Issue 26

THE UOB

LINGUIST

MAGAZINE MAR 2018 ISSUE 26

LES ROUTES DE LA LAVANDE p. 9

HOW TO EAT LIKE A LOCAL IN BEIJING p. 7

GLOBAL PLEDGES: EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION p. 3

March 2018 Issue 26

EDITOR’S NOTE by Mary McGowan

FEATURED ARTICLE page 5 - Fiona Melina's top tips for a city break in Valencia

THE LINGUIST TEAM 2017/18 CHAIR: MARY MCGOWAN

TRAVEL + CHINESE:

SECRETARY: SARAH

HANNAH MEI GRISLEY

DANIELS

CULTURE: MATTHEW

TREASURER + BULGARIAN

BRUCE

EDITOR: BORIS GENOV

FRENCH + SPANISH: EMILY

CREATIVE DESIGNER: ZOE

DARBY

LUMSDEN

PORTUGUESE: JESS

SOCIAL SECRETARY +

COOPER

UKRANIAN: YELYZAVETA

GERMAN: JENNY NICHOLLS

LIZZIE KOZII

RUSSIAN: CHARLOTTE

PROOF READER: REBEKAH

SIMPSON

QUIXANO HENRIQUES

ITALIAN: CLAUDIA

PROOF READER + LIFE &

GHILARDI

STYLE: KSENIYA

CATALAN: STEWART

SHRIMPTON

TUNSTALL

CURRENT AFFAIRS: TOM SHACKLOCK

Cover photo: Festa de Santo António, Portugal - Matt Dawson Featured photo: Granada - Eeruj Amir

Welcome to Issue 26 of The UoB Linguist Magazine, our penultimate issue of this academic year and the last one that will be worked on solely by the 2017-18 committee. This is an exciting time of year for us because as this edition goes to print we will be in the process of recruiting next year’s team who will work with us on the next issue in preparation for their takeover in September; a new set of linguists ready to take this publication forward with fresh inspiration and creative designs.

At this time of year, we quite often find ourselves answering the question ‘What is The UoB Linguist Magazine?’ and while we might answer ‘a student magazine’, ‘a media society’ or ‘a multilingual publication’, we are so much more than those responses might suggest. We operate not just from the University of Birmingham but from all over: Zoë, our Creative Designer, created all the visual content of this particular issue whilst travelling around Scandinavia, and Emily, our French and

Spanish editor, has coordinated both sections as an Erasmus student in Granada. Our writers and readers include international students with unique perspectives on life, talented multilingual authors who can switch between different languages at ease, and gifted postgraduates with a passion for journalism. We are united by our communal belief in the value of multiculturalism and the power of our magazine to communicate experiences from all over the world.

This issue, as always, is testament to the enthusiasm and dedication of our members who continue to surprise and delight with their originality and writing talent. Things to look out for in this issue include Ashily’s fascinating article on the difference in Artificial Intelligence developments in Japan and in the US, Imogen’s guide to eating like a local in Beijing, Stewart’s take on the latest situation in Catalonia and Chris’ guide to Black Country dialect – see how much you can understand!

Happy reading from The UoB Linguist Magazine team.

IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 3: CURRENT AFFAIRS PAGE 4: CULTURE PAGES 5 & 6: TRAVEL PAGE 7: FOOD & DRINK PAGE 8: LIFE & STYLE PAGES 9: FRENCH PAGE 10: ITALIAN PAGE 11: SPANISH PAGE 12: CATALAN & PORTUGUESE PAGE 13: GERMAN PAGE 14: CHINESE & UKRAINIAN PAGE 15: FEATURED LANGUAGE BLACK COUNTRY

CONTACT US If you would like to know more about our magazine, our writers or have comments to make about our articles then feel free to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages or email us. If you wish to read more articles check out our website. We’re always looking for new writers and contributors, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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GLOBAL PLEDGES: EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION The great inequalities in education systems between developed and developing countries has been termed as the “global learning crisis”. Above all, there is the issue of girls receiving less or poorer education than boys in low-income countries. In September 2017, UNESCO published estimations that 130 million girls aged 6 to 17 were out of school, while 15 million girls of primary-school age will never attend school. Half of this number live in sub-Saharan Africa. Another serious problem caused by low education in poor countries is crime, radicalisation and extremism.

Countries such as Nigeria, Iraq and Afghanistan are home to some of the most threatening terrorist groups, Boko Haram, Daesh and the Taliban respectively. According to UNESCO’s report, it is the “frustrated expectations of individuals for economic improvement and social mobility” that leads many into a lifestyle of violence and terrorism. Given the severity and urgency of this crisis, it can only truly be solved by a major, global, political initiative.

On Friday 2 February, the need for such an initiative was met. Dakar, capital of Senegal, hosted a conference for the increase of worldwide education funding. Leaders of developing countries expressed their commitment to improving education, while world leaders pledged a total of $2.3bn in aid to the cause over the next three years. Senegal’s geographical location in sub-Saharan Africa makes it a particularly important host country for the conference, taking into account the figures on education inequality for this region. Senegal’s President, Macky Sall, pledged $2m, making Senegal the first recipient of funding to contribute to the cause.

As for the principal world leaders taking their stance on this pressing global issue, French President Emmanuel Macron jumped into the limelight once again. First, he has already established himself as the most vocal figure on the world stage in urging countries to persevere with the fight against climate change, after Trump withdrew from the 2015 Paris Agreement. Now, he has taken the lead on this more social issue of education, co-hosting the conference with Macky Sall. If international respect is the real motive behind his initiative, then let him have his motives, for his pledged $200m from France this year is a significant increase from $1m pledged in 2015.

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By Tom Shacklock

Macron was not alone in leading the conference. He was accompanied by Popstar Rihanna, who was representing numerous NGOs for better education, including her own organisation, The Clara Lionel Foundation. Not only did the singer boost Macron’s image as a celebrity companion, she also originally tweeted the French President and other world leaders, urging them to increase funding for education.

The UK received slightly less praise for its contribution. It pledged £224m in funding, a 50% increase per year from the amount pledged in 2014, yet was criticised because it was expected to pledge £381m this year. Although international development secretary Penny Mordaunt managed to defend this contribution, there are reasons to be sceptical about the UK’s commitment to foreign aid in general. In January, Penny Mordaunt warned that the UK could cut foreign aid to developing countries, expecting the leaders of these countries to “step up and take responsibility”. Nonetheless, she has not stopped Britain from participating in this major global commitment to improving education.

The promises made at this conference are historic. If the results of this funding are positive, millions of impoverished children worldwide can look to a brighter future. Yet, this does not simply mark a great socioeconomic change throughout the developing world. It is also yet another example of the shift in international political leadership, with France taking the AngloSaxon world’s place in solving global crises.

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ROBOTS IN JAPAN VS U.S

By Ashily Fung

Taking over our lives or making them easier?

express wariness or concern over a scenario where a high proportion of jobs are being replaced by robots, according to Pew Research. It can be seen that Americans perceive robots to be more threatening and evil, as opposed to being lovely and helpful, as they’re seen in Japan. A good example of the general American feeling is the Resident Evil movie series where a highlyadvanced computer called ‘Red Queen’ says, “You’re all going to die down here” to trapped survivors. Another example is from the sci-fi film, Aliens, in which a cyborg created by humans shows extraordinary intelligence and betrays another group of humans at the end.

With the prevalence of advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality, coupled with improved understanding of machines, it is increasingly common for the public to come across or even own a robot. The household robot is heading to people’s homes at an increasing rate, one beyond our wildest dreams. Interestingly, research finds indicate that the US and Japan hold distinctly different attitudes towards and perceptions of personal robots.

This article will discuss the distinctions in both the American and Japanese perspectives. The two countries both have sophisticated robotics, and a relatively high rate of adoption of robots.

Let’s start with the basics: types of bots A personal robot can be defined as “one whose human interface and design makes it useful in helping, entertaining, or providing comfort to, humans, or even pets”. In general, robots introduced thus far can be classified into several types based on distinctive functions and appearances. These include utility robots (Roomba) which perform specific household chores such as dish-washing and floorcleaning. The second category is social robots which can follow voice command by communicating with people. Likewise, humanoid robots and mechanical robots also fall under the term “robot” although one is more human-like and the other, machine-like.

Varying customer attitudes towards robots in the US and Japan In a nutshell, how people from different countries perceive various types of robots can essentially reflect their domestic cultural background and values.

According to Nomura Research Institute, Ltd., the majority of Japanese hold positive attitudes towards robots, and tend to associate “robots” with the words “humanoid robot”, one which can live and talk with people. This can be attributed to the fact that robot anime (a popular form of Japanese film and TV animation) forms a part of many Japanese childhoods.

There is a particularly strong acceptance of the presence of health care personal robots due to Japan’s concerns over a growing, ageing population.

Alternatively, the US shows the highest robot adoption rate both at home and in retail stores, and people’s worries far outweigh their expectations concerning growing robot permeation. Over 70% of Americans

Robotic Society vs Uncanny Valley Predictably, it is an irreversible trend that robots will coexist with humans in the future. Therefore, it is just a matter of time before the coming of the era of a ‘Robotic Society’. In Japan, despite the high acceptance of such an idea among the public, Japanese consumers consider that there is still a long way to go before stepping into a ‘Robotic Society’, given the current shortage in expertise. In addition, most of them feel they will be less inclined to own a robot in the near future. This study reveals that the “Robotic Society” in Japan is still at a premature stage.

By contrast, the US is much more enthusiastic about the prevalence of robots in people’s daily lives. At present, a great number of companies in Silicon Valley, California, are specialising in cutting-edge robots and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies. Thus, there is considerable likelihood that the US will keep pioneering the marketplace in terms of subsequent innovative robotics. However, there is an intangible and hindering wall on the horizon, in the form of the advent of overly “human-like” robots. This idea evokes a certain level of revulsion among human beings. This phenomenon is known as “Uncanny Valley”, introduced

by Japanese roboticist, Masahiro Mori, in 1970. His study revealed people’s likability towards robots dramatically falls to the lowest level when a robot is made to look almost human.

In summary, the differences in US and Japanese robotic development trends are considered to be largely influenced by the sense of values and preferences of the population of each country. This poses a huge challenge for global technology companies: to develop robots matching the aesthetics and culture values of different countries.

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WHATEVER IT IS YOU LOVE ABOUT CITY BREAKS, YOU’LL FIND IT IN VALENCIA Fiona Milena introduces us to a weekend in Valencia…

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BEIJING POLLUTION

By Olivia Halsall

Olivia Halsall spent the past year studying at Tsinghua University in Beijing as part of her Year Abroad. This article featuring L, 23, Beijing, is part of her attempt to understand China through her travels and interviews with native Chinese citizens from all walks of life. The full article is on her blog: 66hands.wordpress.com.

Last year, my roommate at Tsinghua University became engaged to L after they met at university in the USA in 2014. L was raised in Yantai , Shandong province and enrolled in an international private high school outside of Beijing . Interested to find out L’s stance on government progress and the perception of pollution by Beijingers, I interviewed him over the Christmas holidays.

L said it is sometimes difficult to know what the Chinese government are doing to combat pollution due to government-controlled media outlets; L has only ever been exposed to positive news distributed by the government. He was adamant they would surely act in the interest of Chinese citizens before letting the situation become deadly.

Prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, L felt the pollution was ‘tolerable’, with the government closing construction sites and imposing traffic controls to curb the worrying decrease in air quality. However, their efforts fell short of international standards, and the games were branded ‘the most polluted ever’.

Moreover, the US embassy’s Air Quality Index shows that between 2008 and 2014, Beijing suffered from In Chinese, pollution translates as wūrǎn . 1,812 “unhealthy” level air quality days.

Alternatively, wùmái translates as fog, or haze. The two are used interchangeably by Beijingers – particularly L told me that London’s historic pollution - the Great those who mistake the toxic air for Beijing’s dusty Smog of 1952 caused by a cold winter, excessive coal climate. PM2.5, with a diameter of less than 2.5 burning resulting in an estimated 4,000 - 12,000 micrometres, are ‘atmospheric particulate matter’ deaths - is often cited as an excuse for Beijing’s current produced from motor vehicles, power plants, airplanes, air quality situation. Given London’s (supposed) ability dust storms and agricultural burning. Long-term to resolve its pollution, Beijingers remain hopeful that exposure enables PM2.5 to enter the circulatory system their capital will also follow this trajectory. In 2013, the Heavy Air Pollution Contingency Plan consisting of 4 bypassing the nose, throat and lungs. warning levels, was passed. Faced with the strain of The causes of Beijing’s air pollution are both natural and consumption, waste and overcrowding, the government manmade - Beijing’s climate is naturally dry and dusty. are attempting to reduce the size of Beijing as well as The number of cars has increased exponentially with other measures, like allowing vehicles with odd and vehicle emissions contributing to nearly 70% of the city’s even number plates to drive on specific day of the air pollution. Factories in surrounding provinces use week. Whenever there is a high-profile conference in coal, while manufacturing techniques and technologies the capital, the skies turn blue as the government ramp are outdated and inefficient. Wind blows this toxic air up efforts to show the world that Beijing’s air isn’t as into Beijing, where it cannot escape from the bad as everyone believes. In November 2014, when Beijing held the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation surrounding mountains.

(APEC), Chinese Netizens wrote, “A few years ago it was Olympic blue, and now it’s apec blue.”

Almost all of L’s classmates suffered daily from irritated airways – resulting in runny noses, sneezing, coughing and sore throats. The first time L became consciously The concern for these regulations lies in whether they anxious about Beijing’s air quality was when he began to are sustainable in the long-term, and to what extent smell the pollution - dense cigarette smoke with a China is going to continue sacrificing the health of its subtle odour of heavy car fumes and burning coal. A population in order to sustain its economic growth WHO report found that in 2010 there were 1.2 million trajectory. L is confident the Chinese government will premature deaths within China as a direct consequence learn from other countries’ historic environmental of air pollution. Most people L knows have air purifiers neglect during their industrialisation process, and pave in their homes to filter out the PM2.5, and wear masks the way for Chinese citizens to breathe clean air. outdoors – either paper or high quality masks. L stated it If you are interested in finding out more, ‘Under the ’, a documentary by Chai Jing, was is not uncommon for the small circle filters attached to Dome the high-quality masks to become grey within a week. released and then banned in 2015.

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HOW TO EAT LIKE A LOCAL IN BEIJING By Imogen Burgoyne Beijing is a feast for the stomach and the eyes. Home to some of the most interesting dishes and flavours, from exciting street foods to well-known classics, this city offers the perfect adventure for any food tourist.

packed with stalls along both sides selling colourful and sometimes wild looking snacks: if you are brave enough, try deep fried scorpions or even starfish or snake!

As with many foreign cities, the best way to find timetested and delicious treats is to follow the locals. This is exactly what we did when searching for hot pot one lunchtime; sat in a slightly questionable restaurant we were definitely out of depth in terms of our food expertise! We were presented with a broth heated by coals and plates of raw meat and coriander. The real test to our chopstick mastery came as we attempted to hold the meat in the broth long enough to cook it before dipping it into a delicious peanutty sauce. Although we may not have managed to eat a huge portion of food, it was certainly entertaining trying a completely new way of dining.

Packed in the evenings, there are snacks of both sweet and savoury varieties, including chuan’r, meat or vegetable skewers, and bing tanghulu, a row of hawthorns on a stick covered with sweet sugar syrup (you can also find skewers of strawberries or small apples). A real treat is to watch the gentleman with a trolley down a side street who delights young children by blowing little animal figures from hot sugar – watching the awe and excitement on the children’s faces as they are presented with a sugar tiger is truly a beautiful sight.

There are other more well-known local dishes such as Peking duck which is often served whole, head and all, alongside pancakes and various trimmings. One local trick is to dip the crispy skin in sugar before eating. Jiaozi dumplings are specific to the northern Chinese cuisine and are completely delicious when dipped in vinegar.

Another dish I would highly recommend is Jing Jiang Rou Si – shredded pork in a sweet bean sauce and served with soya bean wraps.

To save any embarrassing restaurant incidents it is best to bear in mind local eating etiquette. For example, in China never stick your chopsticks vertically into your food as this signifies death (the chopsticks are a representation of incense sticks which are stuck in bowls of rice and put on the ancestor altar at funerals).

Travelling around China as a foodie is a completely different experience to any other culture I’ve so far experienced – the flavours, smells and ingredients are all so unique and extraordinary that you leave the country having tried some incredible dishes you never For me, the best way to gain an understanding of local could have imagined. flavours is to explore the street food scene. The best place to discover street food in Beijing is in the ‘Hutongs’; small interwinding lanes which are a buzzing hive of small shops and local culture. The word ‘Hutong’ comes from the Mongolian for ‘water well’, originating in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368) when communities were designed around courtyards with wells. Hutongs are traditionally 9 meters in width, which separates them from the wider ‘streets’. There are often lots of street sellers or small windows where you can get your hands on delicious street food: jian bing is traditionally a breakfast favourite and is extremely tasty as an on-thego snack. A crepe is cooked on a hot plate and brushed with chili, garlic, soybean paste and an egg before being folded around a crispy fried cracker with a sprinkling of spring onion and coriander.

Wanfujing Snack Street is located in the trendy Wanfujing area of Beijing. The street is an assault on the senses, 7

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AROUND THE WORLD IN FIVE FASHION HOUSES By Kseniya Shrimpton England – Ralph and Russo - This British fashion house was co-founded in 2007 by duo Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo. It is a relative newcomer to the hautecouture industry, but already has a global pool of highprofile clients such as Beyoncé and Fan Bingbing. Their designs are created entirely by hand, evoke fairy-tale princess glamour, and are notable for their use of silk, embroidery, and pastel colours.

Japan – Yohji Yamamoto - Yohji Yamamoto began his career as a lawyer but found a passion in tailoring after assisting at his mother’s dressmaking business. He debuted his collection in Paris in 1981, and since then his brand has grown into a worldwide fashion powerhouse, clothing some of the world’s most notable stars, including Tina Turner and Elton John. The majority of Yamamoto’s clothing is black, a colour he admires for its modesty, arrogance, and mystery.

Spain – Balenciaga - Founded in 1919 by Spanish designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, this luxury clothing brand always aspired towards ultra-modern designs while retaining an image of femininity. The fashion house actually closed in 1968 and Cristóbal Balenciaga died in 1972; Balenciaga was only revived in 1986. The fashion house is now owned by international luxury group Kering S. A., which also owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, and Puma.

USA – Oscar de la Renta - The founder of this influential fashion house was Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo, a DominicanAmerican designer who trained under Cristóbal Balenciaga.

Before setting up his own eponymous brand, he worked for Lanvin and Balmain, and was one of the couturiers who dressed Jacqueline Kennedy in the 1960s. The fashion house continues to be a superbrand even after Oscar de la Renta’s death in 2014.

Lebanon – Elie Saab - Founded in 1980 by the Lebanese designer Elie Saab, the fashion house initially focused on bridal wear but has since branched out into ready-towear couture. Elie Saab is distinguishable for their use of expensive materials such as lace, gemstones, crystals, and pearls. Fans include many notable fashionistas, including Olivia Palermo and Angelina Jolie.

CROSSWORD Across 3. Bacchus was the Roman god of agriculture, fertility along with which drink? (4) 5. In which country would you find the rainbow desert? (4) 6. What is the name of the type of pasta that is shaped like a bow?

(8) 8. Apart from the Vatican, what is the only other country to have a square flag? (11) 11. Which region of France does camembert cheese come from?

(8) 12. What is the most spoken language in the southern hemisphere? (10) 14. Which Spanish surrealist painter's Persistence of Memory? Salvador _ (4)

work

includes

The

15. Known for its high level of marbling, what type of Japanese beef is the most expensive in the world? (5) 17. Which European municipality had the highest life expectancy in the world in 2017? (6) 18. The German liqueur kirsch is flavoured with which fruit? (6) 19. What is the name of the group of islands off the coast of Northumberland? The _ Islands (5)

Down 1. How many countries are there in South America? (6) 2. Which Portuguese poet wrote under approximately 75 different pseudonyms?

Fernando _ (6) 4. The Islamic holy site Mecca is located in which modern day country? (5,6) 5. Along with the echidna, what Australian animal is the only other mammal that lays eggs? (8) 7. Qantas is the national airline of which country? (9) 9. What is the most popular dance style in Argentina? (5) 10. The ancient Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of which volcano? Mount _ (8) 13. What is the name of the pouch that is worn with a kilt as part of traditional Scottish dress? (7) 16. Which city is hosting the 2020 Olympic Games? (5)

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QU’EST-CE QUI INFLUENCE UN EXISTENTIALISTE? By William Proctor Cette année marque le 105ème anniversaire de la naissance d’Albert Camus, lauréat du prix Nobel de Littérature, et un des auteurs et penseurs modernes les plus célèbres. Il est bien connu en tant qu’existentialiste – ses livres abordent l'absurdité de la vie humaine – et aussi pour son air mystérieux. Il semble qu’il était toujours en costume, et en train de fumer. Tout cela suffit pour aller lire au moins un de ses livres. Mais pour mieux comprendre ses livres, il faut apprendre un peu plus de sa vie.

Albert Camus est né en 1913 à Dréan en Algérie. Il a grandi là-bas, et a étudié à l’université d’Alger. À l'époque, l'Algérie était une colonie française. Camus parlait français, mais il n’était pas « Français de souche ». Cette situation a énormément influencé ses œuvres. D’un côté, il était Algérien. Il a connu les beaux paysages et le climat insupportable qui ont joué un grand rôle dans « la peste » et « l’étranger ».

LES ROUTES DE LA LAVANDE Le ciel bleu vif, le soleil radieux et les champs violet vers l’horizon. C’est sans doute un paysage emblématique du Sud de la France, qui nous fait penser à des vacances pittoresques. Récemment, j’ai eu le plaisir de voyager autour de la Provence, et je vous recommande vivement cette expérience unique.

J’ai logé à Avignon et j’ai payé un guide, parce qu'on a besoin d’une voiture dans cette région rurale. C’était seulement un petit groupe, donc l’excursion était très personnalisée. Pour commencer, nous avons visité 'Le Château du Bois’ Musée à Luberon pour en apprendre un peu plus sur la lavande fine et le processus de distillation. J’étais étonnée qu’il y ait autant de travail pour produire cette fleur iconique, donc ces difficultés de cultivation expliquent son prix élevé. Ce produit authentique vaut sans aucun doute chaque centime !

Ensuite nous avons découvert les routes de la lavande et visité quelques petits villages, comme Sault.

De l’autre côté, il était Français. Sa plus grande influence était un peu plus inattendue, mais reconnaissable comme Français. Pendant un entretien, il a déclaré « ce que je sais de la morale et les obligations des hommes, c’est au football que je le dois ». Il n’est pas étonnant de voir que le sport national de la France a influencé quelqu’un même vaguement français. Mais Camus n’était pas seulement fanatique de foot. Pendant sa jeunesse il a dû abandonner une magnifique carrière de gardien de but à cause de la tuberculose, qui a bouleversé sa vie.

Pour Camus, la dernière absurdité de la vie est la mort.

Malheureusement, Camus a trouvé sa fin dans un accident de route à l’âge de 46 ans. Parce qu’il était assez jeune au moment où il est mort, sa réputation mystérieuse se voit cimentée dans les livres d’histoire.

By Megan Nicholls Personnellement, c’est sa couleur vive que j’ai préféré, bien qu’elle soit difficile à décrire, croyez-moi c’est vraiment envoutant. On voit des champs de couleur vives qui s'étendent à perte de vue, alors que l’odeur puissante de fleurs iconiques flotte partout. La tranquillité est presque palpable grâce au bourdonnant des abeilles et la chaleur idyllique. Bref, c’est une expérience sensorielle totale.

Saisissez donc l’opportunité d’avoir une nouvelle photo de profil avec un bel arrière-plan !

Autour de la région c’est possible d’acheter de l’huile essentielle, des sachets, du savon et un grand choix de produits artisanaux. Certains villages sont devenus assez touristiques, puisque tout le monde veut goûter le miel et même les glaces à la lavande. La période de floraison change chaque année, alors je recommande d’y aller au début ou à la fin de l’été pour éviter les grandes foules !

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10 Les routes de la lavande, Sud de la France

I PILASTRI DEL MADE IN ITALY E LE NEW ENTRY: I GIGANTI DELLA MODA ITALIANA Da sempre l’Italia è considerata la patria indiscussa dell’Haute Couture. Non a caso vanta una quantità non indifferente di luxury brands storici, quali D&G, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino, Missoni, Gucci, Armani, Fendi, e molti altri. Il prosperare di questi brand denota che il Made in Italy si è sempre imposto nel campo della moda ed è stato capace di essere al passo con i tempi e di produrre veri e propri capolavori senza dimenticare le proprie radici. Basti pensare alle numerose collezioni di Domenico Dolce e Stefano Gabbana che celebrano il bel paese: la campagna pubblicitaria per la Collezione Autunno – Inverno 2017-18 donna è stata interamente ispirata alla Sicilia, così come quelle precedenti, per catturare l’atmosfera italiana a 360 gradi.

L’essenza stessa dell’Italia si percepisce anche nella scelta delle stampe, in cui ritroviamo le maioliche variopinte (un chiaro richiamo a Caltagirone) o anche le carte da gioco siciliane. I richiami alla Sicilia si ripropongono nei gioielli, come le collane con pendenti a forma di cannoli e le tiare con altri dolci tipici della cucina siciliana. L’ispirazione al bel paese ritorna a più riprese non solo nelle collezioni ma anche negli allestimenti delle passerelle all’estero. Ad esempio, il Christmas Show tenutosi ad Harrods lo scorso dicembre è riuscito a ricreare una scena tipicamente mediterranea tramite l’installazione del simbolo delle feste di paese – le luminarie. Il messaggio che traspare tra lo sfavillare delle luci e dei gioielli e il fruscio dei tessuti è quello di una vita ‘all’italiana’ come si lasciano sfuggire i due stilisti in una recente intervista.

By Alessandra de Nicolo

business che ha raggiunto i 5 milioni di euro di fatturato! Il marchio significa due cose e lo si può leggere sia in italiano che in inglese.

L’acronimo italiano sta per “giuro che domani smetto” (che è il nome di una delle feste più in voga nel napoletano), mentre quello inglese si riferisce a “God can’t destroy streetwear”. In questo modo, i nuovi brand coniugano il passato al presente e si adattano all’internazionalizzazione del settore della moda, giocando sull’inglese e su nuovi modi di promuovere i prodotti.

I social sono il canale più usato in tal senso.

Impossibile non seguire la fashion blogger più popolare al mondo, Chiara Ferragni su Instagram che propone outfit da capogiro day-by-day e che ha ovviamente sfoggiato capi della linea GCDS. In questo modo, il Made in Italy conquista non solo la penisola, ma l’Europa intera, l’America e anche l’Oriente, imponendo lo stile italiano all’estero. In perfetta armonia con i must dello streetwear e le regole del fast fashion, GCDS insiste sulla presenza del logo sui propri capi, predilige uno stile sportivo e dai colori forti che riproducono un’estetica ben definita. Inoltre, la politica dello streetwear è sostenuta anche e soprattutto dai nuovi volti della musica italiana, come Sfera Ebbasta o la Dark Polo Gang, che gli dedicano canzoni, copertine degli album, video musicali e, soprattutto, Instagram stories.

Oggi come allora, la fashion industry italiana infiamma le passerelle di tutto il mondo.

Tuttavia, D&G rimangono uno dei pochi marchi a reiventarsi non abbandonando mai le origini e ad essere fedeli alla vecchia scuola italiana. La moda a livello internazionale si sta muovendo diversamente , e si sente sempre più parlare di fast fashion. I nuovi marchi italiani hanno raggiunto la vetta in poco tempo, bruciando le tappe facendo uso di escamotage garantiti dai social.

Rivoluzionando il concetto di fashion italiano, si trovano ora a fianco a fianco con i giganti storici della moda italiana. Quella dei nuovi marchi è la storia della celebrazione del “luxory streetwear”, di chi ha saputo rispondere al richiamo della globalizzazione e propone una versione dell’Italia più moderna, in cui le nuove generazioni si rispecchiano.

In particolare, si è distinto in questo campo Giuliano Calza (fondatore di GCDS), che è riuscito a costruire un

D&G: maioliche

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DE BARCELONA A GRANADA A diferencia de la mayoría de estudiantes de lenguas modernas, yo elegí pasar mi año en el extranjero en una sola ciudad: Barcelona. Antes de mudarme allí, pensaba que España era como Inglaterra, es decir, que cada región tenía sus propias costumbres pero en el fondo eran más o menos iguales. Me equivocaba completamente. Puesto que estudio tanto catalán como castellano, aprendí en clase acerca del conflicto ideológico entre los catalanes y el resto de españoles, pero se siente muy distinto cuando lo vives en persona.

Era estimulante estudiar, o al menos intentar ir a clase, en una universidad que estuvo ocupada durante casi dos semanas del pasado mes de septiembre por estudiantes tan apasionados como aquellos miles de jóvenes que se manifestaron por el derecho a decidir sobre el referéndum independentista. El histórico edificio se había convertido en un espejo que reflejaba los sentimientos de una comunidad autónoma que sufrió mucho durante el régimen franquista. Por eso, mi opinión actual con respecto a España está determinada por el ambiente

LAS REDES SOCIALES

By Eeruj Amir político y cultural de Cataluña.

Durante la pasada semana tuve la suerte de visitar a una de mis mejores amigas, que ya se ha trasladado a Granada para la segunda mitad de su Erasmus. Aunque las dos ciudades se encuentran en la costa mediterránea, Granada está a ocho horas en tren, doce horas en autobús o a hora y media en avión de Barcelona. Lo primero que aprendí fue que las tapas vienen gratis con las bebidas y que el acento de los granadinos es un poco complicado. También la arquitectura es increíble. No tengo palabras para expresar la belleza de los edificios de Granada; La Alhambra o la catedral. Es más, los distintos barrios como Albaicín o Sacromonte me fascinaron por su tradición gitana, con sus características fachadas blancas y caminos serpenteantes.

Es increíble sentirte como una turista en un país que hasta hace poco creías conocer, a pesar de la brevedad del tiempo que pasé allí. Ahora sé que hay muchos más lugares por explorar.

By Katy Holdcroft

¿Un medio positivo en el que compartir recuerdos disparados durante la última década y no parece que y expresar opiniones o una herramienta perjudicial vayan a remitir. Por eso, es muy importante que que provoca una comparación excesiva con otros conciencia de a los niños de los peligros de internet y cómo utilizar las redes sociales de manera sana para y reduce nuestra autoestima? nuestra salud mental, especialmente porque nuestra Hoy en día, según The Telegraph, la persona promedio posee cinco usuarios en redes sociales y pasa 1 hora y 40 minutos en ellas cada día. Esta estadística resulta preocupante si consideramos que al menos 40 millones de personas en el Reino Unido tienen una cuenta en redes sociales y un 99 por ciento de los jóvenes entre las edades de 16-24 utilizan las redes sociales semanalmente. ¿Pero cuánto daño pueden causar?

Es cierto que las intenciones de las redes sociales siempre han sido inofensivas; una forma de compartir fotos y experiencias con la familia y amigos y expresar nuestras opiniones con libertad, ¿pero no hemos ido demasiado lejos? Parece que las hemos convertido en una herramienta dañina que nos incita a mostrar nuestra vida ‘perfecta’ al resto del mundo y compartir todo lo que hacemos en cada momento. Este bombardeo constante de noticias sobre la vida de todos nuestros ‘amigos’ solo 11 provoca una comparación excesiva con los demás, autocrítica innecesaria y envidia. Es muy preocupante que los niños de hoy en día no vayan a crecer en un mundo sin redes sociales ni internet. Los avances tecnológicos se han 11

infancia es una época clave en la vida en la que aprendemos a entender el mundo que nos rodea, al que más tarde tendremos que enfrentarnos como adultos.

Las redes sociales más populares, tales como Facebook, Twitter e Instagram, simplemente parecen poner a prueba nuestra popularidad viendo a cuánta gente le gustan nuestras fotos y actualizaciones de estado. La necesidad de ser ‘popular’ puede llegar a provocar una baja autoestima y en algunos casos incluso la depresión y la ansiedad. Si no estás a la altura de las expectativas sociales, se te considera raro o ‘impopular’ y como resultado, incorrecto con respecto a los convencionalismos.

Actualmente, es cierto que vivimos en una realidad en la que pasamos un tiempo excesivo pegados a nuestras pantallas. Al ser tan accesibles, podemos acceder a nuestras cuentas en los móviles, tablets y ordenadores con solo pulsar un botón, y esa es la base del problema.

Pero esta adicción solo empeorará si no educamos a los más pequeños sobre los peligros del internet de usarlo en exceso o inadecuadamente.

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ELS CARRERS SERAN SEMPRE NOSTRES L’independentisme als Països Catalans té una llarga història però fins fa molt poc, no es coneixia gaire. En canvi, des de l’1 d’octubre, els ulls del món hi han estat ben fixats.

L’1 d’octubre de 2017, la història de Catalunya va canviar per sempre. El poble català va anar a les urnes a votar – és a dir, a exercir el seu dret democràtic – sobre el seu futur com a nació. El govern de l’Estat Espanyol, que no va estar d’acord amb la decisió de la Generalitat de convocar el referèndum, va fer servir la força i la repressió policial per intentar impedir-lo. Malgrat tot, el poble català va votar i la República va guanyar.

Des d’aquell dia, tot és diferent. El govern de l’Estat Espanyol ha enviat a la presó polítics catalans per les seves conviccions, i part del govern català, inclòs el President han hagut de fugir i demanar protecció a Bèlgica per evitar ser detinguts.

By Stewart Tunstall

El futur del país està en l’aire. El govern espanyol, en comptes del diàleg, ha triat la repressió. A Catalunya, sembla que la història es repeteix.

La qüestió catalana ja no tracta només d’un sí o no a l’independentisme, sinó que tracta de la democràcia i els drets d’un poble a decidir el seu futur. El crit de ‘els carrers seran sempre nostres’ s’ha sentit molt durant els últims mesos a Catalunya – un crit reivindicatiu i recordatori dels esdeveniments de l’1 12 d’octubre que hauria de sonar fins que els resultats d’aquell dia es facin realitat.

Malgrat tota la injustícia i repressió, hi ha una cosa que ni un govern antidemocràtic pot fer desaparèixer: la voluntat d’un poble valent, pacífic i determinat. Com diu el grup valencià Obrint Pas, no podran res davant d’un poble unit, alegre i combatiu.

Visca Catalunya i visca la democràcia!

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SE TIVEREM A OPORTUNIDADE DE VIAJAR ATÉ?

PORTUGAL ESTE VERÃO?

By Matt Dawson

Se tiverem a oportunidade de viajar até Portugal este verão, porque não experimentam ir entre dia 12 e 14 de junho a Lisboa? Além das possibilidades de visitar os monumentos típicos da capital, tal como o Castelo de São Jorge, a Torre de Belém e os famosos elétricos, nestes dias os lisboetas celebram a Festa de Santo António.

Mas quais são as origens dessa tradição? Originalmente, a festa servia para homenagear o Santo António de Pádua, que nasceu em Lisboa, em 1195, antes de se mudar para a Itália. Para honrar o seu filho célebre, Lisboa declarou-o o seu santo padroeiro. E as sardinhas? De acordo com a lenda, Santo António pregou ao mar porque ninguém tinha interesse nos seus sermões e, como Conhecido pelo seu símbolo, as sardinhas grelhadas, as resultado, as sardinhas levantaram-se da água para ouvir celebrações juntam as pessoas para festejar na rua com as suas palavras. copos de vinho e cerveja baratas, uma atmosfera de alegria acentuada pela música e, naturalmente, o prato de peixe Todavia, também há outros tipos de comida disponível, por servido simplesmente com pão. Podem encontrar as exemplo os churros com chocolate e o caldo verde, uma sardinhas na esquina de praticamente cada rua, porque sopa simples feita com vegetais. todos os vendedores estabelecem os seus próprios pequenos restaurantes e lojas. É uma ótima ocasião para ouvir autêntica música portuguesa, já que muitos cantores de Fado tocam nas ruas A cidade transforma-se para a festa, com as decorações para um espetáculo público. Apesar de o Fado não ser quase ao estilo do Natal – é muito comum de ver os postes conhecido pela sua jovialidade, foi declarado Património de luz e os cabos elétricos ornamentados com ouropel, Cultural e Imaterial da Humanidade pela UNESCO, então lanternas e luzes decorativas. vale a pena escutá-lo no seio da Festa de Santo António.

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ZWEI VERSCHIEDENE LÄNDER, ZWEI VERSCHIEDENE KULTUREN Zwei deutsche Austauschstudentinnen an unserer Uni berichten über ihre Erfahrung in England und was man von Deutschland erwarten sollte.

Im Ausland für ein Jahr zu studieren ist immer eine merkwürdige Erfahrung – man ist immer erstaunt wie verschieden die Atmosphäre und das Leben in der neuen Uni sein können. Zwei Austauschstudentinnen – Nora aus Köln und Aniko aus Eichstätt – haben mir ein bisschen über ihren Aufenthalt in Birmingham erzählt und auf einige Unterschiede zwischen den beiden Ländern hingewiesen.

Was ist den beiden Studentinnen sofort aufgefallen, als sie in Birmingham angekommen sind? Aniko, die aus einer kleineren Stadt kommt, war sofort von unserem großen Campus beeindruckt und den vielen Läden und Cafés, die man hier zur Verfügung hat. Wir sollten ja echt glücklich sein, dass man hier alles Nötiges zur Hand hat. Was mir aber Nora erzählt hat, scheint mir noch interessanter zu sein – und zwar, dass deutsche Studenten am Ende der Vorlesungen auf ihre Tische klopfen. Kein Scherz! In Deutschland sei das normal und ein Zeichen von Respekt gegenüber den Dozenten.

Deshalb musste sich Nora am Anfang ihres Aufenthalts hier immer zusammenreißen, um nach der Vorlesung einfach rauszugehen, ohne diesen deutschen Brauch einzuhalten. Ich glaube, das wäre eine echt komische Situation, wenn man hier einfach anfangen würde, auf den Tisch zu klopfen, oder?

By Natalyia Nikolova echt fasziniert. Wie Aniko sagt, es gebe hier für jeden was dabei. Sie hat von den zahlreichen Angeboten gern profitiert und einige Ausflüge unternommen.

Nora, zum Beispiel, ist zusammen mit der Battle Reenactment Society zum Battle of Hastings gefahren und sie haben ein Wochenende als mittelalterliche Krieger (mit Waffen, Rüstung und allem) erlebt. Das nennt man eine echte britische Erfahrung! Nicht zu vergessen: Nicht nur studieren und die Fremdsprache üben, sondern auch in die fremde Kultur eintauchen und Kontakte zu knüpfen, ist ein sehr wichtiger Teil von Auslandsaufenthalten! In diesem Zusammenhang geben die beiden Mädchen den englischen Studenten, die nach Deutschland für ein Jahr wollen, die folgenden wichtigen Ratschläge: „Vor allem seid offen für Neues, probiert so viel wie möglich von den Sachen aus, die euch interessieren.

Nur so lernt man neue Menschen kennen und sammelt neue Erfahrungen. Wenn es um die Sprache geht, traut euch Deutsch zu sprechen, ohne Angst vor Fehlern zu haben, weil man nur durch Fehler lernt. Lasst euch nicht abschrecken und geht auf die Leute zu. Die deutschen Studenten freuen sich über Exchange Students und zeigen euch gerne herum!“ Vielen Dank an Aniko Günther und Nora Michels für die Hilfe!

Doch, das bedeutet nicht, dass wir keinen Respekt gegenüber den Lehrern haben, obwohl wir sie mit ihrem Vornamen ansprechen, was in Deutschland auch vielleicht ein bisschen respektlos erscheinen würde.

(Also, Leute, die nach Deutschland wollen, gewöhnt euch am besten an die Sie-Form, um bei den Dozenten einen guten Eindruck zu hinterlassen!). Noch ein Unterschied, den Nora erwähnt hat, ist dass man in Deutschland viel mehr Unterrichtsstunden pro Tag hat, fast wie in der Schule, während wir hier viel Eigenarbeit machen müssen. Na ja, wir haben viele Hausarbeiten, wie viel davon wir eigentlich tun, ist eine andere Frage!

Welches System besser ist, kann jeder für sich selbst entscheiden.

Was sagen aber die deutschen Studentinnen über das Unileben, wenn es um den sozialen Aspekt geht? Die beiden sind von den Unterhaltungsmöglichkeiten an unserer Hochschule

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Photo credit: flowthebook.com

ABOUT “ ” - ORIGIN, MEANING AND USAGE IN THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

By Mira Liu

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband headed to Shanghai Yu Garden to experience paper cutting during a recent visit to China. Reportedly, the couple “embarrassed” all present by “mistakenly” putting the “ (Fú)” character paper cut upside down. The “ ” character for “luck” is usually used to express good wishes. Did Theresa actually hold it incorrectly? Let’s investigate the origin, meaning, and usage of “ ” in the Chinese new year! “ ” means luck or fortune in Chinese. The meaning is derived from the corresponding Chinese ideograph, which symbolizes “in order to pray for prosperity, human offer sacrifices to deities and ancestors”. It can be clearly shown in the most original form - the oracle bone script ( ) form. Oracle bone script was the form of Chinese characters used on oracle bones in the late 2nd millennium BCE, and is the earliest known form of Chinese writing. The late Shang oracle bone writings is regarded as directly ancestral to the modern Chinese script.

Here is the original “ ”. According to its pictorial nature, the left-hand side pattern stands for “the scepter”, whilst the right-hand patterns describe that “fleshpots and flagons” are sacrificed to deities and ancestors with “raised hands”. This kind of sacred rituals are held by the ancient Chinese in order to pray for luck, fortune, and happiness.

The original “

(Fú)”

Afterwards, the red Chinese character “ ” paper cut became a cultural symbol to express wishes for future, especially for the upcoming New Year. It is one of the musts in the Lunar New Year. The custom of sticking up the “ ” paper cut-out depends on each region. It can be displayed upside-down because the words “upside down ( dào)” sounds a lot like “arrive ( )” in Chinese. It shows that the upside-down “ ” can be interpreted as good luck arrives, so in fact, it is not wrong to hold the character upside down. It seems that May and her husband actually have had a spot of luck themselves and followed another Chinese custom: “ ” (When in Rome, do as the Romans do)!

Особливостi Украïнськоï кухни By Elyzaveta Kozii Пізне формування української кухні обумовило цілий ряд її особливостей. По-перше, вона була створена на базі вже сформованих у кожній з регіональних частин України елементів кулінарної культури. По-друге, незважаючи на те, що ці елементи були дуже різнорідні, унаслідок величезності території, що розкинулася від Карпат 17 до Приазов'я і від Прип'яті до Чорного моря, розходження природних умов і історичного розвитку окремих частин її, сусідства безлічі народів (росіяни, білоруси, татари , ногайці, угорці, німці, молдавани, турки, греки), українська кухня

виявилася на рідкість цільної, навіть трохи однобічною як по добору характерної національної харчової сировини, так і за принципами його кулінарної обробки. По-третє, в національну українську кухню не ввійшли традиції давньоруської кухні, зв'язок з якою була втрачена після монголо-татарської навали. Це відрізняє українську кухню 14 від російської і білоруської, де древні традиції, хоча і видозмінювалися, але, тим не менш, зберігалися протягом багатьох століть.

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FEATURED LANGUAGE…

BLACK COUNTRY DIALECT

SPAKIN’ PROPER - OWD SPAKE FOR AN OWD FOWK

By Chris Burden The author…

Fower those fowk oo’m studyin’ in Brummagem, the Name: Chris Burden Black Country cud sowund similar, but tha’ cor be farther frum the truth. Ah’m tellin’ yow aer Kid, Degree: BA French & you’m saft if yow’d believe ‘em. The accent ‘n’ spake German bay so bad, if yow’m showen ‘ow ter do it.

Town of Origin:

It’s wuth notin’ tha’ the accent is as owd as English Wolverhampton itself, bairsed on West Saxon, ‘n’ lairter, Mercian, English in the Black Country is spaked ‘ow it wud Little-known fact about ‘av bin by Chaucer ‘n’ Shakespeare.

the Black Country:

There’s sum easy steps what yow can tairk, ‘n’ Black Country Day is celebrated on the 14th of July yowull be spakin’ loike a native in no toime. Typical greetin’s am “’Ow b’ist ya”, Loike English, the each year, to mark the anniversary of the creation of the Newcomen Engine in Wolverhampton. answer is “Bay too bah”.

Celebrations include festivals celebrating industrial

Even pronouns am different. The’m Oi, Yow, ‘Im/’Er, achievements, and the local brewing tradition.

Wim, and Them, and verbs tend not to conjugate loike English. To be is only ever “am” ‘n’ to have is Spoken only in the four Black Country Metropolitan only ever ‘’av’. Once sumwun ‘as learned yow sum Boroughs of Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and dialectical words, yow’m gud to geh agooin. Know Sandwell, the dialect is at risk of being eroded. With no tha’ fittle is food, and if yow tairk tha’ down back of defined written form, gradual changes are creeping in, damaging the Mercian dialect. However recently, more Rackhams, yow’v all yower human needs. concentrated efforts have been made to defend this The Black Country is possibly the last remaining place important part of British culture and history for future to seat a 1000-year-old dialect in a modern everyday generations. context in Britain. At the heart of the Kingdom of Mercia, the towns of Wulfrūnehēantūn, Duddan Leah and Walh Hahl (more commonly known today as Wolverhampton, Dudley and Walsall) rejected the new influences on the English language coming from French, and stubbornly resisted change for centuries to come.

Not only did the Black Country reject the Great Vowel Shift, which changed English to form vowels with the tongue closer to the roof of the mouth, they instead retained their current vowels, and in some instances changed in the opposite direction to the rest of the country. And the Black Country Fowk didn’t stop at vowels, they continued their crusade against verbs too.

While orthographically and phonetically very different to standard English, differences occur on the grammatical level too. Black Country lacks a perfect, only using the simple past as the development of the dialect preceded the introduction of the perfect. As such, the dialect also lacks the etymological basis to differentiate between weak and strong verbs, always treating them as weak while eliding the final syllable.

This renders the Standard England ‘Seen’ as ‘Si’d’, ‘Caught’ as ‘Cotch’d’ and ‘Gave as Gi’d’.

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Prince Albert, Queen’s Square - Wolverhampton

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