The Most Unkindest Cut of All

The Most Unkindest Cut of All The Most Unkindest Cut of All The Most Unkindest Cut of All By Maeve Maddox Some of my readers and I experienced an episode of mutual astonishment the other day. In a post about the abbreviation e.g., I wrote the following sentence: The most unkindest cut of all regarding the use of  e.g.  and its ilk came to my attention in 2008 when I read an article in the  London Telegraph  about a movement in Britain to purge English of such long-established Latin shortcuts. The emails began to fly: Were you serious in the use of the following sentence?   I am making reference to the use of most unkindest. The most unkindest cut   Hmm.   This one threw me, Maeve. most unkindest assuming thats an editing error and not a grammatical error! Most unkindest. Did you really mean that? Isnt it, most unkind?   Would you please comment? â€Å"The most unkindest cut of all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I think one should use either â€Å"The unkindest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"The most unkind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Can you believe he/she wrote the most unkindest. It should be the most unkind  or the unkindest. At the time I wrote the sentence, I had the feeling that someone might twit me for the use of a word like ilk, but it never occurred to me that anyone would turn a hair at the quotation from Julius Caesar. Many years have passed since I studied Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in the ninth grade, but I still remember the speech in which Antony refers to the dagger thrust made by Brutus as â€Å"the most unkindest cut of all.† Antony’s funeral oration over the corpse of Caesar is very long. My classmates and I memorized the first section, beginning with these lines: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. We memorized up to where Antony pauses the first time to let his words sink in: My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me. The speech continues. It’s an excellent example of the way a clever speaker can manipulate the sentiment of a hostile, ignorant crowd. Antony pulls out all the rhetorical stops. At the very end, he wins the mob with a sentimental â€Å"show and tell,† making Caesar’s death personal and tangible. He holds up Caesar’s bloody mantle and spreads the holes with his fingers, putting names to them: Look, in this place ran Cassius dagger through. See what a rent the envious Casca made. Through this the well-belovà ¨d Brutus stabbed. And as he plucked his cursà ¨d steel away, Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it, As rushing out of doors, to be resolved If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no. For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him! This was the most unkindest cut of all. NOTE: According to the historical record, Caesar’s assassins stabbed him twenty-three times. â€Å"Most unkindest cut of all† is nonstandard English. The rule for comparison, as my dismayed readers point out, does not permit a most to attend an adjective ending in -est. But Shakespeare was writing iambic pentameter. He needed a line with ten syllables. And besides, his intention was to have Antony wring out as much emotion as he could from the mob. The cut made by Brutus wasn’t simply unkind or most unkind, or the unkindest, it was absolutely the pinnacle of unkindness, hence the most, the -est, and the â€Å"of all.† When I quoted Shakespeare’s line, I was emphasizing the dismay I felt at the thought that branches of officialdom- in Britain of all places- could believe that it could be in the public interest to purge words from the English vocabulary. The very idea calls to mind a quotation from another of my favorite authors: Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten.- Orwell, 1984 I don’t have a conclusion to this post. We’re living along a seam in time. Some of us have had one kind of education, others a different kind. The practice of quoting from the English literary canon in articles intended for a general audience belongs to a passing generation. Is this is a bad thing? According to Hamlet, â€Å"there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.† As King Arthur says at the end of Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, The old order changeth, yielding place to new. Related posts: When Most Is Enough Slipping into Newspeak Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†Empathy "With" or Empathy "For"?While vs. Whilst

The Best Ways to Soothe Hot Pepper Burning

The Best Ways to Soothe Hot Pepper Burning Hot peppers can add a kick to spicy foods, but if you get it on your hands or in your eyes or eat one thats just too hot, you should know how to take away the burn. Why Hot Peppers Burn In order to soothe the burn of a hot pepper, it helps to understand why it feels hot. The sensation of heat comes from capsaicin, the active compound in hot peppers, binding to the sensory receptors in your mouth or skin that detect heat. These neurons fire off a painful warning when they detect a temperature hot enough to harm tissue. Your body reacts to capsaicin the same as it would to a high temperature, even though no actual heat is present. To stop the burn, you have to remove the capsaicin from the binding site or dilute it so the sensation isnt as intense. How to Make Hot Peppers Stop Burning The key is to either absorb the capsaicin or dissolve it. If you have hot peppers on your hands, youll just spread it around if you try to rinse it with water. You can remove capsaicin by wiping it away using vegetable oil or butter or you can use dishwashing soap to lift it off the skin. Rinsing your hands in dilute bleach solution also helps. Any food that acts like a sponge due to sheer bulk will help absorb the heat and mellow it. You can dissolve capsaicin in alcohol, but it cant be too diluted. A shot of tequila might help, while a sip from a margarita would be pointless. Food thats high in oil or fat dissolves the capsaicin, so it cant continue to bind heat receptors. Your best bet? Full fat sour cream or ice cream. Dairy (sour cream, milk, cheese, ice cream): The fat helps dissolve the capsaicin.Oil or oily foods: If you can stand it, swish oil around in your mouth and spit it out to clear the burn. For a tastier option eat a spoonful of peanut butter or honey.Acidic food: Acidic foods, like lemons, limes, and tomatoes, help to neutralize some of the activity of alkaline capsaicinoids.Bulky food, like chips, rice or bread: Starchy foods act like sponges, soaking up excess capsaicin. These foods wont cool the burn, but theyll keep it from getting worse over time.Sugar: The Scoville scale, used to measure the heat of a pepper, was based on how much sugar water it takes to dilute a pepper to where it doesnt burn. How to Make It Even Worse If youve eaten a spicy pepper and you think the heat is unbearable, depending on what you eat or drink to soothe the burn you can make it a lot worse! Foods that are mostly water just spread the capsaicin around, sort of like an oil spill on water. Even if your food or drink is icy cold, it wont help the problem. Liquids that will only make the burn worse include water, beer, coffee, and soda. The alcohol in beer or wine wont dissolve the capsaicin, but if you ingest enough alcohol, the burn from hot peppers wont be as uncomfortable. Thats simply intoxication dulling your senses and not any reaction with the hot pepper.

Democratic or Undemocratic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Democratic or Undemocratic - Essay Example Congress and as well get a better idea as to what takes place within the Congress as well. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Basically the United States has three different branches of government, which are: legislative, executive, and judicial. Each of these different branches has its own features and works in its own separate way. Laws are able to evolve from the action of each branch however, and a legislative history will basically and generally trace its bill from its introduction into Congress through the legislative process. The conference committee is a committee of Congress which is considered as being incredibly major in the process of a bill being passed; the committee is appointed by the House of Representatives and Senate to resolve any disagreements on any particular bill. The first thing that happens when a bill is going to be passed has to do with these conference committees, and they only operate "after the House and the Senate have both passed different versions of a bill. Bills must be printed. Conference committees exist to negotiate a compromise bill that both houses can accept." (45) . Then, both houses of Congress must end up eventually passing the identical legislation in order for the bill to become a law, thus proving their extreme importance in this process overall.

In what respects does the postmodern city differ from its modern Essay

In what respects does the postmodern city differ from its modern counterpart - Essay Example The way in which the cities are built and expanded, as well as the framework for different buildings and components create this difference and lead to an understanding of how the city has changed while those living in a specific society have also altered. The Postmodern City The concept of the postmodern city became associated with the 1960s and was parallel to the changing lives of those in Western cities. The buildings as well as the structure of the city was known to construct with the cultural components, specifically with individuals moving out of the industrial age of mass production and into the entrepreneurial spirit. This was combined with the desire to build a sense of diversity, both in terms of the structures and architecture of buildings as well as the way in which the economics of different neighborhoods were able to work together. It was the two concepts of diversity and expansion out of the mass production that began to drive forward the ideology of the city. This was combined with the imperialist thought that was still associated with the elite, specifically which became interested in cities that could express a sense of wealth and power in various areas. Each of these proponents changed the city as well as the architecture and designs associated with each neighborhood. The concept of capitalism and the growth of urban renewal that could offer restructuring for money then became the most important component to building structures (Harvey, 1990: 6). The idea of development and the associations with postmodernism became reflective of the culture in several ways. While there was a movement outside of the mass production, there was also an increase in the consumer society. Individuals were interested in expansion specifically from the viewpoint of capitalism and economic structures that would assist in the building of wealth. Building a consumer culture followed this, specifically by building diverse neighborhoods that combined systematic areas whi ch allowed individuals to consume easily and to maintain a heightened lifestyle through various products and goods. The consumption not only became relevant in the basic needs but also became reflective of one’s personality, social status and meaning of lifestyle which was associated with those in society. The result was the desire to create a sense of utopia by presenting the perfect image and by associating this with the neighborhoods which had been built, all which were based on consumer behaviors (Clarke, 2003: 167). Development of Modernism The concept of consumerism and diversity in is one which arose from a backlash among those interested in architecture and the transformations of society and culture. This came from the modernist approach of society. Many began to believe that the culture which was a part of each community was reflective of the values or loss of morality which occurred, specifically with the concept of creating and developing while maintaining a balanc e with those in society. Modernist thought was based first on the need to develop, specifically so individuals could come out of the communities and recognize a sense of diversity that was associated with a given region. The development was followed by reflecting this with the values and morality which one held as well as how this could create a reflection from the architecture and construction of the city (Berman, 1988: pg. 90). The idea of value which was built formed into the development of moving back into the natural and into

Supreme Court of the United States Essay Example for Free

Supreme Court of the United States Essay During United States history, the U. S. government, particularly the Supreme Court, has played a major role on our nations society. The decisions made by our nations Supreme Court influenced the way we live as present day Americans. Decisions made by our Supreme Court concerning our rights and freedoms as individuals can limit or impact day-to-day activities. One court case that illustrates the power the Supreme Court has over our daily rights is Brown v.  Board of Education. This case emphasizes the Supreme Courts influence throughout history. From the late 1800s to this case in 1954, public places were segregated for Blacks and whites and was said to be acceptable as long as they were equal. The Jim Crow Laws were set up to support segregation which significantly impacted African American rights. This separate but equal formula had been maintained by the court case Plessy v. Ferguson, which therefore separate bathrooms, water fountains, schools etc were set up for blacks but these public facilities werent equal whatsoever; Black public facilities had a lower quality. Brown v. Board of Education ruled in African American equality and civil rigghts. The supreme court declared segregated public schools was unconstitutional since separating children based on race wasnt right. As a result of this ruling, all schools were required to integrate black and white students but african american students still faced difficulties. This ruling also inspired Blacks to fight against other racial oppressions. Brown v. Board of Education subsequently helped establish a more equal African American society. Another case that spotlights the power the United States Supreme Court has over our daily rights or freedoms is Schneck v. U. S. Since the United States was brought into World War 1, there was a decision to put a draft into place, or demand to enroll into military services from any qualifying person during war time. In 1919, Schneck, an american citizen, spoke out against this war-time decision but was arrested for handing out circulars that encouraged draftees to oppose the draft, which violated the Espionage Act by attempting to cause insubordination in the military and to obstruct recruitment . Schneck insisted that an arrest like this violated his First Amendment Right to freedom of Speech and Press. Ultimately, this case was brought all the way up to the Supreme Court, stating that during a time of war individual freedoms or rights can be limited or shrunken to protect national security. This case formed the phrase clear and present danger. Supreme Court ruled that Schneck proposed a clear and present danger to american society. This is why we cant yell fire! in a movie theater or in any crowded public facility. The United States Supreme Court has a massive influence on forming american society. The decisions made by the Spreme Court played a major role on the Civil Rights of African Americans, First Amendment Rights of individuals and all other forms of american society.

Advertising Industry Should Market America to the Islamic World :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

The American Advertising Industry Should Market America to the Islamic World The real power in the world today is not in the western technology, economy or military. Rather it is in images and their use in a system of communication called symbolism. In effect, the real power of the world today is in the symbolism of western culture. It is this power which threatens the religion of Islam. The power of the western world to create and communicate this symbolism to other parts of the world, and particularly the middle eastern world of the Islamic religion, is at the root of the problem the Judeo-Christian west faces with the Islamic middle east. If one accepts the hypothesis that symbolism might be at the root of the problem, it seems important to understand 1) the basic messages of this symbolism and 2) whether these messages might be manipulated or â€Å"recruitedâ€Å" as â€Å"warriorsâ€Å" in the coming battle. Certainly the western world has been adept at directing its symbols mainly inward towards western culture in the form of propaganda and the persuasion of our advertising into a consumer culture. American consumer culture was created by the application and manipulation of these symbols. Emerging questions of today are 1) whether Americans can come to see coming events of the world in a symbolic context and 2) whether this knowledge of symbolic context will help them direct their symbol making powers outward rather than inward. Right now, America's symbol making powers are directed inward at persuasion and propaganda of the populace. Anyone who doubts this simply needs to push the button to CNN for about an hour. But, might it be directed outward towards propaganda of the western civilization into the Islamic culture? We might say that it is not right to use propaganda to achieve goals. Yet, there is a vast amount of evidence that America's enemies use many forms of propaganda against America. If our enemies can use propaganda against America, why shouldn't America enlist its greatest propaganda machines in Hollywood and Madison Avenue in the great coming battle? Of course we do this on a simple Coke or McDonalds type of global expansion philosophy for American brands and the unrelenting promotion of that rather ambiguous beehive archetype symbol of ideas and emotions called â€Å"globalism.â€Å" But here I mean more of a â€Å"kick assâ€Å" Marine philosophy of putting Madison Avenue and Hollywood into the coming war that CNN constantly advertises to us in a ubiquitous logo.

The Raven Tpcastt

â€Å"The Raven† TPCASTT Title This poem could be about a multitude of things with the title Poe chose, but one thing that is clear is that it is about a Raven. Judging from Poe's other works, it is likely about some kind of a rabid/demonic raven. Also, it is very likely that this Raven will torture someone in some unimaginable way that will destroy the person more so psychologically than physically. Paraphrase I was laying in my bedroom pondering life when I heard a knocking at my door. Maybe it is my dead wife Lenore.No, that can't be it. It must just be someone coming by to visit me. I called down the hall apologizing for taking so long to answer the door, but no one was there. This really freaked me out, so I called for Lenore, but again, there was no answer. I heard the knocking again, maybe it's my window. I will check so I can confirm it's darkness and not anything more than that. When I opened up my window a raven came flying in and landed above my door. I decided to a sk the raven his name, and his only response was â€Å"nevermore. I was really freaked out and amazed that there was a bird with the odd name of â€Å"nevermore. † The bird will for sure leave tomorrow, as everything else does. But the bird responded with â€Å"nevermore. † He must have just learned this word from a bitter owner or someone passing by. There is no way it can be speaking to me. So, I just sat back down in my bed to ponder this. Wow, he actually must be a gift from god. I have to ask him if I will ever forget Lenore. He responded with â€Å"nevermore. † If anything will the pain of Lenore's death ever fade?But, the raven said â€Å"nevermore. † Will I ever be able to see my Lenore again, whether in this life or the afterlife? But, the raven said â€Å"nevermore. † Get out of my house Raven! Get out of my house and get your beak out of my heart. But, the raven said â€Å"nevermore. † The raven won't leave and my soul will never be lifted and I'll never be happy. Connotation This poem uses many poetic devices. The first, and possibly most important, is point of view. Poe uses first person because during the time period this was extremely scary material.And putting the readers directly into the narrator's shoes did nothing but increase the fear factor. Also, unlike much literature of that time, Poe uses a lot of imagery to pull readers into story. Phrases such as â€Å"tapping on my chamber door† and describing the echo of his voice give you a sense of auditory imagery. He deeply describes the looks of everything in the house from the bird's crest to the shadows being cast on the floor. Lastly, he takes advantage of the tactile sense by describing the bird's beak digging into his heart. Attitude Poe had a very depressing attitude toward this whole poem.He wrote it while his wife was dying of tuberculosis, a disease that had plagued him his entire life. Also, during this time he was very poor and wasn 't having any success making it as a poet. He used this poem as a way to describe how the â€Å"demons† in the world felt toward him. He used sad and depressing language throughout the poem to really convey to the reader what he was feeling at the time. Also, he uses a techhnique where the poem starts off making the reader think it is going to be a happy poem where he is reunited with his dead wife and they all live happily ever after.But instead, he is disappointed by a bird that is constantly telling him he will never be able to achieve true happiness. Shifts In the poem there are some, but not many shifts. The primary shifts come at the beginning but then the poem almost stables out and stays fairly level. The poem starts off on a sense of boredom with him drifting off in his chair. Then there is a sense of excitement when there is a knocking at the door. Then it is hope and happiness that it could be Lenore. But then it goes back to boredom and almost curiosity when there is nothing but darkness at the door.He goes back to answer the window when he hears the knocking again which causes fear and excitement. When the bird flies in he is mostly scared and curious as to why the bird is there. There is next a sense of hope that this bird will be able to help him connect to his Lenore. From here on out it is almost nothing but anger at the bird as it refuses to say anything other than â€Å"nevermore,† and tells the narrator he is never going to be happy. Title After reading the poem my prediction was very close to correct.I did know that the bird would be torturing him. I didn't think that it would be in any way like he did, but that part was correct. Also, the bird was supernatural. Other than that, the entire story line was very different than what I had initially expected. Theme The theme of this poem is that one's own head can often be the cause of his misery or grief. The man continues to ask the bird questions when he knows exactly what the bird will say. It's almost as though he had wanted to be upset and was intentionally doing this to himself.

Aristophanes Account of Love in Plato’s Symposium Essay

Plato’s Symposium contains several intriguing accounts of the nature of love. Describe in detail either the account of love offered by Aristophanes or Socrates/Diotima. What arguments could be given for thinking that this is the correct conception of love? DO you find this account compelling? Be sure to explain you reasons for taking the position that you do. The Symposium, written by Plato, is an account of the different speeches given during a dinner party. Each speech given is by a different person and each speech is the speaker’s own theory on love. An intriguing speech given is the one by Aristophanes, the comedian. In Aristophanes’ speech he starts out by saying that he has a thought of plan for how humans might have come to be the way they are now. His speech is based completely on a madeup idea that he came up with. He describes the natural form of humans as two technically connected humans that together form a perfect sphere. The humans in this form had three genders. The genders were either made up of male-male, male-female, or female-female. The male-male gender was superior, as coinciding with this time, and was the offspring of the sun; the sun often referred to as a god. The androgynous gender, or male-female, was the offspring of the moon. The moon shares both the sun and the earth. The female-female then were offspring of the earth. The earth was not highly thought of, just being where humans lived and so quite used and abused [190b]. These humans all made an attempt to attack the gods which then caused the gods to take retaliatory action back. The gods decided that the human race could not be wiped out completely because that would eliminate the worship and sacrifices the gods receive. Zeus, instead, decided to cut the beings in two [190d]. â€Å"Now, since their natural form had been cut in two each one longed for its own other half† [191b]. This is where Aristophanes’ theory on love comes to. He believed each person has another half, or soul mate, they are in search of. â€Å"Love is born into every human being; [191d] it calls back the halves of our original nature together. Aristophanes suggests that one is in constant search of their other half that matches, then once found the desire they had felt because of having been separated is now healed. â€Å"The two are struck from their senses†¦don’t want to be separated from one another, not even for a moment† [192c]. In one way I find Aristophanes’ argument correct. People do seem to be in constant search for whom they want, or som etimes feel they are meant to be with. It is very interesting, however, that Aristophanes relates one’s longing and desire as a form of punishment. In the tory the longing and desire came as a punishment from the gods; the only cure for this was when the two halves were reunited. Aristophanes makes it clear two halves are meant to be together but he also contradicts his own statement, â€Å"whenever one of the halves died and one was left, the one that was left still sought another and wove itself together with that†[191b-191c]. If two halves have a certain match that they are always in constant search of, and are meant to be with, wouldn’t it only make sense that there would then not be another being that one could simply find and then weave itself with. As I previously stated, I agree with Aristophanes in one way. I think that the idea of two people being meant to be together is plausible. People are always in constant search for a soul mate. Not necessarily the â€Å"one† per say, but a person they can spend the rest of their life with. There are billions of people in the world are I think it is very possible to have multiple compatible people who can fall in love. Thus, I agree more with Aristophanes own contradiction of himself; there are multiple people who match up together and get woven together in the right way.

Sociology defamiliarizes the taken for- granted nature of the everyday Essay Example

Sociology defamiliarizes the taken for Sociology defamiliarizes the taken for- granted nature of the everyday Paper Sociology defamiliarizes the taken for- granted nature of the everyday Paper Essay Topic: Sociology As an area of sociological study the everyday only emerged relatively recently. It might seem too mundane, too ordinary a field to study, but as Lefebvre commented, the everyday life is the base of everything (Lefebvre Book 1, page 317). The home is often viewed as a central location for the everyday to take place but increasingly other locations such as the street and the pub are viewed as areas of sociological interest. As with many concepts, the home, street, pub and the everyday life are especially with regards to repetition routine and habits contested. The daily routines of the everyday may hinder us to be critical thinkers or they could be essential for us to feel secure in this fast changing world. The everyday world around us is perceived as natural and normal. A great number of aspects go unquestioned, many things are taken for granted. Sociologicalers one way to explore these aspects. The task sociologists face is the defamilarization of the everyday, keeping a professional distance from the world around them. Most techniques used in early sociological study of macrosociological processes ignored fundamental questions such as the taken- for- grantedness of everyday situations and many areas went unexplored and unquestioned. When attempting to tackle such investigations, the researchers faced the problem that they were studying their own society and therefore shared the same basic attitudes and behaviours of the people they were studying. The fact that the researcher may not come from the same class may aid defamilarization, but by no means could effectively fully support researchers in their investigations. Especially those involved in mass observation as described by Watson (2002) A researcher from another culture would possibly see the researched society in different way but difficulties could arise for example through language and communication. American sociologist Harold Garfinkle (1967) (Chapter 3 page 99) came up with what he saw as a solution to this problem by introducing experiments to reveal the taken for granted ways of living. Garfinkles experiments were designed to change the notions of these taken for granted ways. Hamilton, 2002) Although mostly done in the mind, some of these experiments were actually carried out. An example of Garfinkles breaching experiments is to choose a street where there are many people. Take off a shoe and hold it visibly in your hand and then prominently walk down the street noting the other peoples adverse reaction, which could be anything from ridicule to hostility. This experiment reveals the taken for granted and socially acceptable behaviour of the street and the connected codes of conduct and behaviour. Garfinkel, 1967). (Chapter 2 page 99) Garfinkel believed that through the reactions of the people around the researchers it is possible firstly to see and secondly to understand the taken- for- grantedness of everyday life. With breaching experiments, Garfinkel introduced a tool to reveal the routines and habits at the microsociological level and many unwritten rules of society become apparent. However, his technique, also known as ethnomethodology, is largely dependent on the researchers. Only the areas they consider as worthy of investigation and potentially revealing such as taken for granted routines or habits will be explored, which makes them prone to overlook many areas in society. Only areas covered by the experiments such as the imaginary walking down the street with the shoes in your hand are revealed by the experiment. Another breaching example Garfinkel used was where students were asked to behave like boarders in their own family homes not only shows how taken for granted appropriate behaviour is, but also how these unwritten rules are nconsciously connected to certain roles. This process of taking up and playing roles is described by Goffman (Hamilton, 2002). Ethnomethodology is a sociological tool that allows the researcher to reveal the taken- for- grantedness in everyday life. It is value free and concerned with the details of human interaction. However, the researchers still have to interpret what they see, and they do this with their own ideas, their own preconceptions, no matter how hard they try to defamilarize with the world around them. The pub is another area of sociological interest it is a site that is set in a social and historical context traditionally dominated by men. In the late1930s to the 1950s Charles Madge and Tom Harris carried out a mass observation study to observe and record the beliefs and thoughts of ordinary working class people. The negative side of this research was that it focused only on men and did not take into account womens opinions. (Chapter 2, page 194) On the other hand Ann Whitehead (1976) analyses patterns of gender in her ethnographic study of everyday life in a Hertfordshire village. Whiteheads used both participation and observation in her study and showed that all areas of social life are entwined with what transpires in the pub and the pub plays a key role in reinforcing mens position of domination and power in relation to women. (Whitehead 1970) and in the process stereotyping patriarchal power relations. The ideas linked with the pub have changed over time. In pre- industrial times the pub was a community-based centre of life that catered mainly male visitors who went there not only to drink and eat but also to find lodgings or work. (Chapter 2, page 190) Industrialization brought about changes and specialization on all levels. The pubs role was not only a place of male retreat but also a site of consumption and social activity. Inside the pub this specialization is visible in the separation of rooms now allocated a special purpose such as games room, snug, restaurant and public bar. Also, and maybe more profoundly, the entrenchment of gendered roles began to change with the introduction of family pubs and restaurants, eroding the parochial aspect of the pub. The view of the pub, however, is not uncontested but what remains is a sense of belonging, a home from home, and a community. Never -the- less the Pub has historically been linked with routine, repetition and habit. Lefebvre focuses on the negative aspects of these routines he argues that everyday life as such is dull, repetitive and unexciting, (Book 1, page. 24). There are, however, more positive aspects to the habitual and repetitive life. Felski argues that the routines of the everyday are vital structures in an otherwise chaotic life. Furthermore, the routines of everyday life the very base of our identities, it is the things we do day after day which shape how people see themselves. (Felski Book 1, page 352) This is a valid opinion since there appears to be more positive aspects to the repetitive everyday life, as Silverstone shows. It is particularly the routines and habits of the everyday that help us to make the harsh world manageable. Through these repetitive actions the world becomes more familiar and predictable, which greatly increases our sense of ontological security (Silverstone Book 1, page 355). The pub becomes a haven where people can retreat. This need for a place of retreat becomes a site of everyday practices and symbols through which people attempt to manage themselves as well as the surrounding world. The street and the pub can be viewed as social constructs invested with a range of meanings that may differ according to the culture, place and time in which they are made, they are open to debate and in the case of the street as much a state of mind as a physical locale. The imagery of the street has a long history can be explored in its representations in literature art and film this helps the distinction between physical location and state of mind. (Chapter 1 page 98). Everyday is personal to the individual and their community and is therefore different in differing circumstances and cultures.

Definition and Examples of Understatement

Definition and Examples of Understatement Definition Understatement is a  figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is. Contrast with hyperbole. Jeanne Fahnestock points out that understatement (particularly in the form known as litotes) is often used for self-deprecation on the rhetors part, as when the heavily decorated war hero says I have a few medals, or someone who has just won on American Idol observes I did OK (Rhetorical Style, 2011). See Examples and Observations below. Also, see: EmphasisEuphemismIronyLitotesMeiosisTop 20 Figures of Speech Examples A soiled baby, with a neglected nose, cannot be conscientiously regarded as a thing of beauty. (Mark Twain)I have to have this operation. It isnt very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain.(Holden Caulfield in The Catcher In The Rye, by J. D. Salinger)Last week I saw a woman flayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered her person for the worse.  (Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub, 1704)The graves a fine and private place, But none, I think, do there embrace. (Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress)I am just going outside and may be some time. (Captain Lawrence Oates, Antarctic explorer, before walking out into a blizzard to face certain death, 1912)Vance: My, we are certainly in a good mood this morning.Pee-wee: That, my dear Vance, is the understatement of the year. Everything seems completely different to me today. The air smells so fresh. The sky seems a brand-new shade of blue. I dont think Ive ever noticed the beauty of this leaf. And Vance, have you always been so handsome?  (Wayne White and Paul Reubens in Big Top Pee-wee, 1988) This [double helix] structure has novel features which are of considerable biological interest.(Opening sentence of the Nature article announcing Crick and Watsons discovery of the structure of DNA)Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. (Anton Ego in Ratatouille, 2007)The new EU member states of Poland and Lithuania have been arguing this week for the summit to be called off, and criticizing the German preparations. For historical reasons, the east Europeans are highly sensitive to any sign of Germany cutting deals with Russia over their heads. (The Guardian, May 17, 2007)Well, thats cast rather a gloom over the evening, hasnt it?(Dinner guest, after a visit from the Grim Reaper, in Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life)The adjective cross as a description of his Jove-like wrath that consumed his whole being jarred upon Derek profoundly. It was as though Prometheus, with the vultures tearing his liver, had been asked if he were piqued. (P. G. Wodehouse, Jill the Reckless, 1922) British Understatement The British are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist bombings and threats to destroy nightclubs and airports, and therefore have raised their security level from Miffed to Peeved. Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to Irritated or even A Bit Cross. Brits have not been A Bit Cross since the Blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out.(anonymous post on the Internet, July 2007)Understatement is still in the air. It is not just a specialty of the English sense of humour; it is a way of life. When gales uproot trees and sweep away roofs of houses, you should remark that it is a bit blowy. I have just been listening to a man who got lost in a forest abroad for a week and was scrutinised by hungry wolves, smacking their lips. Was he terrified? - asked the television interviewer, obviously a man of Italian origin. The man replied that on the seventh day when there were no rescuers in sight and the sixth hungry wolf joined the pack, he got a bit worried. Y esterday, a man in charge of a home where 600 old people lived, which was found to be a fire risk where all the inhabitants might burn to death, admitted: I may have a problem. (George Mikes, How to Be a Brit. Penguin, 1986) Observations Understatement is a form of irony: the ironical contrast inheres in the discrepancy between what one would be expected to say and his actual refusal to say it.(Cleanth Brooks, Fundamentals of Good Writing: A Handbook of Modern Rhetoric. Harcourt, 1950)The use of understatement is something that satirists have a mastery of, but as a rhetorical device, we can use it to try to persuade someone by rewording a sentence in less offensive terms. For example, suppose we believe a persons idea to be in error and wish to point this out:I think there may be some additional factors that you may not have accounted for.Your analysis is far too simplistic. No one will take such an idiotic theory seriously. There are many other alternatives we could use, but consider that if we want to convince the person that they are mistaken then we need to pitch our objections accordingly. Perhaps the idea really is idiotic ... but is saying as much likely to incline them to change their opinion? For the second suggestion, it may depend on who we are talking to: a friend, say, may welcome the criticism but a stranger may not appreciate his or her thought being called simplistic, even if it is. Some people might still take offense at the first version, but the determining influences include what we want to achieve and whom we are talking to or writing for. How likely is a person to listen to our critique if they suspect we are talking down to them or dismissing them? (Heinz Duthel, History and Philosophy of Science. Lulu, 2008) Pronunciation: UN-der-STATE-ment Also Known As: litotes, diminutio

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You pick - Essay Example Notably, at the end of the leasing period the person who pursues the leasing option will have to begin a new lease or buy cycle. On the other hand, a person who buys a new car will own the vehicle after completing paying all the dues. In the long-run, a person who leases the car pays more than the one who pursues the purchasing option. The loan and lease terms differ markedly. Buying a vehicle implies that the buyers will have the responsibility of paying the entire cost of the vehicle without considering the number of miles covered. Typically, the lender determines the total cost of the vehicle that includes sales tax, down payment, and interest rate. A loan needs an individual to invest a down payment in the vehicle. The borrower will have to decide the amount of savings to cater for the down payments. The more the loanees put down, the less they will require borrowing from the bank (Reed). The loan then funds the remaining amount. The borrower will have to pledge other assets for collateral. In addition, the loanee will have to bear all the risks including the vehicle devaluation especially with increasing pace of technological advancements. Fundamentally, loan size, loan term, amount of down payment, and interest rate determine the monthly payment on the auto loan. The terms of renting differ from that of the loan. Leasing implies that the individual pays a portion of the cost of the vehicle. The portion paid is the part the individual uses during the driving period. The charges of sales tax reflect in the monthly charges (Avdul and Steve 73). In addition, a person can opt to pay a down payment under leasing. Hence, the payment of down payment is not a mandatory in the leasing option. Money factor that is similar to the rate on the loan is paid. The lease vehicle is only the requirement for securing a leasing transaction. In addition, the lessors bear the risk of obsolescence because an obligation to own the vehicle does not