Did you know that in most languages, maybe even all of them, 100 words comprise 50% of all words used in conversation. So if you learn 100 words of the other language you can participate in 50% of the conversation. 100 words! Its not too hard to learn 100 words.
In fact there are people out there suggesting that as a strategy for learning another language. Easy!
And then imagine...
French person: Bonjour
You: Bonjour, Tu (i dont know the word cos its in the other 50%) vudre (I dont know this word either cos its in the other 50%) ja mal (yet another part of the 50%).
French person: Huh?
So basically its useless...
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Saturday, 3 May 2008
Wikipedia is not always correct?
It amuses me sometimes to see articles reminding people that, shock, horror, Wikipedia sometimes contains false information.
Does it really come as a shock, that an "open content" system like wikipedia can sometimes serve up bogus entries? "Open Content" means that a bumbling idiot has just as much right to submit or edit an entry as a professor whos an expert on the subject (but who, incidentally, may also be a bumbling idiot).
What I find more shocking is, that even though I know the extreme shortcomings of the system, I still place a lot of faith in it. It is still the first place I turn to find information. In fact, Wikipedia has sort of become the default solver of disputes about general knowledge. If you and a friend can't agree what the capital of Kazakhstan is, then you get onto Wikipedia to find out. If you can't tell the difference between Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton, then you know where you go. Never mind that the Wikipedia entry for Bill Pullman could have been written by Bill Pullman's mother. (Or Bill Paxton's mother for that matter, if their parents also have trouble telling them apart.)
Does it really come as a shock, that an "open content" system like wikipedia can sometimes serve up bogus entries? "Open Content" means that a bumbling idiot has just as much right to submit or edit an entry as a professor whos an expert on the subject (but who, incidentally, may also be a bumbling idiot).
What I find more shocking is, that even though I know the extreme shortcomings of the system, I still place a lot of faith in it. It is still the first place I turn to find information. In fact, Wikipedia has sort of become the default solver of disputes about general knowledge. If you and a friend can't agree what the capital of Kazakhstan is, then you get onto Wikipedia to find out. If you can't tell the difference between Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton, then you know where you go. Never mind that the Wikipedia entry for Bill Pullman could have been written by Bill Pullman's mother. (Or Bill Paxton's mother for that matter, if their parents also have trouble telling them apart.)
Thursday, 1 May 2008
World capitals - Why?
Why do we have to learn world capitals when we are at school? What does it achieve?
Sometimes the capital city of a country isnt even the main city in the country. Its like a city no one would ever want to visit. So what does it benefit me to know what the capital is?
Maybe if we were taught the biggest city. Or the main city. Or the best city in the country. But why the capital?
Sometimes the capital city of a country isnt even the main city in the country. Its like a city no one would ever want to visit. So what does it benefit me to know what the capital is?
Maybe if we were taught the biggest city. Or the main city. Or the best city in the country. But why the capital?
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