How Americans can instantly improve their speaking skillsAmericans have long admired the English, who seem to speak with consummate ease, intelligence and fluency. Why this difference? As an American living abroad, author Philip Yaffe believes he has discovered the secret, and it is physical. 'Knowing why the English pronounce their words the way they do can turn a poor or mediocre speaker into a superior one virtually overnight,' he asserts.
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Robert FrostRobert Frost was one of the 20th centuries best known and best loved American poets. He was also a teacher and lecturer who had a particularly pungent and provocative way of expressing things. His keen observations were often formulated in 'pithy prose'. These are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle.
Seven ways French is easier than EnglishFrench, like many other languages, is fundamentally more complex than English, which creates a severe psychological problem for native English speakers trying to learn it. However, in many respect French has English beat hands down. By rejoicing in French's simplicities rather than focusing on its complexities, learning the language can be made more rapid and more enjoyable than you might have expected.
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Blaise PascalBlaise Pascal was a mathematical prodigy, publishing innovations as early as the age of 16. His most important work of philosophy is titled simply 'Pensees' (Thoughts). These pithy insights say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle.
A very unusual petMost of us fondly remember a particular pet we had when growing up. Author Philip Yaffe was luckier than most kids. His pet was not only special; it was virtually unbelievable.
Creativity and Common Sense in Non-Consumer AdvertisingDoctors are perhaps the hardest 'sell' in the world. Doctors don't buy medicines, but ideas and information that pharmaceutical companies hope will eventually turn into prescriptions. The doctor and patient sitting together are the true point of sale in medical marketing. Understanding how pharmaceutical companies promote themselves and their products to medical professionals can teach valuable marketing lessons for us all.
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Eric HofferEric Hoffer was a largely self-educated dockworker and migrant farm labourer. In his middle years he turned to writing. 'The True Believer', a study of fanaticism and mass movements, has become a classic because of Hoffer's penetrating insights and 'pithy prose'. These are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a
How crafty word order can instantly improve your writingMost writing tips are ineffective because they are not obviously linked to one or more of the fundamental principles of the writing craft. Here is a tip that is in fact linked to three of them. It is therefore dramatically effective and could be the single most important writing tip that you will ever read.
Don't let good grammar spoil good writingGood grammar is fundamental to good writing, right? Wrong. Years of experience working with people who use English as a second or third language have demonstrated that focusing too much on grammar can actually be detrimental to good writing. It's a question of priorities.
How to anticipate the unexpected'Anticipating the unexpected' would seem to be a contradiction in terms. Nevertheless, it is possible to develop a mindset such that when the unexpected happens, one is prepared to take it on board and deal with it.
Rising to the linguistic challengeAmericans and other native English speakers seldom learn other languages, because they seldom have the opportunity to use them outside the classroom. Most language courses seem to ignore this very obvious fact. To improve learning, language courses for native English speakers need to be fundamentally rethought and reoriented to deal with the very real impediment. This article offers one possible a
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Johann Goethe'Pithy prose' are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle. A few people (e.g. Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde) produced pithy prose, in their hundreds. Others only a handful, but these too are well worth preserving. This article is dedicated to the wit and wisdom of German writer
Why does time go faster as we get older?According to the adage, 'The older you get, the faster time seems to go.' But why should this be? After all, according to the parallel adage, 'Time flies when you are having fun.' But as we age, time seems to fly whether we are having fun or not. So what is going on? Here's a possible explanation.
Isn't it time for the metric system to stop going around in circles?The metric system has taken over the world. Meters, grams, liters, etc., are everywhere; the number of countries that don't use the metric system can be counted on the fingers of single hand. Now that it is so firmly established, it would seem appropriate to update it by adding a few more important measurements that still rely on cumbersome, old-fashioned non-metric units -- the hours of the day a
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Anon'Pithy prose' are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle. A few people (e.g. Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde) produced pithy prose, in their hundreds. Others only a handful, but these too are well worth preserving. This article is dedicated to the wit and wisdom of the most proli
Don't Write Short Texts. Write Concise Ones'Short' and 'concise' are often considered to be synonyms. Being short is only half of what conciseness is all about. Understanding and applying the other half can dramatically improve the quality of your writing and speaking.
Political Integrity: an Example out of AfricaWe live in a cynical age where the values of truth, honesty and integrity seem to be cruelly lacking, especially among politicians. Here is an example of impeccable political integrity out of Africa. It is not Nelson Mandela, but Mr. Mandela would certainly be proud to have his name mentioned in the same breath with this sterling example.
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of People Named 'H''Pithy prose' are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle. A few people (e.g. Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde) produced pithy prose, in their hundreds. Others only a handful, but these too are well worth preserving. This article is dedicated to the wit and wisdom of people with su
Shakespeare: What Can a Great Poet Teach Us about Clear, Concise Expository Writing?William Shakespeare was unquestionably one of the world's greatest poets and playwrights; his way with words was inimitable. So what can this incomparable genius of evocative fiction teach us about writing clear, concise non-fiction? You'd be amazed!
How to Apply the Three Acid Tests of Persuasive Writing'If you don't know what you are looking for, you are unlikely to find it, even if it's right in front of your nose.' -- Anon. The three 'acid tests' of persuasive writing tell you exactly what to look for when writing and editing your own texts, or when evaluating and approving those of others.
How Verbal Variety Kills ComprehensionSome writers will do almost anything to avoid repeating a word to achieve 'verbal variety'. The fact is, judicious repetition aids readability and comprehension while varied vocabulary can actually harm it. The trick is to know when to be the same and when to be different.
Myths and Realities of Writing for the WebIt is often said that writing for the Web is fundamentally different from other types of writing. It isn't. Good writing is good writing whether it is printed on paper or on a screen. Because of this erroneous belief, some advice given about writing for the Web is significantly detrimental.
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher who questioned ideas and dogmas that were not 'life-affirming'. His keen observations were often formulated in 'pithy prose'. These are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle.
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Ambrose BierceAmbrose Bierce was an American journalist and author. He is best remembered for 'The Devil's Dictionary' (1906), which is the epitome of 'pithy prose'. These are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle
Pithy Prose: The Wit and Wisdom of Anatole FranceAnatole France was a prolific French novelists and essayist who in 1921 won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was renowned his deep thinking and 'pithy prose'. These are quotations that say more in one or two sentences than could be expressed in a thousand-word treatise. They are like pouring a liter of liquid into a half-liter bottle.
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