Early Racism in Disney Movies Essay

Disney’s early work has always had a hint of racism in them, I recently watched Disney’s Fantasia released in 1942 was edited and remade because of a very racist scene. I watched a scene where there are many colorful centaurs, male and female; they are frolicking through like a forest. When the lady centaurs notice the males there are little baby cupids that come down and are getting them all dolled up for the male centaurs. Every male is matched up with their matching color centaurs the scene ends with every centaur and their mate flirting and having a ball. The part that was cut out was one little black centaur a girl with barrettes in her hair. She was wiping the hooves of the other centaurs and brushing their hair while the little baby cupids, she had no mate she was just a little servant.(Cite here) We all know the story of Pocahontas; a lot of people only know the Disney version. The movie does have some truth to it but is definitely racist. John Smith a colonist coming to find the new world, a very stunning, kind young man. (Cite #4) traveling with his men and of course Governor Radcliff, with his ugly little pug and very opinionated, a man who is not afraid to share his morals to the world. He was probably the most racist character referring to Native American Americans as savages and uncivilized, and the only reason he is coming to the new world is because he wants gold and to become wealthy. (cite #4) now this part of history is dead on, the settlers did not want to make friends and start a new life in a new place, they wanted gold and land, and they didn’t care for native Americans to much. (Cite here) There is even a song called â€Å"Savages† a very very racist song about natives. Like it wasn’t enough to call them savages they go on to say things like â€Å"They’re not like you and me. Which means they must be evil We must sound the drums of war!† because natives did not speak or dress like the settlers; but that’s not all they call them â€Å"Redskin Devils† and say â€Å"they’re barely even human† with Radcliff saying things like â€Å"What can you expect. From filthy little heathens? Here’s what you get when races are diverse (That’s right). Their skin’s a hellish red. They’re only good when dead. They’re vermin, as I said.† (Cite #4) this song is a song I sang as kid never knowing what I was singing, like it was so wrong for a culture to be different, is this what Disney is teaching our children? That anything that is different cannot be trusted or even given a chance. Disney movies have always had racism in their movies but the one movie that had the most obvious racism would have to be Disney’s Song of the South. The Song of the South, one of Disney’s most controversial movies ever made, racism, stereotyping, and ignorance galore. The Song of the South was aired at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia in 1946, over 64 years ago. (Cite #1)Walt Disney’s animation empire wasn’t doing so good finically and decided he wanted to a movie based on a childhood book he read as a kid. (Cite #2) a story about an old Negro, who tells stories to a young white boy the stories of uncle Remus (Cite #2).The animation was based on stories told by an old African American man, Uncle Remus about a Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox, the same plot, as the book with very similar characters, and the same message. The message that a lot of people got was that slavery was being glorified. The angriest was the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) they were the most offended. They had many concerns with the entire film; they didn’t want people thinking that this how slavery wa s. (Cite #3) In this movie Uncle Remus, played by James Baskett (cite #1) was an old Negro who lives in Georgia on a plantation. He is not like normal slaves, he comes and goes as he pleases, and he loves his life on the plantation. He sings songs like Let the Rain Pour Down with lyrics like â€Å"Let the rain pour down, let the cold wind blow Gonna stay right here in the home I know (Trouble fly away fly away). When you’re achin’ with the mis’ry, and you’re old and gray, (headin’, headin’) Then you’d better be thankful that He let you stay;† which means that even though they made us come here and do this hard work we still should be thankful for what they do actually let us have, like a place to stay. (Cite #1) to add even more fuel to the fire Disney thought it would be a good idea to premier this movie in Atlanta, a very segregated city at the time, the stars of the movie James Brackett, uncle Remus and Hattie McDaniel his wife Aunty Tempy would not even be allowed to sit in the same seats as the white dignitaries. Their own Governor made statements like â€Å"I was raised among niggers and I understand them. I want to see them treated fairly and I want them to have justice in the courts. But I want to deal with the nigger this way: he must come to my back door, take off his hat and say, ‘Yes, sir'† (Bernstein 233). (Cite #2) even still  Disney claims they were not in a racist state of mind. (Cite #2) this movie will go down in history as probably the most blantaly racist movie Disney has ever made. Disney does not have anything to say about theses animations, they have become one of those things people just don’t talk about anymore. Even though a lot of these racist movies are still popular today, and are being remade and rereleased. Disney is still very successful business even with these very rough patches in the beginning and majority of children and parents in the world really do enjoy Disney, but does that mean we should just disregard their mistakes and stereotypical movies, should we just pretend that these movies have offended and will continue to offending races without any concern for people they offend?

Effects of Technology in Society

Technology has automated many of the critical processes in the industry as well the household. The electronic gadgets that have entered the homes of the common man have saved him the daily household work. Our world is ever changing an advancing in the realm of science and technology. Our dreams become cornerstones for the future. These days it seems hard to escape the presence of technology. Many of us depend on it to get us through the day, to do our job, to get around, and to find certain things. While technology has brought us such a long way, could it in fact be hindering us in other ways? What happens when these same technologies we so depend on fail? Could most forms of technology just be interruptions, ways of moving us further away from each other? Could Technology cause a form of isolation? We are faced with these questions every day, whether we realize it or not. Think of the days when there were no computers and no modern means of transport. Human life was highly restricted due to the unavailability of technological applications. Daily life involved a lot of physical activity. The life of the common man of those times was not as luxurious as that of the modern times, but he was more active. Daily exercise was integrated in the routine physical activities. It was contrary to the lifestyle of today, which carries no time slot for rigorous exercise and carries laze and inactivity. Think of the days when there were no online messengers, no emails and no cell phones. Indeed the cellular technology created the miracle of enabling communication over the wireless media. The communication facilities provided by the Internet worked wonders in speeding long-distance communication but also deprived mankind of the warmth of personal contact. Emails replaced handwritten letters and communication lost its personal touch. With the means of communication available a few clicks away, the tendency of taking pains to reach the loved ones has vanished. Times have witnessed this industry evolve from mechanical scooters to automated aircrafts. Animals were the only modes of transportation in day pass. Technology was the driving force behind the creation and design of the modern-day automobiles. Bicycles evolved into scooters and sports bikes. The idea of having four-wheeled modes of transportation gave rise to the creation of cars. Modes of air and water came up, thanks to technology. Machines have automated many of the crucial industrial processes. Machines are now taking up many of the mundane jobs that were once executed by human workers. One of the most important breakthroughs for technology was the agricultural system. The agricultural system was the basis for the technology of the future. The agricultural system brought on the need for transportation, workers and even, battles over land. The need for transportation brought vehicles into the market. The need for employees brought mechanical robots into society. Battles over land brought on the need for sophisticated weapons. The agricultural system brought on a revolution. The invention of the television can bring media and other forms of entertainment into your house with video and audio combined. Before 1950, newspapers and radio were the only ways to bring media or entertainment into the house. Mass production and other job opportunities brought many people from the suburbs and farms into the city. We can now have forms of electricity directed into our houses for heating and light. Humans are more reliant on technology than ever before. All of these technological advances sound great; however, there is a negative effect to all this technology. Technology can serve to actually harm humans rather than help them. Competition between companies or even cities can sometimes make lives for humans even worse. Take for example when a city builds better and more roads to attract tourists. This actually creates more traffic, not less. Technology also changes our sense of common purpose. New inventions such as the personal computer and machines can change our lifestyles. Even things we take for granted such as the automobile have negative effects on technology. The oil needed for a car to run needs to be imported and sometimes accidents such as the Exxon Valdez incident spills many gallons of oil into the ocean. All of these examples show how technology has negative effects on society. First, competition can lead to a negative effect of technology. When a company in the U.  S. produces shoes and a company in Great Britain produces shoes as well, they must fight for their market share. Let’s say the company in Great Britain purchases more machines that will reduce the amount of workers needed and improve output, and then they can reduce the price of their product. If the company in New York doesn't follow in their footsteps then they could be forced out of business. In this case the company is forced into buying the machines just so they can stay in business. This has a negative effect on the employees who will be replaced by the new machines. When a city wants to attract tourists by building better roads to lessen traffic there is a mistake because this will only create more traffic since there will be more people wanting to travel these roads. McManus says the inability to see the future is responsible for the negative effects of new technologies. He also states better roads cause more traffic congestion, not less. By creating better roads, more people will want to travel these roads (A-1). If New York City built a new sophisticated highway to attract more tourists then more New Yorkers will want to travel these roads as well. Many New Yorkers who previously used mass transit to travel to work will now want to use a car to travel to work. In effect there will be more traffic and more pollution. There will be other side effects as well. Real estate values of areas near the highway could go down. Competition can help a community in one aspect however it can hurt it as well. Competition can directly stimulate the economy; however, long term effects such as pollution and the loss of jobs could explain why the City of New York doesn't complete a project like this. Second, technology can change our sense of common purpose. For millions of years, mankind has been used to doing everything for themselves. For a long time peoples' main concerns were survival. To survive means to go out into the woods or forests and shoot animals for the food which the family needs to eat for the day. People of modern society never think about hunting for food or clothes. Now, it is all brought to people instantly through a new standard of survival. The new standard for survival means making money to go to a mall or supermarket and getting everything a family needs. A family can get food and clothing at these places without ever having to go into a forest or a lake. This thought is ever so frightening. When a person from modern society goes into a supermarket and buys a pound of fish, he or she doesn't even think of the process that went into the arrival of that piece of fish. He or she didn't need to go to a lake, all that was needed was to drive to your local supermarket and buy it. No fishing or hunting was necessary. Humans are losing their sense of common purpose. â€Å"But what ‘revenge effect' will this have? The technology- resistance movement begins by pointing out that we are cobbling together virtual communities while our real cities crumble, at least partly because our sense of common purpose has frayed. Today, only about 5 percent of American households are on-line, but what happens, the critics wonder, when half the country is wired? Will we escape the unpleasant complications of the world outside our locked doors by opting for communities in ‘cyberspace,' where we can enjoy the company of people who share our interests and our views? Where the streets never need to be cleaned and you don't have to keep an eye on your neighbor's house? What happens if the sirens outside become too distracting? Will we simply buy insulated drapes? Humans are getting lazy. Almost everything must be done for them in advance. However, sometimes this change in lifestyle is forced upon humans. When a company decides to buy robots to do the job that man once did, and then the human is forced into either getting fired or watching the machine all day long. Hopefully humans will not get used to watching a robot do all the work for them. Technology has definitely changed the lifestyle and common purpose of many humans. Conclusion In conclusion, society has recently seen the negative effects of society. Competition between cities and companies has taken away jobs and brought unwanted and costly projects into pleasurable areas. A change in lifestyle among almost every human being is yet another negative effect of technology. What has happened to people since supermarkets came to town? People do not want to hunt for food anymore. They find it much easier to walk into a store and purchase it. A third reason why technology has a negative effect on society is the advent of highly reliant possessions such as the automobile. Many people count on traveling to work every day by car. If the car was somehow taken away from people then there would be chaos. It is much too late to take it away. Humans are much too reliant on it. There is not enough mass transit to transport all of the present car users. Hopefully, future technologies will be fully considered. We must look at the advantages and consequences and measure if society will benefit or suffer from the technology. Past technologies weren't fully considered and if they were, there is a chance that the automobile never would have gone into production.

ANMC Code of Ethics in Australia Case Study

ANMC Code of Ethics in Australia Case Study Nursing is a noble profession which requires its members to uphold the highest moral and ethical standards. In Australia nurse’s practice is guided by the ANMC Code of ethics and code of conduct, standards of practice and professional boundaries. Nurses must utilise the Australian charter of healthcare rights (ACHR) as guiding principles to all patients when providing care at any setting. This paper seeks to identify the ethical, moral and legal behaviour of Bill (RN), Liz (Nurse Unit Manager), John(patient) and his wife in the case study given. Bill In this case study one can clearly see that many nursing standards have been violated. According to Registered nurse standards for practice 1.4, nurses must comply with the policies relevant to practice and that includes the workplace policies. Bill did not comply with the hospital policy which states that â€Å"no laptop computers are to be taken home for any reason.† As per Australian Nursing and Midwifery Counci l (ANMC) code of ethics for Nurses (2008), standard 8 â€Å"Nurses should promote and preserve the trust between themselves and people they are caring for† in this case. Bill created a situation where John lost trust on him as his actions were unethical. In this scenario, Bill grabbed John by his wrist, causing pain and discomfort and threatened him not to say anything to anyone. His actions were in contradiction with the nurse’s guide to professional boundaries, principle 11 which states that â€Å"nurses do not withhold care from a person as punishment and recognise that any intent to cause pain or suffering as a retaliatory action in response to behaviour of a person in their care is improper and unprofessional†. He violated this principle of safe practise. Furthermore, Bill did not adhere to the principle 15 of professional boundaries that nurses should not cause discomfort or pain to patients receiving care when touching or holding them. Bill did not sh ow any kindness or empathy, as per ANMC code of ethics standard 2 Nurses should be kind and respectful to others. John John’s wife asked if there were any issues or concerns about her husband care and Bill denied. He was not honest enough to John’s wife about what had just occurred. He did not abide to Nurses code of profession conduct statement 6, which requires nurses to provide honest and accurate information in relation to clients care and services. â€Å"Criminal laws are concerned with offences against people and property.† In this scenario, Bill took John’s electrical recharging code without his permission which is considered as theft under the criminal law. Furthermore, in his action he caused harm and threatened John which is battery and assault respectively. Additionally, Bill took money from the charity funds for personal use which is fraud. A Nurse’s conduct is underpinned by moral principles and these include non-maleficence (n o harm), beneficence(benefit), veracity (truthfulness), autonomy (right to choose) and justice(fairness). (Atkins et al. pages 81-82) Bill was maleficent as he caused pain to Johns wrist and he did not uphold the principle of veracity which requires nurses to tell the truth always. (Oosthuizen and Pera page 52) He did this by lying to John’s wife about John’s wellbeing and NUM Liz about the whereabouts of the laptop. By not upholding veracity he made Liz to make uninformed decision to appraise him despite what he had done. Bill acted in utilitarianism school of thought. In this theory actions of an individual are justified by whether they increase pleasure or reduce risk of pain regardless of the cost or means. Utilitarians believe in acting in a way that results in greatest happiness of the greatest number. He was only concerned about the outcome at the end and ignored the fact that he might have a few unhappy people at the end. He was determined to make the charity function possible, without his input it would not occur and disadvantaged children from overseas would have either starved to death or suffered from starvation within the next 12 months. The criticism on utilitarian actions is that one cannot predict the outcomes of their actions. When Bill took money for buying the Lotto ticket he might have had hope that he will win, fortunately he did but he could have lost it. At times, it is also difficult to prioritise hence despite having many happy children John would not be happy with his conduct. Per Registered Nurse standard of practice 1.5 Nurses should apply critical thinking skills and use ethical decision or theories in their practice. (Holt and Convey 51-56) The ethical decision framework suggests that one should first identify the problem References Atkins, Kim et al. Ethics And Law For Australian Nurses . Port Melbourne, Vic.: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Print. Holt, Janet and Helen Convey. â€Å"Ethical Practice I n Nursing Care†. Nursing Standard 27.13 (2012): 51-56. Web. Oosthuizen, Anne-Mart and Silvia A Pera. Ethics In Healthcare . Lansdowne, South Africa: Juta, 2011. Print.

International relations major Personal Statement

International relations major - Personal Statement Example Saudi Arabia ranks among the fastest developing countries, which experience high rates of migration to different parts of the world. In addition, the country’s relationship with other nations is at its peak due to various factors such as the terror war, oil trade, politics, and sports. The issue of Islam and terrorism, as well as the position of women in the Saudi Arabian public, is essential motivators to study International Relations. These aspects of the society have motivated me to study the subjects in order to understand the influence of reaction, interactions and actions of governments’ policies on humanity. I firmly accept that an influential and so far-reaching subject warrants a critical understanding and analysis at higher levels. My elementary and high school education prepares me adequately to study International Relations. I received broad education in various subjects such as mathematics, literature, and history as well as politics. The extensive knowledge in many subjects enables me to communicate effectively with individuals from different parts worldwide during the course of the degree. Additionally, my singing ability enables me to disseminate information regarding various political and economic issues in Arab. The motivation to sing triggers me to explore current political, economic and social events across the world. My main educational goal is to attain a doctorate in International Relations in order to establish a stable career in the field. The motivation to enroll for the International Relations courses results from the knowledge I have acquired through extensive reading of different political materials since childhood. In addition, my dad bought political books, and historical books play a significant role in my interests in the subject. I also engaged my father in extensive discussion of the current issues in various countries such as international politics and crisis in gulf and Palestine. I anticipate

Marketing communication mix Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing communication mix - Assignment Example The present study would focus on integrated marketing communication as a plan of marketing which links the communication function with the components of marketing and it aims at informing and persuading potential customers to buy goods and services. In addition to the promotion elements of marketing, the integrated marketing communication mix may use online tools in the developing a clear message and passing it to the consumers so that they can be persuaded to purchase and use a specific product or service. Finne and Gronroos say that the product within the marketing mix is the goods or services that a company provides. In marketing communication, companies aim at creating awareness to the consumers of the products on their availability and qualities. The price represents the cost of the products and this includes specific features of the price such as discounts. The price of a product influences the willingness of the customers to purchase and consume a good or service. Within the m arketing mix, the place represents where the consumers can obtain the product to satisfy their needs while promotion is the process of telling consumers about the product using various strategies to convince the consumer to perchance and use the good or service. Therefore marketing communication mix is the marketing of a company’s services and goods to the consumers with due considerations of the Ps in marketing because they are closely related in determining the success of the marketing strategy in general. Hughes and Fill (2007, p. 55), assert that integration of marketing communication mix means that the aspects and components of the marketing mix are merged or combined so that the marketing communication relays a single message to the consumers. Lee & Park (2007, p. 222), explains that marketing communication mix is necessary because when different messages are communicated to customers, they become confusing and as results the reputation of the brand of a company is dama ged. Integration in the marketing communication mix can be illustrated by a company which uses the same logo, messages and images in al communication media such as newspapers, TV and point of sale. This therefore demonstrates the important role of marketing communication mix in building the brand of a company within the target market through the integration of the messages communicated to the consumers. With the advent of modern technology and its wide application in marketing various goods and services, it must be integrated to make it parallel to the broader promotion mix. Keller (2001, p. 829) says that the need for integration of the marketing communication mix is necessitated by the interactivity capabilities of marketing media which is a characteristic of communication via the internet via the social media. This demonstrates that there is a necessity to harmonize the traditional marketing approaches with the new media. Moreover, integration of marketing efforts enables a compa ny t coordinate various communication med

Individual Reflective Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Individual Reflective Journal - Assignment Example If such methods of learning are implemented by students of marketing, they can research various organizations that are currently operating and they way these organizations devise their marketing programs and how these marketing programs have assisted them in surviving competition and meeting the needs and wants of the customers in an effective manner. Dissertations can help students identify how organizations make their marketing decisions and marketing strategies and can verify the effectiveness of the strategies that are being taught to them during their marketing courses. For example: students are taught that successful marketing strategies are those in which first research about consumer demand is conducted and then the product is made to fit to the demands of the consumers. The students can research organizations that have implemented such strategies and differentiate them from those organizations that first produce the product and then conduct marketing campaigns. This differen tiation will allow students to differentiate between the two

Breaking Prison Rules Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Breaking Prison Rules - Essay Example A fact that he may have decided to use to his advantage but to my detriment as an officer. He most likely believes that I would help him communicate with the gun group based upon my openly known supportive stance. But regardless of my personal belief in their cause, my duty as a keeper of the peace must be upheld. Therefore, I know that as a prisoner, he has no right to communicate with the outside world without due clearance and permission from the proper authorities. It is therefore quite obvious that, owing to his situation, I will not be violating his rights as a person when I open the letter and read the content for evaluation purposes. Depending upon the content, I may opt to pass the letter along or, if the letter proves detrimental to public peace or has a direct relevance in the on-going investigation, choose to submit the letter as further evidence to the court through the district attorney or his

In My Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In My Life - Essay Example On a personal point of view, the family, workmates, associates and other people with interaction are commonly whom friendships are established. There are different types of friendships on the basis of associations. One of the relationships that I give importance to is the friendship established with family members such as my mother and sister. The said friendship can be classified as deep and emotional (Pangle 37-39). This can be attributed to the fact that the relationship tied by blood is strengthened by the friendship. In addition, in terms of the friendship with my mother it is of higher regard and respect as compared to the friendship with my sister which can be considered as a relaxed interaction with the added understanding of being a sibling. The friendships that had been established with work associates which in my case are that of the members of the military can be considered as another type of relationship of positive influence (Pangle 37-39). Commonly, such friends are the people in the workplace who can be considered with ease of interaction, initially in relation to the job. They can in turn lead to lifetime friendships. Based on personal experience, the friendships from profession can be considered trustworthy on the basis of the events of being in similar danger specifically in the military. The said people commonly share the same passion for a particular field or area of expertise wherein the connection can be attributed. Another set of friendships that I considered of importance are the friends from school. School friendships can be limited to the campus but then the said relationships can also be the longest affiliation since some friendships can survive through adult life. The said group is composed of the people that can be classified as buddies, intellectual friends and even self –actualized friends. Basically, in my life the typical

Research Proposal With Credible Sources Included 6 different subjects Essay

Research Proposal With Credible Sources Included 6 different subjects - Essay Example soned On Their First Offense† at customwritingtips.com http://customwritingtips.com/component/k2/item/14745-drunk-drivers-should-be-imprisoned-on-their-first-offense.html â€Å"Drivers Convicted of Drunk Driving Should Be Imprisoned on their First Offense† at scribd.com http://www.scribd.com/doc/142448055/Drivers-convicted-of-drunk-driving-should-be-imprisoned-on-their-first-offense The neglected art of letter writing should be enkindled because; unlike emails, letters are pieces of memory and not just messages; letters express the feelings, emotions and personality of the writer and it’s a wonderful way to reflect and connect. Workers in essential services (police force and military for instance) should be permitted to strike by virtue of need for collective voice to enable balance of power between them and their employers, in case they are made to perform unethical tasks in the guise of humanization, also the right to strike is a constitutional right for every employee. â€Å"The Right to Strike: Essential Services and Minimum Service Agreements† at werksmans.com http://www.werksmans.com/legal-briefs-view/the-right-to-strike-essential-services-and-minimum-service-agreements/ â€Å"2000+ Reasons Why GMOs Are Safe to Eat and Environmentally Sustainable† at forbes.com

Skin cancer Essay Example for Free

Skin cancer Essay How many of you have every laid out in the sun on purpose just to get a tan?   Or better yet how many of you believe you look prettier or more handsome tan?   According to the American Cancer Society more than 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year and the numbers seem to be increasing day to day. And believe it or not skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.   Today I am going to inform you about skin cancer and how you can protect yourself from it. To begin, our skin is the largest organ of the body and it covers our internal organs and protects them from injury.   The skin also serves as a barrier between germs and our internal organs.   Our skin regulates body temperature and helps the body get rid of excess waste.   Certain cells in our skin also communicate with the brain and allow us the feel temperature, touch, and pain sensations. Some may ask, what exactly is skin cancer and why is it such a big deal now?   Well there are two basic types of skin cancer; Nonmelanoma (which is also called basal or squamous cell) skin cancer and then there is melanoma skin cancer. Most skin cancers are classified under nonmelanoma, meaning that the cells are located at the base of the outer, layer of the skin.   Basically, the skin that covers the surface of the body, not the deep tissues.   Nonmelanoma skin cancer usually develops on sun-exposed areas of the body, places like: the face, ears, necks, lips, and the backs of hands.   Depending on the type they can be fast or slow growing but rarely spreads to other parts of the body.   There is a cure for nonmelanoma skin cancer is detected and treated early. On the other hand, you have melanoma skin cancer.   Which is the more dangerous of the two; however it is also the least common.   Melanoma skin cancer tends to spread very quickly to other body parts.   However, it is almost always curable if it is detected in the early stages.   But the killer part is a lot of people do not realize that they may have melanoma skin cancer until the later stages, after it has already started affecting other organs.   Once it has reached that stage, it is virtually incurable.   People diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer that has already spread to other body parts are given on average a five year survival rate. So what puts you at risk for skin cancer?   Some high risk factors include:  · Unprotected and/or excessive exposure to Ultraviolet(uv) radiation  · Fair complexions( people with red hair, most likely)  · Occupational exposures (i.e. Construction workers, arsenic compounders, baseball players)  · Family history of skin cancer  · Multiple or atypical moles  · Severe sunburns as a child So how can you detect skin cancer? Some signs of skin cancer in the early stages may include but are not limited:  · any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth  · scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule  · the spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark  · a change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain in a mole

The Lexical Approach And Collocations

The Lexical Approach And Collocations Collocations are words which if combined together, sound right to native English speakers. Eg: Fast food. Any other combination may sound wrong and unnatural. Eg: quick food. Collocations are not words which we put together. They co-occur naturally. Collocation is the way in which words co-occur in natural text in statistically significant ways. (Lewis, Teaching Collocation 2000:132). For Thornbury, collocation is a continuum that moves from compound words (second-hand), through lexical chunks (bits and pieces), including idioms (out of the blue) and phrasal verbs (do up), to collocations of more or less fixedness (set a new world record) (Thornbury S. 2002, How to teach vocabulary, Longman). Collocations have different strengths: Weak and Strong collocations. Weak collocations involve words which can co-occur with many other words. E.g: Red shirt. They can apply the colour red to many other words eg: red car, red door. Strong collocations have words which almost never occur separately such as the collocation: spick and span and rancid butter. There are also Unique collocations e.g, shrug shoulders. These are unique because the verb (shrug) is not used with any other noun. Medium-strength collocations: Hold a conversation, a minor operation. Hill argued that medium-strength collocations are most important for the ESL classroom. (Lewis, M., 2000: 63) Thornbury widens the definition of collocation, saying that collocation is not a frozen relationship and two collocates may even be separated from each other, eg: lay off: The company is laying more workers off. Lewis and other writers divide collocations into two types: grammatical collocation and lexical collocation. (Lewis2000) Grammatical Collocation: Eg: step into In the example above, a verb collocates with a preposition. Therefore grammatical collocations are lexical words such as an adjective, verb or noun (in our case step), which are combined with a grammatical word (preposition into). Lexical Collocation: Eg: black coffee Lexical collocations are items where two lexical words regularly and naturally occur together. Bahns (ELTJ 47/1 1993) stated that although some lexical collocations are quite direct and obvious in their meaning, others are not. In our example, black coffee clearly indicates that there is no milk in the coffee but Bahns states that collocations which are not direct eg: lay off are the ones which cause the most problems to non-native speakers since their meaning are hidden. The importance of collocations in L2 learning: Many agree that collocations are important in language learning. James Carl (1998) stated that using collocations correctly contributes greatly to ones idiomaticity and nativelikeness. 6 Lewis stated that fluency is based on the acquisition of a large store of fixed or semi-fixed prefabricated items. 7 Sonaiya (1988) went even further, saying that lexical errors are more serious because effective communication depends on the choice of words. 8 Collocations, are found in most of what we say, hear, read or write. All of these fixed expressions are stored and memorised; ready to be used when needed. If we want to retrieve these ready-to-use phrases, lexical items must be aqcuired first by being exposed to, hearing and reading them for a number of times. In theory, good quality input might lead to good quality retrieval. This in return will help learners to be more fluent because they can recognise multi-word units rather than word by word. A lexical item, which is any item that functions as a single meaning unit, regardless of its different derived forms, or of the number of words that make it, has an important role in learning a language. (Thornbury, An A-Z of ELT (Oxford: Macmillan, 2006), pg120). The importance of collocations in L2 learning was a concept that the Lexical Approach had proposed. The Lexical Approach and collocations: The lexical approach encourages learners to identify and learn collocations as lexical items rather than individual words. For example: catch a cold, is seen as a single unit of meaning (or multi-word unit) and not as three individual words with three individual meanings. According to Schmidt (CUP,2000), having words in lexical phrases rather than individually, reflects the way the mind stores and chunks language to make it easier to process. The lexical approach influenced the way we perceive lexis, the way we teach it and how we encourage learners to learn it . Vocabulary choice in language, is not haphazard but predictable. Lewis gives an example of drinking, telling us that the speaker may use the verb have. The listener can predict several words which collocate with it: tea, coffee,orange juice etc. But on the other hand, the listener does not predict words like shampoo. 9 One of the beliefs behind the Lexical Approach is that language is not made up of only traditional vocabulary and grammar but prefabricated multi-word chunks. In other words, language consists of grammaticalized lexis and not lexicalized grammar. Rather than having a syllabus which is only grammar based, the lexical approach emphasises that lexis should be at the centre of language learning. The lexical approach posits that an essential part of acquiring language is to comprehend and produce lexical chunks. These chunks help learners to make patterns of language traditionally thought of as grammar (Lewis,The Lexical Approach 1993, p. 95). _____________________________________________________________________________________ 6James, Carl. (1998). Errors in language learning and use. London: Longman. 7 Lewis, M. (1997). Implementing the lexical approach. Hove: Language Teaching Publications. 8 Sonaiya, C. (1988). The lexicon in second language acquisition: A lexical approach to error analysis. PhD Thesis. Cornell University. 9, 10 Lewis, Michael, Teaching Collocation (Hove: Language Teaching Publications, 2000) pg5 Different types of Collocation: Taken from Howert (1996), Carter(1987) and Mc.Carthy ODell(2005), here are types of collocations: Free Combination The verbs can collocate with many words to form different meanings. Example: make: I will make it clear from the beginning (make something clear) I will make him happy (make happy) In this case, they may consist of modal verbs such as make,do, have, get,take + any type of word. Restricted Combination These collocations are typically nouns, adjectives or verbs which go to together with particular words. Using other words with them make them sound incorrect to the native speaker. (i) Adjective + noun: E.g: Her condition was a major problem. (ii) Adverb + verb: E.g: He cheekily replied: I dont care! (iii) Verb + noun: E.g: Weve decided to move house. (iv) Noun + verb: E.g: The brakes screeched as he tried to stop the car. (v) Noun + noun: Usually these collocations have the pattern a.of E.g: She was holding a #basket of eggs. Delexicalised Verbs: Every language has basic verbs which are frequently used. The English language is no exception and we can find various frequent verbs (Svartvik and Ekedahl 1995) (The Verb in Contemporary English: Theory and Description, CUP 1995): Do Make Have Take Go Get E.g: It is interesting to note that these high frequency verbs in the examples are often used as Delexicalised Verbs. These delexicalised verbs have meaning when combined with other words. In other words de-lexicalised verbs have little meaning alone but if joined together with other words, they can generate a wider variety of new meanings: Eg: do your best make room have lunch take a shower go for a walk get dressed Delexicalised verbs make do What is interesting about these two verbs is that, Mc.Carthy ODell (2005:6) describe these two verbs as everyday verbs and dedicate a whole page on make and do. This clearly shows that they are very high frequency verbs in English and they probably cause a lot of confusion to learners as well! In their books index, both verbs have more than 60 different collocates each. The verbs make and do in fact like many high frequency verbs, enters into numerous collocations and idioms. Language Chunking: Make your bed! is a chunking of two words: Verb+Noun (Make + bed). This delexicalised verb is a language chunk which is a pre-fabricated language item in a formulaic way, which is then stored as a single lexical unit (and not two individual units). By storing as a single lexical unit, it is believed to quicken the mental processing of the speaker when speaking, reading and when acquiring language. The reason why it quickens this mental processing when producing language is because rather than having to connect individual word units together one by one (do and bed), the speaker can retrieve the chunk needed at one go and reduce mental processing time. Language chunking therefore is believed to help language fluency by combining other chunks to create longer ready-to-use phrases. I tend to agree with this core belief of the Lexical Approach because when I give a phrase to learners such as: Make a list of things or Remember to do your homework learners seem to retrieve and use these given ready-to-use phrases correctly to create their own sentences and meanings. Once learners understand the meaning behind the phrase, they store it in their mental lexicon. If used regularly, there is a high possibility it will help fluencycy and reduce mental processing time when speaking. Problems learners have with delexicalised verbs: Although they come naturally to native speakers, collocations formed with delexicalised verbs can be rather tricky. Some of the main problems that low level learners experience are as follows: (go to 11. Coll pg4) (12.Coll pg4) They have never been exposed to or made aware of collocations in their learning experiences. Learners often have problems with these verbs because they try to find a general meaning. They often struggle to find the right collocation, often translating possible equivalents from their own language. E.g: make a photo. Learners find it difficult to memorize collocations because they are arbitrary. Teachers are partly to blame because as Carter and McCarthy point out, vocabulary study has been neglected by linguists, applied linguists and language teachers'(1988: 1). Therefore teachers need to present collocations such as delexicalised verbs to learners to help them become more and more familiar with the different uses of make and do for example. In fact, McCarthy tells us that in vocabulary teaching there is a high importance of collocation (1990:12). The way collocation teaching is neglected in ESL classroom and the insufficient input of the target language may be a reason why learners lack a knowledge of collocation. One reason why teachers do not give such importance to collocation is because they feel safer when they teach grammar because they feel they know the rules and can explain them. Collocations are arbitrary and this leads us to the second problem: Collocations are arbitrary and are decided by convention instead of rules. Many learners have been exposed to learning languages in a systematic way i.e there is an explanation, rules and reasoning behind each grammar point eg: the first conditional: [ if + present simple], [will + infinitive]. Because they are used to learning languages in a grammatical way, learners find it difficult to accept that some words collocate while others do not and that there is no reason for this other than it is what native speakers say. Many learners ask me Why cant I say make a photo instead of take a photo? I used to feel rather unprofessional having to say because thats the way it is. Now I say: because take goes together with a photo make does not. That is the way language is naturally and natively spoken as I have already commented in section A. In fact, McCarthy said that knowledge of collocational appropriacy is part of native speakers competence. (McCarthy, M.1990Vocabulary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.1990:13). Therefore, being aware of collocations and accepting them as a window to the natural way of speaking the language is essential in learning a language. One has to admit that some are not so easy to learn. In fact, Benson (1985) clearly stated that collocations are arbitrary and non-predictable, so much so that even native speakers sometimes have to double check before deciding if a word collocates with a particular word or not. When learners are confronted with collocations like to make a mistake, learners resort to translation from L1 to understand why we use make and not do as in many other languages. However this leads to misuse of the collocation or creation of word combinations which are non-existant in English. Eg: My Italian learners sometimes say do a mistake because in their language they only have one verb, fare, which resembles make or do. Literally translated, fare una torta is do a cake from Italian to English. Lexical verbs such as make or do require memorising whole lists of words that can collocate with them. I sympathise with learners, who have to face many complicated and difficult lexicalised verbs, which have meaning differences in various contexts. Furthermore, combinations of delexicalised words are less likely to explain clearly what they mean in translation and thus are more error-prone in learner language (Lewis 1993, Nesselhauf 2005). When my learners tell me: its impossible to learn all of these phrases by heart!, I have to admit that I understand them. Collocation books like McCarthy ODells English Collocations In Use (CUP:2005), present the delexicalised verbs make and do in a way that makes a learner feel that he/she has to learn the phrases by heart. A similiar example of such a list is one below: To make an apology To do your homework To make a cake To do the dishes To make breakfast To do the laundry To make your bed To do your best To make a list To do your nails and hair To make a mistake To do the ironing, washing, cooking, etc. To make plans To do a job Learners need ways to remember the meanings of the lexicalised verbs as the ones above. It is difficult enough trying to think of grammar needed, word syntax, vocabulary and so on when trying to construct a sentence in L2 learning, let alone trying to remember and above all retrieve the right collocation needed. Problems learners have with delexicalised verbs: Making learners aware of delexicalised verbs: By helping learners to notice collocation, they can acquire vocabulary building skills eg: ability to list and categorize lexis. It also encourages them to become autonomous learners. One way of helping learners develop the habit of paying attention to chunks, rather than just individual words, when reading is by helping them make informed guesses about what word goes with do or make. Inside Out Elementary (Macmillan:16) presents a day in the life ofà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a man and a woman. Having guessed who does what, learners read the text to check if they guessed correctly. The text includes a lot of collocations with make or do. Learners then are asked to form common expressions with make or do from the text: The most homework the beds The shopping dinner The washing up the most noise Learners have a speaking practice with make or do by saying who does or makes what in the house, using the same prompts given in the above exercise. Eg: My mother does the shopping and we make our beds etc Trying to make sense of make and do: Although it is not easy to learn collocations of make and do, McCarthy ODell in English Collocations in Use (CUP2005: 18) present us with some of the most common phrases with these two delexicalised verbs. In fact they call them Everyday verbs. It includes a list of collocations of make and do and an example on the side. Eg: Collocation Example Make an excuse Im too tired to go out tonight. Lets make an excuse and stay home! Do your hair Im not ready! I havent done my hair yet! To practice them, I would cut out the collocations and examples into separate strips. In pairs, learners would then have to try to put the example and collocation together, by trying to make sense of them. Once they have been corrected in class, I would give them a questionnaire from Collocations in Use (pg19). Having been exposed to the collocations needed in the previous activity, they have to fill in the question with either do or make, answer it and then go round and ask the questions to their classmates. Trying to find the right collocation to use: To help learners practice and be a bit more confident in their use of collocations, I like to use an activity which Lewis proposed in Teaching Collocation (Hove:112). Basically learners have to put in the missing verb in the collocations. This will help them to minimize their mistakes as our Italians made: I do a mistake. ..a mistake 2. .your homework a statement your hair an observation what you have to do Alternatively, I can give the activity some context by giving learners the activity found on page 100 in Language to go Intermediate. Here learners have to complete the text using make or do. This will help them to see how the collocation is used in a context. Helping them to remember the collocations: To recall what theyve learnt, learners need remember what theyve learnt. Thornbury 3 states that learning is remembering, which clearly shows how important memory is in learning a language. The same principle applies to collocations. One way of helping learners to remember the collocations is by revising them as much as possible . one particular activity that I like to use to recycle collocations that were met in class is Run n Grab. I divide learners into teams and I read out the end of the collocation eg: an apology. I write down Do and Make on the board. Learners have to run to the board to circle which one they think goes with the ending of my collocation. Whoever gets most points wins. Conclusion: Personally, I feel that the lexical approach has taught me a lot about vocabulary. Rather than seeing vocabulary as individual items, I can now help my learners with vocabulary by using chunks. In this case, collocations which are in themselves chunks, are essential in language learning. By frequently exposing, raising -consciousness and helping them to memorize collocations, I feel that I am appreciating more the importance of lexis in language learning.