Finally - Fergie

Yup, the title of the song explains everything. As the title of the post itself, Finally, on the other hand, ironically, it somehow relates to our assignment that we finish it up eventually! Yabeda-be-doooo! Special thanks to our beloved English lecturer, Miss Maryam Hamzah and to our fellow friends that have been supportive all this while. So fellas, do enjoy reading our articles and Happy Reading!

P/S: Happy Ramadan and Happy Eid Mubarak in advance! =>

Advantages and Disadvantages of translating a literary text.

Translation is the interpreting of the meaning of a text and the subsequent production of an equivalent text. Literature, in the other hand, means the art of written works. So, translating a literary text is to intepret the meaning of the original literary text like poems into other languages.

Advantages:

1. Understandable. For instance, if we translate an English text to our mother language which is Malay, it is much more understandable by us.

2. Gain knowledge. Some say, no pain no gain. So, translating a literary text is no pain. But just to say that we've to put effort on doing that. Literature is one of the branches in learning a language. Therefore, we can know more or less on the literary texts like Shakespeare's poems and such.

3. Widen vocabulary. Yada yada, we know that literary texts use all the Shakespeare's bombastic classic English words, and by translating it into other languages might also use those super-bombastic words, hence increasing our vocabulary indirectly.

4. Discipline your mind. As for those who are in a literature field, they can discipline their minds by studying, researching and discovering new words and even cultures that are in the texts that they translate. As a result, we will have our own experts on translating literary texts that we do not have to import them.

5. Knowing history. We can learn and know the history in the literary text itself. For example, the foreigners can know more on history of Malaysia by reading the Hikayat Tun Sri Lanang and so forth and vice versa, we can know the other countries' cultures by learning their literary texts. This will also lead to the knowledge of cultures, politics and customs.

Disadvantages:

1. Inaccurate words. Somehow, we tend to translate it into other languages, but the words that we use are sometimes inaccurate that it does not have in our vocabulary or is slightly different with our language. So, the message that we want to convey is not really directly or accurate.

2. Hard and headache. It's pretty hard (no, it's more to damn hard) to translate such bombastic Shakespeare's words into other languages or ours especially, as it is the kind of 18th of century classic words that only the aristocrats use them. Or we can say, the SAT test which is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. P/S: Sorry Shakespeare, for using your name quite often as it's just your name that comes across our minds in the meantime. LOL!

3. Lack of originality. Yup, we do think it will be lack of originality as we tend to change the words, thus the meaning of the text itself is marginally or slightly different.

4. Take time to intepret. Fuhh, it does take time to intepret, learn, research and finally translate the whole text. As language becomes main barrier, we have to break it, but it's not that easy, it does take time! Long way to go.

5. The Usage/Application. Uff, we finally come to this part, the ending! Ah-ha. Well, as we all know the literary text doesn't go any far, but it is important for some - researchers, historians and maybe, urm, archaeologists - to learn more about the history and other cultures. But, the usage is too limited that somehow, we feel it is not very crucial to learn it.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Rich and Famous and being poor and unknown

To be famous and being rich is to be known by a lot of people. So do being poor and unknown is the contradictory from it.

Well, what can be say here that famous person always get attention wherever they go. Ensuing from they may find that it is easier for them to get or services in the public places it is not for the poor and unknown people as they do not get special attention as them. The common people are often captivated by famous people and usually go out of their way to help them.

Conversely famous people do not have everything out of their way causing them to pay a price for the fame and what can be say here is too often too great to pay for. But it is not for the infamous one as they are not recognized by people around.

Undoubtedly most of the privacy in their private life is not secret anymore as being publicized by the media until the person has no peace. Everything is revealled by the media. This make them uncomfortable to do things.

Instead, most of the famous people becoming the target on someone that hold something to them. Big names, such as John Lennon, Abraham Lincoln, and John F.Kennedy were victims of assasins. This is the price they have to pay for being famous. There are a possibilities of madmen targeting them who have the fame. For unknown people they can live without trouble comparing their opposites.

So, as for conclusion, what can be say here is that, overall it is better to leave fame far away. Ha-ha..its disadvantages is far outweigh its advantages. Personally from my advice i would rather be an ordinary person who can go for a walk peacefully down the road instead of being hectic situation being guarded by bodyguard that protects me from ordinary people as i can be explore and discover new things in my life without restraint.

It is better to work in the country than in the city in today's world.

Advantages:

1. Desolation. People who work in the country will not feel stress compared to those who live in the hustle and bustle life in the city. Country is much more serene and peaceful. One can do work without the busy and hectic situation like in the city.

2. Easy to get job. If in the city, we have to compete with each others to get jobs, even the low-salary job. This is because if we want to get better and fix jobs, we need to have a better qualification and certificate that the job itself requires. And yes, in our opinion, in the future, even if we want to become a 'makcik cleaner' or 'pakcik gardener' in the city, we have to have at least, a diploma. LOL!

3. No strict rules. Here means, that we do not get restricted by rules like we have to begin work at 8 and end at 5 or so. We can begin and end our work at whatever time we like. Plus, one does not have to wear tie or coat or even black shiny shoes to work in the estate.

4. Cheap. Hurmm, that explains well we guess. The cost of living in the city is too expensive including everything - price of the fuel, LRT fare, a cup of Starbucks, and even to go to the toilet to answer the call of nature. Ahaks.

5. Simple jobs. If we live in the countrysides and have to work there, or we live anywhere but we have to work in the country still, we will tend to do simple jobs like managing the estates, gardening, fishing and some other jobs that do not really need brains to squeeze out. Although it is not that easy, but at least we do not have to think on how to change the world for better, or sit in the office and think like Einstein!

Disadvantages:

1. Non-fix/Low-pay salary. Working in the country does not ensure you to get fix or high salary. Usually, it is just enough for you to earn for a day. You will not have a fix amount of salary and this will lead you to an unsure future. That, in other word, you have to manage your income well and work hard!

2. Less obstacles and challenges. We do not have to compete with each others and this will not expose us to a healthy competition. This is not good as we will feel comfortable of what we are doing and do not try to improve them.

3. Does not look classy. Yup, we think this way and others might to. Because it is country - or in Malaysia better known as 'kampung', people will easily underestimate those who work or live there for worse. Maybe because they do not wear Prada shoes, Burberry coats or even at least, Louis Vuitton handbags, they will be look up as 'budak kampung'.

4. Far away from the new cutting-edge technologies. True, they are not connected with the internet or Wi-filess, thus preventing them to get accessed or reach out to the world out there. They will be lack of IT knowledge and out-dated in people's view. And they will not even know what YouTube is!

5. Do not socialize. There will be lack of communication and social skills. They will tend to remain reserved or keep quiet when facing with the public and this is not good if a person wants to promote their products. Yup, for some (or many) in the country, they do not know how to speak in English and this will make them feel not belonging to the society especially in the city as English is the international language that it is a must for everybody to learn nowadays.

The importance of English to college students and how they can improve their English.

English is indeed a very crucial language in today's world. It is an internatinal language, transcending the barriers of distance, race and creed. It is also one of the official languages of the United Nations. The language of communication in major international meetings and conventions is English. Plus, it is also the lingua franca of the business and comercial world. As such, the importance of English as a world language cannot be denied.

Having said, English is very important to everyone, students especially. And here, we try to narrow it to the college students. One of the importances of English is that it will prepare them for the true world out there. Those who can speak English fluently and proficiently are more prominent to get better jobs for those who don't. This is because most of the big companies are 'hunting' those who have these criterias as they require the advantages for their big jobs. It is easy to deal with clients from any countries, races and walks of life via English.

Next, English language can also boost their confidence. Students who can speak fluently in English are more brave to face with the public who comes from different types of people, languages and races. If students have to make a public speaking regarding on any issues, English is the best language as it is an international language that can be understood by everybody. This will make people more understand of what the speaker is trying to convey as it is clear and understandable hence enhance one's confidence.

Furthermore, students can also get many friends despite different races, religions and languages. This is firmly because the international language, which is English, unites all of us. The Chinese speaks English, and the Indians as well. Or just anybody from any races. So, it is a medium of communication that ease us to reach out to just anybody.

What should really be of concern to us is the reality of the situation in Malaysia today. The standard of English has declined so much that it may hinder many bright students from keeping up at tertiary level simply because they are not proficient in English, So, these are of the tips on how they can improve their English.

Firstly, through reading. Reading helps to enrich and improve a person's command of language. There are certain words which are seldom used in spoken language but which occur more often in writing. A person who reads comes across many such words and thus increases his vocabulary. When speaking, we often do not use complete or properly constructed sentences. In writing, only grammatical, well-constructed sentences should be used. Reading, therefore introduces a person to a wider vocabulary and correct grammar.

More over, English can also be learned through mass-media. Television, radio, magazine and newspaper are of the mediums or channels that can be used to enhance the usage of English language through both visual and audio learnings in an easy way. This way is more prominent and acceptable as students are more exposed to these kind of things nowadays. Better yet, this way is more fun and enjoyable.

On top of that, students should practise on how to converse and communicate among themselves in English in their daily lives. Just forget about the grammatical errors, improperly constructed sentences or even broken English, and do not be shy or embarass to utter the words as you might get used to the correct usage of English language when you speak often. Converse with those who are fluent in English also gives an advantage to one as they can correct you whenever you are wrong - as in the English language itself, not the issues or problems that you are discussing! Ah-ha.

Again, English is very vital to us, college students especially as the big demand of today's modern world and for the many benefits it brings. Students should practice the language in everyday's lives and try to improve it from day to day. So, make English as a fun and enjoyable language! Have fun,taraa~

Causes and effects of alcoholism

First to first, what is alcoholism? Alcoholism is the inability to control or ignore a strong craving for alcohol. As in Asia, we consume less alcohol than in the West. There are many causes and effects of alcoholism:

Causes

1. To release tension. When they tend to be in the office and are facing with tonnes of work, people will feel stress out and try to find a way to ease the burden in their heads. So, alcohol is the answer for them as it will make them temporarily forget all the flaws that they have in minds.

2. Peer pressure. Usually, we are easily affected by our friends in our own movements. When our friends do the things that we do not even use to, we will tend to follow the footsteps eventhough it is bad. So, we have to choose the right friends to lead us to a right pathway in life.

3. To warm their bodies. People who live in the West or in a cool climate countries consume more alcohol as this will higher the temperature in their bodies to make them feel warm and cosy.

4. Less religion education. As for Muslims, alcohol is strictly restricted and against Islam. It is a big sin for those (Muslims) who consume it. So, we should be taught since we were young to prevent this illegal drink.

5. Urbanization. Usually it happens to the dwellers who live in the metropolitan or big cities. For them, alcohol is a modern way of life and looks classy for some. Uh-oh, that's such a narrow-minded thinking in our opinion.

Of course, if there are causes, there must be effects. So, here are the effects:

Effects

1. Health problems. This comes first in our list. As we all know, alcohol gives many health problems for those who consume it. For instance, alcohol causes fatigue, paralysis of the muscles surrounding the eyes and short-term memory loss. It can also cause more life-threatening problems include stroke, high-blood pressure and heart failure to name a few. Thus, these give millions of reasons why we should stay away from this mother-of-every-disease drink!

2. Loss of control. A person who consumes alcohol in a big dose, will get drunk easily. They may act irresponsibly while under the influence. They might also put themselves and others in danger by driving or operating machinery while drinking.

3. Social problems. They do not know what they do and forget the things that they have done. We can say that many crimes that happen are from those who consume alcohol. Vandalisme, random sex, rape or even murder are of the big crimes that they dare to commit.

4. Wasting of money. Same goes with cigarettes, but our point here is alcohol. But it's the same - 2 damn rubbish things - that cost you on buying unnecessary stupid things. Brandy, margarita, whisky, and vodka do cost you a lot sum of money (if you buy the expensive ones, but if it's not that expensive, it does cause to get the money out of your wallet still!).

5. Children's future. Studies show that some individuals are more likely to experience alcoholism at some point in their lives than others. Often the children of alcohlics will have a higher risk of one day becoming an alcoholic themselves. So, this is absolutely not good for our children's future as we cultivate and inculcate them with such bad attitudes.

So, these are of the causes and effects that we can list. It is not good for us in many aspects and all we can do is to prevent it. Enjoy the article and do wait for our next post! ;p

How computerization is changing society?

As we all know, technology has become part and parcel of our everyday lives and this includes computerization. What is computerization? Computerization here means the control of processes by computer. For instance, the computer itself, air-conditioner, washing machine, telephone, television, radio, and new cutting-edge technologies which are the 'next big things' nowadays like ipods, mp3s, mp4s, PDAs, and the list goes on.


So, how does computerization change the society? It changes in many aspects better be in positive ways or negatives. The advantage of computerization is we'll get information faster and easier. Technology like the internet which is widespread through globalization has become a hit since it was first introduced and this has made the world without boundaries. Just with one click at your fingertip, you will get almost anything from A to Z, ranging from the simplest thing like how to get chocolate cake recipes to the current things that happen to our world or in the country.


Next, computerization can connect all the people around the world. Through social networkings such as friendster, myspace, and the new current hits, facebook and twitter, one can reach out to others at ease and faster. For example, people from Malaysia can make friends with those who live in Uganda because of computerization, thus will have better understanding towards inter-cultural differences between both countries.


Plus, the society can have a better way of living, thanks to computerization! Technologies such as washing machine, telephone, dryer, air-conditioner, fan, and many other technology stuffs have changed the style of living of human beings tremendously. We do not have to go to the river to wash our cloth, use pigeons to send letters and wait for long damn hours to get our clothes dry.


But, as a payback, of course, everything has its disadvantages. Firstly, the society becomes lazier. We solely depend on technology that make us do not want to get things done in a harder way. We also will be less thinking and this will not born a 'thinking society' which was very crucial back then before the technologies were invented.


Secondly, computerization invloves costs or money. This will lead to wasting of money on gadgets that we do not even need in our basic needs. The expensive things also can't be afford by those who are not really rich, or in other words, poor. And, the maintainance of things that we use in everyday lives like air-conditioner, computer and water heater in the bathroom is also high. We also have to pay for the bills that for sure, are expensive.


On top of that, computerization does have negative effect to those who misuse it. Internet can be a very dangerous thing to human links via pornography, bad idealisme and such. This will eventually poison our minds, kids and teenagers especially, hence, will lead to moral degradation among students.


So, based on those reasonable reasons, computerization does change the society nowadays in many ways, wheter in good ways or bad.