Text Analysis: Comparing Formal and Informal Dialogue

Text Analysis: Comparing Formal and Informal Dialogue A comparison between a formal text and an informal dialogue. 1.0 Introduction In the traditional way of looking at syntax, an adult, child or the learner of English as a second language ought to gain knowledge of the syntactic rules. During speaking, the speaker is always assumed to have mastered the rules of syntax which should produce coherence in communication. Syntactic rules are always present in the system that features them, as it is assumed, but this is not always the case. Usually, the patterns which are always observed in linguistic data represents what is in the minds of the people who produce such data. In as much as there are varied types of sentences, clause and phrasal types, there are usually agreed rules on how phrases, clauses and sentences should be arranged to give a particular meaning. 2.0. Theoretical Background: 2.1 Types of sentences: The sentences can be categorized with syntactic rules depending on the on the types of clauses that they possess. Greenbaum (1996) also agrees with this fact and defines a simple sentence as one with only a subject and a verb. For example. He went home last Thursday. He further describes a compound sentence as one with one or more independent clauses. For example, I have finished examinations and I know I will pass. While the other category of sentence types is the complex sentences which consist of a subordinate clause supported main by clause. For example, If the phones are cheaper in Barka, I will come to buy there. The other category is the compound-complex sentence structure which consists of two independent clauses and one main clause. For example, The lecturer believed he would pass and with higher grades after he promised to improve. 2.2 Clause Types: When a group of words have a subject followed by a predicate, it is called a clause. Adjective clause can be a sentence or constructions which look like sentences. 2.2.1. Dependent and Independent clauses A clause is commonly defined as a set of words which contain a subject and a verb. According to Carnie (2000), there are two types of clauses thus, independent clause and the second is a dependent clause. Whereas an independent clause cannot stand on its own in a sentence, always beginning with a capital letter and ending up with a punctuation, a dependent clause cannot stand alone in a sentence and must always be attached to an independent clause to obtain coherent sentences. He further adds that a clause may at time be a complete sentence as in the case of independent clause or a construction that looks like a sentence in the case of dependent clause. A dependent clause is used as an adjective in a sentence. This is referred to as a relative clause or an adjectival clause. They have a characteristic of beginning with a pronoun (that, which, whose, whom). For example; [I went to school with that Member of Parliament] [whose constituency borders ours.] The sentence above has two clauses. The one in the first bracket is independent while the second bracket is dependent. As we can see, the first makes complete meaning on its own while the second cannot stand alone. Again the adverbial or the subordinate clauses usually begin with a subordinating conjunction such as when, although and includes a subject or a predicate. 2.2.2. Relative Clauses and Nominal Relative Clauses: When a relative clause has an antecedent within itself, it is referred to as a nominal relative clause while the relative clause is one which contains any of the relative pronouns (who which, that) to introduce a noun phrase or a noun. 2.3 Phrase Types: A phrase, according to Driscoll et al (2010), is defined as a set of related words which occur within a sentence or a clause. A phrase is a part of speech which has a headword which defines the nature of the unit within a sentence. 2.3.1 Noun Phrases There is usually a thin line differentiating noun phrases and adjectival phrases in a sentence. Noun phases always consist of a head noun as well as the adjective or more adjectives which describe it. Look at the sentences below: â€Å"She’s an extra ordinary looking woman, and yet I cannot name anything out of the way.† 2.3.2 Adjectival and Prepositional Phrases. According to Kohl (2008), the following are the types of phrases; adjectival phrases which modify the nouns. For example; John lost his red brown shoes. The other types of phrases are prepositional phrases which work as post modifiers in a sentence. The pre-modifier in a sentence must always be an adverbial phrase while a post modifier can either be a prepositional phrase or a clause. For example; â€Å"Ahmed thought that the pizza smelled awfully funny.† 2.4. Complementizers: The definition of complementizers according to Nelson (2002) is a complement clause which functions so as to complement adjectives, adverbs, verbs and even nouns. Complementizers can take the form of â€Å"who, why, or that† clauses. At times they take to-infinite clauses. For example, â€Å"I don’t understand why he’s carrying an arrow†. Here, the complement clause has completed in the sentence, the subordinate clause. The word why acts as a complementizer. 2.5. Conjunctions: These are those parts of speech which act so as to connect the words, clauses, phrases, and sentences to give it a meaning. The most commonly utilized conjunctions are; for, but, and, yet, nor, and so. They do the work of joining the elements to form a coordinate structure. If a sentence uses a coordinate conjunction, it is referred to as a polysyndeton sentence while the one without conjunction is called an asyndeton sentence. According to Yagoda (2007), there are contrasting characteristics between the coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. These are; the coordinating conjunctions connect phrases, words and clauses of equal rank while the subordinating ones join words of unequal ranks. Example; â€Å"There was a period in history where money and happiness were not synonymous, but now they seem to be synonymous.† In this sentence, though debatable, the conjunction and compares equality between money and happiness while the conjunction but unequalizes the two separate clauses (dependent and independent). 2.6. Adverbials: The adverbials in a sentence play the roles in three categories; 1) adjuncts, 2) conjuncts and 3) disjuncts. Simmons (1997) describes that the adjuncts are found within a clausal formation while the disjuncts as well as the conjuncts are found at the end. Adjuncts do not always form a vital part of a sentence. For instance, â€Å"He will also pass by the hardware†. In addition he adds that a disjunct similarly does not form the essential sentence part. For instance, â€Å"In fact, his main aim was to steal from you†. There are also types of sentences which present adverbials that include conjunctions like however, as a result, therefore, and thus just to mention a few. They also present some arguments which may not be part of sentences but they reveal the past part of a sentence so as to contrast it. Example, â€Å"The floods caused destruction as a result of long rains†. 3.0. Analysis: In this section the principal sentence types and clauses types are going to be discussed and differences shown. Also, the analysis of representative phrases and their categories are going to be considered and all the lexical and syntactic structures that are similar or difference in the two texts about: The apology to the Australian aborigines and The informal dialogue between the Chinese and an Australian. 3.1 Types of sentences A sentence, according to Klammer et al (2004), is a group of words consisting of a subject and a verb. More elements can be added to the sentential verb and subject to improve the meaning. 3.1.1 Simple Sentences: As observed in the theoretical background, a simple sentence consists of a subject and a verb. In the first text, it is observed that there are few instance of simple sentences. The simple sentences like these exist; Text 1 â€Å"We reflect on their past mistreatment† (line 7). Text 2 He sent somebody (line 35). These sentences are independent and they also contain subject and verb, qualifying them to be simple sentences. 3.1.2. Compound Sentences: Text 1 A compound sentence, â€Å"Saying ‘sorry’ was the new order of parliamentary business for the Labor Government led by Kevin Rudd†. This is a compound sentence comprising an independent clause as well as dependent clause separated by a conjunct â€Å"for†. Text 2 In the second text, there are a few compound sentences like; â€Å"Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor to control the whole of China†. Again, the conjunct â€Å"to† has been used to separate the independent as well as the dependent clauses. 3.1.3. Complex Sentences: Text 1 The complex sentence is the one that begins the text on the line 1, thus; [Eleven years after the Australian Human Rights Commission recommended a formal apology to Australian Aborigines], [Prime Minister Rudd has said sorry]. This is because it has an independent and one dependent clause since the first bracket shows a dependent clause while the second, an independent clause forming a meaning even without the independent part. Text 2 In text 2, there exists a complex sentence like the one shown in the example below. [If you drink the elixir of immortality], [you can live forever]. This is a complex sentence separated by comma but begins with a disjunct â€Å"if†. Again, the first bracket is a depedent clause while the second, is an independent one. 3.1.4. Compound-Complex Sentences: The type of sentences which according to Carnie (2001), have two main clauses and at least one subordinate clause. They shares the characteristics of compound and complex sentences. Text 1 On line 20, we meet a compound-complex sentence, [A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous], to [close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational] and [economic achievements and economic opportunity]. It has one independent clause and two dependent clauses, making it a compound-complex sentence. The first bracket is an independent clause, second is dependent while the third is also a dependent one. Text 2 There is no clear indication of the existence of a compound-complex sentence here. 3.2 Clause Types: 3.2.1. Main Clauses and Subordinate Clauses Text 1 Looking at line 4, there exists a main clause at the beginning saying, â€Å"The prime minister John Howard refused to apologise† while the second sentence starts with â€Å"saying today’s Australians should not say sorry for the policies of the past†. Text 2 In this text, the independent clause is evident in line 13, â€Å"We call him the emperor of China†. And in line 6, â€Å"When we had the first emperor of china†, doesn’t have complete meaning and needs an independent clause to support it. 3.2.3 Relative clause. Relative clauses, also known as postmodifiers, modifies the noun phrase or noun which precedes them. Traditionally, the relative clauses are categorised into nominal and non-nominal relative clauses. Text 1 In line 20, the following sentence is observed, â€Å"A future where we embrace the possibility of the new solutions to the enduring problems where old approaches have failed†. In this sentence, the realative adverb, â€Å"where† has been used to play the role and turn the clause into a relative noun clause. Text 2 In line 20, the same relative adverb when has been used to relativize a clause â€Å"†¦ when he occupied all the lands, we said he wanted to live forever†. 3.3. Phrase Types: 3.3.1 Noun Phrases: Noun phrase, according to Leech et al (2001), is defined as a word group consisting of a noun or pronoun as its head. It can be a simple one with a single noun. The noun may also in most cases be accompanied by determiners like (a, the, he or her) and complements. Such types of sentences derived from the texts are shown below: Text 1 The parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology †¦.. this in bold shows the noun phrase. Text 2 In the second text, â€Å" Mh-m. China was very small. Shows another noun phrase beginning with China as a noun. Verb Phrases: Text 1 In the first text, a verb phrase is witnessed in line 21, â€Å"†¦ for the breaking up of families†, this verb phrase depicts whet the noun (Government) did to the Aborigines. Text 2 â€Å"The yellow emperor is the†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this verb phrase yellow describes the emperor as the first emperor of the whole of China. 3.3.2 Adjective Phrases: An adjective phrase is defined by Zuckermann (1997) as a word group that contains an adjective as the head. It is usually accompanied by modifiers or qualifiers. Adjective phrases are modifiers of nouns. Text 1 â€Å"And for the dignity and degradation of the afflicted people †¦.† The afflicted people is an adjectival phrase portraying the type of people being addressed. Text 2 There exists an adjective clause, â€Å"the first emperor of China†. This adjectival phrase precisely describes the real noun being talked about to distinguish him from other emperors. 3.3.2 Prepositional phrases. Text 1 â€Å"The children were placed in orphanages and church homes in the white community† The prepositional phrases cited in line 3 have been placed in bold. Text 2 â€Å"Similar Chinese characters in Japanese language†. The bold part shows the prepositional phrase. 3.3.3 Complementers and relativisers. Text 1 Like any other organised text syntactically, the text one has various situations of complementers. For example, .. â€Å"resolving that this new page in history of our great continent can now be written†. That in this sentence is a relativizer. Text 2 In text 2 the complementizer has been use and it is, â€Å"which†. For example â€Å"The words which like yao†. Has been joined using a complementiser, â€Å"which†. 3.4 Coordination Conjunctions 3.4.1 Co-ordinating Conjunctions: Text 1 There are many sentences, clauses and phrases in the first text where the coordinating conjuctions exist. For instance. â€Å". educational achievements and economic opportunity†. The conjunct and joins the two phrases to give the whole sentence a meaning. It shows that one thing has happened and another will follow. Text II There are a few instances of the coordinating conjunctions in the second text, For example, â€Å"words with the same pronunciation† here the conjunct with joins two words with similar strengths and this is another example of a coordinating conjunction. 3.4.2 Subordinating Conjunctions: Text 1 In the first text, the line number 2 provides us with a good example of subordinating conjunction. It exists between a main clause and a subordinate clause. For example, â€Å" the human rights commission estimated that from 1901 until 1970 more than †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Text 2 In the second text, we observe a subordinating conjunct because when it separates the â€Å"Did not come back because if he could †¦.† This also separates the main clause and the subordinate clause. 4.0 Conclusions Since the two texts represent different situations, one being formal and the other, informal, it becomes hard to come up with a good summary of comparisons because they represent different genres. It is evident that the first text is syntactically organized in its sentential, clausal and phrasal levels while the second is a dialogue prone to interjections so that the sentences are not formally structured. All the same, text 1 has good organization, less simple sentences but more compound, complex and compound-complex than the text 2. References Carnie, A., (2001) Syntax. Oxford: Blackwell Pubishers. Driscoll, D. Brizee, A., (2010) Purdue OWL Engagement: Sentence and Clause Arrangement for Emphasis. [Online] Available at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/609/04/ [Accessed 29 April 2015]. Greenbaum, S. Nelson, G., (2002) An Introduction to English Grammar. 2nd ed. Edinburgh : Pearson Education Limited . Hana, J., (2011) Introduction to Linguistics Syntax. Oxford: s.n. Klammer, P., Schulz, M., Volpe, D., (2004) Analyzing English Grammar. 4th ed. Longman. Kohl, J. R., (2008) the Global English style Guide: Write Clear, Translatable Document for a Global Market. SAS. Leech, G., Cruickshank B., Ivan R.,(2001) An A-Z of English Grammar Usage. 2nd ed. Edinburg: Pearson. Simmons, R., (1997-2015) Grammar Bytes. [Online] Yagoda, B., (2006) Parts of Speech, N.Y. TiMESJuly 9, ,  § E (Magazine). Zuckermann, G., (2006) Complement Clause Types in Israeli. In: W. Dixon A. Aikhenvald, eds. Complementations: A Cross-Linguistic Typology. s.l.:s.n., pp. 78-81. Hamlet | Character Analysis Hamlet | Character Analysis In the play, Hamlet: Prince of Denmark by Shakespeare, Hamlets soliloquies reveals much about his character. From to the beginning to the end of the play, Hamlets soliloquies reveal that he is virtuous and he is a man with courage, but is quite indecisive. In the beginning Hamlet expresses that he is reluctance and indecisive. Towards the end of the play, Hamlet still shows a constant sign of being reluctance. However, there are other traits that shine through from his soliloquies. Towards the end, Hamlet shows that his is an honorable man, but at the same time he is not a genuine man. These characteristics are explored through Hamlets various ways of insulting himself for not acting on his beliefs. Hamlet needs constant reassurance from others that he is choosing the right path and proceedings with the correct actions. Hamlets first appearance in the play and his early soliloquies show signs of a human without any emotional or feelings. Once Hamlet is notified about the new King of Denmark; Hamlet expresses to his uncle, how weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie ont! ah fie! tis an unweeded garden (1.2.135-137). Hamlet explains that the world seems to him to be quite meaningless, now that his mother is married to his uncle. However, soon after, in the same soliloquies; Hamlet speaks insensitively of his mother. He expresses extreme sorrow towards his mothers choice to marry his uncle. Hamlet expressed his true feelings regarding his mothers poor choice, married with my uncle, my fathers brother, but no more like my father than I to Herculesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (1.2.153-154). He claims that his mother disgraces his fathers name. He is quite depressed over the loss of his father and his mothers quick marriage to his uncle. Hamlet believes that no one will ever be as great as his father. He contrasts his father to his uncle, saying that Claudius and King Hamlet have nothing in common; similar to himself and Hercules. In away, Hamlet is insulting himself; showing a sign of insecurity. The fact that Hamlet is contrasting himself to Hercules, who display a symbol of intellectual and physical strength; he implies that he lacks self worth and self esteem. Hamlet also shows a sign of a man with honor. He shows a sign of virtuous as he expresses his feelings regarding Gertrudes marriage, O, most wicked speed, to post, with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good, but break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue (1.2.158-161). Hamlet must restrain from revealing his true feelings because he is afraid to hurt his bother. However, this decision shows that Hamlet is reluctance fix what he believes is wrong. Hamlet believes that he should not say or do anything about his mothers relationship with his Uncle. He cannot expre ss his true feelings. Even though, he sees this as a betrayal to his father. Hamlet appears to be indecisive because he will not act as he wishes, despite what he believes. After speaking to his fathers ghosts, Hamlet discovered new and profound dedication, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ my sinews, grow not instant old, but bear me stiffly up. Remember thee! Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat. In this distracted globe. Remember thee! Yea, from the table of my memory Ill wipe away all trivial fond records (1.5.94-99). In this soliloquy, Hamlet is exhibiting courage by agreeing to follow the ghosts order. Hamlet is telling himself to hold to his fathers ghosts commandment and to drop all other distractions from his mind. As the play begins to reach its raising action, Hamlet contemplates the purpose of life, to be, or not to be: that is the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer. The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (3.1.64-67). Hamlet is still showing qualities of an indecisive human being. He cannot decide whether it is better to live with suffering or to die and not know what is going to happen. This soliloquy also shows a positive side of Hamlets characteristics. Hamlet expresses, that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn. No traveler returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have, than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all. And thus the native hue of resolutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (3.1.88-92). This soliloquy also shows that Hamlet is a man of reason. He sees that it is better to live and suffer than to die and not know wha t is going to happen. He is not completely indecisive or reluctant about what choices to make. He is able to contemplate the questions and the issues surrounding the questions; which will lead him to successfully make a choice. As the play beings to reach its climax, Hamlet still shows signs of indecisiveness. Even though at times, he shows signs of being a man with honor and virtue; the indecisive and reluctant in him gets worst. Hamlet plans to carry out the ghosts wish. However, he acts one way, but feels differently in his heart. This reveals that Hamlet is not a genuine person, as he expresses, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦now he is a-praying, and now Ill dot. And so he goes to heaven, and so am I revenged. That would be scanned: A villain kills my father, and for that I, his sole, son, do this same villain send to heave. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge (3.3.77-84). Hamlet is not able to carry out the ghosts wish because he is indecisive. For this reason, Hamlet is disappointed and frustrated with him because he has not taken the granted opportunity to avenge his fathers death by killing Claudius. Soon, Hamlet decides to end his indecisive thoughts on the act of a murderous revenge. Hamlet declares, o, from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth (4.4.69-70). His frustration with himself and his lack of action has driven himself to realize that it is his destiny to kill Claudius. No matter what, Hamlet will carry out the ghosts wish. In this soliloquy, it can be seen that Hamlets characteristic improves upon denouement of the play.

Arts and pornography Essay

?No-one ever asks ‘When does art become realistic? ‘, or ‘When does art become abstract? ‘, or ‘When does art become literary? ‘, although questions like these make as much sense because art can be all or any of these things. This is because we can usually distinguish an abstract work from a realistic or literary one, whereas what pornography is, is unclear in the minds of most people. Pornography derives from two Greek words: porne, which means harlot, and graphos, which refers to writing; however, we use the term today to describe much more than stories about prostitutes. And when we use it, it is as more than the definition of a class of writing and visual art: it has an ethical (usually pejorative) connotation also. And, like most ethical and aesthetic terms, its use is intensely personal. Just as beautiful really means no more than ‘I like it (although I cannot clearly explain why)’, pornographic means ‘I find this offensive (although I cannot really explain why)’. There is no generally agreed meaning for either of these terms – which bedevils our discussion of both. Art exists in many different forms. Sculpture, paintings, graphics, drawings and such are part of the visual art. Dance, film, music and theater, as well as literature, are also forms of art. Throughout the years, art has, in all of its forms, interpreted, presented, or made allusion to nudity. Many famous masterpieces or important art represent nude people, and sometimes even persons making love; yet, it is recognized as beautiful art by many people. What difference is there, if any, in the interpretation and importance that we humans give to nude art and pornography? So it leads to my first knowledge issue: When does art become pornography? Here is a real life example. As we all know, our school invites some nude models for art class, they expose their nude bodies to the art students. I am not sure if it is the reason why many guys take art. Do you think it is art, nasty art, performance art or pornography? Art, nudity and pornography are different, and every individual’s sense perception of what these are will also be different. The area of knowledge of art is one of the most subjective of all the areas of knowledge, which explains why persons interpret it differently. Nudity may or may not be included in the AoK of Art, but it is a part of many art pieces. Nudity is present in many forms, for example, the famous sculpture of David by Michelangelo Buonarroti. This 5. 17 meter tall statue represents the biblical King David, nude, and it is recognized by many as a masterpiece, and some even consider it a symbol of the defense of civil rights. Vitruvian Man, by Leonardo Da Vinci, is the drawing of a nude man, legs and arms stretched. Michelangelo did not limit himself to sculpting nude man, but also painted many important figures nude on the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, such as Adam, Eve, Jesus, and others. All these art pieces, famous and important, widely recognized masterpieces include nudity. Of course, the importance and recognition of these art pieces is debatable and can be argued, but many people and important art communities consider them to be masterpieces. These art pieces illustrate both, men and women, sometimes together, other times separated, but share many things in common. All of these art pieces include nudity, and are recognized by many as important art. But then, when does art become pornography? Is it just like crossing a line, on one side its art and the closer you get to that line, it becomes less art until you cross that line and it becomes pornography? If that is the case, what if you stand on the line, would it be neither art nor pornography, or both? Every single person can interpret it as they want, but as I see it, many factors affect the decision of whether it is art or pornography. I see it as a line, on one side it is art, and on the other it is pornography, because I don’t think that an art piece can be both art and pornography at the same time for a single person. I emphasize on the fact that it is for a single person, as this is very subjective. Although this is very subjective, as mentioned before, it is also very cultural. In most of Western Europe, nudity is seen in a very different way than in the Middle East, due to cultural and historical differences. In the Middle East, for example, Muslim women must wear the burkha, while in Western Europe there are many semi-nudist or nudist beaches that anyone, regardless of age and gender, can enjoy. This, however, does not justify or imply anything else than the fact that there are higher chances for western Europeans to have higher limits and Middle Eastern people to have lower. It only means higher chances, because as mentioned before, although culture is a factor that affects where the individual puts the limit, it still is subjective, based on beliefs, ideals, past experiences, and many other factors. The Ways of Knowing apply to this judgment or decision of whether it is art or pornography in different ways for each individual. Sense perception, which includes the five senses, is the main element that allows the interpreter to perceive the art piece, whether it is through hearing, seeing, or touching. The other two senses, smelling and tasting, are not as relevant for the interpretation of the forms of art mentioned earlier. With the three senses mentioned (sight, hear and touch), a person can interpret a work of art and decide what it is, give an interpretation, a symbol, a meaning to it. Then, through emotions, the person can associate feelings and ideas to the work of art. If the person feels shocked or offended (emotions) from seeing (sense perception) a nude sculpture, he or she might decide it is pornography. Finally language is very important as it is one of the most important filters affecting the decision between art and pornography. The simple definitions of what is art and what is pornography are evidences of the implications of language. Art can be defined as â€Å"the quality, production, expression or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance† in other words, something exceptional according to a set of principles (decided by a majority of people). According to this definition, the masterpieces mentioned before are still art. Pornography is more difficult to define. The first definition (from dictionary. com) describes pornography as â€Å"obscene writings, drawings, photographs especially those having little or no artistic merit†. The definition states â€Å"obscene† materials, but obscenity is very subjective and varies from person to person, just like the limit at which art becomes pornography. The second part of the definition is very interesting, and I would agree with it: materials with â€Å"little or no artistic merit† so that would mean that is not exceptional according to the set of principles previously mentioned, which again supports the idea that it’s subjective. Another definition of pornography (from The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition) states it is â€Å"sexually explicit [material] whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal†. This definition is more ambiguous then the first mentioned. According to this definition, two factors are needed in order for something to be pornography: it needs to be sexually explicit, and it needs to primarily cause sexual arousal. The problem with this definition is that anything containing nudity is sexually explicit, so all the masterpieces mentioned above have at least the first factor needed to be considered pornography (according to this definition). The second part of the definition is very subjective, because we cannot know what the purpose of the nude sculpture, drawing or painting was unless the author tells us. To conclude, in my personal point of view, art cannot â€Å"become† pornography, it is either born as art, or born as pornography, and this depends on each individual’s interpretation of the material in question. Not only the visual arts, but other forms of arts, especially Medias, have many influences on young people. Anyone who watches television, goes to the movies, or picks up a magazine today knows sex is prominent across all media. Discussions regarding the early sexualization of children and young people are an increasingly hot topic with celebrities and politicians alike having something to say. An analysis of use of the term sexualisation published on the Global Media Insight blogspot showed that in early 2010 use of the term ‘sexualisation’ in both mainstream and social media more than doubled (fig. 1). This is not to say that the concerns behind the idea of sexualised childhood are new ones; it does however suggest that this is a concept which is increasingly in the collective public consciousness. Although the effects of sexual content have received little attention from researchers in the 1980s, there are strong theoretical reasons to believe that media may play an especially important role in the socialization of sexual knowledge, attitudes and behavior. These were well summarized by Elizabeth Roberts (1982): â€Å"(1) the adult nature of most programming children watch; (2) children’s limited access to or experience with countervailing information or ideas; (3) the ‘realism’ with which roles, relationships, and lifestyles are portrayed; and (4) the overwhelming consistency of the messages about sexuality that are communicated† (Roberts, 1982, p. 209). Each of these points is even more pertinent in 1998 than in 1982. Children watch a great deal of adult programming, and there has been a steady increase in the frequency and explicitness of sexual content on broadcast television. Young people have access to a much wider range of video content as well as to other entertainment media than they did in the early 1980s. Movies Adolescents see movies in theaters, and the same movies are soon available on pay TV channels and video tape. Many of these movies are â€Å"R-rated. † They contain more frequent and more explicit portrayals of sexual behavior than broadcast TV – an average of 17. 5 per film in one analysis (Greenberg, Siemicki, Dorfman, Heeter, Stanley, Soderman, &Linsangan, 1993). Like TV, the most frequent sexual activity shown is unmarried sexual intercourse. Sex is often in the context of profanity, alcohol and drug use, and nudity. Not only have the movies, music world confronted similar problem as well. Let’s see a real example. Modern music is becoming increasingly pornographic. It is not about being old-fashioned. It’s about keeping values that are important in the modern world. We can’t watch modern stars like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga with a two-year-old. 99 percent of the charts in R&B and 99 percent of that is soft pornography. Children and young people are being forced to grow up too young. A researcher named Larson (1995) used an experience sampling technique to analyze the relationship between emotional states and the use of television and other media. He argues that adolescents experience increased emotionality and that such emotionality may be related to increased use of music because â€Å"it both speaks to adolescents’ personal issues and helps them create a separate experiential space at home†¦ music is also important to adolescents because it helps define their public self outside the family†. Private, solitary use of both music and television use by adolescents is important in providing them an opportunity to deal with the stress and emotionality of this stage of development. Young people select media which entertain them, contribute to their identity formation, help them cope with their problems and emotional mood states, and form the basis of their selection into youth subcultures. Today’s generation of youth has easier access to sexual content. From television, movies, magazines, and advertisements (billboards, print, and electronic), to music (on radio and in music videos) and the Internet, youth who are interested in nudity, sexual role models, romance and depictions of sex and intercourse, have a range of media options readily available. Media provide perhaps the least embarrassing way to get information about sex and romance.

The Rights And Roles Of Women - 2151 Words

The rights and roles of women in Chinese society have gone through drastic changes over the past couple centuries. From the age of foot binding to communism today, women have had to adjust repeatedly to the changing values and customs of China. Women have been bound by obedience and traditions. From centuries ago, men have been considered the core of the family. Early records of women only exist to indicate the problems they created for men. Confucius greatly influenced the role of women in their family. He emphasized family virtues like filial piety. Women s roles were mostly kinship roles: wife, mother, sister, daughter, daughter-in-law, and mother-in-law. These roles established that women had to go with the wishes and needs of the closely related men. Women had to listen to their father when young, their husbands after marriage, and sons after husband s death. Chinese women have had to go through male dominance from birth and fail to receive proper treatment in both social and ph ysical aspects. However, in the rise of the new century drastic changes are seen in the treatment and roles of Chinese women. The harshness and cruelty of Chinese society on females is seen throughout China’s history up till the mid-1950s when Mao demanded equality. During the late 19th and early 20th century many girls from poor families were disposed of by their parents or guardians who either were unwilling or unable to spend their resources on a female. They were either brought as servantsShow MoreRelatedWomen s Role And The Rights Of Women2012 Words   |  9 PagesVictorian period was an era concerned with the role assigned to gender, from a social and political standpoint, particularly the role of women in society. From this controversy, the â€Å"Women Question.† The Women Question tackled concerns and open debates about gender inequality from a political, economical, social and educational standpoint about the role and nature of women. However, the shift in t he economy challenged the role that was customary for women. The beginning of the Victorian period, whichRead MoreWomen Among Roles, Power, And Rights Essay1574 Words   |  7 PagesThe Women Among Roles, Power, and Rights in Islam. Since the mention of women in an Islamic context brings the notion that women under the Islamic cover live an oppressive, unfair, and patriarchal lifestyle. Defending this situation, Amina Wadud in her book Qur an and Woman, Muslim progressives have since quite a while ago contended that it is not the religion but rather a patriarchal elucidation and usage of the Qur an that has kept women mistreated. Wadud sees that the sacred texts are not theRead MoreGender Roles And Women s Rights948 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"By balancing the scales of equality, women and men will have an equal chance to contribute both at home and the workplace, thereby enhancing their individual well-being, and that of society† (About Workplace Gender Equality). Throughout history, women continuously progressed to reach this equality. This is evident with the Women’s Right Movement which pushed to break social and economic barriers. Women went from focusing on domestic responsibilities to workin g in places normally reserved for menRead MoreThe Role Of Women During The Civil Rights Movement1711 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil Rights Movement is typically only seen in terms of race relations in the United States of America. Steve Estes’, I Am a Man deals with these relationships between white and black men while introducing these concepts in terms of gender and masculinity. But one cannot have masculinity without femininity, which will be the focus of this paper. The role of women in the Civil Rights Movement is key to understanding masculinity. Women were used by both white and black men in order to prove theirRead MoreWomen s Role During The Civil Rights Movement1272 Words   |  6 PagesWomen’s status has changed dramatically over the years in the U.S. When the nation was first established, women had no rights. They were not even considered legal citizens until 1868. Their role was being â€Å"in the home,† also known as cooking, cleaning, etc. They had absolutely no power. Women have fought for everything they have achieved in the past and continue to fight today for gender equality. The 1970s were the main part of the women’s revolution; Title IX was born. Before this was madeRead More The Role of African American Women in the Civil Rights Movement2583 Words   |  11 Pages The African American Civil Rights Movement was a series of protests in the United States South from approximately 1955 through 1968. The overall goal of the Civil Rights Movement was to achieve racial equality before the law. Protest tactics were, overall, acts of civil disobedience. Rarely were they ever intended to be violent. From sit-ins to boycotts to marches, the activists involved in the Civil Rights Movement were vigilant and dedicated to the cause without being aggressive. While African-AmericanRead More Montgomery Bus Boycotts: Role of Women in the Civil Rights Movement1118 Words   |  5 PagesMontgomery Bus Boycotts: Role of Women in the Civil Rights Movement During the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, women played an undeniably significant role in forging the path against discrimination and oppression. Rosa Parks and Jo Ann Robinson were individual women whose efforts deserve recognition for instigating and coordinating the Montgomery Bus Boycotts of 1955 that would lay precedent for years to come that all people deserved equal treatment despite the color of theirRead MoreThe Role and Rights of Women in Western Europe and Eastern Asia from 1750 to 19141525 Words   |  7 Pagesindustrialization, and European imperialism resulted in dramatic changes in the role of women in Western Europe and Eastern Asia. As industrialization spread in Western Europe, women were no longer able to fulfill their dual role as a mother and a worker. After the introduction of industrialization, laborious tasks were moved from the household to factories and women were forced to choose either the life of a mother or the life of a worker. Women who chose to leave their households were subjected to harsh conditionsRead MoreGender Roles : Women s Rights On The Ground Of Political, Social And Economic Equality1531 Words   |  7 PagesFeminism isa loaded term. Defined as the advocacy of woman’s rights on the ground of political, social and economic equality to men, feminism has become a movement for woman to have the same rights and respect as men, but just as racism is still relevant, so is the inequality of woman because of stereotypical gender roles. Woman have alway had their role in history, but those roles are often dictated by men. Historically woman have been shown doing woman s work and are defined in terms of theirRead MoreEssay on Womens Role in Society in the 1800s728 Words   |  3 Pages AP American History Women’s Role in Society During the early 1800s women were stuck in the Cult of Domesticity. Women had been issued roles as the moral keepers for societies as well as the nonworking house-wives for families. Also, women were considered unequal to their male companions legally and socially. However, women’s efforts during the 1800’s were effective in challenging traditional intellectual, social, economical, and political attitudes about a women’s place in society

Single Sex Schools Are Becoming More Common - 891 Words

Single-sex schools are becoming more common. According to some religious reasons, several countries such as Saudi Arabia only have single-sex schools. However, the effect and rationality of single-sex schools are an ongoing controversy, that are being debated around the world. In this essay, the cases for and against single-sex education will be discussed. This essay will firstly present some positive impacts of single-sex schools, including an increase in students’ academic achievement and a decrease in classroom relationship problems related to gender. It will then discuss the reasons against single-sex schools. It will focus on two aspects, including the negligible difference in learning styles between boys and girls, and the inevitable†¦show more content†¦In addition, according to Connolly, Craig, Goldberg and Pepler (2014, pp, 186-188), studying with the same gender peers can effectively reduce sexual attractions, and ensure juveniles focus on their work. Since students are more likely to have romantic relationships in coeducational schools than single-sex schools, and romantic relationships in early adolescence are crucial distractions that have many negative impacts on students’ study. Hence, single-sex education could benefit students by segregating male and female students. On the other hand, many opponents believe that the gender differences in learning styles are tiny or non-existent, and it is no need to divide students according to sexes (Hayes, Pahlke Bigler, 2011, p. 694). Foremost, Pahlke and Hyde (2016, pp. 82) emphasize that there is inadequate evidence to show any differences in academic related traits, such as hearing ability and verbal ability between boys and girls. This means that many distributions of academic behaviour and attitudes of males and females are highly overlapping. Moreover, in the majority areas of cognitive ability, the diversity within sexes is far outweighing the diversity between sexes (Sadker Silber, 2007, p. 34). Thus, boys and girls can learn in the same way, and single-sex education is needless. Another point which the opponents of single-sex schools maintain is those schoolsShow MoreRelatedEducation Of Single Sex Schools And Co Education Schools1103 Words   |  5 Pageseducation. Schools in the UK are either single-sex school or mixed-sex school. Mixed-sex education, also known as co-education is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to the 19th century and it is separating between boys and girls in schools. This essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of education in single sex schools and co-education schools. Single sex schools are common in faith schools as well asRead MoreSingle Sex Education Essay700 Words   |  3 PagesSingle-Sex education has existed since the beginning of education itself but, it has recently reemerged in the US under the pretense that it will improve school environments and help children learn better. According to psychological studies this is not the case. There is little difference between boys and girls in terms of ways they learn, and their neurodevelopment. Separating children also does not allow for socialization between different genders. This conflicts with children’s social skillsRead MoreThe Debate Over Single Sex Schools958 Words   |  4 PagesThe debate over single-sex schools Single-sex schools are becoming more common. According to some religion reasons, several countries such as Saudi Arabia only have single-sex schools. However, the effect and rationality of single-sex schools are an ongoing controversy, that being debated in a worldwide range. In this essay, the cases for and against single-sex education will be discussed. This essay will firstly present some positive impacts of single-sex schools, including an increase in students’Read MoreTeenage Pregnancy During Adolescent Years950 Words   |  4 PagesAdolescent Years Going through school can be a difficult time for children, especially during their adolescent years. The most difficult part of high school is dealing with peer pressure and the constant pressure of having sex. As children go through life and generations go in and out of the school system it is becoming more common for teens to partake in sexual activities. It is said that 47% of all high school students are sexually active and have been with more than one sexual partner. UnfortunatelyRead MoreChildren With The Parent Families1287 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Children with fathers at home tend to do better in school, are less prone to depression and are more successful in relationships. Children from one-parent families achieve less and get into trouble more than children from two parent families.†( The Consortium for the Study of School Needs of Children from One Parent Families, 1980). Children in single-parent homes are becoming more common now days; more so single mother f amilies, where there is an absent father in the child’s life. Whether theRead MoreThe Nuclear Family1156 Words   |  5 Pageslifestyle. Now there are different types of families with different types of norms and values. Families are socially, ethnically and very expressively diverse than ever before. Back in the time, the role family was totally different, the parents were more strict than today. It could be said that the nuclear family is the nucleus of a society that reproduces through this type of family. what is the meaning of the nuclear family?. Basically, the nuclear family has as main characteristic that it is a conceptRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of A Traditional Family1569 Words   |  7 Pageswoman, and one or more of their biological or adopted children. Most men and women have goals of falling in love, getting married and raising children together. The U.S Census Bureau conducted research in 2010 and discovered that there are only 20% of traditional f amilies in the US. Most families share common beliefs, rites, and religions. Generally, these families have the same typical daily schedule; the parents wake up, get the children ready for school, drop them off at school, the parents go toRead MoreEssay on Teen Pregnancy1404 Words   |  6 Pageshomes run by teenage mothers put them at serious disadvantages when compared to children raised in nuclear families. Many people believe that the implementation of sex education in schools and the addition of more federal aid for single parents are major causes for the countrys high rate of teen pregnancies. When the true purpose of sex education and federal aid is to help strengthen the mother and her child so that they can eventually lead productive lives. The absence of a father figure in theRead MorePremarital Sex1352 Words   |  6 PagesPremarital Sex What are the consequences of premarital sex? How does it affect children who are born out of wedlock? Should there be consequences for having children out of wedlock? These questions plague America today as more and more people choose to disregard long-standing social traditions of abstaining from sex until marriage. Since the Sexual Revolution, attitudes about sex have changed dramatically. Gone are the days when it was a social norm to marry and then have sex which naturallyRead More The Effects of Teen Pregnancy on Children Essay1147 Words   |  5 Pagesthey lack a father figure, have a high poverty rate, and there are incidents of depression and mental health problems. Many people are blaming the sex education programs in schools and the additional federal aid being offered to single parents as major causes for the country’s high rate of teen pregnancies (Carole). Although, the real purpose of sex education and federal aid is to help empower the mother and child so th ey can eventually lead productive lives. The lack of a father figure in the