The sad part of this practice is that learners read those circulars and believe that the language used is acceptable because it is also used by the educators. An example of such circulars from one tertiary institution reads: To: All lecturers From: HOD-Applied Languages Date: 13 October 2003 REMINDER SPEECH AND POSTER ELIMINATIONS WHEN? 5 OCTOBER 2003 TIME? 9:15-11:00 WHERE? LF119 C U THERE! __________________ MH DOLO (HOD) Educators should lead by example. How would an educator convince a learner that it is wrong to write c u there in a formal school context when such language is used by the head of a department of applied languages who is supposed to be the expert in the field? 164 IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2005 3. ADVERTISING Erasmus-Kritzinger et. al. 2000:103) define â€Å"advertising† as: a controlled, non-personal outward communication regardi ng a need-satisfying product, service or idea which an identifiable sponsor addresses to a specific target audience or target market for the purpose of informing and/or reminding it and/or persuading it to take the appropriate action. † SMS language is also affecting the language of advertising. In advertising, short sentences are preferred as they tend to be most appealing and they save space and money. Dr Peter J D’Adamo and Catherine Whitney market their book in this manner: the individualised diet solution to staying healthy, living longer and achieving your ideal weight EAT RIGHT 4 YOUR TYPE Theo and Cutter (1971:16) affirm the notion that the SMS language is appealing and evocative to the reader in this manner: Small words are gay. And they can catch large thoughts and hold them up to see, like rare stone in rings of gold, or joy in the eyes of a child. Some make you feel, as well as see: the cold deep dark of night, the hot salt sting of tears. Indeed, some authors use the SMS language to create book titles that would appeal to and draw the attention of readers. One such title of a book about HIV/AIDS written by Conlon et. al. (2004) reads: How 2 b Aids Aware It would be difficult for a person who is not conversant with the SMS language to read the above title of the book. The SMS language is therefore not sympathetic to the learning process of young and even adult learners of English as a second language since it does not observe grammatical and syntactic rules of English language usage. . LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY Language researchers acknowledge that there is no consensus yet on the definition of language proficiency (Vecchio and Guerrero, 1995; Cummins, 1984; Oller and Damico, 1991). Cummins (1984) further states that some researchers indicate that language proficiency consist of 64 language components whereas Oller and Damico (1991) contend that â€Å"the nature and specification of the elements of language proficiency hav e not been determined† yet. Valdes and Figueroa (1994) as quoted by Vecchio and Guerrero (1995) explain language proficiency in this manner: †¦what it means to know a language goes beyond simplistic views of good pronunciation, â€Å"correct† grammar, and even mastery of rules of politeness. Knowing a language and knowing how to use a language involves mastery and control of a large number of interdependent components and elements that interact with one another and that are affected by the nature of the situation in which communication takes place. (p. 4) The above dilemma on the exact language proficiency definition notwithstanding, most language researchers including the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) (1992) agree that language 165 ISBN: 972-8939-02-7  © 2005 IADIS proficiency could be assessed in at least four modalities or language skills, namely, reading, listening, writing and speaking. CCSSO elaborates further on these modalities in this manner: 1. 2. 3. 4. Reading – the ability to comprehend and interpret text at the age and grade-appropriate level. Listening – the ability to understand the language of the teacher and instruction, comprehend and extract information, and follow the instructional discourse through which teachers provide information. Writing – the ability to produce written text with content and format fulfilling classroom assignments at the age and grade-appropriate level. Speaking – the ability to use oral language appropriately and effectively in learning activities (such as peer tutoring, collaborative learning activities, and question/answer sessions) within the classroom and in social interactions within the school. (1992, p 7) Language proficiency therefore entails the ability to listen, speak, read and write with comprehension observing grammatical, syntactical as well as semantic rules governing that language. These basic language skills cannot all be learnt effectively and efficiently when using the SMS language. For example if a learner encounters a problem of understanding the meaning of an SMS word which appears in an SMS text and the language of advertising, he will not find the meaning of the word anywhere as this language is not documented in general standard dictionaries of English language which are supposed to be sources of help. It is however acknowledged that some cellphone service providers like Vodacom have limited SMS glossaries available to their clients although not all cellphone users have access to those glossaries. 4. 1 Indicators of Language Proficiency Indicators of language proficiency are as many and varied as definitions of language proficiency are. Nonetheless, many language researchers would agree on the following indicators since they interface with the four basic modalities of language proficiency mentioned in the preceding paragraph: Skills to express oneself eloquently through writing and speaking. Skills to listen and read with comprehension. Skills and ability to use words appropriately in context. Ability to communicate in highly predictable common daily situations with previously learnt words. Ability to combine learnt elements of language creatively. Ability to initiate, sustain and close basic communication tasks. Ability to ask and answer questions in discrete sentences and strings of sentences on topics. Ability to converse fluently and in a clearly participative fashion. Ability to participate effectively in both formal and informal conversations, practical, social, professional and abstract topics. 5. How the SMS Language affects Language Proficiency of Learners Mostly, the SMS language affects two aspects of language proficiency stated above, namely, skills to express oneself eloquently through writing and skills and ability to use words appropriately in context. Learners have a tendency of using SMS language as if it were a standard language when they write tests, assignments and reports. They are therefore unable to differentiate the context and situation appropriate for the use of the SMS language. Here follow some examples from the scripts of learners registered for a Communication course at a tertiary institution: Script 1. Checkers wants 2 domestic workers for Saturdays and Sundays, those people must have two years experience†. Script 2. â€Å"if we get the money how shud it be used? 166 IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2005 Script 3. –Choosing a present for a frein can be dificult† â€Å"- Finaly, once you have bought the gift, you can a sk the Shop assistant to wrap it for you†. Script 4. â€Å"u must be at a high level of education, so that u know what to say. † In all the above examples, the learners have failed to determine the context, which is the school, that the SMS language cannot be used in a formal context as if it was a standard language. Another problem arising from the use of the SMS language is that learners do not only mix words and numbers like writing 2 instead of two but they also learn wrong spelling of words. For them shud, difficult, finaly and u are correct since they see and read these words everyday on their cellphones, television, billboards, books, newspapers and circulars from their teachers. 6. DICTIONARY USAGE Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines the word ‘dictionary’ in this manner: It is a reference book containing words which are lphabetically arranged along with information about their forms, pronunciations, functions, etymologies, meanings and syntactical and idiomatic uses. (1986:627). Dictionaries are used for different reasons and purposes. Supporting this view, Hartmann (1989) mentions that a study conducted in America by Barnhart (1962) in an attempt to determine the relative importance of various information categories in American desk dictionaries, came up with the following rank-scale indicating in order of importance the purpose for which American students used dictionaries for. The survey was regarded as probably the first large-scale user survey ever attempted. Barnhart distributed questionnaires to teachers at 99 colleges in 27 of the United States to gather data on how 56,000 students rated six types of information in ‘college dictionaries’ available at the time (circa 1955). The following rank-scale emerged: 1. Meaning, 2. Spelling, 3. Pronunciation, 4. Synonyms, 5. Usage notes, 6. Etymology. A dictionary as an authority and also an aid for foreign language learning should be able to unlock the problems learners experience when reading, writing, speaking and listening. Indeed, depending on the type and purpose of such dictionary, a good dictionary should be able to provide users with some of the above information. For example a dictionary for foreign language learning should be able to correct the spelling, syntactic structure, pronunciation and usage of words within a syntactic context. The general dictionary cannot help the SMS language user since the SMS language does not conform to the accepted spelling, grammatical and syntactic rules of the English language. For example, the word â€Å"before† is spelled â€Å"B4† in SMS language. English grammatical rules prescribe that a word should consist of consonants and vowels and not consonants and numerals. A linguistic dictionary is, above all, a means of ‘First Aid’ to fill the gaps that exist in our language competence as it constitutes a source for individual linguistic enrichment. Learners consult a dictionary with an aim of building up a vaster linguistic competence. Learners can improve their language proficiency by recognising the existence of dictionaries and using them effectively and efficiently. The absence of dictionaries of SMS language deprives learners and the general users of the SMS language, of the opportunity to look for meanings of words and to expand their SMS language vocabulary. 167 ISBN: 972-8939-02-7  © 2005 IADIS 7. THE SMS DICTIONARIES There are no SMS dictionaries yet, except for the glossary provided by some cellphone service providers such as Vodacom. A challenge for both educators and lexicographers is that SMS language is here to stay and we should deal with it. The question is HOW? Is it necessary to introduce SMS dictionaries and make them available to educators to help evaluate the learners’ competency in that language? Or should the educators use the available glossaries from Vodacom as authorities for language learning like any other dictionaries? A challenge to lexicographers is whether or not they should begin to record the SMS language in a form of dictionary. We should be mindful of the fact that one of the major tasks of lexicographers is to record language as it is used in everyday life. 8. CONCLUSION This paper has highlighted the impact of SMS language on the language proficiency of learners. The SMS language does not conform to grammatical or syntactic rules of the English language, nor does it conform to spelling rules. It has been indicated that the English language proficiency of the learners is negatively affected by learners’ exposure to the SMS language both through the print and the electronic media. Lexicographers record language as it is frequently used by the people and store it in the form of a corpus, and thereafter record it in dictionaries. This new paradigm is seen as a breakthrough in meta-lexicography from the traditional approach of describing what should be recorded in a dictionary. If lexicographers were to advance this position, they should be thinking of how the SMS language can interface with the spoken language since it is frequently used by the public in their daily conversations. Finally a challenge to lexicographers is whether they should begin to record this SMS language as it forms part of our daily language use and include it in their dictionaries or they should simply ignore it as an unofficial lingo. For educators, should they accept the SMS language as one of the languages that one can communicate with or should it be discouraged at all costs? REFERENCES Bosman, D. B; Van der Merwe, I. W. and Hiemstra, L. W. 2003. Pharos Bilingual Dictionary. Cape Town: Pharos Dictionaries. Conlon, J; Clarke, L; Deane, M. and Attwell, A. 2004. How 2 b Aids Aware. Cape Town: Tabeisa. Council of Chief State School Officers. 1992. Recommendations for Improving the Assessment and Monitoring of Students with Limited English Proficiency. Alexandria, VA: Council of Chief State Officers, Weber Design. Cummins, J. 1984. Wanted: A theoretical framework for relating language proficiency to academic achievement among bilingual students. In C. Rivera (Ed. ), Language proficiency and academic achievement. Avon, England: Multilingual Matters Ltd. D’ Adamo, P. J. and Whitney, C. 2001. Eat Right 4 Your Type. Parktown: Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Erasmus-Kritzinger, L. E. ; Bowler, A. and Goliath, D. 2000. Effective Communication. Pretoria: Afritech publishers. Hartmann, R. K. K. 1989. Sociology of the Dictionary User: Hypotheses and Empirical Studies. In Hausmann, F. J. et. al. (eds. ). 1989-1991. Dictionaries: 102-111. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners. 2002. Oxford: Macmillan Education. Oller, J. W. and Damico, J. S. 1991. Theoretical considerations in the assessment of LEP students. In E. Hamayan J. S. Damico (Eds. ), Limiting bias in the assessment of bilingual students. Austin: Pro-ed publications. Sinclair, J. 1995. Collins Coubuild English Dictionary. London: HarperCollins Publishers. Theo, E. G. and Cutter, M. A. 1971. Why can’t the English: An analogy of admirable and execrable English. Basterville: Hugh Keartland (Pty) Ltd. Valdes, G. and Figueroa, R. 1994. Bilingualism and testing A special case of bias. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation. Vecchio, A. D. and Guerrero, M. 1995. Handbook of Language Proficiency Tests. New Mexico: New Mexico Highlands University. Vodacom SMS Dictionary. Vodacom. Webster’s Third International Dictionary. 1986. Chicago: Meriam-Webster Inc. 168

St. Thomas Aquinas - Law/ Short Biography free essay sample

St. Thomas Aquinas was a Dominican Monk, gifted scholar amp; a defender of Roman Catholicism against the spreadof Islam amp; Greek philosophy in Europe. He was born to an aristocratic family Roccasecca, Italy, where he joined the Dominican order while studying philosophy and theology atUniversity of Naples. He lived during a time where a collection of Aristotelian texts in Latin that reopened the question of the relation between faith amp; reason, calling into question the modus vivendi (An arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached) that they have obtained for centuries. St. Thomas was a naturalist; he believed that law mirrored a natural law world order made known to humans by their own process of reasoning amp; by the divine revelation of Christian prophets. He was strongly influenced by Plato amp; especially Aristotle, Aquinas firmly believed in the necessary connection between law and reason; reason invested law with its legitimacy. We will write a custom essay sample on St. Thomas Aquinas Law/ Short Biography or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He proposed practical reason tells one what ought to be done amp; avoid evil. Being able to view and study multiple philosophers at his time, he has developed amp; understood the distinctions between eternal law, natural law and human law. * Eternal law is the government of the universe according to the divine will of God; * Natural law is the â€Å"imprinting† of eternal law on humans. He says natural laws that were first set should not be taken away, although they can be altered. St. Thomas Aquinas reinforces the belief of natural law theorists that the validity of a law is dependent upon its moral content or justness.