Generative linguistics

The most extraordinary things are also the everyday. —Henri Lefebvre, Critique of Everyday Life This presentation takes as its starting point Marjorie Perloff’s assertion, in the context of a discussion of Ludwig Wittgenstein, that poetry is not “the expression or externalization of inner feeling; it is, more accurately, the critique of that expression.” (Wittgenstein’s Ladder, 1996: 184) As such, poetry provides a vital occasion to examine, and reexamine, the language of our everyday life. By…

Haugh Teaching Philosophy My goal as an instructor for writing courses are to have students learn to communicate effectively. In a composition course, learning the tools to communicate competently sets the student up for success. The two main concepts which need to be covered in any basic writing course are communication and research. According to current research articles students struggle with language use and “code switching” in their communication. Kathleen Turner wrote “Flipping the…

Introduction Team cohesion is a crucial component of sports psychology that has been studied for many years. Understand the influences that can cause or destroy the chemistry between teammates allows for coaches and other significant role models to prepare in a way that their team will benefit, and hopefully result in successful performance. Cohesion can be defined in many ways, but the most widely accepted explanations include its four main characteristics; team cohesion is dynamic,…

Language can be used to invoke feelings upon another. Language can strike any emotion, such as love, happiness, anxiety, paranoia, fear, etc. The United States of America has had its fair share of using language to play with it’s citizens’ emotions. The nation’s 40th president, Ronald Reagan, brought the citizens to the truth by one of his most famous quotes: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Those nine words may be the most…

Writing is still not exactly my strong suit. I want to be a good writer, so I am reflecting on how I have done thus far. My writing still has several weaknesses that I undoubtedly want to improve, however, I also have many strengths. I would like to start with what I believe is my biggest weakness; my use of vague words. How often I overuse word the word “it” to start a sentence is actually quite ridiculous. Not only am I being vague and undescriptive; my overuse of that word is…

Life is a learning process, you can only learn so much through observation. I firmly believe learning is done best through personal experience and hands on work. My first semester of english in university has certainly been a learning process. Through three essays, all of which have pertained to be analysis papers, I feel that I have honed and bettered my writing skills. These skills were sharpened by my writing process, peer and teacher review sessions, and my revision process, which has shown…

Symbolism is often used in many stories and novels. A symbol is something that stands for something else. These two things are typically very unrelated and different, but the symbol usually holds a very important lesson. In the book Old Man and the Sea, there are many symbols. One symbol that stood out to me was the mast that the old man carries. This mast is very heavy and he can hardly carry it, but this mast is his life, his life of fishing. This mast symbolizes the sin and burdens we carry…

Although English is not Nabokov’s first language, not even the second, he is known for his impeccable English prose. However, paradoxically, when Nabokov is asked whether he feels he has “any conspicuous or secret flaw as a writer,” he replies it is “the absence of a natural vocabulary” (S.O., 106). Specifically, he bemoans that his English is “stiffish, artificial thing, which may be all right for describing a sunset or an insect, but which cannot conceal poverty of syntax and paucity of…

Martín Espada's poems have consistently contributed to the unglamorous histories of the struggles against injustice and misfortune and his childhood interest in political activism has brought Espada to shed light on the racial issues present in America, mainly Puerto Rican issues but racial inequality as a whole. “My Native Costume” is an example of the preconceptions that people may have about POC’s (people of color) and that they are just seen as their native selves. Espada’s use of irony and…

When I think of good writing I often think of reading and, then picturing it in my head. For example, if I’m reading something I need description and lots of images going through my mind. It really helps me understand what I’m reading, making it more entertaining. Another thing I often enjoy in writing is when there is some humor throughout the paper, because who doesn’t love a good laugh? I always know when I have written well when I enjoy what I’m reading. I am taking this class not only…