HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Christmas is over, now it's time to make a reflection of our actions and quoting Michael Jackson " Look at the man in the mirror and make a change..." 

So, let's check some vocabulary to use:

1 - New year is celebrated in so many different ways in many countries, maybe the most famous are the city of Rio de Janeiro because of the fireworks display which is popular all over the world and a lot of tourists come to watch it from the beach or a balcony. In Rio, people who go to the beach usually dress in white, get together with friends, drink champagne and make toast  and they say "Cheers!!!" while doing so. At the moment everybody makes their New year's resolutions and promises such as losing weight, quit smoking...But some people rather watch the fireworks on TV. And for course, as Catholic nation, many people before having fun at the parties, go to midnight mass.

2 - When people celebrate the new year's eve, they usually stay out all night and go to parties.

3 - In New York, people celebrate at Times Square, where the famous countdown is done by ball dropping:

4 - We also like to ask our friends: Where are you going to spend New year's eve? Some could say: I'm going to the beach or I'm going to stay with many family

5 - New Year Greetings:

* Feliz Ano Novo! -  Happy New Year!

* Desejo-lhe um próspero ano novo! -  Wishing you a prosperous New Year! 

* Tudo de bom neste novo ano! -  All the best for the coming year!

* Boas Festas! - Seasons Greetings!

* Boas Festas! -  Happy Holidays!

Algumas algumas comidas comuns das festas fim de ano:

1. French toast: Rabanada

2. Roast pork: Pernil, etc (carne de porco assada)

3. Roast turkey: peru assado

4. Panettone: panetone

5. Codfish: bacalhau

6. Mashed potatoes: purê de batatas

7. Walnuts: nozes

8 . Mince pie: torta doce

http://www.englishexperts.com.br/forum/lista-de-pratos-comida-de-natal-em-ingles-com-traducao-t13875.html

But the most important thing is to be happy with friends and family and keep in mind that a new year means new possibilities. Happy New year!

   

All about Christmas

Christmas is coming almost all over the world and some words are very typical from this season. So let's check some of them:

1 - First, we have to remember that above the delicious Christmas' family supper, Christmas is a Christian holiday, then:

                                     THE HISTORY:

a) Christmas - The annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (Christmas Day is on 25 December), He was born in the city of Bethlehem, a small town in the Middle East believed to be his the birthplace. We usually make a Nativity scene in our houses, with figures to represent: Holly Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus laying down on a manger. The magi were the three wise men from the East who brought gifts (Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh).

b) Christmas Carols - a religious song or popular hymn that people sing at Christmas.

There are many famous Christmas songs, in this playlist, you can listen to some of them:

2 - Trimming the tree - Some people like to gather all the family in order to make their Christmas tree, we usually use Christmas lights, ornaments and at the top of it, goes the star. Traditionally  we also put the gifts under the tree and by the door, a Christmas wreath. 

3 - At this time of the year, we all live through the Christmas spirit, and celebrate at work, school and home with the popular Secret Santa. Along with the gift, we can also give a Christmas card.

4 - In many countries, Christmas is a cold season, with snow  (water vapor from the sky that falls as white flakes and covers the group) and it's very common children go out and make snow man, play with snow balls, slides in sleighs. And also, the clothes are warmer.

5 - Christmas Food - Family get together on December 24 in the evening for the Christmas supper , in many countries, people have turkey, egg-nog (a traditional Christmas drink made of alcohol with beaten eggs and milk), gingerbread cookie. 

This video presents us with English Vocabulary about Christmas food, it's excellent! Check it out:

6 - Santa Claus - Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and simply "Santa", is a figure with legendary, mythical, historical of many western cultures that visit the homes of the good children during the late evening and overnight hours of Christmas Eve, December 24. He rides on a sleigh with reindeer.

7 - Some people like to spend Christmas at home, with family and friends. So, music and sometimes movies are a good way to have fun: 

a) Christmas Movies:





Die Hard - 1988 - OK, it's an action movie, but Christmas spirit is all over John McClane (Bruce Willis) when he decided to save his wife from a group of terrorists. And it finishes with a classic Frank Sinatra song: Let it snow.

Home Alone - 1990, we all know, laugh and have fun with Macaulay Culkin, who is left alone by his family by accident and now he has to defend his home from thieves.

A Christmas Carol - 2009 - the classic novel written by  Charles Dickens about a miser (perfect Jim Carey), who goes on a journey of self-redemption.

I found a very good list of Christmas movies at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_films.

b) Christmas Songs - A little different from caroling, many famous singers usually release a Christmas album or some Christmas songs:

* LAST CHRISTMAS - By George Michael, but it was also recorded by Ashley Tisdale and it's very nice.

* Let it snow - By Frank Sinatra - it's a classic one.

* All I want for Christmas is you - Mariah Carey 

8 - Christmas Expressions - You can say to your friends:

• Merry Christmas!
• Happy Christmas
• Happy New Year!
• Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• Wishing you a prosperous New Year
• All the best for the coming year
• Seasons Greetings!

fonte:www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/festivals-christmas.htm.

THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE - PART II

               A REVIEW:

1 - A brief history of the origins of English:

The history of the English language really started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. These tribes, the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany. At that time the inhabitants of Britain spoke a Celtic language. But most of the Celtic speakers were pushed west and north by the invaders - mainly into what is now Wales, Scotland and Ireland. 

fonte: http://www.englishclub.com/english-language-history.htm

In the first chapter of this video talking about the history of English language, it is a good start to understand the origin of the modern words we use today:

2 - OLD ENGLISH :

The Old English language, also called Anglo-Saxon, was the earliest form of English. It is difficult to give exact dates for the rise and development of any language, because changes in languages do not occur suddenly. However, Old English was in use from about 600 AD to about 1100.The greatest Old English poem is Beowulf, which belongs to the seventh century. It is a story of about 3,000 lines, and it is the first English epic (a story in poetry of the adventures of a brave man or men). The name of its author is unknown.

fonte: http://www.anglik.net/oldenglish.htm

                                      BEOWULF

                                                This presents a summary of the poem:

3 - MIDDLE ENGLISH:

GEOFFREY CHAUCER

Geoffrey Chaucer(1343 – 25 October 1400), is considered the greatest English poet of the Middle English Period. He was an author, philosopher, alchemist and astronomer. Some of his works  include  The Book of the Duchess and The House of Fame, but he is best known worldwide for the famous The Canterbury Tales.

4 - EARLY MODERN ENGLISH - THE TRANSITION:

a) Boundaries of time and place

The early modern English period follows the Middle English period towards the end of the fifteenth century and coincides closely with the Tudor (1485–1603) and Stuart (1603-1714) dynasties. The battle of Bosworth (1485) marked the end of the long period of civil war known as the Wars of the Roses and the establishment of the Tudor dynasty under Henry VII (1485–1509), which brought a greater degree of stable centralized government to England. Not long before, the introduction of the craft of printing in 1476 by William Caxton marked a new departure in the dissemination of the written word.

b) Variations in English

During the Middle English period numerous regional dialects existed in England and Scotland. Middle English manuscripts, even copies of the same work, differ linguistically from one another to a greater or lesser degree. In the later Middle Ages London gradually emerged as the seat of administration and the court. The speech of the capital acquired social prestige and written forms of it became usual in official documents and literature, though it could only loosely be called a ‘standard’. Since printing was based in London this form of English was adopted by the early printers. But Caxton himself was acutely aware of variation and change within English.

How can you use the degrees of comparison?

Olá, pessoal!

Para dá um help aos meus dear students, aqui vai um resumo sobre os graus de comparação dos adjetivos. Observe os quadros abaixo:

Não esqueça que você deve sempre observar a diferença entre os adjetivos curtos e longos:

CURTOS: Short, hot, cold, young, tall, fat, big, small, thin, faster

LONGOS: Modern, expensive, excellent, intelligent, handsome, beautiful

Quando usamos a forma do Superlativo, devemos lembrar:

fonte das tabelas: http://youronlinenglishclass.com.pt/category/grammar/page/6/

Que tal praticar um pouco?
Observe alguns recordes mundiais e complete usando os comparativos corretos:

fonte: http://www.englishexercises.org/buscador/buscar.asp?nivel=any&age=0&tipo=any&contents=comparatives#a

Para encerrar, assista a esse vídeo resumo e bons estudos: