Power Of Words Essay Example for Free

Power Of Words Essay â€Å"Words are more treacherous and powerful than we think.† Evaluate the extent to which the characteristics Sartre claims for words affect negatively and positively different areas of knowledge. To what extent does the existence of different languages and the need for their translation create problems for the acquisition of knowledge? According to Sartre, words carry more power than we think and have the ability to betray their proper meanings. Words, or in a broader sense, language, is far more powerful than we give it credit for and is ambiguous in its nature to either be powerful in a good way or treacherous. When language is translated properly and knowledge is acquired successfully, language is powerful. However, when there are problems with translation and the original meaning of the words becomes garbled, language becomes treacherous. Now that we are aware of this fact about language, we need to make a calculated decision on the degree of negative effect translation has on the acquisition of knowledge. There are contextual losses, untranslatable words, and idioms. When we examine the losses as a result of translation, the extent to which the existence of different languages and the need for their translation creates problems for the acquisition of knowledge is great. As the Italians say, Traduttore traditore, ‘the translation is a traitor’† (Van de Lagemaat 63). First of all, each of us has a special relationship to our own native language and this relationship makes us â€Å"assume that it fits reality like a glove†. However, when we learn a second language, â€Å"one of the things [we] discover is that different languages divide the world up in different ways† (Van de Lagemaat 61). When translating words from one language to another, you â€Å"will not get a workable translation but gobbledygook† (Van de Lagemaat 61). This is when translation creates problems for the acquisition of knowledge. When something is being translated, there are three basic rules that must be followed: the translation must remain faithful to the original text, be comprehensible, and when retranslated back into its original language, the translation should be approximate to the original. Many times, the translations of texts from one language to another defy these three commonly agreed criteria, particularly the faithfulness of a translation. For example, when translating the idiom â€Å"the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak† it comes back in German as â€Å"the vodka is agreeable, but the meat is inferior† (Van de Lagemaat 62). Through translation, this idiom lost its true meaning. An example of a mistranslation is when Pepsi Cola ran an advertising campaign in Taiwan, the slogan â€Å"Come Alive with Pepsi† was translated into Chinese and when translated back into English, it read â€Å"Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead!† (Van de Lagemaat 63). Unsurprisingly, because of the ill communicated meaning, the campaign was a failure. There is also inaccurate translation in literature such as the mistranslation of Albert Camus widely renowned novel’s title The Stranger, or L’etranger. In French, L’etranger does not simply mean â€Å"stranger† but has a much deeper and intricate meaning that caters to the novel’s explicit message. Further evidence that not everything is translated adequately is found in the translations of the Quran, â€Å"the central religious text of Islam†. â€Å"Because the Quran stresses its Arabic nature, Muslim scholars believe that any translation cannot be more than an approximate interpretation, intended only as a tool for the study and understanding of the original Arabic text† (Mohammed 58). Since not only the text must be translated, but the meaning and symbolism, it is believed that many things are lost in the Arabic to English interpretation. Whether or not the renderings of the Quran into English or other languages are accurate enough of not is a heavily debated subject for scholars. I can understand how this happens being a speaker of Arabic myself. There are certain Arabic words I say in my day-today life that cannot be appropriately translated in English without their actual meanings being lost. The Arabic expressions like â€Å"yislamleh teezik† that make little to no sense when directly translated into English. In Arabic, this commonly used expression is supposed to be an affectionate way of saying â€Å"thank you† or â€Å"may you always stay in my life†. The English translation would be â€Å"may God bless your butt†, and the charming meaning it has in Arabic is completely lost to translation. Although translation causes problems for the acquisition of knowledge to a great extent, it does not always do this. When something can be translated and the meaning is transferred from one language to another without any harm coming to it, knowledge is powerful. In the realms of mathematics and sciences, mathematical and scientific concepts can be translated accurately from one language to another unlike in literature. An example of this can be found in my math studies classroom with Ms. Halabi. She told us a humorous anecdote about how she learnt math in Arabic and how that would have been so unusual for us to experience. Math is a universal language and is not harmed when translated from one language to another. In conclusion, the translation of knowledge between different languages can be both powerful and treacherous in nature. It is powerful when there is no loss of meaning between translations but can be treacherous when it disrupts the acquisition of knowledge. This is a bad thing because as knowers, we don’t get to access certain knowledge because it can’t be translated properly.

Bone Diseases :: essays research papers fc

Bone diseases most directly influence the ability to walk or to move any part of the body--hands, limbs, neck, and spine. They are related to joint disorders--ARTHRITIS, COLLAGEN DISEASE, DISLOCATION of joints, and RHEUMATISM. The medical specialty pertaining to bone disorders is ORTHOPEDICS. Fractures are the most common bone disorders. They can occur as the result of an accident or be secondary to metabolic diseases. Fractures are life-threatening to aged people having the metabolic bone disease OSTEOPOROSIS, in which bones become porous and brittle. A person, mostly women, having osteoporosis may break a hip during a fall and possibly die from complications. Birth Defects Congenital bone diseases constitute a wide spectrum, ranging from the unimportant--for instance, mild bow legs--to severe lesions, such as spina bifida, in which the lower end of the spine fails to develop properly and the baby is born with paralysis and misshapen vertebrae. Congenital diseases may have hormonal bases: for example, fibrous DYSPLASIA, in which fibrous tissue replaces that of some bones, often results in bone deformity; in addition, some girls with this disease physically mature so early that they are capable of pregnancy and childbirth at the age of seven. Congenital defects also may have genetic bases, as in families who have extra fingers or toes or in the disease osteogenesis imperfecta, in which children have such brittle bones that many are fractured. Disorders of growth and development include several kinds of dwarfism and gigantism. Bones or limbs may develop deformity as the result of known causes, such as the infection poliomyelitis, or unknown or variable causes, such as curvature of the spine (SCOLIOSIS) or CLUBFOOT. Infections Infections of bone, called osteomyelitis, are usually caused by pus-producing bacteria, especially Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Before the development of antibiotics, children frequently contracted this disease. Today bone infections are introduced primarily through fractures and during surgical operations. People infected with syphilis, tuberculosis, leprosy, or yaws are susceptible to bone damage. Metabolic Disorders Metabolic abnormalities often involve defects in the storage of minerals, particularly calcium and phosphate ions, in the skeleton. Diseases of the kidney can cause a metabolic imbalance of phosphate and calcium so that weakening of the bone occurs. Other metabolic bone diseases are osteoporosis, gout, OSTEOARTHRITIS, and PAGET'S DISEASE. Nutritional Disorders Nutritional deficiencies that result in bone damage include RICKETS in children and osteomalacia in adults, caused by a lack of vitamin D. In children, calcium and phosphate are poorly distributed on bones during development, resulting especially in deformity of the legs and arms. In adults, bones of the spine, pelvis, and legs become demineralized and the bones weaken. SCURVY--caused by a lack of vitamin C--also affects bone tissues. A study in the late 1980s indicated that the mineral boron is nutritionally important, as well. Apparently, it reduces loss of the bone minerals

Macbeth as Tragedy Essay

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is often considered one of literature’s greatest tragedies and is said to reveal much about human nature. Do you agree or disagree that the play conveys much about humanity or about the human experience? What, if anything, does the work suggest about human beings or society? Support your views with textual details and analysis. In your response, address how Macbeth’s subject matter, themes, form, or other literary elements might (or might not) be characteristic of tragedy. How do tragic qualities of the play contribute (or not) to the story’s larger message(s)? Macbeth has always been a play of interest in any age groups. I remember this play in my high school but then which school does not get involved with this play. I do agree with the statement that Macbeth reveals much about human nature. Macbeth reveals the dark side of human nature; ambition, hunger for control and power, it shows us the aftermath that it leaves behind. The play suggests the dark tendencies that lives within many of the human beings in our society; the need to succeed and annihilate their obstacles at any cost: human beings are opportunistic. Macbeth shows us how far a person will go to in order to realize their own ambitions; even to commit a killing. Free will exists in humanity and everyone has the potential for good and the commit evil deeds. The Macbeth’s lust for power and greed ends up in grim tragedy. Macbeth starts off as a hero; a brave warrior in the battlefield, standing behind his king and protecting his land. This is what makes Macbeth a tragic hero. â€Å"Tragic hero: A main character who acts with courage but falls from high standing into catastrophic circumstances because of a weakness of character or serious misjudgment. (Clugston, 2010, page. 4. 4, para. 3). Lady Macbeth is willing to lose her soul in order to push her husband’s faith to be king a reality and sooner; she asks the gods to remove all compassion and femininity and replace with cold and ruthless qualities; this symbolizes the darkness of human nature. The Macbeth’s had it all but failed to recognize it due to having their dark ambitions take over them; consuming them and this is the tragedy. The literary elements are the motifs, they are the hallucinations and violence; these motifs lead to tragedy end of the Macbeth’s.

Lord of the Flies Characters Description, Significance

William Goldings Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel about a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island without any adult supervision. Free from the restraints of society, the boys form their own civilization, which quickly descends into chaos and violence. Through this tale, Golding explores fundamental questions about human nature. In fact, each character can be interpreted as an essential element of the allegory. Ralph Confident, calm, and physically capable, Ralph is the novels protagonist. He runs around the island effortlessly and is able to blow the conch at will. This combination of good looks and physical competence makes him the natural leader of the group, and he assumes this role without hesitation. Ralph is a sensible character. As soon as the boys arrive on the island, he takes off his school uniform, recognizing that it is unsuitable for the hot, tropical weather. He is also pragmatic, showing no hesitation over this symbolic loss of their former lifestyle. In this way, he differs greatly from some of the other boys, who cling to scraps of their former lives. (Recall Littl’un Percival, who regularly chants his home address as if a policeman will somehow overhear him and bring him home.) In the novels allegorical structure, Ralph represents civilization and order. His immediate instinct is to organize the boys by setting up a system of government. He is careful to wait for democratic approval before assuming the role of Chief, and his orders are sensible and practical: build shelters, start a signal fire, and set up a system to ensure the fire doesn’t go out. Ralph isn’t perfect, however. He is susceptible to the lure of violence just like the other boys, as evidenced by his role in Simon’s death. In the end, he survives not because of his orderly authority but rather through his ultimate embrace of his animal instinct as he runs through the jungle. Piggy Piggy, the second character we meet in the novel, is a chubby, ungainly boy with a history of being bullied. Piggy is not very physically capable, but he is well-read and intelligent, and he frequently offers excellent suggestions and ideas. He wears glasses Piggy immediately allies himself with Ralph and remains his steadfast ally throughout their grueling adventure. However, Piggy’s loyalty stems more from his awareness that he is powerless on his own than from true friendship. It is only through Ralph that Piggy has any authority or agency, and as Ralph’s grip on the other boys diminishes, Piggys does too. As an allegorical figure, Piggy represents the civilizing forces of knowledge and science. It’s notable that Piggy emerges shortly after Ralph on the beach, as science and knowledge require a civilizing force before they can come into fruition. Piggys value is represented by his glasses, which the boys utilize as a scientific instrument to create fire. When Piggy loses possession and control of the glasses, he becomes less capable physically (suggesting the limits of knowledges influence), and the glasses become a magical totem instead of a scientific tool. Jack Jack is Ralph’s rival for authority on the island. Described as unattractive and aggressive, Jack believes he should be the Chief, and he resents Ralph’s easy authority and popularity. He is quickly presented as Ralph and Piggy’s enemy, and he begins undermining their authority from the moment they attain it. Of all the boys, Jack is the least bothered by the experience of being stranded on a deserted island. He seems fairly happy to be free to do as he likes, and he hates the way Ralph attempts to limit this newfound freedom with rules. Jack seeks to regain his ultimate freedom throughout the novel, first by merely breaking Ralphs rules, and then by establishing an alternative society that indulges in the physical pleasures of barbarism. While he initially seems to represent fascism and authority-worship, Jack actually represents anarchy. He rejects any limitations on his personal desires, including the desire to inflict harm on and eventually kill others. He is the opposite of Ralph, and from the very beginning of the novel, it is clear they cannot co-exist in a single society. Simon Simon is shy and timid, but has a strong moral compass and sense of self. He behaves according to his inner sense of right and wrong, even as the other boys become increasingly violent and chaotic. In fact, Simon is the only boy who does not engage in any sort of violence. Simon represents spirituality and can be interpreted as a Christ-like figure. He has a prophetic hallucination in which he speaks to the Lord of the Flies; afterwards, he discovers that the feared Beast does not exist. He rushes to share this information with the other boys, who panic at the sound of Simons frenzy and kill him. Roger Roger is Jack’s second-in-command, and he is arguably more cruel and savage than Jack. While Jack enjoys power and the title of Chief, Roger disdains authority and has a singleminded desire to hurt and destroy. He represents true savagery. At first, he is held back from his worst desires by just one memory of civilization: the fear of punishment. When he realizes that no punishment will come, he transforms into an elemental force of evil. Roger is the boy who ultimately kills Piggy, symbolically destroying sense and wisdom in favor or raw violence. Sam and Eric (Samneric) Sam and Eric are a pair of twins, referred to collectively by the name Samneric. Samneric are steadfast followers of Ralph until the very end of the novel, when they are captured and forcibly inducted into Jack’s tribe. The twins, who cling to the old ways of civilization, are representative of the majority of humankind. They represent the faceless populations that make up large societies, particularly in the eyes of governments. Samneric do not have much agency in the story, and they are dominated by forces around them. Their transition to Jack’s tribe represents the final fall of civilization.