The African World-view in Soyinkas Death and the Kings Horseman Essay

The African world-view in Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman In his play, Death and the King's Horseman, Wole Soyinka uses certain literary forms and devices to intermix Yoruba culture and a predominantly European dramatic form to create a play easily understood by the audience, but that allows the introduction of a foreign influence. These devices include the use of a songlike quality in dialogue and the telling of stories, the use of personification and metaphor to give an exotic quality to the play, and the use of certain elements to provide the reader with a sense of the mystic traditions that are Africa. These Yoruban elements are best explained by the character Jane with "You talk! Your people with your long-winded, round-about way of making conversation" (1171), and the character Pilkings with "What is she saying now? Christ! Must your people forever speak in riddles?" (1176). The use of rhythm and a songlike quality in the dialogue and the telling of stories is used by Soyinka to transport the reader to another place. In the following excerpt, the... The African World-view in Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman Essay The African world-view in Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman In his play, Death and the King's Horseman, Wole Soyinka uses certain literary forms and devices to intermix Yoruba culture and a predominantly European dramatic form to create a play easily understood by the audience, but that allows the introduction of a foreign influence. These devices include the use of a songlike quality in dialogue and the telling of stories, the use of personification and metaphor to give an exotic quality to the play, and the use of certain elements to provide the reader with a sense of the mystic traditions that are Africa. These Yoruban elements are best explained by the character Jane with "You talk! Your people with your long-winded, round-about way of making conversation" (1171), and the character Pilkings with "What is she saying now? Christ! Must your people forever speak in riddles?" (1176). The use of rhythm and a songlike quality in the dialogue and the telling of stories is used by Soyinka to transport the reader to another place. In the following excerpt, the...

Is it ethical to expel children carrying drugs or alcohol to school

Last year, over â€Å"1000 schoolchildren were suspended, excluded or expelled from New Zealand schools last year for drugs or alcohol-related offences, with the youngest aged 8† (Stuff, 2013). The Ministry of Education released figures showing that one In ten children who had action taken against them in relation to substances in the year 2012, was under 12 years of age (Stuff, 2013). The Education Amendment Act has come under scrutiny as It priorities the right to privacy of students.Effectively It means that schools would lose their authority to search and seize narcotics and conduct random drug tests. This, many educationalists argue, would worsen the problem. The ethical Issue that arises In this case amongst others Is whether schools should continue to retain their search and seizure powers or should the privacy of the students be given priority as per the Education Amendment Bill. Another key issue that is begging resolution is the dilemma of whether or not, children fo und in possession of drugs and alcohol, should be expelled or excluded.Is expulsion of a child found In possession of narcotics in the best Interests of society and the child In question? It is important to also mention that since most of the children procured the absences from a knowing or unknowing adult, should the adult be vicariously responsible for the child take responsibility and face the consequences Instead of letting the child take the fall? Is It not the responsibility of the parent to ensure that children stay away from vices until they are old enough to judge for themselves?Due 1 OFF expulsion and attempt to provide some insight into whether or not it is the best course of action to employ. Thomas Hobbes (1651) proposed the idea that â€Å"in order to flourish, we need a peaceful, cooperative social order† (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 0). Hobbes goes on to say that if there were no institutions to enforce order, we would be free to do whatever we wanted. This wo uld eventually lead to a state of perpetual chaos. He has called this state of chaos â€Å"the state of nature† and it's opposite â€Å"civil state† (Reaches & Reaches, 2010).This means that in order to live harmoniously, we must abide by a set of rules that are accepted by everyone and applies to everyone equally. Hobbes was of the opinion that the four basic facts about human life were the reason for the existence of this social contract. He theorized firstly, that each of us requires the same basic things in order to survive, secondly, scarcity is omnipresent and we need to work hard to produce the things we need. Third on the list is the equality of human power (united we stand, divided we fall).Finally, there is limited altruism, which implies that we cannot assume that others will stand down when their interests conflict with ours. Since we do not learn the accepted rules of society on our own, we have schoolteachers and parents who amongst other things teach us how to behave in a socially acceptable manner. School helps us learn to build and maintain relationships. Most importantly attending school empowers us with knowledge to survive in the real world. Take school out of the equation and that leaves Just parents.Now consider the case of a young child who has gotten himself expelled for being curious about his parent's secret drug stash. Unable to attend school, he might not realize the difference between a Joke and a crime because he is unaware of right and wrong, socially acceptable and unacceptable. He may develop an insecurity employ as he probably feels helpless and is shunned by his parents. These factors might lead him to become a criminal or worse, a drug addict. It is quite obvious that criminals and drug addicts are anti-social elements that need to be removed from the setting.It is safe to say that not all criminals are school dropouts however, most addicted to drugs haven't been educated about the consequences of substance abu se and are helplessly addicted. The Social Contract Theory maintains that we need a social order in order to flourish. The only way to eliminate most of anti-social elements is to ensure that kids found in possession of drugs or alcohol remain in school to learn how to behave appropriately, and eventually grow up to become conscientious and responsible adults.The theory of Utilitarianism as stated by Reaches & Reaches (2010) encompasses three categories. Firstly, actions can be Judged to be right or wrong depending on the consequences it brings about. Secondly, in terms of examining consequences, all that matters is the amount of happiness or unhappiness the action in question creates; person is more important than the other. This means that actions should be Judged as right or wrong depending on the amount of happiness or unhappiness everyone experiences as a consequence.Thus a deduction can be made that Utilitarian are essentially consequentialness, as they determine the ethical v alue based on an answer to the question â€Å"what would happen as a result of doing it? † (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 111). Utilitarianism is divided into two categories namely, Act and Rule Utilitarianism. Act Utilitarian believe that an action must be Judged by the consequences it causes (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 22). Rule Utilitarian believe that an action must be Judged on the consequence of the action becoming the norm that everyone lived by (Reaches & Reaches, 2010, p. 18-119). Therefore it can be said that Utilitarianism Judges actions based on whether they yield the best consequences and happiness for everyone or not. Upon application of the Utilitarian approach to the issue of expulsion, the action of excluding children who are found in possession of narcotics or alcohol would produce two possible consequences. Firstly, because the child has been expelled, he ay lose interest in studying altogether. It is a proven fact that schools provide a protective environme nt that shields people from drug abuse (Bell, 2013).If they are unable to stay in that protected environment before entering the proverbial ‘real world' there is a chance that they may be negatively influenced and resort to a life of crime, drug abuse and other anti-social behavior. The second consequence of one child caught in possession of drugs being expelled could serve as an example to the other children. This might cause them to refrain from coming in contact with drugs earning punishment.Although the second consequence appears to be feasible, as many children would benefit from one child being expelled and being made an example of, it is not guaranteed that other children will not indulge in drugs and alcohol outside school. Also, going by Rule Utilitarianism, if expelling children became the norm, crime, unemployment and illiteracy rates would rise and this in turn would affect the entire nation negatively. Therefore, Act and Rule Utilitarian would agree that expelling children found in possession of narcotics would be very unethical, as it loud cause much more unhappiness than happiness.Also, since Utilitarian believe that everyone's happiness is equal, and that motives and intentions don't matter, causing unhappiness to one child and to the general population in the long run by expelling him from school is something they would advocate against. In conclusion, I have explored the idea of a Social Contract and the Utilitarian approach in terms of the case to determine whether or not expelling children found to be in possession of narcotics or alcohol is ethical. Taking into consideration theSocial Contract, and the possible consequences of Act and Rule based Utilitarianism I have deduced that expulsion or exclusion from school is not the best course of action. In order to suit everyone's interests, it is crucial that the kids remain in school where they have the opportunity to learn about narcotics and socially acceptable behavior in a controlled and protected environment. After all, they are children, unable to distinguish between right and wrong, and in this case, it is imperative that Children are the future of any country and it is our moral duty to ensure that all sections we take have their best interests at heart.

Nintendo History Essay

Nintendo was founded in 1889. It was a poker card workshop. But now it’s Japan’s most famous game production company. Its production of electronic games are popular all around the world. Nintendo is the NO.1 of the world’s video game companies. With only 850 staffs, Nintendo used to beat such super enterprises as Toyota occasionally, thus becoming Japanese first profit-making company. Nintendo spells â€Å"Wii† with two lower-case â€Å"I† characters means: To resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together.Wii sounds like ‘we’, which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. The Nintendo Wii is the 7th generation video game console of the Nintendo series. It plays Nintendo video games via discs, and detects movement in three dim ensions. The Wii is meant to stimulate interactivity and movement among its users, so that they play games and get exercise simultaneously. The primary wireless controller, the Wii remote, is a handheld pointing device which makes the on-screen player mimic the movements of the person possessing the Wii remote. Nintendo production of electronic games In 1983ï ¼Å¡NES In 1989ï ¼Å¡Game Boy In 1990ï ¼Å¡Super Famicom In 1996ï ¼Å¡Nintendo64 In 2001ï ¼Å¡Game Boy Advance In 2001ï ¼Å¡GameCube In 2004ï ¼Å¡Nintendo DS In 2006ï ¼Å¡Wii In 2012ï ¼Å¡Wii U http://game.people.com.cn/n/2012/1120/c49419-19633647-4.htmlhttp://blog.eio.com/2012/07/21/an-introduction-to-the-nintendo-wii/ 1. Was Nintendo just lucky, or does the Wii’s success have strategic merit? Nintendo’s strategy was very clear and clever. It thought that it could not survive in the competition with Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s Play Station 3. So, Nintendo do not try to compete to the competitor rather than it tried to rebuild the gaming system. Without concerning the more advanced technology, it tried to do more using less investment. They realized that they couldn’t make a better product, so by changing the way in which the product is used they created a whole new market at their control. By changing their focus away from the game but the experience Nintendo created a unique strategy that is now synonymous with their name. Nintendo developed the Wii with a very specific design and marketing strategy in place. So, Nintendo’s strategy was so resourceful and it worked like magic mix strategy.Their success with the Wii really stems from two sources. First, they have gained substantial market share with previously untapped demographics (elder ly, smallchildren, and families). Second, because they have eliminated many of the additional costs and features of the more advanced game systems, they have been able to better compete based on price.Even while they were struggling, Nintendo maintained a strong brand within the gaming industry. Marketing Strategies of Nintendo are through the product, pricing, promotion, and place. With the product, Nintendo redesigned the controller to make it easier and more nature to play games,e.g motion sensitivity, IR sensors. Nintendo keep price at $250.00 while XBOX and PS3 over $350.00. Wii games cheaper $10.00 than XBOX and PS3. It offering various accessories to generate revenue. Ninendo promotion through mass selling, uses intermediary (GameStop, hypermarket, mall), uses both push or pull techniques. Pushing is used by advertising through commercials, ads, circulars, magazines, and internet.Pulling is demonstrated by keeping on-hand inventory low leaving customers returning to check availability.Nintendo has included a free game with eachWii unit, other systems, they increase the price by $20-50. they offer the Nintendo WiFi connection. This allows you to play certain online games against friends and others. Nintendo's WiFi connection is free and offers many nice updates. A bout the place, Nintendo has distribution centers around the world. Each distributing the regions version of Nintendo’s systems or games. In the United States there are 2 distribution centers, that are Redmond, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia. Retailers get their inventory directly from Nintendo.Businesses are gaining approximately $10 per unit sold; however, they make their money through game and accessory sales. 2) In which stage of the product life cycle is theWii? Based on that stage, is Nintendo employing good marketing mix strategies? The sales of Nintendo keep increasing and last sales not significant. The stages is growh- early maturity. If a product is accepted by the marketplace, it enters the growth stage of the product life cycle. The growth stage is characterized by increasing sales, more competitors, and higher profits. Unfortunately for the firm, the growth stage attracts competitors who enter the market very quickly. For example, when Diet Coke experienced great success, Pepsi soon entered with Diet Pepsi. You’ll notice that both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have similar competitive offerings in the beverage industry, including their own brands of bottled water, juice, and sports drinks. As additional customers begin to buy the product, manufacturers must ensure that the product remains available to customers or run the risk of them buying competitors’ offerings. For example, the producers of video game systems such as Nintendo’s Wii could not keep up with consumer demand when the product was first launched. Consequently, some consumers purchased competing game systems such as Microsoft’s Xbox. A company sometimes increases its promotional spending on a product during its growth stage. However, instead of encouraging consumers to try the product, the promotions often focus on the specific benefits the product offers and its value relative to competitive offerings. In other words, although the company must still inform and educate customers, it must counter the competition. Emphasizing the advantages of the product’s brand name can help a company maintain its sales in the face of competition. Although different organizations produce personal computers, a highly recognized brand such as IBM strengthens a firm’s advantage when competitors enter the market. New offerings that utilize the same successful brand name as a company’s already existing offerings, which is what Black & Decker does with some of its products, can give a company a competitive advantage. Companies typically begin to make a profit during the growth stage because more units are being sold and more revenue is generated. The number of distribution outlets (stores and dealers) utilized to sell the product can also increase during the growth stage as a company tries to reach as much of the marketplace as possible. Expanding a product’s distribution and increasing its production to ensure its availability at different outlets usually results in a product’s costs remaining high during the growth stage. The price of the product itself typically remains at about the same level during the growth stage, although some companies reduce their prices slightly to attract additional buyers and meet the competitors’ prices. Companies hope by increasing their sales, they also improve their profits. The Maturity Stage After many competitors enter the market and the number of potential new customers declines, the sales of a product typically begin to level off. This indicates that a product has entered the maturity stage of its life cycle. Most consumer products are in the mature stage of their life cycle; their buyers are repeat purchasers versus new customers. Intense competition causes profits to fall until only the strongest players remain. The maturity stage lasts longer than other stages. Quaker Oats and Ivory Soap are products in the maturity stage—they have been on the market for over one hundred years. Given the competitive environment in the maturity stage, many products are promoted heavily to consumers by stronger competitors. The strategies used to promote the products often focus on value and benefits that give the offering a competitive advantage. The promotions aimed at a company’s distributors may also increase during the mature stage. Companies may decrease the price of mature products to counter the competition. However, they must be careful not to get into â€Å"price wars† with their competitors and destroy all the profit potential of their markets, threatening a firm’s survival. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have engaged in several price wars with regard to their microprocessors. Likewise, Samsung added features and lowered the price on its Instinct mobile phone, engaging in a price war with Apple’s iPhone. With the weakened economy, many online retailers engaged in price wars during the 2008 holiday season by cutting prices on their products and shipping costs. Although large organizations such as Amazon.com can absorb shipping costs, price wars often hurt smaller retailers. Many retailers learned from their mistakes and ordered less inventory for the 2009 holiday season. Companies are challenged to develop strategies to extend the maturity stage of their products so they remain competitive. Many firms do so by modifying their target markets, their offerings, or their marketing strategies. Next, we look at each of these strategies. Modifying the target market helps a company attract different customers by seeking new users, going after different market segments, or finding new uses for a product in order to attract additional customers. Financial inst itutions and automobile dealers realized that women have increased buying power and now market to them. With the growth in the number of online shoppers, more organizations sell their products and services through the Internet. Entering new markets provides companies an opportunity to extend the product life cycles of their different offerings. Many companies enter different geographic markets or international markets as a strategy to get new users. A product that might be in the mature stage in one country might be in the introductory stage in another market. For example, when the U.S. market became saturated, McDonald’s began opening restaurants in foreign markets. Cell phones were very popular in Asia before they were introduced in the United States. Many cell phones in Asia are being used to scan coupons and to charge purchases. However, the market in the United States might not be ready for that type of technology. Modifying the product, such as changing its packaging, size, flavors, colors, or quality can also extend the product’s maturity stage. The 100 Calorie Packs created by Nabisco provide an example of how a company changed the packaging and size to provide convenience and one-hundred-calorie portions for consumers. While the sales of many packaged foods fell, the sales of the 100 Calorie Packs increased to over $200 million, prompting Nabisco to repackage more products. [5]Kraft Foods extended the mature stage of different crackers such as Wheat Thins and Triscuits by creating different flavors. Although not popular with consumers, many companies downsize (or decrease) the package sizes of their products or the amount of the product in the packages to save money and keep prices from rising too much. Car manufacturers modify their vehicles slightly each year to offer new styles and new safety features. Every three to five years, automobile manufacturers do more extensive modifications. Changing the package or adding variations or features are common ways to extend the mature stage of the life cycle. Pepsi recently changed the design and packaging of its soft drinks and Tropicana juice products. However, consumers thought the new juice package looked like a less expensive brand, which made the quality of the product look poorer. As a result, Pepsi resumed the use of the original Tropicana carton. Pepsi’s redesigned soda cans also received negative consumer reviews. Tropicana’s New Packaging Tropicana’s new (and now abandoned) packaging look didn’t compare well with the â€Å"orange and the straw† but is still used on the lower-calorie Tropicana. When introducing products to international markets, firms must decide if the product can be standardized (kept the same) or how much, if any,adaptation, or changing, of the product to meet the needs of the local culture is necessary. Although it is much less expensive to standardize products and promotional strategies, cultural and environmental differences usually require some adaptation. Product colors and packages as well as product names must often be changed because of cultural differences. For example, in many Asian and European countries, Coca-Cola’s diet drinks are called â€Å"light,† not diet. GE makes smaller appliances such as washers and dryers for the Japanese market. Hyundai Motor Company had to improve the quality of its automobiles in order to compete in the U.S. market. Compan ies must also examine the external environment in foreign markets since the regulations, competition, and economic conditions vary as well as the cultures. Figure 7.15 Some companies modify the marketing strategy for one or more marketing variables of their products. For example, many coffee shops and fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s now offer specialty coffee that competes with Starbucks. As a result, Starbucks’ managers a decided it was time to change the company’s strategy. Over the years, Starbucks had added lunch offerings and moved away from grinding coffee in the stores to provide faster service for its customers. However, customers missed the coffee shop atmosphere and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and didn’t like the smell of all the lunch items. As a result of falling market share, Starbucks’ former CEO and founder Howard Schultz returned to the company. Schultz hired consultants to determine how to modify the firm’s offering and extend the maturity stage of their life cycle. Subsequently, Starbucks changed the atmosphere of many of its stores back to that of traditional coffee shops, modified its lunch offerings in many stores, and resumed grinding coffee in stores to provide the aroma customers missed. The company also modified some of its offerings to provide health-conscious consumers lower-calorie alternatives. [6] After the U.S. economy weakened in 2009, Starbucks announced it would begin selling instant coffee for about a dollar a cup to appeal to customers who were struggling financially but still wanted a special cup of coffee. The firm also changed its communication with customers by utilizing more interactive media such as blogs. Whereas Starbucks might have overexpanded, McDonald’s plans to add fourteen thousand coffee bars to selected stores. [7] In addition to the coffee bars, many McDonald’s stores are remodeling their interiors to feature flat screen televisions, recessed lighting, and wireless Internet access. Other McDonald’s restaurants kept their original design, which customers still like. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Assignment-Case-Study-Of-Nintendo-878245.html http://www.papercamp.com/essay/46271/Nintendo-Case ï‚ · http://www.xbitlabs.com http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/2030?e=fwk-133234-ch07_s02

Linguistic Diversity in France

â€Å"La langue de la Republique est le francais. † Article 2 of the French Constitution, revised as recently as 1992, leaves no room for misinterpretation. France is not known as a multilingual nation, nor one with a well known multilingual history. However: The apparent linguistic unity of France hides a rather different reality of considerable linguistic diversity. (Laroussi and Marcellesi 1995, 85) The country’s monolingual facade hides a multitude of regional languages, whose speakers have faced chastisement and suppression for centuries.An enormous amount of conscious manipulation by the powers that have governed France through the ages has led to the complex linguistic situation that can be found in France today. This essay will present an overview of the historical events which have led to France’s present day linguistic situation paying particular attention to the country’s regional languages and their status. Breton and Basque will be the two reg ional languages focused on.French, the â€Å"sole† language of the French Republic, is certainly one of the country’s most powerful and influential assets. France has exported the French language all over the world, resulting in between seventy million and one hundred and ten million native speakers and twenty-nine countries using it as their official language today. However before founding this global platform, French had to establish itself within its own country, a process far more complicated than one might think.When the Romans began extending the frontiers of their empire to Gaul, an area which incorporates modern day France, Belgium, Germany as far as the Rhine and Switzerland from lake Geneva to lake Constance (see Lodge 1993, 39) they encountered a high level of linguistic variety. A mixture of Greek, pre-Indo-European and Celtic languages as well as many other languages that linguists have little knowledge of to this day could be found. As the Romans took con trol of this area from the second century BC, there followed a period of romanisation, and with this, presumably, latinisation.As put forward by Lodge: The rich archaeological record surviving from the Gallo-Roman period enables historians to trace the spread of Roman civilisation in Gaul in some detail (see Thevenot 1948). The process of latinisation undoubtedly followed the same paths as that of romanisation, but direct evidence related to the linguistic history of the period is scanty. [†¦ ] In all probability the latinisation of Gaul was very gradual [†¦ ] (Lodge 1993, 42) As Latin infiltrated Gaul, it most likely became influenced by the languages already present, resulting in a variety of non-standard Latins.The Gallo-Roman period lasted for about five centuries, until the Barbaric Germanic invaders: the Francs, the Visigoths and the Burgundians invaded and took over in the fifth century A. D. leaving behind them a linguistic legacy. The vulgar Latin already present mutated with the arrival of these new linguistic influences and France, at this point, was the proprietor of a large number of different dialects. These dialects became clearly split between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries forming the dialectical divisions of France: the langues d’oil in the North and the langues d’oc in the south.This split came about as the northern half, from around Lyon upwards, said oil for ‘yes’, whereas the southern half said oc. (Davidson 2011, 110) Today, the langues d’oil comprise French, Breton and Alsatian and the langues d’oc are made up of Occitan, Basque, Catalan and Franco-Provencal. The incredibly diverse linguistic platform present at this time still does not shed much light as to why French emerged as the single language of the French Republic. From this point, French emerges as an arguably â€Å"planned language†. see Judge 1993) During the Old French Period, between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, the dialect of l’Ile de France, the region which today incorporates Paris, grew in influence, particularly upon the languages of the North, but also on some South of the Loire. This dialect, Francien, replaced a number of dialects already in existence. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, as the influence of Paris became more important, so too did its dialect. The invention of printing in the fifteenth century was a highly significant factor in the spread of Francien.It is in the sixteenth century that we truly begin to see the manipulation of language in France, which has resulted in the complex linguistic situation present today. Although Francien had spread and was an important language in the country, the vast majority of the inhabitants of France had no knowledge of it and spoke a variety of regional languages and dialects. Direct linguistic legislation was introduced in an effort to regulate the linguistic situation. Signed into law by Francois I on August tenth 1539, the Ordonnance de Villers-Cotterets stated that all judicial acts must be carried out in Francien, in French.Articles 110 and 111 state: `Et afin qu’il n’y ait cause de douter sur l’intelligence desdits arrests, nous voulons et ordonnons qu’ils soient faits et escrits si clairement, qu’il n’y ait ne puisse avoir aucune ambiguite ou incertitude, ne lieu a demander interpretation. Et pour ce que de telles choses sont souvent advenues sur l’intelligence des mots latins contenus esdits arrests, nous voulons d’ores en avant que tous arrests, ensemble toutes autres procedures,†¦ soient prononcez, enregistrez et delivrez aux parties en langaige maternel francois et non autrement. ’ (Wartburg 1946, 145)This legislation excluded not only Latin, but also all regional languages and dialects, and it is here that we see the first inklings of French gaining superiority over its minor neighbours. Through this l aw, as the language of public administration, French quickly gained importance and by the end of the sixteenth century had achieved a heightened linguistic status. Further language legislation came about in 1635 with the official founding of the Academie francaise, a body to encourage, standardize and manage French as a language in all aspects and to create a grammar and a French dictionary.Then Vaugelas (1585-1650) [who was at the forefront of much of the Academie’s early work] published his Remarques sur la lange francaise in 1647 which became a linguistic Bible, the very foundation of le bon usage. (Judge 1993, 11) French had now gained a huge amount of stature. It was the only language of the upper classes, royalty and the educated. Speakers of Breton, Basque, Alsatian, Catalan and all other forms of regional language and dialect were regarded as second class citizens, as they spoke the tongues of the masses. The derogatory term â€Å"patois† was used to describe t his â€Å"crude† form of language.In 1798, as the Ancien Regime was overthrown by the French Revolution, linguistic homogeny and standardization became important issues. How could a country proclaim complete unity without being able to communicate in a common language to all fellow Frenchmen? The executive of the first republic, Abbe Gregoire, sought to gain a better understanding of the linguistic situation, in a battle against the common patois, conducting a survey on the state of French in 1790 entitled â€Å"Sur la necessite et les moyens d’anteantir les patois et d’universaliser l’usage de la langue francoise. His results revealed that French was almost a foreign language in the majority of France. Though Gregoire was ignorant as to what they were speaking, describing Corsican as Italian and Alsatian and its surrounding dialects as German (see Luxardo 2000) he discovered that the vast majority of France’s inhabitants were not speaking French. Only just under an eighth of the entire population spoke the language fluently. The results of Gregoire’s survey led to the issue and ratification of a decree in 1794 declaring unilingualism in all areas of France.The measures were no more extreme than the goal: the complete eradication of the regional languages that undermined France’s unity: The monarchy had reasons to resemble the Tower of Babel; in democracy, leaving the citizens to ignore the national language, unable to control the power, is betraying the motherland†¦ For a free people, the tongue must be one and the same for everyone†¦ How much money have we not spent already for the translation of the laws of the first two national assemblies in the various dialects of France!As if it were our duty to maintain those barbaric jargons and those coarse lingos that can only serve fanatics and counter-revolutionaries now! [Bertrand Barere, a member of the National Convention who had presided over the tria l of Louis XVI] (Davidson 2011, 112) Military conscription, the improvement of communication networks and education became very important in the spread of the French language and the eradication of regional languages and dialects. Any soldiers conscripted into the army from all parts of France were forced to communicate in a common language: French.Communication networks were improved and this increased Paris’s, the centre from which standard French originated, influence over France. In 1832, primary education was established and by the end of the nineteenth century Jules Ferry, the Minister for Public Instruction, made it free and compulsory for all French citizens. The introduction of â€Å"progressive† education came simultaneously with the suppression of minority languages. No other language but French was allowed and French culture and pride was very much promoted within the classroom.These factors had a huge influence on the growing dominance of the French langua ge. Regional languages and dialects faced a bleak future. Brittany can boast one of the most unique and interesting cultures of France. However, Breton is one of the most diminished regional languages in France. It is most concentrated in Le Finistere, and is not, nor has ever been an official language of France. As with all minority communities, the increasing control of the state in all aspects of their everyday lives has subjected the Breton community to a rocess of linguistic and cultural assimilation into the mainstream of French society. (Davidson 2011, 88) Under the third, fourth and fifth French republics, Breton children caught speaking their native Breton in school, as opposed to French, were subjected to the humiliation of having to wear a symbol around their neck which displayed their offence. Others had to do extra homework or received corporal punishment for their transgressions. In Davidson’s book, a Breton looks back on his grandparents experiences at school: My grandparents speak Breton too, though not with me.As children, they used to have their fingers smacked if they happened to say a word in Breton. Back then, the French of the Republic, one and indivisible, was to be heard in all schools, and those who dared challenge this policy were humiliated by having to wear a clog around their necks or kneel down on a ruler under a sign that read: ‘It is forbidden to spit on the ground and speak Breton’. That’s the reason why some older folks won’t transmit the language to their children: it brings trouble upon yourself. Nicolas de la Casiniere, Ecoles Diwan, la bosse du Breton) (Davidson 2011, 113) Speaking one’s native Breton tongue had so many negative repercussions that it was far easier to submit to the imposition of the French language, which greatly reduced the number of Breton speakers. The Basque language faced similar repression to Breton. Basque culture is one of great pride in a unique society whi ch differs from the French and Spanish cultures surrounding its locale.Their most apparent distinction is their language: The most obvious difference between the Basques and their neighbours in France and Spain is their extraordinary language which the Basques themselves call euskera or euskara depending on which dialect they speak. (Hooper 1986, 231) The most incredible feature of the Basque language is that, apart from individual words absorbed from French and Spanish, it displays no similarities with its neighbouring languages, nor any trace of romantic, or even Indo-European roots. There is thus an understandable pride in this exceptional language.A language of antiquity, Basque certainly has important ancient roots. Many Basques believe that their language was once spoken all over Europe. Some even state the whole world once spoke Basque. According to Davidson: One theory even has Adam and Eve speaking Basque. (Davidson 2011, 122) The enormous sense of pride in this regional la nguage did not prevent its decline at the hands of the French government. As in in Brittany, children were forced not to speak their native tongue at school, but instead to communicate in the langue de la Republique. Failure to do so would result in punishment. †¦ ] it is schooling in French that has largely accelerated the process of debasquisation. (Laroussi and Marcellesi 1993, 88) The situation for regional languages was dire. However, the linguistic state of affairs with regard to these minorities improved slightly with the introduction of the â€Å"Loi Deixonne† in 1951 which allowed for the teaching of regional languages and dialects in the classroom. Though it was a step in the right direction, the law was criticised for being only tolerant, but not accommodating in the promotion of these languages.Article 3 of the law states: Every teacher who so requests will be authorised to devote each week, one hour of activities to the teaching of elementary notions of read ing and writing in the local idiom and to the study of selected texts from the corresponding literature. This teaching is optional for the pupils. (article 3, Deixonne Law, cited in Grau 1987: 161) (Oakes 2001, 181) This law allowed for Breton and Basque as well as all other native languages and dialects of France to be taught in schools. Extra teaching hours of the languages could also be allocated outside the curriculum.The introduction of these languages into education slowly made allowances for non state-funded immersion schools to be set up in both regions: Diwan schools in Brittany and Ikastolas in Iparralde, the Basque region. In Brittany today, bilingual road signage can be seen. Due to the more important co-official status of Basque within the Spanish Basque country, Basque television, radio and newspapers are available. Though there is now a more sympathetic attitude towards the regions of France which had their original languages or dialects suppressed, the situation toda y is by no means ideal.Breton, Basque and other regional languages do not have official status, nor are they ever used by the authorities. Even though article 75-1 that was added to the French constitution in 2008 states that regional languages are part of the patrimony of the state, their legal status is inappropriate given their historic relevance. France remains one of the few countries not to have ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. These languages still cower beneath the oppressive power of French and the apparent linguistic unity certainly does hide a little known linguistic diversity.In a country with the maxim of â€Å"Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite†, one is forced to wonder, as the language of the republic is French and French alone, where is this liberte and egalite in the suppression of the right to speak, learn and live one’s own language? Select Bibliography â€Å"Constitution de la Republique francaise† in Assemblee nati onal [http://www. assemblee-nationale. fr/connaissance/constitution. asp] (accessed 19th March 2012) Davidson J. P. 2011. Planet Word, London: Penguin Hagege C. 1996. Le francais, histoire d’un combat, Boulogne-Billancourt: Editions Michel HagegeHooper J. 1986. The New Spaniards, London: Penguin Judge A. 1993. â€Å"French: a planned language? † in Sanders C. (ed) 1993. French Today: Language in its Social Context, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Kinsella C. 2011. Senior Freshman Linguistics Class Notes, Dublin: Trinity College Dublin Laroussi F. , and Marcellesi J. B. 1993. â€Å"The other languages of France: towards a multilingual policy† in Sanders C. (ed) 1993. French Today: Language in its Social Context, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Lodge R. A. 1993.French: From Dialect to Standard, London and New York: Routledge Luxardo H. 2000. L'Abbe Gregoire  en guerre  contre les  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Patois†(1790-1794) [http://brezhoneg. gwalarn. org/is tor/gregoire. html] (accessed 19th March 2012) Oakes L. 2001, Language and national identity: comparing France and Sweden, Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins B. V. Rickard P. 1974. A History of the French Language, London: Hutchinson and Co Wartburg W. V. 1946. Evolution et structure de la langue francaise, Bale  : A. Francke S. A. Berne .

Quails Gate Winery Experiece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Quails Gate Winery Experiece - Essay Example Brand experience I think consists of expression, interaction, responsiveness and resilience, Therefore my view on Quails Gate Winery is shaped by my positive, negative, and personal experiences that I have encountered during my short visit to the place. Customers are normally preoccupied with so many things so that a personalizing experience is one way to build brand loyalty. I observed during my trip that the company tried to make positive impressions through a different approach of a marketing strategy. The marketing strategy of this company is detailed on experience they deliver to their customers on every interaction they make. I think that the winery experience established a compelling experience to build brand loyalty faster, and this knowledge becomes a brand in customers’ mind. My encounter with the Quails Gate Winery in Canada took place few months ago. This experience exposed me to agro-tourism, and gave me some learning about winery. I have learned to appreciate nature, relationships, and learned marketing strategies that could later on be relevant in business. In the process, I came to apply the cognitive, sense, relational experience, and emotions that are related to my brand experience in that trip. So, whenever I think of red wine, I think of the Quails Gate wine, such as I have developed brand loyalty because of experience. The Quail Gates winery was established in 1989 and was operated as a family winery business. Over the years, the family has developed its vineyard, cultivated, and promoted its plantations, and today it boasts of owning 189 acres of vineyard in Okanagan, Canada. Company is regarded as a leader in viticulture practices in Canada and has produced notable grape varieties. The family is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blocks. Today, Quail Gates Winery is recognized as one of Canada’s agro-tourism sites. Visitors return again and again

Short answers about Introduction to Political Economy Essay

Short answers about Introduction to Political Economy - Essay Example This system also seems unfair, as it imposes different tax rates on people in the same society. The successful high-income earners in society might feel prejudiced. Monopoly is mainly caused by the presence of many barriers in the market, which prevent other business players from gaining entrance into the market. Additionally, when there is no other substitute for specific products in the market, monopoly is likely to occur. In some countries, the government may also give powers to specific companies to monopolize the market legally. Finally, the ownership of patents and copyright protection results in monopoly power for some businesses. In order to increase competition, governments should provide incentives such as subsidies to companies. In addition, small companies should be exempted from meeting the standards of the bigger companies, as these lack the facilities and financial resources to meet the high standards. Breaking down bids and making them smaller is advantageous to smaller firms, as these are comfortable with smaller contracts. If these among others are observed, more new companies will be attracted into the market. Regulation of markets is important for consumers. This involves laid down standards by the regulatory body to ensure an acceptable business practice in the supply of goods and services. This helps in price control, and controlling natural monopolies, especially in the electricity supply industries and the telecommunications sector. This benefits individual companies too, as regulation encourages fair competition in companies, while protecting the consumers. The idea of capture was developed by George Stigler and argues that, if industries capture their regulatory agencies, they can benefit from regulation. They can do this by making the regulatory agencies depend on their technology and political influence. On the other hand, public-interest theory applies in market failures, when

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