History of English

Brit Language: Ten tips to swear like a Brit

I am unfortunately aware that we have successfully exported chef Gordon Ramsay to you.  My sincere apologies.

Obviously, the man can cook (and play football) – I wouldn’t want to imply that he can’t.  in fact I truly admire his culinary skill.  But as an ambassador for the English language, he’s not really the best, is he?

It is a somewhat depressing fact of life that language on the streets of this fair isle is deteriorating most alarmingly.  And the “f” word is not the worst one I’ve come across whilst shopping in town with my impressionable toddler daughter (who can now repeat any word after just one hearing).

And yet, when I think about it, I only hear this language on the streets or on TV.  My friends, family and work colleagues are all much more ‘traditional English’ swearers.  So I thought it’s about time we re-introduced the art of using charmingly ‘inoffensive’ expletives to the streets of Blighty; maybe you’d like to join us?

So …

1. If something goes wrong and you need a handy profanity, try “oh blast it!”, “fiddlesticks”, or “bloody hell” instead of the predictable.
2. Mild vexation could call for “oh botheration”,  “bloomin’ heck”, “bottoms”, “pants” or “chuffing heck!”.
3. Stupid or annoying people become ‘nitwits’ or ‘nincompoops’ instead of a**holes.
4. If someone says something that’s bulls**t, then why not try the quaint English terms “codswallop” or “cobblers” instead?
5. If you are drunk, you are “tipsy”, “sloshed”, have had “one over the eight”, are “chateau’d” or “tired and emotional”.
6. If you screw something up, you have made a ‘hash’ of it, or a “right pig’s ear”.
7. If surprised, instead of “Jesus!”, try “Bloody Nora”, “Cor blimey” or “well, blow me” (yep, we really do say this, but you’ll be reassured to know it’s a short form of ‘blow me down’, similar to ‘you could knock me down with a feather’).
8. If you are pi**ed, you are “narked” and if you choose to verbally vent your spleen, you are said to be “throwing a wobbly”.
9. If the sh*t is about to hit the fan and you are tempted to say you are f***ed, then try a posh English accent with the words “gosh, we’re in a bit of a tight spot here” or a Scottish accent and “we’re doomed…dooooomed, I tell ye”.
10. And if words fail you and you are tempted to flick ‘the finger’, why not try the English version and use two fingers (like a “V” for victory, but with your palm towards yourself).  Preferably, this should be accompanied by the smug comment “Agincourt!” as you raise the fingers in the air.

So if Gordon Ramsay has left you believing there is only one profanity in the English language, take heart; even Shakespeare would be proud of our rich and varied selection of expletives.

Labour Day in Argentina

Like many other countries in the world, Argentina celebrates Labor Day on May 1. Known as Dia de los Trabajadores, Argentinians use their Labor Day to raise awareness of unfair work conditions and commemorate those who fought for their rights.

History

According to Argentina.ar, Labor Day has been celebrated in the country since the late 1800s. It was initially celebrated by labor movements headed by various immigrants.

Identification

Today, Labor Day is more a day of awareness than a celebration. Workers hold events and demonstrations to campaign for better rights and to honor those who died or fought in the past.

Function

Unemployment and worker's rights have been issues for Argentina throughout most of its modern history. Workers use Labor Day to raise awareness to the poor economy and also reduce the hours in the work day.

Enjoy your summer Holidays!!!! See you next year!!!!

Sarmiento's History

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (February 15, 1811 – September 11, 1888) was an Argentine activist, intellectual, writer, statesman and the seventhPresident of Argentina. His writing spanned a wide range of genres and topics, from journalism to autobiography, to political philosophy and history. He was a member of a group of intellectuals, known as the Generation of 1837, who had a great influence on nineteenth-century Argentina. He was particularly concerned with educational issues and was also an important influence on the region's literature.

Sarmiento grew up in a poor but politically active family that paved the way for much of his future accomplishments. Between 1843 and 1850 he was frequently in exile, and wrote in both Chile and in Argentina. His greatest literary achievement was Facundo, a critique of Juan Manuel de Rosas, that Sarmiento wrote while working for the newspaper El Progreso during his exile in Chile. The book brought him far more than just literary recognition; he expended his efforts and energy on the war against dictatorships, specifically that of Rosas, and contrasted enlightened Europe—a world where, in his eyes, democracy, social services, and intelligent thought were valued—with the barbarism of the gaucho and especially the caudillo, the ruthless strongmen of nineteenth-century Argentina.

While president of Argentina from 1868 to 1874, Sarmiento championed intelligent thought—including education for children and women—and democracy for Latin America. He also took advantage of the opportunity to modernize and develop train systems, a postal system, and a comprehensive education system. He spent many years in ministerial roles on the federal and state levels where he travelled abroad and examined other education systems.

Sarmiento died in Asunción, Paraguay, at the age of 77 from a heart attack. He was buried in Buenos Aires. Today, he is respected as a political innovator and writer.

HAPPY WINTER HOLIDAYS!!!!

Inject some fun into your winter holidays with these activities

“Mooom, I’m bored,” could be one of the most frustrating things your kids say. With just over two weeks of the winter school holidays left, you must be running out of ideas to entertain the children. To help you out, and keep you sane, we compiled a list of games and activities to keep your little ones busy. 

1. Catch a movie
If you’re lucky enough to be at home with your children, take them to the cinema for a movie. Despicable Me 2 will be opening in cinemas on 5 July. If your kids were too young to understand and really enjoy the first movie, hire the DVD this weekend before you take them to see the sequel. Featuring the return of Gru, the girls, the unpredictably hilarious minions and a host of new, outrageously funny characters, Despicable Me 2 is guaranteed to be a firm favourite for everyone. 

2. Go to the theatre 
If your kids are old enough to enjoy a theatre play, we recommend AristoCats at the Peoples Theatre in Johannesburg from 27 May to 28 July. Your little ones and even Dad will enjoy this rendition of the classic Disney story. Call 011 403 1563 for more info

3. Take the kids on an outing
Spoil the children with a fun day out and about. Take them to the Zoo, their favourite pet farmyard or their favourite play park. These venues often have special holiday programmes, specifically designed to keep little hands busy. 

4. Have a bake-off
If you don’t mind cleaning up the mess afterwards, gather the kids in the kitchen for a baking project. They can help you mix the ingredients for a cake or cupcake and decorate them afterwards. Make it fun, and offer a small prize for the cupcake with the best decoration. You can also make pizzas for a healthier option. The little ones can roll out their own dough and decorate their pizzas with healthy toppings. 

5. Have a puppet show
Make your own hand puppets and put on a show. Let the kids take turns to direct the puppets. When it’s your turn, be silly and creative. Here’s how to make your own farmyard hand puppets. They’re very simple and cheap to make. 

6. Have a picnic 
If it’s too cold to have a picnic outside, help the children build a fort with blankets and table cloths in the living room and have a picnic there. You can dress up to make things more fun. They can help you to prepare the snacks for your big feast. Click here for a healthy and easy chip and dip idea. 

7. Have an arts and crafts day
Children love making things and they’re always very proud of their own creations, which boosts their confidence. Lay out some newspapers in the living room and spend the day painting and colouring with them. If you’re up to it, you can help them make crafts too. Little boys will love this easy toilet roll race car.

8. Play a card game
Card games are great for rainy days and they are very challenging for young minds. The concentration/memory game is suitable for children from three years and older. 
How to play: Older children can use a standard deck of 52 cards. You can use fewer cards for younger kids. Make sure the deck you use is made up of pairs. Shuffle and spread the cards face down on a table. The object of the game is to find matching pairs. Let the children take turns turning over two cards. If they aren’t a matching pair, try to remember where they are, then turn them face down again. The next player turns over two cards and if they are a matching pair, he removes them from the table and keeps them. He then gets another turn. When all the cards have been removed from the table, let the kids count their cards. The player with the most cards win.