Augmentative Suffixes in Spanish

Augmentative Suffixes in Spanish Augmentative suffixes - word endings added to nouns (and sometimes adjectives) to make them refer to something that is large - are less common than the diminutive endings, but they nevertheless provide one way that the Spanish vocabulary can be flexibly expanded. And just as the diminutive suffixes can be used to indicate that something is endearing (rather than small), so can the augmentative endings be used in a pejorative way to indicate that something is awkward or otherwise undesirable. The most common augmentative and pejorative suffixes (feminine forms in parentheses) are -à ³n (-ona), -azo (-aza) and -ote (-ota). Less common ones include -udo (-uda), -aco (-aca), -acho (-acha), -uco (-uca), -ucho (-ucha), -astro (-astra) and -ejo (-eja). Although nouns usually maintain their gender when put in an augmentative form, it isnt unusual for the words, especially when they come to be thought of as words in their own right, to change gender (especially from feminine to masculine). Theres no way to predict which ending (if any) can be attached to a particular noun, and the meanings of some suffixed words can vary from region to region. Here are the main ways in which these endings are used: To Indicate Something Is Large When used in this way, the suffixes can also indicate something is strong or powerful or has some other quality often associated with size. Examples: mujerona (big and/or tough woman), arbolote (big tree), perrazo (a big and/or mean dog), librazo or librote (big book), pajarote (large bird), casona (large house), cabezà ³n (big-headed person, literally or figuratively), cabezota (stubborn, stubborn person). To Indicate Intensity Such suffixes indicate that something has more of the inherent quality than such objects usually have; the resulting word can, but doesnt have to, have a negative connotation. Sometimes these endings can be applied to adjectives as well as nouns. Examples: solterà ³n (confirmed bachelor), solterona (old maid), favorzote (a huge favor), un cochazo (one heck of a car), grandote (very big), ricachà ³n (filthy rich, filthy-rich person), grandullà ³n (overgrown). To Form New Words Sometimes words with augmentative endings can take on meanings of their own and have only a loose connection with the original word. Examples: padrote (pimp), ratà ³n (mouse), tablà ³n (bulletin board, thick board), fogà ³n (stove), cinturà ³n (belt), camisà ³n (nightgown), serrucho (handsaw), hacer un papelà ³n (to make a spectacle of oneself), cajà ³n (drawer), cordà ³n (shoelace), lamparà ³n (grease stain), llorà ³n (crybaby), humazo (cloud of smoke). -Azo to Indicate a Blow or Strike The suffix -azo can be applied somewhat freely to nouns to indicate a blow or strike; coined words using this suffix are sometimes found in journalese. Words formed in this way are always masculine. Examples: hachazo (blow or chop with an ax), martillazo (blow with a hammer), puà ±etazo (punch with a fist), cabezazo (head butt), codazo (jab with the elbow), plumazo (the stroke of a pen), huevazo (a blow from a thrown egg), misilazo (missile strike), sartenazo (a blow from a frying pan).

Teaching English Listening Skills to ESL Classes

Teaching English Listening Skills to ESL Classes Teaching listening skills is one of the most difficult tasks for any ESL teacher. This is because successful listening skills are acquired over time and with lots of practice. Its frustrating for students because there are no rules as in grammar teaching. Speaking and writing also have very specific exercises that can lead to improved skills. This is not to say that there are not ways of improving listening skills, however, they are difficult to quantify. Student Blocking One of the largest inhibitors for students is often mental block. While listening, a student suddenly decides that he or she doesnt understand what is being said. At this point, many students just tune out or get caught up in an internal dialogue trying to translate a specific word. Some students convince themselves that they are not able to understand spoken English well and create problems for themselves. Signs that Students are Blocking Students constantly look up wordsStudents pause when speakingStudents change their eye contact away from the speaker as if they are thinking about somethingStudents write words down during conversation exercises The key to helping students improve their listening skills is to convince them that not understanding is OK. This is more of an attitude adjustment than anything else, and it is easier for some students to accept than others. Another important point that I try to teach my students (with differing amounts of success) is that they need to listen to English as often as possible, but for short periods of time. Listening Exercise Suggestion Suggest a number of shows in English on the radio, podcasts online, etc.Have students choose one of the shows based on interestAsk students to listen to the show for five minutes three times a weekKeep track of student listening to encourage them to keep up the practiceCheck with students to confirm that their listening skills are improving over time Getting in Shape I like to use this analogy: Imagine you want to get in shape. You decide to begin jogging. The very first day you go out and jog seven miles. If you are lucky, you might even be able to jog the whole seven miles. However, chances are good that you will not soon go out jogging again. Fitness trainers have taught us that we must begin with little steps. Begin jogging short distances and walk some as well, over time you can build up the distance. Using this approach, youll be much more likely to continue jogging and get fit. Students need to apply the same approach to listening skills. Encourage them to get a film, or listen to an English radio station, but not to watch an entire film or listen for two hours. Students should often listen, but they should listen for short periods - five to ten minutes. This should happen four or five times a week. Even if they dont understand anything, five to ten minutes is a minor investment. However, for this strategy to work, students must not expect improved understanding too quickly. The brain is capable of amazing things if given time, students must have the patience to wait for results. If a student continues this exercise over two to three months their listening comprehension skills will greatly improve.

Medline Search Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medline Search - Essay Example The ‘Medline’ database was studied with directed and pointed queries in the main search box for terms related with the clinical question. The first query was made using a rather obvious sentence ‘improving functional status in adult asthmatics’ but it yielded no results. The search was repeated using a more targeted collection of terms ‘asthma control in adults’ which yielded some very good results. The primary papers shortlisted in this search which were somewhat relevant with the clinical question included papers on medical adherence amongst adult asthmatics residing in two inner city clinics, the beliefs of patients as well as physicians about asthma control and risks involved. Another search was conducted on the same website using ‘asthma self care’ as the key words. This yielded a number of hits and two papers talked about the impact of education on asthma patients, adults as well as children. Out of these, one was found to be highly relevant to the clinical question and is summarized below. Yet another search with the key words ‘asthma medication’ yielded quite good results and another paper was selected for discussion and summarization. In total 10 relevant studies were obtained in this search. The two selected studies had high relevance with the clinical question due to their focus on the impact of education on patient adherence with medication for asthma and are therefore summarized below: 1. A descriptive and correlative study tried to examine the impact of education, knowledge and patient characteristics on emergency visits to the hospital which can yield some fair knowledge about the clinical question (Emtner et al, 2009). In a year long study, 84 asthma patients and 52 COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients were interviewed on phone 4 to 6 weeks after an emergency room (ER) visit and followed up for one year to study the impact

Hepatitis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hepatitis - Essay Example To better understand the viral infection, it would be necessary to examine both acute infections and chronic infections of the virus. Chronic Hepatitis is the less common of the two but it can stay with a person for years. Often the symptoms are quite mild and the person may attribute them to other causes since the liver is not suddenly and significantly damaged (Ryder and Beckingham, 2001). In certainly cases, the liver damage progresses to a stage where cirrhosis may occur followed by liver failure or liver cancer. The cause for Chronic Hepatitis is most often the presence of the Hepatitis C virus since more than 75% of acute Hepatitis C patients develop Chronic Hepatitis. Hepatitis B and D variants of the virus can also cause Chronic Hepatitis but Hepatitis A and E variants do not (Merck, 2003). The causes for Chronic Hepatitis are many and complex even so that some medicines such as Methyldopa, Nitrofurantoin and even Tylenol can lead to chronic hepatitis. The risks are quite strong when these medicines are taken for a prolonged period of time. Similarly, Wilson’s disease which is a hereditary disease can also cause chronic hepatitis in children (Merck, 2003). The problem of detection for Chronic Hepatitis is compounded by the difficulty in marking the symptoms of the disease. For example, the symptoms include a feeling of sickness, poor appetite and a loss of energy (Ryder and Beckingham, 2001). Additionally, a person suffering from Chronic Hepatitis may have a low grade fever and abdominal pains. S/he may also develop signs of jaundice, have an enlarged spleen, retain fluid or blood vessels in the skin that look like spiders. When a doctor suspects a case of Chronic Hepatitis, a liver biopsy may be recommended as a diagnostic test for the liver. The biopsy can reveal the underlying causes of the disease and may be needed more than

The Parable of the Wedding Feast Essay -- Literary Analysis, Bible, Go

Marriages in Biblical Tradition typically represent a symbolic expression of the covenantal union between God and his people. A wedding banquet during this time period in history was a joyous occasion that had a great importance in the lives of the betrothed. â€Å"The Gospel of Matthew, like all the New Testament Gospels, was composed as a literary work to interpret the theological meaning of a concrete historical event to the people in a particular historical situation† (Boring 89). Mt 22:1-14 utilizes this tradition and expresses wedding celebrations in order to exemplify the significance of Jesus’s goal to bring salvation to those on Earth. The parable of the wedding feast unfolds into three parts; the inviting of guests, a call to the outcasts, and a removal. (Brown 664) Matthew paints the scene of Jesus using a parable to describe the fact, â€Å"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son† (Mt 22:2). Using a wedding banquet as the setting for this parable allows people to apply the message of God to their everyday lives. The visualization of the preparations of the oxen and fat calves for feasting depicts the nature that this was an important event, worth the sacrifice of animals, which at the time was a great personal expense. Theologically, the kingdom of heaven was represented by the wedding banquet, for those who were invited to the wedding banquet were extended an invitation to the kingdom of God, while the King was an image of God, The Father and the king’s son was a portrait of Jesus. (Brown 665) The servants of the king, symbolically known as the prophets, were sent to complete the King’s bidding and to inform the guests of the upcoming wedding banquet. Rather than accept as per ... ...rning the declination of invitations, whereas Luke goes further into detail. Also, the Gospel of Matthew offers a shorter summary in comparison to Luke and includes the second part of the parable, Mt 22:11-14. (Lester 308) Matthew directed this passage toward the Matthean reader for it supplies instruction and a sense of warning to those who wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. â€Å"Matthew uses tension and surprise, in both form and content, to address this situation, while affirming that Jesus Christ, â€Å"God is with us,† is the defining figure around which the community’s self-understanding, imagination, and social relations are to be formed† (Saunders 871). By presenting the text in the form of a parable, the message of God’s will is omitted in a historical and cultural context that enables society to comprehend the meaning behind the words chosen by Matthew.

Growing Up Jewish

My name is Asher Lev is a novel written by Chaim Potok, an American rabbi who narrates Asher's early life, the challenges he faces when attempting to pursue his passion and career-drawing and painting. His father disapproves of his art of drawing. Because of his concentration on the art, he becomes averse to education, which makes his community members to feel ashamed of him. Potok remained an active artist/writer until his death in 2002.The Hasidism religion does not consider the second commandment against graphic arts because art â€Å"belongs to the other side.† As Asher grows older, he learns to control his emotions in relation to his paintings and concentrate more on his art that he becomes successful. The book ends when Asher is twenty-two years old. The plot against America is a political novel written by Philip Roth. The book explains how America has become fascist post-1935 era and Hitler's allies are in control of the white house. There is total chaos in America because of national politics and hatred. Gangs go around harassing people. The lower-middle-class Jews of Weequahic, in Newark, try to learn how to use a gun to defend themselves in an apartment. America and the rest of Europe are taken over by fascist movements and imitators of Adolf Hitler and Mussolini.Both Asher and Phillip face challenges that are mainly unrelated to their lives. Their geographical location and the surrounding community determines the challenges each one of them faces. Asher and Philip face challenges that are to a certain extent unrelated. For instance, Asher is born in a conservative religious community-all the members surrounding him expects him to adhere to the Jewish religion and customs. His father is opposed to his art terming it anti-religious while Philip grows up in a quite liberal community that does not put much emphasis on religion and culture. His major challenges stem from outside his community. In My Name is Asher Levi, â€Å"During Asher's childhood, his artistic inclination brings him into conflict with the members of his Jewish community, considers art unrelated to religious expression to be at best a waste of time and possibly a sacrilege. It brings him into particularly strong conflict with his father, a man who has devoted his life to serving their leader, the Rebbe, by traveling around the world bringing the teachings and practice of their sect to other Jews, and who is by nature incapable of understanding or appreciating art† (Knopf, 2003). While in The Plot against America, â€Å"Hitler's allies rule the White House. Anti-Semitic mobs roam the streets. The lower-middle-class Jews of Weequahic, in Newark, N.J., cower in a second-floor apartment, trying to figure out how to use a gun to defend themselves. (â€Å"You pulla the trig,† a kindly neighbor explains)† (Berman Web). In My Name Is Asher, Asher has to deal with a religion that is imposed on him. His graphic art is not in line with his community's expectations. He faces the challenge of proving to his community that his art is not detrimental to his religion. As he grows older the conflict between him and his community increases. As he matures, he learns control his emotions. Though he sometimes identified himself as religious, he took on a more secular path. He had to make a choice between his art and the Jewish religion. He chose the art over his Jewish religion. As Asher grew older, he resolved to portray his challenges through paintings. He portrays his mother's suffering through Christian art. Asher shows in his book that a balance can be struck between religion and art. Religion help emphasize art. Religious figures can be depicted through art. For Philip political challenges affect him unlike Lev's that are religious; Philip has to deal with the issue of fascists taking control of his country. It encourages people to worship.Philip Roth finds his father powerless in dealing with the dominion of his country by fascists. His community members are disgruntled about his career, but he has no way of helping them. Philip has to deal with anti-Semitism that was propagated by the fascists,† America has gone fascist and ordinary life has been flattened under a steamroller of national politics and mass hatreds. Hitler's allies rule the White House. Anti-Semitic mobs roam the streets† (Davenport Web).Religious affiliation does not hinder one from achieving their goal. They must focus on achieving and perfecting what they aspire. Levi does not allow his Jewish religion and culture to hinder him from pursuing his career of art. Lev learns to do things that he loves most. He pursues a career in painting at the expense of education and religion. As he grows older, he succeeds in art. Success comes after much struggle and endurance. Lev became successful after practicing for a long time. He also was patient and enduring of his community's opposition towards his career in painting. Lev also learnt that it is a mistake to separate religion from freethinking, humanism, and development. Development has always been practiced alongside religion. In other words, religion does encourage development of the community. In â€Å"The Plot against America,† Philip learns that the need for glory makes fascists to invade other countries. They use the army, police, and gangs to achieve their goals.Fascist leaders control all aspects of the people under their control. They control economic life, religious life, social life, and economic life of the citizens. Fascists use intimidation, threats, arrests, and killings to control and subdue the people they lead. They do not allow any dissenting views from the people under their control.In Asher Lev's book â€Å"My Name Is Asher Lev,† he speaks on discrimination based on religion, culture, and secularism. His community discriminates him because of his passion on graphical art. The community tells him that art is against the Jewish religion and culture. However, on holding on onto his talent and career of painting, he succeeds. He did not allow the disagreement of his community deter him from doing what he wanted most-art.Philip Roth, on the other hand, faces the challenge of a fascist leader imposing his political beliefs on to his country- America. He too is discriminated against based on his skin color and religion. His Jewish community in America begins to train themselves how to use a gun so they can defend themselves. The fascist leader unleashes the gang to terrorize them the Jews in America. Hitler's men introduce fascism in the white house and the whole country-America.Works CitedBerman, Paul. â€Å"‘The Plot Against America'.† The New York Times, 3 Oct. 2004.Davenport, Guy.†Collision with the outside world.† The New York Times, 16 April 1972. Potok, Chaim. My Name Is Asher Lev. Knopf; 2003.

Contrast of Beliefs in Sophocles´ Antigone - 762 Words

Being able to be a brave and narrow-minded is not an easy or usual characteristic. But, author Sophocles seems to portray this characteristic flawlessly in the play Antigone. In Antigone, King Creon decides Eteocles should have a proper burial while Polyneices should just be left to rot after these two brothers have a brutal fight and anyone who buries Polyneices should be punished. But, their sister Antigone opposes this and decides to go against Creon’s word and buries Polyneices. When Creon finds out he goes through an internal conflict trying to decide if he should punish his own niece or let the situation goes. The play has many tragedies that happen in a domino effect and change Creon’s view. In the play, Creon and Antigone often have contrasting viewpoints in certain beliefs and situations. With Creon being the Antagonist and Antigone being the protagonist, the two have clashing beliefs in. The main conflicting beliefs are in their views of laws, the burial of Po lyneices, and conflicting personalities. By example, Creon and Antigone have conflicting viewpoints in their beliefs of laws. Antigone believes moral laws developed from gods while Creon believes in moral laws developed from him. Creon says, â€Å"It seems that prophets have made me their especial province, all my life long I have been a kind of butt for the dull arrows of doddering fortunetellers! No, Teiresias: If your birds - if the great eagles of God himself should carry him stinking bit by bit to heaven, IShow MoreRelatedWho Is More Tragic, Creon or Antigone?863 Words   |  4 Pagesvaliantly fought for his country and for his beliefs, and even when Pat died in Afghanistan in 2004, his memory lives on in the minds of many people. According to Aristotle, the hero is not a true hero like Pat Tillman, but rather a person who has serious flaws that lead to the downfall of the character. In Antigone, both Creon and Antigone share some tragic elements: tragic hero, hamartia, hubri s, and nemesis. However, Creon is a more tragic hero than Antigone because his character has tragic elementsRead MoreThe Conflict Of Sophocles Antigone1500 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Antigone centers around a familial feud that develops between Antigone and Creon when Antigone decides to bury her brother and Creon’s niece, Polyneices. While Antigone believes that it is her religious and familial duty to bury her brother, Creon objects, citing the Theban civil war which took place right before the events of the play. Adhering to Greek literary tradition, Sophocles ultimately seeks not just to entertain the audience but also to teach a moral lesson, in this case aboutRead MoreEssay about Gender Bias Critic of Antigone1724 Words   |  7 PagesA Gender Bias Approach to Antigone Just as one stone removed can break a bridge, one flaw can bring a man to ruins. The flaw of one man cannot bring down an entire kingdom, but rather one outlook of the king can lead to the demise of the whole. In Sophocles epic tragedy, Antigone, a strong gender bias is present throughout the tragedy, and is partially responsible for the downfall of the king. To Sophocles the king is not always representative of the people, but acts on his own personal desiresRead MoreBlood Bonds, Antigone, and The Eumenides Essay878 Words   |  4 PagesBlood Bonds, Antigone, and The Eumenides Every human on this earth has a bond to another. These bonds, as well as their significance, differ between people. This paper will focus on the bonds of marriage and blood, and their role in the plays Antigone and The Eumenides. How do they relate to each other? Is one more important than the other? How does the divine and mortal world interpret these? Through a review of the two plays and a comparison of their presentation of the bonds of blood andRead MoreSophocles As A Master Of Character Development1497 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles is one of the three great Athens tragic playwrights in Greek history. He has written over 120 plays in which they were performed into three tragedies known as the â€Å"Oedipus the King†. Although he has written 123 plays there are only seven of his tragedies remaining and with only a few titles and fragments remaining. The seven tragedies include Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus, a nd Trackers. Sophocles was considered to be a masterRead More Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle – Antigone, as a Feminist Essay1380 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus Cycle – Antigone, as a Feminist Throughout history, women have always stood in the shadows of men. In many cultures, the role of women has always been to be seen and not heard. As one of the first feminists in world literature, the character Antigone, of Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle, displays fine characteristics of a great female leader in order to stand up against male dominance for her religious, political, and personal beliefs. When the king denies her brother, Polynices,Read MoreRejecting Gender Roles In Sophocless Antigone1262 Words   |  6 PagesRejecting Gender Roles in Antigone Human nature dictates that conformity is a safer choice than expressing individuality. When placed in a situation where one must either remain silent or speak their mind and face severe consequences, there is much less risk in taking the first option. Sophocles, an Athenian tragedian from the fifth century BC, confronted this theme throughout one of his most popular works: Antigone. In the play, the title character must decide if she should honor her brother andRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus The King And Antigone1170 Words   |  5 Pagescivilizations such as Athens, women were looked down upon and this battle to leave behind tradition proved to be almost if not fatal. Sophocles Oedipus the King and Antigone exemplify three distinct female Athenian characters who approach this battle with different fronts. Through analysis of Ismene, Antigone and Jocasta’s distinct characters, the reader better understands how Sophocles uses a feminine voice to break away from the tradition d iscerned in Athenian life to advocate for the rise of a matriarchalRead MoreAntigone And Creon As A Tyrant1452 Words   |  6 Pages Antigone takes place just after a war between Antigone’s two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices. Eteocles fought on the side of Thebes whereas Polynices resembled an invader. Afterwards, Eteocles is buried and seen as honorable. However, Polynices is denied a proper burial because he is considered a traitor to Thebes. In this play, Sophocles uses Antigone and Creon as foils by characterizing Antigone as a martyr and Creon as a tyrant to urge the reader to realize that one’s own morals are more significantRead More A Comparison of Moral Conflict in Antigone and A Dolls House1479 Words   |  6 PagesConflict Between Individual Morals and State Laws in Antigone and A Dolls House  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mother, should I trust the government?   Or should I trust myself?   This dilemma is a common one in a great deal of literature.   In Antigone and A Doll’s House, the main theme is the question of whether one should be true to oneself or true to one’s state or society.   Should Nora (in A Doll’s House) and Antigone (in Antigone) â€Å"follow the rules† and do what the state and society want them to do or