YOU POST 1

“England and America are two countries divided by a common language."

 

This famous quotation comes from George Bernard Shaw, who was an Irish writer. He was born and raised in Dublin in 1856, but he spent most of his life in England. Shaw even received the Nobel Prize for Literature. He died in 1950 in Hertfordshire, England.

As he lived for more than 90 years, he was able to witness the First World War, the Irish War of Independence against the British government and finally the Second World War.

 With this quote Shaw tries to show the differences between two countries with the “same” language.

Many people don’t differ between American and British English, for them it is just English, however we have to know that there is a difference! Everything began in the 17^th century, when the English language was first introduced to the Americans. During the 18^th and 19^th century many people immigrated to America, which is the reason why it has been influenced by many other languages. America and Britain both developed into various directions concerning their language. That’s why there are nowadays many American words, which do not mean the same in British, or the other way round.

Of course this doesn’t apply only to England and America. There are also other countries, which have the “same”, but in a certain way a different language. For instance Austria and Germany: Both countries speak “German” however there is an extreme difference between the languages spoken in those countries. Many Germans even do not understand Austrians. For us it is very important to be aware of those differences, in order to prevent embarrassing misunderstandings or to appear as an ignoramus of culture.

you post 4

If I won a trip to Hawaii, I really cannot imagine choosing anyone but my cousin Vera, as she is for me like the sister I never had. First of all I am an only child and I know Vera since her birth, which is the reason why she is not only like a sister for me, but also my best friend. We already know each other for almost 17 years and there is hardly ever a single day, where we do not meet us for a cup of coffee, a little chat or any other activity. One of her qualities I love the most, is her great humor, as I can laugh with her the entire day and no matter how sad I am, Vera will always make me smile. However it is not only her humorous side, which makes me admiring her, but also her trustworthy and helpful character, which makes it possible for me to tell her every little secret in my life. Moreover Vera is always on my side, supports me and never lets me down, as she is probably the most reliable and faithful person in the world. These are all reasons, why I would only take her with me to Hawaii, simply because she is the most important person of the world for me, I even might say, she is my soul mate. J

 

I think that this website is quite useful, as it helps you to structure your paragraph clearly. Also the “brainstorming” at the beginning was a good method, to collect some ideas for my paragraph. I noticed that my pre-writing notes were always too long, but this website helped me to write only some short words at first and to form whole sentences later.

free post 1

I decided to interpret a famous quote of Ludwig Wittgenstein, who was a philosopher and linguist. Wittgenstein was born in 1889 in Vienna and died in 1951 in Cambridge. I think that this quote is really very interesting, as it shows us how important language is for our lives!!

The limits of my language are the limits of my world. – Ludwig Wittgenstein

Many philosophers occupied themselves with language or the meaning of language. Also the famous philosopher and linguist Ludwig Wittgenstein noticed how important the role of language is for our society. With his quote “The limits of my language are the limits of my world” he shows us the importance of being able to express and to articulate oneself. Language seems to be everything for him: his world, his existence, the whole being. He thinks that if your language is limited, also your opportunities are confined. For him language is something powerful, as you can exceed all limits of the world with it. Nothing seems to be impossible! Wittgenstein’s states his opinion concerning this topic very clear, but the question remains, how important is language indeed?

There are a lot of areas, where the correct usage of language is absolutely necessary, as the wrong usage can lead to serious problems. First of all, one area where we see how important language is, are politics. Already history shows us, how much influence and power a good rhetoric and faculty of speech can vest in a person. For example Martin Luther King’s famous speech “I have a dream”: It was probably one of the most important speeches in the world. With this speech he wanted to draw attention to the mistreatment of blacks and to fight for the liberty and equality of black people. However history also shows us that somebody, who is eloquent and has a gift for languages, can also be very dangerous for a society. Such as Adolf Hitler, whose speeches fascinated thousands upon thousands of people. But it only leaded to violence, suppression and grief. He shows us that language is one of the best methods for manipulation of the society.

Of course not only in politics language is a very important fact, also in our everyday life, it is inevitable to know something about the right usage of words. For instance in relationships, people often do not talk with each other. Missing communication can definitely be a serious problem, which could lead to a break-up. For me love and language are things that belong together, you simply cannot love without talking, as it is absolutely necessary to voice your feelings. Often verbal affection is far more worth, then physical affection.

Another point we have to consider is the work-related one. If you want to be successful in your career, language also plays a very important role. For example at your job interview, you will have to watch out what things you are saying, and of course how you say them in order to make a good impression. Moreover it is extremely difficult to work in a leading position, if you are not able to articulate or express yourself in the right way.

All in all I have to say that I really share Wittgenstein’s opinion. Language is everything for us, without it humans will not be able to survive, as everything, every single contact, is based on the language. It helps us to express our feelings, state our opinion, and address a problem or to breathe a wish. We have to be aware of the power of language, how dangerous it can be, but also of the incredible fascinating and positive opportunities, offered by it.