I remember from one of my first classes at the university our professor told us that title of paper is very important. It should tell a possible reader what the work is about. It cannot be totally irrelevant. It's logical, isn't it? I've got used to follow titles and names to understand the essence of any product.
'Rule' about titles works in the US quite well (unless it's some TV-shop thing). This rule used to work perfect in groceries stores back home, but not any longer. Here's the saddest example: I love butter and I buy it quite often. It is much more expensive than margarine and demand for butter is so much greater than for margarine, so some companies started to mix the two and sell it named as 'butter.' Fake butter! That is so frustrating. Unfortunately the rule of reading ingredients doesn't work well here too.
Friday, June 27, 2008
being unique vs. being one of the mass
When I was in the US I've noticed that being unique is a key to success. Everyone is trying to be different in any possible way. Even professors encourage their students to explore their personality and bring something unique to their projects and homework. Providing an example from personal life is totally fine for a class discussion, while back home only example where situation is true not only for one person but for many counts as a good example. Cultivating uniqueness is still not at its peak here. Everyone is still a part of mass although some are slightly different.
I was reading an article today which was telling about a girl. It said something like this: this girl is so talented: she 's a wonderful artist, she writes poems, she's one of the best in her class at school - well, basically like many other kids around. First part of a sentence is fine, but second part is some kind of equalizer. I guess it is still not completely acceptable to admit uniqueness. Even when people talk about their successes in life they would add at the very end, that it's just normal, just like what other people have or achieve. There's a strong tendency to refer to oneself as one of the mass. This is a great cultural difference.
Americans say 'I', Russians say 'we' and 'people.'
I was reading an article today which was telling about a girl. It said something like this: this girl is so talented: she 's a wonderful artist, she writes poems, she's one of the best in her class at school - well, basically like many other kids around. First part of a sentence is fine, but second part is some kind of equalizer. I guess it is still not completely acceptable to admit uniqueness. Even when people talk about their successes in life they would add at the very end, that it's just normal, just like what other people have or achieve. There's a strong tendency to refer to oneself as one of the mass. This is a great cultural difference.
Americans say 'I', Russians say 'we' and 'people.'
Monday, June 16, 2008
lost in translation
When people translate something they may change the meaning due to the lack of knowledge or their desire to form a new reality(well... those who do not understand foreign language will act upon their translation as being reality... social interactionism)
Anyway, here are two examples:
1) it was interview with some black rap star on Russian MTV. They've asked him what he would prefer to have more while he was on his tour or concert in Moscow. He said "maybe more weed," they've translated "more attention of fans." Thanx for such a translation! Teens do not really need to know about weed.
2) I have Windows XP which is translated into Russian at home. When you turn on your computer, Windows says "Welcome" if it's original version and it says something like "welcoming or greeting." It does not welcome you, it just tells you that this is a welcoming page.
Anyway, here are two examples:
1) it was interview with some black rap star on Russian MTV. They've asked him what he would prefer to have more while he was on his tour or concert in Moscow. He said "maybe more weed," they've translated "more attention of fans." Thanx for such a translation! Teens do not really need to know about weed.
2) I have Windows XP which is translated into Russian at home. When you turn on your computer, Windows says "Welcome" if it's original version and it says something like "welcoming or greeting." It does not welcome you, it just tells you that this is a welcoming page.
ways to show talent
Once again, things are very different in different countries. I was really shocked watching Russian MTV and another music channel. Once you in the US you think the way Britney, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan or some other pop stars are dressed is too much; actually too little... too little things on. Well, come to Europe or post USSR countries and see how pop stars are dresssed. Some of them are barely dressed at all. In several european videos I saw naked bodies and in one they've show completely naked girl's ass. It looked perfect, and still it was naked and not appropriate for the time it was aired.
Seems like stars here may not sing well or sing some old and already famous songs, but they should look good naked or 90% naled. Your talent is your body and that is also the way of promoting oneself in pop culture and increase sales.
Seems like stars here may not sing well or sing some old and already famous songs, but they should look good naked or 90% naled. Your talent is your body and that is also the way of promoting oneself in pop culture and increase sales.
Size matters
Travelling from a country to country you can notice difference in things that seem to be standart everywhere. I've just got back from the States and the first thing that was very different from what I was used to was the size of different objects.
Once they've served dinner on Lufthansa I was sure I am no longer in the States, although, technically, we were still flying over the US territory. The dinner was great, but the size was weird. They served shrimp and those were not even petite, those were baby-shrimp or unborn shrimp or existing in your imagination shrimp. They were soooooooooo little you barely could see them. Thanks to the flight attendants who explained what it was. US does have petite shrimp, but not petite as those served on Germain plane.
And later all other things were also of a different size. Basically everything was smaller: forks, tea spoons, benches, sinks, tables and so on. It was so unusual.
Once they've served dinner on Lufthansa I was sure I am no longer in the States, although, technically, we were still flying over the US territory. The dinner was great, but the size was weird. They served shrimp and those were not even petite, those were baby-shrimp or unborn shrimp or existing in your imagination shrimp. They were soooooooooo little you barely could see them. Thanks to the flight attendants who explained what it was. US does have petite shrimp, but not petite as those served on Germain plane.
And later all other things were also of a different size. Basically everything was smaller: forks, tea spoons, benches, sinks, tables and so on. It was so unusual.
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