Random thoughts

Have you ever noticed that the word “cheat” is an anagram of “teach“?

Lost in Translation

Today I found out something very funny. People do not always need to know languages to write about them. Or to translate them.

I was at the hairdresser’s reading a very famous magazine here in Argentina, and came across an article about LOST. Basically, the writer was talking about the final season, and when referring to the first episode, he stated “episodio de la nueva temporada… se titula “LA X”. (The first episode of the new season is called “The X” – translating what he wrote). And yes. he was wrong. The episode is called “L.A. X”, where L.A. means…. yes! You guessed! Los Angeles!! (it wasn’t so difficult… just by watching the first episode of the first season you could guess it… or by some googling ) Furthermore, LAX is… Los Angeles’ Airport! If this writer had thought for a while, translating the title of the previously mentioned episode would have been really easy… (If only she/he checked the plot of the series…)

The point is, we as teachers always insist on the appropriacy of words, but when I see things like this, I can’t avoid thinking that our students are exposed to “bad translations” everywhere, and then they use those phrases in their speeches and writing pieces, and when you correct them… it’s a long story.

Anyway, I still can’t believe that people from important magazines in Argentina are not able to translate something SO simple as that! (I mean, when they study to become journalists, they have several levels of English, and they can get to an upper intermediate level easily!)

2010: How will you say it?

I go for twenty-ten, what about you?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6897583/BBC-stars-discuss-how-to-pronounce-2010.html

All I Need To Know About Life…

I Learned From A Cow

Wake up in a happy mooo-d.

Don’t cry over spilled milk.

When chewing your cud, remember. . .
There is no fat, no calories, no cholesterol
and no taste!


The grass is greener
on the other side of the fence.

Turn the udder cheek and mooo-ve on.

Seize every opportunity and milk it for all it’s worth!

It’s better to be seen and not herd.

Honor thy fodder and thy mother
and all your udder relatives.

Never take any bull from anybody.

Always let them know who’s bossy!

Stepping on cow pies brings good luck.

Black and white is always
an appropriate fashion statement.

Don’t forget to cow-nt your blessings every day.

How do you say TEACHER in other languages?

AFRIKAANS Onderwyser

ALBANIAN Mesuese

ASTURIAN Maestru

AYMARA Yatichiri

AZERI Muelim

BASQUE Irakasle

BRETON Skolaer

CATALAN Mestre

CORSICAN Maestru

CROATIAN Nastavnik

CZECH Ucitel

DANISH Laerer

DUTCH Leraar

ENGLISH Teacher, Miss

ESPERANTO Instruisto

ESTONIAN Opetaja

FAEROESE Laerari

FINNISH Opettaja

FRENCH Professeur

FRISIAN Learaar

GALICIAN Mestre

GERMAN Lehrer

GUARANI Mbo’ehara

HUNGARIAN Tanar

ICELANDIC Kennari

INDONESIAN Guru

IRISH Muinteoir

ITALIAN Maestro

JAPANESE Sensei

JUDEO-SPANISH Maestro

KOREAN sun-saeng-nim

LADINO Maester

LATIN Magister

LATVIAN Skolotajs

MALAY Pengajar

MALTESE Lekcerer

MAORI Kaiwhakaako

NORWEGIAN Laerer

OCCITAN Regent

PAPIAMENTO Instruktor

POLISH Nauczyciel

PORTUGUESE Mestre

QUECHUA Yachachijj

ROMANIAN Invatator, Profesor

ROMANSH Magister

SAMOAN Faia’oga

SLOVAK Ucitel

SPANISH Maestro, Profesor

SWAHILI Malimu

TAGALOG Guro

WELSH Athro

YUCATEC Ka’nsah

ZULU Uthisha

I don’t know why, but I’m preparing my classes for next week and I can’t stop looking at my kitty – she is sleeping next to me, and from time to time… she snores!

English is a crazy language! Look at these facts!

(1) The word “news” is not the plural of the word ´new. ´ The word “NEWS” came from the first letters of the words North, East, West and South. This was because information was being gathered from all different directions.

(2) The idiom “it rains cats and dogs” originated in 17th Century England. During heavy downpours of rain, many of these poor animals unfortunately drowned and their bodies would be seen floating in the rain torrents that raced through the streets. The situation gave the appearance that it had literally rained “cats and dogs” and led to the current expression.

(3) The saying “all roads lead to Rome,” goes back to the fact that the ancient Romans built an excellent system of roads. This saying means that no matter which road one starts a journey on, he will finally reach Rome if he keeps on traveling. The popular saying also means that all ways or methods of doing something end in the same result: No method is better than another.

(4) The origin of the word “quisling” comes from the name of Major Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian who collaborated with the Germans during their occupation of Norway. The word “quisling” now means “traitor.”

(5) The word “set” has the largest number of definitions in the English Language: (192 definitions according to the Oxford English Dictionary

(6) The study of insects is called entomology, while the study of word origins is called etymology.

(7) “Rhythms” is the longest English word without the normal vowels, a, e, i, o, or u.

(8) No word in the English language rhymes with the words “month, orange, silver, and purple.”

(9) A bibliophile is a collector of rare books. A bibliopole is a seller of rare books.

(10) A hamlet is a village without a church and a town is not a city until it has a cathedral.

(11) “Bookkeeper” and “bookkeeping” are the only words in the English language with three consecutive double letters.

(12) “Underground” is the only word in the English language that begins and ends with the letters “und.”

(13) The word “queue” is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.

(14) The word “queueing” is the only English word with five consecutive vowels.

(15) The only three words in the English language that begin with the letters “DW” are Dwarf, Dwell, and Dwindle.

(16) There are only four words in the English language which end in “-dous”: tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

(17) Strengths (nine letters long) is the longest word in the English language with only one vowel.

Curiosities

Have you ever paid attention to the way your students grasp pencils? If not, take a look at the different ways they can grasp their pencils here.