Meanings of words that are often exaggerated.

I found this comic on theoatmeal.com, It's a website I like to visit that has a bunch of sarcastic comics that can relate to anyone. This comic highlights how over time, the word 'literally' has evolved into a slang word used to tell stories. By definition, the word literally means actually or without exaggeration. Yet, the general public never really use the word for its meaning at all anymore. For example, If someone were to hear the sentence, "I literally peed my pants laughing so hard!! LOL!" Then the person listening would know that they didn't actually pee their pants, they're just exaggerating. 

Clearly every language has it's own form of sarcasm, but what if someone learning english as a second language heard this sentence. Would they take it for the real meaning and be totally disgusted by the person. Or would they understand that the speaker was being sarcastic? What if you were in another country that speaks a different language and you used the word 'literally' in a sarcastic form like the example used above. The person your talking to would be repulsed by you. I find it interesting that the word literally has evolved overtime to be used more in sarcastic situations then for its actual meaning. I want to propose a challenge for the class. To think of other words that have lost their literal meaning to sarcasm. One example that I have thought of is the word 'Nazi' in America. If someone calls someones else a Nazi, they don't mean that they are a member of the Nazi political party (hopefully), but that they are just a person that someone doesn't like.

Connections between Facebook and Languages

I found this article titled "The Language of your Brain is Facebook" from buzzfeed.com. I like to go on this website because it offers a broad amount of satire humor for events that are happening in the world. I stumbled across this article that clames to prove that the human brain understands and remembers Facebook statuses better that faces and other formally written sentences. Basically,  the test was done by a Psychologist by the name of Laura Mickies. She showed a group of undergraduate students one picture of a girl, a passage from a novel, and a Facebook status. She then showed the students the original picture and a different picture, the original passage and a new passage, and the original Facebook status and a new Facebook status. She asked the students to point out which thing (either the picture, the passage, or the status) they were sure was in the original group. The results showed that the students remembered what Facebook status they've seen before rather than the pictures and the passages. So why was a Facebook status more rememberable then a face or a formally written sentence.  The authors believe that people relate to the gossip style of the writing. Much like how people can remember a conversation between friends rather than a lecture from a teacher.

  

I picked this article because I was surfing the web and came across the story, I also know that many people can relate to Facebook so maybe some of my other classmates would find it interesting. It relates to language by suggesting that Facebook shows how the brain retains languages the best, through causal talk. The most interesting thing I found about the article was that the Facebook statuses were discovered to be more rememberable than the pictures. If I were to guess before reading the results, I would've guessed that the pictures world be more rememberable. I agree with the article. I know for me personally, when I'm in a lecture it's easier for me to transform the boring long facts into phrases that I can remember.  I feel like the article was basic, and I wouldn't look into further research on the topic. Facebook is accessible to almost every person in the world. My cousin who is in the Peace Corps in the slums of Panama can access Facebook! If Facebook messages trigger a part in the brain that makes it rememberable, than languages in a casual tone can be remembered by people across the globe. Take a look the the article, see which thing you remember the best. 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/annanorth/the-language-of-your-brain-is-facebook

My cousin Lauren who lives in Panama. Thats her next to her mud hut. (For those who are interested.)

Leah R. Baker

Hi my name is Leah Baker.

I'm 18 years old and this is my second semester at GCC. I work at Banner Thunderbird Hospital part-time. I graduated from Centennial High School, I was active in the marching band and a member of the german club. In high school i took German I-V, I feel like I can understand German more that I can speak it. I love German, but I don't know what I want to major in yet. Im deciding between education and nursing.

 Above is my best friend and boyfriend Ryan, we've been together for over a year. I have two sisters, Sara and Kate, they drive me nuts on a daily basis. 

My friends call me an old lady in an 18 year olds body. I love to knit and do other crafts. I go to the beauty salon on a regular basis and I watch the Price is Right every morning. I see nothing wrong with it. Currently I'm attempting to knit a pair of mittens :). 

When it comes to languages, I have some experiences with different types of languages. Like I said above, I studied German in high school.Dance is my main hobby, I've been dancing since I was in elementary school. In dance a lot of French words are used to name moves. I also studied music in high school which is a whole new language to learn. I am taking this class for the experience and the knowledge. I'm looking forward to learn.