New Zealand and the Gothic movement

All you Goths and kiwi aficionados of history out there, check this out, it's freaky.....did you know?
Whitby, Yorkshire, Northern England is a bleak, cold, and windswept place. It's also home to a 7th Century Abbey which was Bram Stockers inspiration for Dracula. Thus, Whitby is now a focal-point for the british Goth movement, and they have a famous Gothic festival every year, but wait, there's more!.....
why did I mention kiwi aficionados of history, I hear you ask?....well, Whitby is also the place where legendary mariner, and explorer, Captain James Cook, learned his trade.
So there you are, a clear and unusual link between New Zealand, Dracula, and the Gothic movement....jeje who would have thought eh? check it out .....BBC clip about Whitby

Happy birthday Barranquilla!!!

Today is a very, very, special day my students.

Today, of course, is Barranquilla's birthday!...do you know how old she is?

Yes, that's right, she's One Hundred and Ninety Eight years old - 198.



 Which reminds me, did you know we sometimes refer to (call) non-human things as he or she?

* note : this is usually used in an informal sense.



Ships/Boats are traditionally referred to as "she", and when a boat is first launched, it is said - "May God bless her, and all who sail in her"... which is good, unless you were on the Titanic!



Sometimes we refer to animals we like, especially our pets, as "he" or "she" -  How is your dog?....He's fine, I just wish he would stop pissing (orinar) inside the house!



Countries, Vehicles (Cars, Trucks, Vans, etc), tools, musical instruments, and sometimes other machines are also often given gender, usually female - "she". -

 I had a car in New Zealand, her name was Alice. I was good to her and she was good to me.

I loved living in Turkey, and sometimes I still miss her.

The great Jazz musician 'B.B. King' has a guitar he calls "Lucille".

After my friend used my computer, she stopped working, she's very sensitive about who uses her.



OK my students, take it easy and have fun......keep practising, reading, listening and speaking English....and hope to see you soon.

Google translate, fun stuff

Here's something funny I read on the net (internet) today. It's about having fun with Google translate. Try it if you've got some spare time.

- Paste the following text into Google Translate:
pv zk pv pv zk pv zk kz zk pv pv pv zk pv zk zk pzk pzk pvzkpvpvzk kkkkk bsch
*Select German to German translation, and click Beatbox.
*For the ‘Techno’ version, select Chinese to Chinese Traditional translation and click listen.

- To simulate the sound of a machine, an old car, or possibly even a chainsaw, paste the following text into Google translate and select Croatian to Croatian translation;
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

- To simulate the sound of a very slow helicopter, paste the following text into Google translate and select German to German translation.
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

now wasn't that fun?...jeje have a good weekend!

Good morning one and all!

How did you sleep?

I was up at the crack of dawn today...I'm an Early-bird. Are you an early-bird  or a night-Owl ?

crack of dawn = very early in the morning

early bird = person who gets (rises) up very early in the morning

night owl = person who goes to sleep very late at night

 

Do you like Poems? Poems can be very good ways to help us with our english. Here's a link to some sites where you can learn more about Poems and how they can help you learn English - http://www.eslcafe.com/search/Poetry/index.html

 

Speaking of Poems, here are some of my favourites;

 

This is a beautiful poem that reminds us of the importance of reading, especially to our children;

 

The Reading Mother - Strickland Gillilan

I had a Mother who read me things
That wholesome life to a child's heart brings –
Stories that stir with an upward touch.
Oh that every Mother were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be.
I had a Mother who read to me.

 

I like poems that are short, because they aren't boring...

 

First by 'the greatest'...Mohammed Ali -        

         

Me, we.

 

Another, by the same man that wrote Reading Mother  (Fleas are small very anoying insects) -

 

Fleas

 

Adam had'em

 

That's it for today everyone. I hope you have a very relaxing and peaceful Sunday, maybe watch an English movie or listen to some English songs?