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The cartoonist and author Mimi Pond once said, “What becomes of the broken-hearted? They buy shoes.”
True? Only women, or men as well? The popular notion about women and shoes may or may not be true, but shoes have helped them majorly, more than once.
Cinderella’s glass slippers reunited her with her beau. Dorothy’s silver shoes flew her around. No wonder many love shoes, some a little more than others.
Some even have an obsession with the shoe, but here we are more interested in their place in the language. This week we’ll look at five terms related to shoes that also have developed figurative meanings.
Do you have a shoe addiction? Do you consider yourself a sneakerhead? Do you have a personal story involving shoes, addiction or not? Share it below or email us at words@wordsmith.org.
Today's word is brogue, from Irish and Scottish Gaelic brog (shoe). The accent sense of the word apparently arose from this kind of shoes worn by the speakers. Earliest documented use: 1587.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/brogue.html
Today's word is rheology, coined by Eugene C. Bingham (1878-1945), professor of chemistry, inspired by an aphorism of the philosopher Simplicius of Cilicia: "Panta rhei" (Everything flows). From Greek rheo- (flow) + -logy (study). Earliest documented use: 1929.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/rheology.html
Today's word is clever clogs. The term boots has been used for a fellow or a person since the early 1600s. From there we got the term clever boots and then clever clogs. Earliest documented use: 1866.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/clever_clogs.html
10 October 2020.
English: Net.
Irish: Líon.
Finnish: Verkko.
Please translate to your own language in comments.
day 10.
rapidograph/adobe illustrator cs6.
3 inch square.
Example:
Le héiri gréine do thairicíodar isteach an líon.
At sunrise they drew in the net.
25 October 2020.
English: Fail.
Irish: Teip.
Finnish: Epäonnistua.
Please translate to your own language.
Examples:
Theip orm an obair a dhéanamh cé gur a dheineas mo dhícheall.
(I failed to do the work, although I did my best.)
"Gan teip?" arsan Fear Dubh. "Gan teip," arsa Séadna.
(Without fail? Said the Devil. Without fail, said Séadna.)
On parempi epäonnistua aikaansaamisessa, kuin aikaansaada epäonnistuminen.
(It is better to fail to accomplish, than to accomplish failure.)
day 25.
rapidograph/adobe illustrator cs6.
3 1/2 inch square.
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
Today's word is pilcrow, apparently an alteration of the word paragraph, with r changing into l and remodeled along the more familiar words pill and crow. Earliest documented use: 1440.]
NOTES: In the beginning, a piece of writing was one big amorphous chunk of text: no punctuation, no upper/lowercase, no spaces. Writing real estate was expensive, whether tablets, skins, or papyrus. With time punctuation marks entered the language. A pilcrow signified a change in topic, even though the text still flowed without any visual breaks.
Eventually, actual paragraph breaks were employed and the pilcrow sat at the beginning of the paragraph, often embellished in red color. When printing came along, the hand embellishment of the pilcrow disappeared though the space marked for it remained at the beginning of the paragraph as an indent.
The pilcrow took a well-earned retirement, though you can still find it if you know where to look in your word processor.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/pilcrow.html
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
Am Samstag haben wir den ganzen Tag das schöne Wetter in Potsdam genossen! 🌞 Wir haben die russische Kolonie Alexandrowka im Norden der Stadt besucht und auch das holländische Viertel im Stadtzentrum, wo wir eine Mittagspause gemacht haben. Beim Besuch des Bassinplatzes sind wir auf das Afrika Festival gestoßen, wo wir Livemusik 🎶 gehört und uns die Marktstände angeschaut haben. Besonders schön fanden wir, durch den Sanssouci Park zu gehen und uns das Neue Palais und das Schloss Sanssouci anzuschauen. Nach einem langen, aufregenden Tag haben wir schließlich eine kleine Pause am Fluss gemacht. 😴
🔊 Mach bei unseren Aktivitäten von dieser Woche mit! Wie jeden Montag machen wir heute einen Kiezspaziergang in Friedrichshain und nächsten Samstag fahren wir nach Dresden! 📢
----
On Saturday we spent the whole day enjoying the lovely weather in Potsdam! 🌞 We visited the Russian colony Alexandrowka in the northern part of the city and also the Dutch quarter in the city center, where we had a lunch break. While visiting Bassinplatz we stumbled upon the Afrika Festival where we enjoyed some life music 🎶 and had a look at the market stalls. We especially loved walking through the Sanssouci Park and seeing the New Palace and the Sanssouci Palace. We finally took a little nap on the river bank after our exciting and tiring day! 😴
🔊 Join our activities this week! For example, every Monday we do a neighbourhood walk in Friedrichshain and we are going to Dresden next Saturday! 📢
#Sprachenatelier #Sommer #Sommerprogramm #Potsdam #Samstag #SanssouciPark #NeuePalais #SchlossSanssouci #summercourses #Sprachenatelierberlin #summer #sommerkurse #german #languageschool #sprachschule #Berlin #독일어어학원 #Курсы #немецкого #Ausflug #learninggerman #languagelearning #Deutschkurse #Sprachkurse #Sprachenlernen #德语 #internationalstudents #learngerman
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
At one time any self-respecting Jane Austenite would be expected to know the language of flowers by heart.
Whole dictionaries were published about what flower symbolized what. They call it floriography: coded communication through the use of flowers. If you knew your floriography, you could probably skip over half of any Victorian romance novel.
In those days a "well-bred"* person was expected to know that a red rose meant love and a yellow rose friendship. A lily was a symbol of purity and innocence while mimosa, aka touch-me-not,** was of chastity. Well, F all that prudish obsession with chastity!
To me, each flower comes with the message that there's hope for humanity. This week we'll see five flower-related terms that are used figuratively.
Do you feel partial to some particular flower? Have a story related to flowers? Share on our website wordsmith.org/words/roseate.html or email us at words@wordsmith.org.
*Not sure what today's well-bred person is supposed to know. Perhaps the language of emojis?
**"Mimosa pudica", to be more precise
Today's word of the day is roseate.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/roseate.html
BEE WEEK 2019: WHAT TO EXPECT AND TIPS
The Scripps National Spelling Bee, a.k.a. ìBee Week,î begins on Sunday! If you qualified for the National Spelling Bee this year, congratulations and good luck! This blog post will let you know what to expect at Bee Week, and I give you my main Bee Week and last-minute study tips.
Meeting other spellers and signing BeeKeepers.
On Sunday, you will attend an orientation, where the National Spelling Bee (NSB) staff will give you a schedule for the week and some goodies. They will give you a BeeKeeper, which has a page with information about every speller at the Bee. When spellers meet, they will autograph each otherís BeeKeepers, which is one of the coolest traditions at the NSB. Beginning Sunday and throughout the week, ESPN will choose spellers and conduct interviews for them, so you might get a taste of the spotlight before competition even begins.
Get some sleep on Sunday night; the preliminaries test is early Monday morning. Dr. Bailly will pronounce each of the 24 words and read the relevant information. Pay attention while he does this, you will not be able to ask for information after he is done. One of the best tips I can offer for the test is to write down the spelling or definition of the word being asked before even looking at the choices. That way, you avoid becoming confused by the choices and second-guessing yourself. Other general test-taking tips also apply for this test, such as process of elimination and marking questions you are unsure about so you can come back to them.
Tuesday morning brings the first onstage roundó all spellers will complete Round 2 of the preliminaries and Group One spellers will complete Round 3 (both rounds will be broadcast on ESPN3 so your family and friends back home can watch). Since there are 565 spellers competing, these rounds are as much a test of patience as they are of spelling skill. Take advantage of breaks to take a walk and/or drink some water, and donít try to spell everyone elseís wordóyou may end up stressing yourself out or getting tired. When you are up spelling, it may be nerve-wracking to see all the lights and cameras focused on you, but ignore it all. Just focus on Dr. Bailly are the word youíre being asked to spell, and you will be fine.
On Wednesday, Group Two spellers will finish Round 3 of the preliminaries. At the conclusion of the preliminaries, you will receive an email with your score from the preliminaries test on Monday. The finalists will also be announced around this time. If you donít qualify as a finalist, youíre definitely allowed to take some time to be sad, but definitely go out and support the finalists on Thursday. Lots of spellers will also attend, so this is a great opportunity to get BeeKeeper signatures and meet new people. If you do qualify as a finalist, enjoy the moment and prepare yourself for a lot of media attention. Make sure to get some rest before Thursday; it will be a very long day.
Interview with the media after qualifying for the evening finals.
Thursday is a very big day for all the finalists. The morning finals start at 10 a.m., and they continue until there are 12 or less spellers remaining, who all move on to the evening finals. If you are an evening finalist, you will have a session with ESPN to make a short video about you, and then you will have a few hours to rest. Before the start of the finals, Scripps will provide you dinner, then you will get your hair and makeup done for TV. Enjoy being on ESPN Primetime, because you are (literally) one speller out of a million to get this opportunity. At the end of the night, and after many difficult words, the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion is crowned!
Friday is a great time to relax and do some sightseeing. The NSB offers a Washington, D.C. tour, but you can always stay back at the hotel to hang out with spellers or explore National Harbor (the Ferris wheel is a must-see!). If you are the champion, you will spend all morning doing interviews with news channels all over America. In the evening is the awards banquet, where all spellers who competed are recognized for their accomplishments and Bee Week is officially concluded. Afterwards is the Farewell Party, which is personally my favorite part of the week. You can hang out with your speller friends on the dance floor or take funny pictures at the photo booth. The NSB closes the ballroom around midnight, but spellers will hang out around the hotel until around 2 a.m., and sometimes even after.
Here are my top three tips for making the most of Bee Week:
1. MEET PEOPLE! You are in a hotel with 565 spellers from all over the United States and the world. If you ever have some free time, go explore the hotelóthere will always be spellers in the lobby, atrium, or ballroom area. Make sure you have your BeeKeeper with you, since itís a great icebreaker and helps people identify you as a speller. Whenever you see a speller, ask them to sign your BeeKeeper and start a conversation with them! Iíve met some amazing people this way, and I still keep in touch with them, even 3 years after the Bee.
You can also make friends up on stage. Everyone at the NSB says, ìYou are competing against the dictionary, not each other,î and this is definitely true. You will be amazed at the camaraderie between all the spellers on stage, and if you feel comfortable, definitely take the opportunity to start a conversation with your neighbors (I actually used this as a way to distract myself from being nervous).
Definitely take the time to meet some NSB alumni as well. We all love Bee Week so much that we come back year after year, even after we have ìretiredî from the Bee. These NSB alumni have all been in your shoes before and can offer you unique advice during the week. A lot of them are also very successful and they are going to amazing universities like Yale, Princeton, Brown, Columbia, Stanford, etc., so you can also ask them about high school and life after the Bee!
2. Take care of yourself at Bee Week. There is so much happening that itís easy to forget to eat food, drink water, and get sleep. Donít spend all your time at the bee holed up in your hotel room to cram a lot of new words. You probably wonít remember these words later, and this last-minute cramming will just stress you out more. If you do feel the need to study, stick to reviewing some easier words that you have seen before.
To do your best up on stage, make sure you drink lots of water, and have a snack during the breaks. The lights and cameras on stage can get overwhelming, so donít forget to leave the stage during the breaks and walk around a little bit.
You have studied many hours for this bee. Be calm and confident, do your best, and everything will work itself out.
3. Enjoy the NSB and National Harbor experience as much as you can! The National Spelling Bee has lots of fun activities throughout the week, which are also great places to meet spellers. Go to as many of these events as possible and donít forget to bring your BeeKeeper!
The view of the Capitol Wheel from the Gaylord Hotel.
National Harbor is a beautiful town with lots of great places to sightsee and some amazing restaurantsó take advantage of them when you have time. The Capitol Wheel (a Ferris wheel near the hotel) has a great view of National Harbor and the Potomac River. Former spellersí favorite restaurants include Fiorella, Nandoís, Redstone, and Cadillac Ranch. You are also very close to Washington, D.C., so you can visit the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, etc. if you havenít been there before.
Here are my top last-minute study tips:
1. Try to avoid learning many new words once youíre at Bee Week. This may stress you out, decrease your confidence, and cause you to second-guess yourself once youíre up on stage. Instead, focus on reviewing words that you have already seen at least once. Maybe review words you know but havenít seen in a while to refresh your memory, or look at words that youíve previously made a mistake on. It is fine to learn a few new words at a time, just try to avoid cramming a long list of words youíve never seen beforeóchances are you wonít remember them when you go on stage.
2. Take frequent breaks. The last thing you want to do is tire yourself out before you compete, so donít overwork yourself cramming for the bee.
Take a break every two hours or so and do something active such as meeting spellers around the hotel or taking a walk outside the hotel. Spend the hour before you go on stage away from the books and computer screen. The more relaxed and alert you are on stage, the better you will do.
3. Prepare for the preliminaries test. If this is your first time competing at the National Spelling Bee, you probably have never taken a multiple choice spelling and vocabulary test like the preliminaries test. This test is very different from spelling onstage; make sure you spend time learning the format of the test so you know what to expect. SpellPunditís practice preliminaries test will help you get a feel for the multiple choice format of the test, as well as help you review spelling and vocabulary words.
4. Donít overlook the ìeasyî words. Many spellers will spend the last few days before the bee only looking at ìhardî words and completely overlooking the ìeasierî ones. But these seemingly ìeasyî words can be tricky and trip up even the most experienced spellers. Donít forget about them, especially when studying for the preliminary rounds!
Bee Week is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so enjoy it as much as possible. If you are still eligible next year, take a break from studying for a while, then start working so you can qualify again!
Once again, good luck to everyone competing and may the best speller win!
Today's word is boreal, from Boreas, the god of the north wind in Greek mythology. Earliest documented use: 1470. The opposite is austral.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/boreal.html
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
Phonics Bingo: Pronunciation Spelling Board Games - Advanced Level
Who doesn't love bingo? Older kids and adults definitely do. Now use this familiar favorite to help reinforce phonics and help improve spelling and pronunciation effortlessly. These entertaining activities work because the provide immediate feedback - motivating players to understand and then properly pronounce contrasting words.
The advanced level game is designed for reading and vocabulary learning students. The games teach simple vowel contrasts, complex vowel contrasts, initial consonant contrasts, and final consonant contrasts. There are 8 different games with ten bingo cards per game plus a deck of caller cards for each game. At this level, there are no pictures. There are 36 words per page providing a rich mixture to contrast all the spellings of the relevant sounds, including the exceptions.
The final two games of this set deal with medial consonant sounds and spellings and exceptional consonant sounds and spelling.
The comprehensive instruction booklet, included with the games, provides directions on how to prepare for the activity, rules of both bingo and lotto, suggested additional activities, and a summary of basic pronunciation and phonics patters for teacher reference.
ISBN 0-9627878-8-4
Complete catalog www.2learn-english.net
marketing by www.searchpage1.com
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
10 October 2019.
English: West
Irish: Iarthar Welsh: Gorllewin
Finnish: Länsimaat Estonian: Lääs
day 10.
rapidograph/adobe illustrator cs6.
3 inch square.
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
Please have a look at some examples of where you can use the Karaoke4English Audiobook Reader.
Waiting for your boyfriend in a restaurant has never been so excited. Last minute preparation for your business meeting on your flight or just in the train back home from work!
Karaoke4English offers you the right content at the right time!
Taxi to our new virtual home YÚCALE GIRAMONDI VIRTLANTIS: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Regulus/133/67/31 Though there are already a few language activities taking place the sim's official opening will take place early May :)
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
Photo Challenge Week 9
My students were performing English skits that they created. While my teacher was talking about it, one student folded me a tiny crane, which now sits on my desk.
Just saw my week number I'm WAAAAAY behind on this challenge (my friends are now on week 13!)
English language learners attend free classes taught by volunteers from Literacy Connects at Martha Cooper Library.
Please have a look at some examples of where you can use the Karaoke4English Audiobook Reader.
Waiting for your boyfriend in a restaurant has never been so excited. Last minute preparation for your business meeting on your flight or just in the train back home from work!
Karaoke4English offers you the right content at the right time!
Today's word is chamber of horrors, after the Chamber of Horrors, a room in Madame Tussaud's waxwork
exhibition in London. It displayed waxworks of notorious criminals and other infamous historical figures. Earliest documented use: 1849.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/chamber_of_horrors.html
There’s been a campaign to get a word* in the dictionary. The people behind it are doing it as a tribute to their dad who coined the word and recently died of Covid.
They have a nice list of goals, including making the word “official” by getting it into a dictionary.
I sympathize with them and admire their wish to honor their dad. I even support their efforts to get their word popularized so others use it. I just don’t want lexicographers to be annoyed by forwarded news articles and by reporters calling about when they plan to add this new word to their dictionary to make it “official”. I have received a fair number of forwards about it, including suggestions to feature it.
That is not how a word gets into a dictionary. A dictionary is not a tribute site.
A dictionary adds words based on the evidence of its use. If a word is being used in a wide variety of contexts, in a disparate range of outlets, it shows the word has currency. It shows the word is probably going to stick around in the language instead of disappearing when people move on to the next fad.
If you wouldn’t want a place that doesn’t exist, that nobody is looking for, to be added to Google Maps, you don’t want a fanciful coined word to be added to a dictionary.
That said, some coined words do get into the dictionary (in a way, all words are coined words). This week we’ll feature five such words, whose coiners we know about.
What words have you coined? Share them below or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Make sure to google your coinage first to see no one has thought of it earlier. Sometimes many people come up with the same word independently. Note that we are interested in words you yourself have come up with -- not ones you read somewhere.
*If you have to know, the word is orbisculate, defined by its campaigners as a verb meaning to accidentally squirt juice on someone. So there’s going to be a different campaign for a word that means to purposely squirt juice on someone?
Today's word is vorpal, coined by Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) in his novel Through the Looking-Glass. Earliest documented use: 1871.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/vorpal.html
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
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Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
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Teleport Link:
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Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
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NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
Today's word is consilience, coined by the philosopher William Whewell (1794-1866). From Latin con-
(with) + salire (to leap). Earliest documented use: 1840. He also coined the words scientist and physicist.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/consilience.html
Today's word is tuffet, diminutive of tuft, from French touffe (tuft). Earliest documented use: 1553
The nursery rhyme goes:
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet ...
What was that tuffet? Nobody knows. Apparently, it was a mound, but it has been variously interpreted as a cushion, a stool, etc., and accordingly developed those senses in the English language.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/tuffet.html
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
2018 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE PRIMETIME FINALS WORDS ANALYSIS
It was an exciting Bee! Congratulations to the 2018 National Spelling Bee Champion Karthik Nemmani and runner-up Naysa Modi, who are both SpellPundit students.
This yearís Scripps National Spelling Bee finals finished with 60 words. Every one of these words is in SpellPundit Spelling Modules Levels 1 through 4 or the New Online Words module (please refer to spellpundit.com/spellshakti/how-to-spelling/ for detailed descriptions about all the different SpellPundit modules).
Many of the words in the final rounds of the spelling bee are in the SpellPundit Level 3 Spelling module. A few examples are:
Cabalassou: a large armadillo
Paillasson: coarsely woven natural or synthetic straw used for hats
Bewusstseinslage: a state of consciousness or a feeling devoid of sensory components
Shamir: a very hard precious stone believed to have been used in building Solomonís temple
Gelinotte: a European woodland grouse related to the American ruffed grouse
Bundestag: an assembly of representatives of a federation
The following are word asked in the National Spelling Bee finals that are in the SpellPundit New Online Words Module:
Mnemosyne: the Greek goddess of memory and mother of the Muses by Zeus
Loratadine: a long-acting, nonsedating antihistamine drug taken orally to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria
Pareidolia: the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful, image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern
Ankyloglossia: limited normal movement of the tongue chiefly due to an abnormally shortened frenulum : tongue-tie
There were a few homonyms (such as aalii and telyn) asked at this yearís Bee, which are in the new SpellPundit Homonyms module.
There were a few words based on roots, which are found in the SpellPundit Roots Modules:
Succiniferous: bearing amber
succin- (amber) + -iferous (bearing or producing or yielding)
Lophophytosis: a contagious skin disease found in birds that is caused by a fungus occurring in man on hairy surfaces that become covered with yellowish crusts
lopho- (crest, tuft, or comb) + phyt- (plant) + -osis (abnormal or diseased condition)
Ecchymosis: the escape of blood into the tissues from ruptured blood vessels
ec- (out) + chym- (juice) + -osis (abnormal or diseased condition)
Pseudepigrapha: spurious words purporting to emanate from biblical characters
pseud- (false) + epi- (upon) + graph (to write)
Overall, there was an interesting mix of words asked at this yearís National Spelling Bee. SpellPunditís modules can help you learn all the words you need to know to become a primetime finalist, and even bring home the trophy!
Recently, I came across a sign in big bold letters that said: “Total Attrition”. Must be the latest Hollywood movie, I figured.
Looking closer, I realized it was a store that promoted weight loss. Now the name made sense, but isn’t total attrition a bit extreme?
Well, I took a picture of the sign and kept walking. Soon I learned that reality is more prosaic. It was a store named “Total Nutrition”. Leave it to a tree to get in the way of total nutrition.
I still think the “Total Attrition” idea has merit. Until that film comes out, we’ll look at five terms inspired by actual movie titles that are now a part of the English language.
What movie titles do you use as metaphors? What movie titles would you like to see become a part of the language? Share on our website or email us at words@wordsmith.org. As always, include your location (city, state).
Today's word of the day is Groundhog Day.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/groundhog_day.html
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
Today's word is Wissenschaft. from German Wissenschaft (science), from Wissen (knowledge) + -schaft (-ship, making). Earliest documented use: 1934.
NOTES:
If the word Wissenschaft doesn’t have enough consonants or isn’t long enough for you, we’d like to present to you Wissenschaftsgläubigkeit (belief or faith in science). If that doesn’t work either we encourage you to add on prefixes and suffixes, but please show some sprachgefuhl.
Learn more ate: wordsmith.org/words/wissenschaft.html
Each word has a story. It tells us where it has been and how it reached us. From Latin, Greek, whatever. But not every word has a story story.
By that I mean a word that comes with a whole mythology or a novel behind it. This is a word with a backstory, because it’s coined after a person. We call such words eponyms, from Greek epi- (upon) + -onym (name).
This week we’ll introduce you to five eponyms. These are coined after characters from real life and fiction. They have been in the language for hundreds of years or just a couple of decades. They are words coined after people on both sides of the Atlantic. They are all part of the language now. Say hello to them.
If you were to turn into an eponym and become a part of the language, what would your dictionary entry read? Share below or email us at words@wordsmith.org. As always, include your location (city, state).
Today's #WordOfTheDay is brewstered. After Montgomery Brewster, the title character of the 1902 novel Brewster’s Millions by George Barr McCutcheon. Earliest documented use: 2001.
NOTES:
In the novel Brewster’s Millions, Montgomery Brewster inherits $1 million when his grandfather dies. An uncle who hated this grandfather promises Brewster $7 million if he could spend that one million from the grandfather within a year. There are certain conditions, of course. He can’t just give the money away, he must get something of value in return, etc. The novel has been adapted into musicals, radio plays, and dozens of movies in many languages.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/brewstered.html
#AWAD #Money #Brewster #Cash #English #Language #LanguageLearning #Educational #Education #Literature #DidYouKnow #DidYouKnowFacts
A couple of weeks ago we went to five places in search of words coined after them. If you travel all this distance, it makes sense to bring back more than just one word. This week we’ll share with you another toponym (a word derived from a place name) that we fetched from those places.
If you live in any of these places, drop us a line. How commonly are these terms used there?
Today's word is coventrate, after Coventry, a city in central England, that was devastated in German bombing during WWII, Nov 14-15, 1940. The Germans coined the verb coventrieren (to coventrate) after the city to describe any heavy bombing, and the term was adopted in English as well. Earliest documented use: 1940. See also, blitzkrieg.
Learn more about today's word at: wordsmith.org/words/coventrate.html
Phonics Bingo: Pronunciation Spelling Board Games - Beginning Level
Who doesn't love bingo? Now use this familiar favorite to help reinforce phonics and help improve spelling and pronunciation effortlessly. These entertaining activities work because the provide immediate feedback - motivating players to understand and then properly pronounce contrasting words.
The beginning level game is designed for reading and vocabulary learning students. While the literacy level has only 9 items per card, the beginning level increases to 16 pictures and vocabulary words per card. The games teach simple vowel contrasts, complex vowel contrasts, initial consonant contrasts, and final consonant contrasts. There are 8 different games with ten bingo cards per game plus a deck of caller cards for each game.
The comprehensive instruction booklet included with the games provides directions on how to prepare for the activity, rules of both bingo and lotto, suggested additional activities, and a summary of basic pronunciation and phonics patters for teacher reference.
ISBN 0-9627878-6-8
Complete catalog www.2learn-english.net
marketing by www.searchpage1.com
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
Disclaimer: Second Life® and Linden Lab® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.
Today's word is psychobabble, coined by journalist Richard Dean Rosen (b. 1949). From Greek psycho- (mind) + babble (drivel, blather). Earliest documented use: 1975.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/psychobabble.html
Rock-a-bye, baby, on a treetop ... Twinkle, twinkle, little star ... A mother's soothing voice singing a lullaby or a nursery rhyme to her child. What could be a more blissful sight than that! Reminds us of nursery rhymes we heard as babies that since then have become a part of us.
While the nursery rhymes appear innocuous, on second thought, they can be gruesome*, can be taken as a metaphor or riddle**, interpretation of political events, and more.
Today we see them in memes***, parodies****, science*****, and they are such a part of us that characters and things from theserhymes have become a part of the language.
This week we'll see five words and phrases that have their origins in nursery rhymes.
Today's word is Humpty Dumpty, after Humpty Dumpty, a character in a nursery rhyme, who is irreparably broken after a fall. He’s typically shown as an anthropomorphic egg. Earliest documented use: 1785.
The most common version of the nursery rhyme goes:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the king’s horsesAnd all the king’s menCouldn’t put Humpty together again.
Did you know who pushed Humpty Dumpty? The mystery is finally solved. See the investigative book "Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty? And Other Notorious Nursery Tale Mysteries" amazon.com/dp/0375841954/ws00-20
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/humpty_dumpty.html
* me.me/i/so-these-three-little-mice-are-blind-and-the-farm... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty#Meaning *** me.me/i/trumpty-dumpty-ca-nursery-rhyme-update-trumpty-du... poetryarchive.org/poem/jack-and-jill/***** en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty#In_science
VIRTLANTIS is a free language learning resource and community of practice in the virtual worlds of Second Life® and Avination®. We have been offering and facilitating free language learning activities since 2006.
What do we do at VIRTLANTIS?
We offer free informal learning activities for a growing number of languages: English, French, German, Spanish and more! Simply check out our activity calendar for additional information about our activities and how to participate.
Teleport Link (SLurl): maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VIRTLANTIS%20Community/178...
MORE INFO:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VIRTLANTIS Community/99/251/21
VIRTLANTIS is a free resource and open community of practice for language learners and teachers in the virtual world of Second Life®. We offer free informal language learning activities for a growing number of languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc. All of our activities are offered free of charge by volunteer language teachers and/or native speakers.
Everyone is welcome to offer a language activity at VIRTLANTIS. We provide free resources and ongoing support. We also collaborate with and promote other language communities in Second Life.
In addition to our main island and the various social meeting points at Knowingly, we have additional locations which can be used when needed.
If you are interested in participating in any of our current activities or would like to offer your own language activity, feel free to contact us in-world, on Facebook, on Skype or via e-mail: info@virtlantis.com.
*In order to visit VIRTLANTIS, you will need to join Second Life and install a Second Life viewer.*
Join Second Life here: join.secondlife.com.
Download the default viewer here: secondlife.com/support/downloads.
A list of alternate viewers can be found here: wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory.
Official VIRTLANTIS Website:
Teleport Link:
slurl.com/secondlife/Knowingly/99/141/21
Free Language Activities Calendar:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=virtlantis%40googlemail...
Free Language Learning/Teaching Resources:
www.virtlantis.com/resources.html
Free Event Hosting & Support:
www.virtlantis.com/events.html
Social Meeting Points @ VIRTLANTIS:
www.virtlantis.com/slurls.html
Facebook Community Site:
Contact Info:
Have questions? No problem! Send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world. Please also feel free to contact us via Skype: ID = VIRTLANTIS
NEW!
In addition to providing our main island as a free resource, we now have a second island which can be used for special language or culture related events such as presentations, workshops, seminars, roundtables, conferences, demos, concerts and parties!
Our new "Paradise Island" can be used free of charge by anyone who needs a private or public space for a large event (maximum 20 avatars). We gladly provide additional support and resources on an as needed basis. We can also modify the look and feel of the island to help create the ideal atmosphere for your event.
*To reserve and make use of Paradise Island, simply send an e-mail to info@virtlantis.com or contact Kip Yellowjacket or Abraxas McAndrews in-world.*
VIRTLANTIS is a non-profit project of the Oxford School for English, a private language school located in Germany and Austria. It is also a collaborative effort which includes language teachers and learners from all over the world.
Oxford School for English:
www.oxfordschool.de | www.oxfordschool.at
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Today's word is cack-handed. Bias against left-handedness has been a part of language for a long time. Other examples are gauche (from French), sinisterity (Latin), and ambisinister.
Do you speak another language? What such terms exist in your language? Share on our website or email us at words@wordsmith.org.
Learn more at: wordsmith.org/words/cack-handed.html