How to get rid of the buzzing sound in your microphone

It’s very important for tutors and students alike to have clear audio when having online lessons. Noisy or choppy audio can impede the learning process and leave one feeling frustrated. Sometimes not much can be done about it, as in the case of neighbors who are renovating their houses or if the problem is with the Internet service provider. Other times, however, the solution can be quite simple. If you constantly hear an annoying buzzing noise when using your USB headset/microphone, it could be because your electrical wires aren’t properly grounded. Try unplugging your laptop from the power outlet.  Listen:

How to Identify the Passive Voice… with Zombies!

Sometimes, the passive voice is not so easy to identify especially if the doer of the action is not mentioned. Luckily for us, Rebecca Johnson, a professor from the US, came up with a fun and simple way to do so:

I finally learned how to teach my guys to ID the passive voice. If you can insert “by zombies” after the verb, you have passive voice.

— Rebecca Johnson (@johnsonr) October 18, 2012

Let’s give it a try:

• Mistakes were made (by zombies). Tears were shed (by zombies). — passive voice
• The new policy was approved (by zombies). — passive voice
• We are often told (by zombies) to use the active voice instead of the passive voice. — passive voice
• Language schools are sprouting (by zombies) all over the city. — not passive voice

It works! =D

“Grrr…. Arrrghh…” Who knew zombies could help us with grammar?

What Asia Can Learn From the Philippines About English Education

Here is an insightful article by Amy Chavez, a columnist for The Japan Times, on what Asia can learn from the Philippines about English education. And I quote:

“Language success in the Philippines is due to its approach to learning English, not just teaching it. Not only is English taught in schools, but the population is given another key tool necessary for language acquisition: exposure outside the classroom.

“… One cannot overemphasize the role of exposure in learning a second language. Not only does it allow people to experience the language firsthand, in real situations, but exposure provides reinforcement, something Asian students rarely get outside the classroom..”

Read the full article here.

A special message

This is for those who put up with my slow and error-filled typing and sometimes erratic internet connection.

This is for those who patiently listen to my explanations even when I seem to be just talking aimlessly.

This is for those who have enough faith in my English-teaching skills to keep booking my lessons.

This is for those who generously impart their knowledge to me, whether it be a recipe, parenting advice, their culture and traditions, or their field of expertise. (Sometimes I feel like I should be paying THEM for all that they’re teaching me.)

This is for those who engage me in spirited, thought-provoking discussions and always keep me on my toes.

This is for those who make me laugh with their unique wit and crazy antics.

This is for those who send me messages to check up on me whenever they hear that a typhoon or an earthquake had just hit my country.

This is for those who have shared with me their triumphs and failures, their dreams and fears, their silliness and their heartaches.

This is for those who have made learning English with me a part of their daily routine and have made me a part of their lives.

To all of you, I wish to say THANK YOU!

Despite the ups and downs and the many changes in the past year, teaching at Rarejob has been an invaluable experience because of you, my dear students. I’ve learned so much and grown so much, both as a teacher and a person, from knowing all of you.

As we begin another year of English study, let me express my profound gratitude together with the assurance that I will continue to guide you in your studies to the best of my abilities. It’s the least I can do.

Arigato gozaimasu! :)

The Great Language Game

Here’s a fun language game I stumbled upon recently. Players have to listen to an audio sample and identify the language being spoken. I got a score of 550 on my first try, mostly out of sheer luck.

How many languages can you distinguish between?

Play the game here: http://greatlanguagegame.com/

Articles: When to Use “The” with Places

Do NOT use “the” before:

– names of cities, towns and states
ex. Tokyo, Seoul, California

– names of streets
ex. Everlasting Street, Shaw Boulevard, Taft Avenue

– names of most countries:
ex. France, Japan, Bolivia

(However, use “the” if the country is a group of territories or islands
ex. the Philippines, the Maldives, the Canary Islands, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic

Also use “the” if the name of the country contains the word “of.”
ex. the United States of America, the Republic of China, the Kingdom of Lesotho)

– names of continents
ex. Asia, Africa, Europe

– names of mountains
ex. Mount Fuji, Mount Everest

(However, use “the” with ranges of mountains
ex. the Andes, the Himalayas)

– names of lakes and bays
ex. Lake Victoria, Lake Superior

Use “the” before:

– names or rivers, oceans and seas
ex. the Amazon, the Thames, the Red Sea, the Pacific Ocean

– deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas
ex. the Sahara, the Gulf of Mexico, the Sherwoord Forest, the Iberian Peninsula

– geographical regions
ex. the Western Hemisphere, the Arctic, the Middle East, the North Pole

The Advantage of English in the Workplace

(This was an article I wrote for a job application. Several rounds of screening later, I got the job. Yay! =D)

When the co-founder and CEO of Rakuten Inc., a Japanese e-commerce and internet company, announced in 2010 that he would enforce an English-only policy for company communications, eyebrows were raised at this seemingly draconian measure. Mr. Hiroshi Mikatani, a Harvard Business School graduate and fluent English speaker, said that this policy was imperative if they wanted to become a truly global company. Three years later, the company’s internal meetings, training sessions, paperwork and even the cafeteria menu are all in English.

While few Japanese companies have taken such a bold measure as Rakuten (one of them being clothing retailer giant UNIQLO), many others are recognizing the increasing importance of English in the workplace.

Softbank, one of Japan’s largest mobile phone companies, has introduced an incentive scheme that will award ¥1 million to its employees who score 900 out of the perfect 990 points on the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). Automakers Nissin and Toyota plan to make greater use of the language in their corporate dealings.

These companies know that English remains to be the primary language of business and is an indispensable tool in increasing competitiveness in the global market. It allows businesses to explore new markets and acquire a better understanding of overseas competition. Furthermore, with a work environment that is welcoming to foreigners, companies are able to attract global talent.

The advantages for individuals are also numerous. As employees become more fluent in the language, they develop confidence and feel more secure at a time when jobs come and go. Being proficient in English could open doors for them; they can take on more and more roles that require English communication. Career advancement and a fatter paycheck are among the likely benefits.

Shifting to English as the corporate language is not only limited to Japan, with companies like Airbus, Daimler-Chrysler, Nokia and Samsung now using English as well. Indeed, English communication is of paramount importance in today’s globalized workplace.

References:

Wakabayashi, Daisuke. “Rakuten’s English Policy: Just Speak It.” The Wall Street Journal. 29 June 2012. < http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/06/29/rakutens-english-policy-just-speak-it/ >.

Ryall, Julian. “Japan firms see importance of speaking in tongues.” Deutsche Welle. 22 January 2013. < http://www.dw.de/japan-firms-see-importance-of-speaking-in-tongues/a-16540494 >.

Hoare, Rose. “Workers told, ditch local languages for English.” CNN. 18 May 2012. <http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/18/business/english-language-business >.

 

Of Anniversaries and Redundancies

(Hover your mouse over the underlined words to see the definition.)

My partner Paolo and I celebrated our anniversary several weeks ago. Since we had agreed to cut back on expenses, I resisted the urge to get him something fancy and instead made this portrait to give to him as an anniversary gift. (Our daughter and I are hidden somewhere in the picture. =D)

This event reminded me of a particular phrase construction that is often overlooked even by fluent speakers of English. While not strictly an error, it is often considered clutter. Consider the greetings “Happy 2nd-year anniversary!” or “Congratulations on your 10th-year anniversary!” While it is, of course, the thought that counts, it wouldn’t hurt to be more cogent in our speech or writing.

Did you spot the clutter?

Redundancies

Redundancy is defined by Dictionary.com as using more information than is necessary for one to be able to understand the idea. The term tends to have a negative connotation because it uses multiple words where one is enough, making speech superfluous.

Here are a few redundant phrases to avoid:

frozen ice
descend down
join together
repeat again
past history
unconfirmed rumor
over-exaggerate
anonymous stranger

(For an extensive list of redundancies, click here.)

Similarly, “2nd-year anniversary” is redundant because “anniversary” comes from the word annum which means year.  Saying 2nd-year anniversary is therefore like saying 2nd-year year. To simply say “2nd anniversary” is enough.

Redundant Acronym Syndrome

A person is said to be suffering from Redundant Acronym Syndrome or RAS syndrome if he or she uses a word that makes up the acronym together with the acronym itself, in effect repeating the word. Some examples are ATM machine (automated teller machine machine), LCD display (liquid crystal display display), and PIN number (personal identification number number). The acronym of this syndrome — RAS syndrome or Redundant Acronym Syndrome syndrome — is in itself a redundancy.

Are redundancies always bad?

Linguists say that some redundancies serve a purpose, which is to emphasize or clarify an idea. Consider “future plans.” The phrase might seem just like any redundancy because if you are talking about any plans you have now, they are most certainly for the future. “What are your future plans?” is undoubtedly redundant and you will be better off saying, “What are your plans?” However, you could also be talking about plans you’ve had in the past or your previous plans, in which case adding the modifier future would serve to differentiate the two: “All my plans have backfired. I’ll make sure my future plans won’t.” It is the needless repetitions that should be avoided at all costs.

As Professor William Strunk, Jr. once said, “Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should not have unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” Longer is not always better but it doesn’t mean we should make all sentences short either. The important thing is to make every word count.

Did you know…

…that “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo” is a grammatically correct English sentence? It makes use of the word “buffalo” in three different ways:

1. as a noun adjunct — the city of Buffalo, New York in the United States
2. as a noun — an animal also known as a bison
3. as a verb — meaning to bully or intimidate

By substituting the words “New York” to refer to the state of Buffalo city, “bison” for the animal buffalo, and “bully” for the verb buffalo, the meaning of the sentence becomes clear:

“New York bison whom other New York bison bully, themselves bully New York bison.”

For a more comprehensive discussion of this sentence, click here.

Back to School

Welcome back to Rarejob! Classes have officially started today, June 4, and I know students and tutors alike are all very excited. I, for one, have missed my students dearly! I’m keeping my old schedule — that is, Mondays to Thursdays and Sundays 6:00-7:30 PM and 9:00-10:30 PM. You may book my lesson slots here.

See you in class! :D