Hochdeutsch - How Germans Came to Speak One Language

Hochdeutsch - How Germans Came to Speak One Language Like many countries, Germany contains numerous dialects or even languages within its different states and regions. And just as many Scandinavians claim, the Danes can’t even understand their own language, many Germans have had similar experiences. When you are from Schleswig-Holstein and visit a small village in deep Bavaria, it is more than likely that you will not understand what the indigenous people are trying to tell you. The reason is that a lot of what we now call dialects actually derive from separate languages. And the circumstance that Germans have one fundamentally uniform written language is a big help in our communication. There actually is one man we have to thank for that circumstance: Martin Luther. One Bible for All Believers – One Language for Everyone As you will know, Luther kicked off the Reformation in Germany, making him one of the central figures of the movement in the whole of Europe. One of the focal points of his clerical belief as opposed to the classic Catholic view was that every participant of a church service should be able to understand what the priest read or quoted from the Bible. Up to that point, Catholic services were usually held in Latin, a language most of the people (especially people who didnt belong to the upper class) did not understand. In protest against widespread corruption within the Catholic Church, Luther drafted ninety-five theses that named many of the wrongdoings Luther had identified. They were translated into understandable German and spread all over the German territories. This is usually seen as the trigger of the Reformation movement. Luther was declared an outlaw, and only the patchwork fabric of the German territories provided an environment in which he could hide and live relatively safe ly. He then began to translate the New Testament into German. To be more specific: He translated the Latin original into a mixture of East Central German (his own language) and Upper German dialects. His goal was to keep the text as comprehensible as possible. His choice put speakers of Northern German dialects at a disadvantage, but it seems that this was, language-wise, a general tendency at the time. The â€Å"Lutherbibel† wasn’t the first German Bible. There had been others, none of which could create as much of a fuss, and all of which had been forbidden by the Catholic Church. The reach of Luther’s Bible also benefited from the rapidly expatiating printing presses. Martin Luther had to mediate between translating the â€Å"Word of God† (a highly delicate task) and translating it into a language everyone could grasp. The key to his success was that he stuck to spoken language, which he changed where he deemed it necessary in order to maintain high readability. Luther himself said  that he was trying to write â€Å"living German.† Luther’s German But the importance of the translated bible for the German language rested more in the marketing aspects of the work. The immense reach of the book made it a standardizing factor. Just as we still use some of Shakespeare’s invented words when we speak English, German speakers still use some of Luther’s creations. The fundamental secret of the success of Luther’s language was the length of the clerical controversies his arguments and translations sparked. His opponents soon felt forced to argue in the language that he composed to counter his statements. Exactly because the disputes went so deep and took so long, Luther’s German was dragged all over Germany, making it a common ground for everyone to communicate in. Luther’s German became the single model for the tradition of â€Å"Hochdeutsch† (High German).

Delphi Programming User and Application Data Storage

Delphi Programming User and Application Data Storage When you need to store some content related to your Delphi application on the users hard disk, you should take care of the support for state separation of user data, user settings, and computer settings. For example, The Application Data folder in Windows should be used to store application-specific documents such as INI files, application state, temp files or similar. You should never use hard-coded paths to specific locations, such as c:\Program Files, as this may not work on other versions of Windows because the location of folders and directories can change with different versions of Windows. The SHGetFolderPath Windows API Function The SHGetFolderPath is available in the SHFolder unit. SHGetFolderPath retrieves the full path of a known folder identified. Heres a custom wrapper function around the SHGetFolderPath API to help you get any of the standard folders for all or the currently logged Windows user. Heres an example of using the SHGetFolderPath function: Drop a TRadioButtonGroup (name: RadioGroup1) on a formDrop a TLabel (name: Label1) on a formAdd 5 items to the radio group:[Currenty User]\My DocumentsAll Users\Application Data[User Specific]\Application DataProgram FilesAll Users\DocumentsHandle the RadioGroups OnClick event as: Note: [Current User] is the name of the currently logged in Windows user. Note: The SHGetFolderPath is a superset of SHGetSpecialFolderPath. You should not store application-specific data (such as temporary files, user preferences, application configuration files, and so on) in the My Documents folder. Instead, use an application-specific file that is located in a valid Application Data folder. Always append a subfolder to the path that SHGetFolderPath returns. Use the following convention: \Application Data\Company Name\Product Name\Product Version.

Modern Chinese Culture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Chinese Culture - Term Paper Example   As seen in the work of Dafu, a young Chinese man studying in Japan is drawn with self-esteem issues, distrust, fear, frustration, hypochondria and even solitude (31-55). This man can be related to China in the then period when the country was still caught in the conservative and customary way of life prior to modernization and westernization. China can then be related to the adolescent young man studying in Japan and was awaiting the day when he would emancipate himself from the forms of â€Å"slavery† that were existent in the times.  Writers and artists in early modern era have continually lived up to the meaning of the metaphor of China being an adolescent youth reaching puberty. As seen in the work of Dafu, a young Chinese man studying in Japan is drawn with self-esteem issues, distrust, fear, frustration, hypochondria and even solitude (31-55). This man can be related to China in the then period when the country was still caught in the conservative and customary way of life prior to modernization and westernization. China can then be related to the adolescent young man studying in Japan and was awaiting the day when he would emancipate himself from the forms of â€Å"slavery† that were existent in the times.   From Dafu’s work, China can be said to be in a state of confusion just like the modern Chinese man in Japan that was experiencing several clashes in his life and was in a fix whether to be liberalized or retain his old lifestyle.

The Crusades and their effect on Europe specifically England Research Paper

The Crusades and their effect on Europe specifically England - Research Paper Example In this crusade, Christian warriors were urged to move into Palestine and free Jerusalem from Muslims Turks (Hallam 17-19; Crawford 1). The attack against the Muslim caliphates of the Near East was successful, and marked the onset of other subsequent crusades. However, for the subsequent crusades were not all victorious. Some ended up in defeats while others ended in compromises (The Christian Broadcasting Network 1) The Crusaders, who settled first in Palestine, underwent numerous challenges. They were in hostile territory i.e. surrounded by unified Islamic forces that were constantly seeking means of eliminating them. They lacked proper means of nominating or electing a widely accepted leader, and had no clear guidance on how to coexist after the victory. Thus, they lived in small factions rather than a unified entity (Butler 1). Most of the Christian crusades were as consequence of joint operation under the popes’ instruction. Even though in Europe most of the crusaders were mainly from England France and Germany, other European Christian localities also availed crusaders whenever the pope gave a directive for a crusade (World History Center 1). As consequence, the crusades’ effects were nearly uniform across ‘Christian Europe’. Crusades and visits to Palestine, Egypt and the Arab world was not just a mere expedition in which people went and fought but where people learnt various aspects of the Islamic World and incorporated them in their culture The crusaders in Palestine had adopted the locals’ way of dressing and housing architecture(Crawford 1). The dressing style and housing structures were the same as those of the Muslims. It was common to find â€Å"harems with veiled women wearing makeup† and Muslims neighbors praying in Christian chapels (Dutch 1). As consequence, there was a huge cultural gap between the crusaders in the holy land and those who lived

Electrolux Case Summary Essay Example for Free

Electrolux Case Summary Essay As the largest domestic products manufacturer in the world, Electrolux has about 70000 employees all around the world in about 150 countries, making 14 billion euros in sales in 2005. However, an acquisition case from its main competitor, Whirlpool, is challenging the ? rst place of Electrolux, at the time Electrolux has just decided to divest its outdoor division. A huge decrease in sales in the following years is expected. Starting from 1920s, Electrolux has been famous for its expertise in industrial design on products such as vacuum cleaner and refrigeration. The products quickly got popular not only in its home country in Sweden, but in other western countries such as Germany, France, USA and UK, due to the homogeneous culture of these countries. A major growth in demand after World War II contributed a lot to its growth. With a large amount of accumulated cash of the past decades, Electrolux decided to expand quickly through a number of acquisitions for more market share and diversi? cation. In late 20th century, Electrolux discovered new markets in developing countries when the market in western countries was already very mature and was even showing a sign of going down. It also went through a phase of restructuring the segmentations of products as well as abandoned some less important activities. Up until 2006, the company has addressed its new strategies mainly on functional level to correspond to the challenges. To maximize the pro? t, the production would be outsourced to developing countries with lower labor costs. More ef? ient logistics has made the globalization more feasible and cost-saving. On the product market level, due to the market polarization, a more distinguishing product segmentation would be applied. While keeping the basic low-price products, Electrolux is launching a series of products with higher prices to satisfy the high-end market. On the other hand, 2% of sales would be put in RD to keep a high rate of new products launches. The supply chain management has always been vital when it comes to consumer goods industry. When Electrolux is outsourcing more of the productions, it is also hifting the strategy of distribution channels. Instead of traditional dealers, big chains with large volume and high geographical coverage are brought up front because of lower serving cost. Above all these, the company keeps making efforts on brand-building by investing at least 2% of the sales every year. With more products are sold under Electrolux’s name, the company is also improving its brand image by stressing more on their culture through internal and external relations among employees, suppliers and retailers, etc.

John Donnes A Valediction of my Name, In the Window Essay -- Valedict

John Donne's A Valediction of my Name, In the Window      Ã‚  Ã‚   "My name engraved herein/Doth contribute its firmness to this glass" (1-2). It is a small but exquisitely considered act - a man carefully etches his name into a window, hoping to preserve his identity for future generations. Immediately, sensory details flow into my mind at the thought of such a momentous event. The precise scratch of the tool, the small flakes of glass that chip away, the beams of sunlight backlighting my own name in blinding pinpoints of sharp white light - all ignite a visceral feeling in the depths of my consciousness. By basing "A Valediction of my Name, In the Window" around the instinct for self-preservation, John Donne forces me to immediately sympathize with the struggle for remembrance. Just as my interpretation of the poem shifts outward from a simple physical act to a battle for posterity that has consumed humanity through all generations, Donne's description of this single-man struggle quickly moves from the physical to the met aphysical- he believes that he "contribute[s] his firmness" (2) to the glass by scrawling his name, hopes that his lover's eye will see a glimmer from her beloved's name more impressive and stunning than the myriad reflections of precious stones, and suggests that in the carving "you see me, and I am you" (12). Now once again I must force myself to take a leap of faith off the precipice of poetical interpretation, by accepting that one can find deeper meaning in the carefully scratched letters of a name in a window. Or, is it the instinct for preservation that Donne holds to be a pool of deeper meaning? After two stanzas, the author's well-formed conceit has already wrestled my mind into conf... ... life in the process. In only 66 lines, Donne uses his masterful command of the English language to create a superb poetical representation of his personal beliefs about love.    WORKS CITED    "Donne." Hertford College Alumni Association. 1 Jan. 1999. 9 Dec. 2001. http://www.hertford.ox.ac.uk/alumni/donne.htm    Donne, John. "A Valediction of my Name, In the Window." Poems of John Donne - Vol I. Ed. E.K. Chambers. London: Lawrence & Bullen, 1896. 25-28. The Luminarium. 4 Dec. 2001. http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/valname.htm    "John Donne - Biography and Works." The Literature Network. 1 Jan. 2000. 9 Dec. 2001. http://www.online-literature.com/donne/    "The Life of John Donne (1572-1631)." The Luminarium. 22 Oct. 2001. 9 Dec. 2001. http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/donne/donnebio.htm

Differences in Broadcast and Publishing Content Regulation in the US and Japan

Every country has its own set of laws and regulations, depending on how it is applicable to its people. It is usually patterned to suit the needs of the people and the current situations that the country is in. So in comparing two different countries, it is possible to find that one is stricter than the other, or has a broader scope than that of the other country. Comparing the broadcast and publication rules in Japan and the United States of America, it is natural to see significant differences in the implementation and the content of the regulations themselves, since they are being applied to two different countries and different people.Comparatively, the United States of America have stricter rules and regulations when it comes to broadcast and publishing content. Defining these regulations, it pertains to the intervention of the state in issues regarding economic, social or cultural life according to the standards being set in the country. These issues may be induced by political figures, religious intervention, or by the movement of the people regarding a certain concern. This is usually done to regulate the circulation of certain issues which authorities deem to be â€Å"offensive† content or that it is destructive in nature.When it comes to broadcasting, the most basic form of regulation is through acquiring a license to be able to broadcast. This serves as permission, as well as a contract that the broadcaster should abide by the rules and regulations set for the country. With this, they are able to broadcast for a certain period of time they are allowed to do so, and that they are liable to follow the regulations strictly, unless they want to be penalized for not following the guidelines in the country. Japan’s Broadcast Regulations Rules are not that extensive as that of the United States.They have no clear regulation on the contents of the broadcast, rather has concentrated more on the technicalities of broadcasting itself. It doesnâ₠¬â„¢t regulate television shows on its contents as long as it doesn’t violate the rules of broadcast it has laid down. The content of their shows would then depend on the demand of its audiences rather than following a tailored broadcast format. Having the United States in the tighter end, there has been several issue concerning whether them being so strict that it hinders the people’s freedom of the press.Media practitioners said that the basis of these intense broadcast regulations is the assumption that radio and television channels are a scarce resource which needs to be managed and regulated, so that the people will receive the right amount of information that they need (McDowell, 1983). What these media practitioners stress is that we are in a world where there are unlimited sources of information available today. Information is packaged in different forms and can be accessed by anyone.This information are not radio and television-broadcast limited, since they ca n be accessed through the internet, through Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, High Definition Radio models, smart antennas and more. Broadcast is not that scarce, considering that you could access them through a number of choices. In the United States, it is also difficult to acquire a license, which is done in order to censor broadcasting. But because of the abundance of other sources of information, broadcasting through television or radio is gaining lesser and lesser attention from the audience (Bowie, 2007).This is because the broadcast format in the radio and television is so audience-specific and that what they show the people are limited in context. Because of that, people are moving to other means of acquiring information. On the other hand, Japan offers regulations which are less strict, compared to that of the United States. They are more into what the viewers’ want, since they are competing with various information sources which are abundant in Japan. Being a country rich in technolo gy, radio or television is just another option for the people to get information (BookMice.net, 2000). Everyone has a mobile device with them which can access the internet anytime, anywhere in the country. With that, imposing strict rules would mean losing market for both the television and radio broadcast media. Japan has a public broadcasting station, which is the NHK. This public broadcasting station is not influenced by the government or any private organizations that would benefit from it. It is kept alive by the Japanese people themselves, wherein it has sought independence from the government by having a Receiving Fee System.This is where people pay for the station so that it will be kept running without further influences from prominent people and well-known organizations. This is to keep the interests of the people, for the people alone, and not by an individual or group wishing to profit from it. The viewers themselves are required to pay not only to view a specific progra m in the station but for the whole station as well, so that the NHK is assured to continue its existence. Every household in Japan who owns a TV set is required to pay an equal amount in for the NHK to continue its services.But this assures of an unbiased source of information for the people, wherein they wouldn’t worry from censorship imposed by the government or anyone who would want to profit with the information being delivered by the station (Kogawa, 1988). There are also other commercial broadcasters aside from the public broadcasting network, and these commercial networks benefit from advertisements. On the other hand, NHK are not allowed to have any commercials. Publishing content in the United States is also regulated. There are several known fictional children’s stories which have been censored upon entering the shores of the United States.One good example is the Little Red Riding Hood, wherein it has been censored and edited because the original version show s Little Red Riding Hood bringing wine to give to her sick grandmother (CyberCollege. com, 1996). The latest manifestation of censorship in books and publications was in the Harry Potter series. The novel has been the subject of censorship and criticisms since it promotes witchcraft for kids. This, despite the fact that the series has invited a lot of kids to start reading books again, not just relying on television and computers as a source of recreation.On the other hand, Japan is more on the open-minded side, wherein publishers are can put in publications mainly anything they can, unless they violate the laws and regulations that have been set for them. There are several forms of publication in Japan wherein it gives people a lot of choices. They are free to publish and it depends on the people whether they would buy it or not, since it is indicated if the content is not for minor, or that it has graphic situations not for the young audience.When looking up-close at these two cou ntries, we could see that the United States of America have stricter rules and regulations when it comes to publication and broadcasting. This is because of the difference in their audiences and their cultural background. Japan is more open when it comes to informing the people, since it has abundance in technology. But this doesn’t mean that both countries don’t consider their audiences when they put these regulations and restrictions. Because of the difference in their audience, their approaches are also different, thus resulting to various rules and regulations being established.