On this page, you can find the assignments I did in week 1. 

 

Assignment 1.1

Quote 1:

 

• English is a funny language; that explains why we park our car on the driveway and drive our car on the parkway. ~Author Unknown

 

I like this quote because it is funny but also true. It isn’t necessarily a joke because it’s actually just a fact. But on the other hand, it is funny because of the reversed words.

 

Quote 2:

 

• Thanks to words, we have been able to rise above the brutes; and thanks to words, we have often sunk to the level of the demons. ~Aldous Huxley

 

I like this quote because I think it has a deep meaning. The ability to use words makes it able for us to express our feelings, thoughts and opinions. Words can be used to inspire people to do good. Furthermore, words have been and are used to inspire people a lot of times. However, we can also do a lot of damage with words. The ability to speak gives us the ability to talk people down, to insult each other and to express our darkest ideas. This quote makes it clear that words are very powerful and we shouldn’t underestimate that power.

 

Quote 3:

 

• Swearing was invented as a compromise between running away and fighting. ~Peter Finley Dunne, Mr. Dooley's Opinions, 1900

 

I like this quote because I think it’s a fair vision to have. When people swear, they express their negative feelings with words. It is a perfect way to express negative feelings for people who can’t or don’t dare to fight but don’t want to be seen as a coward. People try to hurt the other person with words when they can’t do it physically. Swearing is a much safer way to hurt someone than fighting but is it really less cowardly?

 

My own definition of language:

 

Language is the tool we use to express ourselves. It is a combination of vocabulary and grammar which we use to explain our thoughts, feelings and opinions.

 

Assignment 1.2

I think a language can be learned. Furthermore, it has to be learned. It is not likely that you wake up and all of a sudden know a language. There’s an entire process when it comes to learning a language.

 

When you learn your mother tongue, you learn it from your environment. Your parents and/or other people are talking to you and you can see and hear language all around you. Children can learn a language very fast. They pick up the words and sentences they hear and see around them. I think this is the most important thing in learning a language. It’s about really getting involved in the language you’re learning. At school, you learn vocabulary and grammar and you practise with all kinds of language skills. This helps you to understand the language and to use the language in the right way. You need to practise and study a language a lot in order to understand it completely.

 

There’s a difference between learning a language and acquiring a language. Learning a language means you’re actively studying a language. You’re consciously learning its grammar rules and vocabulary. Acquiring a language means that you’re unconsciously learning a language. You’re in an environment in which the language is spoken and written a lot and this develops your feeling for the language.

 

Source: http://www.utesinternationallounge.com/language-acquisition-versus-language-learning/

 

Assignment 1.3

I think creativity is something that is already naturally inside you. However, I do think it is possible to learn to be creative. I think this requires a lot of listening and watching to other people. When someone else is creative, it might help if you try to mimic this person. Mimicking isn’t always fun and it certainly isn’t original but it could help you to develop your own creativity. When you know what creativity looks or sounds like, it is easier to make something up yourself. And you don’t have to copy the ideas of someone else entirely. You could give them your own personal touch, which is creative.