26 Beatnik Slang Words and Phrases We Should All Start Using

How to Use Commonly Misused Words Steps Method 1 of 17: "Affect" and "Effect" 1Use “effect” as instructed." 2Use “affect” as instructed.The verb "affect" means to change something in some way. Method 2 of 17: "Anxious" and "Eager" 1Use "anxious” as instructed.When followed by a gerund (the "–ing" verb form), anxiousness refers to anxiety, not pleasant feelings such as enthusiasm or excitement. 2Use “eager” as instructed.Eagerness conveys enthusiasm and is followed with an infinitive.Ex. Method 3 of 17: "Convince" and "Persuade" 1Use “convince” as instructed.Convince a person of the truth or validity of an idea.Follow “convince” with "that" or "of." 2Use “persuade” as instructed.Persuade a person to take action.Follow "persuade" with an infinitive (“to” and the verb).Ex. Method 4 of 17: "Could of" and "Could have" 1Use “could” with “have.” Method 5 of 17: "Decimate" and "Devastate" 1Use “decimate” as instructed.Decimation describes the wiping out of humans. 2Use "devastate” as instructed.Devastate means "lay waste to." Tips Ad

IdiomSite.com - Find out the meanings of common sayings » How to Learn A Language in 90 Days ‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.’ ~Nelson Mandela Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Maneesh Sethi of Hack The System. I still remember the happiest moment of my life. I don’t know if you know this, but telling jokes in another language is one of the most harrowing experiences you can imagine. I began the joke. Halfway through the joke, I began to get flustered. At the last minute, I remembered and completed the joke. Until today, that memory continues to be one of the happiest moments I’ve ever experienced. The Benefits of Bilingualism Becoming bilingual opens up a whole new world—a world of different people, of different cultures, of different emotions. Learning a second language has many cognitive benefits. But, more so than cognitive effects, the ability to speak a second language has a ton of social benefits. Why most people are wrong about language learning 1. 2. 3. 4.

25 Things You Should Know About Character - StumbleUpon Previous iterations of the “25 Things” series: 25 Things Every Writer Should Know 25 Things You Should Know About Storytelling And now… Here you’ll find the many things I believe — at this moment! — about characters: 1. Without character, you have nothing. 2. A great character can be the line between narrative life and story death. 3. Don’t believe that all those other aspects are separate from the character. 4. The audience will do anything to spend time with a great character. 5. It is critical to know what a character wants from the start. 6. It doesn’t matter if we “like” your character, or in the parlance of junior high whether we even “like-like” your character. 7. It is critical to smack the audience in the crotchal region with an undeniable reason to give a fuck. 8. You must prove this thesis: “This character is worth the audience’s time.” 9. Don’t let the character be a dingleberry stuck to the ass of a toad as he floats downriver on a bumpy log. 10. 11. 12. 13. The law of threes.

Guide for Writers: Latin Phrases It’s a matter of taste and style, but not long ago American writers attempted to demonstrate their credentials to the world by including Latin and French phrases within works. A dash of Latin was expected of the moderately educated throughout the Western world. annus mirabilis - wonderful year arbiter elegantiae - judge of the elegant; one who knows the good things in life bona fides - good faith; credentials carpe diem - sieze the day; enjoy the present casus belli - cause justifying a war caveat emptor - buyer beware cui bono? caeteris paribus - all things being equal de facto - of fact; it is de gustibus non est disputandum - no disputing tastes; there is no accounting for taste Dei gratia - by the grace of God Deo gratias - thanks to God Deo volente - God willing dis aliter visum - it seemed otherwise to the gods Dominus vobiscum - Lord be with you dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - sweet and seemly it is to die for one’s country ecce homo - behold man ex cathedra - with authority

How to speak with an Irish accent Ready to learn how to speak with an Irish accent in English? You may also enjoy my article about how to speak Irish (Gaeilge). Check out the most popular posts on the right for other topics you may find interesting, and subscribe to the blog for some unconventional language hacking tips! Ah English, you have such a wide range of dialects that can cause many hilarious confusions! I nearly got fired once for innocently suggesting that my 13 year old Mathematics students in New York “openly share rubbers without asking permission” (Rubber to me is an eraser to them, but in USA it’s a condom). In Ireland we are lucky enough to be exposed to quite a lot of different versions of English thanks to television/cinema/literature. Other than poorly imitated Irish accents in films, the Irish dialect of English seems to elude a lot of people. Why do the Irish speak like that? Firstly, there’s no such thing as an Irish accent. Different grammar Yes you read that right: amn’t. Story? Story? Why?? Cheers!

Howstuffworks "How Knights Work" When you think of knights, you might envision King Arthur, Sir Lancelot or the Black Knight. We often think of heroic knights in shining armor fighting each other with swords or riding their horses on noble quests. Our images of knights have been influenced over centuries by romance authors (like T.H. Medieval knights were, first and foremost, warriors. Knights were most noted for fighting on horseback, but they also battled on foot. In this article, we'll examine the lives of knights.

List of idioms in the English language This is a list of notable idioms in the English language. An idiom is a common word or phrase with a culturally understood meaning that differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest. For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context. An idiom is not to be confused with other figures of speech such as a metaphor, which invokes an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel" ); a simile, which invokes an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); and hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., like "missed by a mile" ). Visit Wiktionary's Category for over eight thousand idioms. See also[edit] References[edit] Jump up ^ "A bitter pill". Notes[edit]

speak with an Irish accent? Come here, boyo, let's not misunderstand each other: you're not going to be able to sound like a Dubliner by the end of this article. Many have tried, many have failed: Brad Pitt in The Devil's Own, Val Kilmer in The Ghost and the Darkness, Richard Gere in The Jackal, Tom Cruise in Far and Away. God almighty, they were all bollocks! But it's not just the lads - the colleens are useless too: Julia Roberts in Michael Collins. But it's obviously worth trying - these notables were all too aware of the increased sexual allure of those of the Hibernian (that is, Irish) persuasion. It's all in the voice, and we're here to pimp you out to whomever it is that you're hoping to impress. 1. We obviously don't have time here to go word by word through the dictionary, pointing out how Irish folk say things differently. Soften your vowels Perhaps the best example of how vowels in the Irish argot are softer is contained in the schoolhouse recitation of the alphabet. Harden your consonants

Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Stories and Adventures » Daily Encounter This list is far from complete. It’s not even trying to be complete. It knows better than that. Feel free to make suggestions in the comments! Weather Natural: sunlight, rain, snow, hail, fog, humidity, moonlight, wind, smoke, clouds, shadows, overcast skies, clear skies, lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, moon in sky during daytimeFantastic: summoned weather, unnatural coloration (eg. green fog) Terrain Changes Natural: sunrise, sunset, storms, seasons, earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, animal migrations, inside vs. outside (light adaptation), plagues/famine, weathering, floods, tides, animal hunting habits & territories, volcanoes, firesArtificial: buildings, statues, roads being built & demolished; political power struggles; invasions/war; kidnappingsFantastic: divine will, powerful magic, gods (dis)appearing Landmarks After-Effects of Events Tricks Cultures Mysticism Events Unfolding Harsh Situations fatigue, hunger, thirst, extreme temperaturesenemy territories (invading?

Creative Gibberish Divergent thinking – more than a mere tool – is a technique very commonly used on creative activities because it allows us to expand our brains a little bit, by looking for new opportunities and ways of getting things done. So, from the problem – or whatever triggers your creativity – to the solution, instead of taking obvious steps and walking on a straight line, you force yourself to see different aspects of the situation, using unusual points of view, no matter how abstract of absurd they seem at the first place. This can be done by allowing everyone to think more freely while working on the task, gathering ideas that have the slightest relation to the problem itself rather than looking straight for a practical solution. Most people tend to confuse divergent thinking – a technique, a way of using your brain – with brainstorming – which is more like a tool that uses this technique. So how can you improve your divergent thinking skills?

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