(Part 2) Best language & grammar books according to redditors
We found 3,592 Reddit comments discussing the best language & grammar books. We ranked the 1,452 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
Get this book: https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Russians-Olga-Kagan/dp/0893573019
[Moderators: a question like this is asked here by heritage speakers fairly regularly. Can this title be added to the Resources list in the sidebar?]
To all the people talking about telomeres:
Turns out telomeres isn't the answer. Most cells don't divide enough times to get to their Hayflick limit, and those that divide indefinitely (stem cells, germ cells) express telomerase. Current frontrunning theories deal with oxidation from damaged mitochondria and resulting dysregulated metabolism. The body doesn't really have any evolutionary incentive to live much longer than enough time to raise your kids. See the disposable soma theory. For more information check out this book
As a side note, not everything is replaced every 7 years. Neurons are permanent, elastin in skin isn't replaced (hence, wrinkles), etc.
It actually is. Excellent book called Oxygen: The Molecule that made the World by Nick Lane details how life came about and ends due to our reliance upon oxygen.
He also wrote Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life which I would also highly recommend. Basically, it details how eukaryotic cells developed through the Hydrogen Hypothesis.
In my opinion, the most convincing explanation of why economically-disadvantaged whites vote for a political party contrary to their economic interests (and why rich, city-dwelling intellectuals vote Democratic) is in Moral Politics by cognitive linguist George Lakoff.
The argument is essentially that the two major ideologies in US politics are defined by deeply held worldviews about morality, not economic self-interest or sincere policy preferences. It was a lot more convincing to me than Frank's "they vote Republican because they're dupes" thesis. The argument is too complicated for me to break out in detail here, so I'd recommend the book, even though it was written during the 1990s, so its examples are a little out of date.
I think we should also be careful when analogizing past political parties to our own. The "Progressive movement" around the turn of the century is most definitely not the same as today's left-liberal "Progressives" in the Democratic party. Many pet causes of the Progressive Movement (e.g. temperance) would be considered very conservative today. Politics was sufficiently different 100 years ago that even drawing left-right analogies simplifies things way too much. The issues were far different in that time, as was the composition of the electorate.
EDIT: added a link
He wrote a book called, "Don't Sleep there are Snakes". It was a tough read because he's a linguist and goes into great detail about it.
Edited for werds: thanks Timmetie.
"Don't Sleep, there are snakes" by Dan Everett - it's a fascinating book about a linguist/missionary who went to work with a tribe of Piraha speakers in the Amazon. Loses his religion, and discovers a language that doesn't really fit into the orthodox view of linguistics and is causing a whole lot of debate.
The Drunkard's Walk - is a great book on how misconceptions of probability rule your life. It's a fun introduction to probability theory and has all sorts of WTF moments in it.
Edit: oh and possibly my favorite book I've read all year is David Attenborough's autobiography A life on air - it's full of all sorts of amazing, hilarious, and insightful anecdotes of Attenborough's 40-odd years of making nature documentaries, and contains lots of interesting info about the state-of-the art in TV making over time (e.g. "we could only run that type of camera for 20 seconds, or it would overheat and catch fire"). Great stuff.
I don't know the correct term for this, or even much about it at all, but I do know that other languages to this to a far greater extent than English. For example, I remember [reading about] (http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Sleep-There-Are-Snakes/dp/0375425020) an Amazonian tribe that can apparently have entire conversations using only pitch.
I also know that people in the Canary Islands used to use [whistles to communicate] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silbo_Gomero_language), which I assume is the same phenomenon.
There's a way, sort of, J.R.R.Tolkien has left all his linguistic writings on the Elvish Languages in 7 big boxes, (thousands of pages per box) and Christopher Tolkien has later referred to them naming as Quenya A, B, up to Quenya G, for they can be specifically identified. Yes, not a couple of boxes, but even 7, my mellyn (PE: 22, p. 141).
Be aware, though, that if you do not have a particular background, these pages will be likely not understandable, sadly...
Regarding what you can hear/read online:
In real life it is simple. If you do not follow the rules of English grammar you are not writing or speaking in English. If you don't follow Tolkien's rules you are not writing his elf! Anyone who visits the websites dedicated to Elvish languages (Eldalie, Quenya.101, Ardalambion, etc.) or reads the books dedicated to them (those of David Salo, Ruth S. Noel, Pesch, Comastri, etc.) trying to learn Quenya or Sindarin, will be baffled by the array of many different and conflicting grammar rules. These sites and books never agree with each other. Why?
Because every author has invented his own rules.
We read from many writers (Drout, Pesch) and on the net that there are many “neo-elvish” languages: the neo-quenya and neo-sindarin. But it is not correct, neo-elvish languages do not exist or rather are not languages. Writing: Something wure mi expectatione [sic] does not mean that whoever wrote it is the creator of a neo-english language, the same with: Alaghioru saranno alboro dormirenene [sic] won’t make you the creator of a new neo-italian language. To create a neo-language one must first of all be a linguist, know the rules of a Tolkien elven language well and from there build a new elven language. What a job! Those who build what they call neo-Sindarin and neo-quenya only rarely mention Tolkien's grammars and almost never explain what they do (for example, I change this thing written by Tolkien, because I invented a certain new rule). What they build are not languages. They distort the little of what they understand about Tolkien's logopoeia at will.
Don't make me give you a lesson on time zones. You might want to check this out.
The part I remember most from Everett's book Don't Sleep, There are Snakes, is when he is describing to the Piraha people how his step-mother committed suicide. The group he was talking to immediately bursts into laughter:
>When I asked them why are you laughing, they said: “She killed herself. That’s really funny to us. We don’t kill ourselves. You mean, you people, you white people shoot yourselves in the head? We kill animals, we don’t kill ourselves
Maybe someone on the verge could benefit from this book. The Piraha live in what most Westerners would consider 'a shit-hole', yet they are described as some of the happiest, carefree people on earth.
Steven Pinker's The Language Instinct is a strong layperson's introduction to lingistics.
Ohio State has a huge undergraduate linguistics program and publishes an omnibus introductory linguistics textbook to boot. I've heard good things about it: Language Files.
I'm assigning you some required reading.
The Blue Book of Grammar
The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need
The Elements of Style
Thank me later.
Building off of what others have said— it helps to look at bilingual dictionaries and see the varied ways terms translate. As an example, see the English Wiktionary entry for French gentil. This word is what English borrowed 'gentle' from, but there are still senses and differences from what you get with the related English word. Ideally, just about every word will have at least a bit of complexity- even words that translate to very concrete concepts like 'tree' or 'rock' may have metaphorical extensions, idiomatic uses, etc.
For more 'grammatical' parts of the language, it's good to remember that labels like 'accusative' or 'passive' only refer to one aspect of a construction's use. In Latin, the accusative and ablative both appeared with prepositions, and which case was used determined whether the sense was location or movement, like 'in' vs 'into' (sorry, I don't remember which case is which). You'd never get that just by reading the definition of an accusative case though.
In English, there are two main possessive constructions: X's Y and Y of X. However the usage of each is somewhat different, and both include usages that wouldn't be considered ownership. Your language should have some way of expressing all of the senses these English constructions do, but they should have different distributions and range of semantics.
Wikipedia can be a good resource for learning about some of the possibilities of various grammatical categories. If you can, I'd recommend grabbing a copy of Describing Morphosyntax - it goes through many possibilities for different constructions and gives plenty of examples.
No problem, it was fun. :D
If you're interested in IE Historical Linguistics, you might want to check out Ben Fortson's awesome Introduction, though this is much more focused on the reconstructed language itself and the development of the individual daughter languages than in the history and culture of the original Indo-Europeans.
For more of a broad cultural history, you might want to check out Mallory's book, which is written in a very easy to read style.
Every EFL/ESL teacher should have a copy of Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. It is the ultimate language analysis of English.
Here's an abbreviated excerpt of a section from that book that addresses the issues in that above example sentence you gave:
>281 infinitives (3): without to
section 2: after let, make, hear, etc
>Certain verbs are followed by object + infinitive without to
>They include let, make, see, hear, feel, watch, and notice.
>ex: She lets her children stay up very late. NOT
She lets her children to stay up very late.ex: I made them give me the money back. NOT
I made them to give me the money back.>...
>For more information about structures with make, see 335.
If you can't get the book, you're looking for when to use to or not with infinitive verbs, which should be very easy to find online material for.
re: remote tribes believing in a higher power
Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes is a book about the Pirahã people of the Amazon. They have no religion or myths.
Edit: Also, Paul never met Jesus.
Perhaps this might be of some use to you.
Get hold of Fortson's
Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction: it's the best possible introduction from the linguistic angle.
This is a nicely annotated compendium that teaches the history of Ancient Greek through reading. You will find a huge assortment of dialects and genres represented:
https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Greek-Reader-Mycenaean-Koine/dp/0199226601
Combine with an historical grammar and you should be good to go. This is a recent introduction by a great scholar:
https://www.amazon.de/Historische-Grammatik-Griechischen-Laut-Formenlehre/dp/3534206819
Anything by Pierre Chantraine is highly recommended if you can read french. Both his treatment of Homeric, his historical grammar and his dictionary.
Another good dictionary to consult for individual glosses is the one by the late Robert Beekes. It's not perfect but very accessible:
https://brill.com/view/title/17726?lang=en
I would recommend you to consult Fortson and Ringe if you have little previous experience with diachronic linguistics. Ringe for methodological questions and Fortson for Proto-Indoeuropean. Proto-Greek contains many morphological archaisms inherited from Proto-Indoeuropean. You can focus on inner greek developments, but not everything you encounter can be analyzed in a meaningful way within Greek, so it's good to know where to look if the greek data is insufficient:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/historical-linguistics/6722029555C7DB845251785673A48B4C
https://www.amazon.com/Indo-European-Language-Culture-Benjamin-Fortson/dp/1405188960
If you want an in depth introduction to Ancient Greek dialects for students at graduate level and above this tome by Gary Miller should come in handy along with Buck's classic work on the subject, but it's not necessary if you only want to brush up on the fundamentals:
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Greek-Dialects-Early-Authors/dp/1614514933
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-greek-dialects-9781853995569/
Oxygen. All books by this author are AMAZING (yes in caps).
There are a number of books that I think you ought to read to get a better understanding of office politics and how to cope/deal with them. All offices have politicking going on, and any company that claims otherwise is lying to you. Any time more than 2 people get together, there will be some sort of jostling for power and attention. When that happens at work, we call it "office politics".
Your library may have these, and if you get them, read them at home. Don't ever bring them into the office.
Corporate Confidential. HR is your enemy, not your friend. Gives a number of examples of what will destroy your career with companies, many of which you (and I) probably do without realizing the consequences.
The Passionate Programmer. The first edition of this book was called "my job went to India". While aimed at programmers, the points are to keep your mind and skills up to date as technology and business move too rapidly to let things get rusty.
To Be or Not to Be Intimidated.
Looking out for number one.
Million Dollar Habits. I feel that these 3 by Robert Ringer are very important. If you think his first book was about to intimidate others, you only read the press coverage. If you think his books are about real estate, then you only skimmed them. There are a lot of people in the world who will try to intimidate you into giving up what is yours, and he shows you what some of them are like, and what countermeasures you can use.
The Art of Deception. Bad title - it is about arguments, how to make them, win them and tell if you're hearing a bad one. Used to be called "rhetoric" when Plato and Aristotle taught the subject.
Snakes in Suits. There are some evil people out there. You'll work for some of them. You will be stabbed in the back by some of them.
Bullies, Tyrants, and Impossible People. One book on office politics and dealing with some of the worse sort.
The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense at Work. Some folks are very good with verbal manipulation, this book and the others in the series, cover how to deal with such people.
Winning with People. Most of the books this author writes are about managers and leadership. This book is more about people skills. It will be focused more at managers, but I think it is a good one.
The 48 Laws of Power. They have it. You want some. Light read with anecdotes. I like his other books as well.
Games At Work. Office politics.
It's All Politics. Yes it is.
Moral Politics. Liberals and conservatives, why do they think that way? You'll work with some of the opposite persuasion some day, so understanding where they come from is a reasonable idea. Most books on this subject are insulting and degrading, but I think this one is pretty much judgement-free.
> When I walk by him going to the bathroom, he will stop talking until I walk by.
Do the same. When they come to your desk, always brush them aside with "I'm sorry, I can't talk now, I'm busy working".
You might get some benefit from Payne 1997's Describing Morphosyntax: A Guide for Field Linguists, which goes over methods, gives examples of common problems, and gives potential solutions to problems incurred with such a project. However, it focuses on reference grammar writing over historical linguistics.
Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose
You should consider checking out Spunk & Bite, as well.
Unfortunately, there's not really one standard way to learn Tolkien's languages, so some courses disagree with each other, and it's important to watch out for what the author of any given course decided vs. what Tolkien intended.
That being said, I'm a huge fan of Ardalambion – the Quenya courses they have are fantastic, though a bit dense with linguistic concepts (but he teaches terminology as he goes, and the ideas are worth knowing).
For Sindarin, I've had some good experiences with Your Sindarin Textbook but it's not nearly as detailed or as easy to follow. You may also hear about David Salo's Gateway to Sindarin. Salo's the linguist who worked on the Jackson movies – his work is good if you're looking for movie Sindarin, but it's pretty non-standard regarding the Sindarin of the books.
Of course, there's also /r/Quenya and /r/Sindarin, both of which have excellent resource lists.
I find that it's really easy to teach yourself once you have a sound foundation. At that point, you sort of know what you don't know.
I broke my learning into a few main topics:
I listed them in the order I learn them. I really focus on #1-3 because I think they're the true indicators of fluency, and #3 makes movie-watching a lot easier. Verbs can be tricky if you can't spot their tenses and conjugated forms. Nouns and adjectives are the easiest to pick up. I make my own study decks using Anki.
This and that are good for translating phrases.
I think accents come naturally. Anyway, that's not so important if you can't formulate your ideas in coherent French ;) This is a fun site for testing out pronunciation.
Hope this helps!
Amateur. Why don't you call up my friends Strunk and White?
There are a few good grammar review books out there. The Ultimate French Review and Practice is good, as is Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French Grammar.
Depending on how well you read, a quick read of the Bescherelle books (in particular Grammaire would be good). You're reading in French and just getting a solid presentation of the grammar. It might be boring, but what I have done is read one small bit and then focus on that for the next little bit while I read/talk/speak. Then I grab another bit of grammar (doesn't even have to be related to the previous one) and just focus on that for a bit. I've found that you don't have to fully review every little bit to death- once you start using that part of your brain again things kinda just fall back into place on their own.
The first thing that I suggest is that you buy a reputable book that will teach you how to write. I'm not saying that you're a bad writer, but I would wager that most people write three times worse than they think they can (I am including myself). On Writing Well is a classic, and you might also want to read this one and this one, although I strongly recommend completing the first one. What's included is:
a) Keep it simple. Don't say it's going to be a turbulent precipitation, say that it's going to rain. A lot.
b) Study each adverb and adjective. Any words that aren't necessary should be cut. Is it really important to say that the violin was wooden? Probably not. What about the sentence "She smiled happily"? The "happily" isn't necessary, that's what "smiled" means.
c) Use specific verbs.
d) Consistency is key. Switching tenses or something similar in the middle of writing is generally a bad move.
e) Proofread. Duh. That goes hand in hand with editing.
So, yeah. You should
reallylook into thatstuffarea. One read-through will help significantly.Ok. So now that I finished preaching to you, let's move on. I didn't find any templates in my quick search, so that's of no use right now. What you can do, though, is study
verywell-written program notes. Are their sentences long or short? When are they longer or shorter, and why? Is the tone active or passive (psst. it's probably active)? What's the tone that they use, and what is your impression at the end? You get the gist. If you write downwhat you thinkyour thoughts for three of these, you'll have a good idea what you're shooting for. Other than that, it's all up to you, so go nuts.Anecdotes are also a nice way to make things entertaining. Search for stories, or impacts on the audience. Did you know there are at least six editions of the Rite of Spring? Why was the one your orchestra's performing (let's assume) created? Many people also don't know about the riot after its premier. Stravinsky escaped out the back entrance to avoid the aristocratic mob. Say fun things, win fun prizes, or something like that.
It's also important to know that stories tend to follow the path of one person. The Odyssey could have had its crew be the focus, instead it was Odysseus. Inside Out could have placed all the emotions front and center, but it was Sadness and Joy that saved the girl. Keep that in mind if you're going down a similar path.
Man, I went all out on this. Good luck with your program.
Here, you need this.
Word Power Made Easy. It was the text that we used for vocabulary during my Sophomore year and I've since used it while teaching classess of my own. It's a fantastic resource that teaches you vocabulary by giving you a solid base in the root words that make up our language.
This was my introductory textbook. I found it pretty approachable, and you can wiki / google anything you don't understand. Pretty cheap, too (Amazon has it as only $40 or so new; you should be able to get it cheaper elsewhere).
If you don't know IPA, I found this really useful for audio clips. Also, figuring out how they're made isn't that difficult, and it makes understanding the different sounds easier.
You might also want to check out a few books from your library. I've heard good things about Stephen Pinker's The Language Instinct. You can find other book recommendations elsewhere on the subreddit.
Google and Wikipedia are your friends. Google things about language that you're interested in, figure out what that issue is 'called', wiki that, look at the sources it gives, google more stuff... Simple English is your friend on wikipedia.
There's also this link in the sidebar, so you'll get more information there.
A good general resource is this site (particularly the 'links of interest' section if you're looking at the real world history). It should be more than enough if you're writing a typical high school paper or low level college paper. You'll probably need more for a hardcore research paper though.
I'm assuming your prior knowledge is pretty limited if you even think you can write much about Dwarvish or Black speech. Dwarvish has the most vague of grammar outlines less than a page of vocab, and Black Speech has less than that. You could talk about Elvish all day though.
If you're able to get your hands on A Gateway to Sindarin then half your paper is finished already. (Disclaimer, David Salo seems like a decent author and linguist to my amateur eyes, but he has a nasty habit of making educated guesses and treating them as fact. But as a general introduction to a complete beginner it's an amazing book.)
Other than that it's hard to recommend any singular sources that can help much beyond having complete familiarity with Tolkien's world and published books. Stay the hell away from lotr.wikia and related sites, but honestly Wikipedia itself gives a decent overview here. Just be sure to only get ideas from there and back them up yourself from the source material.
If you have not already done so, I would strongly urge you to read A Secret Vice, the book not just the essay. The book was published only a few years ago, I think. It serves as an insight into Professor Tolkien’s views on languages, both real and invented.
I would also recommend reading the Professor’s essay English and Welsh, published in the book The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays.
Another recommendation is David Salo’s A Gateway to Sindarin, though it is primarily a grammar of his Neo-Sindarin for the LOTR movies, he does explore Tolkien’s methods for inventing languages and his inspirations.
Well I'm no expert on IE but I don't see what other methods you could use other than the comparative method. There are books on IE linguistics.
>How do linguists determine how/when a particular phonetic shift was likely to occur?
Let's start with the when, since that is easier to answer. Now one thing that linguists cannot do is give a specific time when a sound change occurred, based solely on comparative linguistic evidence (of course this might be possible with historical or archaeological evidence). What linguists can do is put sound changes in the sequence in which they occurred.
For example, if you know that a language reflects two protophonemes t and k as k and ʔ respectively, then you know that k>ʔ must have occurred earlier than t>k. Why? Because if t>k had happened first, then the k>ʔ change would have then affected the /k/s resulting from this change and you would have a change that looks like this: t>ʔ. Incidentally, these changes I just described actually happened in Hawai'ian.
Now onto how, there's a couple of ways this question can be interpreted and it's not clear to me exactly which you mean. Are you asking why sounds change? How linguists choose a proto-phoneme to reconstruct? Whether we can predict a future sound change?
Following along with this comment, I strongly recommend the book Through the Language Glass. He is also one of the sources for the Radiolab episode you mentioned.
In the text Deutscher goes into detail on why, as /u/edXcitizen87539319 mentions, the whole idea that Homer couldn't see blue is very, very wrong. He suggests that the common trend in the development of color words (red, ochre, green, violet, yellow, blue) is more likely due to linguistic interaction between the groups of interest, and the simple fact that some colors are more important to specify (red can mean fire, or poisonous, and so on, while before the invention of dyes blue was really only useful for the sky and the water). There are also counter-examples of tribes in Africa and the Americas that followed a completely different order of color word development.
However, Deutscher goes on to describe some of the experiments that do show a connection between a society and its language. For example, languages with more speakers tend to have less grammatical complexity (this is a statement backed up by statistics performed on linguistic databases). Also, if a language makes a distinction (such as the light blue/dark blue distinction) native speakers are often faster to make that distinction in practice (such as separating slightly different shades of blue napkins quickly).
It is a very interesting topic of research, but, as is often the case when comparing different cultures, interpretations of the data are often prone to extremes when reality is typically quite mundane.
I read a great Linguistics/Travelogue book called Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes about living with an Amazonian tribe and studying their language, and he came up with a similar conclusion.
I learned from the crosspost that you do not want to reveal the language because of privacy issues. Please reconsider as it would be much easier for the community to help. Giving at least the language family would help.
At this point, it seems that if you're serious about this language you have to do linguistics one way or another. Even if you do not plan to read a paper on the language, you would still have to learn at least some linguistics in order to figure out how the language works from speakers (i.e. doing fieldwork)--basically knowing what to do or ask, which is your question. But if you did know linguistics, perhaps it would be easier to access the existing linguistic resources. Fieldwork is a difficult and painstaking process and it takes even professional field linguists many years literally living with the native speakers to really understand the workings of a language.
If you do decide to start learning linguistics for this situation, try a typologically oriented introduction to linguistics, like Payne's Describing Morphosyntax and Exploring Language Structure.
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language is essentially the gold standard here, but it is pretty overwhelming.
Instead, the same authors have a much smaller and more manageable guide, A Student's Introduction to English Grammar, which I highly recommend. It's geared toward beginners and covers pretty much everything your average English speaker needs to know.
http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/0824818156
First, you will have to convince me to release my secrets.
Okay I am kidding. But a while back I wanted to get really good at winning arguments. I bought books and learned the logical fallacies. When I tried to go into debates and the person I was debating would say "I believe god because no one has proved he doesn't exist" nobody was impressed when I would respond by saying "Oh that's the negative proof fallacy" Nobody cared if it was fallacy or not, the argument satisfied their need to believe in god. Study and application of formal fallacies work better in academic situations.
This taught me one important thing. People will not give up a position until they are emotionally ready to. No amount of logic in the world can overcome an emotionally committed believer. Ask anyone who converted from theism to atheism and I bet you the first traces of their atheism came with some sort of emotional realization or question ("Why does god allow suffering to exist?"). This means if you want to convince someone, you need to have what I might call "emotional foreplay" which does not need to be strictly logical, but opens the other persons mind to your position.
Once you have the person warmed up, you can start to present logic arguments. People love to be "logically correct", it makes them feel smart. Emotional readiness makes them feel righteous, logical correctness makes them feel intelligent. But remember that during your logical presentation you should still have an eye on their emotional readiness to accept your argument. Sometimes people go back to being emotionally not ready.
Also you have to know when to give up. Sometimes there are true believers who you could never convince in any worthwhile amount of time. It is useless to try and convince in private, but public debate can be good if you have an audience. With true believers, the goal is not to convince them (you wont, and if you try you will just be frustrated) it is to publicly shame them, and by extension shame what they represent. Don't make it too blatant, or the observer will see what you are doing and chose the other person out of pity. Pretend to come off as someone willing to compromise, someone reasonable. If you can walk the fine line between "too far" and "not enough" you will get to a point where the crowd sees you making perfect arguments, but your opponent will be unconvinced and become extremely frustrated, making them lash out. At that point, you win. Be careful when you do public shaming because it makes bitter enemies.
Also be aware of context. If you use shaming privately, you are doing it wrong. The right type of debate tactic for the right situation is needed.
EDIT: If you still want to learn about logical fallacies, I recommend this book for everyday arguments.
https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Russians-Olga-Kagan/dp/0893573019 <- this book
Ignore the other guy. It shouldn't take too much time if you can already understand it. What you need to do is start reading (out loud!) and listening to media. Try to speak with family members - but exposure only to them isn't enough.
Since you don't actively speak Surzhik, you won't have to "fix" it - and it's not the hardest thing in the world anyhow. You just need to actually use the language.
E.g. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv_HG97735E
-------------------------------
can't you use the search bar? :)))
Practical English Usage is a grammar bible, but not exactly a text book. If you want exercises maybe murphy.
Bonus tip - trying to get the students to speak English can be a struggle, but there are ways to motivate them. One method I use is to have a yellow and red card to hand, like a football referee. If a student uses their first language too much, they get the yellow card. If they do it again, they get the red card and have to do a forfeit - something like singing a stupid song or press-ups. Perhaps let the class take a vote on what the forfeit should be - that way no-one can really complain if they have to do it.
If you've learnt Spanish and Hindi then you probably will know more than many others on your course. Also, it's more important in many ways to be able to demonstrate difference in meaning rather than analysing things grammatically.
For example: How would you explain / demonstrate the difference between 'I saw the thief climbing through the window' vs. 'I saw the thief climb through the window'.
Having said that, it never hurts to brush up. I'm personally not a fan of Azar I think she tends to split and complicate things where there is no need.
Instead I'd recommend Raymond Murphy (it comes in both a British and American English version. If you get the British version it includes American grammar in the appendix and vice versa): http://www.amazon.com/English-Grammar-Use-Answers-Intermediate/dp/0521532892
and Teaching tenses: http://www.amazon.com/TEACHING-TENSES-PRESENTING-PRACTISING-ENGLISH/dp/0175559201
Most importantly, get a copy of the TESOL bible, Swan's 'Practical English Usage': http://www.amazon.com/Practical-English-Usage-Michael-Swan/dp/0194420981/ref=pd_sim_b_1
The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Elite-C-Wright-Mills/dp/0195133544
Short term (i.e. your paper): Get a draft to your teacher early and ask how you can improve it for your final draft. You'll want your teacher's opinion as early as possible if it's a good grade you want. Proofread it yourself and have others proofread it if possible.
Long term: The Elements of Style
Some other advice:
I too would like to be a published writer at some point, so I completely identify with your questions. I am 27 and sometimes wonder if it's too late for me as well but I have to keep telling myself that it is never too late. It's possible that your writing could only get better with age, as you are able to draw from more of your life experiences.
Here are some tips and recommendations that I have found to be useful:
Some books I have found to be very helpful:
I am certainly no expert but hopefully this is useful advice and helps motivate you to get to it!
*EDIT: Added another recommended book.
> some people probably thought your comment was disrespectful
Hmm, that gives me pause. I don't mean to be disrespectful. I am highly critical of feminism, but I am not intending to give offense.
I would like to think that people who identify overly much with feminism are offended by my ideas, not my tone, but I could be completely wrong about that.
Is there some way I could make my points, which I think are all valid, without offending people?
Do you have some suggestions or a link on writing more effectively and/or less offensively?
I have read Strunk's Elements of Style, but that was many years ago.
I am positive I read something very similar to that quote in "Though the language glass", a book I read just last year. Wether that is the origin of that quote or if the author was, in turn, quoting somebody else I don't know.
Depends on what parts of linguistics you're most interested in. I like morphology, so I'd recommend this.
Start with Wikipedia. For linguistics is pretty good and some of my professors have suggested I used to get familiar with topics before I research them a bit a more. The nice thing about wikipedia articles is if you are interested in reading more you can just go to the articles and books they cite at the bottom. I would also suggest you check out Describing Morphosyntax. It gives a really good introduction to various topics and just all around interesting.
Someone on here suggested the Language Construction Kit and I would also suggest that because even though it might now be the best introduction out there it will introduce you to the magical world of conlanging. For me if it wasn't for conlanging I probably wouldn't have been as motivated to learn linguistic topics and to get familiar with a wide range of languages.
Here is a book I saw mentioned on a linguistics blog that seems to be a rigorous and very up to date college level grammar book:
A Student's Introduction to English Grammar
I haven't read it myself though.
The text I used in high school, which I thought was fine though unexciting, was Warriner's Grammar. There are several editions listed on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=warriner+grammar
I think the one I used was the 'Third Course'. A user review for the 'Complete Course' mentions that Stephen King had used this book when he was in school.
Just do it. Just put it out there. Some of the worst stuff I have written, that I still call "trash fiction", is the stuff people loved best. Some of the best stuff I have written has gotten the harshest critiques. The point, here, is to be careful of becoming "married" to things, that is, being unwilling to change it if someone has a valid critique.
Basically, take everything that is said to you about your work, process it as feedback rather than attack, and use it to help your writing get better. If someone took the time to critique your work, rather than defending the work, thank them for the criticism. Take the criticim, apply it, and see if it makes your work stronger. If it does, keep it, if not ignore it. Rough criticim has helped me immensely.
I also cannot emphasize how much a few writing classes and good books can help. Check out On Writing Well by William Zinsser, and Sin in Syntax by Constance Hale. Worth their weight in gold.
Feel free to inbox me with your stories. I promise to be thorough, yet non-douchy! Here's my online portfolio , if you want to check out my stuff. :)
EDIT: A comma.
Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale. It is about the parts of language, rather than punctuation, but it's amazing. It will teach you the "right way" and the "wrong, but awesome" way to write.
Edit: I feel that I should add that I have read this book through twice. It's not often I can just read a book about grammar, but this book is very well written, in my opinion. She makes language fun.
This was my Intro to Linguistics textbook; it does a good job of surveying the different fields.
My Intro Linguistics course used Ohio State's Language Files. I was very impressed with it, not just as an introductory text, but as a textbook in general. It has exercises at the end of each chapter. You can probably find a key online, but I (and I'm sure the rest of /r/linguistics) would be happy to help with any questions you have.
"noticing patterns" will be very inefficient with your time. Instead, use this book https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/0824818156 which lists hanja roots and words based on those roots. It has been very helpful for me to make guesses when I encounter new words and has helped reinforce memorization of words with hanja roots.
Yes there is! The "Handbook of Korean Vocabulary" is EXACTLY what you are looking for. It completely focuses around Hanja meanings and which words they go into. I find it interesting just to look at even when I'm not studying.
Easy. Just get a copy of "Handbook of Korean Vocabulary" https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/0824818156
By the way, I really shouldn't say this but I have seen a couple of digital copies of this floating around the web somewhere...but the paper book is better.
How to win every argument is a short enough book that's easy to comprehend. It also explains in which cases the fallacy actually applies, and what makes it fallacious. Some of the examples are quite hilarious.
If you're serious, take a look at Olga Kagan's Russian for Russians - as one reviewer says, it's "who grew up speaking Russian at home but never really learned to read and write it properly- a common phenomenon for those of us who are immigrants or children of immigrants."
https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Russians-Olga-Kagan/dp/0893573019
Studying PIE isn't really like studying a modern language or ancient languages with an extant corpus. Courses in Proto-Indo-European linguistics are often very technical and a lot of it involves getting to grips with the principles behind reconstruction (so, sound change laws etc). Most people who specialize in PIE academically learn ancient IE languages to facilitate their research, not the other way round.
EDIT: if you are interested though this textbook is a good place to start
I assume you mean Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction by Benjamin W. Fortson IV?
>Is there a good book I could read to learn more about (proto-)Indo-Europeans and all those subgroups you mentioned?
For the Proto-Indo-Europeans, you can read Beekes, Mallory, or Fortson. For the Pre-Indo-European people, there has yet to be a book addressing all of them (and there's a good chance there will never be a book, because so little is known about them). You can see my blog, which I linked in my first post, to see a survey of all the Pre-Indo-Europeans. From there, you must google search. If you have any questions about specific Pre-IE people, just ask.
>I'd like to learn more about this stuff too. In a way, it seems to parallel the old (and probably wrong?) legends about the ancient history of India.
Yes, well, the linguistic conquerors of Europe were the same conquerors of India: the Indo-Europeans. A lot more of the Pre-IE cultures of India survive than do in Europe.
edit: A side-note, my list on my blog is incomplete. There is a bounty of Pre-IE studies of tribes in northernmost Europe: the Baltic strip, the higher reaches of Sweden, Finland, and Norway, and the expanse of northern Russia. These tribes are often called Pre-Proto-Uralic tribes, because those lands were displaced by the Urals rather than the Indo-Europeans. Unfortunately, the good majority of stuff being written on it is in Finnish, which I can't read.
You're welcome!! Thank you for liking my explanation ヾ(＾-＾)ノ. My comment got downvoted for quite a few times so i thought that maybe I wrote something wrong (´･ω･`)? . Anyway, it depends on your level actually so may I know where your level is at now?
This one has the grammar book that is said to be good for any level. I've browsed through it and it's quite thorough. and there is also the vocab book on the same page.
https://www.reddit.com/r/French/comments/4n18w7/just_came_across_the_practice_makes_perfect/
For me I personally love this one, even though it's not really complete, but it's still very thorough. Ultimate French Review if u don't wanna buy it i'm sure the the pdf is somewhere on the internet. however i only recommend this for those who are at least A2, or preparing for B1, and you totally don't need it if you're sitting for A1.
Idiomatic expressions are a pain to understand, much less remember, but it is necessary to use the appropriate expressions to sound like a native speaker. Use Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, etc... but also have a grammar book you can consult, that would help you with expressions and phrases and the different ways in which verbs are employed. I strongly recommend The Ultimate French Review and Practice.
If you literally meant a textbook than here's a highly rated and cheap one http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071744142?cache=9d038235a42201e0a4e3a28badfdfd5e&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;qid=1406256742&amp;sr=8-3#ref=mp_s_a_1_3
Also don't miss out on duolingo, a free online and phone app for learning languages. Bonne chance
Read like, the first page of each of these books.
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Elite-C-Wright-Mills/dp/0195133544/
http://www.amazon.com/Corporation-Pathological-Pursuit-Profit-Power/dp/0743247469/
http://www.amazon.com/Realm-Hungry-Ghosts-Encounters-Addiction/dp/155643880X/
http://www.amazon.com/Globalization-Addiction-Study-Poverty-Spirit/dp/0199588716/
Look at how many people voted in 2014.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/opinion/the-worst-voter-turnout-in-72-years.html?_r=0
http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/2012-voter-turnout/
"Some 93 million eligible citizens did not vote."
http://www.nonprofitvote.org/documents/2013/09/america-goes-to-the-polls-2012-voter-participation-gaps-in-the-2012-presidential-election.pdf
Look at dem numbers.
You are the next generation. Great tv series, btw. You are part of the hope that casts a light upon the world.
https://openlibrary.org/
Also, sorry, skimmed through your post history to perhaps glean what ails you, but perhaps your anxiety/stress stemming from these surrounding issues are increasing the occurrence of a lack of proper airflow/air intake during sleep, and disrupting the process of healing that's supposed to occur during the night, leading to long-term damage to your heart?
Your parents love you for a reason, and you shouldn't feel that resources or money are even a factor in their considerations. They love you, period, and you'll have plenty of time to repay your family/society/whoever you want just through the act of living well.\
Also, there's a lot of technology coming around the corner where organ fabrication/replacement/etc. is going to be a very common/real thing, but that's not to say that you can't still work with your doctor to mitigate symptoms/risks for now.
Take care, friend. Life is a strange journey indeed, but it can be rewarding if you let it be.
Edit: I would say that it's a nice poem, but I cannot agree that the best way to get back at those you feel have slighted you is to cease one's own existence. That would be tantamount to a full surrender. You still have some fight left in you, don't you? Fighting back is the best way to give the bird to all the turds.
I hadn't seen this answer yet, so I will throw it out there. Like most of the other ideas here this is a hypothesis. Life has made various evolutionary innovations over history and one idea is that woody bark/stems were first evolved sometime immediately proceeding the carboniferous. Woody stems are stronger and more resilient because there are protein cross links between cellulose strands. Cellulose being a long strand of linked sugars. Woody stems are very difficult to digest, which is why pretty much nothing eats it. When it first evolved, literally nothing ate it because it was so new and no organism had the tools to break it down. So, during the carboniferous trees and plants with woody stems proliferated because they had few or no natural predators, and probably also because they could grow taller than their competitors thanks to the strong stems and thus had better access to sunlight. They did still die of old age however, and that woody material would just sit there without decaying. Eventually it would be buried and millions of years later we would dig it out of the ground as coal or oil.
Well, the process plants use to grow is they take CO2 out of the atmosphere to build cellulose and other structural molecules and release oxygen. So what was happening in the carboniferous was that this was a very one way process. The carbon was being fixated and nothing was breaking it down to re-release it.
That all changed when fungi, think mushrooms and molds, eventually evolved the enzymatic equipment to break down woody stems. Sometime at the end of the carboniferous presumably. With this second innovation, the woody part of plants didn't just sit around waiting to be buried, it was broken down the fixated CO2 was released back into the atmosphere. Obviously this added a new variable to the equation and the oxygen level in the atmosphere struck a new and lower balance.
I suggest "Oxygen" and "power, sex, suicide" by nick lane if you are really interested in this subject.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Sex-Suicide-Mitochondria-Meaning/dp/0199205647
https://www.amazon.com/Oxygen-Molecule-World-Popular-Science/dp/0198607830
The data showing that a lot of the coal was originally deposited as charcoal is quite recent, but it's also completely solid. Something about getting identical spectroscopic results between modern day charcoal and Carboniferous coal. However, there's no reason why peat and charcoal wouldn't get along perfectly well - something must have been deposited in between the forest fires. See this: http://www.amazon.com/Oxygen-Molecule-World-Popular-Science/dp/0198607830
When it comes to the oxygen levels, I realize that I leaped to far too broad conclusions. About half a dozen people posted overnight showing data asserting that whatever was going on with oxygen through the Mesozoic was more complicated than I'd thought it was. I responded to OmniHippo's post regarding this.
In response to your third paragraph, I'm pretty sure that you're talking about the Snowball Earth episodes, which mostly happened LONG before the Carboniferous.
In response to your first and second paragraph, thanks. Nice catches.
I was recommended an American classic, Strunk and White's The Elements of Style for my undergraduate thesis class in Economics, we also write more technical papers and I found it very useful. It has guidelines on style and things to avoid, which adds more structure to the way you write and reduces the amount of things that you have to think about while writing.
The fundamental question that we're really fighting over is "How can society best be organized?"
And believe it or not, it's REALLY REALLY GOOD that we're fighting over it. Well, maybe not fighting, but definitely that we're debating...well, maybe we aren't debating, but WE SHOULD BE.
I hate to perpetuate the political dichotomy that seems to permeate the public sphere, but the truth is that we really are pretty evenly split into two fundamental camps based on answers to that fundamental question:
1.) The "conservative" answer is "Society is best served by individuals taking care of themselves." From this ethic, you get memes like:
a.) "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps."
b.) "Greed is good/let the markets decide."
c.) "Small government/don't depend on government."
d.) "Freeloaders/welfare queens/etc."
2.) The "progressive/liberal" answer is "Society is best served by individuals taking care of each other." From this ethic, you get memes like:
a.) "From each according to his own effort, to each according to his need."
b.) "Income inequality is bad for everyone."
c.) "Government is good/government protects us from corporations."
d.) "Affirmative Action/Hate Crime Legislation/ect."
For more information, I highly recommend George Lackoff's tome on the subject. You can get it used on Amazon for ~$7 including shipping.
Moral Politics by George Lakoff, and The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. Both are solid books on why conservatives and liberals think differently, though the first is a little dated with its references.
Try this book called Through the Language Glass http://www.amazon.com/Through-Language-Glass-Different-Languages/dp/0312610491
Through the Language Glass by Guy Deutscher is about if and how our perception of the world depends on our language and whether languages are more influenced by nature or culture. Blew my mind quite a few times.
It's easily one of my favourite non-fiction books.
I don't have an answer for you, but your question reminded me a book I heard about a while ago. I think it's this one. Seems like the book talks about this issue in the context of colors and direction words. It might be a place to start or have an appendix with some recommended reading.
I picked that example because it is bluer than the traffic lights I'm used to in the US. Japanese speakers historically treated the English equivalents of blue and green as shades of the same color ao, but with language shift midori came to be seen as its own color "green" distinct from ao, roughly equivalent to blue. According to the book Through the Language Glass, Japanese traffic lights were imported from the US in the 1930s before the linguistic shift and so were called ao even though they were just as green as American traffic lights. In 1973 after the shift, the lights were still called ao and the Japanese government decided to make the traffic lights as blue as possible while still following international guidelines.
An important point: just because blue and green were treated as shades of the same color, it doesn't mean Japanese speakers couldn't tell the difference. English speakers are perfectly capable of distinguishing light blue and dark blue even though they fall under the same term "blue", while Russian speakers treat light blue and dark blue as independent colors.
I totally understand. I need some structure as well.
I've bought so many creative writing books, and I've realized the best ones are the ones used in college classrooms.
This one is my favorite. You can do a writing exercise from it everyday, and you'll improve greatly. Unfortunately it's pricey at $67 (try to get a used version at half the cost).
What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers (3rd Edition)
What's great is that each chapter builds your skills gradually, starting with exercises to write good intro sentences, then to character development, point of view, dialogue, interior landscape of characters, plot, element of style, revisions, learning from the greats, etc.
The authors have said this has been the best way to see improvements from their students, and it's been working for me. Unlike other writing exercise books, this one has a clear structure, and moreover, they really go in depth in explaining the exercise and it's goal -- the technique it's trying to develop.
What I find especially helpful is that the book includes student examples for most of the examples. I own many writing exercises books, and so often I need to a clue on how to execute the exercises or I'm lost. The book also comes with short stories to study, too.
I was so skeptical about the book, since it isn't cheap, but the reviews on Amazon won me over. Read those reviews -- so many people recommend the book.
Note, if you can't afford it, there is the original, much cheaper version. It's much smaller, and doesn't have as many student examples or extra content (like the short stories), but it's costs way less. I'm guessing this was the original book before they expanded into a college textbook. I also own it also and it's still good. It's nice to carry around with me if I don't want to take the much larger newer version.
My other recommendation is this book:[The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing by Alice LaPlante](
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Story-Norton-Creative-Writing/dp/0393337081/)
LaPlante is great at explaining the little nuances, the details in what makes creative fiction work. She goes into more details, and has writing exercises at the end of each chapter, including a short story to read. So she gives more theory of how good writing works. She avoids flowery or abstract advice found in so many other books.
I found it an excellent companion to the "What If" book.
This book is also used in college courses, and it's thick! Lots of material. Fortunately, however, this version I linked is around $13. This is the same exact book as the college version for $52 (named "Method and Madness: The Making of a Story").
Lastly, this isn't a college writing book, but just a bunch of really helpful exercises on how to improve as a writer.
Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark
What I like is that he gives examples to his exercises, too, from books, newspaper articles, etc. I really love all of Roy Peter Clark's writing books.
Anyway, good luck. I was in a deep writing funk. Depressed I wasn't improving, and I decided to write everyday using exercises from those books, and it's helped me so much.
Edit: typos.
Some of these aren't on Amazon, but all of them outside of amazon are on my wishlist, is that okay?
1.) Something that is grey.
[This compilation of xkcd comics!] (http://www.amazon.com/xkcd-0-Randall-Munroe/dp/0615314465/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&amp;coliid=I12D1D7CV12AVC) Though there aren't any formerly-unseen comics included, this is perfect for the lover of the famous (and always relevant) Xkcd webcomics.
2.) Something reminiscent of rain.
[This t-shirt for fans of Incubus that is apparently out of stock now, but I'm keeping it on my wishlist to gaze wistfully at.] (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/315rOsJeWzL._SL135_.jpg)
Incubus has always been one of my favorite bands, and all art that the lead singer (Brandon Boyd) produces is amazing, so I had high faith in this shirt being wonderful if I had the money to buy it.
3.) Something food related that is unusual.
[So I typed in "candy" and this popped up..] (http://www.amazon.com/LOCOMO-Rainbow-Hedgehog-Plastic-Baseball/dp/B00BRWH99K/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_2_49?s=apparel&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376327288&amp;sr=1-49&amp;keywords=candy)
I'm not sure what I was expecting.
4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why.
[My mom has always wanted to learn calligraphy and someone recommended this book to me] (http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Calligraphy-Complete-Lettering-Design/dp/0767907329/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&amp;coliid=I35YCU37X7E6Y2)
She paints signs for people, usually featuring newborn babies or pets, and she always has to print out a guide and trace it if her customers request a font for their name.
5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
[This compilation of postsecrets-- artistic postcards with secrets written on them-- that are all touching in their own way.] (http://www.amazon.com/PostSecret-Extraordinary-Confessions-Ordinary-Lives/dp/0060899190/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&amp;coliid=I22JZDFLS686V8)
If you haven't heard of Postsecret yet, you should check it out [here] (http://www.postsecret.com/)
6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
I dunno!
7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)
I have two cats, but I got nothing for this one.
8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.
[This key from KeypersCove] (http://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Winter-Rose-Key-Necklace/dp/B00D3S4GVU/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376329005&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=keypers+cove)
I had a similar one on my wishlist but it's out of stock now.
9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?
[Cloud Atlas!] (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Atlas/dp/B00CRWJ5GO/ref=sr_sp-btf_title_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376329072&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=clouds+atlas)
Terribly confusing unless you see the [trailer] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWnAqFyaQ5s) first, it's surprisingly appropriate for this sub.
10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
[This climbing pick] (http://www.amazon.com/Omega-Pacific-Mountain-Axe-80cm/dp/B002J91R1G/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376330277&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=climbing+pick)
Ever played Telltale's The Walking Dead? Well, one character had a climbing pick that they used pretty frequently to scale buildings and kill zombies..it opened my eyes to the possibilities and dual uses of items.
11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.
[This book] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Emotion-Thesaurus-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) for my writing skills, I always have trouble finding just the right way to convey the proper emotion, plus I have severe social anxiety so it would help me figure out how to act in real life as well.
[Or this book by the famous Virginia Woolf] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Waves-Harvest-Book-ebook/dp/B004R1Q41C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&amp;coliid=IHP0D0N718720) just the type of writing style I'm aiming for.
[Or this book that I'm sure would help me with my technique.] (http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Tools-Essential-Strategies-Writer/dp/0316014990/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)
12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.
Hm?
13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?
I used to have this on my list, but a [Geiger counter] (http://www.amazon.com/Radex-RD1503-RADEX-Radiation-Detector/dp/B00051E906/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376331004&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=geiger+counter) because I'm paranoid about radiation and etc. Deleted it off my list because it's not useful for everyday life.
14.) Something bigger than a bread box. EDIT A bread box is typically similar in size to a microwave.
I got nothing on my list.
15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.
[These socks] (http://www.amazon.com/Portal-Chells-Aperture-Science-Socks/dp/B008JGPSJU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&amp;coliid=I2KUOG9B813AXT) because they're ultra thin and I'm sure they could be crumpled up that small.
16.) Something that smells wonderful.
I'd put something here, but there's nothing I'm sure of. [This book] (http://www.amazon.com/White-Fluffy-Clouds-Inspiration-Forward/dp/0974512001/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&amp;coliid=I16LKBYPI8BE5U) because it could smell like Brandon Boyd?
17.) A (SFW) toy.
I've got nothing!
18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
[This shirt] (http://www.designbyhumans.com/shop/rising-t-shirt/13087/) because I find it amazing, oh my god oh my god.
19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
[I've been trying to learn Irish for quite awhile now..] (http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Irish-Michael-OSiadhail/dp/0300121776/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376331377&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=learn+irish)
20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.
[This poster, this poster!] (http://smbc.myshopify.com/products/dear-human-19x27-poster) To see what it's based on, the original comic is [here] (http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2223)
And I have these in my list on amazon. Would love to get some opinions on them:
&nbsp;
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
&nbsp;
Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $100,000 a Year or More
by Robert Bly
&nbsp;
Words that Sell
by Richard Bayan
&nbsp;
Tested Advertising Methods
by Caples and Hahn
&nbsp;
Writing That Works
by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson
&nbsp;
Confessions of an Advertising Man
by David Ogilvy
&nbsp;
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
by Al Ries and Jack Trout
&nbsp;
The Robert Collier Letter Book
by Robert Collier
&nbsp;
Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose
by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee
&nbsp;
Letting Go of the Words
by Janice (Ginny) Redish
&nbsp;
Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers
by Harold Evans
&nbsp;
Can I Change Your Mind?: The Craft and Art of Persuasive Writing
by Lindsay Camp
&nbsp;
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
by Roy Peter Clark
&nbsp;
Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy
by Roger Horberry and Gyles Lingwood
&nbsp;
Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads
by Luke Sullivan
&nbsp;
WRITE IN STEPS: The super simple book writing method
by Ian Stables
&nbsp;
On Writing Well
by William Zinsser
&nbsp;
The Wealthy Freelancer
by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage and Ed Gandia
&nbsp;
Write Everything Right!
by Denny Hatch
&nbsp;
The Secret of Selling Anything
by Harry Browne
&nbsp;
The Marketing Gurus: Lessons from the Best Marketing Books of All Time
by Chris Murray
&nbsp;
On Writing
by Stephen King
&nbsp;
Writing for the Web
by Lynda Felder
&nbsp;
Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
by Ann Handley
&nbsp;
This book will teach you how to write better
by Neville Medhora
Reading Describing Morphosyntax may result in something a bit more complicated than what you're looking for, but the end product will be awesome, and you'll probably learn a ton along the way. I certainly have been.
EDIT: Also, the final section of the Language Construction Kit offers some advice and a possible outline.
A few years ago, I made a language for an independent study at my university. It mostly consisted of translating the Tower of Babel into the language. It was something that showed my language had at least limited use.
I've tried twice since then to create another language, somewhat based off my previous work- but mostly trying out new things, doing more research than before, etc. It hasn't been successful. I keep getting indecisive about things.
I've been using The Language Construction Kit as a reference - especially the book version. It's a pretty decent book that does cover things more in detail than the site (plus, very handy to carry around). How to Create a Language is another useful site. These are great sources for going through the process of making a language (in the book, the author includes part of a grammar on one of his languages, and includes commentary on the decisions and mistakes he made).
I also really love Describing Morphosyntax. It's much more detailed than any of the above- as it's more aimed for linguists. It goes through the process of things to look for in a language when documenting it. It explains variation of the different aspects of grammar, which I've found very helpful to determine ideas to incorporate for my language.
Livejournal's Conlangs community is another good resource.
Edit (#4?) I just found the Conlangs Wikia (check out the conlangs category or list of conlangs to see example languages)
I'd highly recommend The Structure of Language. It's not actually published yet, but we used a sort of preview version for my Syntax & Semantics course and I liked it. Also I know lots of people who like Describing Morphosyntax. I didn't like it a lot (probably because I didn't spend enough time reading it as I should have). It's quite thorough.
Edit: I just looked through Simpler Syntax on google books. It seems interesting, but I don't know if it would make a very good educational book. It's really more of a description of an individual syntactic theory.
Start with Huddleston and Pullum's A Student's Introduction to English Grammar. If you get through that, you can graduate to the authors' Cambridge Grammar of the English Language.
I learned traditional grammar when I learned Latin and Ancient Greek. As others
have said, learning a foreign language (especially a dead one) is a great way
to bulk up on grammatical knowledge in general... at least as long as the
foreign language is sufficiently similar to English. (For example, I'm not sure
if learning Mandarin would help your knowledge of English as much as learning,
say, German or Latin would, but maybe.)
That being said, if you want to learn standard, traditional, but up-to-date,
descriptive English grammar, I suggest Huddleston and Pullum's A Student's
Introduction to English
Grammar.
It's written by two highly respected and prolific linguists/grammarians. It's
based on their much more comprehensive tome The Cambridge Grammar of the
English
Language.
Best $7 you'll ever spend
Here you go : Word Power Made Easy
Some fun books to start with:
Eats, Shoots and Leaves, by Lynne Truss
Sin and Syntax, Constance Hale
Is it Transitive Vampire or Sin & Syntax?
NLP is actually exactly what I'm aiming for. It's pretty interesting stuff.
My favorite book for entry level linguistics stuff is what I used in my intro class: Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics. It's very well organized and separated, so you can pretty much skip anything that isn't really interesting without suffering later. It's also really well written and has a lot of examples and other fun stuff in it.
FIRST is a fantastic organization. Being involved in the FRC team that we founded in my high school was literally the thing that got me interested in STEM. I was a junior, and planning on going to a really non-traditional, liberal arts focused school (with no computer science department at all!). Because of FIRST, I instead chose a school where I would be able to keep learning about programming and robots, which was definitely for the better.
I think the USA has the stereotype for being anti-science because there is a significant portion of the population that is. Even in my University, there was a girl (studying Biology of all things!) in my first year dorm who believed that the Earth was 10,000 years old and that evolution was a lie meant to discredit Christianity. My intro Astronomy class had a whole day devoted to countering Young Earth Creationism, because so many of the students in the class were trying to use it to counter what the professor said.
However, we have an absurdly large population, so you also have a lot of people on the exact opposite end of that spectrum. I think that is why the US can maintain a reputation of being anti-science while at the same time leading the charge in many scientific fields.
I strongly recommend Ohio State University's book Language Files. If you buy the most recent edition it is fairly expensive, but if you go back a few editions you can get "very good" used copies for under $15. The Table of Contents for the current edition is here and gives you a good feeling for how much ground it covers. Each section has clear explanations and some examples to work through. It gives you a good understanding of what it's like to actually DO linguistics.
I recommended this book to someone a few years back who gave me Reddit Gold in return. It really is that good!
Edit: you have a good chance of finding this book in a local library (public or academic) because it is so popular. Look for it on worldcat.org.
My introductory linguistics class in college used Language Files, 11th Edition. I still have it and enjoy looking through it once in a while.
I remember getting a lot of mileage out of this book when I first came to Korea. Survival Korean: Basic Grammar Skills The book is pretty simple but it really helped me get my head around the basics of Korean grammar. Also Handbook of Korean Vocabulary is great because it is organized by Hanja root words. It's more of a reference than a text book but once you start to understand the meaning of the various hanja, it really helps when encountering new words.
See, the thing is, repeating what I say doesn't do anything. Learning to argue will make you a much more interesting person. I strongly suggest Thank You for Arguing and This gem of a book.
The latter requires a good deal of reading comprehension to truly gain anything from it, so good luck.
Intuitively, practice is the key.
I don't know shit but here are some resources you might be interested in:
Online Berkeley Rhetoric 10 course:
http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978535
Book:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Every-Argument-Abuse/dp/0826498949
The book that immediately comes to mind is How to Win Every Argument by Madsen Pirie. It's quite witty and really covers all of the fallacies well. The title is a bit cliche but that's how you sell books I guess. It's solid content
My other books are unfortunately in storage right now so I can't go to the shelf, but if I get a chance I will update this post with the titles, I need to review some of them anyway..
For future reference.
I think this book is one of the better catalogs of fallacies. It is just a big catalog. It is extensive and it is written to be accessible. Students like it.
Of course, there is no shortage of resources out there. I do think this is a valuable one.
Potentially helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Gateway-Sindarin-Grammar-Language-Tolkiens/dp/0874809126
Lojban:
Grammar: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Lojban-Language-John-Cowan/dp/0966028325
Course: https://www.amazon.com/Lojban-For-Beginners/dp/1257372874
Dictionary: http://www.lulu.com/shop/llg/lojban-english-dictionary/paperback/product-14709640.html
Ithkuil:
Grammar: https://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Ithkuil-Language-John-Quijada/dp/B071G1XDKT
Vulcan:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/mark-r-gardner-and-the-vulcan-language-institute/the-vulcan-language/paperback/product-54300.html
Siwa:
Course: http://www.lulu.com/shop/&#37;C3&#37;A9tienne-l-poisson/a-beginners-course-in-modern-siwa/paperback/product-22931582.html
Grammar: http://www.lulu.com/shop/&#37;C3&#37;A9tienne-l-poisson/siwa-a-descriptive-grammar-2nd-edition/paperback/product-22931574.html
Na'vi:
http://eanaeltu.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf
Dothraki:
https://docs.dothraki.org/Dothraki.pdf
Valarian:
http://wiki.dothraki.org/High_Valyrian_Vocabulary
Sindarin:
http://sindarinlessons.weebly.com/uploads/8/0/1/0/8010213/sindarin-english_dictionary_-_3rd_edition.pdf
http://www.ambar-eldaron.com/english/downloads/sindarin-english.pdf
Gateway to Sindarin: https://www.amazon.com/Gateway-Sindarin-Grammar-Language-Tolkiens/dp/0874809126
A Fan's Guide to Neo-Sindarin: A Textbook for the Elvish of Middle-earth https://www.amazon.com/Fans-Guide-Neo-Sindarin-Textbook-Middle-earth/dp/1546961259
Elvish Dictionary: https://www.amazon.com/Elbisches-Wörterbuch/dp/3608939199
Quenya:
http://www.ambar-eldaron.com/telechargements/quenya-engl-A4.pdf
I've seen this book recommended for your situation https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Russians-Olga-Kagan/dp/0893573019
I'd also search Russian grammar topics on YouTube if I were you. And maybe something like Duolingo or the RT learn Russian course to practice basic grammar. Presumably you'd get through them quickly.
Then start reading the news in Russian and stuff like that. Or I guess watch clips and read articles about whatever the job is.
Can't speak to it's quality, but this has been linked before in this sub for heritage speakers: https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Russians-Olga-Kagan/dp/0893573019
I haven't read The Horse, the Wheel and Language. I will look out for it now, I'm very interested in Indo-European history and the reconstruction of Indo-European ur-culture.
I can't really claim to be an expert on linguistics. But Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, while not exactly a riveting thrill-ride, does set out the whole basis of linguistic change and development over time, and explains the way in which languages can be reconstructed. I studied philology as a part of history (you can track cultural changes through vocabulary, for example, or date sections of a manuscript using word changes), and this kind of guide is very helpful. It does help with understanding how Tolkien managed to create a language, too.
I just bought this for under $10 its small and convient to take with me anywhere.
https://www.amazon.com/Only-Grammar-Book-Youll-Ever/dp/1580628559/ref=pd_ybh_a_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XY524A04HA51XJYWP62S
I really like all the Ultimate French series. There's one specifically for grammar http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-French-Review-Practice/dp/0071744142
Memrise and Duolingo do different things. Duolingo is for learning the basic grammar and vocabulary of a language; Memrise is just for memorizing vocabulary. I've already learned all the vocabulary on the Duolingo French course, so I have no use for it anymore. On Memrise, there is no limit to the number of words I can memorize. I add new words to my Memrise course every week. Plus, I find that Memrise has a more effective spaced repetition system, so it's much easier to remember the words I learn on it.
I am currently using this book: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-French-Review-Practice/dp/0071744142
Oh, I see. No, I did not make it and I have nothing to do with it. I just found it at the bookstore and it worked really well for me. It is this book:
https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-French-Review-Practice-CD-ROM/dp/0071744142
The Ultimate French Review and Practice and The Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice
These cover pretty much everything.
>There are a few good grammar review books out there. The Ultimate French Review and Practice is good, as is Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French Grammar.
Would you recommend one over the other? Or both?
This one: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-English-Usage-Michael-Swan/dp/0194420981
But this book is only necessary if you have students that have challenging questions about English usage (high school, uni, adults, etc.).
Because English is crazy like that.
Source: ESL teacher.
On a more serious note, if you're looking for a good reference, I highly recommend Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. This is the bible for people like me.
I like Micheal Swan's - Practical English Usage.
You probably could read it to learn grammar, but I teach ESL and find it's a great reference with clear explanations and examples.
That is not true at all. Those forms are found in nearly all registers of English, with only the 'going to' construction avoided in extremely formal usage.
They differ in aspect and intentionality. The time that the decision was made, and whether the action is part of a schedule (present simple) a plan (present continuous) or merely an intention (will) are some of the factors that predicate usage.
For a more thorough discussion see Swan: Practical English Usage, which is the standard text on this (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Practical-English-Usage-3rd-Michael-Swan/0194420981)
Sorry, but I disagree with you.
> are living at or near the absolute apex of human history
This is an arrogant statement. This system of government has its merits, don't get me wrong. But corruption has clearly deeply rooted itself in our political process. I'm not going to ignore that. You can pretend as much as you want that this system is working, but I'm not going to. Because regardless of what issues you present that seem to hold a significant amount of importance to you, or the populace, it doesn't change the reality that regardless of which party is power, the only people who seem to benefit from it are the insanely wealthy. I'm not going to pretend like that doesn't happen.
>> And I feel the political class also views it as such. They don't care what the issues are as long as they get elected.
> Can you support that claim with anything?
The Power Elite
The reality is, dissenting voices aren't allowed. And because I refuse to pick a side and fly my team's flag, my opinion on how our political system operates instantly becomes invalid to those who disagree with me.
But that's okay. There are numerous people who feel the same way that I do, so I don't really need approval from anyone on the internet.
edit: wording/answered a question I missed from you with a comment by me from another conversation on this thread
> This is a fairly arrogant statement for you to make. "Sure, I admit, these things matter to the citizenry, but, in reality, they're trivial." How presumptuous of you to decide for everyone else what's actually important and what isn't.
My opinions are my own and I have the right to think however I please. I hate this phrase, but in the grand scheme of things, most of the issues the public concerns themselves with are trivial and would ultimately be non-existent in a truly free society.
Foucault? Marcuse? Fromm? Habermas? Horkheimer? C. Wright Mills? Friere? Fanon? (just spitballing... I can't remember one who specifically wrote a critique of the military-industrial complex or the effects of the military on capitalist economies).
In the other direction, are you perhaps thinking of Popper's The Open Society and its Enemies? (which I believe is 2-volume) or else Hayek's The Road to Serfdom?
EDIT: The closest book of the names listed above to what you seem to be referring to would be C. Wright Mills's The Power Elite, which is relatively big at 450 or so pages, but not massive and not multi-volume.
You should read " The Power Elite" by C Wright Mills (1956)
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Elite-C-Wright-Mills/dp/0195133544/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1498937538&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+power+elite
I think you'd enjoy it, from one cynic to another.
Unfortunately, that's not really how it works.
I am somewhat puzzled. Do you mean books published by Academic Presses?
Peter Dale Scott had multiple works published by the University of California Press.
https://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520205192
C Wright Mills wrote the Power Elite, and it is published by Oxford.
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Elite-C-Wright-Mills/dp/0195133544
Domhoff wrote Who Rules America, and Works on the Bohemian Grove.
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Rules-America-William-Domhoff/dp/0139583637
https://www.amazon.com/Bohemian-Grove-other-retreats-ruling-class/dp/0060110481
These are all books by scholars, published by major presses.
For some good reading on this check out "The Power Elite" by CW Mills. Originally he warned of the Triumvirate which consists of Military, Industry, and Government. Later, the theory had been modified to include Media in this complex. Should be required reading. Edit: formatting.
I'm reading Oxygen: The Molecule that Made the World. next up is Sullenberger's book
I assume you're looking for some pop sci books rather than papers? If so, I really enjoyed:
EDIT: I don't have as many books as I thought I did, I've been reading papers rather than books
Unfortunately my only source is this book... perhaps you find it on the internets or otherwise :P
http://www.amazon.com/Oxygen-Molecule-World-Popular-Science/dp/0198607830/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347771712&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=oxygen
There are two books that I recommend reading. On Writing by Stephen King and The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White. I have learned a lot from both. One of the best pieces of advice from King was; read a lot and write a lot. It seems too obvious to be helpful advice, but I started a reading regiment that matched my writing regiment. Soon I was studying books as well as reading them, and I learned a lot more about wordplay, grammar, and vocabulary.
As far as grammar is concerned, I want my writing to communicate my emotions to the reader. That's my ultimate goal. Sometimes that requires perfect grammar, sometimes that requires breaking the rules. Take The Road by Cormac McCarthy for example. He's basically thrown all grammar rules out the window for the sake of his story, and it's an excellent story.
One of my writing professors told me there are three rules to breaking rules, and they have become my favorite rules of all. They are:
If you can accomplish those three than it's a safe bet you haven't lost your reader. However, readers will put down a book just because of the grammar, so we must be diligent.
Strunk and White
Or learn a foreign language. My knowledge of grammar grew exponentially after studying Classics.
This does a pretty good job of it: https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Politics-Liberals-Conservatives-Think/dp/0226467716
Strict father vs nurturing parents mentality.
If you are so inclined, it might be helpful to read Moral Politics by George Lakoff. He's a linguist and a progressive/democrat activist person, and some of his books are straightford political advocacy books. That one however, is more of a linguistics/ psychology book. In it he advances his theory that political positions (including on gay marriage) tend to stem from our tendency to consider political/societal level issues from the vantage point of our unconscious/ received assumptions about how families ought to work on an authoritarian-nurturing spectrum. Basically, on an unconscious level, we analogize. I found the book repetitive and boring at times, but his basic premise has been pretty useful way to think about these things for me.
Anyway, maybe thinking about this issue from some other perspectives-- sociology, gender politics, civil liberties, etc. could help you gain perspective on the ultimate source of your discomfort (as in, why is this a key religious belief for so many people? What does the status quo actually do-- who does it benefit, and why?). Once you understand your motivations a little better, maybe things won't feel the same anymore.
> Christian world view
For most of the history of America, Christianity was intimately tied with expanded social programs to help the needy, and moral issues were mostly left out of politics.
Knowing that they could not compete with Christianity and its support of the New Deal, big business leaders who did not benefit from it began to form think tanks to work up a strategy to counteract it. To clarify, a think tank is an institute that performs research intended to promote a specific world view. Essentially, these business leaders and millionaires paid scientists to figure out the best way to "sell" conservativism to the vast majority of Christian liberals and convince them to vote against their own self-interest (and, I would argue, the teachings of Jesus Christ).
One of the most famous players in this production was Paul Weyrich. His big breakthrough in think tank research was that by tying conservative economic policy with (manufactured) moral imperatives, he could convince people that liberal policy was immoral, which has a much stronger cognitive effect than convincing people that a certain policy is illogical or against their best interest. For example, you might avoid calling your mother a bad word, even if she deserves it, because you find it immoral to disrespect your parents - even though doing so may be very logical and may make you feel very good.
So they set to work on testing and developing moral arguments against liberal economic policy. If you do some reading into the output of those think tanks, I think you may find that many of your viewpoints align very closely with the talking points they spent very good money to scientifically develop and hone to be the most convincing.
They also did another very successful trick, which is to tie social issues that many Christians had strong feelings about - abortion, gay rights, interracial marriage - to their economic policy, despite the fact that they had little to no connection. (Quick - what's the connection between lower taxes and not allowing gay people to marry?)
If you, or anyone else, is interested in reading more, here are some good resources:
Google it, then read this book.
> should be Colours/Colors are
Yay sloppy editing.
Interesting how they interpret this 'green/blue' test differently, I'm having trouble finding the actual paper for the study.
Some people seem to think its that we simple didn't perceive blue, the radio lab article was based on stuff from through the language glass so its not like we actual didn't 'see' blue, its just that it didn't show up enough in experience to warrant a word to be created for it, in the Namibian tribe they studied, there were many many different words for green in their language though, and they found that even though we see them all the same colour, the Namibians could differentiate about 12 different shades as if they were completely different colours.
Interesting book, and sort of shows that how we perceive the world changes with how we communicate.
Ok its not that bad, but it's definatley not in a state to be read by anyone.
Maybe give this a read while working on a new draft. (The title sounds like click bait but the book is actually great.)
I think these are both worthy reads. Fairly easy to dip in and out of too:
Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer - Roy Peter Clark
The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase - Mark Forsyth
The last one I found especially interesting.
I prescribe these two books for you to read in this order:
Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
On Writing Well, 25th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction
Read these two books carefully and apply the advice to your own writing.
Good luck.
Morthy demands:
old posh Englishman: old posh Englishmen like to write, right? (Writing Stuff)
Never seen in public: these slippers would look ridiculous in public (Other Stuff)
Most phallic: this is the best I've got(Other Stuff)
Akeleie demands:
Most geeky: probably my Adipose toy (Other Stuff)
Achieve a goal: I would love to be a writer (Writing Stuff)
Deserted island: who doesn't need a ukulele on and island? (Other Stuff)
Thanks for the contest!! :D
Give him a counter example written by someone with credibility.
Anybody interested in this stuff should read "Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes" by Daniel Everett. The tribe isn't exactly uncontacted but it's an excellent insight into how a pre-agricultural culture lives. One of my favourite books in fact.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0375425020
If you mean get into, as in you want to be interested but just can't find the motivation, what got me interested was reading about it. Learn from the best. Here are some good ones on documentation itself (I guess more on the eminence of languages dying and the need for documentation):
Fieldwork is often closely associated with typology, so here are some books that explain some of what's possible in the world's languages:
And then there are reference grammars, often the fruits of fieldwork. Here are some good ones I've gone through:
Then again, if you mean get into it meaning what language should you pick and what part of the world, that's a harder question to answer. I feel like languages just sort of happen to people: they know someone who happens to come from a community of minority language speakers, or they have a friend who says they ran into an understudied language while abroad, or you yourself happened to live in that part of the world for whatever reason. It's hard to go study a language out of the blue because you need an "in" somehow, which is hard to purposely get, I think.
This is good:
http://www.amazon.com/A-Students-Introduction-English-Grammar/dp/0521612888
The informal style (it's me; that's him) is used much, much more often than the formal style (it is I; that is he), so you'll be safer sticking to that.
I'm not making this stuff up, by the way, I'm getting it from A Student's Guide to English Grammar by linguists Huddleston and Pullum.
Considering that you apparently already have some fluency, and assuming: British English, and that you are "merely" trying to incrementally improve; the following may be of use:
http://www.amazon.com/English-Grammar-Dummies-Geraldine-Woods/dp/0470546646
http://www.amazon.com.au/Learning-Grammar-Punctuation-Collins-English-ebook/dp/B005IH026C
http://www.amazon.com/A-Students-Introduction-English-Grammar/dp/0521612888
http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Grammar-English-Language-General/dp/0582517346
> Compared to some other languages, English is already virtually devoid of grammar.
Completely and laughably wrong. Read this. Or for a quicker read, try this. Hell, just read some posts from LanguageLog.
> It's not the occasional typo I mind per se, but the cultural propagation of progressively devolved grammar, gradually reducing the language to a hybrid of hillbilly, valley girl, inner-city slang and various grunts.
Your hysteria is based on superstition and moronic suppositions. Non-standard and non-prestige varieties of language have existed for the entirety of recorded history alongside standard varieties. Sometimes they even make the leap to being standard languages. Ever heard of the Romance languages?
Do some research before you post next time!
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Power-Made-Norman-Lewis/dp/067174190X is a good book to improve in this area
Accept: from Latin acceptare, frequentative of accipere ‘take something to oneself’, from ad- ‘to’ + capere ‘take’.
Except: from Latin except- ‘taken out’, from the verb excipere, from ex- ‘out of’ + capere ‘take’.
If you know a little etymology (the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history), you can make educated guesses at what a word means.
Try a book like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Power-Made-Norman-Lewis/dp/067174190X
Another way you can try and remember the difference is like this:
accept- acknowledge
Her mother accepted her daughter's apostasy.
At least her mother, acknowledges that her daughter was an apostate.
except - exclude
Her mother could forgive any sin except apostasy.
Her mother excluded her from the family gatherings as she was an apostate.
I used to feel this way. I luckily had an awesome high school teacher that made us study this book. In my 20s I started reading a bunch of in Henry Miller. I remember the word "ennui" killing me. Simple answer, look them up. The worst part was looking up these words I didn't know and then having to speak them, as I had no idea how to pronounce them. I just turned 31 today, and I still don't know a lot. Don't feel embarrassed.
Elements of Style by Strunk and White is an excellent grammar book. You didn't mention a grammar problem but the architecture of your writing is important when you start out. Ideas is the next step.
Word Power Made Easy is a great vocab book that got be started on words.
I look up every word I don't know. Time consuming.
If there is another language used in your family or by your ancestors learn that language. It will just expand your mind and not just your vocabulary.
One language is not enough.
> Can someone guide me how to improve my grammar/verbal/vocab for GMAT.
Word Power Made Easy
Great! Lots of other good, similar things in xkcd. As it calls itself, it's "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language."
I'm 44 and remember the Texas Sesquicentennial in 1986. I also had an 8th grade English teacher who really pushed etymology and used Word Power Made Easy (I should order some for my kids!). So when I took a "Greek and Latin Elements in English" class in college (for fun!), it was a good refresher.
[A beginner's guide to making friends] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/067174190X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414181632&amp;sr=1-1#)
Write On!
Perhaps you'd like some more Sin & Syntax in your life. How 'bout adding more Spunk & Bite to your writing? Or doing something everyday that scares you?
I'd like this so I can keep my dirty paws off my phone.
I go through phases. Sometimes I read poetry (nothing in particular, usually a trip to the library looking for collections instead of one single author). Sometimes I read fiction. Sometimes I read non-fiction.
The other part of the equation is to make sure you're reading actively. It doesn't matter how much you read if you don't really understand it. Pay attention to the way the author says things.
An issue I have with just reading nonfiction books on a particular subject (ie. philosophy as you've stated) doesn't really help if the books are dry. You're wanting to learn how to turn a phrase--you don't get that from a lot of non-fiction. The philosophy part might help you look at the world differently or become more aware of things outside your own point of view, but they don't usually help you understand how to write a crafty sentence (or lyric). In other words, it might give you something to write about, but not how to write about it!
Something else that might help is to read books about writing. Not textbooks, but books about grammar and style. I also recommend books written by successful authors on their own writing.
Two books that I have next to me pretty much always are:
https://www.amazon.com/Sin-Syntax-Craft-Wickedly-Effective/dp/0767903099
and
https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Eloquence-Secrets-Perfect-Phrase/dp/042527618X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483465760&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=elements+of+eloquence
Of course, you can also enroll in a creative writing course. Having guidance and feedback is worth more than most people think.
I recently finished a book entitled, Sin & Syntax that is quite good - a lot of fun, and goes over not only the basics, but also artful writing.
Otherwise, if you read a lot of books with very good grammar/writing you'll tend to pick it up - I don't mean to make any unfounded judgments on your taste, but, as a general comment, read something like The Anatomy of Melancholy instead of Dan Brown. (At least, I think his writing is dreadful.) Otherwise, one comment suggests learning another language, and that is definitely a step in the right direction if you can manage it - I recommend Latin.
I'll second the recommendation of The Language Instinct. Pinker approaches it from the perspective of a cognitive scientist, but it's a good book if you want an overview of linguistics and linguistic theory (although some of his claims are controversial and as breads mentioned, it's somewhat outdated).
As for English syntax, I don't think there are any books out there intended for the layman, so your best bet would probably be to pick up an introductory textbook with a syntax unit. I'd recommend Language Files from the Ohio State University Press. It's an excellent and comprehensive introductory text, one of the best.
An Introduction to Language by Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams is also well-regarded, but I haven't taught from it, so I can't speak to it personally.
Start with:
and this little gem:
http://www.amazon.com/Language-Files-Materials-Introduction-Linguistics/dp/081425179X
Don't jump straight into historical linguistics without at least skimming an intro book, or you'll find yourself with a pretty skewed idea of what linguistics is.
Over 60% of Korean vocabulary descended from Chinese. So that should really help you with words. Some Chinese (Sino-Korean is the term used) roots are the basis of dozens of Korean nouns, and nouns are turned into verbs, adverbs, modifiers, etc. in a very systematic way. Many dictionaries show the Chinese character when the root is based on it and I suggest buying this book to get you going: http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/0824818156/
Totally doable. Here's how I did it:
Watch Korean dramas (Netflix has a small selection that's good enough to get started; otherwise, try viky.com): Great so you actually hear what Korean sounds like. The idea is to learn passively. I promise it works
Check out [Naver's dictionary] (http://endic.naver.com) when you stumble upon new words
Read bilingual news on [Joogang Daily] (http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/list/list.aspx?gCat=060201)
Invest in good reference books. My favorites for:
-[Grammar] (http://www.amazon.com/Korean-Grammar-International-Learners-Bin/dp/8971415541/ref=sr_1_1_twi_unk_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449545300&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=korean+grammar+for+international+learners)
-[Vocabulary] (http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/0824818156)
Try Sogang University's free online courses
STUDY UP!! Korean is very different from Western languages, so be regular in your studies and you'll be fine.
If you're interested in this kind of thing more generally, I found this cool book at my local library: https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Korean-Vocabulary-Recognition-Comprehension/dp/0824818156/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521745556&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=handbook+of+korean+vocabulary
in which you can look up words or morphemes and it tells you their derivation and what other words they are in.
http://www.amazon.com/EPZ-How-Win-Every-Argument/dp/0826498949
That's all you need baby.
>Not that reddit needs to be anymore hostile and argumentative. But hey, you know that saying "Some men just want to watch the world burn."?
>
>I did some magic with the google and came up with these results:
>
>-
Google Books>
>-
Amazon>
>- Free domain PDF - Thanks /u/mybalzich and /u/8bitsince86
>
>-
Super Special Google Search>
>- Review
>
>Edit: Fixed links
>
>Edit 2: You guys should check out this small and struggling independent radio station that is trying to make a difference in the evil, corrupt, and greedy mess that is the music industry by starting from the bottom up to find talent. Radio Rebel Independent Music
Have you read any of the more recent books on rhetoric and debate? I am referring to books such as Thank You for Arguing and How to Win Every Argument. What do you think of such books? Do you have any texts which you would recommend?
In case you're up to getting a book, I highly recommend David Salo's A Gateway to Sindarin. It's about $25 on Amazon.
This guy is the one that handled most of the elvish in the LoTR movies:
https://www.amazon.com/Gateway-Sindarin-Grammar-Language-Tolkiens/dp/0874809126
There are textbooks and classes specifically designed for heritage speakers, which are people like you who were raised around the language but didn't receive much instruction in it. Many heritage speakers don't even learn to read or write their language, so you have an advantage there.
I haven't used it myself, but Русский для русских is very highly regarded as a textbook for heritage speakers of Russian. I studied under one of its co-authors, myself. The book has an accompanying website with audio recordings and practice exercises, too.
Try this: http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Russians-Edition-Olga-Kagan/dp/0893573019.
Especially on Greek literature German is very usefull as your second modern language. For native English speakers it's not that hard to learn either.
In Germany English and German are required for your bachelors (additionaly French or Italian for masters, and both for your doctorate at most universities).
> I was wondering if anyone who has experience in the major or something similar had anything to offer as far as advice and suggestions are concerned.
Getting into the basics of Indoeuropean Studies is very helpful. I've seen many students who didn't do it and lack an understanding of grammar. They have memorized der neue Menge for composition, but couldn't get behind the concept of latin or indoeuropean grammar.
I'd recommend Clackson and/or Fortson. When you have learnt German pick up Meiser for Latin and Rix for Greek.
I'm reading a grammar book right now (The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need) and it claims that using an apostrophe the way you mentioned is correct:
> There are a few rare instances when you use apostrophes to form plurals. The first is when you're writing abbreviations that have more than one period.
> M.D. = M.D.'s
We're just used to omitting the periods when using internet acronyms.
I think The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need would be perfect for the basics. That's a good one. Truby's The Anatomy of Story is a great source as well.
http://www.amazon.com/Only-Grammar-Book-Youll-Ever/dp/1580628559
This might help
But it probably won't.
As long as you put your desire and hope in the act of writing itself, as opposed to the desire of wanting to have written something, you will do well.
I would suggest a few pieces of light reading, a few pieces of heavy reading, and some listening for you too.
Light reading:
Stephen King's "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft" This book is not meant as a book of lessons so much as the formula that assembled one writer. It's short, it's heartfelt, and it has some wisdom in it.
The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. - This is a short book, it gives a good starter set of rules that we accept for communicating with one another in the English language.
Heavy Reading:
Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell. - This is a short book but it is very thick with information and esoteric names from all cultures. Why is that? Because it deals with, very succinctly, the fundamental core of nearly all human storytelling, Campbell's "Monomyth" premise can inform you all the way from the Epic of Gilgamesh to Star Wars a New Hope
Writing Excuses This is a Podcast about writing by Brandon Sanderson, of "Mistborn," "Way of Kings," and "Wheel of Time" fame, Howard Taylor, the writer and artist of Schlock Mercenary, a webcomic that hasn't missed a day for a long while, Mary Robinette Kowol, a Puppeteer and Author of "Shades of Milk and Honey" and Dan Wells, from the "I am not a Serial Killer" series It has been going on for more than a decade, and nearly every episode is a wonderful bit of knowledge.
"Do you have any data to back up your claim that "While not all conservatives raise their children in this way, the vast majority do, and it is what I have experienced"."
http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Politics-Liberals-Conservatives-Think/dp/0226467716/
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_authoritarianism"
Those just from top of my head, but the study of conservative/authoritarian model vs empathetic model of parenting is deep and long. They even developed a pretty well establish and commonly applied measurement; the F-scale.
People, in the USA, who score high on it trend GREATLY towards conservative politics and the GOP and apply strict authoritarian models of parenting.
That all said, in reply to the OP "question" the reason Libertarians tend to shy away from liberal politics and positions, despite sharing far more of their political positions with them, is the Libertarian view empathy as a weakness and share the conservative fear of the their fellow man as something inherently evil. Liberal models involve a focus on empathy, nurturant parent modeling, and a belief the true nature of man is decent.
Or, Liberals tend to think we do better when we come together for our mutual benefit and Libertarians AND conservatives believe their fellow man is dangerous and destructive.
Ironically, at least conservatives understand we all must work together and accept the limitations on our freedoms that all societies bring. Libertarians seem to have either not read or understand basic foundational concepts like Hobbes Social Contract or just rather want the protection of the social contract but are unwilling to share the burden.
Really, a Libertarian is just a narcissistic (or extremely ignorant) conservative. The authoritative model is the "answer' to a conservatives basic mistrust of his fellow man. The Libertarian still fears/distrusts his fellow man but seeks some impossible worldview where he is "self-reliant" YET still benefits from all the positive features of a structured (authoritative or not) society.
In my experience the young Libertarian is just generally ignorant of basic social contract (and will often "grow out of it" as he learns and understands the world better) and the older Libertarian is just a ragging narcissist who believes the world has done wrong by him or else he would be fabulously wealthy and appreciated as he was clearly meant to be.
We view the world through the lens of the language in which we speak. Words are simply symbols of ideas which each language deals with differently depending on history and heritage. Some examples of untranslatable words from other languages
This is an interesting book about language shaping thought.
>every society has made up a religion
Actually, this isn't true
But even if it isn't, what about someone like me who never believed in the supernatural? I mean, I've been called "demon spawn" but I'd never thought it was accurate.
Might be worth making the investment
This gives 0 actual value to anyone- it's just a list of positive traits. Also, the writing is sub-par at best, I recommend reading a guide: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Tools-Essential-Strategies-Writer/dp/0316014990/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1522185432&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=writing