The Tragic Tragedy Of William Shakespeare s King Lear

Tear stained eyes, puffy noses, and pensive faces are just a few of the physical signs of truly reaching an audience following a tragic drama. A purging of emotion that inspires fear and pity is what the ancient Greeks called, catharsis. William Shakespeare was a master of catharsis, as was evident in many of his tragedies. Many of these tragedies ended with the majority of characters, including the main protagonist meeting their death. The unfortunate heroes of these dramas helped the audience feel catharsis through what is known as their hamartia. Hamartia is another Greek drama term that means a character trait that is â€Å"missing the mark†. This archery-turned-drama phrase does not necessarily mean that the trait was always bad; it could have been a trait that initially made the person wonderful. The important part of hamartia is that the trait leads to the character’s undoing. The title characters in King Lear and Macbeth are two individuals that while they share the same hamartia of hubris, the resulting catharsis is different due to their ending circumstances. The superior view of ‘self’ in appearances extends to both characters and leads them to becoming a different person. King Lear’s pride in appearance manifests when he suggests a game between his daughters to compete for sections of his already divided kingdom. King Lear asks his daughters to publicly declare their love for him, their father. When Cordelia, the youngest and the apple of his eye, refuses toShow MoreRelatedIs King Lear A Tragic Hero Essay1358 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in grim circumstances. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero [1] , one who possesses a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title character, King Lear. The plot is driven by the power and consequence of losses, more specifically, the losses of Lear. In the course the play, King Lear, because of his flaws, loses his authorityRead MoreUnchecked Power in Shakespeares Macbeth and King Lear1458 Words   |  6 Pagesplays by William Shakespeare, the central character goes through internal and external changes that ultimately shake their foundations to the core. Numerous theories have been put forth to explain the sequence of tragedies Shakespeare wrote during this period by linking it to some experience of melancholy, anger, despair, and the antagonist s ultimate fall from grace in their lust for power. But such theories overlook the fact that it is in this very same period and in the same tragic works thatRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s King Lear, Hamlet, Othello And Macbeth1206 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish 3.7: Achievement Standard 91478 Introduction Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor. Through analysing four tragedy texts by Shakespeare, I have noticed he uses the fall of the main character as the primary focus in his tragedies as this creates good suspense and climax as an added attraction for the audience. A Shakespearean tragedy, is a five-act play and they usually revolve around a similar idea of conflict. This is the Internal and external Conflict within the characterRead More Tragic Figures in King Lear by William Shakespeare Essay1332 Words   |  6 PagesTragic Figures - Good/Evil in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   King Lear, by William Shakespeare, is a tragic tale of filial conflict, personal transformation, and loss.   The story revolves around the King who foolishly alienates his only truly devoted daughter and realizes too late the true nature of his other two daughters.  Ã‚   A major subplot involves the illegitimate son of Gloucester, Edmund, who plans to discredit his brother Edgar and betray their father.   With these and other major characters in theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet, King Lear, And A Midsummer s Night Dream1037 Words   |  5 Pagesof Avon, commonly known as William Shakespeare is one of the best known playwrights in the (Video). A few of his most famous plays include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and A Midsummer’s Night Dream (McArthur). Although he was popular during his time, Shakespeare’s influence continued to grow after his death and today he well known around the world. He added 2,000 words to the English dictionary and he is the 2nd most quoted after the Bible (Video). Shakespeare is one of the most influentialRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1310 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in uninviting circumstances. Tragedy is depicted by the downfall of a noble hero, usually through a combination of arrogance and fate. The tragic hero s wish to achieve a goal encounters limits, those of human inability, the gods, or nature. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero, one who possesses a calamitous flaw that establishes the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic heroRead MoreEssay about William Shakespeares Relevance Today2257 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Relevance Today For as long as formal education has existed in Britain it has been a largely standard assumption that teaching the works of William Shakespeare is relevant and necessary. Perhaps the relevance of his writing is taken for granted, perhaps it is necessary to re-examine the role of Shakespeare for the modern audience. There are indeed many people who question the relevance of this 440 year old playwright to a 21st century audienceRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear3086 Words   |  13 PagesJerion Young Ms. Woods English IV 4 March 2015 King Lear William Shakespeare uses several literary elements in his writing, elements which are especially apparent in his play, King Lear. Shakespeare uses excellent creativity and description when writing this tragedy. â€Å"Neither has Shakespeare placed in the mouth of any other character in this play such fatalistic expressions as may be found in King Lear and occasionally elsewhere†(A.C. 2003). The way King Lear talks in this play is very evil compared toRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear1550 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION: By facilitating the growth of evil within William Shakespeare’s King Lear, it is evident that the tragedy’s protagonist, King Lear can be held accountable for his own victimization and ultimate downfall. The most notable aspects of this self-induced victimization include Lear’s own lack of practical wisdom and divergence from the natural order, combined with the neglect of kingship, that enables Lear as a tragic hero to create the conceptual framework in which the ulterior motives ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s English Literature Essay1667 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare has been best known for his poems, plays and masterful piece of writings in the English language. He has been referred to as the England s national poet and the Bard of Avon. He produced over thirty eight plays, hundred fifty four sonnets, five poems, and more verses. Shakespeare s plays consist of mainly tragedies, comedies and histories which are regarded as one of the best in those genres. The plays, the poems, and the sonnets have had a significance influence in English

The Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace

Introduction Literature Review Methodology Findings and Results Limitations Conclusion References Introduction When we think of violence, we often reflect on an image the news has portrayed. We think of gun violence, robberies, or some other brutal attack that has left one dead or seriously injured. It is common to assume that this is often occurs in low income, poverty stricken areas. A description is provided of substance abusers, broken families, racism, and a host of other reasons why violence occurs. Sometimes, in the majority of cases, this description is correct. At any time, workplace violence can occur. It can injure one person or various people, emotionally, physically, and mental. Workplace violence occurs anytime that violence is threatened against someone at work or there is a present threat of violence. It is often committed against supervisors, managers, and fellow employees by former or current employees. Workplace violence happens more often than it should. Such as was the case when the apartment manager was stabbed in Everett in July 2010. In the United States, there has been 20,000 assaults and 792 homicides that has occurred at workplaces, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). One of the very first publicized episode of workplace violence occurred in August of 1986. Patrick Sherrill, a disgruntled post office employee who was on the verge of being let go, committed suicide after shooting 14Show MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1676 Word s   |  7 PagesWorkplace violence (WPV) is defined as â€Å"any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site† (OSHA, n.d., para. 1). For the nursing profession these threats include the following sources: nurse to nurse, patient to nurse, relatives to nurse, other health professionals to nurse. WPV happens in all healthcare settings, however some units are known to have higher incidences than others. One healthcare setting that isRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1501 Words   |  7 Pagesin the rate of workplace violence in private-sector hospitals by 110% (2016). Workplace violence, which consists of physical and psychological abuse during work or on duty, has been an increasing problem in the healthcare industry. Workplace violence occurs in all types of healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes and includes violence from patients, visitors, inv aders, and coworkers. Although many states, including California, have laws preventing workplace violence, there is no federalRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1235 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Violence in the workplace has been around for centuries. Everything from verbal abuse and harassments to physical abuse and murders have been known to happen in a business. During the 1980’s several violent attacks happened in the Postal Service, public awareness of workplace violence began in August of 1986 when a postal employee shot and killed fourteen people before killing himself. Prior to these killings, violence in the workplace was only referred to as getting injured on theRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1799 Words   |  8 PagesViolence in the workplace can happen to anyone at anytime, anywhere that is possible. Everyone is not safe from workplace violence, which is why we need to identify and prevent this from happening. Violence can cause a significant amount of fatalities and injuries throughout the entire United Sates. Nearly 2 million Americans are affected by assaults and violent acts by people in the workplace. Workplace Violenc e could also damage someone’s trust and the sense of security while working with othersRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1191 Words   |  5 Pages Workplace Violence Abstract In the last several years, instances of violence in the workplace has risen dramatically. As of 2010, approximately a million people has been affected by this type of violence. Although violence in the workplace is not anything new, it is steadily receiving attention because of the rise in the instances of violence and the part that the media is playing in the reporting of these occurrences. Throughout my paper I will discuss certain instances of violenceRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1154 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction Workplace violence is defined in the OHSA as the exercise or attempted exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker, or a statement or behavior that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against the worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker(ecentennial reading). ). It can happen at or outside the working environmentRead MoreWorkplace Violence And Its Effects On The Workplace834 Words   |  4 Pagesspecialists, medical attendants and assistants who manage psychiatric patients; individuals from crisis restorative reaction groups; and doctor s facility workers working in confirmations, crisis rooms, and emergency or intense consideration unit. This is violence committed by an aggressor who either gets administrations from or is under the custodial supervision of the influenced work environment or the casualty. The aggressors can be present or previous clients or customers, for example, travelers, patientsRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace947 Words   |  4 Pages According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health workplace violence is described as any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse that takes place in the workplace. Violence includes all behaviors ranging in aggressiveness from verbal harassment to murder. Currently there is no law that requires protection for violence which occurs in the workplace. However some states throughout the country has reached out to legislation an established prevention programsRead MoreThe Effects Of Lateral Violence On The Workplace1159 Words   |  5 Pageswithin many professions in today’s society. Often refer red to as lateral violence, this occurrence is no exception in the nursing profession. It is also known as ‘horizontal violence’ or ‘workplace bullying (Coursey, Rodriguez, Dieckmann, Austin, 2013). In this evidenced-based paper, information will be provided in an effort to identify causes of lateral violence in the workplace and how to encourage civility. Lateral violence is defined as acts that occur between colleagues wherein, bullying isRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On Nursing1329 Words   |  6 Pages Effects and Management of Workplace Violence in Nursing Gurdeep Kaur, Virender Kaur, and Ana Tolentino Jimenez California State University, Bakersfield Effects and Management of Workplace Violence in Nursing Workplace violence occurs due to an interpersonal conflict between two or more people that results from differences in their needs, ideas, goals, interests, or values (Marquis and Huston, 2015). Workplace violence is not limited to physical violence; it also includes negative The Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health workplace violence is described as any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse that takes place in the workplace. Violence includes all behaviors ranging in aggressiveness from verbal harassment to murder. Currently there is no law that requires protection for violence which occurs in the workplace. However some states throughout the country has reached out to legislation an established prevention programs. As of today, in 30 states (Florida not being one of them) if found guilty of workplace violence, employees and patients can be charged with a felony and face increased penalties. Workplace violence is a highly serious occupational risk, both domestically and globally. Violence in the workplace accounts for nearly nine hundred deaths and almost two million nonlife threatening assaults each year. The numbers are expected to be higher. But over the years facilities and nurses have failed to report o ccupational assaults. Many nurses believe violence is a part of the job. However, violence isn’t part of a nurses the job description. Workplace violence doesn’t always have to be physical. It varies from offensive behavior, verbal, emotional, physical and unfortunately murder. Evidence shows, healthcare and social workers are three times more likely to experience violence than any other professionals. Many nurses may practice in a more vulnerable setting, such as the emergency room,Show MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1676 Words   |  7 PagesWorkplace violence (WPV) is defined as â€Å"any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site† (OSHA, n.d., para. 1). For the nursing profession these threats include the following sources: nurse to nurse, patient to nurse, relatives to nurse, other health professionals to nurse. WPV happens in all healthc are settings, however some units are known to have higher incidences than others. One healthcare setting that isRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1501 Words   |  7 Pagesin the rate of workplace violence in private-sector hospitals by 110% (2016). Workplace violence, which consists of physical and psychological abuse during work or on duty, has been an increasing problem in the healthcare industry. Workplace violence occurs in all types of healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes and includes violence from patients, visitors, invaders, and coworkers. Although many states, including California, have laws preventing workplace violence, there is no federalRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1751 Words   |  8 Pageswe think of violence, we often reflect on an image the news has portrayed. We think of gun violence, robberies, or some other brutal attack that has left one dead or seriously injured. It is common to assume that this is often occurs in low income, poverty stricken areas. A description is provided of substance abusers, broken families, racism, and a host of other reasons why violence occurs. Sometimes, in the majority of cases, this description is correct. At any time, workplace violence can occurRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1235 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Violence in the workplace has been around for centuries. Everything from verbal abuse and harassments to physical abuse and murders have been known to happen in a business. During the 1980’s several violent attacks happened in the Postal Service, public awareness of workplace violence began in August of 1986 when a postal employee shot and killed fourteen people before killing himself. Prior to these killings, violence in the workplace was only referred to as getting injured on theRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1799 Words   |  8 PagesViolence in the workplace can happen to anyone at anytime, anywhere that is possible. Everyone is not safe from workplace violence, which is why we need to identify and prevent this from happening. Violence can cause a significant amount of fatalities and injuries throughout the entire United Sates. Nearly 2 million Americans are affected by assaults and violent acts by people in the workplace. Workplace Violenc e could also damage someone’s trust and the sense of security while working with othersRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1191 Words   |  5 Pages Workplace Violence Abstract In the last several years, instances of violence in the workplace has risen dramatically. As of 2010, approximately a million people has been affected by this type of violence. Although violence in the workplace is not anything new, it is steadily receiving attention because of the rise in the instances of violence and the part that the media is playing in the reporting of these occurrences. Throughout my paper I will discuss certain instances of violenceRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1154 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction Workplace violence is defined in the OHSA as the exercise or attempted exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker, or a statement or behavior that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against the worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker(ecentennial reading). ). It can happen at or outside the working environmentRead MoreWorkplace Violence And Its Effects On The Workplace834 Words   |  4 Pagesspecialists, medical attendants and assistants who manage psychiatric patients; individuals from crisis restorative reaction groups; and doctor s facility workers working in confirmations, crisis rooms, and emergency or intense consideration unit. This is violence committed by an aggressor who either gets administrations from or is under the custodial supervision of the influenced work environment or the casualty. The aggressors can be present or previous clients or customers, for example, travelers, patientsRead MoreThe Effects Of Lateral Violence On The Workplace1159 Words   |  5 Pageswithin many professions in today’s society. Often referred to as lateral violence, this occurrence is no exception in the nursing profession. It is also known as ‘horizontal violence’ or ‘workplace bullying (Coursey, Rodriguez, Dieckmann, Austin, 2013). In this evidenced-based paper, information will be provided in an effort to identify causes of lateral violence in the workplace and how to encourage civility. Lateral violence is defined as acts that occur between colleagues wherein, bullying isRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On Nursing1329 Words   |  6 Pages Effects and Management of Workplace Violence in Nursing Gurdeep Kaur, Virender Kaur, and Ana Tolentino Jimenez California State University, Bakersfield Effects and Management of Workplace Violence in Nursing Workplace violence occurs due to an interpersonal conflict between two or more people that results from differences in their needs, ideas, goals, interests, or values (Marquis and Huston, 2015). Workplace violence is not limited to physical violence; it also includes negative The Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace Violence in the workplace can happen to anyone at anytime, anywhere that is possible. Everyone is not safe from workplace violence, which is why we need to identify and prevent this from happening. Violence can cause a significant amount of fatalities and injuries throughout the entire United Sates. Nearly 2 million Americans are affected by assaults and violent acts by people in the workplace. Workplace Violence could also damage someone’s trust and the sense of security while working with others in the workplace. The problem of workplace violence is that it is growing and the employers and employees a very much concerned about it. Workplace violence can happen at any time and anywhere to someone. It has increased so dramatically in the past decade that it is now being recognized as violent crime that needs a prepared response from the employers in the workplace. This also means that law enforcement officials and also the community need to be better prepared for when this hap pens to someone in the field. It is a really hard thing to recognize or identify if there is violence in the workplace because not everyone will come out and tell someone. People need to know that we need as a country to help and indentify and prevent from this happening in the workplace. Employers need to learn to notice these things a lot better and know a little more about it for their business. Violence in the workplace is a very serious thing when it comes to someone’s wellbeing. Violence inShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1676 Words   |  7 PagesWorkplace violence (WPV) is defined as â€Å"any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site† (OSHA, n.d., para. 1). For the nursing profession these threats include the following sources: nurse to nurse, patient to nurse, relatives to nurse, other health professionals to nurse. WPV happens in all he althcare settings, however some units are known to have higher incidences than others. One healthcare setting that isRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1501 Words   |  7 Pagesin the rate of workplace violence in private-sector hospitals by 110% (2016). Workplace violence, which consists of physical and psychological abuse during work or on duty, has been an increasing problem in the healthcare industry. Workplace violence occurs in all types of healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes and includes violence from patients, visitors, invaders, and coworkers. Although many states, including California, have laws preventing workplace violence, there is no federalRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1751 Words   |  8 Pageswe think of violence, we often reflect on an image the news has portrayed. We think of gun violence, robberies, or some other brutal attack that has left one dead or seriously injured. It is common to a ssume that this is often occurs in low income, poverty stricken areas. A description is provided of substance abusers, broken families, racism, and a host of other reasons why violence occurs. Sometimes, in the majority of cases, this description is correct. At any time, workplace violence can occurRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1235 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Violence in the workplace has been around for centuries. Everything from verbal abuse and harassments to physical abuse and murders have been known to happen in a business. During the 1980’s several violent attacks happened in the Postal Service, public awareness of workplace violence began in August of 1986 when a postal employee shot and killed fourteen people before killing himself. Prior to these killings, violence in the workplace was only referred to as getting injured on theRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1191 Words   |  5 Pages Workplace Violence Abstract In the last several years, instances of violence in the workplace has risen dramatically. As of 2010, approximately a million people has been affected by this type of violence. Although violence in the workplace is not anything new, it is steadily receiving attention because of the rise in the instances of violence and the part that the media is playing in the reporting of these occurrences. Throughout my paper I will discuss certain instances of violenceRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace1154 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction Workplace violence is defined in the OHSA as the exercise or attempted exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker, or a statement or behavior that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against the worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker(ecentennial reading). ). It can happen at or outside the working environmentRead MoreWorkplace Violence And Its Effects On The Workplace834 Words   |  4 Pagesspecialists, medical attendants and assistants who manage psychiatric patients; individuals from crisis restorative reaction groups; and doctor s facility workers working in confirmations, crisis rooms, and emergency or intense consideration unit. This is violence committed by an aggressor who either gets administrations from or is under the custodial supervision of the influenced work environment or the casualty. The aggressors can be present or previous clients or customers, for example, travelers, patientsRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On The Workplace947 Words   |  4 Pages According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health workplace violence is described as any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse that takes place in the workplace. Violence includes all behaviors ranging in aggressiveness from verbal harassment to murder. Currently there is no law that requires protection for violence which occurs in the workplace. However some states throughout the country has reached out to legislation an established prevention programsRead MoreThe Effects Of Lateral Violence On The Workplace1159 Words   |  5 Pageswithin many professions in today’s society. Often refer red to as lateral violence, this occurrence is no exception in the nursing profession. It is also known as ‘horizontal violence’ or ‘workplace bullying (Coursey, Rodriguez, Dieckmann, Austin, 2013). In this evidenced-based paper, information will be provided in an effort to identify causes of lateral violence in the workplace and how to encourage civility. Lateral violence is defined as acts that occur between colleagues wherein, bullying isRead MoreThe Effects Of Workplace Violence On Nursing1329 Words   |  6 Pages Effects and Management of Workplace Violence in Nursing Gurdeep Kaur, Virender Kaur, and Ana Tolentino Jimenez California State University, Bakersfield Effects and Management of Workplace Violence in Nursing Workplace violence occurs due to an interpersonal conflict between two or more people that results from differences in their needs, ideas, goals, interests, or values (Marquis and Huston, 2015). Workplace violence is not limited to physical violence; it also includes negative

Explain and evaluate claims made by linguistic relativists regarding the relationship between language, thought and culture free essay sample

The relationship between language, culture and thought has been a controversial discussion over decades. Many linguists and thinkers have argued that language lead to large differences in culture and thoughts. Some argue that language controls people’s view and thought of the world, where language embodies worldview, and some argue the otherwise. Language, culture and thought may always refer as together, but any one of them implies the other two. In this essay, I am going to focus on linguistic relativism and I will evaluate claims made by linguistic relativists. Linguistic relativism is a weaker interpretation of linguistic determinism. It is â€Å"a window through which to view the cognitive process, not as an absolute. It’s set forth to be used in looking at a phenomenon differently than one usually would. † (Badhesha, 2001) Linguistic categorize and usage influence thought and certain kinds of non-linguistic behavior. Linguistic relativity hypothesis has always been a controversial and serious topic. In late-eighteenth and early nineteenth century, Boas claimed that there’s no intrinsic relationship between culture and language. (Boas, 1911) Acquainted with Boas, Edward Sapir was impressed with Boas’ statement. Later, he proposed a theory which becomes the most famous attempt in demonstrating relationship between language, culture and thoughts, â€Å"Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis† (Whorfian Hypothesis). The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis can be broken into two simple concepts: Linguistic Determinism and Linguistic Relativism. Linguistic determinism holds a stronger view. It refers to â€Å"the concept that what is said has only some effect on how concepts are recognized by the mind†, â€Å"A strict view that what is said is directly responsible for what is seen by the mind. † (Badhesha, 2002) This stronger point is supported by Sapir. Sapir: â€Å"language and culture are not intrinsically associated† but â€Å"language and our thought-grooves are inextricably interwoven, [and] are, in a sense, one and the same† (1921: 228, 232) Sapir believes that language and culture are not explicitly related but language, culture and thoughts are interwoven that cannot be unwoven each other. Sapir also expressed his view that language affects how we perceive the world, â€Å"Even comparatively simple acts of perception are very much more at the mercy of the social patterns called words than we might suppose. †¦ We see and hear and otherwise experience very largely as we do because the language habits of our community predispose certain choices of interpretation. † (1929, p. 210) Sapir here explained that language determines our thoughts and culture, it affects our views of the world and culture is a product of language. Sapir’s student, Benjamin Lee Whorf supported and made his theory stronger. Whorf’s claims are both to the extreme, strongest but to the weaker and more cautious at the same time. The extreme perspective is linguistic determinism, where the weaker is linguistic relativism. In fact, linguistic relativism is widely spread through Whorf’s work. Whorf: â€Å"The background linguistic system of each language is not merely a reproducing instrument for voicing ideas but rather is itself the shaper of ideas. † (1940, â€Å"Science and Linguistics,† Technology Review 42: 229-31, 247-8) In this quote, Whorf proposed the stronger form where language determines thought, language shapes our ideas. â€Å"The world is presented in a kaleidoscopic flux of impressions which have to be organized largely by the linguistic systems in our minds. † (Whorf, 1940a:231) This is a weaker form where Whorf argue that the world is somehow under the influence of our linguistic systems. Both in stronger and weaker form, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis argue that our thoughts, ideas, behavior and culture are under the influence of language. This hypothesis is supported with evidence. Perception of colors is one of the obvious evidence that support language influences our thoughts. Different languages has their way to encode and categorize colors, in English, there are sixteen basic colors and common two color terms â€Å"dark† and â€Å"light†. However, Russian has different words to distinguish light blue (boluboy) and dark blue (siniy). When Russian and English speakers are put to a test to discriminate the two blue colors, Russian is found to be better at it. As Russian perceive the two blue colors as different colors unlike English speakers who categorize it as blue generally. In both English and Chinese, when giving directions verbally, we tend to use â€Å"left† and â€Å"right† instead of E/W/S/N, this is also true in many other languages. However, Kuuk Thaayorra (aboriginal language spoken in Queensland, Australia), they use E/W/S/N to represent â€Å"left† and â€Å"right†, e. g. when they refer to right hand, they may say east hand. Their perception of the world differs from us due to the use of direction terms. To them, the world needs to include precise orientations. This is an example of perception of space which display language affects our perceptions and thoughts. Grammatical feature is another proof of language affects our culture. Whorf asserts that â€Å"users of markedly different grammars are pointed by their grammar towards different types of observations†¦ and hence are not equivalent as observers but must arrive at somewhat different views of the world† (Whorf 1940b:61) Whorf suggested that speakers of different languages will think about the world differently. Hopi language (aboriginal language spoken in Arizona) is early evidence to Whorfian Hypothesis on language and thought. In Hopi language system, they don’t have tenses such as –ed, -ing, -s in SAE [1], they have different perspective of time from SAE speakers. Also, in Hopi, the concept of time cannot be counted and talked like a physical quantity. Language also affects and reflects our culture and values. In Hong Kong, we refer to relatives in different terms, not only â€Å"aunt/uncle†, â€Å"cousins† unlike English. For example, we have different terms for cousins that are older and younger than us, e. g. â€Å"biu-gor† (older male cousin), â€Å"biu-mui† (younger female cousin). It reflects the hierarchy and projects the importance of respecting senior in Chinese family. We can see that Chinese family, including families in Hong Kong divides and identifies its members. For Chinese people, they perceive seniors as people to respect. Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is the idea that the language that person speaks will affect their perception of the world and accordingly their behavior and culture. In stronger form, language determines the way we think and what we are capable to think of where as linguistic relativity; the weaker form indicates that our thoughts and culture are under the influence of language. Although there are more and more scientific and real life examples that support Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, anthropologists and linguists still argues weather the hypothesis is too strong or not today. Many argue that instead of language determining our thoughts and culture, they are in fact inter-related and none of them should be dominating the other two. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis has received criticism over the years, and it summed up to be three main criticisms, the idea of causality, the methods and translations. While Whorf and Sapir claimed that language affects our perception of the world and the formation of our cultures. Both of them didn’t include the evolution of language, what made up our language, the cultural values that may have been included while setting language system. It is possible that cultural values that might have developed language helped the way we perceive the world. Humboldt (late 18th century) also questioned Sapir-Whorf’s hypothesis, â€Å"The spiritual traits and the structure of the language of a people are so intimately blended that, given either of the two, one should be able to derive the other from it†¦ language is their spirit, and their spirit is their language; it is difficult to imagine any two things more identical. † He also questioned the causality of such hypothesis. Whether if language is the spirit of thoughts and culture or the otherwise. He claims that it is uncertain which one should be derives and to be the spirit of the others. Another obvious criticism is the methods Whorf’s methods. Some believed that Whorf deliberately translated Hopi language in a certain way to support his own hypothesis, to emphasis another thinking system. Linguists, Steven Pinker accused Whorf’s method with strong attitude, â€Å"No one is really sure how Whorf came up with his outlandish claims, but his limited, badly analyzed sample of Hopi speech and his long-term leanings towards mysticism must have helped. † (Pinker, 1994) He also overthrown Whorf’s claim of Hopi people has different perception of time as â€Å"anthropologist Malotki (1983) has found that the Hopi do have a concept of time very similar to ours. † (Neil Parr-Davies, 2001) Translation is another criticism of Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. Many critics raised the question, if our thoughts are really affected and determined by language, then presumably certain concepts would only be understandable to people that shared the same language. That suggested that if the hypothesis is entirely true, Whorf would have been failed to understand Hopi people’s concept, needless to say even to understand their first thought. Although criticisms are raised against Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, there are more evidence and claims that support it even in modern days. In fact, psycholinguistic have been studying far beyond perception of color and Hopi language currently, it has been studying and discovering more evidence in modern days such as emotion perception, memory etc. Modern famous researchers like Lera Boroditsky, John A. Lucy believe in Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, that language indeed influences thoughts, however in relatively narrow ways. I agree the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to a large extent. I believe language does influence our thoughts and perceptions of the world. Recently, I have been studying different accents in the world and discovered that it is evidence supporting the linguistic relativists. For example, if someone speaks English in BBC accents or Queen’s English, we would immediately refer them coming from higher social status in Britain. Indeed, our perception can be easily affected by the trivial elements in language as accents. Even nowadays, there are more and more evidence that prove linguistic relativists; we cannot deny the fact that language does somehow shape our daily thoughts and life. Language changes the way we see different culture, it can reflect a certain culture and background of people. Taking Soviet Ukraine as an example, as the prices and supply of product was centrally controlled, they were very cheap and hard to find, and instead of saying â€Å"What are they selling? † they ask, â€Å"Shcho dajut? †(What are they giving? ). Through the language, we can see the cultural values and background of a country, allowing us to understand and perceive different cultures. Nonetheless, I disagree to a small extent as I believe, on one hand, language may shape our thoughts and culture; on the other hand, our culture and thoughts also shape language. Language may act as a tool merely reflecting our thoughts and culture. Under patriarchy and stereotyping, many European countries referred male as a stronger, rational and more dynamic member of the society while female were emotional, silent and subtle one. Leading European languages like French, Spanish are some examples that reflect social stereotyping under patriarchal influence. In French, almost all sport and daylight activities are referred as male, â€Å"le soleil† (the sun) while almost all night time activities are referred as female, â€Å"la lune† (the moon). Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is a powerful and leading linguistic theory that suggests the relationship between language, culture and thoughts. It can be interpreted as linguistic determinism and relativism; it remains arguable and controversial whether this hypothesis is too strong. Much evidence arises even until today supporting the hypothesis. It is inevitable that every hypothesis receives criticism, but I truly believe the reason why Whorfianism is still being studied today is because we can never deny the influence of language on our thoughts and culture. Language may not be the one the strongly defines our perception and values, but it does affects us in our everyday life.

Driving Lessons free essay sample

I’ve liked to drive next to water ever since my dad first took me to the harbor and let me coast around beside the vastness of Lake Michigan. He would make me practice reversing, three-point turns, letting the wheel slide through my tense grip as I bore left or right. I never believed the car would straighten out unless I forced it to. It was the perfect spot to learn, though, because it was soothing and free of distraction. Sometimes we would park and walk around in the company of gulls, picking out distant lighthouses or orange buoys in the fast-fading daylight. I think that has a lot to do with why now, three years later as I’m following the winding path of the Rock River, I feel perfectly at peace. The Sauk Indians used to call it the Sinnissippi, meaning â€Å"troubled waters,† but I’ve seen this river at night with the full moon illuminating its back like a long black snake and when it floods and the treetops stick out of it like there is some alien landscape submerged hundreds of feet below, and it only brings me tranquility. We will write a custom essay sample on Driving Lessons or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After all the times I’ve driven up this river, I’ve built a relationship with it, and we are like old friends as I steer with the pattern of its curves, my hands much steadier than in a parking lot of a marina long ago. There is just one place I take Illinois Route 2, either to or from. It is, to my mind, the only successful utopia, a cluster of modest buildings set forward on two hundred acres of wooded riding trails and sandstone canyons. Every Sunday afternoon a group of children arrive with bulging duffel bags, and every Saturday morning they leave again with teary smiles. I’ve the privilege of lingering long after they’re gone, and have seen enough to say that perhaps if all civilizations replaced their residents as frequently, people and regimes might be happier. Even so, I’m glad I get to stay. I pass through the little town of Oregon, sights like the square and the large, bright sign for Fun ’n’ Sun Tan being re-colored in my memory after fading with a period of unfamiliarity, like a painter touching up a mural. I am far better at following landmarks than directions. The Oregon Trail Festival has begun, also, and artful tepees dot the streets, commemorating the area’s Sauk ancestry. When I pull into the gravel driveway, careful to go the approved ten miles per hour, past our stop sign announcing â€Å"Whoa† (I have wondered whether it is an authorized traffic control device), I feel the quiet joy of one who has come home. I make this journey once a year, twice if I can, coming to see the brown and green landscape frostbitten and the horses in their winter bulk like woolly bears. But the real reason I take any chance to return is the rare sense of seeing people without my eyes. Sitting on the wagon-wheel couches that have been around since I was nine, and probably longer, we can be as we are. We are heading nowhere here; there is no career in camp counseling. Be as that may, I get the impression I am storing up another kind of riches for my future. All I want at the moment, though, is to breathe the smell of manure in the summer air and hike, where else but along the creek.