If you haven't heard already, It has been predicted that December 21, 2012 will be the end of our world as we know it. There is a great deal of speculation going on around the world about what might happen on 21.12.2012. According to the Mayan 2012 doomsday prophecy this could be the day that everything changes? There are those who doubt, and those who believe, in the possibility that the world will end in just two short months from now. There are many who thumb their nose and say this is just hype. Let's do some research and find out. out the week.
Answer the following questions in a post to this blog. Be sure to comment on other's post and participate through
1. Who were the Mayans? What present day countries did they live in?
2. What were the Mayans greatest achievements?
3. What was Mayan day to day life like?
4. The Mayan calendar system is very complex. Research and write a summary of what the Mayan calendar systems consisted of and what the Mayan concept of time was like?
5. Mayans were amazing astronomers. What were some of the astronomical discoveries they made? What are some of their astronomical predictions? Have any came true?
6. There is much hype about what the Mayans "predicted" will happen on December 21, 2012. Research and describe what exactly does ancient Mayan text say about the end of their calendar.
7. What is your opinion/ theory on the doomsday prophecy Do you believe the ending of the Mayan calendar has any significance at all on mankind?
In our last blog we discussed the history of the development of language. Obviously, there have been many, many languages over time and every language has a different way of expressing ideas, does this mean we may also think differently because of the language we think in? Read the following article from New York Times on how language shapes the way we think. This is a higher level college reading so take your time and use an online dictionary to look up words you do not know.
Now that you have read the article, post your initial post by addressing the following criteria:
1. List at least 5 new words you came across that you did not know and their definition. (Many words used in this article are SAT words.) 2. Quote something you found intriguing in the article. Discuss why it intrigued you. 3. After reading the article, do you think language shapes our thoughts? how? In what ways might the language we speak influence our experience of the world? Give your analysis or thesis on this topic. 4. Post any questions or ideas that this article provoked. Remember to respond to others posts throughout the week.
The history of language is a contraversial topic. There is much debate over how language began and how it has developed over time. Watch the following video clip from a series that was filmed to try and explore the histroy of language. After you watch the video comment below in reguards to your opinion on this topic or anything you found intriguing in the video. You should also ask at least on question that you would like to discuss based on this topic. After you have posted you must respond to your classmates posts and answer any questions they post. Remember you are graded on your post content, frequency, clarity, follow up posts, etc. Please see rubric for more detail. I will be checking the blog all week for participation and next Friday you will have a new blog.
EPISODE 1:
Speaking in Tongues: The History of Langauge - Episode # 1 - Let There Be Words preview. What precisely is language, and how did humans acquire it? In an effort to answer those essential questions, this program journeys back to prehistoric times in search of languages origin. But this is not a passive discussion, as scholars and others passionately defend their points of view. Additional topics include distinguishing features of human communication and what humankinds first utterances may have been. The early evolution and migration of humans is also considered.
AS THE BLOG HAS DEVELOPED MANY OF YOU HAVE ASKED SOME GREAT QUESTIONS AND PROVIDED GREAT INSIGHT. TO FURTHER THE DISCUSSION, BELOW I HAVE POSTED MORE EPISODES FROM THIS SERIES ON THE THE HISTORY OF LANGUAGE. READ THE SYNOPSIS BELOW EACH VIDEO BEFORE WATCHING TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EACH VIDEO IS ADDRESSING. FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ON ANY OR ALL VIDEOS.
EPISODE 2:
Speaking in Tongues: The History of Language Episode #2 Constant Change preview. In this program, scholars examine factors that contributed to the diversification and spread of languages, including early migration, the introduction of agriculture, and genes. Language transfer from mother to child and from one population to the next is also investigated, along with the concept of dialects and commonalities among the worlds more than 6,000 languages.
EPISODE 3:
Speaking in Tongue: The History of language Episode # 3 Mother Tongue - preview. This program travels the globe as it surveys a large portion of the worlds languages—25 percent of which are spoken by a mere 0.1 percent of the Earths population. Moving from Africa to Oceania and up to Asia and then west to Europe and across the ocean to the Americas, the program assesses how many languages are spoken in each region, the characteristics they share, and misconceptions about them. Historical background on some of the key languages of the regions is included as well.
EPISODE 4:
Speaking in Tongues The History of Language Episode # 4 Civilization to Colonization - preview. Writing is a relative latecomer to the history of language. This program tracks its emergence in Mesopotamia, China, and Mesoamerica and its spread down through the millennia via conquest—usually violent, sometimes benign—and colonization. The creation of creoles and pidgins resulting from the interaction of specific populations is also addressed, and speculation is made about the first things to be written down.
EPISODE 5:
Speaking in Tongues: The History of Language Episode # 5 Life and Death - preview. It is predicted that within a century more than half of the worlds languages will become extinct, but as languages are lost, new ones emerge naturally or are constructed. In this program, Noam Chomsky; Esperantist Thomas Eccard; endangered languages researcher Peter Ladefoged, who has since passed away; and others provide insights into the language life cycle. Topics include constructed languages such as Esperanto, language endangerment and preservation, and the role of globalization in language obsolescence. The experts also discuss current language trends and offer their opinions on which languages may emerge as front-runners of the future.
