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Are you ever annoyed about your own English/Cantonese/Manadarin/Korean accent? Do you wish you can be more native like?

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Are you ever annoyed about your own English/Cantonese/Manadarin/Korean accent? Do you wish you can be more native like?

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In case of Korean, I am very satisfied with, as my conversation is very fluent while I use Korean. However, in the case of English, I sometimes face the messy dictation due to various reasons, such as nervous, temperature, etc.

I'm quite satisfied with my English dictation, but still I have a chance to improve it toward the English mastery

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Selecting official language for Singapore

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Selecting official language for Singapore

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I believe it is because of their various ethnicity. Singapore have 4 official language, which are English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay. As the origin of Singapore is migration country such as America or Australia, there must be an ethnicity diversity. The Chinese ethnicity taking 74% of the Singapore population, 13% of Malayan, 13% of minorities such as Indian. Based on this diversified ethnicity, Singapore must have a hard time to select their official languages

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HK parents complained about the teaching of English in HK

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HK parents complained about the teaching of English in HK

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George: I believe that the mother in the article does not know the importance of English, the global language. The English ability allows people to have more and various opportunities in their life. I can be an example of why English education is important. If I was not able to utilize English fluently, I was not able to study at POLYU which means that I lose the opportunity to observe and interact with a bigger world. Also, by learning English, I was able to interact with multi-national people around the world, understand their culture, and eventually widen my sight of the world. The opportunity to wide their perspective will allow them to think outside of the box, eventually making them become important people to connect to different nations or cultures.

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Why is it important to learn about English writing?

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Why is it important to learn about English writing?

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Delivery precise information without any mistake, guarantee the successful interaction of information

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George. By knowing the fact that linguistic gives a huge impact on humans sense, I was able to understand the importance of vocabulary also the linguistic abilities to

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Word differences between word based on the gender also a big issue in Korea

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After I read the week 7 reading material, I could feel the difference between male and female words in Eastern Asian culture. It especially show up for the words that regards family.

Based on my observation through my life in Korea, I was able to notice that there is a slight difference of word on man's family side. Male side family words are slightly more honorific when I see the word that regards female side family.

For example, the husband's brother, we call 도련님, which also represent the 'son of the wealthy family'. On the other side, wife's brother we call it as 처남 (which does not any other meaning).

The origin of these differences base their root from Joseon dynasty, ancient country that last more than 500 years, right before the Korean empire. The historians believe that the male-dominated society of Joseon dynasty gave a huge affect to formalize these word differences. As Joseon dynasty suffered from various war and invasion from other neighbor countries, male dominated society

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Why do I swing Razor during presentation... C'mon...

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In week 6 reading material, there is a one section elaborate about pronunciation. I have one funny story to tell about.

When I just arrived to international school, my pronunciation was clear Asian-pronunciation, who cannot distinguish the difference of R sound and L sound. One day, I was planning to bring laser pointer to utilize it in presentation, I ask permission to teacher. 'Ms. Peggy, I would like to use (L)aser during my presentation.' . She was quite surprising and ask me 'where you going to use it?'. So I told her that I will swing it during the presentation, to emphasize the presentation. Ms. Peggy was quite mad at me and told me to stay after class. I was not able to understand why she was mad at me, but the question solved soon. After class, Ms. Peggy asked me, 'George you cannot swing dangerous stuff during your presentation, Razor might harm someone else...' At this moment, I was able to found out that my pronunciate laser as Razor, which was enough to frighten up the teacher.

After this, I tried my best distinguish the R & L pronunciation, now I can freely use it without failure.

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Photo of Ju Si-gyeong, father of modern Korean linguistic system

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During week 5 reading, the part where emphasize the importance of linguists in the procedure of language planning. According to Holmes' writing, linguists directly affect one language's standardization and codification of a particular variety. I can show you a linguist who gave an enormous advance to modern Korean.

Ju Si-gyeong, the founder of the modern Korean language system, was a member of the Korean language laboratory (國文硏究所) and also an independent activist during the Japanese colonial era. He was the founder of modern Korean phonology and grammar. His relic even lasts in modern days, since he establishes his Korean grammar research in 1914.

He was the father of Korean, his accomplishment constantly show up in these days. The perfect example which shows the importance of linguists in language planning

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In the world of hospitality, major language franca will be an English. Regardless with their nationality, first language, and language preference. 

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In this chapter, I learned about the concept of 'Language Franca', the language used for communication between people whose first language differs. I was able to actively participate in this concept of language franca while I work in the hospitality industry.

Since the hotel is a place where guests from various nationalities arrive, it is clear that workers' and guests' first language is different most of the time. On this occasion, what is the language franca between them? Of course, it is English. When the guests are from Thailand, Cyprus, Indonesia, or even France, we both use English to ensure a successful information transaction.

Sometimes, the language franca between me and the guests changes. One day, there was a guest from the Philippines who couldn't speak English at all, only able to use Tagalog and simple Chinese. As I can speak simple Mandarin, we both communicate in Mandarin during the check-in procedure. This occasion also elaborates on the development of the language franca initially as a trade language, cause the Philippine guest was the CEO of a trading company in the Philippines.

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Adjusting into the new society where using totally different language code was quite a pressure to young George

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I strongly agree with Holmes' opinions such as 'school is one of the first domains for meeting English' or 'pressure from the wider society'. When I just moved into an international school in China, my language code start to change into English.

First of all 'school as a first domain of English'. Before I enrolled in an international school, I was a normal kid who followed compulsory education. As the English subject in Korean compulsory education only concentrated on grammar, the international school was my first domain for meet English. This factor also worked as the 'pressure from the wider society'. I was the only child who does not understand the class contents, unable to actively participate in the class activities. It was quite a big pressure for me, as I started to feel I'm getting isolated in the new society. As a result, I was able to successfully learn English and become an international student.

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George in graduation ceremony. Until this moment, I always wondering why. But I forget about it after enrollment to university. 

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My experience with English is a bit late compared to other international students. I enrolled in an international school when I was 16, that was the starting point of my English starts. At the first time, I was not able to understand 80% of the lecture. I was the kid who only understand the word 'homework', my journey toward fluent English was rugged.

While I study in an international school, there was one question point for international school students. 'Why do they speak in English even though their nationality and first language are the same?'. From the perspective of the young student who just enrolled in an international school, it seems a very inefficient, also quite ostentatious behavior. As time passes, the question start to get meaningless as my English get fluent. But by reading Holmes' paper, was able to recollect, and also discover the reason for the question that I had.

The domain concept of Holmes helped me a lot. According to Holmes, the domain is the general concept of language choice, which is relevant to the pattern of code choice in many speech communities. It also draws three important factors, participants, setting, and topic. At this point, I recollect the memories. They were in the classroom, both of them were students, also they were discussing the science fair topic. Participants = students, setting = school or classroom, topic = science fair. As the domain was education, not friendship, they used the code 'English' by considering the surroundings. It is very clear that teachers will nag them when they start to use a language of their own country, as we were in an 'international' school.

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조선 어학회, The Society of Korean Language. Making a Korean dictionary, a Korean education book to protect the Korean language against Japan's dictatorship.

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Crystal's writing was interesting enough to take my attention. After I read the material, I was able to understand more about why, and how one language become a global language. From now on, I would like to show my opinion about 'What makes a global language'.

According to Crystal, language dominance is closely linked to economic, technological, and cultural power. I fully agree with Crystal, especially in the cultural power section. Culture might simply sound like a simple concept, like Japan = Samurai. However, I believe culture is more sophisticated, as it represents every aspect and member of one ethnic group. Whether cultural power is strong or weak, the language simultaneously follows it.

I can give you an example of the Japanese colonial era. During the colonial era, the Japanese imply the policy of obliterating the Korean culture, to make Korea a Japan. The first thing that the Japanese started was 'to prohibit Korean language education' in public education facilities. Even though we protected our own culture, also our own language, the impact of the policy was fatal. My grandfather, who was born a few years ago before Korean independence, used to talk to me by mixing some Japanese vocabulary.

Due to this reason, I strongly agree with Crystal's opinion that cultural power possesses a strong linkage with linguistic dominance

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The change of language policies at universities seems to have sparked great opposition in history. The consequences even appeared to be disproportional. Why do you think people bother so much about changes to language policies at universities?

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The change of language policies at universities seems to have sparked great opposition in history. The consequences even appeared to be disproportional. Why do you think people bother so much about changes to language policies at universities?

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As a Korean student who study in Hong Kong, it is clear that change of language policy in polyu will case great chaos toward foreign students. When the Cantonese or Mandarin take a major education language in the future, I will seriously consider to move university, where the English is still a major language.

I understand the government trying their best to increase their education quality by choosing the education language as their most friendly one, but it will be not tolerated to the foreign student like me

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What are the advantages of calling Mandarin 普通話'putonghua' and 國語 'guoyu' instead of 官話 'guanhua' which is the linguistic name of the language

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What are the advantages of calling Mandarin 普通話'putonghua' and 國語 'guoyu' instead of 官話 'guanhua' which is the linguistic name of the language

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I believe the word 'putong' makes people perceive it as an 'normal' language. At the first time when I arrived in China, I was thinking that putonghua is the China's only major language due to it's name.

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In the point of Hotel worker's view, No. When I checking in guests at the front desk, the Canto speakers take more then 70% of guest arrival. Of course most of them are able to speak in Mandarin too, but they prefer to speak in Cantonese.

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Home--->（YES）--->Korean

(No)

Work place ---> (Yes) ---> English or Mandarin

(No)

School ---> (Yes) ---> English

I use Korean in home (dormitory), as all of my floormates are Korean. However, when I go to work, I use English & Mandarin to greet the guest. If there is Korean guest, I greet them in Korean. At last, during the lecture, I majorly use English to ensure the successful communication between professor, also the group mate. My Mandarin skill is not fluent, I prefer to use English for clear information transaction.

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The Role of Chinese dialects in HK Politics

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The Role of Chinese dialects in HK Politics

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Why may it be culturally inappropriate to wish someone 'happy Chinese new year'?

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Why may it be culturally inappropriate to wish someone 'happy Chinese new year'?

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Luna new year is one of the big systems that numerous Asian countries share together. Korea also has a Luna new Year holiday, so it might be disrespectful to say Happy Chinese new year to Asians whose of different cultures and nationalities. I do not believe Korean and Chinese celebrate it under the same culture ad same meaning.

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If people state the fact and true history under clear evidence, I'm proud of spreading my own culture around the world :)

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UN has six official languages? Now that funding is limited, which language do you think can be cut?

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UN has six official languages? Now that funding is limited, which language do you think can be cut?

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I believe Russian should be removed. Unlikely with Soviet Union era, current Russia seems quite not powerful to make Russian widely used. They are not union anymore, does not have a power such like what Soviet Union had. Even though previous Soviet Union countries such as Kazakhstan or Ukraine still using the Russian, it is fact that Russian is not their preferred language anymore