A Comma (or Its Absence) Can Change a Sentences Message

A Comma (or Its Absence) Can Change a Sentences Message A Comma (or Its Absence) Can Change a Sentence’s Message A Comma (or Its Absence) Can Change a Sentence’s Message By Mark Nichol Writers are divided in opinion about punctuating introductory words or phrases- and often, they are at war with themselves with the topic. Even adherents of open punctuation will generally insert a comma after an adverb, whether it is transitional, like however, or descriptive, like suddenly, and will follow even a brief modifying phrase such as â€Å"according to the study† or â€Å"contrary to popular belief† with pausing punctuation. But somewhere in between- in the case of a short opening phrase like â€Å"last year† or â€Å"in retrospect†- many people believe a comma setting the phrase off from the sentence’s main clause is unnecessary. For consistency, I advocate generally using a comma regardless of the phrase’s length, but even though I am a close-punctuation adherent, I realize there are exceptions. Consider the use of please, for example. Read this sentence: â€Å"Please sit down.† Now, read this one. â€Å"Please, sit down.† Did you read them differently? I hope so. The intent behind each statement is distinct: â€Å"Please sit down† is an imperative barely tempered by a courtesy term; the person to whom the statement is delivered is expected to comply. By contrast, â€Å"Please, sit down† is an entreaty; the speaker sincerely hopes that the other person will accept the invitation. There’s a difference, too, between â€Å"Of course you would say whatever you thought I wanted to hear† and â€Å"Of course, you would say whatever you thought I wanted to hear.† The first sentence is delivered with some heat; the speaker’s tone is wounded and derisive. The second statement, by contrast, is more measured and reflective. These examples are more subtle than when one decides whether one should punctuate, for example, â€Å"In time you will understand why I acted as I did†: You either agree with me that if one is to punctuate a more extensive introductory phrase (â€Å"When you have time to reflect, you will understand why I acted as I did†)- and most writers will choose to do so- it’s only logical to treat a more concise opening phrase the same way (otherwise, where does one draw the line?), or you don’t agree. But sometimes, what a sentence communicates changes with the mere insertion or omission of a comma, and the writer should be sensitive to such nuances to help the reader read between the lines. Todays video: Calls to Action Pluralizing Compound Nouns Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund PhrasesYay, Hooray, Woo-hoo and Other AcclamationsEnglish Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases

The History and Domestication of Bananas

The History and Domestication of Bananas Bananas (Musa spp) are a tropical crop, and a staple in the wet tropic areas of Africa, the Americas, mainland and island Southeast Asia, South Asia, Melanesia and the Pacific islands. Perhaps 87% of the total bananas consumed worldwide today are locally consumed; the rest is distributed outside of the wet tropical regions in which they are grown. Today there are hundreds of fully domesticated banana varieties, and an uncertain number are still in various stages of domestication: that is to say, they still are inter-fertile with wild populations. Bananas are basically giant herbs, rather than trees, and there are approximately 50 species in the Musa genus, which includes the edible forms of bananas and plantains. The genus is split into four or five sections, based on the number of chromosomes in the plant, and the region where they are found. Furthermore, over a thousand different types of cultivars of bananas and plantains are recognized today. The different varieties are characterized by wide differences in peel color and thickness, flavor, fruit size, and resistance to disease. The bright yellow one found most frequently in western markets is called the Cavendish. Cultivating Bananas Bananas produce vegetative suckers at the base of the plant which can be removed and planted separately. Bananas are planted at a typical density of between 1500-2500 plants per square hectare. Between 9-14 months after planting, each plant produces some 20-40 kilograms of fruit. After the harvest, the plant is cut down, and one sucker is allowed to grow up to produce the next crop. Banana Phytoliths The evolution of bananas are difficult to study archaeologically, and so the domestication history was unknowable until recently. Banana pollen, seeds, and pseudostem impressions are quite rare or absent at archaeological sites, and much of the recent research has been focused on the relatively new technologies associated with opal phytoliths- basically silicon copies of cells created by the plant itself. Banana phytoliths are uniquely shaped: they are volcaniform, shaped like little volcanoes with a flat crater at the top. There are differences in the phytoliths between varieties of bananas, but variations between wild and domesticated versions are not as yet definitive, so additional forms of research need to be used to fully understand banana domestication. Genetics and Linguistics Genetics and linguistic studies also help in understanding banana history. Diploid and triploid forms of bananas have been identified, and their distribution throughout the world is a key piece of evidence. In addition, linguistic studies of local terms for bananas support the notion of the spread of the banana away from its point of origin: island southeast Asia. Exploitation of early wild forms of bananas has been noted at the Beli-Lena site of Sri Lanka by c 11,500-13,500 BP, Gua Chwawas in Malaysia by 10,700 BP, and Poyang Lake, China by 11,500 BP. Kuk Swamp, in Papua New Guinea, so far the earliest unequivocal evidence for banana cultivation, had wild bananas there throughout the Holocene, and banana phytoliths are associated with the earliest human occupations at Kuk Swamp, between ~10,220-9910 cal BP. Todays Hybridized Bananas Bananas have been cultivated and hybridized a number of times over several thousand years, so well concentrate on the original domestication, and leave the hybridization to botanists. All edible bananas today are hybridized from  Musa acuminata  (diploid) or  M. acuminata  crossed with  M. balbisiana  (triploid). Today,  M. acuminata  is found throughout mainland and island southeast Asia including the eastern half of the Indian subcontinent;  M. balbisiana  is mostly found in mainland Southeast Asia. Genetic changes from  M. acuminata  created by the domestication process include the suppression of seeds and the development of parthenocarpy: the ability of humans to create a new crop without the need for fertilization. Bananas Across the World Archaeological evidence from the  Kuk Swamp  of the highlands of New Guinea indicates that bananas were deliberately planted by at least as long ago as 5000-4490 BC (6950-6440 cal BP). Additional evidence indicates that  Musa acuminata  ssp  banksii  F. Muell was dispersed out of New Guinea and introduced into eastern Africa by ~3000 BC (Munsa and Nkang), and into South Asia (the Harappan site of Kot Diji) by 2500 cal BC, and probably earlier. The earliest banana evidence found in Africa is from  Munsa, a site in Uganda dated to 3220 cal BC, although there are problems with the stratigraphy and chronology. The earliest well-supported evidence is at Nkang, a site located in southern Cameroon, which contained banana phytoliths dated between 2,750 to 2,100 BP. Like  coconuts, bananas were most widely spread as a result of the sea exploration of the Pacific by Lapita peoples ca 3000 BP, of extensive trade voyages throughout the Indian Ocean by Arab traders, and of exploration of the Americas by Europeans. Sources Ball T, Vrydaghs L, Van Den Hauwe I, Manwaring J, and De Langhe E. 2006.  Differentiating banana phytoliths: wild and edible Musa acuminata and Musa Journal of Archaeological Science 33(9):1228-1236.balbisiana.   De Langhe E, Vrydaghs L, de Maret P, Perrier X, and Denham T. 2009. Why Bananas Matter: An introduction to the history of banana domestication.  Ethnobotany Research Applications  7:165-177. Open Access Denham T, Fullagar R, and Head L. 2009.  Plant exploitation on Sahul: From   Quaternary International  202(1-2):29-40.colonisation to the emergence of regional specialisation during the Holocene. Denham TP, Harberle SG, Lentfer C, Fullagar R, Field J, Therin M, Porch N, and Winsborough B. 2003.  Origins of Agriculture at Kuk Swamp in the Highlands of New Guinea.  Science  301(5630):189-193. Donohue M, and Denham T. 2009.  Banana (Musa spp.) Domestication in the Asia-Pacific Region: Linguistic and archaeobotanical perspectives.  Ethnobotany Research Applications  7:293-332. Open Access Heslop-Harrison JS, and Schwarzacher T. 2007.  Domestication, Genomics and the Future for Banana.  Annals of Botany  100(5):1073-1084. Lejju BJ, Robertshaw P, and Taylor D. 2006.  Africas earliest bananas?  Journal of Archaeological Science  33(1):102-113. Pearsall DM. 2008.  Plant . In: Pearsall DM, editor.  Encyclopedia of Archaeology. London: Elsevier Inc. p 1822-1842.domestication Perrier X, De Langhe E, Donohue M, Lentfer C, Vrydaghs L, Bakry F, Carreel F, Hippolyte I, Horry J-P, Jenny C et al. 2011.  Multidisciplinary perspectives on banana (Musa spp.) domestication.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  Early Edition.

Dell Computers Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dell Computers Inc - Essay Example onal costs of intermediaries between the company and consumer and thus reducing the overall cost of the PCs making it cheaper than other PCs in the market. The other advantage was that it reduces the costs and risks associated with carrying large stocks of parts, components and finished goods (Thompson and Gamble, 2006). The company later became a public limited company and raised $34.2 million in its first offering of common stock and achieved sales of $388 million in 1990. During 1986 to 1993, Dell refined strategy, build an adequate infrastructure and established market credibility against better known rivals like IBM and Hewlett Packard. Dells computer strategy clicked into full gear in the late 1990s and the sell direct strategy provided the company with most efficient procurement, manufacturing and distribution capabilities in the global PC industry and gave a substantial profit margin advantage over rival PC vendors. It is further stated that Dell’s operating cost ran a bout 10 percent of revenues in 2002 as compared to 21 percent of revenues at Hewlett Packard, 25 percent at Gateway, and 46 percent at Cisco Systems (Thompson and Gamble, 2008). Dell Inc was the undisputed leader in the United States for sales in personal computer dominating the market. In 1998, the market share of Dell was 13.2% as compared to Hewlett Packard’s 7.8%. However it should be noted that Compaq was ahead of Dell during 1998 with 16.7%. This was the only period when any other vendors were ahead of Dell as the company occupied top position in 2000 with 19.7% as compared to Compaq’s 15.9% and HP’s 11.5%. The table below shows that Dell Inc has been ranked first since 2003 showing its dominance in the market for personal computer since 2000 in comparison to other companies. But, according to table 2, Hewlett Packard dominates the world market with 18.8% in the year 2007 as compared to 14.9% of Dell Inc. Though Dell Inc was dominated the market in United States and all over the world throughout 2000s, Dell Inc’s market share fell down from 16.6% in 2006 to 14.9% in 2007 whereas Hewlett Packard’s market share increased from 16.5% in 2006 to 18.8% in 2007 thus becoming the market leader in the industry. Table 1: U.S. Market Share of the Leading PC Vendors, 1998-2007 2003 Rank Vendor 2007 2006 2005 2004 2002 2000 1998 Shipments (in 000s) Market Share Shipments (in 000s) Market Share Shipments (in 000s) Market Share Shipments (in 000s) Market Share Shipments (in 000s) Market Share Shipments (in 000s) Market Share Shipments (in 000s) Market Share 1 Dell 19645 28% 20472 31.2% 21466 33.6% 19296 33.7% 13324 27.9% 9645 19.7% 4799 13.2% 2 HP 16759 23.9 11600 21.5 12456 19.5 11600 20.3 8052 16.8 5630 11.5 2832 7.8 3 Compaq - - - - - - - - - - 7761 15.9 6052 16.7 Source: Thompson and Gamble (2008) Table 2: Worldwide Market Shares of the Leading PCs, 1998-2007 2003

Professional values law and ethics case study Essay

Professional values law and ethics case study - Essay Example Mr. Arnold informs you that his syringe of Or morph was only half full. Mr. Ahmed who is receiving palliative care has been unusually quiet all afternoon. You find the ward sister to inform her about Mr. Arnold’s pain and Mr. Ahmed being sleepy all afternoon. The ward sister initially looks horrified but then states the syringes must have got mixed up; Ill top up Mr. Arnolds pain relief, no harm done. Explore your professional, ethical and legal obligations towards Mr. Arnold and Mr. Ahmed. Doctors along with nurses experience complexities within their palliative care exercise. Hence, they require an excellent perception of moral of ethical standards as well as precedents. A broad range of health problems as well as ethical challenges exist in the palliative care provision Mr. Arnold and Mr. Ahmed. It’s currently known that an excellent perception concerning health ethics may have a contribution to the medical expert’s choice-making as well as everyday Health principles are principally a discipline of applied morals, the learning of ethical principles as well as decisions as they relate to heath care. It’s aimed at providing directions as well as regulations for doctors in their research, duty and behavior as well as shares numerous values with related medical principles, for example, nursing principles along with bioethics. In history, it may get tracked back in Hippocrates, an antique Greek doctor of 5th century (Ulrich 2012, 45). He and together with his learners excluded themselves separately from the other doctors of that moment through emphasizing that their career hunting were balanced as well as technical instead of being supernatural or sacred. Numerous health philosophers have emphasized that a doctor must bear ‘an excellent sense as well as discretion’ (Lachman 2006, 77). Ever since he eighteenth century and over, health providers implemented Hippocratic vow to be the passage right. Likewise, the policy of nursing

Into the Wild Essay Example for Free

Into the Wild Essay In writing â€Å"Into the Wild,† Krakauer’s intention was to uncover the facts (or at least get as close to the facts as possible) surrounding Christopher McCandless’ journey â€Å"into the wild. † Krakauer discusses and presents theories and explanations about McCandless’ reasons for going off into a potentially fatal journey, and also presents investigations into how McCandless came to such a state in his life. Krakauer gives us some idea of the direct cause of McCandless’ death, and his reasons for doing what he did. Krakauer aims to give readers with invaluable insight into the mind of McCandless—how McCandless came about the idea of going to the Alaskan wilderness, what his motivations were, how he planned and managed to survive the grueling trek, and most importantly, â€Å"why? † The author seeks to understand what happened to McCandless in the wild, and to explain why someone so full of promise, who seems to have such an ideal life and much of all that he could ask for, could do what McCandless did. However, Krakauer does not presume to be certain about McCandless reasons, but he presents some very good explanations and allows us to understand McCandless’ mind even more. By revealing many things about the reasons behind McCandless’ death, Krakauer shows us that McCandless was far more than a simple and reckless fool who wasted his life. McCandless, who was an intelligent young man, went off into the Alaskan woods to â€Å"find himself† and to reunite with nature. He was heavily influenced by the literature he had read, to such an extent that he became, most of all, a man in search of himself and of a purpose in life. In order to really â€Å"find† himself, he felt it necessary to cut all ties from society, from his family, and reinvent himself as Alexander Supertramp, thus cutting his ties with his old identity. Whether or not he found what he was looking for in the wild is open to speculation, however Krakauer describes McCandless’s psychological terrain by including anecdotes and quotations from people who were in a similar state of mind as McCandless, as well as drawing parallels with his own life as a mountaineer and adventurer. Each chapter presents different tales from others who have been in the same road as McCandless, people who have also sought the solitude of the wild. Krakauer also interviewed people who have come in contact with McCandless during his journey. By the end of â€Å"Into the Wild,† the readers gains significant understanding of McCandless’ personality. Whether McCandless was brave or foolish, his journey of self-discovery is something that almost everyone can relate with and understand on some level. However, while the book is accessible to anyone who could have some interest in the controversial life and death of Christopher McCandless, it is most geared towards those who have sentiments similar to those that McCandless held regarding society, nature, and how to live. â€Å"Into the Wild† helps us understand McCandless’ character, although by the end of the book, it is still up to the reader to decide if McCandless was â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† in having done what he did – whether he was courageoeus or merely foolish.

Social Contract Theory and the Nature of Society, Rules and Morality Es

Social Contract Theory and the Nature of Society, Rules and Morality Social contract theory is a philosophy about the nature of morality and the origins of society. Its adherents believe â€Å"social organization rests on a contract or compact which the people have made among themselves† (Reese, 533). This concept was first articulated by the Sophists, who said societies are not natural occurrences but rather the result of a consensus of people (Reese 533). Plato expresses these ideas in The Republic when he says that society is created to meet human needs (Encyclopedia 1). Various other philosophers, including Thomas Aquinas, William of Ockham, Marsilius of Padua, and Richard Hooker, incorporated the concept of a social contract in their applications to political theory (Encyclopedia 1). None of these philosophers, however, made the social contract their primary focus. They included the theory as just one component of their main philosophies. It wasn’t until much later that social contract theory was developed as a unique and sep arate philosophy. The 17th Century British...

What reading you enjoy the most

Question 3 what reading have you enjoyed most in the past year and why? The reading I have enjoyed the most In the past year Is To kill a mocking bird' by Harper Lee The Storrs main theme is about racial discrimination and gender Inequality. It used a child's point of view to tell the story so I can throw myself Into the main character Scout. Thanks to her naivety, the injustice and the hypocrisy of Maycomb folks are enhanced. The most excltlng part of the story Is the tight In the court. Scout's father is a lawyer and he is trying to fight for a black man.Although I expect there will be a courageous character to stand up and correct the bias but it comes out as a bad ending, which prejudice Is Imposed. However I can still sense that the author is trying to tell us what is wrong and what is right If I have to use a word to describe the story, the word would probably be: Amazing. My emotion flows with the story, and every detail is mentioned clearly, Harper's writing is really coheren t as well. I was reminded that â€Å"Your never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view†¦ til you climb inside of skin and walk around in It. † This is an absolute delight reading and I highly recommend others to read. The reading I have enjoyed the most In the past year Is ‘To kill a mocking bird' by Harper Lee. The storys main theme is about racial discrimination and gender inequality. It used a child's point of view to tell the story so I can throw myselt into the Maycomb folks are enhanced. The most exciting part of the story is the fight in the court. Scouts father is a lawyer and he Is trying to fight for d black man.Although I comes out as a bad ending, which prejudice Is Imposed. However I can sull sense that the author is trying to tell us what is wrong and what is right. If I have to use a word to describe the story, the word would probably be: Amazing. My emotion tlovw with the story, and every detail is mentioned clea rly, Harpers writing is really you consider things from his point of view†¦ untll you climb Inside of skin and walk around in it. † This is an absolute delight reading and I highly recommend others to read.The reading I have enjoyed the most In the pastyear Is ‘To kill a mocking bird' by Harper Lee. The storys main theme is about racial discrimination and gender inequality. It used a child's point otviewto tell the story so I can throw myselt into the court. Scouts father is d lawyer and he Is trying to fight for d black man. Although I 1 Of3 coherent as well. I was reminded that mfour never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view†¦ Until you climb inside of skin and walk read.The reading I have enjoyed the most in the past year is ‘To kill a mocking bird' inequality. It used a child's point of view to tell the story so I can throw myself into the court. Scout's father is a lawyer and he is trying to fght for a black ma n. Although I comes out as a bad ending, which prejudice is imposed. However I can still sense by Harper Lee. The story's main theme is about racial discrimination and gender Maycomb folks are enhanced. The most exciting part of the story is the fght in the coherent as well. I was reminded that miour never really understand a person until

Analysis of environment, industry and SWOT analysis

The Australian food retailing industry is characterized by a high level of competitiveness. The intense competitiveness has led to an environment in which emphasis on cost efficiency has become the critical success factor. In the general environment, the key to maintaining competitiveness has become ensuring cost efficiency through efficient supply chain management.This efficiency can be promoted technologically. Economic factors are also important in the environment. These factors manifest themselves in high levels of household debt, a low national rate of saving, falling house prices, falling oil prices and increases in unemployment and interest rates. In Aldi’s case, these environmental factors are likely to exercise a negative influence on consumer spending.The threat of new entrants is high in this industry. For example, Aldi faces the threat of its main European rival Lidl entering the Australian market. Therefore the threat of substitute products is also high. This thre at is underscored by the fact that most competitors are carrying house brands which are enabling them to offer high quality at a low price. This has resulted in a high level of competitive rivalry.The main competitors currently are Woolworths and Coles-Myer. These are the two major national chains. There are also smaller regional players such Action, IGA and Franklins. These companies are focusing on cost efficiencies and therefore sustainability of competitive advantage has become difficult to maintain. Bargaining power of customers in the FMCG industry is also high. However the bargaining power of suppliers is not that high. Costs in this case have been streamlined through building long term relations.Aldi’s main strength is the process of decentralization empowering managers. There is a high degree of delegation in the company. The company’s weakness is in its lack of investment in marketing. Currently this is not a problem but in the future, as new entrants stake o ut a claim in the industry, the company might have to invest in aggressive promotional strategies (cited in Hill, 2008).However the company is not structured to shift focus accordingly. Lack of market research might also become a problem in case of increased competitiveness. The opportunity for the company is to move into other Australian states and territories.In the immediate time frame, the company should focus on South Australia because of its proximity to its current locations. The threat is the rising level of competition not only from the existing players but also from new entrants. The competitive threat is being created in terms of cost improvements and product diversifications (cited in Aaker, 2004).Key resources and capabilitiesThe source of Aldi’s competitive advantage is cost leadership. Implementation of this strategy has been facilitated by maintaining good relations with channel members and ensuring employee satisfaction.Channel members include the suppliers a nd the customers. Aldi’s strategic focus is to ensure maximum customer satisfaction by maintaining a product range that is in alignment with customer tastes and preferences. The company also maintains good relations with the suppliers by maintaining a shared information network.Its cultural orientation is also unique in terms of facilitating the highest degree of decentralization and delegation. This gives the managers a sense of ownership over their processes and as a result they are committed to the continuous improvement process. This is a critical success factor for the company in the highly competitive environment in which it operates and these resources ensure a sustainable competitive advantage.What gives Aldi a sustainable competitive advantage is its limited product range that consists of house brands. The advantage of maintaining this orientation is that strategies against the threat of product differentiation can be implemented.This is particularly relevant in Aldi ’s case because it faces intense competition from Woolworths and Coles-Meyer which are major national chains and draw their competitive advantage from maintaining a widely diversified product portfolio.Therefore Aldi has to position itself as a low cost provider of products of comparable quality. This is facilitated through cutting costs in areas such as not providing free shopping bags, surcharges on credit card payments and motivating customers to manage their own shopping trolleys.These strategies enable the company to cut down the size of its manpower and therefore reduce costs. Being cost conscious is the first part of its guiding philosophy. The second and third parts of the philosophy are related to ensuring satisfaction with customers and suppliers.

How to Write a Research Paper in APA Style

How to Write a Research Paper in APA Style APA is a writing format that was set by the American Psychological Association. This style is most preferred by colleges and graduate schools. It is used for social sciences and is based on the idea that scientific papers discuss facts already proven to be true, and that the year in which a piece of work was published is important and should, therefore, be included in the in-text citations. One of the basic elements of APA is that all text should be double-spaced. The document used should be standard-sized (8.5† x 11†). All margins should be set at 1†. The recommended font is Times New Roman at 12pt. This, however, may differ in accordance to given instructions. On every page, include a page header or running head. It shows a shortened version of the paper’s title in capital letters, as well as the page numbers. Research papers written using APA style have four main sections. On the Title page is the paper’s title, student’s name, and the institution. The page header should look like this: â€Å"Running head: PAPER TITLE†, and should be flushed to the left, with the page number to the right. Note that in other pages, the page header looks like this; â€Å"PAPER TITLE† and is also flushed to the left, with the page number to the right. The second section is the Abstract, which should also be on a distinct page. It too should have a page header. The topic â€Å"Abstract† should be centered with no bold text or any other form of formatting. This section highlights key points of the paper, and should be between 150 to 250 words long. You can also include your key words on the abstract page. The third section is the Main Body and the fourth one is the References page. As is commonly known, when writing a paper one should always make sure to submit work that is 100% plagiarism free. This is achieved by paraphrasing and using parenthetical citations. Direct quotations are enclosed in quotation marks or are indented from the rest of the body. This is followed by an in-text citation to give reference to the work’s owner. When in-text citations are being used, include the last name of the author, and then the year of publication. Do not forget to use a comma to separate items enclosed in parenthesis. When you use a direct quote, please add the exact page number relating to the text, e.g., (Hall, 2013, p. 87). All the sources used should then be listed on a separate References page, after the main part of the paper. Please refer to one of the several APA guideline websites available online, such as the Purdue Online Writing Lab, for further assistance on how to do this. Additionally you can get professional APA style research paper help from academic writers at CustomWritings.com. They will write your research paper in this format!

What Is Iambic Pentameter in Poetry

What Is Iambic Pentameter in Poetry SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The term iambic pentameter sounds like it’s more at home in a science textbook than it is in your English class. But believe it or not, iambic pentameter is a type of poetic meter! In other words, iambic pentameter is a term that refers to a very specific type of rhythm that you find in poetry. Knowing what poetic meter is and how to find it is an important skill for the AP Literature exam, and it can be really impressive if you discuss it properly in the AP exam’s essay portion. We know poetic meter might sound scary- heck, anything that has to do with poetry can be scary!- but we’re here to help. In this article, you’ll learn what iambic pentameter is, discover how tofind it in a poem, and analyzeiambic pentameter examples in poetry. Let’s dive right in! "Penta" means "five," so you know there will be five of SOMETHING in iambic pentameter. (Spoiler alert: it has to do with the number of iambs in each line!) Iambic Pentameter: Definition and Meaning To understand iambic pentameter, it’s easiest to break the phrase down into two parts. Part 1: Pentameter Let’s start with pentameter. In poetry, meter is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a verse, or line, of a poem. Whew! That’s already a lot! Let’s unpack that a little bit. A syllable is the number of vowel sounds that are present in a word. Consonant sounds don’t matter! The more vowel sounds a word has, the more syllables it has! (Quick refresher: vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y.) So for example, â€Å"question† has two syllables, â€Å"flexible† has three syllables, and â€Å"do† has one syllable. Don’t make the mistake of thinking long words must have more syllables than short words! Syllabation has everything to do with the vowel sounds a word has, not the number of letters. For example, the word â€Å"screeched† only has one syllable whereas â€Å"utopia† has four! But poetic meter is more than just the number of syllables in a verse: it’s the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. So what makes a syllable stressed or unstressed? Well, we’re glad you asked! A stressed syllable is a syllable that has five tests all on the same day. (Just kidding...but we couldn’t resist a dad joke.) But seriously, a stressed syllable is a syllable that’s emphasized within a word. It’s the syllable that stands out, and it often has a long vowel sound. Let’s look at a few words to see what we mean. Take â€Å"meter,† for example. Meter has two syllables, and the first one is stressed. But when you say â€Å"meter,† you pronounce it ME-ter, not me-TER. That’s because the first syllable is stressed. That makes the second syllable- or the one that doesn’t have emphasis- unstressed. Another example is â€Å"computer.† In this word, only the middle syllable is stressed. You pronounce it com-PU-ter, not COM-pu-ter or com-pu-TER. Not all words have stressed syllables! For example, â€Å"homemade† has two unstressed syllables. (It would sound silly to say HOME-made or home-MADE.) Although there are complex ways to determine stressed and unstressed syllables, the easiest way to determine the stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry is to read the verse out loud. You’ll definitely be able to hear if you’re pronouncing a word funny! (In our favorite clip from the movie A View from the Top, Mike Meyers demonstrates this perfectly.) But what makes a poem have pentameter specifically? Well, a poem with pentameter has five stressed syllables in a line. Here’s an example of a line with pentameter from Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnet 18.† The line reads, â€Å"Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines.† Okay, so let’s break this line up into syllables by using hyphens instead. If we count the syllables in this line, we end up with 10, and the line would look like this: â€Å"Some-time too hot the eye of hea-ven shines.† Now let’s look at the stressed syllables. In this line, every other syllable is stressed. So when you read it out loud, it sounds like this: â€Å"Some-TIME too HOT the EYE of HEA-ven SHINES.† That means the line has five stressed syllables, which tells us that this verse uses pentameter. (And because we know this is a Shakespearean sonnet, we also know that the whole poem will be in pentameter.) When all of a poem’s lines have the same number of stressed syllables, we say that the poem has meter. Poems can have all kinds of meter. Poems where lines have six stressed syllables in each line are written in â€Å"hexameter,† and a poem with three stressed syllables in each line would be in â€Å"triameter.† In the case of a poem with pentameter, every single line of the poem will have five stressed syllables in some combination. Did you know that poetry has feet? METRICAL feet, that is! Part 2: Iambs Now let’s tackle the â€Å"iambic† part of iambic pentameter. An iamb is a type of metrical foot in poetry. (A metrical foot is a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables that repeats itself throughout a verse, stanza, or poem.) An iamb is a very specific type of metrical foot that has one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. In order to figure this out, it’s best to read the poem out loud. You can underline each part of the word that is a stressed syllable, which will allow you to visualize the pattern. (There are actual, formal marks that linguists and literature scholars use to indicate rhythm and meter, which you can find here if you’re interested.) Here’s a line from Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnet 37†: â€Å"And by a part of all thy glory live.† Let’s go ahead and break it into its stressed and unstressed syllables, which looks something like this: and BY a PART of ALL thy GLO-ry LIVE See how the stresses alternate with unstressed syllables perfectly? Each pair of unstressed and stressed syllables- like â€Å"and/by† and â€Å"of/all†- is an iamb. Because each line of this poem uses this alternating structure of unstressed and stressed syllables, we would say that the poem iambic. Randall Munroe/xkcd Putting It Together: Iambic Pentameter So now let’s put all of our new knowledge together. If an iamb is a combination of syllables, and meter is a certain number of stressed syllables, then iambic pentameter is a specific arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables. In iambic pentameter, each line of the poem has to have five iambs! To see this at work, let’s look at another line from a Shakespearean sonnet, this time from â€Å"Sonnet 104.† The line reads, â€Å"Have from the forests shook three summers' pride.† First, let’s break the line down into its syllables using hyphens: Have from the for-ests shook three sum-mers' pride Now, let’s add the stresses into the line by capitalizing each stressed syllable: Have FROM the FOR-ests SHOOK three SUM-mers' PRIDE Now, let’s count the metrical feet by adding a / in between each piece of the pattern: Have FROM / the FOR / ests SHOOK / three SUM / mers' PRIDE Because this line has five feet that each contain an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, we know that it’s a verse written in iambic pentameter. When the whole poem is written with the same rhythm, we can say that the poem has iambic pentameter, too! Iambic pentameter is a popular poetic form, especially in English poetry. Many people think of it as the â€Å"standard† poetic meter, likely because Shakespeare’s sonnets are all written in iambic pentameter. But some modern poets, like Wallace Stevens and John Keats, use iambic pentameter, too. Iambic Pentameter in Poetry: â€Å"The Waking† by Theodore Roethke Now that you know what iambic pentameter is, let’s test out your new skills with a poem that wasn’t written by Shakespeare! Let’s take a look at a few stanzas from â€Å"The Waking† by Theodore Roethke, one of the most famous poets of the 20th century, which is a good iambic pentameter example. The second stanza reads: We think by feeling. What is there to know? I hear my being dance from ear to ear. I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. Okay, try doing this one on your own. Copy and paste this stanza into your word processor and see if you can break each line into syllables. Then capitalize the stressed syllables. Once that’s done, put a forward slash in between each metrical foot. Once you’re done, check out the correct meter in the box below: we THINK / by FEE / ling. WHAT/ is THERE / to KNOW? i HEAR / my BE / ing DANCE / from EAR / to EARi WAKE / to SLEEP / and TAKE / my WAK /ing SLOW See the pattern of iambs (an unstressed followed by a stressed syllable)? Because each line has five iambs, you know the poem is written in iambic pentameter! Let’s try another iambic pentameter example from the same poem. Here’s the stanza: Great Nature has another thing to do To you and me; so take the lively air, And, lovely, learn by going where to go. Do the same thing: separate the syllables by a hyphen, then go back and capitalize every syllable that you think is stressed. Here’s the finished mark-up: great NA / ture HAS / a-NO / ther THING / to DO to YOU / and ME; / so TAKE / the LIVE / ly AIR, and, LOVE / ly, LEARN / by GO / ing WHERE / to GO. Did you get it? We’re sure you did now that you’re an iambic pentameter expert! If you want some more practice working through iambic pentameter examples, you canrepeatthis exercise on almost all of Shakespeare's sonnets. (Hey...maybe you can find the ones that aren’t exactly in iambic pentameter, too!) You can find all of Shakespeare's sonnets courtesy of OpenSource Shakespeare. Now What? If this post was helpful and you want to learn more about how to analyze literature and poetry, check out our step-by-step analysis of Tom Buchanan from The Great Gatsby. Studying for the AP Literature exam already? Here’s the ultimate AP literature reading list that will help you ace your AP exam. There are two AP English tests: the AP Literature exam and the AP Language Composition exam. Learn more about the AP Language Composition test and how it differs from its literary equivalent here.

Glass in Architecture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Glass in Architecture - Term Paper Example The main focus of this paper will be on the architectural use of glass in construction of structures and components of structures. Glass comes in various forms and types. They vary from look, weight, texture and color among other aspects and in this paper we will look deeper and further into the types of glasses and their properties focusing mainly on three types of glass namely; float glass, tempered glass and laminated glass. The paper will also look to discover the implications of each and every type of glass, mentioned above with relation to its structure of design in an architectural point of view. Characteristics and behavior of each type of glass will also be evaluated, and its effects in construction discussed1. Float glass is a type of glass that is forged or made by floating liquid form glass on molten metal still in its liquid form specifically the tin metal which is mostly used, and then allowing the glass to cool and harden. Tin is normally chosen because of its chemical ability to withhold molten glass in its liquid form and allows it to cool where it maintains the smooth liquid surface of the glass, after its hardening and leaves no space for a coarse feeling when the glass dries. Traditionally, glass was made by blowing molten glass or the liquid form of glass and then laying it on a flat surface when still hot and liquid before it has reached the cooling temperature. This has since changed, and the process has become much easier compared to the traditional one. From the floating process, the result is a flat, smooth and an even sheet of glass which can be made into thick or thin flat sheets and also in different sizes, which can be, further resized into small panes depending on the purpose for which the glass was formed to serve. Float glass is commonly made from a fusion of lime and soda, and the process for making this type of glass is also known as the Pilkington process. This type of glass is mostly used for making window panes, a