it takes three years

You may not able to imagine that it takes three years to obtain a reference letter from Hong Kong government. This letter only states the evidence of service period of an employee.

How many years do we have?

Good websites about Languages

Useful links about Animal Languages

Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute of Washington Uiversity
http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuchci/

Alex Foundation about a Parrot
http://www.alexfoundation.org/


Critical Period Argument

10 Poor Cases of Feral Children
http://listverse.com/2008/03/07/10-modern-cases-of-feral-children/

A feral child is a human child who has lived away from human contact from a very young age, and has little or no experience of human care, loving or social behavior, and, crucially, of human language. Feral children are confined by humans (often parents), brought up by animals, or live in the wild in isolation. There have been over one hundred reported cases of feral children, and this is a selection of ten of them.

About Input  and Interaction

1. Adults and Older children use a special register known as  Child Directed Speech , when talking to young children. They simplify and clarify their speech in numerous ways at very level of language, including phonology, vocabulary, morphology and syntax.
2. CDS is dynamic register with adult speech being  tuned to some extent to the language level of child as it changes over time.
3. The amount of linguistic input available to children varies quite widely Children of high-talking parent tend to be relatively advanced in terms of vocabulary and grammar development.
4. The child's linguistic environment comprises both input and interaction.
5. Children cannot acquire language fro watching TV a situation in which they are exposed to input in the absence of interaction. Interaction is therefore are essential for language acquisition.
6. Imitation both verbal and non-verbal is a fundamental aspect of human interaction. Infants who are especially responsive to imitation develop relatively advanced vocabularies.
7. Parents frequently imitate their children, repeating back child utterances with modification.
8. Some adults recasts can function as a form of corrective input for grammatical errors. They present a direct contrast between a child error and a grammatical alternative offered by the adults.
9. It is widely assumed that CDS is not universally available but cross-cultural research does not support that assumption.
10. CDS may be an inevitable consequence of adapting to the communication needs of a conversational partner who is both cognitively and linguistically immature.

Videos of adult-child interaction

http://www.msu.edu/~casby/langdevidcomp/

Effects of TV viewing on child development

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html

Teaching Good TV Habits

Here are some practical ways to make TV-viewing more productive in your home:

1. Limit the number of TV-watching hours:

Stock the room in which you have your TV with plenty of other non-screen entertainment (books, kids' magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.) to encourage kids to do something other than watch the tube.

1.1. Keep TVs out of bedrooms.

1.2. Turn the TV off during meals.

1.3. Don't allow kids to watch TV while doing homework.

1.4. Treat TV as a privilege to be earned — not a right. Establish and enforce family TV viewing rules, such as TV is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.

2. Try a weekday ban. Schoolwork, sports activities, and job responsibilities make it tough to find extra family time during the week. Record weekday shows or save TV time for weekends and you'll have more family togetherness time to spend on meals, games, physical activity, and reading during the week.

3. Set a good example by limiting your own TV viewing.

4. Check the TV listings and program reviews ahead of time for programs your family can watch together (i.e., developmentally appropriate and nonviolent programs that reinforce your family's values). Choose shows that foster interest and learning in hobbies and education (reading, science, etc.).

5. Preview programs before your kids watch them.

Come up with a family TV schedule that you all agree upon each week. Then, post the schedule in a visible area (e.g., on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. And make sure to turn off the TV when the "scheduled" program is over instead of channel surfing.

6. Watch TV together. If you can't sit through the whole program, at least watch the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show.

7. Talk to kids about what they see on TV and share your own beliefs and values. If something you don't approve of appears on the screen, you can turn off the TV, then use the opportunity to ask thought-provoking questions such as, "Do you think it was OK when those men got in that fight? What else could they have done? What would you have done?" Or, "What do you think about how those teenagers were acting at that party? Do you think what they were doing was wrong?" If certain people or characters are mistreated or discriminated against, talk about why it's important to treat everyone fairly, despite their differences. You can use TV to explain confusing situations and express your feelings about difficult topics (sex, love, drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, behavior, family life).

8. Talk to other parents, your doctor, and teachers about their TV-watching policies and kid-friendly programs they'd recommend.

9. Offer fun alternatives to television. If your kids want to watch TV but you want to turn off the tube, suggest that you all play a board game, start a game of hide and seek, play outside, read, work on crafts or hobbies, or listen and dance to music. The possibilities for fun without the tube are endless — so turn off the TV and enjoy the quality time together.

(to be continued)

Something about Markus

Markus Wasmeier hat in seiner sportlichen Laufbahn als Skirennläufer genug Geld verdient, um davon leben zu können. Doch während andere ehemalige Profisportler schon morgens um neun auf dem Golfplatz neue Herausforderungen suchen, sieht der zweimalige Olympiasieger von 1994 in seinem Museum nach dem Rechten. Wer ebenso zeitig seine Eintrittskarte löst, wird mit Geschnatter von den Hausgänsen Gustav und Agathe begrüßt, vernimmt das Glockengeläut der hofeigenen Kühe und atmet den Duft von Rohrnudeln, der Hefespezialität, ein, die der Bäcker bald aus dem Holzofen zieht.


Analysis:

Sentence 1:
Markus Wasmeier hat in seiner sportlichen Laufbahn als Skirennläufer genug Geld verdient, um davon leben zu können.

Markus Wasmeier is the third personal male singular form of subject.
Hat ... verdient is the conjugatation of dienen representing present perfect tense. It means 'has earned'.
'in seiner sportlichen Laufbahn' means 'in his athletic career'.
'als Skirennläufer' means 'as a ski racer' where Ski is ski, renn is racing and läufer is runner.
'genug Geld' means 'enough money'.

The last part consists of two particles. Therefore, we need to reorder the analysis flow.
'davon leben' means 'live on'.
'können' means 'can/able'.
'um ... zu' means 'in order to'

Translation of Sentence 1:
As a ski racer Markus Wasmeier has earned enough money in his athletic career in order to live on.


Sentence 2:
Doch während andere ehemalige Profisportler schon morgens um neun auf dem Golfplatz neue Herausforderungen suchen, sieht der zweimalige Olympiasieger von 1994 in seinem Museum nach dem Rechten.

Literal translation:
But while other former professional athletes early mornings about nine on the golf course new challenge search, sees the two-time Olympic champion of 1994 in his museum on the right.

Adjusted translation:
But while other former professional athletes search new challenge early mornings about nine on the golf course, he sees the champion of Olympic Games of 1994 twice in his museum on the right.


Sentence 3:
Wer ebenso zeitig seine Eintrittskarte löst, wird mit Geschnatter von den Hausgänsen Gustav und Agathe begrüßt, vernimmt das Glockengeläut der hofeigenen Kühe und atmet den Duft von Rohrnudeln, der Hefespezialität, ein, die der Bäcker bald aus dem Holzofen zieht.



Literal translation:

Who likewise early his ticket solves, is greeted with chatter of domestic geese and Agathe, hears bells of the farm's cows and breathes the scent of cube shaped yeast cakes, one of yeast specialities, the the backers soon from the wooden stove pulls.

Adjusted translation:Who solves his ticket early likewise, is greeted with chatter of domestic geese and Agathe, hears bells of the farm's cows and breathes the scent of cube shaped cakes with special yeast which the baker pulls from the wooden stove soon.

  

Lamb of Red Castle

When you believe in that most of things in your life do not change
When you do not notice that there are big changes

It would come out with a big impact to your life

You may suggest that they are in the appropriate range
You may eventually know that it is strange

When you think it is the limit of development of your old school
When you think that the design isn't cool
It would give you a ding sound in your mind
They would break down the historical building as a fool
They would fit a new building in the loo.

Red castle is its nickname
Its function is to produce lambs
It works like factories
And provides you lots of laboratories

Castle grows bigger
And buildings are greener
We may grow older

But old school still looks younger

It may not give you a vision
It may not give you satisfaction
Because your road depends on your imagination
And the mind of determination

Rev and Styles

A Buddhist group overseeing the construction of the world's tallest bronze Guanyin statue in Tai Po says the surrounding monastery will be a non-profit- making complex that will help followers reflect as well as promote Buddhism to the general public. A Buddhist group overseeing the construction of the world's tallest bronze Guanyin statue in Tai Po says the surrounding monastery will be a non-profit- making complex that will help followers reflect as well as promote Buddhism to the general public. The Rev Sik Kwok-kwong, who chairs the board of directors of Tsz Shan Monastery Ltd, said there will be no niches for the dead in the temple and that no individual is involved in the project.

As you may see, Rev is the abbreviation of reverend which is a style of addressing most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. This was a practice borrowed from Christianity by Jodo Shinshu in Japan and has been used in Buddhism since the early 20th century. The ordained monks and nuns were addressed as Maha Thera in the Theravada branch or Sakya in Chinese Mahayana branch. The title was translated to Venerable before borrowing. Theravada, which literally means the ancient teaching, is one of oldest Buddhism school in India. It is conservative and closed to early Buddhism. Analytical approach is much preferred in this school. Mahayana, which literally means great vehicle, is another old Buddhism school in India and is practiced in China, Vietnam, Korea, Tibet, and Japan. It is a loosely bound collection of many teachings with large and expansive doctrines.

Style of addressing is a common tradition in academia and royal family. E.g. His/Her Magnificence is for the rector (president) of a university. His Most Reverend Excellency is for diplomats. Your Worship - Justices of the Peace (Magistrates) in the United Kingdom, usually by solicitors. His/Her Majesty in royal families.

For ordinary people, we mainly use mister, miss and mistress. After the feminism prevails, we can only use Mr and Ms.

German terms in Railway

What is Eisenbahnknot​enpunktweiche? Eisenbahnknot​enpunktweiche is railway junction switch. You can decompose this whole german (compound) noun into several parts.

Eisen = Iron 

Bahn = Road
Knoten = Node
Punkt = Point
Weiche = Switch

Eisenbahn means railway. But wait! Eisen is iron and Bahn is road. It is same to the combination of Chinese character 鐵路 (tie lu). Funny!

What is Triebwagenzug?

Trieb = engine

wagen = wagon = car

zug = train

Triebwagenzug means railcar.

Triebfahrzeug means trains and Localmotiven mean localmotives.

Auskunft means information. Preise means rating and Buchung means booking.

Einfache Fahrt means single journey where Fahren means go.

Hin- und Rückfahrt means return journey. Hinfahrt means outward. Rück means back.

Abfahrt means departure. Ab-fahrt literally means from-go.

Ankunft means arrival. An-kunft literally means to-future.

Unabsehbaren Folgen

[German] Die Angst vor einem Börsencrash und unabsehbaren Folgen für die Konjunktur hat Spitzenpolitiker weltweit zum Handeln getrieben. 

[English (My own translation)] The fear of a stock market crash and unpredictable consequences for the economy has driven world leaders to action. 

• Angst means anxiety or fear.
• Börsen means stock exchange.
• unabsehbaren means unforeseeable
• absehbaren  means foreseeable
• sehbaren means dictable
• seh means see
• Folgen means Follow, aftereffect and consequence

[German] Auch die Europäische Zentralbank und die Finanzminister der G7 kündigten rasches Handeln an. 

[English (My own translation)] In addition, the European Central Bank and the G7 finance ministers called for urgent action.

Past tense of the verb: (Wir/Sie) kündigten ... an
Present tense : ankündigen

It is one of examples of German separable prefix verbs. They can be compared to English verbs like "call up," "clear out" or "fill in." While in English you can say either "Clear out your drawers" or "Clear your drawers out," in German the separable prefix is almost always at the end, as in the second English example.

Confused German Words

There are some German words that look alike. For example, das vs dass and denn vs den. Das means 'the' and dass means 'that'. Denn means 'because' and den means 'the'.

Chinglish

'People Mountain People Sea'
should be 'full of people'

'ding'
should be 'bear', 'endure'

'You will very like it.'
should be 'You will like it very much.'

'I am sales.'
should be 'I am salesman.'

'add oil' = 'Gas geben' (in German)
should be 'hang in there', 'keep going', 'step on it', 'step on the gas', etc

carton
sounds like 'carten'

carbon
sounds like 'carben'

Ancestry of Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II is
the daughter of George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George),
the son of George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert),
the son of Edward VII (Albert Edward),
the son of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Francis Albert Augustus Charles Emmanuel),
the son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Ernest Anthony Charles Louis),
the son of Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (Francis Frederick Anthony),
the son of Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld,
the son of Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld,
the son of John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld,
the son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha,
the son of Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (Johann Maria Wilhelm),
the son of John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar,
the son of John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony,
the son of John, Elector of Saxony (John the Steadfast),
the son of Ernest, Elector of Saxony,
the son of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony,
the son of Frederick IV of Meissen and Elector of Saxony,
the son of Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia (Frederick the Strict),
the son of Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen (Frederick the Serious),
the son of Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen (Frederick the Bitten),
the son of Albert II, Margrave of Meissen,
the son of Henry III, Margrave of Meissen,
the son of Dietrich I, Margrave of Meissen,
the son of Otto II, Margrave of Meissen,
the son of Conrad, Margrave of Meissen,
the son of Thimo II the Brave, Count of Wettin,
the son of Dietrich II, Margrave of Lower Lusatia,
the son of Dedo I von Wettin,
the son of Dietrich I von Wettin.

Wettin is a small town in Saxony-Anhalt of Germany. Meissen is a small town on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Thuringia is a state of Germany in the central part of country.

Merkel - Durchschnitt Europas ist global nicht wettbewerbsfähig

Hereunder is the news article in German.

Merkel - Durchschnitt Europas ist global nicht wettbewerbsfähig

Nach Aussage von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel ist ein Großteil Europas international nicht wettbewerbsfähig.

Deshalb habe sie mit Frankreichs Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy den Pakt für Wettbewerbsfähigkeit vorgeschlagen, sagte Merkel am Montagabend zur Eröffnung der CeBIT-Computermese in Hannover. 

"Europa muss aufpassen, dass es sich nicht zu sehr an sich selbst orientiert", warnte die Kanzlerin. 

Alle Staaten müssten sich künftig an den Besten der EU-Partnern orientieren. 

"Der Durchschnitt Europas ist nicht wettbewerbsfähig global", sagte sie. 

Am Nachmittag hatte Schwedens Ministerpräsident Frederic Reinfeldt den von Merkel und Sarkozy vorgeschlagenen Pakt für Wettbewerbsfähigkeit kritisiert.

The following is the translated version.

Merkel - Europe's average is not globally competitive

According to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, a large part of Europe is not internationally competitive.

Therefore, they have proposed the pact on competitiveness with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, said Merkel on Monday evening at the opening of CeBIT in Hannover Computermese. 

"Europe must be careful that it is not too much oriented to yourself," warned the Chancellor. 

All states should be based on the best in the future EU partners. 

"The average for Europe is not competitive globally," she said. 

In the afternoon, Sweden's Prime Minister Frederick Reinfeldt has criticized the pact proposed by Merkel and Sarkozy for competitiveness.

wettbewerbsfähig(adj) : competitive

der Wettbewerb (n) : competition

die Wette (n): bet

No-fly zone over Libya

Die USA berät mit Verbündeten eine Flugverbotszone über Libyen. Derweil bereitet sich die Opposition auf einen Angriff von Gaddafis Truppen vor.

The United States consults with allies a no-fly zone over Libya. Meanwhile, the opposition is preparing for an attack on Gaddafi's troops.

Flug (n): Flight
fliegen (v): fly
verbot (v): prohibited
zone (n): zone
Derweil: meanwhile, whilst
der: the
weil: because
über: over
von: of, off, from, on the part of (what a flexible particle in German language!)




Für ein Flugverbot müssten weitere Beratungen im UN-Sicherheitsrat stattfinden. Es sei allerdings unwahrscheinlich, dass das Gremium handele, solange die Gewalt der libyschen Führung gegen Zivilisten, etwa durch Luftangriffe, nicht deutlich zunehme. Eine entscheidende Rolle spielt in der Angelegenheit dem Bericht zufolge Italien, das einen umfangreichen Freundschaftsvertrag mit Libyen geschlossen hatte.

Held for a ban would have further discussions in the UN Security Council. It is unlikely that the panel trade unless the violence against civilians by the Libyan leadership, such as air strikes, not significantly increasing. Plays a crucial role in the matter, the report says Italy, which had signed a comprehensive treaty of friendship with Libya.

müssten  => müssen: have to
weitere (adj) : more
Beratungen (pl): proceedings (similar to discussions / Diskussion)
im : in
der Sicherheitsrat: security council
stattfinden: to happen
finden: to find, to locate, to meet
statt: stead (a place or role that someone or something should have or fill)
die Gewalt: violence
Eine entscheidende Rolle: a crucial role
der Angelegenheit: a matter
dem Bericht: the report (dem indicate that it is an object)
Freundschaftsvertrag (Freundschaft + s + vertrag): friendship treaty
Freundschaft: friendship
Vertrag: agreement
geschlossen : closed (implies signed)

Intrinsic value is key to growing up

Children are curious to everything in daily life including their own sensation and experience. They do observe everything closely. They taste it, try it and enjoy with it. Enjoyment is one of the driving forces of learning. They can pick up the first language in a few years. They want to talk to their parents, voice out their needs and share their ideas and feelings.

Our world is a sophisticated system with lots of policies, measures and utilities for certain goals. These goals are inscribed in these measures. Even though, these goals may be right, the implementation may not be good for everyone or tailor-made to the perception of everyone. For the sake of prolonged exposure to external measures, the external values are internalized. As we know, the external environment is kept changing. The change would be an impact to the children especially when the internalized values do not match to the new external values.They may collapse.

If the children have not yet internalized these values, they would treat those measures to be controls only. They would either adapt them or work against them. Eventually, they would forget their own values.

Parents should help them to develop their own intrinsic values which are the pillars of self-development. These values also give them direction and stability.