How To Form Compound Nouns in Spanish

How To Form Compound Nouns in Spanish A puzzle in Spanish is a head-breaker (rompecabezas), and someone who reads books a lot is a book-warmer (calientalibros). These two words are among the more colorful compound words that have entered the Spanish vocabulary. Most compound words are more mundane and self-explanatory (a dishwasher, lavaplatos, for example, is just that). Compound  words, known in Spanish as palabras compuestas, are quite common. They are frequently coined, sometimes for humorous effect, although not all impromptu compound words survive or become widely known. An example is comegusanos, a worm eater, which you wont find in a dictionary but will find in occasional use through an Internet search. How To Form Compound Words As you may have  noticed, the compound words being discussed in this lesson are formed by taking a verb in the third-person singular indicative and following it with a plural noun (or, rarely, a singular noun when it makes more sense to do so). For example, cata (he/she tastes) followed by vinos (wines) gives us catavinos, a winetaster or barhop, depending on the context. Often, these words are the equivalent of the English verb followed by a noun and -er, as in rascacielos, skyscraper. (Rascar means to scrape, and the skies are the cielos.)  In English, such words can be written as one word, a hyphenated word or two words, but in Spanish these compound words always form one unit. Words formed in this way are masculine, with rare exceptions, although they are sometimes used in the feminine if they refer to women or girls. Also, the plural of these words is the same as the singular: a can opener is un abrelatas, but two or more are los abrelatas. If the noun part of the word begins with an r, it is typically changed to an rr, as in quemarropa from quema ropa. Although no collection of compound words can be complete, on the following page is a list of some of the most common along with many that have been included merely because theyre humorous or otherwise interesting. Where the English translation doesnt convey the origin of the Spanish word, a literal translation of the Spanish is included in parentheses. Note that in some cases not all possible meanings of the Spanish words are included. List of Compound Words These are among the most common (or, in a few cases, humorous) compound words in Spanish. It is far from a complete list. abrecartas - letter openerabrelatas - can openerapagavelas - candle snufferbuscapià ©s - firecracker (it looks for feet)calientalibros - bookworm (he/she warms books)calientamanos - handwarmercalientapià ©s - footwarmercalientaplatos - dish warmercascanueces - nutcrackercomecocos - something that confuses or brainwashes (it eats coconuts)cortacuitos - circuit breakercortalpices - pencil sharpener (it cuts pencils)cortapapel - paper knife (it cuts paper)cortaplumas - penknife (it cuts feathers)cortapuros - cigar cuttercuentagotas - medicine dropper (it counts drops)cuentakilà ³metros - speedometer, odometer (it counts kilometers)cuentapasos - pedometer (it counts steps)cuentarrevoluciones, cuentavueltas - counting machine (it counts revolutions)cuidanià ±os - babysitter (he/she cares for children)cumpleaà ±os - birthday (it fulfills years)dragaminas - minesweeper (it dredges mines)elevalunas - window openerescarbadientes - toothpick (it scratches teeth)esc urreplatos - dish rack (it drains dishes)espantapjaros - scarecrow (it scares birds)guardarropas - clothes closet (it keeps clothing)lanzacohetes - rocket launcherlanzallamas - flame throwerlanzamisiles - missile launcherlavadedos - finger bowl (it cleans fingers)lavamanos - bathroom sink (it washes hands)lavaplatos, lavavajillas - dishwasherlimpiabarros - scraper (it cleans mud)limpiabotas - shoeshine (he/she cleans boots)limpiachimeneas - chimneysweep (he/she cleans chimneys)limpiacristales - window cleanerlimpiametales - metal polish (it cleans metal)limpiaparabrisas - windshield wiper (it cleans windshields)limpiapipas - pipe cleanerlimpiauà ±as - fingernail cleanera matacaballo - at breakneck speed (in a way that it kills the horse)matafuegos - fire extinguisher (it kills fires)matamoscas - fly swatter (it kills flies)matarratas - rat poison (it kills rats)matasanos - medical quack (he/she kills healthy people)matasellos - postmark (it kills stamps)pagai mpuestos - taxpayerparabrisas - windshield (it stops breezes)paracaà ­das - parachute (it stops falls)parachoques - bumper (it stops crashes)paraguas - umbrella (it stops water)pararrayos - lightning rod (it stops lightning)parasol - sunshade (it stops sun)pesacartas - letter scale (it weighs letters)pesapersonas - scale for people (it weighs people)picaflor - hummingbird, lady-killer (he/she pecks flowers)picapleitos - shyster lawyer (he/she encourages lawsuits)pintamonas - bad painter, an incompetent person (he/she paints copycats)portaaviones - aircraft carrier (it carries aircraft)portacartas - letter bag (it carries letters)portamonedas - purse, handbag (it carries coins)portanuevas - one who brings newsportaplumas - pen holdera quemarropa - at point-blank range (in a way that burns clothing)quitaesmalte - enamel or nail polish removerquitamanchas - dry cleaner, stain remover (it removes stains)quitamotas - flatterer (he/she removes defects)quitanieve, qui tanieves - snowplow (it removes snow)quitapesares - consolation (it takes away sorrow)quitasol - sunshade (it removes the sun)quitasueà ±os - anxiety (it takes away sleep)rascacielos - skyscrapera regaà ±adientes - unwillingly (in a manner that causes the snarling of teeth)rompecabezas - puzzle (it breaks heads)rompeimgenes - iconoclast (he/she breaks icons)rompeolas - jetty (it breaks waves)sabelotodo - know-it-all (he/she knows it all)sacabocados - punch tool (it takes out bites)sacaclavos - nail removersacacorchos - corkscrew (it pulls out corks)sacadineros - trinket, small scam (it takes money)sacamanchas - dry cleaner (it takes away stains)sacamuelas - dentist, quack (he/she pulls teeth)sacapotras - medical quack (he/she removes hernias)sacapuntas - pencil sharpener (it sharpens points)saltamontes - grasshopper (it jumps hills)salvavidas - certain safety devices (it saves lives)secafirmas - blotting pad (it dries signatures)tientaparedes - one who gropes his/her way (he/she feels walls)tirabotas - boot hook (it stretches boots)tiralà ­neas - drawing pen (it draws lines)tocacasetes - cassette playertocadiscos - record playertrabalenguas - tongue twister (it ties tongues)tragahombres - bully (he/she swallows men)tragaleguas - long-distance or fast runner (he/she swallows leagues; a league is a little-used measurement of distance, equal to about 5.6 kilometers)tragaluz - skylight (it swallows light)tragamonedas, tragaperras - slot machine, vending machine (it swallows coins) Key Takeaways A common type of compound noun is formed in Spanish by using a third-person singular indicative present-tense verb and following it with a plural noun attached to the verb.Such compound nouns are often the equivalent of noun verb -er in English.Such compound nouns are masculine, and the plural form is identical to the singular.

The History of Buenos Aires, Argentina

The History of Buenos Aires, Argentina One of the most important cities in South America, Buenos Aires has a long and interesting history. It has lived under the shadow of the secret police on more than one occasion, has been attacked by foreign powers and has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the only cities in history to be bombed by its own navy. It has been home to ruthless dictators, bright-eyed idealists and some of the most important writers and artists in the history of Latin America. The city has seen economic booms that brought in stunning wealth as well as economic meltdowns that have driven the population into poverty. Foundation of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires was founded twice. A settlement at the present-day site was established briefly in 1536 by conquistador Pedro de Mendoza, but attacks by local indigenous tribes forced the settlers to move to Asuncià ³n, Paraguay in 1539. By 1541 the site had been burned and abandoned. The harrowing story of the attacks and the overland journey to Asuncià ³n was written down by one of the survivors, German mercenary Ulrico Schmidl after he returned to his native land around 1554. In 1580, another settlement was established, and this one lasted. Growth The city was well-located to control all trade in the region containing present-day Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and parts of Bolivia, and it thrived. In 1617 the province of Buenos Aires was removed from control by Asuncià ³n, and the city welcomed its first bishop in 1620. As the city grew, it became too powerful for the local indigenous tribes to attack, but became the target of European pirates and privateers. At first, much of the growth of Buenos Aires was in illicit trade, as all official trade with Spain had to go through Lima. Boom Buenos Aires was established on the banks of the Rà ­o de la Plata (Platte River), which translates to River of Silver. It was given this optimistic name by early explorers and settlers, who had gotten some silver trinkets from local Indians. The river didnt produce much in the way of silver, and settlers didnt find the true value of the river until much later. In the eighteenth century, cattle ranching in the vast grasslands around Buenos Aires became very lucrative, and millions of treated leather hides were sent to Europe, where they became leather armor, shoes, clothing and a variety of other products. This economic boom led to the establishment in 1776 of the Viceroyalty of the River Platte, based in Buenos Aires. The British Invasions Using the alliance between Spain and Napoleonic France as an excuse, Britain attacked Buenos Aires twice in 1806 to 1807, attempting to further weaken Spain while at the same time gaining valuable New World colonies to replace the ones it had so recently lost in the American Revolution. The first attack, led by Colonel William Carr Beresford, succeeded in capturing Buenos Aires, although Spanish forces out of Montevideo were able to re-take it about two months later. A second British force arrived in 1807 under the command of Lieutenant-General John Whitelocke. The British took Montevideo but were unable to capture Buenos Aires, which was ably defended by urban guerilla militants. The British were forced to retreat. Independence The British invasions had a secondary effect on the city. During the invasions, Spain had essentially left the city to its fate, and it had been the citizens of Buenos Aires who had taken up arms and defended their city. When Spain was invaded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808, the people of Buenos Aires decided they had seen enough of Spanish rule, and in 1810 they established an independent government, although formal Independence would not come until 1816. The fight for Argentine Independence, led by Josà © de San Martà ­n, was largely fought elsewhere and Buenos Aires did not suffer terribly during the conflict. Unitarians and Federalists When the charismatic San Martà ­n went into self-imposed exile in Europe, there was a power vacuum in the new nation of Argentina. Before long, a bloody conflict hit the streets of Buenos Aires. The country was divided between Unitarians, who favored a strong central government in Buenos Aires, and Federalists, who preferred near-autonomy for the provinces. Predictably, the Unitarians were mostly from Buenos Aires, and the Federalists were from the provinces. In 1829, Federalist strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas seized power, and those Unitarians who did not flee were persecuted by Latin Americas first secret police, the Mazorca. Rosas was removed from power in 1852, and Argentinas first constitution was ratified in 1853. The 19th Century The newly independent country was forced to continue to fight for its existence. England and France both tried to take Buenos Aires in the mid-1800s  but failed. Buenos Aires continued to thrive as a trade port, and the sale of leather continued to boom, especially after railroads were built connecting the port to the interior of the country where the cattle ranches were. Towards the turn of the century, the young city developed a taste for European high culture, and in 1908 the Colà ³n Theater opened its doors. Immigration in the Early 20th Century As the city industrialized in the early 20th century, it opened its doors to immigrants, mostly from Europe. Large numbers of Spanish and Italians came, and their influence is still strong in the city. There were also Welsh, British, Germans, and Jews, many of whom passed through Buenos Aires on their way to establish settlements in the interior. Many more Spanish arrived during and shortly after the  Spanish Civil War  (1936 to 1939). The Perà ³n regime (1946 to 1955) allowed  Nazi war criminals  to migrate to Argentina, including the infamous Dr. Mengele, although they did not come in large enough numbers to significantly change the nations demographics. Recently, Argentina has seen migration from Korea, China, Eastern Europe and other parts of Latin America. Argentina has celebrated Immigrants Day on September 4 since 1949. The Perà ³n Years Juan Perà ³n  and his famous wife  Evita  came to power in the early 1940s, and he reached the presidency in 1946. Perà ³n was a very strong leader, blurring the lines between elected president and dictator. Unlike many strongmen, however, Perà ³n was a liberal who strengthened unions (but kept them under control) and improved education. The working class adored him and Evita, who opened schools and clinics and gave state money away to the poor. Even after he was deposed in 1955 and forced into exile, he remained a powerful force in Argentine politics. He even triumphantly returned to stand for the 1973 elections, which he won, although he died of a heart attack after about a year in power. The Bombing of the Plaza de Mayo On June 16, 1955, Buenos Aires saw one of its darkest days. Anti-Perà ³n forces in the military, seeking to dislodge him from power, ordered the Argentine Navy to bombard the Plaza de Mayo, the citys central square. It was believed that this act would precede a general coup dà ©tat. Navy aircraft bombed and strafed the square for hours, killing 364 people and injuring hundreds more. The Plaza had been targeted because it was a gathering place for pro-Perà ³n citizens. The army and air force did not join in the attack, and the coup attempt failed. Perà ³n was removed from power about three months later by another revolt which included all of the armed forces. Ideological conflict in the 1970s During the early 1970s, communist rebels taking their cue from  Fidel Castros  takeover of Cuba attempted to stir up revolts in several Latin American nations, including Argentina. They were countered by right-wing groups who were just as destructive. They were responsible for several incidents in Buenos Aires, including  the Ezeiza massacre, when 13 people were killed during a pro-Perà ³n rally. In 1976, a military junta overthrew Isabel Perà ³n, Juans wife, who had been vice president when he died in1974. The military soon began a crackdown on dissidents, beginning the period known as La Guerra Sucia (The Dirty War). The Dirty War and Operation Condor The Dirty War is one of the most tragic episodes in all of the History of Latin America. The military government, in power from 1976 to 1983, initiated a ruthless crackdown on suspected dissidents. Thousands of citizens, primarily in Buenos Aires, were brought in for questioning, and many of them disappeared, never to be heard from again. Their basic rights were denied to them, and many families still do not know what happened to their loved ones. Many estimates place the number of executed citizens around 30,000. It was a time of terror  when citizens feared their government more than anything else. The Argentine Dirty War was part of the larger Operation Condor, which was an alliance of the right-wing governments of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil to share information and aid one anothers secret police. The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo is an organization of mothers and relatives of those who disappeared during this time: their aim is to get answers, locate their loved ones or their remains, and hold accountable the architects of the  Dirty War. Accountability The military dictatorship ended in 1983, and Raà ºl Alfonsà ­n, a lawyer, and publisher, was elected president. Alfonsà ­n surprised the world by quickly turning on the military leaders who had been in power for the past seven years, ordering trials and a fact-finding commission. Investigators soon turned up 9,000 well-documented cases of disappearances and the trials began in 1985. All of the top generals and architects of the dirty war, including a former president, General Jorge Videla, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. They were pardoned by President Carlos Menem in 1990, but the cases are not settled, and the possibility remains that some may return to prison. Recent Years Buenos Aires was given autonomy to elect their own mayor in 1993. Previously, the mayor was appointed by the president. Just as the people of Buenos Aires were putting the horrors of the Dirty War behind them, they fell victim to an economic catastrophe. In 1999, a combination of factors including a falsely inflated exchange rate between the Argentine peso and the US dollar led to a serious recession and people began losing faith in the peso and in Argentine banks. In late 2001 there was a run on the banks and in December 2001 the economy collapsed. Angry protestors in the streets of Buenos Aires forced President Fernando de la Rà ºa to flee the presidential palace in a helicopter. For a while, unemployment reached as high as 25 percent. The economy eventually stabilized, but not before many businesses and citizens went bankrupt. Buenos Aires Today Today, Buenos Aires is once again calm and sophisticated, its political and economic crises hopefully a thing of the past. It is considered very safe  and is once more a center for literature, film, and education. No history of the city would be complete without a mention of its role in the arts: Literature in Buenos Aires Buenos Aires has always been a very important city for literature. Porteà ±os (as the citizens of the city are called) are literate and place great value on books. Many of Latin America’s greatest writers call or called Buenos Aires home, including Josà © Hernndez (author of the Martà ­n Fierro epic poem),  Jorge Luà ­s Borges  and Julio Cortzar (both known for outstanding short stories). Today, the writing and publishing industry in Buenos Aires is alive and thriving. Film in Buenos Aires Buenos Aires has had a film industry since the beginning. There were early pioneers of the medium  making films  as early as 1898, and the world’s first feature-length animated film, El Apà ³stol, was created in1917. Unfortunately, no copies of it exist. By the 1930s, the Argentine film industry was producing approximately 30 films per year, which were exported to all of Latin America. In the early 1930s, tango singer  Carlos Gardel  made several films which helped catapult him to international stardom and made a cult figure of him in Argentina, although his career was cut short when he died in 1935. Although his biggest films were not produced in Argentina, they nevertheless were hugely popular and contributed to the film industry in his home country, as imitations soon popped up. Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, Argentine cinema has gone through several cycles of booms and busts, as political and economic instability have temporarily shut down studios. Currently, Argentine cinema is undergoing a renaissance and is known for edgy, intense dramas.

Summary Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Summary - Coursework Example For instance, an immigrant child is able to communicate by both their native language and the foreign language. In addition, a child is enabled to understand different languages easily due to their versatile minds. This ability also increases their suitability to balance the requirement to speak with different languages at different contexts. Sorace & Ladd (2015) assert that this is easily attainable regardless of the assumption that children may confuse their language selection. The article develops the assumption that children learn better in natural environments. This eradicates the need to educate children on different language. Sorace & Ladd (2015) point out that children learn easily through natural exposure regardless of their age and native language. The author further points out that as they develop they evaluate the importance of each language in their social life. At this point, parents are required to provide a balanced exposure to the languages a child is exposed to. From the article, the advantages of bilingual children is sensitized. The article disregards numerous misconceptions that children may suffer from the effects of bilingual skills in their language development efforts. Conclusively, bilingual children are massively benefited, and have the ability to balance their bilingual

The role of social media in the 2011 Japanese disaster Dissertation

The role of social media in the 2011 Japanese disaster - Dissertation Example This is simply because the media are always after of informing the public of the great risk involved nd the needed recovery (Miles and Morse, 2007). The world witnessed such event due to the availability of live coverage and actual footage of the disaster’s destructive force. In situation like this, the media are the most important sources of information. They eventually have pervasive power to disseminate information to keep everyone highly informed about things that matters to the entire humanity. For many decades, media have remarkably improved and evolved due to its vibrant dominance in imparting information throughout the world. Their scope of spreading the right information has reached not just within a certain place but today it has remarkably moved over in the entire world. The media have remarkably become among of the most important tools for public relations activity and news coverage (Courtright and Slaughter, 2007). In the midst of advanced information technology, the ultimate goal of the media is to aggressively scatter information from one place to another in a fast pace. In fact, people are bombarded with information daily because of the capacity of the media to transform certain information to be relevant to them. People are always looking forward to the right information and they always expect to have it from the media. In particular, this paper tries to discuss the role of social media in the 2011 Japanese disasters such as earthquake and tsunami. The role of television One of the oldest technologies invented by human is television. Today, in wherever part of the world, it is one of the most important sources of information and entertainment of the people. Television has become the major part of the daily lives of... One of the Japanese in an interview told the media about his horrible experience during the earthquake and its series of aftershock. ‘I have witnessed how strong the magnitude of the earthquake was. The whole building was already moving like a cradle does.’ Due to this coverage of the media, people from other parts of the world were given enough idea how horrible was the said experience. They were given the right and even detailed information how strong was the magnitude of that earthquake plus they were provided with the actual idea of the tsunami through a live aerial video footage. In the midst of 2011 Japan disasters, it is evident that television has become one of the most important sources of information. For instance, it is through television news reports that individuals have been informed about their family relatives abroad especially those in Japan. Specifically, television has become one important instrument that could be used for precautionary measures and monitoring of hazards behaviours of the people (Morris, 2005). The television broadcasted significant news reports from Japan and these specifically try to update concerned individuals about the ongoing progress of disaster among the Japanese. For instance, the television has become the channel of information how Japan had correspondingly attempted to solve the issue in facing the aftermath of the disaster. It is therefore clear that television has the potential to trigger emotion by simply trying to give visual details of specific information. People may not be focusing on the opinion of the news report but they are actually after of what they see. Through the live telecast of tsunami in Japan, people from around the world had enough information about the potential destructive forces of nature.

The Changing Political Economy Of India Essay Example for Free

The Changing Political Economy Of India Essay From 1947 – 1990 India had a much closed system of economy. Most of the core industries were controlled by the central government and there were no real competitors. A policy of import substitution in the decades after independence encouraged the development of a broad industrial base, but a lack of competition contributed to poor product quality and inefficiencies in production. During this period India had high restrictions on the FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). For those players who wanted to invest, there were too many bureaucratic levels in the Indian political system which has resulted in delays in getting the necessary approvals. For those companies that were able to establish the product lines in India, the true value of the commodities could not be realized as the prices of the commodities were controlled. Though there was improvement in the infrastructure, it was never adequate to serve the ever growing large population. Because the restrictions on the FDI and inadequate funds, development in sectors like transportation and power was slow. Multinational companies operating in India must overcome erratic electricity supplies, poor roads and gridlocked seaports and airports while contending with government policies that discourage hiring and hold back domestic demand for goods in many sectors. The predominance of inefficient state-owned enterprises, particularly in the banking sector, remains a brake on further growth. Since 1990, there were radical changes to the Indian economic system. The economic reforms that started driving the early 1990s have started transforming the Indian economy into an open system of economy. There has been a gradual liberalization of the Public Sector Units. Most of the restrictions on FDI were removed. There were many SEZ (Special Economic Zones) set up across the country to encourage investment in private sector. Government has relaxed limits on foreign investment across most industries. It has also given an opportunity for the big home grown companies to move beyond India. Relaxation of Foreign-exchange controls resulted in multinational companies to be able to invest more freely in India. . India is the second fastest growing economy of the world at present. The strong emergence of private sector in the Indian economy has heightened the pace of development of the pharmaceutical industry in India. The pharmaceutical industry has achieved global recognition as a producer of low cost high quality bulk drugs and formulations. The recent regulatory and much awaited patent laws changes have lead the Indian pharmaceutical industry towards exploring newer avenues of drug development, thus, promising higher capital investment in the pharmaceutical industry in the near future. The Indian pharmaceutical research is backed by strong government support and availability of surplus skilled technical workers. Some of the Indian companies have gone global with presence in 60 countries, including USA, Europe and China. India is one of the top ten producers of bulk drugs in the world and 60% of India’s bulk drugs production is exported. The Indian economy’s growth rate has averaged above 7% over the past three years, yet future expectations for growth are even higher (India Economic Summit, 2006). People generally think that India is over populated. In the current economic scenario, the key strength of India is its population. Now India has the largest educated population in the world. India was among the first developing nations to recognize the importance of software, India already enjoys a fairly strong position in providing IT services. The country offers abundant engineering and technical talent: every year, it produces 400,000 graduate engineers, second only to Chinas 490,000. Companies might also be attracted to India by the increasing availability of reliable suppliers, the chance to escape unrelenting price pressures at home, and the size of the domestic market. LG, for example, plans to make handsets in India to take advantage of its rapidly growing demand for mobile telephones. Although India was late and slow in modernization of industry in general in the past, it is now a front-runner in the emerging â€Å"Knowledge based New Economy†. From an agro based economy it has emerged as a service oriented one. The unprecedented high level of foreign exchange reserves, the upward trend in FDI inflows and the general growth of the economy have given more confidence and encouragement to the policy-makers in the acceleration of economic reforms and liberalization. Both at the central and state levels and across political parties, in general, there is consensus on further economic liberalization. Now India has a well coordinated government action, a centralized economy that can pour resources into projects and direct the development of entire industries, something that was much harder in Indias sprawling, bureaucratic democracy from 1940-1990. India has focused more on software and services, which can be delivered via networks without bureaucratic interference, unlike physical goods. The sum of India’s total exports and imports amounts to around 25%-30% of its GDP. The Indian government is investing more in infrastructure, health and education, and in improving agricultural productivity. It would have a cumulative effect on the economy. India has the one of the highest number of middle class families in the world. The economic liberalization and a large domestic market will prove to be a very attractive target for the multinationals. Reference: India Economic Summit 2006 India: Meeting New Expectations New Delhi, 26-28 November

Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses Adapt to New Economy Essay

â€Å"Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses Adapt to New Economy†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses Adapt to New Economy† written by Yvette Armendariz was an article that I found in the archives of the Arizona Republic (October 6, 2002) via the internet. This article dealt with the readings from class over the past couple of weeks, especially dealing with women and Global Economy. As the title reads, women-owned businesses are adapting to the new economy, the economy after the New York September 11th attacks. This article is a year old, but I thought that it still had merit and was worth writing about. In this article there are 4 companies mentioned. Two are owned by Caucasian women and the other two, by men of ethic backgrounds. The companies owned by the wo...

Adult Self-Directed Learning

Through time, self-directed learning has been observed as a rather distinct form of learning that has been in existence in the development of children up to the adult years. In the past, it has been known that the practice of self-directed learning has become the practice where formal instruction is not available before the establishment of schools (Merriam & Brockett, 2007).It requires a greater focus on the ability of the learning to become the source of initiatives when it comes to acquiring information and the reliance on their self without guidance from the traditional perspectives contained in the classroom setting. More so, it emphasized on a lesser restrictive foundation of learning and allows for the adult learners to depend on their own capabilities and discipline (Edwards, Hanson, & Raggatt, 1996).Aside from the learner, there is a perspective from the field of education which points towards the fact that adult learners are able to gain knowledge in self-directed learning through dialogue, too (Borkman, 1999). Nonetheless, there is much more emphasis on autonomy and the assumption of ownership when it comes to learning (Knowles, Golton, & Swanson, 2005).Upon review of the literature mentioned above, it has been shown that adult self-directed learning has existed through time, focuses on autonomy and ownership in learning, acquisition of information through independence, and the use of dialogue in learning.These are essential and basic elements within the concept of self-directed learning but the ability of the adults to engage in self-directed learning, in consideration of the characteristics and perspectives they have in terms of learning, is worth discussing.Moreover, the long existence of self-directed learning leads to the question of whether it can be really institutionalized or formalized through the inclusion in the academe or should remain as what it has been before, which is that learning rests on the initiative of the learner and occurs jus t about anywhere.It has been considered that the adults are able to conceptualize and reflect on their own better than the other age groups because of their current stage in cognitive development. Inherently, they have the capability to analyze and critically assess situations before them because of the sense of maturity attached to their age group.With this characteristic, adults can engage in self-directed learning better than high school students would do, as an example. However, this particular ability, brought about by their level of cognition, raises the question of whether adults are indeed able to learn by themselves or would need to communicate with a particular mentor or peer, which is posited in the element of â€Å"dialogue† for self-directed learners.The autonomy and independence is especially raised in the case of self-directed adult learners because of the discipline they have but nonetheless, there remains the need for them to have an authority in their activi ties when it comes to learning. There remains the constant need for inquiry and honing of ideas and the adult learner should be able to engage with someone who can ask questions in order to engage the learner into deeper thinking.While cognitive development may be a factor that makes the adult capable of engaging in self-directed learning, there remains the need for them to engage in dialogues in order to assure that what they gain in terms of their autonomous and independent are continuously refined. Thus, there remains the need for a mentor or outsider interaction that turns the mentor into a facilitator of learning instead of an agent through which learning primarily rests on.Moreover, this makes the autonomy and independence of a learner vary in terms of the set-up where self-directed learning occurs. There are differences that have to be accepted when it comes to the learning styles and behavior of the adult learners which makes room for flexibility in the framework of self-dir ected learning.There are adults who are able to devote their time practically on learning by themselves and there are also those who need constant dialogue for them to learn. In terms of learning styles, there is much room left for flexibility in this method of learning and makes people appreciate the fact that it puts the learner at the center of every activity.This deviates and puts much difference as compared to the traditional classroom setting because of the restrictive nature of learning and expression of individual learning habits. It now becomes important to emphasize that learning is deemed to be a rather enriching and fruitful experience when the learner is able to express and do it in his/her own way and will because of the satisfaction this brings.More so, a person would rather act more cooperatively when he/she has a sense of control over the choices that has to be made, which is the essential and a root function in self-directed learning. Thus, the question of whether adult self-directed learning rests on the level of cognitive development of the learner has to take into consideration the personal learning habits and degree of autonomy required by each learner. More so, evaluation of progress has to be based on the different requirements of each learner.In terms of formalization, there are current ways through which self-directed learning has been formed to become a part of the academe. The fact that it has been used as a method of instruction in the universities, which is partially a hybrid form in the case of distance learning, shows that it is recognized as an acceptable and effective means of acquiring knowledge.However, there remains the question of whether institutionalization of this form of learning creates any difference or not. The existence of self-directed learning practices in universities gives the formal setting for learning to occur. It does, in fact, take into consideration the different needs of the learner and the experience is enhanced through three different elements of the concept.These three elements are the advancement in technology, the training for teachers, and the convenience and accessibility of the learners to engage in self-directed learning.There advancements in technology have now provided self-directed learning to occur at a more effective manner for both the students and the teachers. The existence of internet has made it possible for learners, and teachers alike, to engage in dialogue and transfer of information across boundaries without barriers of geographical distances and costs. Learning could now occur online where different people in different parts of the world are able to communicate in real time.Moreover, there is a far wider reach for adult learners to be able to seek the advice or opinion of experts or other professionals when it comes to acquiring information for their subjects. However, this poses problems and disadvantages for those who are not abreast with the changes in te rms of technology for this particular method of learning.Moreover, there are adult learners who are not familiar or are not willing to use new technologies. Thus, it limits the effective and new tools of self-directed learning to those who can use them and have access to such.Aside from technology, teachers or mentors, who serve as facilitators, have also undergone changes as they developed their selves to adopt with the requirements of self-directed learning. It is assumed that there are still adult learners who wish to learn under the tenets of self-direction but requires guidance or dialogue.This situation gives rise to the hybrid mix where a mentor is present in order to fulfill the roles expected by the learner. Through time, educators have made their selves available for training on how to handle communication for adult self-directed learners, motivation, and manner of facilitation. It is apparent that there are differences with that of the traditional classroom setting and th is makes the teachers wear a relatively different shoe.This is where they realize that dictation and feeding everything into the student does not work. Rather, they only have to stimulate the students to critically think and analyze their situation and create an atmosphere which enables learning to occur.Lastly, access and convenience remains a great factor for the adults to choose self-directed learning today. The present conditions of the adults who engage in learning have made this a practical and popular choice nowadays. Adult learners are usually engaged in learning because of their need to go up the professional ladder, which can only be done through education.In this set-up, they are given the chance to commit to their work and still be able to attend classes wherever they may be. Self-directed learning, thus, enhances the chances and opportunities provide for adults to acquire knowledge without any inconvenience.  Upon visiting one of the online websites dedicated to self- directed learning, www.selfdirectedlearning.com, there are information provided for the purpose of both the learners and the teachers. The site convinces people that they could engage in self-directed learning through steps and also provides the teachers with information regarding some aspects of this particular form of learning.However, it is not a site which is purely devoted to providing information but mixes it with commercial purposes and makes offers of different materials for those who visit the site. Thus, it makes the readers question whether the information provided is intended to give credible information or simply support the commercial purposes of the website.Thus, it has been shown that self-directed learning for adults have several elements. It is seen that it could occur in practically any place with varying degrees of formality. Moreover, there are considerations given for the preferences and personal habits of the adults when it comes to learning as brought about b y their present situation and needs.There are other aspects which affect the ability of mentors and students to come together for the purpose of engaging in self-directed learning where the learner still serves as the primary focus of the process and the teacher serves as the facilitator.ReferencesBorkman, T. (1999). Understanding self-help/mutual aid: Experiential learning in the commons. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press.Edwards, R., Hanson, A., & Raggatt, P. (1996). Boundaries of adult learning. London: Routledge.Knwoles, M., Holton, E., & Swanson, R. (2005). The adult learner: The definite classic in adult education and human resource development. Burlington, MA: Elsevier.Merriam, S. & Brockett, R. (2007). The profession and practice of adult education: An introduction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ideologies in legally blonde Essay

Legally blonde is a film about Elle Woods a blonde sorority queen who is dumped by her boyfriend, she decides to follow him to law school to get him back and, once there, learns she has more legal savvy than she ever imagined and is thrown into solving a case in which she will make lots of friends and maybe even some enemies. The first thing I notice is that a common ideology used throughout the film is stereotypical ideology the main way this is used is through Elle’s character who is the stereotypical dumb blonde who only cares about fashion, boys and money. This is used to show how much the character can change by exaggerating all the things that are stereotypical about her for example she loves pink but to the point where everything about her life is pink like her clothes, her room even what she dresses her dog in. Furthermore she is shown to live in Malibu which is believed to be where all the rich famous people live so people will just assume that this is her life style. Another stereotypical ideology in the film is the way they represent lawyers and the law school they show them as being boring people who just wear suits and all come from wealthy backgrounds. Another ideology used throughout the film is patriarchal ideology which is the principal that the male is more superior. This is used when they talk about law school being mainly men or that when you watch different scenes the majority of the people are men. Furthermore they use this ideology in the scene when she first talks to Warner after they have both been excepted into Harvard, it is shown that he makes out to be more superior then Elle and doesn’t understand how a woman of her nature was able to get in. Even though this film is based around a female who takes on a role to achieve what she sets out to achieve it is still based around the idea that she is doing it all for the male and to impress a male so that she can become the typical wife figure and tries to show that the woman’s role of a house wife is just natural. A very important ideology represented in this film is feminist ideology obviously for the reason that this films soul point is to show that a girl can do anything a boy can do. The beginning of the film gives into the idea that women need men to complete them and thos e men have women completely in control shown being able to manipulate them any way they want. However as the film goes on she is seen becoming more independent and less reliant on the man as she takes the case into her own hands and uses her own knowledge  to crack the case. The end of the film sends a message that women can be successful without a man and are fully able to achieve whatever they want, even in the least likely circumstances. Furthermore the character of Paulette show that she is a strong independent woman when taking on her ex-husband to get her dog back, however say this she is then seen trying to impress a man throughout the film. The last ideology is hegemony this is focused on in 2 different ways in the film. Firstly when Elle is talking to her father about going to law school he describes them as being â€Å"boring, ugly people who are serious† this shows that he believes himself to be better than them as he has lots of money and doesn’t need to work hard for it. However the other way of showing hegemony is when Vivian is talking to Elle as if she was stupid and is very patronizing towards Elle because she believes that Elle is less smart than her and is not capable enough to be in law school and treats her like she is inferior. This is obviously proven wrong when Elle is able to succeed in class and even win a case for her university showing that she is just as important and capable as the other people at Harvard. In conclusion this film is showing both how a woman does not need a man to achieve tasks and that she can be independent but also that a lot of things women do are to impress guys so that they can live the life they deem as socially acceptable. Although this film is incredibly unrealistic it does show how different groups of people may not be that different at all that that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover or stereotype people because they may surprise you in the end.

Political Change essays

Political Change essays In the French and Russian Revolutions, could political change have occurred without bloodshed and the use of force? In the French and Russian Revolutions, there was a lot of force and bloodshed used. Can political change occur without the use of bloodshed and force? I think it can happen, although there are very few people that have done it. There is still many years to come yet so people still have their chance to change from wars and violence to means of peace to obtain political change. If people would compromise instead of using violence we wouldnt have to fight to death and we would actually have more people alive today. Mikhail Gorbachev was one person who sought to reform society by introducing perestroika (restructuring of the economy in the former USSR) and glasnost (openness in political and cultural affairs in former Soviet Union). These reforms met stiff opposition within the Communist party, in cracys control over m any aspects of Soviet domestic life. Gorbachev in 1989 and 1990 shifted some power from the party to popularly elected legislatures and greatly strengthened the powers of the presidency. Augmentation of his constitutional prerogatives did not, however, enhance Gorbachevs ability to control developments in Eastern Europe, where Soviet influence declined republics, where rising nationalism posed a serious challenge to the viability of the Soviet state. In international affairs, Gorbachev withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan, normalized relations with China, and, after a series of meetings with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, negotiated a treaty with the U.S. to eliminate medium, and certain shorter-range missiles from the two nations nuclear arsenals. In December 1989, Gorbachev conferred with U.S. President George Bush on nuclear and chemical weapons reductions. He also met at the Vatican with John Paul 2, the first Soviet leader to have an audience wit ...

The Typical Diet of a Polar Bear

The Typical Diet of a Polar Bear Polar bears are often common in the mainstream media and get a lot of attention due to their threatened populations. In addition to questions about their habitat, you may wonder what they eat? Polar bears are one of the largest bear species (many sources say they are the largest). They can grow anywhere from 8 feet to 11 feet in height and about 8 feet in length. Polar bears weigh about 500 to 1,700 pounds, and they live the cold Arctic- in parts of Alaska, Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Norway, and Russia. They are large  marine mammals  with a varied appetite. Diet   The preferred prey for polar bears are seals- the species they prey upon most often are ringed seals and bearded seals, two species that are members of the group of seals known as ice seals. They are known as ice seals because they need ice for giving birth, nursing, resting, and finding prey. Ringed seals are one of the most common seal species in the Arctic. They are a small seal that grows to about 5 feet in length and about 150 pounds in weight. They live on top of, and underneath the ice, and use claws on their front flippers to dig breathing holes in the ice. A polar bear will patiently wait for the seal to surface to breathe or climb onto the ice, and then it will swat it with its claws or pounce on it. The polar bear feeds primarily on the seals skin and blubber, leaving the meat and carcass for scavengers. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, a polar bear may kill a ringed seal every two to six days. Bearded seals are larger, and grow from 7 feet to 8 feet in length. They weigh 575 to 800 pounds. Polar bears are their main predator. Unlike the more open breathing holes of ringed seals, the breathing holes of bearded seals are capped with ice, which may make them less easy to detect. If their preferred prey isnt available, polar bears will feed on walruses, whale carcasses, or even garbage if they live near humans. Polar bears have a strong sense of smell, which comes in handy for finding prey, even from long distances- and even in cold weather. Predators Do polar bears have predators? Polar bear predators include killer whales (orcas), possibly sharks  and humans. Polar bear cubs may be killed by smaller animals, such as wolves, and other polar bears. References: Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Ringed Seal Species Profile.National Marine Mammal Laboratory. Bearded Seal.Neuberger, A., et. al. Animal Diversity Web. Bearded Seal.

Review of Diabetes Mellitus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Review of Diabetes Mellitus - Essay Example Diabetes is a third leading cause of death in United States of America, next only to heart disease and cancer. In the present article, the clinical presentation, diagnosis, evaluation, current treatment modalities with specific emphasis on the newer therapeutic approaches for diabetes will be reviewed. Introduction. The condition called â€Å"Diabetes† is so prevalent in modern day societies that it would be impossible to find a person who does not know some one with this condition. Statistics of diabetes confirm this validity of this statement. An estimated 20.8 million people, constituting about 7% of the population, live with diabetes in United States (CDC report, 2007). The question arises why is diabetes a bane of the modern society. The answer to this query lies in a large number of epidemiological studies showing that obesity and sedentary life style is a risk factor for developing diabetes. Individuals with a good Basal Metabolic Index (BMI, less than 21) have the lowest risk of diabetes occurring to them and increasing incidence of the condition seen in obese people (Coditz, 1990; Carey, 1997). Similarly there is an inverse correlation between the level of physical activity and the risk of developing diabetes (Manson, 1991,1992). In order to understand the clinical presentation of diabetes mellitus, diagnosis, and therapeutic options it is imperative to understand the regulation of Glucose levels (or Homeostasis) in normal human beings (Figure 1). Many diseases result from the perturbation of the homeostasis, a condition known as homeostatic imbalance. Several factors including aging lead to the loss of this regulation leading to disease. Diabetes is also a chronic metabolic disorder caused by the disturbance in the homeostasis of glucose. Classification of diabetes mellitus. As per the American Diabetes Association publication (ADA report, 2006) vast majority

Western Democratic Political Parties Are In A State Of Crisis Essay

Western Democratic Political Parties Are In A State Of Crisis - Essay Example Today, there is a shift and erosion of traditional roles of political parties, and their membership levels have continued to decline over the years. Additionally, the importance of political parties has diminished due to the emergence of candidate-centered party campaigns, and finally, there is the rise of professionals in western political parties and decline in partisan attachment of party members. Although restoring the traditional party form might be impossible, the present parties can overcome this crisis by redirect their efforts to restoring their effectiveness and efficiency in society, basing on democracy. . Political parties are essential, as they contribute to the functioning of democracies, and are responsible for political pluralism in various countries. These also mobilize their members and supporters to take on leadership roles in a country (Diamond & Gunther 2001). Ideally, political parties ought to develop alternative policy platforms, provide ideological direction, and define the agenda of the government in a country (Hofmeister & Grabow 2011). In Western democracies, the contribution of political parties to the political process, and their positions in the public mind, has invigorated a scholarly debate in the recent years. Various data from national election surveys and public opinions show that the public in most Western democracies such as the USA, Great Britain, Canada, among others, consider political parties to have declined (Gallagher, Michael & Mair 2000). Basing on relevant evidence and concepts, this essay focuses on how and why western democratic political parties are in a state of crisis today. First, Western democratic political parties are in a state of crisis today, as they have failed to perform their traditional roles in society appropriately. In the past, democratic political parties acted as an essential part of their governments, and were promoters of democracy. However, today, most democratic political parties have drift ed from the traditional roles by serving below the expected standards (Kartz & Mair 1995). This decline in the function of western political parties and loss of party roots is evident in the way political parties today play their representative role. Instead of being representatives of the public as the case in the traditional mass party, parties today have shifted from the wider society, and gotten more close to the government and the state (Kartz & Mair 1995). Money has contributed to this shift in political parties in the west, as these depend on state funding from the state. Therefore, these have prioritized their linkage with the state and government, and not the public. This pattern will eventually result the total diminishing of the traditional mass party (Gunther, Montero & Linz 2003). Therefore, parties have considered outsiders, who donate money to them, and not the public. Today, the non-political bodies such as NGOs have taken over the representative roles of political p arties, leaving political parties with the procedural roles only. A second way through which democratic political parties in the west are thought to be in a state of crisis is through the decline in their membership levels. According to Mair & Van Biezen (2001), in Western Europe, the overall membership levels of democratic political parties are on a decline. In 13 democracies in this region, statistics showed that the party membership as a percentage of the national electorate had fallen to 5.7% at the end of the 1990, from 9.8% in 1980. Over the years, the number of party members continues to decline, and this has