Edited Version : Irish Culture Homework

Irish Culture : Irish resentment after The Great Famine

The most fascinating aspect of Irish culture that I learned about by watching the Story of Ireland was the strong resentment that arose against the British from the Great Famine in Ireland (1845-1850). This time of starvation traumatised Ireland and its inhabitants. Some of them were bitter as they thought all the British citizens did not want to help fight hunger under Prime Minister Russel’s administration. Some English however really wanted to help the Irish. For example, Lord George Bentinck went to the Parliament in London and described the horror of the famishment in order to raise awareness among the MPs. But British writers such as Trevelyan simply asserted the Great Famine in Ireland was God’s punishment. To Irish nationalists, Trevelyan was “the voice of England” and did not care about the one million people who died. Another million and a half emigrated. Most of them sailed to North America. Among them were John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny who founded the “Fenian Brotherhood” in 1858. This organisation tried two times to invade Canada, the nearest English colony. Its first act of terrorism in England was in 1867. They also sent political and financial support to help Ireland fight English domination. In short, the Irish remained very angry at the British decades after the deadly Great Famine as they thought the British could have done more to help.

Fiona Dictionary Review

 What would be the best monolingual dictionary ?

 

Having looked at a number of monolingual print dictionaries in class this week, I have decided to buy the "Collins Cobuild" dictionary. Just like most of the other dictionaries, an introductory guide is to be found at the beginning to help me use it efficiently and understand how to read the International Phonetic Alphabet. What I could not find in the other dictionaries though was the well-organised layout. At first glance, it appeared easily legible and entries were pleasantly separated. For each words, thanks to a supplementary column at the right of the word, we have indeed access to additional grammatical information such as the right preposition to use after a word or a verb.  Moreover as the "Collins Cobuild" was printed off in 2006, we can find modern vocabulary and new expressions. It was indeed the only dictionary to suggest the phrase : "to nurse a drink"  under the noun "nurse". Because the "Collins Cobuild" dictionary is well-formated, clear and well up-dated, it is by far my favorite.

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Language Learner Review

Dear Fiona,

I have been studying English for ten years now. German has been my second foreign language since the eighth grade. There are several reasons that kindled my passion for foreign languages . To begin with, the cultures of other countries have always interested me. I would like to communicate with as many people as possible to gain perspective on their customs and ways of living. I was even more eager to learn foreign languages when international trade turned out to be my dream job. In order to be able to work in this field, I aim to master the English language as it is vital for communication in international trade, and also German considering the position the country has in the foreign market. 

 Two major events helped me progress towards my goal. Firstly, I spent my ninth grade in South Africa. Although I was in a French school I had the chance to practice English with my classmates, my teachers and in everyday life situations (order a meal, shopping...). I then spent July of 2013 working in Germany in the department of logistic. These two experiences helped me improve my speaking skills and expand my vocabulary, but I still need to ameliorate my grammar and my writing skills. Therefore, I am taking Business English courses at the University of Graz. I also listen and read extensively in English. I will try to make the most of my Erasmus year and practice German and English as much as possible.

Best regards,

Marianne