Group work questions1&2(detail description in the attachment) Essay

Group work questions1(detail description in the attachment) - Essay Example One excuse for non-performance is impossibility. This generally means, under Australian law, that it is objectively impossible, which means that it would be impossible for anybody to perform the contract under the given circumstances (Schaffer et al, 1993). In this case, impossibility would not apply – incurring extra costs that are due to the other party’s misfortune does not make performance impossible, and the breach was only partial, not a full breach, so this would not apply. Frustration of purpose is the other excuse for non-performance (Knell v. Henry, 2 K.B. 740). This is where there is no value in performing the contract. Moreover, even though the contract had become more expensive to Northwest because of the higher bank costs, this is not an excuse nor is a frustration of purpose – Tsakiroglou& Co. Ltd. V. Noblee Thorl GmbH (1962) AC 93 states that just because the cost of performing a contract increases, that is not an excuse for non-performance. This was echoed in the ruling of Transatlantic Financing Corp. v. United States, 363 F.2d 312 (D.C. Cir. 1966). One issue that Northwest might use, under the CISG Article 79, is that it was not under obligation to perform while an impediment to performance exists. This is if the impediment is beyond the party’s control – the delay and error of PhilOre’s bank was beyond Northwest’s control; the impediment wasn’t reasonably foreseeable at the time of the contract; the impediment was unavoidable; and notice was given to other party of the effect on the contract. As for PhilOre, Northwest breached the contract to it, not just because the shipment was so late, but also because the shipment was incomplete. The reason why the shipment was incomplete was Northwest’s fault, so PhilOre should have some recourse on performing its part of the contract. According to Schaffer et al. (1993), a partial shipment could be considered to be a fundamental breach if i t presents a serious problem to the buyer and cannot be quickly remedied. If the breach is considered to be fundamental, then the buyer doesn’t have to accept delivery or pay for the goods. This is only if the buyer gives notice of avoidance. However, Northwest has to be given the chance to cure, even if the shipment is incomplete, as it is here (Schaffer et al., 1993). The seller has the chance to cure until the time for performance expires. This means that the seller has the chance to cure by substitution or replacement goods if it can be done by the date of performance called for (CISG Article 37). Northwest tried to cure the defect by supplying PhilOre with a Taiwanese supplier at no extra cost. That said, according to the second fact pattern, there were more delays, which were beyond both parties’ control. However, these events did not make performance of the contract impossible, only impracticable and might excuse the further delay. When the ore shipment did not conform to the seller’s warranty about purity, there was a cure, but the cure delayed the shipment further. Therefore, PhilOre should have been entitled to the damages that it incurred because the shipment was delayed. However, there was a mistake on the part of Northwest, in that it shipped ore that was more pure than what it had previously warranted, and more pure than what PhilOre had paid for. The English case of Bell v. Lever Brothers [1931] UKHL 2 states that a contract is only voidable in the event of a

Ethnicity and language Essay Example for Free

Ethnicity and language Essay 1. Ethnicity Ethnicity is not a clear-cut term. It usually describes someone’s racial or cultural background but has a whole host of other connotations connected with appearance, dress, food, lifestyle etc. The ethnic majority in a particular place are, not necessarily those with the largest numbers, but those with social and political power. It is also the case that often terms describing race are fairly meaningless. People from the ‘British race’ for example originate from many other cultures and countries, depending on how far back you trace their family trees. 2. Prejudiced language Language can be used to make certain ethnic groups appear to be outsiders, or different from the ethnic majority. Markedness It is often assumed that immigrants, and people from ethnic minorities, must fit in with the ways and traditions of the ethnic majority. When this happens, the ethnic identity of the majority begins to appear normal and invisible, whilst that of the minority appears, strange, worthy of mention and marked. We often find in the media that people’ ethnicity is only mentioned when they are not white. So, we hear things like â€Å"the murdered black teenager Steven Lawrence† even in instances where the description of ethnicity is irrelevant. Negative labelling People are often labelled according to their colour, race or ethnicity. The problem with such labels is firstly that they may stop us seeing other aspects of the person as we are focussed on the attribute that the label describes. The second problem is that very often these labels are associated with negative stereotypes. We often find that the most marginalized groups in our society have the largest numbers of offensive terms to describe them. In addition, the media runs relatively few stories about those from ethnic minorities, and those that are included tend to reinforce the negative stereotypes by being about crime or disorder. 3. Marking Ethnic Identity Language can also be used as a powerful marker of ethnic identity. The language that we speak, and how we speak it, shows the ethnic group to which we believe we belong and claim solidarity with. British Black English People of West Indian and African Caribbean origin in England use many different varieties depending on where about they live and how long their families have been in Britain. Those born in Britain usually speak a variety of English and also a variety of Jamaican Creole, known as Patois. Linguistic features of Patois ?Lexical items (lick (hit), kenge (weak), bex (angry) ?Use of [? ] and [? ] in place of [? ] and [? ] e. g. [t? n] for [ n] ?Plural forms without /s/ suffix (e. g. many cow) ?Verbs not marked for tense (walk in place of walked) ?Simplified pronouns ([mi] for I, me, my and [dem] for they, them and their) ?Use of ‘fi’ in place of ‘to’ before infinitives. African American Vernacular English In the USA, the distinct languages of people of African American origin disappeared centuries ago. Nevertheless, a distinct variety of English, called African American Vernacular English (AAVE), has developed which acts as a symbol of ethnicity. AAVE is most often heard in cities in the North of the states. Linguistic features of AAVE ?Absence of standard copula be (e. g. ‘she very nice’, ‘that my book’) ?Use of copula be to signal recurring actions (‘she be at school on weekdays’) ?Multiple negation (‘I don’t want none’)? Consonant cluster simplification (‘aks in place of asks’) ?Existential it (where standard English has ‘there’, ‘it’s a boy’ for ‘there’s a boy’) Maori English In New Zealand, it is not clear if a Maori dialect of English actually exists. What is certain is that the features listed below occur more often in the speech of Maoris than Pakeha (non-Polynesian New Zealanders, usually of European origin) Linguistic features of Maori English ?Use of [? ] and [? ] in place of [? ] and [? ] e. g. [t? n] for [ n] ?Use of vocabulary items such as kia ora (greeting) and kuia (old woman)? Vernacular verb forms (walk for walked) ?Present tense forms with /s/ ‘I sees you’, ‘we gets home’) 4. Social Networks Social networks can help us understand speech patterns as the language and variety we use is influenced by the people we spend time with. You can draw a simple social network by considering the four or five people you speak to most often and drawing lines from their names to yours on a map. If any of those people know each other independently of you, connect them with lines (preferably of a different colour) too. Then add their two or three best friends, and so on.e. g. Tom Richard Bob Barbara Sandy Dave Features of social networks Density Density refers to whether members of a person’s network are in touch with each other separately. In the example above, only Richard and Bob know each other independently of Tom so his network is not a dense one. Plexity Plexity refers to the type of transactions that we are involved in with other people. If, for example, Tom only ever plays squash with Barbara, the relationship would be considered a uniplex one. If however, Tom and Barbara lived, worked and socialised together it would be a multiplex one. Language and Networks The language or variety we use is influenced by the people we talk to and what we talk to them about. We may change the language or variety we are using depending on which part of our network we are currently interacting with. For example, we may be more formal at work than at home. This type of language/variety shift is probably more likely if our social network is not very dense and our relations tend to be uniplex. If our networks are dense and multiplex, the whole network is more likely to use the use the same language or variety.

Crimea: Paradise Divided Essay -- Ancient History

â€Å"Crimean history would suggest that it is folly to think that possession of any place, especially paradise, is anything other than a tenancy† (Newman, 2011).Crimea may be compared to paradise, the crowning glory of many an empire, and it is no wonder with its subtropical climate, fertile lands, soft meadows and sprawling coastline. But the very aspects that make an Eden out of the Crimean Peninsula have also been the causes of struggle and conflict. For it may be said that Crimea is a contested land in an identity crisis and is the subject of much debate still today. Divided by conflicting ethnicities, passed through the hands of the ancient Greeks to Ukraine and left battered by three major wars, Crimea truly is the jewel of many crowns (Newman, 2011). The period between 1 B.C. to 1475 set the stage for what was to become Crimea’s legacy. It was the rich resources offered by the peninsula that first attracted the Greeks in 1 B.C. (â€Å"Crimea,† 2011). Crimea soon became an important source of wheat for the kingdom (Rubel, 2003). However, the Greeks were unable to maintain a firm hold on the peninsula and were constantly warding off invaders. It became apparent that Crimea was not to stay in the hands of one group for long, a fact that has been the bane of many empires ever since. First the Goths and then the Huns, Slavs and Mongols following in succession invaded Crimea over the next thousand years (Crimea). Each fought to achieve control over what many deemed as paradise. The Romans were not to be left out either. By establishing protectorates and naval bases, they capitalized upon the fact that Crimea was an excellent area to position a navy and created the earliest ancestor to the Black Sea Fleet (Rubel, 2003). Na vies were to bec... ...ked/topic/514064/Russo-Turkish-wars Simonsen, S. (2000). â€Å"You take your oath only once:† Crimea, the black sea fleet, and national identity among russian officers. Nationalities Papers, 28(2), 289. The crimean khanate- a brief history. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.accesscrimea.com/crimean-khanate The transfer of the crimea to the ukraine. (2005, July). Retrieved from http://www.iccrimea.org/historical/crimeatransfer.html TJK. (2004). The tatar khanate of crimea. Retrieved from http://www.allempires.com/article/index.php?q=The_Crimean_Khanate Voyetekhov, B. (1943). Last days of sevastopol. Saturday Evening Post, 215(46), 18-106. Zihni, A. (2010). Pages from the history of the crimea, the ukraine, caucasia, poland and muscovy. Washington, DC: The International Committee for Crimea. Retrieved from http://www.iccrimea.org/historical/tevarih20100908.pdf

Analysis of Robert Frost On A Tree Fallen Across the Road Essay

In Robert Frost’s English sonnet, â€Å"On a Tree Fallen across the Road†, Frost uses imagery, alliteration, metaphors, personification, and symbols to portray his theme. Frost uses all of these literate devices to bring out his point in the poem; overcoming obstacles. He believes that we will always face struggles in life and come across unexpected surprises that may or may not be good. This does not mean that this will stop us in our tracks, but will help shape us into better human beings by giving us choices. He also believes that as humans we have hidden in us the motivation to strive to get what we want in life and where we want to be by making these difficult decisions. The way Frost portrays this main theme in a 14 line poem about a fallen tree helps readers see that the poem is actually not about a tree, but overcoming life’s important decisions. In the first stanza Frost sets the setting with imagery of â€Å"The tree the tempest with a crash of wood† with alliteration in the words ‘tree’ and ‘tempest’. The imagery Frost conveys is of a fallen tree that has been knocked over by a violent, windy storm in which paints a picture in the head of the readers of a dirt road with a giant, dead oak tree strewn across it. The road symbolizes life and as you go through this path of life you are faced with these obstacles and choices of whether or not to change course or push through. The last line of the stanza is saying that these obstacles are not there to make us struggle, but they are there to help us find out who we are as people. I think that Frost used a tree as the main symbol for the poem because when people think of fallen trees they think of a giant tree that when it has fallen down it is hard to move or even get around without deciding what action to do next. That does not mean that it cannot be done though; just like our choices we face may seem impossible at the time, but when we just take a step back we can see that there is more than one option than just giving up. The second stanza goes on to explore the idea of how people are faced with tough decisions on a daily basis, but it is up to us to decide which path we take. Frosts uses the metaphor of Mother Nature, ‘she’, trying to halt our driving by putting a tree in the road, but in deeper meaning Frost is saying that there are many challenges out there that just show up in front of us and the only thing we can do is survive it. He also uses personification with that same line by introducing ‘she’, Mother Nature, will make things happen, but Mother Nature is not a real person and cannot do something like that. This adds to the sonnet by helping people connect and imagine a big snow storm that can temporarily stop someone in their tracks before it melts or someone clears the snow. Frost then goes back to the image of the tree â€Å"Debating what to do without an ax. †; the ax symbolizes a device that is not readily at your service. Whenever you come across a fallen tree there is no guarantee that you will have an ax with you, so you must improvise and decide how you will move past this tree. This is parallel to the idea of not having the best option presented in front of you when you are forced to make a choice, but if you dig deeper then you may find the best option that will work for you, just like finding a new path around the tree. During the last stanza Frost goes back to ‘she’, Mother Nature, â€Å"knowing obstruction† that the attempt is fruitless to stop the will of the people’s journey. This is where he backs up his whole idea of not being presented with a solution â€Å"We will not be put off the final goal We have it hidden in us to attain†, no matter what obstruction we are faced with, choice we have to make, or obstacle we are stuck with, we will always find a way to get past it because it is hidden in us. Another metaphor is used when Frost writes â€Å"Not though we have to seize earth by the pole†, not as in we literally need to grab the pole of the earth, but by grabbing life by the reigns and taking charge of your own life and steering it onto the path that you want. Frost uses the pole of the earth as an image for the readers to envision because the earth is massive compared to us and no matter the size of earth or the problem we can grab ahold of it and lead it in the direction that we want. Frost then ends his sonnet with a couplet that reiterates the idea of not giving up on overcoming the difficult obstacles. People get tired of going around in aimless circles, trying to find the best option and falling short of their goal, but what they really need to do is just focus on what is right in front of them and ‘steer straight’ as Frost would say. Sometimes people need to take a step back and actually look at the problem that is right in front of them because they can get too caught up in the idea of finding a solution and not thinking about the actual problem at hand. Frost uses multiple metaphors and imagery to help his readers envision exactly what he is trying to convey. Even the title â€Å"On a Tree Fallen across the Road† is imagery. As soon as readers read it they envision a giant oak tree blocking their path and their first instinct is to ask themselves, â€Å"What do I do now? † Some may cut it up and use the wood for other use and some might just turn around and find a different way to go to their destination. When you are faced with multiple different options it is hard to decide what to do, but Frost believes that no matter what Mother Nature throws at us we can handle it because we have the ability hidden in us that comes out when we need it to.

Basic Concepts of Effective Communication

Objectives: * Describe the nature of communication in science and technology; * Understand the meaningful process of communication; * Explain the components of communication; * Overcome their difficulties in communication; * Consider the most describable characteristics of an effective style for technical writing; and * Compare and contrast technical writing from nontechnical writing. The nature of Communication Communication comes from the Latin word con-meaning with, munus- meaning a business, communis meaning common, and commonico-to confer or to relate with one another.In layman’s language, communication emanates from the need to share ideas or information from one person to another by the use of symbols such as words, pictures, figures and graphs. Common Concepts about Communication Different authorities have common concepts about communication. Some of these are present hereunder. * Communication is a purposive activity which is prompted by need to express ideas, feeling s, attitude and course of action to attain a predetermined goal * Communication is the process of conveying and exchanging facts, ideas, and research results.Communication is a two-way process which entails a communicator and a receiver. * Communication is a continuing process which Is interactive. * Communication emerges in response to the different functions and contexts that it calls for. Be it oral or written, people communicate to ask and give information explain something, agree or argue with others, narrate or describe an event, report an accomplishment, and so forth. * Communication is needed when recent discoveries, inventions and developments in science and technology are to be disseminated.Its importance is also felt when pertinent information should be imparted through letters, reports and memoranda. People are by nature social beings. They have to interact to attain a common goal. In so doing, use of language to communicate their ideas, opinions and feelings is undeniab ly inevitable. In communication, the skillful use of language can readily influence the opinion beliefs, values and behaviors of the members of an organization. Particularly, the use of simple, concise and accurate language in giving instructions in a certain industry or firm can facilitate mutual understanding between and among employee and employers.Effective communication is one of the determiners of success in any organization. It is an essential instrument in implementing the goals and objectives of a company. It serves as a tool in decision- making , providing permanent record, information from top to bottom level of management, and the like. As such, it plays an important role in the operational efficiency of a form. Written communication, specification reports, could be considered as the prime mechanism by which technical men and businessmen transmit their messages to action. Likewise, jobs to be done in any firm or organization are formally requested through communication.F indings of researches are known through oral and written communication. Oral presentation of reports is usually done in top-level management meetings. Consider the following illustrations: * In the morning, the engineer listens to the weather bureau’s forecast for the day over the ratio. * For a panel discussion, the computer technician presents through Powerpoint each detail of the researcher’s report. * A Veterinary Medicine sophomore writes a research paper on â€Å"The Effects of Rabies on Humans†. Each of the abovementioned situations illustrates the call for communication.The individual, in each of the examples cited, enters the common, shared world of other human beings. Aside from oral and written communication, there are other means of communication like facial expressions, Gestures, nods, signal, marks on paper, electric data and others. However, the raw materials of language are the sounds made by the human voice and the written patterns that are form ed from with them. The Process of Communication The cycle of communication, according to Eugene White , can also be applied in oral communication for science and technology.This is usually done in presenting/reporting periodic activities during meetings with top management. The presentor will undergo eight stages: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, reacting and monitoring. The speaker will think of what information will be provided to the audience. These ideas which will be transformed into words and sentences will be expressed to the listeners through an organized report. Such will affect the receiver via sound waves. As the message is sent, the reciever’s mind starts decoding the information.The value of the information to the listener/receiver and the clarity of presentation will affect the reactions. Being aware of the audience’s reaction, the presentor and ends with his monitoring activities. Components of the Communication Proce ss The communication process consists of the following components: A. Communication Situation- the particular context by which a need to tell something arises; B. Communicator- the provider of the information; C. Medium- this consist of oral and written modes of communication; D. Information-the message that will be imparted to a particular audience and; E.Receiver- the reader or listener of the information Reports in Communication Process The communication process consists of the following components: A. Communication Situation- the particular context by which a need to tell something arises. B. Communicator- the provider of the information. C. Medium- this consists of oral and written modes of communication. D. Information- the message that will be imparted to a particular audience. E. Receiver- the reader or listener of the information. Reports in the Communication Process How do reports fit into the communication process? It requires a minimum of two persons to communicate.In th e case of superior-subordinate relationship, communication usually emanates from the former if he/she wants a certain course of action to be done. The subordinate, who is the report writer, will research and gather facts in fulfillment of the assignment give to him. If the supervisor is satisfied with the information given, the communication process will stop temporarily. But if it does not meet his standards, additional work will be asked for. Thereby, the process of communication will start again. In sum, communication process is unsending- it’s a continuing process.Suppose the writer developed a description of the three phenomena, all in one paragraph. The paragraph would run quite long. Instead of one long paragraph, write three shorter ones, one on each phenomenon so that the material can be separated into small units. The style which is characterized by objectivity accuracy and conciseness should be utilized to communicate with people who belong to specialized professio ns. Example: Operation was becoming uneconomical both labor and full costs were more than what had been anticipated. -Adapted The word operation has different meanings to different people.In this case, it means a military action or mission. The scientific style of writing uses the third person and the passive voice for an impersonal approach in writing. If possible, avoid using â€Å"I† which will only lead to subjectivity. Technical writing is concerned with the action being done and not the person who has done action. This concept does not imply that the use of personal pronouns and verbs in the active voice is erroneous. However, the adaptation of such will also create another style of writing. Example: Set up the testing equipment in the laboratory and run three tests before I read the conclusions stated in this report. First Person, Singular, Active Voice) The testing equipment was set up in the laboratory and three tests were run before the conclusions stated in this re port. (Third Person, Passive Voice)-Adapted The second example is the style commonly found in technical reports. Qualities of Good and Effective Scientific and Technical Style Some of the qualities that could lead to a good and effective scientific and technical style are the following : * Honesty about facts * Care in obtaining and evaluating the facts * Accuracy in Presenting Data * Dignity and Restraint in Manner Objectivity in Analyzing and Interpreting Information Ways of Presenting Information Different companies have varied ways of presenting information. Some follow standard formats and others adopt their own format. This denotes that all technical writers must consider the usual practice of a certain company and the expectation of the receiver of the message. Hence, the use of formal or informal style is dependent upon context. Personal communication between business associates or personal friends calls for a Personal Writing Style while major reports which are submitted to top management are usually Impersonal in Style.It requires the format of a report. Requisites of a Technical Style The following are the requisites of a technical style in writing: Factual- refers to the orderly presentation of facts and ideas which could be achieved through careful planning. Functional- gives pertinent information and does not amuse or argue with anybody else. Informative- conveys facts and information. Objective- free from biases and prejudices, personal beliefs, emotions and attitudes. Concreteness- tantamount to definiteness, therefore generalizations should be supported by concrete facts or evidences.Consistency- the shift of tense and point of view in presenting a report will lead to inconsistency. Shifting of such will affect the personality of the writer and his style as well. For long and formal reports, it is better to use the third person consistently. Dignity- is achieved when the writer avoids colloquial/slang expressions and contractions. Simplicity- simple and familiar words are more emphatic and striking, hence, highfalutin words are less preferred in technical writing.