Idiomatic English

Idiomatic English Idiomatic English Idiomatic English By Maeve Maddox In response to the When to use ‘on’ and when to use ‘in post about prepositions, Francesco Mapelli writes: I still dont get the He was not thinking well on that occasion. Why is in wrong here? At the risk of sounding unhelpful, the only answer to this perplexity is that on that occasion is idiomatic English and in that occasion is not. On the other hand, we can say in that instance, while it would be unidiomatic to say on that instance. In his renowned A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, H. W. Fowler defined an idiomatic expression as one that is natural for a normal Englishman to say or write. He went on to say that idiomatic English is not necessarily grammatical or ungrammatical. Sometimes idiomatic usage agrees with stated rules, and sometimes it doesnt. The two, grammar and idiom, are two separate categories. Sometimes they agree, and sometimes they dont. It is not necessary to understand an idiom. It is only necessary to accept it. My beginning French students often exclaimed at French idioms like Jai 17 ans (literally, I have 17 years). They wanted to translate such constructions literally, and then complained that the result sounded ridiculous in English. I worked very hardusually unsuccessfullyto convince them that French is not some funny form of English. French is French, and in French, Jai 17 ans is correct and Je suis 17 ans is nonsense. Idiomatic expressions of every kind in Englsh are rapidly changing. Here are some examples from my collection of prepositional use in the media: living under borrowed time. (living on borrowed time) Stonehenge has mystic appeal to the British people. (appeal for the English people) On the other hand, we say that picture appeals to me. foreigners have been encroaching into Korean waters. (encroaching on) The IRS is not concerned with the situations in which these minors will be returned to. This one is ungrammatical as well as unidiomatic. It should read: The IRS is not concerned with the situations to which these minors will be returned. Several forces are at work to change English idioms. One is lack of attention to teaching traditional literature and usage in the public school classroom. School administrators as a group do not value language instruction. Many of them laugh off their own grammatical errors or lack of familiarity with literary classics by implying that such matters are the concern of English teachers only. Few Americans read for entertainment. We are a film-oriented culture. Popular television shows like Seinfeld spread nonstandard regional usages such as waiting on line for waiting in line (in the sense of waiting in a queue). Popular attitudes about personal liberty equate linguistic correctness with elitism or social oppression. Finally, to some extent, the grammatical conventions of other languages find their way into English by way of our diverse population. In many ways a language shapes the thoughts of the people who speak it, but the speakers also shape the language. If enough people start saying or writing a certain expression, it will become idiomatic. The Stonehenge example above illustrates how idioms can change by analogy with other idioms. Language is going to change from generation to generation in any case. If it changes too rapidly, the traditional literature is lost. Few read Chaucer for fun anymore. Shakespeares works must be studied with a glossary. High school students struggle with Great Expectations, and some entering college students have trouble understanding the essays of George Orwell. Writers have a responsibility to read widely in the literature of the language in which they choose to write. They have the privilege of innovation, but, in the interest of continuity and comprehensibility, they can use the privilege judiciously. 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†How to Address Your Elders, Your Doctor, Young Children... and Your CEO

Words Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters

Words Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters Words Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters Words Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters By Maeve Maddox An email in which balloon was spelled â€Å"baloon† got me thinking about words with double letters. Many of the most frequently-misspelled words in English are misspelled by leaving out a letter. Others are misspelled because we think a letter should be doubled, so we put in an extra one. I thought it might be useful to organize these frequently-misspelled words into three categories. Words we try to spell with too few letters balloon dumbbell embarrass millennium misspell occurrence possession broccoli occasionally questionnaire coolly dissipate difference generally incidentally magically success Words that have double letters, but not as many as we think deterrence harass personnel recommend referred disappear disappoint finally fulfill necessary occasion occurred parallel sheriff tomorrow Words that don’t have double letters, but we want to add them preferable procedure coliseum labeled NOTE: i. There’s also the spelling colosseum with a double s. ii. British usage doubles the l in labelled. Caveat to writers of British English: Most word-processing software comes with spell-checkers programmed for American spelling usage. Another NOTE: Merriam-Webster gives programmed as the first spelling and programed as an alternate. Go figure. 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 Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 18 Types of Parenthetical PhrasesWriting a Thank You Note

Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Story - Essay Example She did not expect to find Joe at home since that was rather unusual. Joe always left home as hurriedly as he would arrive from school. Being an only child, his mother was so fond of him. On this day, Joe had left school early and changed his clothes. However, he neither joined his mother in the market nor was he in the garden. According to the neighbors, he left home and hurried in the direction of the market. It was getting rather dark and Joe’s mother was worried that something had happened to her son. She set off asking the passersby and in her friend’s homes. Finding no relevant information regarding her son’s whereabouts, she decided to go to the next village. She asked a few people about any child found loitering in the village that same day. From one of the villagers, an old man who had retired from the military, a boy who met the description of Joe was at an abandoned house. The man led Joe’s mother to his homestead. Since he was known for his crazy antics, his mother was not surprised when she found him pinned to the clothes line in the backyard. However, all who were present were surprised with Joe’s explanation. Joe explained later that a few naughty boys had pinned him there when he declined an offer to smoke. Being underage and quite reasonable, everybody was amazed. His mother was proud of him and promised to protect him. In one accord, the villagers decided to hunt down and discipline the naughty boys to ensure they do not spoil any child in the

Healthy People 2010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthy People 2010 - Essay Example The APN whose training is now in advanced theoretical concepts with added elements of practice and the use of the nursing framework is imminently qualified to assure this process takes place (Kohr, 1998). The APN is now a leader in developing nursing practice through provision of leadership and maintenance of a commitment to developing nursing practice, using her authority and power to influence clinical and policy decisions and providing clinical development. The goal that is chosen affects much of the communities need. In strengthening community prevention it is meant through education, community based programs and interventions and the reduction in violence and abusive behavior, all of which the APN is innately trained to handle through her collaborative and communicative style and abilities (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2008). She is also well able to handle these issues based on her strong clinical nursing background on which she has built the knowledge that she presently has. The values that have grounded the practice of an APN are advocacy, holism, nursing experience, integration or theory into practice and added medical functions in a nursing framework. Each of these parts of her practice that have come from grounded nursing theory are the strengths that will help guide her through the changes in practices and processes that will need to occur in the community to meet the new goal. The APN has at her disposal the deliberate, purposeful, and integrated use of expanded nursing knowledge which she has expanded from her original clinical ability. She uses knowledge , research, and that expertise in clinical practice to know what has to be done to advance the concept while at the same time she uses her collaborative skills to work with the rest of the team toward change (Ingersoll, 2000). The use of evidence based practice to help in the change of the processes that are needed to protect the public health falls within the new expertise of the APN. A strong and thorough understanding of evidence based practice coupled with the ability to understand and conduct good research is important in developing interventions to improve prevention. The development of an intervention is strongly research based and the development and evaluation of that prevention requires the understanding of statistical and data based information. During the change process necessary to institute much of the work that must be done for each of these interventions, another strong talent of the APN will be used and that is her leadership ability. This nurse will lead teams with confidence and collaboration. She will organize and move forward on initiatives that have only been discussed before. Healthcare will change very rapidly in the next few years, even more rapidly than ever before. The power and ability of the RN has been far underused in the past considering her education and expertise in clinical care but now the APN has placed herself in a position that provides her with enough power to make change (Kohr, 1998) Strengthening community prevention affects all parts of the community. When good prevention initiatives are put into place the community as a whole is served. The APN is an advocate of the community. In this position, she is able to advocate for those that need it the most, assuring that their need is part of the community policy that is

Media on Gender Essay Example for Free

Media on Gender Essay Media is a reflection of the attitudes on gender that the society exhibits and at the same time it plays a role in â€Å"determining and teaching gender behavior†. It is the role of the media to gather information and articulate it to society; this is the media’s job (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). If he/she sees that the society from a certain geographic location accepts gays and lesbians then this is what it will report (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). He or she may articulate what he or she witnessed through technologies including â€Å"radio, newspaper, television, and internet† and if he or she shares such information utilizing the last three aforementioned wherein in photos and videos may be attached as well then all the more that it clearly illustrates how the society reacts about gender issues (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). Meanwhile, it also plays a role in â€Å"determining and teaching gender behavior† because the people who get to watch what he or she articulated through several technologies will interpret it (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). This interpretation now will depend upon how the media presented the information (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). Was there bias on the presentation of facts? Were the two sides shown to the people? Is there a conflict of interest? All the answers to these questions will contribute largely since the society now will conclude based on that alone (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). Very clearly, the media is a reflection of the attitudes on gender that the society exhibits and at the same time it plays a great role in â€Å"determining and teaching gender behavior† because it’s their primary job to gather and share information and because they also have weaknesses in presenting the facts they gathered (Hubpages Inc. n. p. ). Work Cited Hubpages Inc. Mass Media Influence on Society. 2008. n. a. 23 November 2008. http://hubpages. com/hub/Mass-Media-Influence-on-Society

Being a Vegetarian Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Food Health Essay

Being a Vegetarian "Animals are my friends and I don't eat my friends." -George Bernard Shaw Vegetarianism used to be an unusual lifestyle choice. Today it is becoming more common and accepted by mainstream society. While there are many reasons for choosing a vegetarian diet, the most important are health reasons, environmental and economic reasons, and, above all, ethical reasons. Health reasons alone are sufficient grounds for becoming a vegetarian. Research has shown that we do not require meat in our diets and that it is actually healthier to avoid meat. Meat is high in saturated fats which are known to cause clogged arteries Cultures that consume less meat than North America have much lower cholesterol and lower rates of heart disease. For example, Japan used to have a lower incidence of heart disease, as well as cancer, before meat consumption increased. There is also reason to believe that humans have naturally evolved to be herbivores, rather than carnivores. Human teeth resemble the teeth of other herbivores, and human intestinal tracts are long, unlike the short intestines found in carnivores. What is natural is usually healthier, and people who become vegetarians frequently report a feeling of increased energy and well being. There are also environmental and economic reasons for becoming vegetarian. Some people are not aware of these reasons, but a lot of environmental destruction is linked to meat production, especially cattle farming. Huge areas of f...

Classic detective story Essay

      It had to be something a lot smaller because the only other opening in Julia’s room that communicated with somewhere outside of the room was the ventilation shaft in the ceiling which was directly connected to the ventilation shaft in the ceiling of Dr. Roylott’s room. Holmes also spotted the mysterious bell pull, which turned out to be a dummy. The strange thing about this bell pull was that it was hung from somewhere inside the ventilation shaft and it was positioned directly above the pillow on the bed. Holmes then goes in into a deep state of reverie putting everything that Helen Stoner told him happened together with all the clues that he had found in Stoke Moran. This matches my expectation of a classic detective story where the detective finds clues, analyses them and them puts them all together with all the information he has obtained from other sources such as the victim, people who knew the dead person, people who had some sort of relationship with both the person that died and the victim. In this deep state of meditation he solves the mystery but he has yet to solve the crime. So Holmes tells Helen Stoner to place a lamp outside of her window when Dr. Roylott retires to his chamber at night. Holmes also tells Helen to leave the shutters open in the room so that he and Watson can get in when she signals them. Holmes and Watson wait for the signal at the village inn. Later when Helen signals them with the lamp they head for Stoke Moran. They go into her room through the open shutter and wait for a number of hours before Holmes spots a snake coming through the ventilator. At this point in time Holmes knows who has committed the crime and how for sure. This then matches my next expectation that with all that is happening the detective then deduces what must have happened and if it was a murder who the villain was that committed the crime. He then immediately switches on the light and strikes at the snake causing it to return through the ventilator in a very angry mood. Then they all here the terrible screen of a man’s hoarse voice. They all immediately head for Dr. Roylott’s chamber and find him dead. He is killed by an Indian Swamp adder, which they find wrapped around his head. Holmes then explains how he solved the mystery and then the crime. This all matches my final expectation of a classic detective story, which is that the villain is either arrested or killed. The expectations of plot that are fulfilled in the Gatewood Caper The Gatewood Caper begins with a private detective being sent to help a man called Harvey Gatewood get his kidnapped daughter Audrey back. The detective is known only as the â€Å"the continental Op†. In this essay I will refer to him from now on as â€Å"the Op†. The Op is sent by the Continental Detective Agency to solve the kidnap of Harvey Gatewood’s daughter Audrey and to find out where she is being held then rescue her. In the Gatewood Caper the mystery surrounds the kidnap of Harvey Gatewood’s daughter Audrey, so my first expectation of a classic detective story’s plot and how it should involve some sort of mystery is fulfilled. In the Gatewood Caper it is the detective that comes to offer help to the victim and not the other way around like in the Speckled Band where the victim asks the detective to investigate something for them. So my next expectation that the victim approaches the detective to get his help is not fulfilled. No one has died and my expectation of a classic detective story that a there is a death and that it is either the result of a terrible crime or accidental is not fulfilled. This all makes the Gatewood Caper even less like a classic detective story. The only person that can solve the crime in this story is the Op and so that matches my next expectation of a classic detective story that the only person who can solve the crime is the detective. The Op then listens to Gatewood’s story and this fulfils my next expectation of a classic detective story where the detective listens to the victim’s story. Harvey Gatewood tells the Op what happened before he last saw Audrey. He tells to the Op about everything that he saw Audrey do before he last saw her. He tells the Op that the last time he saw Audrey was the day before at around seven in the evening. The next morning Gatewood receives a letter from the kidnappers demanding a ransom of $50,000 in $100 bills (American for notes) for her release. In the Gatewood Caper the detective doesn’t really ask many questions to Gatewood because he is so uncooperative. It’s more like the reverse of my expectation that the detective questions the victim is fulfilled. It’s almost like Gatewood has been described so much like a villain that it’s almost impossible to think of him as a victim. My next expectation that the detective investigates the scene of the death is not fulfilled because there is no scene of death in the Gatewood Caper as the crime is a kidnap. Instead in the Gatewood Caper the detective investigates Audrey’s rooms to find any clues or anything that will point to anyone who would want to kidnap Audrey. He finds nothing. Then the next day at 2:30 Harvey Gatewood gets a call from the kidnappers saying that they want him to the deliver the money straight away to someone he will spot when they signal him by holding a handkerchief to their face and then dropping it. They tell Gatewood that he will have to deliver the money to the person somewhere between his house and the waterfront along Clay Street. A woman signals Gatewood using the handkerchief he gives her the money and a couple of the other Ops follow the woman. They loose the woman in an alleyway where they find her clothes discarded all over the floor. They quickly realise that this must have been a woman disguised as a man. The trail of clothes leads to a backdoor of an apartment, which they find was occupied by a man called Leyton. The Op investigates this apartment and finds nothing but this fulfils are expectation that the detective investigates the scene to find any clues but again the Op finds nothing. The only clue that the Op has now has to work on is Leyton’s description. So he starts to investigate all the clothes shops in the Oakland area asking them whether or not they have seen anyone matching Leyton’s description buying woman’s clothes and if they have any records or names. The Op gets lucky with the first shop he investigates because they have a record of a man who bought woman’s clothes matching Leyton’s description. This mans name is Mr. Offord and the Op also gets the address. The Op goes to see Mr. Offord and then finds out that he is not living alone but with a young woman possibly Audrey. The Op recognises Mr. Offord as being a conman. The Op goes up to his room but is then shot at but the bullets miss. The Op then kicks the door down and finds Audrey. He then explains how he solved the mystery of Audrey’s kidnap to â€Å"penny† Quayle the conman and Audrey. This fulfils are expectation of a classic detective story’s plot whereby from all the information the detective gathers he puts it all together to deduce what really happened. The villain in the story actually turns out to be the victim and in the end does not get punished because she blackmails her father with the threat of going to the papers with incriminating information that she has about him about his previous illegal activities. My expectation that the villain is either arrested or killed is not fulfilled making this story even less like a classic detective story. The Speckled Band is a perfect example of what a classic detective story should be like because it matches all my expectations in every way. The Gatewood Caper is completely different and is nothing like a classic detective story. Although it does match some of my expectations of how the plot of a classic detective story should be like it is a very modern story with a very modern plot. The main difference between the plot in the Speckled Band which is a classic detective story and the plot in the Gatewood Caper which is a modern detective story is that in a classic detective story the plot goes along a straight line and everything that happens we might expect to happen, happens whereas in the plot of a modern detective story everything we might expect to happen doesn’t always happen. Expectations of character that are fulfilled We expect the character of the detective in any classic detective to be a man who is extremely clever, intuitive, observant, inquisitive, deductive and highly instinctive. The name of the detective in the Speckled Band is Sherlock Holmes. Holmes matches all of my expectations of how the character in a detective story should be and so too does the Op in the Gatewood Caper. The big difference is that the Op is a lot weaker in all of these aspects when you directly compare him to someone of the likes of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes probably the greatest detective of all time whereas the Op is just an ordinary policeman turned detective. We expect the character of a detective in any classic detective story to be something of a superhero but what we see in any modern detective story is the character of a detective has a big sense of realism associated with him which makes it all that little more believable so that we can relate to the detective more. We also expect the character of the detective in any classic detective story to be very strong (powerful), tough, very brave, a good soul and an expert in his field of work. Again Holmes is these things and personifies greatness whereas the Op is also has all these aspects but again is weaker in every department. This is again done on purpose to make it all more realistic and believable. Sherlock Holmes is the more classic detective whereas the Op is the more modern detective. We also expect the detective in any classic detective story to go into soliloquy and Holmes does this a lot whereas the Op never does this and we aren’t able to connect with his thoughts as much as we do with Holmes. We expect the character of the villain in any classic detective story to be man who is extremely clever, very strong (powerful) and tough but at the same time a man who is evil, devious, very greedy, and deceptive. We also expect the villain to be dangerous and psychotic. In the Speckled Band the villain Dr. Roylott matches all my expectations of how a villain should be like in any classic detective story whereas the surprise villain in the Gatewood Caper is nothing like my expectations of how the character of a villain should be in any detective story. Dr. Roylott is a huge giant of a man who bends pokers to scare people, whereas because Audrey is a woman she is portrayed as being weak in the Gatewood Caper but is still the villain. Audrey Gatewood has parts of the character of the victim mixed in with parts of the character from the villain. She is a woman and that is the main the difference between what a villain could never be in a classic detective story and could possibly be a modern detective story. Although she might be a woman she is certainly not the victim because she is not innocent, helpless, afraid, a good soul or someone who is grateful for anything. In fact she is the exact opposite a spoiled brat. Also although she is not the victim she is certainly the villain because she does in fact have all the qualities of being a villain except that she is not very strong, or tough. Dr. Grimesby Roylott is the more classic villain whereas Audrey Gatewood is the more modern victim. We expect the character of the victim in any classic detective story to be a woman who is weak, innocent, helpless, afraid, a good soul and someone who is extremely grateful to anyone who will help them. Firstly in the Speckled Band the victim Helen Stoner fulfils all of these expectations whereas in the modern detective story the Gatewood Caper the victim is Harvey Gatewood and he is nothing like the victim but everything the villain is in a classic detective story. He simply does not belong in the role of the victim so he does not fulfil any expectation of the character of the victim in a classic detective story. He has every quality of a villain in a classic detective story and the exact opposite of every quality the character of the victim has in a classic detective story. In fact the way he is described in the story he is almost identical to Dr. Roylott in the Speckled Band. Helen Stoner is the more classic victim whereas Harvey Gatewood is nothing like a classic victim and is the more modern victim. Setting The setting in the Speckled Band was very interesting because of how it was described in such high detail from every blade of grass to the huge mansion of Stoke Moran. The setting really did provide an excellent atmosphere because it was so complex and always changing. The story starts off and is set in one the biggest, most highly populated cities in the world, London. It is a bustling metropolis and you can imagine the atmosphere it creates and how strong it is over everything else. While this huge feeling of atmosphere is creating by the setting Helen Stoner is going to see Sherlock Holmes. Then the setting changes once Helen arrives to see Holmes, it suddenly changes from being an extremely busy and chaotic atmosphere to an extremely peaceful, quiet and relaxing environment whilst inside Holmes’s home. I enjoyed the setting when Holmes and Watson leave for Leatherhead from Waterloo station as I have always like trains so I can imagine exactly what it would have been like with all the steam trains and the huge atmosphere created by people getting on and off the trains to get off at London or travel to other places. Then when at Stoke Moran the setting changes to this mansion with a small village nearby. The setting here is a dark, scary and lonely place. You can feel the mystery and danger resonating from every wall, every corridor and every room. We don’t feel safe in this place because we know that it has a very mysterious past and a very mysterious owner. It is a very old building built in the 17th century and is almost crumbling to pieces because of decay in some parts. You can imagine the sense of fear that would be created from a setting like this just by walking through the long dark corridors. With each step moved you would here the echo through the whole building because of the dominating silence. The only light would be of that slipping through the small dirt sprayed windows adding to the feeling of loneliness and fear creating extreme suspense. The setting in the in the Gatewood Caper is my favourite personally. I enjoyed the very beginning of the story because of the deep sense of tension that is created by the description of Harvey Gatewood’s Lumber Corporation HQ. I can imagine a it as a huge building full of people working for this one Scrooge like tyrant of a businessman who absolutely loves to quash all opposition and dominate his industry. This setting provides a huge sense of excitement and liveliness. You rarely get a sense of fear or loneliness in the Gatewood Caper because of the setting and how there are always people wherever the Op goes and so there is always someone to talk to. This is another big difference between classic and modern detective story’s where in a classic detective story there are less characters but they are more detailed and you get to know them better whereas in a modern detective story there are more characters who are less detailed which often makes it very confusing. You can then imagine all the cars speeding through the city and past Gatewood’s empire, all the people coming in and out of the building, all the noises caused by the people and machinery creates an immense feeling of power and prosperity which makes me feel good as I can really relate to this kind of setting having being born and raised in modern day London. I loved the setting between Gatewood’s house and the waterfront walking along clay Street. I can just imagine the sense of excitement that I would get if a were just an innocent bystander walking along Clay Street and I saw the mysterious drop off of $50,000 and then saw someone dressed like a woman in black but with the figure of a being followed by so many private detectives. I also enjoyed the setting of the police station at the end with all the detectives in the station drinking coffee and eating donuts. Between the two stories I enjoyed the setting in the Gatewood Caper the most because it was more modern and a lot more like I was used to seeing in life. I definitely expected the setting in the Speckled Band to be old and lonely. I also expected the setting in the Gatewood Caper to be so modern and lively. Structure The structure in the Speckled Band is very different from the structure of the Gatewood Caper. In both stories at the very start of the story we find out what it’s all about and whom everyone is as is the case with the beginning of any detective story. What is very different about the beginning periods of both stories is that one is a complete mystery and it is uncertain what has happened whereas the other is not a mystery at all as the crime is known. In any classic detective story the crime is not known until somewhere in the middle or at the end of the story whereas in a modern detective story the crime is usually known and made clear right at the very beginning. This is a key difference in structure because in any classic detective story the mystery is of great importance because it draws suspense and tension into the reader whereas in a modern detective story the crime is usually more important than the mystery is because modern day readers generally have less patience and want what they read to get to the point quickly. In the Speckled Band the period of uncertainty is both in the beginning period and the middle period of the story whereas in the Gatewood Caper it is in the middle period and also the ending period. In both stories the mystery is solved and the crime explained in the end period. Style of writing When I read Speckled Band the style of writing created a very slow and dull mood within me but I couldn’t help being captivated by it even if it may have been dull or slow. The writer built up suspense using highly implicit and detailed language.

A reflective writing of the module within the academic year

Within the academic year 201 2/13, I took on a module named Context of Business. It alms to develop and understand companies' traditional and contemporary management and structural approaches (Chokshl, 2012). Within the academic year we were tested on our understanding of what was taught. This report Is a reflective writing of the year. This will be done by looking critically at the two assignments given to us. First assignment was to give a report of an organisational structure and draw up its chart. The second was to perform a group presentation of two companies of different sizes on various factors.This report will look in to the process, the challenges and outcome of each assignment. Assignment one: Presented at Week 6 The class was given an assignment to conduct a research of the structure of a business of our choice. We were to present our findings by researching the structure ofa business and draw up its organisational chart within six weeks. 2. 1 Outline First of all, I had t o look for a business of my choice. This Involved in looking Into businesses In my local vicinity or further afar. I finally settled on Syngenta, An International agricultural business Into crop productlvlty and protection of environment (Syngenta, 2013).I then had to start researching Into the business to find out what sort of organisational structure it had. For Syngenta it had a matrix style structure, a structure where highly skilled individual form teams for projects (Stanford, 2007). I also had to look into its span of control. Syngenta had a flat structure of operation, a structure where there are few layers of authority and delegation is used to carry out task effectively (The times 100, 2013). From this I was to prepare an organisational chart, a chart which shows the way the chain of command works in an organisation (The times 100, 2013).For this I was to take into onsideration of the matrix style and its flat structure of operation to draw up Its organisational chart. 2. 2 Challenges There were some challenges I faced while conducting this research. One maln challenge was the declslon of which company to choose. There was no restrlctlon on what company one could choose and I had to find one for which I would be able to find all relevant information. Another problem faced was distinguishing between the company's organisational structure and its span of control. had to go back to the lecture notes and other readings to find out their differences.As it was an individual ork I had no second opinion on matters and had to be careful that my decisions made were right. The assignment turned out to be more challenging than what I thought. This was due to the depth of research that was needed to acquire specific relevant information and the ability to back them up with substantial evidence. Over a period of time, looking back I can evaluate my performance as being done In a haste. This Is due to the fact that, not fully understanding the scope of the assignme nt given at the start of the work. This went against my time given hence I had to quickly do the work In order to beat the clock.Fortunately I was able to receive informal feedback from our tutor on our drafts. This helped recognise my mistakes was to give the audience a clear distinction between the organisational structure and the span of control of the company. I was warned on the penalty of improper referencing and plagiarism of content used. From what was given in the feedback for the draft I was able to develop on transferable skills such as proper referencing. In the end I was also able to learn new skills such as time management, the ability to plan and prioritise ones workload (The University of Manchester, 2012). 2. 3Outcome Learning from this assignment, given the opportunity to another work of this type, I will dedicate more time to each aspect of the work. Key lessons that I have identified for this work, is the ability to properly prepare and conduct intensive research . Through practice I will be able to develop these abilities. Looking at the skills learnt, most if not all are invaluable and beneficial transferable skills. These are competencies that could be carried from an activity to another (Graduate prospects ltd, 2013). What might be able to hold me back will be the technicality needed in the referencing.Referencing is the process of acknowledging sources consulted in pieces of work (London metropolitan university, 2013). For this I can refer to the materials available on the university library services. Assignment two: Presented on Week 22 For our second assessment, we were given a group work to conduct. We were to form groups of 4 or 5 members and give a presentation to the class on the topic of comparing two companies of different sizes. We were to compare and contrast their legal and ethical issues. 3. 1 Outline The first thing I had to do was to form a group. We then had to decide on which companies to choose.For the sake of comparing them we decided on companies that are within the same industry. Kelloggs, which manufactures and markets ready-to- eat cereals and convenience foods (Bureau van DiJk, 2013) and Eat ltd, a I-JK fresh food retail company (Bureau van DiJk, 2013). Then from the chosen companies we were to compare them on certain criteria. Them being, their vision, a description of what a business wants to be in future. Their mission statement, a more current description of a company's basic goals, philosophies and purpose (Chokshi, 2012). Also the size of the companies based on our own elements.Factors with affected heir mission statements and their legal and ethical issues. We then had to research on each company for information. After which we organised our data and created a draft. After the draft we designed our presentation for practising as a group. On the day of the presentation we made sure we arrived before time. We tested out our equipment and software on the screen and had a dry run so as to know how the actual event will feel like. We then presented our work when our turn approached and stayed within the time limit and allowed questions to be asked at the end. . 2 Challenges I personally encountered some challenges with this project. It proved quite difficult to form a group. We were not automatically placed into groups and the class was being selective with their choices. I was left with a two classmates without a group and a fourth was added under our tutor recommendation. I also had a challenge in my presentation skills. Presentation according to Oxford Dictionaries (2013) is a speech or talk where ideas or pieces of work are shown and explained to an audience. I when delivering. I moved about too much and spoke too fast.But through practise and the help of the group I was able to develop on my presentation skills. I realised hat I did not only personally face some problems but also the group as a whole faced some difficulties. One of such was our communication ski lls, the ability to clearly and confidently express one view to an audience (University of Kent Careers and Employability Service, no date). As we were mostly new to each other, communication between us proved difficult. Noticing this, I decided we take some time for us to know each other informally such as having chit-chats before meetings.Boocher (1999) suggested that small talk is a simple tool that helps build rapport and trust with co-workers which in turn helps build communication between them. It helped build a bond between us and in effect our communication increased. Other obstacles observed were our manner of conducting our research. Due to each having different courses, our times did not align and we could not meet to discuss the work as a group as frequently as desired. We then went about this using phones and emails and dividing the work and organising our finding when we do meet.We also had the challenge of getting our presentation right. We had to make sure it did not sound robotic and was interactive with the audience without losing the content of the presentation. Looking back and evaluating my performance; I would say we had a good performance. Even though we had many challenges and obstacles it was the fact that we were able to overcome them that determined our performance. We received some informal feedback form our tutor at the end our presentation which was helpful as she said that it was well executed and needed few minor adjustments.Also after the marking we received a formal feedback both as a group and individually. As a group we were told that our time allocation for each aspect was good but areas of more importance needed more time than others. As an individually, I was told my communication with my team and audience was good but I needed to speak more clearly and assertively. 3. 3 Outcome In order for me to improve, the next time I will do some aspects differently, such as having frequent group meetings to prevent work being done i n a hurry.Some key features that I have identified were my leadership skills. This is being able to motivate others and inspire them to take your lead (Graduate prospects ltd, 2013). Though it was a group work, I was able to personally oversee some aspects of the project which helped me develop such abilities. I was also able to develop my communication skills. Even as strangers to one another we were able to communicate efficiently between ourselves by the end of the project. By abiding to the 10 minutes limit we were able to develop our time management skills.In future, if I was to encounter other group works, the prospect of working with strangers might hold me back. In some cases this might be inevitable but it is the ability to adapt to this and establish a relationship that will help in the execution of the work. All in all, being given this assignment has had its difficulties and obstacles to overcome but it has lso developed my skills and taught me new ones. All which are cr itical skills needed in most career paths in this modern day.

Controlled Airspace In The United States Essays - Free Essays

Controlled Airspace In The United States Essays - Free Essays Controlled Airspace In The United States The value of controlled airspace in the United States is for the safety of all commercial and general aviation flights. Utter chaos reigns in skies without controlled airspace. With thousands of airplanes in the skies every day carrying hundred of thousand of people the necessity of a means of controlling them becomes relevant. The (FAA) Federal Aviation Administration is the regulative department of the United States Government that controls the skies in the U.S. The FAA divided the airspace into different categories, all of which have different regulations and limits on both horizontal and vertical airspace restrictions. They are broken down into basically three distinct airspaces: Class B, Class C, and Class D. Class B airspace is controlled airspace that extends upward from the ground surface to a specified altitude of 10,000 msl (mean sea level). All aircraft that operate in this airspace are subject to regulations set forth by the FAA. Some of the requirements for the pilot to operate in Class B airspace are: the pilot must at the minimum hold a private pilot certificate, and a current medical certificate. The aircrafts operating in Class B airspace must have at least three pieces of equipment; the first is a two-way radio for communication. The second piece of equipment, a transponder, tracks the aircrafts position. The third piece of equipment is a VOR (vertical omni range), which directs the pilots position. Also, in order to operate in Class B airspace a person must obtain a clearance for ATC (Air Traffic Control). The speed limit in Class B airspace is restricted to 200 knots. Throughout the country, metropolitan airports designate Class C airspace with a set of rings, extending from the surface of the earth to an altitude of 4,000 feet above the airport elevation and a radius of 5nm (nautical miles) from the center of the airport. This area is known as a primary Class C airport. There is an outer ring that extends out 10 nm from the airport and above the surface from 1,200 feet to 4,000 feet. This area is used for transitioning to and from the airport. The operating rules in the Class C are similar to that of the Class B. The pilot is required to hold at least a private pilot license and a valid medical certificate and to be classified as current. Current requirement entails having completed at least three takeoffs and landings in the same type of aircraft. The pilot must also complete a biannual flight review with a certified fight instructor. The aircraft must be equipped with a two-way in order to communicate with ATC, which is required prior to enteri ng the airspace. The aircraft needs to have a transponder with altitude encoding in order for ATC to track them in the air. The VOR is also required for navigation in and around this airspace. Flights at or below 2,500 feet within 4 nm of the airport must not exceed 200 knots. This speed restriction helps to alleviate the noise caused by large aircraft over densely populated areas. A pilot is required to have aboard the aircraft a sectional chart that depicts the airspace and transition areas. The next airspace is the Class D. This area is generally the airspace above an airport, from ground level to 2,500 feet and outward for 4 nm. The Class D airspace is considered part of the airport itself. A pilot is required to hold the same license, have a valid medical certification as the Class C and they must adhere to the same current classification requirements. A pilot must already be in communication with ATC and be cleared before entering the Class D airspace. Once the pilot is cleared he is transferred to the airport tower, which handles all the traffic within that airspace. No matter whether the aircraft is on the ground or in the air, the local tower is responsible for guiding them safely within its boundaries. The speed is limited to 200 knots within this airspace as well. The airspace categories are a valuable asset to the United States transportation system and has been designed to protect the public and ensure the safety of the thousands of aircraft that

How Logical Fallacy Invalidates Any Argument

How Logical Fallacy Invalidates Any Argument Fallacies are defects that cause an argument to be invalid, unsound, or weak. Logical fallacies can be separated into two general groups: formal and informal. A formal fallacy is a defect which can be identified merely by looking at the logical structure of an argument, rather than at any specific statements. Informal fallacies are defects which can be identified only through an analysis of the actual content of the argument. Formal Fallacies Formal fallacies are found only in deductive arguments with identifiable forms. One of the things which makes them appear reasonable is the fact that they look like and mimic valid logical arguments, but are in fact invalid. Here is an example: Premise: All humans are mammals.Premise: All cats are mammals.Conclusion: All humans are cats. Both premises in this argument are true, but the conclusion is false. The defect is a formal fallacy, and can be demonstrated by reducing the argument to its bare structure: All A are CAll B are CAll A are B It does not matter what A, B, and C stand for. We could replace them with wines, milk, and beverages. The argument would still be invalid for the exact same reason. It can be helpful to reduce an argument to its structure and ignore content in order to see if it is valid. Informal Fallacies Informal fallacies are defects which can be identified only through an analysis of the actual content of the argument, rather than through its structure. Here is an example: Premise: Geological events produce rock.Premise: Rock is a type of music.Conclusion: Geological events produce music. The premises in this argument are true but clearly, the conclusion is false. Is the defect a formal fallacy or an informal fallacy? To see if this is actually a formal fallacy, we have to break it down to its basic structure: A BB CA C This structure is valid. Therefore, the defect cannot be a formal fallacy and must instead be an informal fallacy that is identifiable from the content. When we examine the content, we find that a key term (rock) is being used with two different definitions. Informal fallacies can work in several ways. Some distract the reader from what is really going on. Some, like in the above example, make use of ambiguity to cause confusion. Defective Arguments There are many ways to categorize fallacies. Aristotle was the first to try to systematically describe and categorize them, identifying 13 fallacies divided into two groups. Since then,  many more have been described and the categorization has become more complicated. The categorization used here should prove useful, but it is not the only valid way of organizing fallacies. Fallacies of Grammatical Analogy Arguments with this defect have a structure that is grammatically close to arguments which are valid and make no fallacies. Because of this close similarity, a reader can be distracted into thinking that a bad argument is actually valid. Fallacies of Ambiguity With these fallacies, some sort of ambiguity is introduced either in the premises or in the conclusion itself. This way, an apparently false idea can be made to appear true so long as the reader does not notice the problematic definitions. Examples: Equivocation FallacyNo True Scotsman FallacyQuoting out of ContextFallacies of Relevance These fallacies all make use of premises which are logically irrelevant to the final conclusion. Examples: Ad HominemAppeals to AuthorityAppeals to Emotion and DesireFallacies of Presumption Logical fallacies of presumption arise because the premises already assume what they are supposed to prove. This is invalid because there is no point in trying to prove something you already assume to be true. No one who needs to have something proven to them will accept a premise which already assumes the truth of that idea. Examples: Begging the QuestionComplex QuestionFalse DilemmaFallacies of Weak Induction With this type of fallacy, there may be an apparent logical connection between the premises and the conclusion. However, if that connection is real, then it is too weak to support the conclusion. Examples: Ad Hoc RationalizationOversimplification Exaggeration Sources Barker, Stephen F. Elements of Logic. Hardcover - 1675, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Curti, Gary N. Weblog. Fallacy Files, March 31, 2019.   Edwards, Paul (Editor). The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Hardcover, 1st edition, Macmillan/Collier, 1972. Engel, S. Morris. With Good Reason: An Introduction to Informal Fallacies. Sixth Edition, Bedford/St. Martins, March 21, 2014. Hurley, Patrick J. A Concise Introduction to Logic. 12 Edition, Cengage Learning, January 1, 2014. Salmon, Merrilee H. Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking. 6th Edition, Cengage Learning, January 1, 2012. Vos Savant, Marilyn. The Power of Logical Thinking: Easy Lessons in the Art of Reasoning...and Hard Facts About Its Absence in Our Lives. Hardcover, 1st edition, St Martins Press, March 1, 1996.

Case Study 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study 1 - Essay Example Looking from the business point of view, I think that my proposed use of the warehouse is a sound idea as the activities that are intended to start are for the benefit of the public. An artist sculptor would be an individual who would be quietly pursuing his artistic interests whereas the commercial welder would be providing services to neighbourhood, saving them time and effort. The topless dance club would again be a service provider in the area of entertainment. The other three activities of the tenants would be in the nature of services for the sick and the needy which again constitute a very vital part of the social setup. From the legal angle, the suits filed against myself, seem to stand on flimsy ground. Since the warehouse is built on residential/ light industrial zone, it has the advantages of residential as well as light industrial covenants. Neighbourhood covenant states that only single family residences are allowed. No outside storage or activity is allowed. No treatment homes or treatment activities allowed. Citing the case of Hill v. Community of Damien of MolokaiN,M.,1996, No. 21715 (internet) where the case under neighbourhood covenant citing the clause of single family residence was filed against the community running a group home for AIDS patients. The case was awarded in favour of the community as it was held they did not violate either the restrictive covenant or under the Fair Housing Act. Hence, running treatment centre for AIDS patients and anonymous alcoholic in different studios of the warehouse is legal. Case of High Ridge Hinkle joint Venture v. City of Albuquerque,N.M, 1998, No. 24,297(internet) held that non storage activities outdoors were allowed under zoning ordinance permitting ‘outside storage or activity’. It therefore follows that the County healthcare facility run from the small units constructed outside the main warehouse, is also

Law of Tort Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Law of Tort - Essay Example 369).It is the considered opinion of some scholars that these conflicting interests do not admit of any balancing. Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights deals with the right to privacy. The right to freedom of expression is dealt with under article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires a fair balance between these two contesting needs. The presence of a serious social requirement is essential for limiting freedom of speech. All the same, UK privacy case law has been seen to favour the right to privacy. This causes substantial commercial and practical difficulties. Thus, book publishers and photo journalists face considerable difficulty in their work. Thus, in Cream Holdings Ltd and others v Banerjee and others the lower court granted an injunction. This was aimed at suppressing information regarding the corrupt practices in vogue in the Cream Holding Ltd. On appeal to the House of Lords, this decision was reversed. However, c onsiderable difficulty had to be undergone by the defendant, in order to bring these corrupt practices to the notice of the public. ... These drawbacks to the English legal system have resulted in several cases being filed against the UK in the European Court of Human Rights (Harlow, 2005, p. 128). In defamation cases, public funding is not provided. This makes it difficult for an individual, with limited means, to defend an action initiated by a multinational corporation. This was the unfortunate situation in McDonalds v Steel and Morris. This unfavourable situation has been rectified to some extent by the introduction of conditional fee arrangements. Due to this arrangement, a much greater number of people have been enabled to make defamation claims (Harpwood, 2008, p. 397). Thus, in Dering v Uris, the jury awarded a nominal amount as damages to the claimant. Dering had been a physician at the infamous Auschwitz during the Nazi regime. It had been proved that Dering was guilty of serious war crimes. However, he successfully established that some of the accusations made against him by Leon Uris, were defamatory and false. Similarly, in Plato Films v Spiedel a trifling amount was awarded as damages for similar reasons (Harpwood, 2008, p. 397). Thus, in Hamilton v Al Fayed, the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling of the trial court judge. The latter had not awarded costs orders against them, as per the provisions of section 51 of the Supreme Court Act 1981. An instance where a very high cost was incurred, related to that of Taylforth v Metropolitan Police Comr and The Sun Newspaper. In this litigation, the claimant had to pay around ?500, 000 as costs, for a hearing that lasted 11 days. Furthermore, a libel claim initiated by the Body Shop’s Anita Roddick, resulted in a cost of ?1 million to the claimant (Harpwood, 2008, p. 370). In Reynolds v Times