Language Variations

Is really easy to recognize, when some persons is speaking, from where they from, because in the way they speak. For example they are many social groups that change or create their own language to communicate each others, breaking the rules of the typical language. For example Ebonics have change words from the 'normal English' to create a way to communicate each others. As I said before in other entry, language is constantly changing. Other example is something very common in Chile: 'Spanglish'. People use to try to speak with English words, but they mix them with Spanish words, creating a new words or using different language in the same sentences: ' Estoy muy canzado de trabajar, hay que tomar un break, no?'.

Also its important to mention, that this language variations, make more difficult the communication between different cultures, because people say that English is the 'Universal Language' (future maybe Chinesse), but if I want to communicate with a Indian person, it would be very difficult in some cases because the used of words that the Indean person may have. Another example is the Ebonics Language. The last class we worked with a rap song of Soulja Boy, which was very difficult to understand for me, because the used of words that i have never seen before when I study English. I only understand something of hating someone, but the used of rhyme and 'new English words for me' make it impossible to understand the complete song.

English is the 'Universal Language', but as I said before, language is in constant change, and if the different cultures keep changing and creating new words, what would happen? Do you thing that in future English would be the way of communicate with different cultures? What happens if these 'language variation' keep going?

Language and Cultural Context

Language changes? All people who speaks English speaks with same words, accent, intonation? Do you have the same 'key words' or 'codes' that a person from the South or North of Chile?...

Yes! Language is constantly changing because the different cultural contexts. English, isn't speak always the same way. English change depending the social and cultural context, for example a judge doesn´t speaks like a person from the ghetto, or and Indian person who speaks English, because, the use of words, the intonation, accent are different. That is the Language Variation, which I will refer in more detail in my next entry. Key words are also very important in language, for example, as I wrote in my last entry, the Legal language, language in sports and Medical language.

British Week and Winter Holidays

During the last week of the first term, the British week takes place. This week started with something that have been considered as a tradition during the last years: The Valparaiso Trip! In this trip, some students had the opportunity to visit Valparaiso, specifically Cerro Alegre, the place where our school was founded in 1857. Also during the week, different activities were conducted, like Criquet, Rolling Cheese, Plays, etc.

Unfortunately i wasn't at school during the British week and in winter holidays, because i was in the exchange at Scots College, New Zealand. During the trip  I made good relationships and take the advantege to improve my English, also was a good opportunity to live  in a home with different cultureand lifestyle (which I really like it). It was a great experience, I wish to return some day.

Reading Comprehension

While you are reading , you can identify, different elements that make a text unique and special. The main 3 are:

• Theme; the genereal idea that the text is about. Love, sadness surprise, etc.
• Topic; particular idea of the text. "Sadness of Tom, for losing his father".
• Main idea; is the  the message that the author want´s to give to the audience.

Also in a text, we can find a lot of other elements such as: source, audience, purpose, genre, tone, register, etc. that makes different one text with another.

Class Activity: 11 Language Speaker

1) How many languages does Alex speak?
 11 Language.


2) Does context help in the process of acquiring a new language?
Of course, be surrounded by a language is the perfect way to improve it or learn it.


3) Are there any languages that have similar pronunciation?
Yes, Greek and Italian are very similar to Spanish.


4) Which of the languages spoken by Alex seem more colloquial?
Spanish and Afrikaans.


5) Is class a more important factor in language variation than geography?
  Geography is more important, because determines the language and the accent and way of speaking. In the other side, Class, determines the register that people will use (slang, informal, formal, etc).


 6) Do you think, the ability of learning a language is innate or learned?
As Noam Chomsky said in the Universal Grammar Theory, "humans born with the desire to speak, but language is learned"


7) According to you, are some languages more or less difficult  to learn than others? Talk about your own experience.
Yes, some language are more difficult to learn because are much different, in comparison to Spanish, and other language are easier to learn them, because they are similar to Spanish, like Italian for example.

Slang & Jargon

When we communicate, we used to use words depending on the context. For example when doctors talk each others, they use a language that barely a common person will understand, or when people from a particular social group communicate, they use an specific type of language (words) that they understand.

The specific language used in things related to work is known as Jargon. . Those words are formals and have a great importance to develop in a good way things like the jobs. They are many types of Jargon, as:

• Sport language: codes, specific words related, etc.
• Scientific language: for example; ABG, in medicine, means arterial blood gas reading.
• Legal language: used by lawyers, in the court, in legal processes, etc.

There are also informal words, that are used by group of people (social groups), known as slang. Slang is commonly used in chats, secret conversations (codes), etc. For example the word "cool", that means great. 

Debate: eBooks or Paper Books.

During the past week, we debate about "eBooks vs. Paper Books". Sadly I was absent the day that group have to debate, (and Mr. Elgueta too) so Mr. Jeria debate alone vs. Mr. Labra, Mr. Eggeling and Mr. Hagedorn. 
The motion of our group has in favor of normal books or paper books. In my opinion, technology is always an important tool for humans in general, but in this case eBooks can´t replace paper books. First of all, eBooks are more expensive than normal books, the cheapest eBook is over $100 U.S and you must buy the books that you want to read, but paper books are more accessible ($10 US average). 
Other problem that eBooks have is that, they need Internet to dowload the books, so people must have Internet to use in a complete way the Ebook. Finally paper books have a sentimental value for people, we must keep our traditions such as have a bookshelf full of books in stead of being more dependent of techological devices.