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I listened to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4a5QIKefl8 and decided to highlight all the possessive suffixes found in the lyrics since it is something we spent a lot of time with in class. It was easier for me to understand this song once I highlighted the possessive suffixes since the meaning becomes more clear.

Lyrics:

Kara gözlerinden bir damla yaş düşünce 

Güzel yüzün yanakların ıslanır 

Kara gözlerinden bir damla yaş düşünce 

Hüzün keder yüreğime yaslanır  

Sen ağlama!

Bir damla gözyaşın yeter 

Sen üzülme gülüm  

Gece gökyüzünden bir damla yaş düşünce 

Bahar gelir tüm çiçekler ıslanır 

Kara gözlerinden bir damla yaş düşünce 

Hüzün keder yüreğime yaslanır  

Sen ağlama !

Bir damla gözyaşın yeter 

Sen üzülme gülüm 

Gamzende güllerin biter 

Yollarıma taş koysalar döneceğim 

Gözlerinden yaşlarını sileceğim

Sen ağlama !

Bir damla gözyaşın yeter 

Sen üzülme gülüm 

Gamzende güllerin biter 

Yollarıma taş koysalar döneceğim 

Gözlerinden yaşlarını sileceğim

As part of my progress in presentational speaking, my language partner and I arranged a hypothetical situation where I am interviewed for an internship at the Swedish Embassy in Washington D.C. In this conversation I practice using formal language in a more formal setting. I was a little nervous at first due to the presence of a camera but I believe it was a very challenging experience that allowed me to prepare in Swedish and practice my overall interviewing skills.

http://youtu.be/J03hHQ7APHs

Svensk Midsommar-

Swedish Midsummer is very unique part of Swedish celebrations because it reflects how Swedes welcome the change in weather and how the festivities center around centuries-old traditions dating back to Viking era. The Swedish midsummer is celebrated on the longest day at the height of summer. This celebration was central to pagan practices until the 300 A.D. when the church renamed the celebration to Holy Johannes Day. Midsummer celebrations today are very elaborate and are considered a highlight of summer celebrations. Today's midsummer celebrations include traditional Swedish summer food: matjessill, gräddfil and gräslök, fresh potatoes, and strawberries. In addition to the aforementioned foods,drinks known as snaps are always served as well. Snaps are strong fruit based liquor fermented locally across Sweden. In addition to food there is usually a large traditional dance organized around a tall green wreath of which people dance around and sing folk songs. The celebration also includes picking flowers and making crowns of flowers in order to protect from evil spirits according to popular folklore.

For my fourth artifact, I'd like discuss the Korean education system. Please refer to links below for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMwUwIi8a5s

http://vimeo.com/26833191

http://chronicle.com/article/For-Expat-Professors-in-South/128951/

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-10/asia/world_asia_south-korea-exams_1_students-regular-classes-cram-school-classes?_s=PM:ASIA

The education system in South Korea is no joke. It's very intense, competitive and driven almost solely by academics. The average Korean high school student studies between 16 to 18 hours a day.

Senior year of high school is generally referred to as "the year of hell." Why?

Well, similar to how students in the United States have to take SATs and ACTs to have even a shot at getting accepted at a college, Korean high school students prepare for the CSAT. The College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is the most important test in a South Korean student's life. Unlike SATs, this is a sort of make it or break it kind of deal. You only have one chance to score high. This test is called 수능 (Soo-neung) and it tests students on what they've learned over their 12 years of schooling. Usually after the Soo-neung exam, students take a university specific exam called 논술. After school, students normally attend a 학원 (hag-won) or for-profit private institution for learning. It's like an academy or cram school.

(noh-n-sool). College admissions focus on academics more than anything. In the United States, colleges will look at your grades, extracurricular activities, rigor of classes, the essay and recommendations. Korean universities want who are good at studying with top grades. The three top schools in South Korea are Korea University, Seoul University and Yonsei University.  

The amount of pressure on these students is colossal. After doing some research on the education system, my question was, how does this accumulated pressure affect students?

 Korea is a collectivist society, so already encouraging individualism is not common. Usually students focus on studying whereas in the United States, the focus is on critical thinking and leadership. Korean students tend to have less or no meaningful hobbies because they spend more time at school than anything else. Korean students are nurtured to become hard workers rather than leaders. 

South Korea holds the second highest suicidal rate, just recently surpassing Japan. What does that tell you? A lot of students do commit suicide because of the added pressure of doing well in school. 

http://file:///Users/jenniferconnerton/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/Turkish%20Cultural%20Present(T2C5)/Turkish%20Cultural%20Present(T2C5)

Hello Hello,

  Thanks for visiting my blogs. I have attached a link to my presentation. I focused on Media and Entertainment in Afghanistan, I've even included some links for you to explore. Enjoy!

Best wishes,

Laila Zahra Hart

Media and Entertainment in Afghanistan

Below you will find  a summary of my presentation.

1. “Extra !Extra! Read All About It!”

2. In 1919, King Amanullah Khan replaced Siraj-ul-Akhbar with the newspaper Aman-e-Afghan which means “Afghan Peace”

3. There are 13 well-known newspapers in Afghanistan today. This shows how much more they’ve advanced and became independent. Most papers run out of Kabul City. I’ve listed a few of the most popular

4. “On the Radio”

• Radio broadcasting began in 1925 under King Khan

• The first transmitter was a 200 watt one , which is pretty weak, so it was the American equivalent of an AM station---we know how unpopular those are compared to FM stations.
• This transmitter was built in Kabul Palace, thus it was first called “RADIO KABUL”
• In 1929, there was an uprising against King Khan and the transmitter was completely destroyed, which cut off mainstreaming political speeches or any propaganda to a wide audience
• In 1940, a bigger, better transmitter was installed and 1940 is credited as the year that “Radio was born” to some.  As you can see there was a huge gap in radio availability, eleven years to be exact, so imagine that in the United States.

5. These are the languages that Rad

Follow the link to hear two Farsi friends meet (1. Laila Hart/ 2. Susan Jelanizada)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbT42CLQqXw&context=C460da0fADvjVQa1PpcFPjWPXZ58bhCk1AarTCo89S1Q41ihSdYJk=

Turkish%20Presentation%20sheet.docx

As briefly discussed in the Fifth Cultural Post, the importance of learning how to interact with vendors in stores is important, whether you are living in Turkey or simply visiting as a tourist. Knowing how to ask a vendor the price of a certain item of clothing or food item is important because in many places the act of bargaining is expected. Bargaining is engrained in the Turkish culture (except when in malls and such settings); thus not participating when it is expected will reinforce the notion that you are a tourist. With Haktan, I learned the different types of clothing (basic necessities only) and colors, so we can effectively go into a store and ask for specific items of clothing.

An example of a shopping interaction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV6TIj88j_s&feature=endscreen 

Getting around Turkey without knowing how to say directions can become a little tricky; therefore it is important to develop your vocabulary of directions. I learned the directions through basic enactments of situations in which I would need to go from one place to another. The fact that the Turkish language is very flexible and forgiving of the order of words allows the learner to put nearly every direction together. 

A sample of an interaction between two girls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoLjAKiSdus 

Starting from the first third of the semester, Haktan has taught us the present continuous tense. The previously included powerpoint that he created for the class was one of the many tools used to learn the language. It is difficult to learn how to conjugate verbs in a new language because the logic behind the conjugations are not the same when compared to romance languages such as French. In addition, the verbs used to describe certain actions are not the same in English and Turkish. Some verbs that have clear meanings in English, can be translated in Turkish but mean more than one action. For example, "dökmek" in Turkish can mean both to pour and to spill, depending on what context you use it in. Even though it is challenging to perform the translations to obtain clear meanings, there is a certain logic in the Turkish conjugations that we cannot find in English or French. In Turkish, depending on whether it is positive or negative, or other such aspects, you just have to add or remove suffixes from the verbs; however in English you would add other words to create the negation. 

turkish%20present%20continuous%20verbs.ppt

Korean_Artifact_Asking_Answering_Questions_About_Identity.mp3

Basically, my friend are talking about ourselves. We introduce ourselves and then ask questions like "are you a student," "what's your major," "how many people are in your family," "are you American," "which sport do you like," etc. I also asked if she has a younger sibling. She tells me she has an older sister and then I reply, "Oh, I have a younger brother." Then at the very end I ask her if she likes coffee and we "go off" to a Starbucks for coffee. The end :)

Culture shock, the uneasy feeling of disorientation experienced by a person who finds themselves in an unfamiliar culture. The culture video we watched in class was very interesting. I thought that it provided a variety of personal students from the as well as the faculty.

I always thought that culture shock was something that happened initially upon arrival in a different country and culture, but that's not necessarily true.

It was interesting to hear about how different the classroom situation was abroad compared to Richmond for each individual student. There seemed to be several things that most of the exchange student somewhat agreed on. Most of them felt that their school workload had increased and others were surprised by how much students were expected to participate in class. Of course, we can't generalize that classes abroad are easier or require little work compared to Richmond. It's just different, not easier or harder.

Some of the students in the video talked about their first week at the University of Richmond. It was exciting at first when they were in a new country and experiencing new things. I believe the homesickness, or recognizing significant differences with cultures came after. It's funny how you end up missing trivial things about your home the most.

I experienced some culture shock when I went to India during summer 2010. Everyone in America is pretty much accustomed to saying "goodbye" or "see ya" or whatever before hanging up over the phone, correct? Something that really surprised when I was India was that over the phone, people rarely said "goodbye" before hanging up. I was a bit younger before and less culturally aware of things, so I remember when my uncle had "hung up" on me on the phone without saying "goodbye" and I was a little irritated. As an American, I consider it rude to do something like that, but that's pretty normal in India. My Korean friend told me it was also common in Korea.

Also, holding the door open for someone behind you in India is considered odd behavior. I held the door open once at a bowling alley and people just kept walking right on through (I'm guessing they thought I worked there?).

It's interesting that all these small gestures can be interpreted differently among varying cultures. I think the only way to deal with culture shock is to learn as much as you can about the country you want to visit or the culture you want to immerse yourself in beforehand. It doesn't mean you will avoid culture shock, but it can soften the blow.

The history of the Swedish language is very long history since its adoption as the national language of Sweden and to the establishments of institution to standardize and protect the language. Later as Sweden began to emerge as a world power so increased the importance of Swedish as language of communication.

The earliest indications of the Swedish language date back to Old Norse, which was a broader dialect spoken throughout the Nordic region and spread by the Vikings through their extensive travels in the area. Old Norse facilitated trade and commerce as a lingua franca and is greatly responsible for maintaining high similitude amongst Nordic language. Old Norse began to see a split into West Norse and East Norse which became the foundations for the languages of Iceland and Norway, and Sweden and Denmark respectively. These two languages eventually became distinguishable as Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Icelandic using ruins as the primary form of communication. It wasn't until the 14th and 15th centuries that Swedish began to develop as an individual language with distinct words, writing, and sounds.

The Middle Ages or "medeltiden" saw the emergence of Old Swedish which became distinct from Old Norse. The oldest example of written Swedish was found in 1222 in the Western Gotland where the language makes use of distinct writing styles and imagery. During this period there were  many ballads written that displayed intriguing characteristics unique to Sweden.

The Modern Swedish language dates to 1526 when the first bible was published in Swedish BY King Gustav Vasa. This Bible remained in use until 1917 and represented a combination of colloquial and formal written Swedish.  The next major milestone for Swedish occurred in 1786 under King Adolf Gustav III who established the Swedish Academy which was adopted from the French Academy in France. This institution would become central in promoting Swedish language and culture at home and abroad. Swedish is also spoken by a minority in Finland due to border disputes and eventual control by Finland of these disputed areas.

Today Swedish is spoke by about 9 million people and spoken by large communities of expatriates in Europe and in the U.S. and Canada as children and grand-children of Swedish immigrants. The most recent changes in the Swedish language paralleled developments in social movements in the 1960s which saw the movements towards greater gender equality and less emphasis on formality.

Sources:

UCLA Swedish language profile

http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=35&menu=004

History of Swedish

http://www.linguaphone.com.my/swedish2.php

Swedish language profile: historical periods

http://www.alsintl.com/resources/languages/Swedish/

My cultural presentation can be viewed here:

http://prezi.com/rbjmkz702c3p/present/?auth_key=lzkqzt1&follow=kts68f57bpc9

For my cultural presentation I chose to speak of the Swedish concept of "Allemansrätten" which is unwritten law which refers to the Right of Public Access to nature for all individuals. This concept is very unique to Sweden and its neighboring Nordic countries which have similar ideas of access to nature and more flexible barriers to access and use of nature for personal and social benefits. This concept is very interesting because it contrasts highly with the idea of property and access in the United States which tends to be highly delineated and demarcated without much flexibility. Property, its protection and right to one's property is also very particular to the United States. In Sweden property, especially nature is perceived as right that can be accessed by all even if it is owned or managed by another individual. This "law" also reflects the emphasis placed on nature and people's interaction with nature in various ways.

This right reflects the way in which Swedes respect nature and its sustainability as a part of Swedish culture and its regard as central to Swedish culture in cultural events and holidays. Through my cultural presentation I learned more about the implied characteristics of "Allemansrätten" and was able to contrast with my own experiences in the United States. I truly believe that this one example of Swedish culture has much broader implications for Swedish culture and explains how the state, society, and nature interact in as sustainable manner to promote the health and well-being of the Swedish people.

Sources:

English:

http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Work/Life_in_Sweden/Climate_nature/the-right-of-public-access/

Svenska:

http://www.sverigeturism.se/smorgasbord/smorgasbord/natrecspo/nature/every.html

http://www.naturvardsverket.se/Start/Friluftsliv/Allemansratten/

"Allemansrätten: Vad säger lagen?" bertil Bengtsson http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CFAQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturvardsverket.se%2FDocuments%2Fpublikationer%2F620-8161-6.pdf&ei=dQKTT87ECM-26QH20M2GDw&usg=AFQjCNEcPnCVuF8nOyi3pHX6cknclHQRbw&sig2=Lwbh6LQfAyM2NeUkc1iXbQ

Do some research about the culture of your target language and write about the “linguistic aspects”. Body language, how people talk about time, etc.

In Sweden body language is very complex through my research I have observed that there is a mix of communitarian and individualistic cultures which is expressed interestingly through body language and physical interactions in public. There seems to be a connection between the idea of communitarian or welfare state and the manner in which people present themselves in public. There is a low level of formality which is reflected through the casual body language with dominates most social interactions. Related to the highly equitable political and social system is the limited physical interactions amongst individuals unless there is a long-standing relationships which may be reflected in physical greetings. Handshakes are standard or a quick hello without physical interaction. More intimate relationships consider hugs appropriate as within the family context.On the other end of the spectrum there is also a very individualistic culture that encourages self-expression and creativity which is admired but may also be rejected by larger communitarian culture that value the group before the individual.

Another interesting note about linguistic aspects is the manner in which Swedish people speak of time in a very precise manner. There seems to be a conflicting understanding of time, punctuality, effectiveness and productivity are valued but so is leisure time which is very important and reflects a larger right to leisure time and how pension and vacation structures are so generous.

Reflect on Cultural dimensions of learning a language.  Reading from Figuring Foreigners Out

The cultural dimensions of learning a language are essential in learning a language. Some important points brought up by the readings include the incorporation of individualist and collectivist understands of culture that may influence the learning of language where dialogue and interactions are based on specific cultural norms. The individualist versus collectivist personal identity plays a crucial role because language will reflect the way in which individuals relate to one another, make requests, acquiesce, delegate, or accept certain aspects of social life. To know how the culture operate on the individualistic and communitarian spectrum will allow language learners to appropriately communicate with people certain situations.

As important as learning the spoken language, a large part of cultural learning is understanding the unspoken word or nonverbal communication which may express more or different meanings in different cultural settings. Learning a language requires one to understand how individuals react through facial expressions, signaling, or other movements which may have significant meaning. This is very important in learning a new language because confusion, insult, or misunderstanding may arise from such situations. And in the case that there are misunderstandings there is always a need to be flexible both as learner of another language and as a native speaker communicating with students of one's own language.

The explanation of monochronic and polychronic understandings provide a similar opportunity as nonverbal communication to ignite confusion or understanding, so it is an aspect of culture that must be considered in learning a language in order to be most effective in communicating.

The cultural dimension I found most fascinating and most relevant to learning language through immersion is the conversation on direct and direct communication. The difference between high and low context cultures provides a very important part of relating everyday within a culture that may be much more important to the student than his ability to speak the language. Responding to communication in the appropriate settings allows for less frustration and confusion and may facilitate language acquisition by understanding the comfort limits associated with a culture.

After reading the article 'A Picture of Language,' I began familiarizing myself with the concept of 'diagramming' which I had never quite encountered before. When I think back at my English grammar classes, there is only very little that I can still remember about the nuances of the Enlighs language besides the major forms and tenses. Conjugation has become second nature for native speakers of their language, and unfortunately it seems many people have lost their grasp ion grammar. I used to think that the grammar exercises were tedious in my elementary and middle school years, but today I wish they would have stayed with more, it really could have simplified the process of learning another language. The point is, that the lost art form of 'diagramming' could potentially see a resurgence in popularity as visual methods of learning are incorporated into teaching methods. Furthermore, as a student currently studying a language I have no former formal instruction in, I have many moments where grammar would serve to enlighten me greatly. However, focusing on speaking, I have relied greatly on my previous auditory memory and readings to deduce potential grammar structures. I like the idea of diagramming, it might help me and other self-learners to become more aware of the language structure and provide a less tedious opportunity for learning.