Monday, December 30, 2019

Definition and Examples of Canadian English

Canadian English is a variety of the English language that is used in Canada. A Canadianism is a word or phrase that originated in Canada or has special meaning in Canada. Although there are many similarities between Canadian English and American English, the English spoken in Canada also  shares a number of features with the English spoken in the United Kingdom. Examples and Observations Margery Fee and Janice McAlpineStandard Canadian English is distinct from both Standard British English and Standard American English. Additions to, and divergences from, the English of the motherland, once derided by genteel British visitors to Canada, are now recorded in—and given legitimacy by—Canadian dictionaries.Canadians who are aware of some of the unique elements of Canadian English are less likely to assume that their usage is wrong when they look in vain for a familiar word, meaning, spelling, or pronunciation in a British or American dictionary. Similarly, they are less likely to assume the speakers of other dialects of English are making a mistake when they use an unfamiliar word or pronunciation.Charles BoburgWith respect to lexical variation or vocabulary, Canadian English [is] much closer to American than to British English where those varieties differ, though a small set of unique Canadian words... [shows] that Canadian English is not simply a mixture o f British and American forms. Canadianisms like bachelor apartment, bank machine, Chesterfield, eavestrough, grade one, parkade, runners or running shoes, scribbler and washroom are not merely words for things found only or mostly in Canada, but Canadian words for universal concepts that have other names outside Canada (compare American studio apartment, ATM, couch, gutters, first grade, parking garage, sneakers or tennis shoes, notebook and restroom; or British studio flat or bed-sit, cash dispenser, settee, gutters, first form, car park, trainers, exercise book and lavatory or loo).In phonological and phonetic terms, Standard Canadian English is also much more similar to Standard American than to Standard British English; in fact, it was shown that, with respect to major variables of phonemic inventory, Standard Canadian and American English are largely indistinguishable.Simon HorobinIn terms of pronunciation, Canadians tend to sound like Americans to most people from outside Nort h America; distinctive features include the rhotic pronunciation of car, the d-like pronunciation of bottle, and the use of American alternatives like tomayto for British English tomahto, and skedule for British English shedule.Canadian English does not follow American English in all such cases; British English preferences are found in words like news, which is pronounced nyoos rather than noos,  and in the pronunciation of anti, where American English has  AN-tai.Laurel J. Brinton and Margery FeeCanada is an officially bilingual country, though the balance is heavily tipped toward English: in 1996, of a population slightly more than 28 million, 84% claimed a knowledge of English, while only 14% were exclusively French speakers (97% of whom live in Quebec), and fewer than 2% knew neither official language.Tom McArthurCanadians often use the particle eh (as in Its nice, eh?) where Americans use huh. . . . As elsewhere, eh is used in Canada to mean Could you repeat what you said, but more commonly it is a question tag, as in You do want to go, eh? (i.e., dont you?), or serves to elicit agreement or confirmation (Its nice, eh?) and to intensify commands, questions, and exclamations (Do it, eh?).Christopher Gorham and Liane BalabanAuggie Anderson: That guy. What is he wearing?Natasha Petrovna: Green tie, ugly shirt.Auggie Anderson: And what does that tell you?Natasha Petrovna: Hes a businessman with no style?Auggie Anderson: No. Hes a Canadian businessman. An American would have ordered ham or Canadian bacon. He ordered back bacon and she asked for a serviette.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Obama Effect, Perhaps Written by Ellen Horne - 761 Words

The podcast I listened to on RadioLab is called, â€Å"The Obama Effect, Perhaps,† produced by Ellen Horne, and it portrays a conversation between two speakers, Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich. From this particular podcast, I really liked how Abumrad and Kulwich explained the difference between the radio shows and podcasts, indicating that podcasts were â€Å"less formal† (Horne, 2009). Personally, I find it better that these podcasts are conversations because it keeps me engaged and the style makes it easier for me to understand the speakers’ perspectives. Furthermore, I liked how both speakers were very enthusiastic in order to keep the audience interested throughout the entire time. Most importantly, I appreciated the beginning of the podcast, which mentioned the difference between the radio shows and podcasts, because it was a clever way to dive into the actual topic (Horne, 2009). My attention was drawn when the actual topic of the â€Å"Obama Effect† was introduced and this happened when Abumrad referenced the second paragraph of an article in the New York Times newspaper (Horne, 2009). This article portrayed â€Å"new research† about the â€Å"Obama Effect† and based on the article, Abumrad states that â€Å"performance gap between African Americans and Whites on a 20 question test administered before Mr. Obama nomination all but disappeared after his acceptance speech and again after the presidential election† (Horne, 2009). It is mentioned in the podcast that blacks scored â€Å"poorly† on these

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Film a Form of Literature and Understanding It Free Essays

Film: A Form of Literature and Understanding It The purpose of literature not only describes reality but also adds to it. It’s not merely a depiction of reality; it is rather a value-addition. Literary works are interpretations of the thinking patterns and social standards established in society. We will write a custom essay sample on Film: a Form of Literature and Understanding It or any similar topic only for you Order Now They are portrayals of the different aspects of everyday life. Literary works serve as a provision for thought and a boost for imagination and creativity. Reading and understanding literature can help someone understand life better. They help a person take a closer look at the different sides of life. In many ways, it can change one’s perspective towards life. There are different forms of literature, like film. Film can be considered a form of literature. Literature is about telling a story and entertaining its readers. Film is the exact same way; it tells a story and entertains us throughout it. In film and literature they often relate to someone in some way. They can give lessons in life, and can have an influence on our behavior. This is because we often find ourselves trying to associate with what we see and search for similarities between these characters and ourselves. They can develop our progress to consider things morally. For example a movie with an anti-war theme can make a person rethink what war should be just because they portrayed the film in a particular way. This starts with reading what the film has to offer in terms of what it’s trying to portray. When trying to study what the film has to offer, it’s not just about what the movie is about and who is acting, but rather in what way the film is presented to you. There are five key elements to reading and analyzing film. These five key elements are the narrative, staging, cinematography, editing and sound. We will be analyzing the film Troy. In some films such as Troy there is narration in the beginning of the film as well as the ending of the film. It starts like this with Odysseus saying, â€Å"Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity and so we ask ourselves: Will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved. † This foreshadows what the film is going to be about. It sets the mood for the film which you know is going to be about war and the legacy of the heroes who fought in the battle of Troy. The film ends with Odysseus narrating again. He says, â€Å"If they ever tell my story let them say that I walked with giants. Men rise and fall like the winter wheat, but these names will never die. Let them say I lived in the time of Hector, tamer of horses. Let them say I lived in the time of Achilles. † This just sums up how epic the film was in terms of showing the significance of the war and heroes. It makes you wonder about if Hector and Achilles were really that great. Staging consists of the setting, space, lighting, acting and choreography, and costume and make-up. The setting is very realistic in terms of the time period of which it supposedly happened. It’s very symbolic to the film because it creates the imagery during that time. Every scene you see brings a sense of awe because it’s so realistic in terms of getting everything right with the costumes, the make-up and props used. The atmosphere and lighting of the film are very clear and natural. The acting was amazing and it definitely made the film more believable and the strong acting could manipulate sympathies towards the characters. It created suspense and complexity within the acting such as the battle scenes and emotional scenes. For example when Hector and Achilles face off, you don’t want either of them to die but someone has to. Hector has a wife and newborn baby while Achilles is out of vengeance and avenging his cousin’s death, creating complex emotions for the viewer. Cinematography was rather frustrating in Troy. In some scenes of the movie it looks much sharper than others. The other was the zooming; to me it was just too much and didn’t match some particular parts of the story. Like when Hector opens the doors of the city to face Achilles, it didn’t really make sense in this film. It just made it look way more dramatic than it needed to be. The editing done in the film had lots of cuts throughout the film especially the battle scenes, but they are necessary. The music of this film makes the story more dramatic to look at. The music is very on key with how they portray the scenes and characters in the movie. It creates a more epic effect with the music. The foundation of the important concepts to understand the movie Troy better are noticeable. From the sound to the staging and acting it makes the story more dramatic. It creates an artistic view to the film because of what it’s trying to portray based off the narration from Odysseus. How to cite Film: a Form of Literature and Understanding It, Essays

Friday, December 6, 2019

Market Structures in Australia Competition Level

Question: Discuss about theMarket Structures in Australiafor Competition Level. Answer: Introduction Market structure revolves around market characteristics such as the strength of sellers and buyers, competition level, and degree of product differentiation. The structure of the market mirrors all the most essential parts of the market. The areas of the market include the quantity of companies in the entire industry, the kind of items produced, the likelihood of the companies to enter or exit the market, number of clients, and the capacity of an individual or solitary organization to impact the general market price. The lower the association's ability to affect the market, the more aggressive the business is considered. In the restricting situation where the level of impact of one company is zero, the market is said to be perfectly competitive. Organizations and business throughout the time they live joined to the four types of market structures. This exposition will give a few cases of the four market structures found in Australia such as Monopoly, oligopoly, duopoly, and monopoly. Businesses and organizations can move starting with one market structure then onto the next structure of the market amid the time of operation. These progressions between the structures might be the consequence of item changes, high rates of rivalry, government regulations, and the consumer interest. This paper will give clear cases on every market structure. Monopoly The Australian Post, Western Power, and Water Corp are examples of natural monopolies found in Australia. The State Government regulates them for the purpose of ensuring that consumers receive best services at a subsidized rate. Apart from providing quality services and employment opportunities, the organizations act as sources of revenues for the government. Funds obtained from the companies are channeled towards other sectors such as education, health, and infrastructure. One the other hand, there has been massive criticism from various members of the public concerning the performance of the state-owned companies. Criticism has been on a high note with more complaints relating to poor services, high prices, consecutive losses and exploitation of the consumers. For these reasons, the state government has decided to privatize some of its corporations such as Western Power. The government intends to sell the majority of its shares (51%) to individuals and the remaining amount to remai n operational in the stock exchange as part of the public share. (Foster, 2016, par 1-2). This move means that the natural monopolies remaining will be Water Corp and Australian Post. Duopoly Woolworths and Coles are perfect examples which exhibit duopoly as a market structure in Australia. (Aldi Lidl, 2015, par 1-10). The two supermarkets have been reaping massive profits from their sales. The high net profits have been linked to various contributing factors such as the price power, competition, and legal factors. Reports have emerged that the high profits are as the result of great rebate discounts which the companies receive from the suppliers. Since they are among the major retailers and wholesalers, the two are said to possess purchasing power, and in most cases, they dictate the rebate discount. Efforts by various activists to defend the suppliers against the price exploitation by the two companies have borne no fruits. Government through its commissions of inquiry reports non-existence of such manipulations. Apart from exploiting the suppliers, the duo has also been lowering the prices of their commodities to drive the rivals out of the market. The government has been criticized for turning a blind on the situation which has led to the dominance of the two competitive corporations in the Australian market. Oligopoly Oligopoly is the most common type of market structure in Australia. Examples of oligopolies in Australia market include Kelloggs, Hoyts, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Carlton United, Coca-Cola, and Dulux. Companies under this type of market produce differentiated products which are meant to perform a similar function. For example, Dunlop and Bridgestone companies provide car tyre. Although the products manufactured by the two companies serve the same purpose, differentiation in relation to target market and performance draws the line between the duo. Most of the tyres produced by Dunlop Company are characterized by features such as durability, cost-effective, excellent braking, handling, and cornering. Those manufactured by Bridgestone Company possess features such as quality, durability, smooth ride, and economical when it comes to fuel consumption. The main aim of firms under this type of market is to increase the level of profits. This objective is achieved through various measures such as product differentiation. (Gans, 2011, p. 380). Monopolistic Competition This is a kind of imperfect competition whereby firms sell goods which are differentiated in relation to branding, quality, and packaging. In Australia, such businesses include the hotels and restraints. Examples of top competing hotels which fall under the category of monopolistic competition include Avenue Hotel Canberra and the Provincial Ballarat. The two hotels provide the similar type of services and goods but what differentiates them is the quality of products they provide to the customers. Apart from the hotel industry, monopolistic competition has also been observed primarily in the coffee industry. The industry is made up of various firms which enjoy a particular share in the market. Some of the major holders of the market share include Folger (21.6%) and Maxwell House (14.62%). In this type of industry, there is free entry and exit. Ease of entry and exit in this kind of market is attributed to various factors such as low cost of investment and less or no barriers. It has been estimated that the average cost establishing a well-functioning coffee business ranges between $20,000 to $375,000. This range implies that even small businesses can fit into the coffee industry and are free to leave once economic profits have been exhausted. Conclusion The Australian market is made up of several market structures such as monopoly, oligopoly, duopoly, and monopolistic competition. Examples of monopoly markets include state-owned corporations such as Western Power, Australia Post, Water Corp among others. Oligopolistic markets include Dunlop Company and Bridgestone Company. The two firms are well known for producing best car tyres but what differentiates them is product differentiation. Perfect examples of organizations which practice duopoly in Australia include Woolworths and Coles. The two have been under constant criticism for exploiting suppliers and engaging in price wars to drive small businesses out of the market. The coffee industry is an example of monopolistic competition characterized by few barriers of entry and ease of exit. References Aldi Lidl 2016. Tomorrow, not quite the world. The Economist. [Online]. Available at: https://www.economist.com/news/business/21646224-german-discounters-successful-business-model-only-stretches-so-far-tomorrow-not-quite [Accessed 30 November 2016]. Foster B. 2016. Barnett government announces sale of Western Power. The Sydney Morning Herald. [Online]. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/wa-news/barnett-government-to-announce-sale-of-western-power-20161130-gt0izl.html. [Accessed 30 November 2016]. Gans, J. 2011.Principles of economics. South Melbourne, Vic, Cengage Learning.