Close Reading of Emily Dickinson’s “Tell all the truth but tell it slant”

Emily Dickinson’s poem “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant” provides important insights into how the form of a text can support the construction of, and even highlight its meaning.  In this short poem, Dickinson is able to weave together many linguistic devices that complement each other perfectly and make the poem flow very easily.  Precisely, it is this apparent easiness in the text that tricks us into what seems a very logical and simple conclusion.  However, once we read the text carefully, peeling and analyzing its different layers, we are able to look at this poem in a new light.

     Given that this essay’s main argument is built around the form of the text, a scansion of four of its lines will provide an insight into the lyrical structure chosen by Dickinson.

Tĕll áll / thĕ trúth / bŭt téll / ĭt slánt /

Sŭccéss / ĭn Cír / cŭit líes /

Tŏo bríght / fŏr óur / ĭnfírm / Dĕlíght /

Thĕ Trúth's / sŭpérb / sŭrpríse /

     Each foot of the poem contains one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable. We find four iambic feet (tetrameter) in the first line, three iambic feet (trimeter) in the second line, four iambic in the third, and three iambic in the fourth.  The structure just described is known as ‘Common Meter’ or ‘Hymn Meter’, which is defined as “a closed poetic quatrain, rhyming A B A B, in which iambic tetrameter alternate with iambic trimeter.” (Washington State University) 

     Dickinson’s use of common meter provides the first clue of how the text’s meaning is brilliantly disguised in this poem.  The text is structured in a fairly simple manner, making it “easy” for the ordinary mind to take in the words.  However, there is nothing simple or easy about this poem.  One must go beyond the outer layer to uncover all the truth.    

    Other important qualities of this poem’s form are provided by its many linguistic elements.  I will concentrate on the ones which are the most relevant to my argument.  Beginning with the use of metaphor, Dickinson compares truth to a bright light.  This comparison is important as it leads us to the contrast between light and darkness.  A mind that does not confront the truth and is closed to new ideas remains in darkness, hence, in ignorance.  Dickinson’s choice of using the figure of lightning as visual imagery in the poem complements the metaphor.  The associations conveyed by this word fit in perfectly with the binary opposition of light and darkness.  

     Additionally, we find the use of simile in lines three to six (Too bright for our infirm Delight / The Truth's superb surprise / As Lightning to the Children eased / With explanation kind) Dickinson explains the shock of being confronted with a surprising truth as something too bright for us to comprehend just like the phenomena of lightning is for children.  We also find the use of alliteration to highlight words that support the poem’s central theme such as tell – truth as well as slant - success - circuit. 

     Furthermore, Dickinson’s use of the term slant brings insight into how the structure and the theme of her poem are intertwined. According to the Emily Dickinson Museum, “rhyme that is not perfect is called ‘slant rhyme’ or ‘approximate rhyme.’” When looking at the text’s unconventional use of rhyme, it becomes clear how the word ‘slant’ serves the disguised purpose of calling attention to the poem’s structure in itself.

     Moving on to the central paradox of the poem, it lies in the apparent contradiction between telling all the truth and getting to it through an indirect or diluted approach.  Some people will argue that the truth must be told bluntly, without circumventing, so that it is pure and free of biases.  The text’s literal layer, however, seems to support the idea of telling the truth more effectively by approaching it gradually and carefully so as to not overwhelm the recipient.

     However, we must go deeper into the layers to find all the truth in this text.  A careful reading of the second line, “Success in Circuit lies,” brings attention to the word lies.  We are now confronted with a binary opposition: the truth versus lies.  Furthermore, this line seems to suggest that lies equal success.  All of a sudden, what we thought was the true meaning of the poem starts crumbling and the brightness of the actual truth threatens to blind us.     

   This discovery is “too bright for our infirm Delight.”  We would be so much happier by having found the meaning of the poem easily, in the outer layer of the text, while naively thinking with satisfaction that the great Emily Dickinson was an advocate for telling the whole truth.  We prefer infirm delight over a solid truth that challenges our minds. We favor a nice little story that gives us peace of mind over the actual truth because it threatens to destroy the basis of our beliefs and then – how do we go from there?

     We have uncovered, therefore, how Dickinson plays with the reader through a text woven with very fine and subtle stitches of satire.   By peeling carefully some of the layers, we realize how she is comparing the common mind to that of a child who chooses to live in an illusion rather than being confronted with ugly truths about the world. Someone who does not dig or question the layers of society, gender norms, tradition, etc., will probably find it easier to navigate the world, have successful relations and achieve, therefore, success in life.

     Dickinson’s genius shines in this poem where the playful and witty use of language with multiple meanings and her subtle irony are brilliantly disguised by rather conventional uses of meter and linguistic elements.  This poem about truth contains a truth in itself and it is up to the reader to confront the brightness of the lightning and not be blinded by its surprising revelation.   

               

References

Emily Dickinson, "Tell all the truth but tell it slant" from The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Reading Edition, ed by Ralph W. Franklin. (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1998) 

Emily Dickinson Museum, https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/poetry_characteristics

Washington State University, http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/common.html

Dear Anne Frank-Poems by Marjorie Agosin: Bad writing, bad translation, bad editing... I am not sure what happened here.

When I found a reference to this book in an article abut Hispanic writers who live in the US and write in Spanish, I was thrilled. I love any type of literature inspired by Anne Frank and thought, "I need to have this book!"

Fast forward two days, I happily received the package from Amazon. That night, I embarked in yet another reading journey with high expectations. Expectations fail, what a disappointment!

I would really like to know who was in charge of editing the Spanish texts of this work. Brandeis University Press, shame on you!

Evidently this work was just meant for Anglo readers. I have not found one review in Spanish. Of course, the ones who just read the English version of the poems, rave about Agosín's work. Now, I won't even go into the quality of the poetry in itself (I really don't think it is the best I have read but I am not an expert so let's just leave it at that) but I am a Spanish instructor and English - Spanish translator, Spanish is my native language and this book insults me both personally and professionally.

What I find mesmerizing (well, more so than the rest of the issues with this publication) is that from what I understand, the pieces were originally written in Spanish. So, I would think the most logical turnout would be for there to be errors in translation in the English version of the poems. But that is not the case. The English version of the texts look fine to me. But the Spanish... what a disaster!

So, what happened here? I would love for someone to explain to me how this book was published with horrible mistakes in its original version. This is a serious case of "vergüenza ajena" as we say in Spanish.

You can see how the above photos support my comments. They were taken from two of the first poems I encountered in this travesty. 

On the first one, you can see how instead of the word "espesas" for "thick" (the author is referring to Anne's eyebrows) they have used the word "esposas" which makes no sense at all in this context. 

On the second photo you can see how there's a switch in the form of address of the "YOU". It starts with "Usted", then goes to "Ustedes", and then, horror of horrors you can find this brilliant sentence: "¿Alguien de USTEDES HAS visto...? Ustedes HAS visto? This is a mistake a first year student of one of my Spanish courses would make.

I found a lot of more mistakes in the use of the Spanish language and I did not even get through half of this book. I don't think I will be able to because it hurts my eyes and my heart. Shame, shame, shame. ¡Qué vergüenza!

El Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead

El Día de los Muertos from Dorothy 76

1. El Día de los Muertos 
2. 
   
3.  “To the resident of New York, Paris, or London, the word “death” is never pronounced because it burns the lips. Mexicans, on the other hand, frequent it, caress it. They sleep with it. They celebrate it. It is one of their favorite games and their most permanent love.” –Octavio Paz, autor mexicano

Given that we are close to the holiday known as Day of the Dead, I wanted to share this video that can work for a Spanish class as well as one on cultural topics.

It integrates vocabulary and grammar (SER and ESTAR)

I hope you find this resource useful! 

http://www.slideshare.net/dorothy76/el-da-de-los-muertos-54458332

Decoding new meanings – Language Experiment in Paris France

      Coming into contact for the first time with Gertrude Stein’s work will likely leave the inattentive reader feeling confused and disoriented.  The experience is that of being transported into an alternate reality where the world is recognizable but where things work somehow differently.  The inability to figure out the dynamics of this new reality and failure to decode the seemingly queer elements will doom the reader to wonder aimlessly unable to connect with this new location.   

     One of the elements that contribute to the complex literary style present in Stein’s work is the decontextualization of words.  Stein experiments with words by taking them out of familiar settings and placing them within new associations.  As a result of this experiment, words are reclaimed and infused with new meanings.  This process is actually reminiscent of semiotics, the study of language as signs, pioneered by Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure.  For Saussure, language is an arbitrary system composed of a series of signs. These signs are in turn the result of the association between the signifier, which is the form of the sign; and the signified, the concept it represents. (Saussure 67) For Saussure, both the signifier and the signified are purely 'psychological' (14 -15, 66) and therefore, the meaning they convey cannot be tied to an absolute truth or reality.

     This frame of thought is helpful when trying to make sense of the project behind the peculiar writing style of Paris France. This reference does not imply, however, that Stein’s inspiration was originated in semiotics or even in linguistics for that matter. Stein was quite the language revolutionary by her own merit. In her plethora of lectures, the American writer shows a sweeping contempt for grammar conventions.  For example, her feeling about commas was that, “at the most a comma is a poor period that lets you stop and take a breath but if you want to take a breath you ought to know yourself that you want to take a breath." (Poetry and Grammar 221) This contempt is perhaps, more beautifully stated, in the following excerpt:

            “...capital letters and quotations marks are useless. They are hangovers from the days when people didn't read very well, that all goes into the question of life and death of punctuation marks, if you don't know a question without a question mark what is the use of writing the question? ...the average reading mind does not need them. (Watts 94)

                                                          

     Relocating this discussion to the realm of Paris France, I would like to bring attention to a quote from this text that might shine some lightning into Stein’s inquisitive approach towards language.  The quote is in a passage that refers to the English studies of French girls and how they choose Hamlet for their translation assignments.  The narrator speculates that the reason behind this choice is that a great number of archaic English words found in said text are “completely French words” (74-75) and follows with the insight that: “I have often thought a lot about the words that make the English language, and much as I have thought about it, a war makes it even more definite, as in this Hamlet.” (75) 

     I consider this quote to be an acknowledgment on Stein’s part of her profound interest in the way words work within a language system.  She also seems to be implying that no matter how much she or anyone thinks about the meaning of words, random events such as a war or other historical factors end up creating or transferring terms across languages in arbitrary and sometimes even spontaneous occurrences. The anecdote of the French girls illustrates that the arbitrary nature is not only inherent to the form of the sign but also of the concept it represents.  For the French girls, a set of archaic words has great significance in their study of the English language while those same signs seem to be completely irrelevant to others given the fact that these are terms that, “the English language to-day no longer uses.” (75)  

     Both the fluidity and randomness of the signified provide Stein with a sort of elastic clay that can be manipulated, shaped, deconstructed, and reconstructed to give form to her language project.  Sara J. Ford explains that Stein juxtaposes words in a way that removes them from their usual context or order and places them within new relationships and associations. (50)  Linda Wagner-Martin complements this idea and points out that Stein “[lets] language find its own patterns, to express whatever meaning the reader might favor, viewing written art as a system of true and mutable communication.” (Oxford University Press) This fluidity of patterns allows Stein to experiment with words, peeling off ordinary and stale meanings to infuse them with new and more interesting ones. 

Note: This is an extract of a paper that I wrote for a class called The 20th Century International Novel. If you are interested in acquiring this essay, you can contact me at   www.adamslanguagesolutions.com

References

     Ford, Sara J. Gertrude Stein and Wallace Stevens: The Performance of Modern Consciousness. Routledge, 2011.

     New World Encyclopedia. “Art for art's sake.” http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org

     Oxford Dictionaries. “Fashion.” http://www.oxforddictionaries.com

     Saussure, Ferdinand de. Course in General Linguistics (trans. Roy Harris) London: Duckworth, ([1916] 1983)

     Stein, Gertrude. Paris France. Liveright, 1996.

     Stein, Gertrude. “Poetry and Grammar,” in Lectures in America. New York: Random House, 1935. 

     Wagner-Martin, Linda.  “Stein's Life and Career” from The Oxford Companion to Women's Writing in the United States. Oxford University Press, 1995.

     Watts, Linda S. Gertrude Stein: a study of the short fiction. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1999. http://www.english.illinois.edu 

Journal Review: Teaching Language Skills and Cultural Awareness with Spanish Paintings

Ortuño, Marian Mikaylo. “Teaching Language Skills and Cultural Awareness with Spanish Paintings” Hispania 77, No. 3 (Sep., 1994), 500-511.

Abstract: This article points out the advantages of using slides or other reproductions of Spanish paintings in the promotion of language learning and cultural awareness. It also gives suggestions on how to incorporate some paintings into the curriculum at various levels.

The article begins with the question of “How does the instructor create the optimal learning environment in which to develop the four skills - comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing- along with an awareness of cross-cultural similarities and differences?” With the proficiency orientation that the ACFTL has promoted, this becomes a matter for all instructors to ponder about. Ortuño suggests the possibility of using visually engaging authentic materials, which have been shown by some studies as facilitators of language acquisition and the formation of cultural attitudes. She proposes the incorporation of art works into the curriculum in one of the following ways: As a cultural supplement at any level of instruction, in a cross-disciplinary course, or to prepare students for study abroad. In the following subheadings the author shows us the benefits of using Spanish paintings in order to help students achieve proficiency standards.

Learning in Context

Making a reference to Krashen’s theory, Ortuño writes that using slides of Spanish paintings can encourage students to engage in creative discourse if the instructor focuses on meaning as well as on grammatical form. Visual sensory stimuli embedded with cultural connections have the power to convey emotions. They attract the student’s attention and can cause an affective reaction. It could be shock, surprise, disapproval, or even laughter. The instructor then can begin to personalize the learning experience by asking for descriptions or by giving questions to draw a verbal or written response. It is the author’s experience that even the most inhibited students are able to risk grammar mistakes to comment on colorful visual symbols.

According to Ortuño, the Magdalena Penitente of medieval Greek painter, El Greco, could be used at any level of language learning. The basic questions for this image would be: “¿Qué ve usted?” and “Diga algo sobre esta pintura.” The questions can be answered by individuals, pairs or groups working together to analyze the picture and come up with a list of adjectives that describe it. The teacher can also offer clues about the identity of the person depicted on the painting. Questions about when, where, and why can follow, and the level of the group will determine the types of responses that the teacher has to encourage. Before the students look at the slide, the instructor can provide background information on El Greco and point out the historical importance of the lives of the saints as models of behavior in sixteenth century Spain.

At the novice and intermediate levels, a painting such as the above can be used as a focal point for an entire lesson. Colors, clothing, parts of the body, and the agreement in number and gender can all be practiced by describing the visual. To practice the present progressive, for example, students can ask one another: “¿Qué está haciendo María Magdalena?” Students at all levels can be encouraged to compare and contrast different slides. Learners at the advanced level can develop analytical thinking skills and writing techniques by creating a composition on how the use of color establishes a different mood in each painting.

Due to the focus on oral skills, instructors tend to overlook the socio-cultural factors of language. Using paintings as a visual aid can help incorporate culture in the language learning experience and make it both enjoyable and intellectually profitable. On the Connection aspect of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning, Standard 3.1 states that: “students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language” (Omaggio, p.37). Ortuño’s proposal seems to adapt to this standard perfectly as paintings are well suited to the teaching of history, literature, and art itself along with language and culture. Viewing slides of paintings can provide students with a global context, on which the society and institutions of a culture are reflected as they respond to social, religious, and political forces.

Transition from Language to Literature Class

One of my classmates who got her Spanish major at ETSU, told me how overwhelming it can be to switch from the basic language courses, grammar, and conversation, straight into the literature part of the curriculum. Ortuño explains that students can feel at a loss during the period of transition because they lack the historical background, the confidence, language skills, and sometimes even the interest in literature required to understand the essays, short stories, and poetry which comprise this part of language learning. By providing historical background through Spanish paintings, instructors can help bridge the gap between language and literature classes. Through the showing of selected slides, the instructor can relate a literary work to a particular period in Spanish history by providing a cross-disciplinary introduction. By emphasizing the confluence of the visual arts, history, and literature, the instructor can help students identify and understand parallel trends.

Ortuño suggests that the religious fervor of sixteenth-century Spain captured by El Greco in his paintings of saints and biblical characters, can be related to the intensity of the mystical experience described by Santa Teresa de Jesús in Camino de Perfección. Goya’s social criticism, or Picasso’s reflections on the dissonance and fragmentation of twentieth-century life though cubism provide many possibilities for the development of linguistic skills and cultural awareness.

Lowering Classroom Anxiety

According to the author of this article, viewing art can alleviate anxiety in language learning. As stated by Krashen’s affective-filter hypothesis, “comprehensible input can have its effect on acquisition only when affective conditions are optimal” (Omaggio, p.62). By not eliciting a defensive position, concentration on visual images helps heighten sociability and encourages the sharing of information. Ortuño asks the reader to consider the benefits of a darkened classroom where attention remains on the image instead of the speaker. This will lead to less inhibition on the part of students as there are less chances of embarrassment. Another suggestion for creating a safe environment in which everyone feels comfortable to participate is for the teacher to allow students to direct the question session around a picture of their choice.

Meeting Oral Proficiency Standards

Ortuño states that as a complement to any language learning approach, slides of paintings can help students achieve proficiency. To prove her point, she uses as an example Murillo’s painting Una joven con su dueña, claiming that a picture like this offers many possibilities to practice proficiency within the novice to the superior level. At the Novice level students can repeat basic vocabulary items dealing with what is seen and what can be implied. At the intermediate level students may answer questions such as “¿Dónde está esta chica?, ¿Qué está haciendo?, and ¿Quién es la otra mujer?” At the Advanced level, students can make comparisons between the two women. At the Superior level, learners can work with abstract topics such as parental love or the concept of friendship. Further discussion could lead to culturally relevant topics such as the historical role of the dueña, the attitude toward women in the past and in present-day Spanish society, among others.

Conclusions

Ortuño mentions that it is important for the instructor to select the paintings so that they have a thematic connection to a lesson or they are suited for practicing certain linguistic functions. I think this consideration is crucial to enable students to get the benefits highlighted by the author throughout the article. The instructor should not improvise and just “Google” a random image without carefully researching those paintings that can provide support to a specific topic or function.

I think that the fact that Spanish paintings offer a cultural context and the opportunity to analyze historical facts, make them an excellent tool to be used to enhance the learning process. Unless it is an Art course, I am not sure if I would use the paintings as a focal point, but definitely as supplemental material at any level in the university setting. At the school level, it is my impression that teachers would need to be very selective of the material to be shown since children and adolescents do not necessarily have the judgment capacity required to understand and appreciate certain pieces of art.

After reading about the language learning benefits explained by the author of this article, I will strongly consider incorporating paintings in my classes so that I can provide a basis for proficiency-centered lessons which facilitate the learning of grammar and vocabulary, and the development of oral skills, written skills, analytical thinking, and cultural awareness. I think I would also like to show students paintings from other Hispanic countries so that besides learning about those specific places, they can compare and contrast the cultural and historical factors of the different regions and countries in the Hispanic world.

References

Omaggio, Alice. (2000). Teaching Language in Context. 3^rd Ed. Thomson Heile.

Ortuño, Marian Mikaylo. (1994). Teaching language skills and cultural awareness with Spanish paintings. Hispania, Vol. 77, No. 3, 500-511.

Teaching Language Skills and Cultural Awareness with Spanish Paintings

This is a PPT presentation I prepared for a journal review assignment. The scholarly article I chose, points out the advantages of using reproductions of Spanish paintings from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries in the promotion of language learning and cultural awareness. I think it is something we can explore for implementation in the Spanish classroom.

Teaching language and culture with Spanish paintings

View more presentations from Dorothy 76

El manejo del tiempo en la clase

Saben que es lo mejor de ser estudiante? Poder detectar errores en el manejo de la clase y comprometerme a NUNCA cometerlos yo misma.

Hoy tuve una clase que pudo haber sido muy interesante. Se suponía que ibamos a tener un debate sobre la controversia de la autobiografía de Rigoberta Menchú. No sé por qué a la profesora se le ocurrió que antes del debate cada estudiante debía resumir tres capítulos. Cuál era el propósito de esto? De todas maneras teníamos que leer el libro para prepararnos para el debate. En fin, el punto era resumir, entonces si cada uno lo hacía por unos minutos no se perdía mucho tiempo.

Pues les cuento el resultado de no ser capaz de manejar el tiempo de la clase. Hubo personas que hablaron por media hora, volviendo a contar la historia que ya se nos había relatado en el libro. Todo el tiempo tenía ganas de gritar y preguntarles: No saben lo que es un resumen? Por favor! Hubo una estudiante que se dedicó a hablar de unos detalles gráficos que una película de terror gore le quedaba corta. Terrible!

Conclusión, que yo era la sexta persona que debía presentar y nunca lo pude hacer y el debate... bien gracias, no hubo tiempo. Claro, seguimos en la próxima clase, pero como también debemos cubrir el material de ese día, pues ya se imaginan la calidad del debate.

Todo por no saber manejar el tiempo. Para un educador esa debería ser una habilidad básica. Créanme, hablando desde la perspectiva de una estudiante que quería tener una clase interesante, pues al final me sentí frustrada y decepcionada. No me quedan ganas de prepararme adecuadamente para la siguiente clase.

En fin, seguimos en la lucha...

Sentence and word stress in the ESL classroom

Stressed-timed language: Stressed syllables tend to occur at roughly equal intervals in time.

Syllable-timed language: Rhythmic beat by recurrences of syllables, not stresses.

Spanish is a syllable-timed language. When Spanish speakers transfer the intonation patterns of their native language into English, which is a stress-timed language, the result can be barely comprehensible to native English speakers. This is because the meaning or information usually conveyed in English by the combination of stress, pitch and rhythm in a sentence is flattened or evened out by the Spanish learner.

The following lesson is designed to enable students to identify and place sentence-level stress on content words and reduce the function words in order to produce stress-timed rhythm. The activities consider visual and auditory learners. The last activity takes advantage of cooperative learning and provides students with the opportunity to share their experience and get feedback from their classmates. The lesson uses both inductive and deductive strategies, providing students with the background and theory but also allowing them to discuss initial perceptions and make predictions. This lesson could extend to the following class session, depending on how quickly students grasp the concept of stress-timed language.

Sentence and Word Stress Lesson

1. The teacher starts the class by dragging the end of a ruler on a smooth surface and then on an irregular surface. This activity is used to illustrate stress-timed and syllable-timed languages, followed by the definition of each.

2. After having listened to an audio taped speech in Spanish and English, students make correlations with their own language and talk about their perception of the English rhythm. Finally, they determine which language is syllable-stressed and which is time-stressed. The rationale for devoting part of the class to discussing this matter is to allow students to have a clear understanding of the difference between the stress-timed nature of English and the syllable –timing of Spanish.

3. Sentence stress awareness will be built on students` knowledge of word stress. It is important to remind students that a tonic syllable has a longer duration, is louder and has a more prominent pitch movement. They are given a handout that shows the connection between word stress and sentence stress. Then, students are asked to differentiate function from content words. They will also be given a list of “Content versus Function Words”.

4. Listening Discrimination:

Students listen to the following sentences and write down the stressed words:

Nice to meet you

My name is Ray

I’ve got to go.

I’m sorry.

Want a ride?

That`d be great!

What do you do?

I’m a physician.

After students have identified stress in short sentences, they can be introduced to longer stretches of speech. A listening discrimination activity that is fun as well as effective is jazz chanting. To begin the activity, the teacher provides an explanation and an example of primary and secondary stress. Next, the teacher provides students with the jazz chant and after reading it, students have to predict where the stresses are. They also attempt to mark the primary stress with a large dot and the secondary stress with a smaller one over the word. Afterwards, students listen to the chant recording and make comparisons with their predictions.

5. Guided practice and feedback:

The teacher asks students to imagine themselves in a cafeteria crowded with noisy people. They have to call out a message across the cafeteria to a friend. Since it is very noisy, their friend will not be able to understand every single word, but it is the students’ responsibility to ensure that the main idea gets across. The objective of the activity is to promote learners` further understanding of word prominence and the fact that function words can be inferred by the interlocutor when they are not heard.

Half of the class receives utterances on paper slips (Handout 4) and then decides which word(s) will receive primary or secondary stress and which will be unstressed. In order to help students visualize the degree of stress each word will receive, they can cut up the sentences and place the words in different levels.

They sit facing each other keeping some distance and then say the utterance while fairly loud music/noise is playing in the background. The music will make the students say the prominent words louder.

After the activity, pairs get together to discuss what was heard and discuss why they were successful or unsuccessful in carrying out the task. In an open-group discussion, students share their experience, comment on each others` performance or make suggestions.

References

Frankfurt International School. A guide to learning English. The differences between English and Spanish. http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/spanish.htm

Ribeiro, Evelise. “Pronunciation intervention for visiting Spanish speaking faculty.” Master’s Thesis, Georgia State University.

Why our students need to study foreign languages

This is an assignment I had to complete for a class called "Teaching Modern Languages". I had to explain the importance for American schools to keep their foreign language programs.

Studying a foreign language can improve students’ skills in other areas such as reading and math. It can also induce greater cognitive development in creativity and problem-solving areas. In today’s competitive world, all of these are abilities necessary to succeed in any field that students wish to pursue in the future. Learning a foreign language can help students to better understand their native language and therefore increase their abilities in standardized tests. This represents a huge advantage when we consider the importance of tests like the SATs, GMAT, GRE, etc., in our education system.

According to Thomas L. Friedman, author of the bestseller “The world is flat”, the first, and most important ability we can develop in a globalized world is the ability to “learn how to learn”, to constantly absorb and teach ourselves new ways of doing things. I believe that learning a language does not only help us to acquire abilities to learn but it also gives us, through cultural awareness, a greater and different perspective on how to do things.

Knowledge of a foreign language will increase students’ chance to be accepted into high quality university programs. Higher education institutions look at many aspects when reviewing applications and one of them is the applicant’s interest in other cultures and languages. It is very important for students to be able to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pool of candidates and a great way to do this is by showing the ability to speak and understand another language. Even more, if they can take advantage of volunteering opportunities through their foreign language knowledge, students will be setting their applications in a privileged situation.

Imagine how many people apply to a nursing program each semester. And then imagine the percentage of those students who speak a second language and who have been involved in health care related activities by providing services to minorities. The latter students will have a greater chance of their applications being looked with a special interest.

Once they are in college, having studied a foreign language will allow students to take advantage of study abroad programs. In the areas of business, arts, and architecture for example, an internship or course overseas is highly recommended if not mandatory. If students want to study literature, theatre, or music, there is a great probability that their programs will require and advanced knowledge of a second language.

After college, students will be able to increase their career opportunities if they speak another language. It does not matter which field people end up choosing. In a globalized world, the knowledge of other languages and cultures is necessary to succeed as a professional. For students that decide to work in the business world, the knowledge of other language can lead to a promotion and transfer to a subsidiary overseas. All other skills being equal, the candidate that a company such as P&G will choose to transfer to another country will be the one with knowledge of the language and culture of that foreign market.

It does not matter if students decide not to travel to other countries. According to U.S. Census records, minorities, classified as those of any race other than non-Hispanic, single-race whites, currently constitute about a third of the U.S. population. But by 2042, they are projected to become the majority, making up more than half the population. By 2050, 54 percent of the population will be minorities. This means that students will need a second language to communicate with people in their own community. If they have a business or an idea to sell, they must be able to reach a market that represents more than half of the population. They will need to speak the language of their workers in order to train them appropriately and avoid factory accidents due to lack of proper warning signs. Evidence suggests that companies that implement good diversity management programs are more likely to attract and maintain employees as well as create a good reputation in the market.

Studying another language, will allow students to feel closer and connected to other cultures. This will create a positive emotional experience as they increase their global understanding. This increased global understanding will in turn, make it easier for these young people to adapt to the fast pace of our world. Their view of the world will be expanded and considering that in this region, people’s perspective in general is rather limited, it becomes vital for this to change. Proficiency in another language means having access to international news sources, which can lead to a more educated perspective of world issues.

Students are the citizens of tomorrow and therefore, their increased cultural awareness and sensitivity will have a positive impact on our society. We are not isolated from the rest of the world and it is imperative to train our future leaders on how to deal with cultural diversity. In a globalized world, our society cannot afford to remain ignorant of what is happening in other countries or to minorities in our own one.

To conclude, I would like to quote Columbia University’s President, Lee. C. Bollinger. His view on cultural awareness is that “connecting with people very – or even slightly – different from ourselves stimulates the imagination; and when we learn to see the world through a multiplicity of eyes, we only make ourselves more nimble in mastering - and integrating – the diverse fields of knowledge awaiting us”.

Reflexión sobre el Análisis en las clases

Ahora que estoy una vez más involucrada en la enseñanza de clases de Comunicación, me asusta ver la poca capacidad que tienen los estudiantes para analizar. Confunden el análisis con un mero resumen y no encuentran la manera de comunicar sus perspectivas y opiniones.

Estoy segura que eso es el resultado de una enseñanza escolar donde se promueve el no pensar, el seguir los lineamientos del profesor como borregos y ya. Es muy frustrante la verdad pero al mismo tiempo se convierte en un atrayente desafío como docente, conseguir que estos jóvenes aprendan a pensar por sí mismos y que logren comunicar esos pensamientos.

Pienso que una buena manera de despertarlos de ese letargo es realizar en clase ejercicios como el de "El Holocausto Nuclear" y el de "Los terroristas en la montaña". Los pueden buscar en la Web, ya he usado el de los terroristas y generó mucha controversia lo cual es justamente lo que se busca. Vamos a ver qué tal me va con el del holocausto nuclear. Les cuento y mientras tanto...

Seguiremos en la lucha...

Más sobre "Don Quijote"

- Un Hidalgo era un noble de poca importancia, no poseía nada más aparte de un título. La palabra hidalgo significa “fijo d’algo” (hijo de alguien).

- Al principio don Quijote usaba un visor de cartón, tal como usaban los actores, quizás creando para el lector un ambiente de teatro.

- Don Quijote salió en búsqueda de fama y gloria. La idea de la fama era un nuevo concepto en el Renacimiento. Hasta fines de los 1400 se pensaba que era algo blasfemo.

- Cuando don Quijote decide escoger una dama, Cervantes hace una parodia del “amor cortés”. El amor cortés se puede considerar como una versión secular de la fe religiosa.

- En el Renacimiento, la visión y perspectiva comienzan a ser importantes. Don Quijote ve cosas que nadie más ve, como por ejemplo los "gigantes" en el capítulo de los molinos de viento.

- El incidente en que don Quijote intenta rescatar a Andrés de los golpes de su amo es importante, ya que representa la opresión que sufría la clase cortesana por parte de los nobles.

- Los barberos eran personajes importantes de los pueblos de la época ya que también se desempeñaban como médicos y dentistas. El conocido símbolo que podemos ver afuera de las barberías, hace referencia a los vendajes.

- El personaje del cura se puede considerar como hipócrita ya que criticaba a don Quijote por leer libros de caballería, pero él mismo era también un seguidor del género.

- En la novela pastoril se idealiza la vida de los pastores. Hay una nostalgia por tiempos pasados, por la inocencia perdida. El objetivo es buscar la simpleza de la vida.

Miguel de Cervantes y "Don Quijote"

Voy a compartir con ustedes las notas de mi clase de Cervantes, ya que redescubrir a este genio de la literatura y su obra maestra “Don Quijote de la Mancha” ha sido un hermoso regalo y no puedo hacer otra cosa que escribir en mi blog parte de la información y datos fascinantes que aprendí a lo largo del curso.

Las notas estarán divididas en algunos posts y las escribiré a manera de listado. Comenzamos:

- Con su obra, Cervantes satirizó y creó una parodia de las novelas de caballerías. Estas novelas servían de entretenimiento para los nobles. Eran escritos en series y consistían de varios volúmenes. Las historias eran principalmente sobre caballeros andantes que tenían poderes casi mágicos.

- Parodia es la imitación cómica e irónica del estilo de la obra original.

- Los supuestos “errores”, los cuales son comunes a lo largo de la obra, forman parte de la burla de Cervantes. Es una manera de jugar con los lectores.

- “Don Quijote” fue escrito entre el final del renacimiento y el inicio del barroco español. Los autores barrocos enfatizan la ilusión en el mundo y ven la vida de todos los días como un engaño. Las obras son un reflejo de la realidad divina.

- Cervantes experimentó con la técnica del perspectivismo. Un ejemplo de esta técnica se puede encontrar en las obras de Leonardo da Vinci (dimensiones, geometría). Como contraste, tenemos que las pinturas medievales, eran unidimensionales. La perspectiva de don Quijote es la de un mundo de aventuras y de la lucha entre el bien y el mal.

- El prologo está escrito por un Cervantes ficticio. En el mismo, Cervantes utiliza la técnica de “Topos de la falsa modestia”. Responsabiliza a otra persona, un amigo, de convencerlo de escribir la obra.

- En 1614, Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda publicó una segunda parte de Don Quijote. Esto molestó a Cervantes porque el libro de Avellaneda salió antes de su propia segunda parte. En realidad, en tiempos de Cervantes, era normal “tomar prestadas” las ideas de otros autores.

- Cervantes fue testigo de la decadencia de España, la cual pasó de ser un gran imperio a convertirse en un país deudor.

- Algunos filósofos creían que el arte imita la vida, pero en la obra de Cervantes, don Quijote imita el arte ya que decide imitar a los protagonistas de los libros de caballerías.

Continuará…

Conociendo a los personajes de "Don Quijote de la Mancha"

A propósito de que ayer se celebró el Día Cervantino de la Literatura Infantil y Juvenil, a continuación podrán encontrar una descripción de algunos de los personajes más importantes que acompañan en sus aventuras a don Quijote y Sancho en la obra de Cervantes, "Don Quijote de la Mancha".

- El cura: Es el cura del pueblo de donde proviene don Quijote. Es amigo de la familia Quijano y fue quien decidió quemar los libros de caballerías, con los cuales está muy familiarizado, de la biblioteca de Don Quijote para evitar que aumente su locura. Es también a quien se le ocurre inventarse una doncella en apuros para sacar a Don Quijote de la Sierra Morena donde estaba haciendo penitencia. Luego ayuda a resolver muchos de los conflictos que tienen lugar en la venta. Este personaje también representa la profesión de las letras.

- El barbero: Es el barbero del pueblo de don Quijote. Es la mano derecha del cura y colabora con la quema de libros. Es él quien se disfraza de escudero de la reina Micomicona para convencer a Don Quijote de dejar su penitencia en la sierra.

- Ginés de Pasamonte: Es uno de los galeotes-esclavos a los que don Quijote ayudó a liberar. Está escribiendo su propia historia titulada “La vida de Ginés de Pasamonte”. Se niega a ir a agradecerle a Dulcinea el favor otorgado y hace que todos los galeotes liberados apedreen a don Quijote. Más tarde roba el asno de Sancho Panza. Luego lo encuentran en el camino y Sancho recupera su animal.

- Cardenio: Es un hombre perturbado al cual don Quijote y Sancho conocen en la Sierra Morena. Escapa hacia ahí debido a su pena de amor por Luscinda. Piensa que ella lo traicionó con don Fernando. Mientras está en la sierra, tiene episodios de locura durante los cuales ataca a los pastores de la zona y en una ocasión a don Quijote. Representa el concepto de hombre salvaje por el cual había cierta fascinación en la época. Más adelante se reencuentra en la venta con Luscinda y don Fernando y su conflicto amoroso se resuelve.

- El yelmo de Mambrino: Era un casco de caballería medieval que llevaba don Reinaldo de Montalbán en “Orlando Furioso”, un poema épico caballeresco. Don Quijote cree que la bacía de un barbero con quien se encuentra por el camino es el yelmo de Mambrino. Ataca al barbero, el cual huye dejando todas sus cosas. Don Quijote se lleva la bacía diciendo que en algún momento “arreglará” el yelmo. Sancho trata de hacerle ver a su amo que se trata solamente de una bacía y don Quijote le dice que para cada persona puede parecer una cosa distinta. Más adelante el barbero aparece en la venta y reclama su bacía, iniciando un conflicto más entre los muchos que se estaban llevando a cabo en aquel lugar.

- Marcela: Es una hermosa muchacha de clase alta quien decide no casarse y se viste con ropas de pastora para vivir entre la gente corriente. Grisóstomo, un estudiante de familia noble muere de amor por Marcela. Don Quijote y Sancho se encuentran con un grupo de cabreros, quienes comparten su comida con ellos y les cuentan la historia de Marcela y Grisóstomo. Don Quijote decide ir al entierro de Grisóstomo donde conoce a Marcela, quien aclara que no es responsable por la muerte del enamorado estudiante.

- La reina Micomicona: Es en realidad Dorotea, con la cual se encuentran el cura, el barbero, y Cardenio en la sierra. La bella joven cuenta como don Fernando la sedujo y luego la dejó para casarse con Luscinda. Dorotea se ofrece a desempeñar el papel de una dama en apuros para sacar a don Quijote de la sierra. El cura presenta Dorotea a Sancho como la princesa Minicomia. Más adelante cuando se encuentran en la venta Dorotea, Cardenio, Fernando y Luscinda es Dorotea quien convence a don Fernando de que permita a Cardenio y Luscinda estar juntos.

- Amadís de Gaula: Es el nombre del héroe de un libro de caballerías sobre el cual don Quijote hace la mayor cantidad de referencias durante la obra. Aunque se escribió en el siglo XIV, fue muy popular durante el siglo XVI, y por eso Cervantes lo usó en su obra de Don Quijote, la cual es una parodia de los libros de caballerías.

- Rocinante: Es el caballo de don Quijote, al cual este le puso nombre porque así lo dictaban los libros de caballería. El nombre proviene de la idea de don Quijote de que su caballo era “antes y primero de todos los rocines del mundo” (p. 25).

- Anselmo: Es uno de los personajes de una novela llamada “Novela del Curioso Impertinente” que encuentran en la venta y es leída por el cura a petición de todos. Es un juego de Cervantes sobre la novela italiana, ya que esta tenía un comienzo triste o conflictivo y luego el final era feliz. La historia del Curioso Impertinente es lo contrario ya que tiene un comienzo feliz y termina en tragedia. Anselmo es un hombre que está felizmente casado y decide poner a prueba la fidelidad de su esposa con la ayuda de su mejor amigo. Al final el amigo y la esposa lo traicionan y Anselmo muere de tristeza.

- Roque Guinart: Es el líder del grupo de bandoleros con quien se encuentran don Quijote y Sancho Panza al llegar a Barcelona. Es un ladrón “justo” ya que roba solo lo que es necesario para mantener a sus hombres, como lo demuestra con los capitanes, la regenta, y los peregrinos.

- El Duque, La Duquesa: Don Quijote y Sancho Panza se encuentran con los duques después del episodio del bote. Los duques han leído la primera parte de la historia de Don Quijote y se alegran mucho de conocer a los protagonistas de la misma por lo cual los invitan a quedarse en su castillo. Por medio de sus burlas y bromas, hacen sentir a don Quijote como un verdadero caballero andante. Al final, los duques demuestran ser personas egoístas que únicamente utilizan a otros para entretenerse.

- La ínsula Barataria: Desde el inicio de la novela, don Quijote le promete a Sancho el gobierno de una ínsula a cambio de sus servicios. Sancho siempre se queja porque ve que pasa el tiempo y no recibe lo ofrecido. El duque le otorga el gobierno de una ínsula extra que él dice que tiene. Llega Sancho a la “ínsula”, la cual es en realidad una villa cercada y la gente del pueblo le informa que se llama Barataria.

- Avellaneda: Alonso Fernández de Avellaneda publicó en 1614 una segunda parte de Don Quijote. Esto molestó a Cervantes porque el libro de Avellaneda salió antes de su propia segunda parte. En la segunda parte de Cervantes se pueden leer algunos pasajes donde el autor pretende dejar claro que su versión es la verdadera y única historia de Don Quijote y que por lo tanto la de Avellaneda es una farsa.

- Sansón Carrasco: Es un joven bachiller del mismo pueblo de don Quijote quien le informa a éste de la existencia de la primera parte de su historia. Más adelante, se pone de acuerdo con el cura y el barbero y se disfraza del Caballero de los Espejos para combatir con don Quijote y obligarlo a que regrese al pueblo. Sin embargo, es don Quijote quien vence la pelea y Sansón decide vengarse, lográndolo casi al final de la historia cuando, bajo la figura del Caballero de la Blanca Luna, vence a nuestro héroe. Debido a esto don Quijote regresa finalmente a su casa donde enferma y muere.

- Sanchica Panza: Es la hija de Sancho Panza a quien éste pretende arreglarle un buen matrimonio cuando se cree gobernador de la ínsula Barataria. La mujer de Sancho, Teresa, es más prudente y le dice que no quiere que el dinero y el poder se le suban a la cabeza de su hija.

- Barcelona, Zaragoza: Zaragoza es donde originalmente se dirigían don Quijote y Sancho para participar en las justas. Pero debido a que en la novela de Avellaneda los personajes van a esta ciudad, don Quijote decide cambiar su rumbo y dirigirse a Barcelona. De esta manera la historia de Avellaneda queda como falsa ya que el verdadero don Quijote nunca llega a ir a Zaragoza.

- El curioso impertinente: Es una de las historias intertextuales que se cuentan en Don Quijote. Es una novela que aparece en la venta y es leída por el cura a petición de todos. Es un juego de Cervantes sobre la novela italiana, ya que ésta tiene un comienzo triste o conflictivo y el final es feliz. La historia de El curioso impertinente es lo contrario ya que tiene un comienzo feliz y termina en tragedia. El protagonista de esta historia es Anselmo, un hombre que está felizmente casado y decide poner a prueba la fidelidad de su esposa con la ayuda de su mejor amigo. Al final el amigo y la esposa lo traicionan y Anselmo muere de tristeza.

- Zoraida (María): Es una mujer mora convertida al cristianismo quien llega a la venta en compañía de un cautivo. El cautivo cuenta a las personas de la venta las aventuras que pasaron para que Zoraida pudiera escapar y así lograr su objetivo de comenzar una vida cristiana en España bajo el nombre de María.

- Maese Pedro: Es un titerero que llega a una venta donde se están quedando don Quijote y Sancho. Tiene un mono “adivino” al cual Sancho y don Quijote le hacen preguntas. Maese Pedro presenta con su obra de títeres la historia de Melisendra y Gaiferos pero no la puede terminar porque don Quijote se la toma en serio y en su afán por ayudar a la pareja, destroza con su espada a los títeres. Don Quijote paga por los daños y luego nos enteramos que Maese Pedro es en realidad Ginés de Pasamonte, uno de los galeotes-esclavos a los que don Quijote ayudó a liberar.

- Altisidora: Es una doncella de la duquesa quien finge estar enamorada de don Quijote como parte de una de las tantas bromas que le gastaron durante su alojamiento en el castillo de los duques. Todo comienza con un romance que la doncella le dedica a don Quijote una noche. Éste la rechaza porque dice que su corazón pertenece a Dulcinea. Luego él le dedica también un romance para explicarle que no podía corresponder sus sentimientos y le echan unos gatos que acaban lastimándolo. En el último encuentro de don Quijote con Altisidora, ésta finge haber muerto por su rechazo. Este evento constituye la última burla de los duques.

- El Caballero de la Triste Figura: Es el sobrenombre o nombre apelativo que don Quijote decide utilizar en el capítulo XIX luego de que a Sancho le da por llamarlo así. Esto sucede cuando Sancho hace la presentación de su amo al bachiller Alonso López: “… diráles vuestra merced que es el famoso don Quijote de la Mancha, que por otro nombre se llama el Caballero de la Triste Figura” (137).

- La cabeza encantada: Es un artefacto utilizado por don Antonio Moreno para su propio entretenimiento por medio del engaño a sus invitados. La supuesta cabeza encantada puede responder a cualquier pregunta que le hacen. En realidad la cabeza es una imitación de otra que don Antonio vio en Madrid. La cabeza está conectada por medio de un tubo a un aposento desde donde un sobrino de don Antonio es el que contesta las preguntas.