Discrimination In The English Language

Discrimination In The English Language There exists national and racial discrimination in the English language. Such kind of discrimination can be reflected by words, expressions and also proverbs. This linguistic phenomenon has profound historical and cultural background, reflects national bias, conflicts and hatred, and thus provides us information about historical relationships among nations. This paper analyses causes and connotations of national and racial slurs, and shows the potential negative effects of the slurs on international contacts. It also deals with the current state of linguistic discrimination in modern society and the efforts people make to eliminate the phenomenon. Language primarily functions as the communication tool and information transmitter, and is closely linked to ethnic. Every ethnic group in this world has its own language which may be either slightly or totally different from other groups. Language is the carrier of ethnic history and social culture, and evolves together with the society where it is used. So to speak, the development of the ethnic is the fundamental cause and basic condition of the development of the language. Since language and ethnic are so profoundly interrelated, it is no wonder that language is influenced by ethnic feelings and the latter are fully embodied in the former. 1.2 National and racial discrimination in the English language As a common social phenomenon, national and racial discrimination against other ethnic groups would inevitably exert influence on languages. Thus, slurs come into being in almost every language in the world. Among these languages, English is a particularly striking example which contains many national and racial slurs. It is clearly seen that in the English language, part of its large vocabulary is concerned with nations and races. Unpleasantly, this part often carries a connotation of national and racial discrimination. We can readily find slurs with various forms such as vocabulary, phrase, address, proverb, etc. Take the Dutch idioms for example. If a person says to you, you do beat the Dutch (Liu, 2003:131), he intends to mean that you are excellent. When people use the Dutch idioms, they may wonder how those idioms originate. In fact, the slurs in the English language have profound historical background. Though causes of slurs are rather complicated ¼Ã…’yet we can still sort out them. Among these complex causes, ethnocentrism, wars and racial differences are the most important ones. 1.3 Objectives of the study The study focuses on the phenomenon of national and racial discrimination in the English language. We will look into the reason why the slurs come into being and the connotations that they carry. Once we get a better idea of their connotations, we can know whether it is proper to use them in public. Hence, we can try to avoid misunderstandings in cross-cultural communication and improve our competence. Since there are so many slurs in English, we have to be very careful about them. We may wonder about the following questions. What consequence would they cause when used improperly? Are they still used frequently in daily life? Or are they going to fade out from the English language? 2. Causes of national and racial slurs in the English language 2.1 Obsession of ethnocentrism in the United Kingdom and United States In Oxford Advanced Learners English-Chinese Dictionary, ethnocentrism is based on the ideas and beliefs of one particular culture and using these to judge other cultures. (Hornby Wehmeier, 2004:580) Strong sense of national pride is one of the main causes of national discrimination. A nation with ethnocentrism believes in the superiority of its own culture including values, norms, languages, etc., and considers other nations as inferior to it. Since National feelings are closely interlinked with national language, national discrimination finds expression in the latter. The USA and the UK are considered to be very proud nations. We can tell ethnocentrism from the two countries names. (Jiao, 2009:57) The USA is short for the United States of America. Despite the fact that the word America stands for the whole continent including Canada and Mexico, the USA employs it as a component of its country name. When people say Americans today, they generally refer to the people of the USA and exclude Canadian and Mexican. The British is no less proud than the Americans. They used to claim their country to be the empire on which the sun never sets and the mistress of the seas (Mao, 2003:141) The full name of its nation is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British prefer to call their country Great Britain. The UK is actually a small country but it is the only country around the world using great in its countrys name. Some proverbs in English are the authentic portrayal of the excessively proud mind of the British. For instance, the English are a nation of shop-keepers; all countries stand in need of Britain, and Britain of none; one Englishman can beat three Frenchmen. (Mao, 2003:143) From these proverbs, we can see this island country is completely indulged in self-admiration. It assumes that whatever in its country is good and useful while those in other countries are odd. More often than not, it despises other countries especially those once at war with it such as France and the Netherlands. Even two of the world major powers, Russia and the United States cannot escape the fate of being derided. As the proverb says, An American will go to hell for a bag of coffee. Scratch a Russian, and you will find a tarter. (Jiao, 2009:59) Ethnocentrism endows the English language with a predilection towards the UK and the USA, and a bias against other nations or races. An excess of national pride glorifies a country while shows contempt for the virtues of other countries. In reality, it is fair to say that any ethnic group in the world is likely to show undue pride of nationalism of various degrees, consciously or not. Nonetheless ¼Ã…’ethnocentrism negatively affects international relations and goes against peaceful coexistence. 2.2 National resentment caused by wars Historical events have undoubtedly made their contribution to the development of English lexicology. New expressions often emerge from times of war when national emotion is running high. In most cases, they continue to stay in the language in the process of social development even if hundreds of years have passed. The French and Dutch expressions and proverbs are the classic examples. From a geographical perspective, France faces the United Kingdom across the English Channel. From 1377 to 1453, France and England were engaged in wars over territory and economic benefit. (Dai, 2003) The hundred-year war ended in a victory for France. This certainly gave rise to resentment from Englishmen toward France. English people found expression for their hatred in the English vocabulary. They considered the word French as a derogatory one and created many terms containing the word. Even today, we can still see the French expressions usually used as pejorative in the English language. For instance, the proverb one Englishman can beat three Frenchmen means defeating enemy troops with a force inferior in number. Some French phrases are connected with sex and eroticism. A French postcard/novel (Hou, 2009:64) is a pornographic photo/book. French gout (Hou, 2009:64) is syphilis. Not only the term French but also Dutch fall into this category. Dated back to 16th century, England had been friendly with the Netherlands. It was not until the 17th century that the Netherlands became one of the largest colonial empires in the world and a strong competitor of England for maritime trade. (Dai, 2003) It was inevitable that growing commercial rivalry between England and the United Netherlands led to the outbreak of wars. There were three Anglo-Dutch Wars fought in the 17th century. After the wars, the United Kingdom of Great Britain achieved maritime supremacy. Due to the wars, hostility persisted for years between the two countries. Many Dutch expressions and proverbs represent English feelings toward the Dutch. For instance, Dutch comfort/consolation (Liu, 2003:131) means no comfort/consolation at all. If something is double Dutch (Liu, 2003:131) to a person, he can hardly understand it. 2.3 Racial differences The majority of Native English speakers are white people. White racists consider their ancestry is sacred and of higher quality than others. They believe that their race possesses absolute and remarkable superiority when compared to others. As a consequence, they disparage other races in the world. This kind of emotion can be called racial discrimination and is sufficiently reflected in the English language. People can name racial slurs, many of which are related with African Americans, Native Americans and Asians. Expressions and proverbs containing such words as Negro, nigger and Indian often carry a connotation of contempt. Particularly in the American English, we can recognize the serious racial discrimination phenomenon. The United States is described to be a big melting pot, into which immigrants from all around the world have come together and blended their cultures and traditions. People of different nationalities, races, colors and faiths inhabit in the same community, contacting, influencing and integrating mutually. Altogether, they create a dynamic, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural society, and make their specific contribution to the American history. Yet ¼Ã…’this predominantly white country has been faced with racial contradictions and conflicts throughout its history. Strong hostility and prejudice between different racial groups, mostly the white and the colored, has resulted in racism in the English language and led to a rapid increase of discriminatory vocabulary. 2.4 National traits From the micro point of view, it is a common practice among people to remark on others physiological features, and make fun of them about their looks, shapes, and dressing. In a broad perspective, one ethnic group may tease another about its distinctive physiological feature which appears to be strange. It is conceivable that national traits (physiological features and characters) can also be a source of slurs in the English language. It is not surprising that Japanese, smaller in stature than the westerner ¼Ã…’get the nickname little-yellow-man (Liu, 2003:129) from the Americans. The Russians are nicknamed polar bears (Liu, 2003:129) because on one side part of Russia is located in the cold Arctic Circle, where polar bears often haunt, and on the other the Russians had a reputation for being strong and aggressive. Although these make sense, making fun of others about their distinctive traits is improper ¼Ã…’inconsiderate and even cruel after all. From the perspective of nation, every ethnic group is unique in its traits due to the interactions of heredity, environment and other factors. A nation is inclined to discriminate others on condition that it assumes its traits are better than any other nations. It is unfair and wrong to measure other nations by the standard of ones own nation. 2.5 Spatiotemporal differences Owing to spatiotemporal differences, countries face different environments which affect their knowledge about others. Therefore, the lack of knowledge of other areas would give rise to wrong interpretations and misunderstandings of people in those areas. Sometimes a countrys geographical backgrounds can become a popular topic and laughingstock to other countries. We may have heard the saying, Finland is the devils country (Mao, 2003:143) and wondered about its origin. As is known, Finland is situated at high latitudes of northern hemisphere with cold climatic conditions. The special geographical location leaves an impression on the English-speaking people that Finland is uninhabitable and only devils dare live there. In the English language, Chinese puzzle (Mao, 2003:142) refers to a complicated thing or problem. The phrase stems from the history when America and China had little contact. The Americans felt confused about China and had a poor understanding of the country. Hence, it is imaginable that they attached a sense of complexity to the word Chinese. 3.Words ¼Ã…’expressions and proverbs mirroring ethical prejudice In what way can words, expressions and proverbs reflect national and racial discrimination? From the point of modern English lexicology, there are four common tendencies of semantic change in words: restriction of meaning (specialization), extension of meaning (generalization), degeneration of meaning (pejoration), and elevation of meaning (amelioration). (Zhang, 1987:269) Among these four, degeneration of meaning refers to the condition that words once respectable or neutral may shift to a less respectable or even derogatory meaning. (Zhang, 1987:277) This is the most common method used in linguistic discrimination. For instance, the Dutch idioms in Chapter 3.1.1 have derogatory meanings because the word Dutch is degraded into negative sense. In English, there are so many idioms concerned about ethical prejudice that it would be difficult to cover all of them. Let us have a look at some of them from two broad categories. 3.1 Reflection of national discrimination Before moving on, I would like to state that all the idioms in the following paragraphs come from On National Prejudice in Language by Liu Baojun except those with special interlinear notes. 3.1.1 The Dutch idioms There are many Dutch expressions in English. We probably have heard or said them in daily life. However, we may have little idea about when they were first used and how they came into being. Dutch is explained by the unpleasant associations of certain historical events, namely, the Anglo-Dutch wars and rivalry at sea in the seventeenth century. Many of the Dutch expressions were first used in England at that time, during fierce naval competition between England and the Netherlands. British people used Dutch to refer to something bad. Now, of course, the British and the Dutch have a friendly relation. But the word Dutch is still used in almost the same way as it once was long time ago. The Dutch idioms can be classified into several types. First of all, some of the Dutch expressions are related to wine because the Dutch were regarded as bibber. The phrase Dutch courage is a slang term for courage gained after drinking alcohol. It is synonymous with liquid courage. The term is purported to have its origin in the battles of the seas. (Liu, 2003:131) It is said that the Dutch navy feared all other navies especially the English navy. It was rationalized that they must have drunk alcohol before battle to relieve their fear. A Dutch bargain or Dutch agreement, which is made between men who have drunk too much alcohol, is an uneven, one-sided deal. When the host is the first to get drunk in the party, it can be called a Dutch feast. Second, the British used to consider the Dutch very stingy about money. The Dutch always split the bill when whey went out for dinner. Based on this conception, Dutch treat referred to a dinner at which the invited guests should pay for their own share of food and drinks. A Dutch party is a party to which each guest contributes some food and drink. Today, Dutch treat has a slightly different meaning from that. When friends go out to have fun, each person pays his own share if they agree to Dutch treat or go Dutch. Third, in the eyes of the British, the Dutch were rude, irritable and weird. To get ones Dutch up is to flare up. To do a Dutch act means to commit suicide. If a person talks to you in a very severe way, he is talking like a Dutch uncle. This phrase emerges for the reason that the Dutch had a reputation for raising their children in a firm way. (Li, 2009:52) Not only expressions but also proverbs can convey national slurs. The Dutch has taken Holland can be interpreted as follows: a man who has seen little regards many things as strange and comment excitedly on a commonplace thing out of inexperience. However, people using these expressions may not be well aware that they are hurting the Netherlands national pride. Almost all the Dutch phrases contain negative connotation. The situation makes the Netherlands feel uncomfortable and low national respect. Thus, in 1934, Netherlands government commanded that officials should avoid use the word Dutch. (Hou, 2009:65) In spite of the effort, today the derogatory sense of the word still exists and people continue using it to refer to something negative. 3.1.2 The French idioms In the modern history of the world, France and the Great Britain rival each other in political, economic, cultural and military competition. Many British idioms have recorded the countrys discord with the French. French leave is an abrupt and unannounced departure without saying farewell to the host. The phrase can be traced back to 18th century. (Wang, 1999:45) From the view of character, the French were amiable and easygoing by nature. It was their custom that guests invited to dinner would depart without giving thanks or saying farewell to their host. To the British, in particular the English, whose reputed quality is reserved, leaving without saying goodbye is ill-mannered, discourteous and shows no respect for others. There goes the proverb when the Ethiopian is white, the French will love the English. In reality, The Ethiopians are dark-skinned and it is impossible that their skin will turn white. By using this logic analysis, neither is it possible that the French will love the English. The proverb implies that the state of hostility between the two countries would not end. Another proverb goes, The Italians are wise before the deed, the Germans in the deed, the French after the deed. (Jiao, 2009:59) By comparing France with another two countries, the idiom carries a message that the French are wooden-headed and witless. Historically, it was suggested by the Americans that some of the French expressions should be changed. Yet ¼Ã…’it was too early to be cheerful for the French. Here goes the story. In the first half of the year 2003, France opposed the plan shock and awe adopted by the American-led United Nations forces toward Iraq. This stirred up American disgust toward the French. A television host of FOX news, one of the American news media, called for a boycott of French goods. It was demanded that in the English language French toast and French fry should be changed into freedom toast and freedom fry while French leave should be reserved. (Du, 2005:23) Very interestingly, it seemed that the Americans wanted to keep the French expressions with derogatory sense and meanwhile discard others with neutral meaning. In such case, The French could do nothing but sulk. 3.1.3 The Chinaman/Chinese idioms In modern times, China cut off itself from the outside world. As a result of a seclusion policy in foreign relations, China lost an opportunity for development and fell behind. Thus, the western countries showed contempt to this poor and backward nation with weak comprehensive power. Chink and Chinaman have long been used as disparaging terms for the Chinese. Many figures of speech in the English reflected a history of Chinese being insulted. Chinamans chance essentially means an extremely slim chance or no chance at all for someone to accomplish his goal or successfully do an action. In 1978, American publisher Scribner published the novel Chinamans chance by Ross Thomas. Regardless of the content of the novel, people sought the origin of the title Chinamans chance. The historical context of the phrase dates from the goldrush days of California in the middle of the 19th century when many Chinese came here to work as laborers. (Jiao, 2009:58) Their job was demanding and very dangerous but lower-paying. The Chinese faced higher taxes, denial of citizenship and equal rights to white man. Chinamans chance truly depicts the hard life of Chinese in that city. Another expression occurred in the same period. To play someone for a Chinaman is to treat him as a fool. Many of the Chinese expressions heard in English are used as pejorative. A Chinese copy is an exact copy of an original. Chinese slavery means virtual slavery. Chinese compliment is used to describe a man who speaks one way and thinks another. Chinese fire drill refers to confusional and chaotic state, large but ineffective exercise, or the act of a group of individuals achieving nothing. If someone has Chinese restaurant syndrome (Wang, 1999:43), he may feel headache, vomiting, swirl or sweating caused by eating Chinese food that contains monosodium glutamate. Research suggests that there is no evidence of the so-called Chinese restaurant syndrome and it is nothing more than urban legend. 3.1.4 The Irishman and Irish idioms The United Kingdom is made up of four nations England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Of these four nations, the English people account for the majority of the population and feel most British. They have a strong sense of national pride and ridicule the rest of the kingdom. They would verbally attack Scotland, Wales, and in particular Ireland. We can take a look at some of the Irishman and Irish phrases. Irishmans dinner/feast actually means apastia. Irishmans promotion represents demotion. Irish diamond is not diamond at all. It is just crystal or stone. Irish evidence is seen as perjury. Irish compliment is backhanded compliment. If someone makes an Irish bull, he provides a paradoxical statement. To get ones Irish up (Hou,2009:64) means to lose ones temper. A similar expression is to get ones Dutch up. There are also Irish proverbs with offensive implications: Englands difficulty is Irelands opportunity; Put an Irishman on the spit, and you can always get another to baste him. (Mao, 2003:143) 3.1.5 The Welsh idioms The word Welsh shares the same fate of Irish. To Welsh is to repudiate a debt. According to English people, the phrase originates from 19th century when many Welsh people made a living by betting on horse racing. (Liu, 1999:79) They were said to have been extremely cunning because they always tried to get out of paying money when they lost the bet. Thus, in the eyes of English people, they became notorious for such a bad quality. Therefore, to Welsh on somebody is to go back on ones word. To Welsh on ones debt is to rat on ones debt As we know, England is a relatively rich nation when compared with Wales. Phrases like Welsh comb and Welsh carpet are used by the English people to mock at Welsh poverty. 3.1.6 The Greek idioms The word Greek is associated with trick, cattiness, and danger. Greek gift can not be interpreted literally. If a person receives a Greek gift, he should be cautious because the gift is given with the intention of tricking the recipient and causing harm to him. A proverb derives from this expression, I fear the Greeks, even when they come with the gifts. Greek trust indicates unreliability. When Greek meets Greek, and then comes the tug of war. It means that when enemies face each other, their eyes blaze with hate. Fires are rekindled between the two sides and old wounds opened up again. When people encounter something incomprehensible, they would say it is all Greek to me to show that they dont understand at all. 3.2 Reflection of racial discrimination 3.2.1 Discrimination against Native American Before starting this part, I want to make it clear that all the idioms below come from On English Language against Non-English Nationalities by Mao Fasheng except those with special notes. An Indian giver refers to a person who gives a gift but require something in return later. This expression originates from around 1765 and the American colonial days. (Li, 2009:57) To the early American Indians, gifts were simply form of trade goods. A person gave a gift in hope of something of equivalent in return. However, to the European settlers, such kind of custom appeared to be insulting. In their minds, gifts were freely given rather than for trade practices. The original meaning of the expression was only the expectation of a gift in return. By the late 1800s, its sense shifted to describe someone who demands return while giving. Indian giving is a similar terms used to satirize the giver. We should handle an Indian gift with caution as well as Greek gift. The present is given by someone with expectation of receiving another from us. An Indian sign is a magic spell cast on a person to control him or bring him bad luck. If a girl is able to put or have an Indian sign on a boy, then she fascinates him perhaps with her dazzling loveliness. Americans regarded the Indians as dumb, irritable and evil-minded. Terms like cigar-store Indian, dumb Indian, wooden Indian portray a negative image for the Indians as boring and foolish. To get ones Indian up is to get mad or be inflamed with rage. It shares the same meaning as two other figures of speech get ones Dutch up and get ones Irish up. The proverb The only good Indian is a dead Indian (Liu, 2003:131) characterizes the American relationship with Indians. 3.2.2 Discrimination against African-American In American history ¼Ã…’African-Americans were subject to discrimination and their life were sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation. They were faced with poor living conditions and harsh working environments. Being despised, hated, disgraced and oppressed by racists, they lived in misery and suffering. Even today, in the society of more advanced civilization, the phenomenon of racial discrimination still exists. Racism is still a sensitive and serious issue that the world seeks to solve. From the view of language, racial slurs are to be found everywhere. Nigger, niggra, niggruh and Negro (Jiao, 2009:57) are common slavery-imposed epithets with evident insult to the black. They remind people the bitter period of slavery when African-Americans struggled for freedom. To work like a negro/nigger refers to somebody who works or is forced to work very hard just like a slave. Even in literature, we can see racial slurs in world-famous works. For example, some African-Americans complained about the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. They claimed that the writer should not have used the word nigger in the book. The following dialogue, in particular, stirs up strong discontent amongst African-Americans. Good gracious. Anybody hurt? Nom killed a nigger. Well, its lucky because sometimes people do get hurt.  [1]   We should try not to get involved in the issue of racial discrimination; otherwise we may place ourselves in criticism and trouble. In 1999, David Howard, the aide of Washington, DC mayor Anthony Williams resigned after being accused of using a racial slur.  [2]  Mr. Howard, head of the Office of Public Advocate, used the word niggardly when delivering the budget report in one of the regular meetings by municipal government. As a matter of fact, niggardly is defined as stingy or ungenerous and does not have any racial connotations. Yet, staff members present which was made up of two blacks and another white were offended by the word. Soon after the meeting, the rumor began to spread that Howard had used the racial slur nigger. Howard said such rumor has severely compromised my effectiveness as the Districts Public Advocate and in the best interest of my office, I resigned.  [3]  Howard was innocent in this issue. The real problem is that niggardly has a similar pronunciation with nigger. An important lesson we can learn out of this is that people especially government officials should avoid using not only racial slurs but also words sounding similar to them. 4. Negative effects of linguistic discrimination 4.1 Verbal counterback in other languages against English slurs Linguistic discrimination in English would surely result in verbal attack from those countries that have been insulted by English-speaking countries. It is normal to find ethnic slurs in other languages than English. For instance, in the French language, les sombikes (Liu, 1999:81), which has the same meaning as son of a bitch in the English language, is used as a disparaging term for an American. The phrase dates from the First World War when American soldiers liked to shout the expletive son of a bitch. As a matter of fact, almost any language contains ethnic slurs. It may be just to say that any ethnic in the world is apt to glorify its own group and meanwhile look down upon others. This sense of national superiority, more or less, is reflected in the language. 4.2 Negative impact on international relations Based on numerous historical events, linguistic discrimination against other nations and races mirrors barriers, conflicts, and hatred between different ethnic groups. It is a social problem that cannot be neglected. The usage of slurs can be detrimental to international relations. It exerts negative impact on social equity, stability and harmony. History teaches us that it has clearly influenced national unity and integrity in such a country of great ethnic complexity as America. As long as inter-ethnic inequality and contractions exist in human society, they would find expression in the language. Conversely ¼Ã…’linguistic discrimination would trigger hostility and conflicts between ethnics. They together initiate a vicious cycle and people get trapped in it. 5. State of English linguistic discrimination in modern society 5.1 Common existence of English linguistic discrimination It is undeniable that the phenomenon of English linguistic discrimination is still very common in modern society. People use those idioms in daily life, consciously or not. They may say a slur without recognizing that it is offensive and may cause them trouble. Why are discriminatory language still used today even if hostilities ended hundreds of years ago? As is discussed in chapter 1.1, language develops and evolves with society. Once words are given derogatory meanings, it would be difficult to change or eliminate them. It often happens that language is more conservative than civilization, material as well as moral. Objects, institutions, ideas, scientific concepts change in the course of time; yet in many cases the name is retained and thus helps to ensure a sense of tradition and continuity. (Ullmann 1977:198) 5.2 Sign of improvements on the phenomenon Fortunately, we have seen evidence of improvements on the phenomenon of national and racial discrimination in the English language. For example, In the September of 2001, the mountain Chinks Peak in the Pocatello Range in Idaho State got its new official name Chinese Peak from the United States Board of Geographic Names. The original name Chinks Peak was deemed offensive and racist. Some people especially Chinese Americans strongly requested th

Freshman Fifteen English Paper

First Draft The Future of America: Freshmen 15 Crisis As obesity rates continue to rise worldwide, the U. S. sets an example of culturally influenced weight problems and therefore ranks ninth out the ten of the fattest countries, according to the World Health Organization (Streib). College campuses in the U. S. are the perfect example of cultural weight gain. At Towson University, the large number of freshman gaining the stereotypical â€Å"freshman 15† can be explained by poor eating and exercising habits developed in college and the university's dining options. A lot of incoming students come into college already aware of what the freshman 15 is but still manage to develop horrid eating habits. A great way to help solve such an issue is to inform students about this health issue that is only continuing to flourish. To do this universities need to step of to this nationwide concern and include a health and wellness component to our Univ. 100 classes in which students will learn what they should eat and what habits to avoid. Despite what some optimistic researchers say, the freshman 15 is real. Some have argued that most freshmen are doing better with their diet now than in the past; however we are still gaining around eight pounds a year (â€Å"Some†). It is difficult to go from a controlled and routine schedule of eating and exercising at home to the free world of choices at college. In his recent work Daniel Hoffman, a professor at Rutgers University, points out that it is â€Å"perhaps most important for students to recognize that seemingly minor and perhaps even harmless changes in eating or exercise behavior may result in large changes in weight and body fat mass over an extended period of time† (Hoffman). The fact is that students are not leaving home prepared enough for the world of late night pizza and consumption of alcohol that characterizes most students’ college years. If a nutrition lecture or a healthy lifestyle class were mandatory for incoming students it would provide a new perspective on diet and health. After becoming notified on the issue students can find their own routine of a well balanced diet and an hour of exercise per day at school. If students were informed they could start researching nutritional facts on what food they should eat and what time of the day would best to consume it. Professor Elizabeth Klasen from the University of Wisconsin insists this national phenomenon can be â€Å"attributed to dorm food, and may be associated with altered meal and sleep patterns† (Klasen). Students are forced upon sleeping abnormal hours along with eating unhealthy food consumption at inappropriate times, making it difficult to for them to eat fewer than 2000 calories or even exercise the recommended 15 minutes a day. It is difficult to maintain a healthy balanced diet on a college campus that is filled with fast food like diners and limits students to only fifteen dollars of food a day, making the alternative of more expensive and healthier foods not an realistic option. This inconvenience of healthy food and convenience of junk food was â€Å"all it took for freshmen to gain seven pounds over two semesters† in a 2006 Rutgers study (â€Å"Some†). For those students, the difference between maintaining a healthy weight and gaining seven pounds â€Å"was about 112 extra calories a day. That's one soda or half a cookie a day, or 10 minutes less of exercise† (â€Å"Some†). For instance, to get a healthy meal at one of Towson’s diners, let’s say a pre-made salad, you have to pay six dollars and wait in a mile-long line. Then, as you are standing in that line you look over and see a non-existent line for that slice of pizza and start to think to yourself, Why should I pay three times more for this salad and wait in line for 15 minutes when I only have 20 minutes until my next class, when I could go grab that last piece of pizza? Unfortunately, college presents even more opportunities for students to eat poorly, since most students stay up late to study, do last-minute homework after procrastinating all day, or hang out with friends after a party. Whether or not college students are aware of what they are doing to their bodies, researchers know that the â€Å"food eaten between 8 p. m. and 4 a. m. [is] a leading contributor to weight gain,† making the most active part of a college student’s day the most detrimental to his health (â€Å"Some†). One study from the University of Wisconsin attempts to explain this phenomenon through â€Å"Night Eating Syndrome (NES), which is associated with overweight and obesity and involves consumption of over 50% of daily calories after 7 pm† (Klasen). What’s surprising is how easy it is to get food that late at night. Specifically, Campusfood. com, a common college food supplier, gives options for students to order 1000-calorie meals delivered conveniently to their dorm steps at 2:00 a. m. The number of fast-food delivery places that open at such a late time is absurd; these restaurants are helping America gain the freshman 15 one pizza at a time. During the first semester of their freshman year in college, students will be preoccupied with many things, like which classes they will take, how well they will do in those classes, which activities they want to devote their time to, which people they want to hang with, and whether or not they will have enough money to do fun things off campus (Gonzalez). People who believe that college weight gain is a natural occurrence argue that students need to focus on more important aspects of school such as their grades, making friends, and getting involved in clubs, rather than spending time worrying about an unproven stereotype of weight gain. However, the fact that students are gaining weight is proven. As the aforementioned studies show, the freshman 15 is real, and it is affecting the lives of college freshman across the country. Freshmen are gaining weight because of eating habits they develop during the first semester. Poor food options do increase the chances of gaining weight. Freshmen do gain weight because of the convenience and availability of unhealthy food on campuses. It is true that students should concentrate on grades and other college activities however this is not an excuse to pig out and throw health concerns out the window. Missouri Western State University did a study that showed â€Å"higher GPA was associated with less consumption of fast food and higher GPA was also associated with the amount of meals an individual skipped per day: the fewer meals skipped the greater the GPA† (Costa). Apparently students’ grades are affected by what they eat. The belief that students should not worry about the â€Å"freshman 15† because they should worry about their grades is incorrect. If students concentrate on eating well their grades will reflect their good habits. The â€Å"freshman 15† is a phrase that represents a bigger dilemma, because is not just something that takes place during the first year in college. It’s not just freshman gaining weight, sophomores and upper classmen do to. Researcher Elizabeth Lloyd-Richardson, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University Medical School did a study that â€Å"found students are weighing in at two to three pounds heavier post-sophomore year† (Rosenberg). Bad eating habits and lack of exercise start with freshmen. But since nothing is done to correct those habits students continue through the rest of their college years and after. Fitness Director Stacy Trukowski is cited by Rutgers University’s newspaper, Relations, saying, â€Å"Most people fail to gain control of their weight gain from early adulthood. Although gaining an average of seven pounds is not as alarming as 15, the pounds will surely add up over time† (Rosenberg). Unfortunately college students see weight gain from the time they enter school to the time they leave. Trukowski credits this to â€Å"drinking and eating at night and lifestyle changes they are not used to† (Rosenberg). With this evidence of continuous lifelong weight gain resulting from habits developed in college, it is surprising that colleges are not doing anything to prevent this issue. This problem may be related to rising obesity rates in America. Professor Levitisky from the college of human ecology at Cornell University found that â€Å"freshman weight gain could be the same phenomenon that is contributing to the epidemic of obesity among all Americans–that a relatively small increase in calories each day or week has the cumulative effect of adding a significant amount of weight over the years†(Land). Professor Levitisky’s study puts into perspective how important freshman weight gain is. Eating habits learned as freshmen stick with them and are harder to change as years go by. Universities need to confront this issue and take precautionary measures to help prevent future concerns. A course for incoming freshman to learn about the â€Å"freshman 15† and how to avoid it would be a great first step. Long Island University’s freshman College 101 course sets a good example of what could be used at Towson University. The course had a great proposal to teach students by having nutrition communication students present information about freshmen weight gain in a mandatory orientation class (Thomas). Since Towson University already has freshman Health 101 lecture classes, the class should dedicate at least one day in the semester to diet and exercise education. This way teacher could reduce the number of freshman gaining weight during the first semester. A Univ. 101 health and wellness component lecture would teach students how to develop healthy eating habits that would then help them for the rest of their lives. For example, they would learn what foods to avoid and what time they should avoid eating. There could be seminars in which juniors and seniors majoring in nutrition come in and talk about available foods on campus and nutritional facts along with what a good college campus diet looks like and how it can be achieved. In this class students would also develop a weekly health plan. This health plan would be incorporated into a personal log in which students would record how have exercised that week and how many times they ate late at night. This would help students analyze their bodies and realize what a simple lifestyle change could do. Studies like ones done University of California at Berkley show students who record their eating habits are more likely to witness their mistakes and correct them (Hom). The overall goal for this class is for freshmen to stop picking up bad habits during their first semester and stick with their good habits for the rest of their lives. The freshman 15 is an issue that needs to be taken care through an education system that teaches healthy diet and exercise options. Learning about proper eating habits will stop students from initially gaining weight in college and help prevent future obesity problems. If colleges implement programs to help solve this dilemma then it might be possible to help reduce America’s growing obesity concerns.

Essay on Alexander The Great - 1050 Words

Alexander the Great is said to be one of the greatest conquerors of all time, and yet, his significance in battle showed up late in his life. His early years were spent in poverty, and as the years progressed, his dream of being a war hero grew dimmer and dimmer.Ironically, while he was later known as a war hero, he was still feared by all because of his reputation as a drinker and murderer. But first, his background. He was born in 356 BC. His parents were Philip, the brother of King Perdiccas III of Macedon, in Northern Greece. His mother was Olympias, daughter of King Neoptolemus I of Epirus, in modern Albania. He also had a younger sister, Cleopatra (not the famous Egyptian queen).However, this family was not as ordinary as one might†¦show more content†¦On one occasion, Philip was attacked and hurt by rioters and he fell and played dead on the ground. Alexander shielded the attackers away and his father lived, but he never acknowledged the fact that Alexander saved his life. Alexander deeply resented him for this. Alexander was known for his many temper tantrums. One memorable one was during a dinner party celebrating his final marriage. His uncle gave a toast saying that he hoped that they would have a child to take over throne. Alexander replied,; so am I just a bastard?; and he threw his goblet at his uncle. This started such a great brawl between the two that Philip stood up and drew his sword at Alexander, but fell over drunk before he got even close to him. To this Alexander yelled, ;Look, men,heamp;#8217;s about to cross from Europe to Asia, and he falls crossing from chair to chair.; This incident forced Alexander and his mother to leave Macedon, but, several years later, they reconciled with him and moved back. However, soon after their return, Philip was stabbed by the Captain of his bodyguards while he was entering the theater that his nephews wedding was being held in. The assassin fled across a vineyard. He might have escaped, but a v ine caught his foot and he tripped. He was killed by some other bodyguards instantly. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Philipamp;#8217;s death in 336 BC lead Alexander to succeed him and become King Alexander III. By this time, he was twentyShow MoreRelatedAlexander The Great Of Alexander Essay988 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander became king of Macedonia after his the passing of his father, King Philip II. Within this essay, the information of Alexander will come from three different sources,and be compared to find the similarities in the history of Alexander amongst them. Alexand lived from 356 B.C.E. to 323 B.C.E., dying at the age of thirty-two. The three sources used have many similarities and broaden the history of Alexander, as they include more into the timeline of his life. 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So searching and profound was Aristotle’s work that in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries A.D. much of the Christian church regarded his teachings as being divinely inspired. No subject was untouched by his contemplation. Philosophy, botany, geographyRead MoreAlexander the Great 1054 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander the Great once said, â€Å"There is nothing impossible to he who tries†. Alexander’s whole life seems to be based off this one quote. From the day he was only a young child till he transitioned into one of the greatest of men, which conquered and ruled the largest empire that ever existed in the world. He accomplished and influenced so much in the world that he is still not forgotten. From his achievements and his positive contributions to the world he is still remembered as a hero. AlexanderRead MoreAlexander The Great Essay846 Words   |  4 PagesKonark Raithatha Alexander the Great Acted as ruler of Macedonia from 336 to 323 B.C. 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Although Alexander still want to learn about military tactics which was his mainRead MoreAlexander The Great Of Alexander IIi Of Macedon1119 Words   |  5 PagesAlexander The Great Alexander III of Macedon Riding Bucephalus Into Battle Alexander III of Macedon or Alexander The Great was born on 20/21 July 356 BC in Pella, Macedon. He was the son of the king of Macedon. Alexander was many things, he was a prince, a king, a general, and much more. Alexander’s father was the King of Macedon, Philip II and his mother was his father’s fourth wife, Olympias, she was the daughter of Neoptolemus I, the king of Epirus. When Alexander was very young he was raised

How Information Into Your Memory - 881 Words

As humans in this world we intake thousands of pieces of memory a day. Every day that you are living you are learning even if you do not know it. Even though we are learning that does not necessarily mean that we are going to remember what we learned yesterday a few days ago, there is a process to being able to memorize information. Putting information into your memory comes in a three step process; encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is when you see something in the world around you and you take that information in. Storage is when you take that information that you just gathered and do something to that information so you will remember the information at a later date. Retrieval is the process of bringing that information back to use the information when you need to. There are four steps to make your memory encoding better; attention, levels of processing, elaboration, and imagery. With memory encoding attention is the most important step, you cannot use selective attention y ou have to take everything in. There are levels of processing to memory encoding; shallow level, intermediate level, and deepest level. With the shallow level is when you are only focusing on the physical parts of the stimulus. The intermediate level is when you recognize the stimulus or information and you give it a name. The deepest level with is the preferred level occurs when we connect the stimulus to a meaning and other similar stimulus. Elaboration is the depth of the processing level,Show MoreRelatedHow Many Different Types of Memory System Are There? Illustrate Your Answer with Examples of the Kinds of Information Which Each System Stores1573 Words   |  7 Pagesbelief that memory is composed of several distinct systems is not novel, it is only around the mid 20th century that experimental studies carried out on amnesic patients have started to confirm it (Squire, 2004). This essay will discuss the different types of memory systems that have been found, their distinctions and evidence supporting their existence derived from studies on amnesiacs. Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) multi-store model suggests that memory is a flow of information processed throughRead MoreEssay about The Human Memory Model1732 Words   |  7 PagesMemory, Thinking, and Intelligence Memory is the process in our brain that the results of learning are stored for future recall. There are three types of memory, sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory. The human memory processing system is comprised of an input or encoding stage, a storage process, and a retrieval process, the human memory also tends to forget quite a bit of information. Psychologists have many general principles to help us improve our memory and learning how theRead MoreHuman Memory1228 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Memory The human memory is one of the most interesting things to learn about but also one of the most challenging. In this essay I will explore the human memory and how it relates to the following things: information processing theory, nature of sensory register, and the role of attention. I will also explain to the best of my ability the nature of the working memory, how the brain connect new information with prior knowledge and the nature of long term memory. Finally I will provide strategiesRead MoreMemory And Memory Of Memory971 Words   |  4 Pagesfield trip, or the way your grandma’s house smells, your favorite song, or your first love, but how do we store and remember so many memories throughout our lifespan, in our brain? A memory is a â€Å"faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information†, but how? Memories are stored in direct braincells and brain structures, which allow us to remember our memories. Some memories can depend on one single molecule for th eir life long remembrance, and replay of episodes. Memories are stored in two waysRead MoreMemory And Long Term Memory1315 Words   |  6 PagesDo you know how many types of memory you have? There are many parts of memory, but two specific parts are Short Term Memory (STM), and Long Term Memory (LTM).Understanding and learning about STM and LTM will help you improve your memory. What they are and how they work are the most important thing to know about them. You will find out is how long short term memory lasts and how long, long term memory last. You will also find out are ways to remember things in Short Term Memory so they go into LongRead MoreMemory Reflection Paper1741 Words   |  7 Pageslearning experience. Cognitive is known for how we process our knowing. The way it develops and the function is being brought to our bodies. It relates to the mental process in memory, judgment and how we cope with emotional and volitional processes. Now there is three major processes when it comes to memory being involved. It starts with the encoding, storage, and retrieval. Now these are three ways to form new memories. The way memory gets information it must be turned into a usable form. WhichRead MoreLearning and Memory Essays1167 Words   |  5 PagesxxLEARNING AND MEMORY Learning is the process of gaining knowledge or skills through study, experience or teaching. It is a process that depends on experience and leads to long-term changes in the possible behaviour of an individual in a given situation, in order to achieve a goal. Memory is a property of the human mind. It describes the ability to retain information. There are different types of classifications for memory based on duration, nature and retrieval of items. The generally acceptedRead MoreHow Does Age Affect The Memory1437 Words   |  6 Pages How does age affect the memory in people? It is a common belief today that as we get older our memory deteriorates, making us forget the simplest of things. Whether it is losing a set of keys or forgetting a family members name, these common problems show the fact that people s memories over time continue to get worse. Sometimes their memory is even worse than they think it is. A persons memory begins to deteriorate as early as their twenties and tends to pick up speed as they reachRead MorePsychology Chapter 7 and 8 Vocab870 Words   |  4 PagesEncoding-entering/getting information into your memory; forming a memory code * Storage- saving information into your memory over time * Retrieval- being able to recall information from memory * Tip- of-the-tongue phenomenon- when you know certain information but have difficulty being able to recall it. * Attention- focusing your awareness to certain thing * Structural encoding- emphasizes the physical structures of a stimulus * Phonemic encoding- emphasizes on how a word sounds Read MoreMemory699 Words   |  3 Pagesforget information soon after you learn it. However, memory has a use-it-or-lose-it quality: memories that are called up and used frequently are least likely to be forgotten. Although transience might seem like a sign of memory weakness, brain scientists regard it as beneficial because it clears the brain of unused memories, making way for newer, more useful ones. 2. Absentmindedness This type of forgetting occurs when you don’t pay close enough attention. You forget where you just put your pen