Nipple. Like many words in the English language, it has its origins in a language foreign to our own. Nipple has its origins in the ancient Gaelic language and means hard or sharp protrusion.
If the true meaning of nipple were used in a sentence, it would read as follows: I popped a tire because I ran over a nipple on the highway.
Most Americans would read that and think that a very cold woman was laying naked on the highway and the person speaking that sentence had indeed committed manslaughter. Most Americans, though, would be wrong solely due to the education system failing them on an epic level. I do think that the popular misconception of "most Americans" defining the word "nipple" as pertaining to anatomy has some basis in the word's true definition and heritage. Just the other day I saw a woman wearing a tank top whose nipples could have actually popped tires.
Now that I have the origin or nipples out of the way, check out MinnPics and it barrels through its First Birthday celebration all week long. Plenty of amazing photos predating the existence of MinnPics so go now!
Showing posts with label language. Show all posts
Showing posts with label language. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The barrier method
I was reading a thread today on a website which I regularly read and came across an off-topic post about language in the United States.
While the person who wrote it clearly has issues with staying on-topic, this individual had some valid points.
The statement was nothing more than a rant (well-written, though) about immigrants and their frequent inability and unwillingness to learn the English language. But rather than focus on the negative, I will do as I always do and focus on the positives.
Nearly every day I run in to immigrants. I do, after all, live in the greater Twin Cities metro area and America is, after all, a melting pot today as it always has been. My Danish grandpa learned the English language and made friends as he farmed and raised a family. Maybe he's the exception to the rule but I highly doubt it. The same holds true for the Mexican fellow who makes the world's best steak soft shell tacos at my favorite restaurant and the Korean priest at our church. Sure, they have thick accents but they speak English.
Overcoming a language barrier is everywhere. I was watching 'The Power of 10' last night and the contestant I caught was a Greek immigrant who confessed to learning English by watching episodes of 'The Drew Carey Show' which drew a laugh from the host of the show, Drew Carey. These are examples of people who knew that to adjust to our culture they had to learn the most dominant language of their new home, English.
I'm not going to get into immigration issues but to assimilate to a new home, you have to make some changes. After all, nobody prances around the yard of their new Phoenix home wearing a heavy parka just because it is early December. Even Minnesotans adjust to their winter retreats. Immigrants to America realize that to gain the level of prosperity that drew them here, they'll have to learn the language. That doesn't mean leaving behind your native language, that's just ridiculous. I know that my grandpa had more than a few heated moments with his seven children that escalated into what was surely colorful language spoken entirely in Danish. The same goes for my mother-in-law. She remembers her aunts and uncles having entire conversations in their native Czech. They did so outside of the public eye because, get this, people 40-50 years ago used to be far less tolerant of cultural differences than today. Wow.
While the person who wrote it clearly has issues with staying on-topic, this individual had some valid points.
The statement was nothing more than a rant (well-written, though) about immigrants and their frequent inability and unwillingness to learn the English language. But rather than focus on the negative, I will do as I always do and focus on the positives.
Nearly every day I run in to immigrants. I do, after all, live in the greater Twin Cities metro area and America is, after all, a melting pot today as it always has been. My Danish grandpa learned the English language and made friends as he farmed and raised a family. Maybe he's the exception to the rule but I highly doubt it. The same holds true for the Mexican fellow who makes the world's best steak soft shell tacos at my favorite restaurant and the Korean priest at our church. Sure, they have thick accents but they speak English.
Overcoming a language barrier is everywhere. I was watching 'The Power of 10' last night and the contestant I caught was a Greek immigrant who confessed to learning English by watching episodes of 'The Drew Carey Show' which drew a laugh from the host of the show, Drew Carey. These are examples of people who knew that to adjust to our culture they had to learn the most dominant language of their new home, English.
I'm not going to get into immigration issues but to assimilate to a new home, you have to make some changes. After all, nobody prances around the yard of their new Phoenix home wearing a heavy parka just because it is early December. Even Minnesotans adjust to their winter retreats. Immigrants to America realize that to gain the level of prosperity that drew them here, they'll have to learn the language. That doesn't mean leaving behind your native language, that's just ridiculous. I know that my grandpa had more than a few heated moments with his seven children that escalated into what was surely colorful language spoken entirely in Danish. The same goes for my mother-in-law. She remembers her aunts and uncles having entire conversations in their native Czech. They did so outside of the public eye because, get this, people 40-50 years ago used to be far less tolerant of cultural differences than today. Wow.
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