For last year's words belong to last year's language,
And next year's words await another voice.
TS Eliot
And next year's words await another voice.
TS Eliot
Old Year and New Year by Christina Rossetti
New Year met me somewhat sad:
Old Year left me tired,
Stripped of favourite things I had
Baulked of much desired:
Yet further on my road to-day
God willing, further on my way.
New Year met me somewhat sad:
Old Year left me tired,
Stripped of favourite things I had
Baulked of much desired:
Yet further on my road to-day
God willing, further on my way.
Best Of
Re: LEN Kind of Nice Idioms With Kindg Nice
I spent these last months watching almost daily the dramatic footages of wildfires raging all over Australia; the catstrophe is immense and the sight of the destructions caused by the blaze really blew me away.
The skies were constantly glowing and misty; you could almost feel the stifling heat and smoke crossing the screen.
I thought of all the people who managed to escape fire by the skin of their teeth, only to get back later and find their homes razed to the ground by the devouring flames.
Among all that grief and desperation, though, I was thankful to see how many volunteers and firefighters, even for abroad, gathered to offer their help regardless the great danger surrounding them.
They weren't afraid to bite more than they could chew, because the urgency of the situation required anyone to bend over backwards and provide their contribute whatever.
Sometimes the immediate need can turn you a strong match to any enormous calamity, even though you feared would never be up to it.
News sites eventually stopped beating around the bush, and openly spoke about the chances that also arsonists contributed to further spreading the blazes.
They said there could have also been the case of people who, inadvertently, flipped their cigarettes' butts into the bushes, while still lit.
Honestly, though, I couldn't believe there might be people who behave in such a neglectful thoughtless way, while hundreds of people around there keep gasping and wheezing in such a Hell on the Earth.
Even worse, of cold-hearted people who could say ' I couldn't care less '.
The skies were constantly glowing and misty; you could almost feel the stifling heat and smoke crossing the screen.
I thought of all the people who managed to escape fire by the skin of their teeth, only to get back later and find their homes razed to the ground by the devouring flames.
Among all that grief and desperation, though, I was thankful to see how many volunteers and firefighters, even for abroad, gathered to offer their help regardless the great danger surrounding them.
They weren't afraid to bite more than they could chew, because the urgency of the situation required anyone to bend over backwards and provide their contribute whatever.
Sometimes the immediate need can turn you a strong match to any enormous calamity, even though you feared would never be up to it.
News sites eventually stopped beating around the bush, and openly spoke about the chances that also arsonists contributed to further spreading the blazes.
They said there could have also been the case of people who, inadvertently, flipped their cigarettes' butts into the bushes, while still lit.
Honestly, though, I couldn't believe there might be people who behave in such a neglectful thoughtless way, while hundreds of people around there keep gasping and wheezing in such a Hell on the Earth.
Even worse, of cold-hearted people who could say ' I couldn't care less '.
filauzio
5
Re: How long have you been learning English?
I've been learning English for... all my life. Some years ago though I decided to switch from learning to speaking 
oscar001
7
Marianne's Tuesday 8am session 31 December 2019: Climate change - myth or reality
Greta Thunberg has been in the news proclaiming the urgent need to address the problem of climate change. But not everyone is willing to accept there is a problem.
https://www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_the_disarming_case_to_act_right_now_on_climate_change
This video talks about climate change. Thunberg is shocked by how human beings are capable of changing the Earth's climate.
What do you think? Do you think there is a problem? Have you seen any evidence of climate change, other than a warmer summer?
For example, last night in northern Scotland there was a record high of over 16 degrees centigrade.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/29/remarkable-high-as-scottish-temperature-record-is-broken?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlVS19XZWVrZGF5cy0xOTEyMzA=&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK
Captured on camera: 50 years of climate change in the Himalayas. Series of before and after panoramas of Imja glacier taken five decades apart highlights dramatic reduction of Himalayan ice.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/jun/04/byers-himalaya-changing-landscapes
https://www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_the_disarming_case_to_act_right_now_on_climate_change
This video talks about climate change. Thunberg is shocked by how human beings are capable of changing the Earth's climate.
What do you think? Do you think there is a problem? Have you seen any evidence of climate change, other than a warmer summer?
For example, last night in northern Scotland there was a record high of over 16 degrees centigrade.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/29/remarkable-high-as-scottish-temperature-record-is-broken?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlVS19XZWVrZGF5cy0xOTEyMzA=&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK
Captured on camera: 50 years of climate change in the Himalayas. Series of before and after panoramas of Imja glacier taken five decades apart highlights dramatic reduction of Himalayan ice.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/jun/04/byers-himalaya-changing-landscapes
mheredge
5
Re: Christmas Traditions and Culture
I can share some insight about the Russian situation. There are two traditions, the first is the older Christian Orthodox, and the second is secular started by the previous Soviet government in order to stop the people from celebrating religious holidays, be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish, whatever else.
The Russian Orthodox Church hasn't switched from the previously adopted Julian calenedar, meanwhile the Roman Catholic Church did it somewhen in the XVI century by an order by a certain Pope Gregory. This means that the Julian Christmas is on January, 7 by the Gregorian calendar, or the Julian December 25 is January 7 by the Gregorian one. The same is true about many other Orthodox Churches. This gap between the calendars will be widening with time.
The Russian Empire lived according the Julian calendar in civil matters as well. However, when Bolshevicks came to power they switched the country to the Gregorian and campaigned against observing religious holidays of any kind with any means, including promoting celebrating New Year Eve instead of Christmas. Nowdays most people here observe this Soviet tradition, though they are usually happy to repeat the festivities on January 7, and sometimes on January 14 (the Julian New Year).
For the Orthodox practioners the secular New Year celebration poses a problem that they can't join the most of their relatives in the festivities. They have to be observing the strict Christmas fast. The state holiday period starts from the New Year and ends one day after January 7.
Ded Moroz has never been a variant of St. Nicholas, who has a separate remembrance day. Snegourochka is often anglised as Snow Maiden and she is indeed the granddaughter, though nobody knows who are her parents.
The Russian Orthodox Church hasn't switched from the previously adopted Julian calenedar, meanwhile the Roman Catholic Church did it somewhen in the XVI century by an order by a certain Pope Gregory. This means that the Julian Christmas is on January, 7 by the Gregorian calendar, or the Julian December 25 is January 7 by the Gregorian one. The same is true about many other Orthodox Churches. This gap between the calendars will be widening with time.
The Russian Empire lived according the Julian calendar in civil matters as well. However, when Bolshevicks came to power they switched the country to the Gregorian and campaigned against observing religious holidays of any kind with any means, including promoting celebrating New Year Eve instead of Christmas. Nowdays most people here observe this Soviet tradition, though they are usually happy to repeat the festivities on January 7, and sometimes on January 14 (the Julian New Year).
For the Orthodox practioners the secular New Year celebration poses a problem that they can't join the most of their relatives in the festivities. They have to be observing the strict Christmas fast. The state holiday period starts from the New Year and ends one day after January 7.
Ded Moroz has never been a variant of St. Nicholas, who has a separate remembrance day. Snegourochka is often anglised as Snow Maiden and she is indeed the granddaughter, though nobody knows who are her parents.
Re: Christmas Traditions and Culture
In the UK, US and Canada, “Santa Claus” or “Father Christmas”
In the US he is also known as Kris Kringle (which originates from the German word Christkind (Christ child)).
In France Père Noël / Papa Noël (lit. Father Christmas / Daddy Christmas)
In Spain Papa Noel (lit. Father Christmas)
In some countries like Mexico and Venezuela, presents might also be brought by El Niñito Dios (baby Jesus) or Santo Clós (Santa Claus).
In Germany they have the Weihnachtsmann (lit. Christmas man), but the festive season in Germany starts early, with Nikolaustag – St. Nicholas Day – on 6th December. It is thought that St. Nicholas comes in the night, and puts presents in the children’s shoes, which are usually polished and placed by their front doors the evening before.
In some parts of Germany, das Christkind (Christ child) is thought to bring children presents on Christmas Eve.
In Italy they have Babbo Natale (lit. Daddy Christmas)
In Portugal Papai Noel (lit. Father Christmas), or Pai Natal.
In Russia they have Дед Мороз – Ded Moroz (lit. Grandfather Frost), but it is celebrated on 7th January, people also exchange presents on New Year’s Eve. It is believed that Ded Moroz (the Russian and interpretation of and name for Santa Claus) brings presents with the help of his granddaughter, Snegurka.
In Turkey they have Noel Baba (lit. Father Christmas)
In Poland Święty Mikołaj (lit. Saint Nicholas), but in some parts of Poland presents are given by Dziadek Mróz (the same as Ded Moroz in Russia) and in western and northern Poland people believe that Gwiazdor (the starman) brings them.
Teach
5
Re: Monday Night Owls - 11 November 2019 - Why you should invent new words
I agree with @Sarraf .
People should be able to suggest new words if they are relevant to something that is known and used in the general public.
However, it will be very confusing for other people, especially for language learners, when everybody just adds any word with any meaning they want to a dictionary.
One word could have thousand meanings, the one is just the opposite of the other, which one should we believe then?
Even now, one English word can have a lot of meanings in the Cambridge or Oxford Dictionary, let alone if anybody would give their own interpretation and is allowed to add it online.
Doesn't @NatashaT or @Teach frequently say " this is a word that has different meanings"?
Maybe there is one advantage; I could create any word in Scrabble. I'd just say: "I've just added that word into the dictionary".
And do you think that the creator of that word also has a copyright for his word?
People should be able to suggest new words if they are relevant to something that is known and used in the general public.
However, it will be very confusing for other people, especially for language learners, when everybody just adds any word with any meaning they want to a dictionary.
One word could have thousand meanings, the one is just the opposite of the other, which one should we believe then?
Even now, one English word can have a lot of meanings in the Cambridge or Oxford Dictionary, let alone if anybody would give their own interpretation and is allowed to add it online.
Doesn't @NatashaT or @Teach frequently say " this is a word that has different meanings"?
Maybe there is one advantage; I could create any word in Scrabble. I'd just say: "I've just added that word into the dictionary".
And do you think that the creator of that word also has a copyright for his word?
april
5
Re: Monday Night Owls - 11 November 2019 - Why you should invent new words
I'm not against the idea of adding new words to the dictionary. Especially with the advances in technology and sciences entering into everyday life, it is inevitable for us to face new situations that may require using new words. But I think the process of making new words should be carried out by the experts not everyone.
Of course, I'm taking into account the difficulties that adding new words to a language would cause for someone like me who's trying to learn the language. ;)
Of course, I'm taking into account the difficulties that adding new words to a language would cause for someone like me who's trying to learn the language. ;)
Sarraf
5
Marianne's Tuesday 8am 5 November session: Risk intelligence - not all gamblers are fools
Following on from our discussion on luck, this is an interesting TED talk on expert gamblers. Surely gambling is just a matter of luck?
What Can We Learn From Expert Gamblers?: Dylan Evans
The thrill of playing is why most people gamble, but not for the expert gamblers. For them it is the intellectual satisfaction.
According to the experts gambling experience, there are 3 steps in which you can improve your decision-making skills. By understanding your limits, you can decide whether or not to take a risk on something. Your bet must correspond to your confidence. If you doubt your estimates, then it would be better to make small safe bets.
* Know Your Limit in Percentages
* Measure Betting Amount Proportionate to Confidence
* Anticipate Your Win or Loss
The speakers suggests we are all gamblers at heart. Most of us take a gamble every day. Some people do things that are risky even though they are aware of the consequences that their actions may have on the environment, their finances or even life-endangering activities.
Could you name another industry that is closely related to gambling and taking risks? (Comments below please....)
He quotes Clint Eastwood who plays in The Rookie: 'If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.'
What Can We Learn From Expert Gamblers?: Dylan Evans
The thrill of playing is why most people gamble, but not for the expert gamblers. For them it is the intellectual satisfaction.
According to the experts gambling experience, there are 3 steps in which you can improve your decision-making skills. By understanding your limits, you can decide whether or not to take a risk on something. Your bet must correspond to your confidence. If you doubt your estimates, then it would be better to make small safe bets.
* Know Your Limit in Percentages
* Measure Betting Amount Proportionate to Confidence
* Anticipate Your Win or Loss
The speakers suggests we are all gamblers at heart. Most of us take a gamble every day. Some people do things that are risky even though they are aware of the consequences that their actions may have on the environment, their finances or even life-endangering activities.
Could you name another industry that is closely related to gambling and taking risks? (Comments below please....)
He quotes Clint Eastwood who plays in The Rookie: 'If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.'
mheredge
5