PRAGMATICS

It is the study of the meaning's elements and language usage of the speaker.

-According to Bucley, Language can be classified into five different levels  

• Phonology  (how to pronounce and distinguish different consonants and vowels)

• Morphology (knowledge about grammatical rules such as subject-word agreement, root, and affixes and suffixes)

• Semantics (vocabulary knowledge)

• Syntactic (sentence structure)

• Pragmatics (how to use language appropriately under different social contexts). 

It's important to say that when we are using words between a context, we should be able to recognize what is well said or bad said. Therefore we know that culture, rules and traditions make part of the context. For example in culture from Middle East women have to use a good language and also they should respect asian tradition. But if they are in other country from the occident, asian should respect the rules and traditions from there, also if they use words and expressions against women could sound chauvinist. 

SYNTAX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2bL1z9Wh4

As we can see syntax is so important because it helps us to know how to write and built a correct sentence.

Teachers should know how to write a correct text. Therefore, every single day we should search how to improve our writting skills.

IDIOMS

Idioms are phrases that can be just understandable in a whole setence.

• To each their own: cada loco con su tema.
• Piece of cake: Fácil.
• Rains cats and dogs: Rains a lot.
• As clear as cristal.
• Cesar to Cesar.
• You snooze you lose.
• Easy comes, Easy goes.
• Out of sight, out of mind.
• practice makes perfect.
• Great minds think alike.
• She hits the nail on the head.
• too many cooks spoil the broth.

(The  next information was found in http://www.learn-english-today.com/proverbs/proverbs-A1.html)

A bad excuse is better than none.	Always give an excuse, even if it's a poor one.
A bad penny always turns up.	An unwanted or disreputable person constantly comes back.
A bad tree does not yield good apples.	A bad parent does not raise good children.
A bad workman blames his tools.	Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an excuse for lack of skill.
A barking dog seldom bites.	Someone who constantly makes threats rarely carries them out.
A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.	It is better to keep what you have rather than to risk losing it by searching for something better.
A black plum is as sweet as a white.	People should not be judged by their appearance.
A book holds a house of gold.	There is a wealth of knowledge in books.
A broken friendship may be soldered but will never be sound.	Friendships can be rebuilt after a dispute but will never be as strong as before.
A burden of one's own choice is not felt.	Something difficult seems easier when it is done voluntarily.
A burnt child dreads the fire.	A bad experience will make people stay away from certain things.
A burnt child dreads the fire.	A bad experience will make people stay away from certain things.
A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor.	A person shows their competence or ability when difficulties arise.
A cat has nine lives.	1) Cats can survive many accidents because they land on their feet without injury. 2) Nine lives = 3 years to play, 3 years to stray, 3 years to stay.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.	The strength of a group depends on each individual member.
A change is as good as a rest.	A change in routine is often as refreshing as a break or a holiday.
A constant guest is never welcome.	If you come to visit too often, your host will be less pleased to see you.
A danger foreseen is half avoided.	If you are prepared to face a problem or difficulty, it will be easier to deal with.
A day of sorrow is longer than a month of joy.	Times goes by very quickly when you are happy and very slowly when you are sad.
A drop of ink may make a million think.	A thought expressed in writing (perhaps published in a newspaper) can influence a large number of people.
A dry March, a wet April and a cool May fill barn and cellar and bring much hay.	Harvest predictions are made according to the weather.
A fault confessed is half redressed.	Confession is the beginning of forgiveness.
A flower blooms more than once.	If you miss an occasion, you can avail yourself of it another time.
A fly will not get into a closed mouth. A closed mouth catches no flies.	If you learn when to keep silent you will avoid trouble.
A fool and his money are (soon) easily parted.	A foolish person usually spends money carelessly.
A fool at forty is a fool forever.	If a person hasn't matured by the age of 40, they never will.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.	Someone who helps you when you are in trouble is a real friend.
A friend to all is a friend to none.	Someone who is a friend to everyone makes none of them feel special.
A friend's eye is a good mirror.	A real friend will tell you the truth.
A good beginning makes a good end.	If a task is carefully planned, there's a better chance that it will be well done.
A good conscience is a soft pillow.	You sleep well when you have nothing to be guilty about.
A good example is the best sermon.	Giving a good example is better than giving advice.
A good name is better than a good face.	A good reputation is better than a good appearance.
A growing youth has a wolf in his belly.	Young boys eat a lot / are often hungry.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.	If you know that you have done something wrong, you don't need anyone to tell you that you're guilty.
A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.	Patience is more precious than intelligence.
A happy heart is better than a full purse.	Happiness is better than wealth.
A heavy purse gives to a light heart.	When you have money you feel more cheerful and secure.
A hedge between keeps friendship green.	It is important to respect the privacy of others.
A hungry belly has no ears.	A hungry person is totally concentrated on their need for food and nothing else interests them.
A hungry wolf is fixed to no place.	A desperate person will go from place to place when they need to satisfy their needs.

SLANGS

Slangs are words that are used in a particular context or group of people.



COMMONLY SLANGS USED IN AMERICA.

• Ace: very good.
• Action: Excitement 
• Airhead: Stupid person.
• All wet: Completely wrong.
• all-nighter: Someone who has studied all night.
• Ammon: Amunition.
• Antifreeze: Liquor.
• Armpit: Undesirable place.
• Barfed: Vomited.
• Bashed: crushed
• Beat: Exhausted. 
• Beemer: BMW car
• Benched: taken out of the game.

Here is a webpage to practice the previously slangs: (http://www.manythings.org/slang/slang1.html)

• Bent: Angry
• Bent out of shape: Become upset.
• Big gun: Poweful people.
• Have a big mouth: talk too much.
• Big Stink: Big issue.
• Blade: Knife
• Blimp: Very far Person.
• Blow out of: Leave.
• Blew: Lost
• Blow a fuse: Lose temper 
• Bomb: Bad
• Bonkers: Crazy 

Here is a webpage to practice the previously slangs:( http://www.manythings.org/slang/slang2.html)

• Booze: Alcohol
• Bread: Money
• Break: Opportunity.
• Break it up: stop
• Bring down: Depressing.
• Buck: Dollar.
• Bummer: Bad experience.
• Bust: Failure
• Buy it: to die.
• Call: Prediction.
• Can: Bathroom
• Catch some rays: get some sunshine.

Here is a webpage to practice the previously slangs: http://www.manythings.org/slang/slang3.html

In this page you can find hundred of slangs and to practice them: http://www.manythings.org/slang/

ETIMOLOGY

WHAT IS ETIMOLOGY?

It studies the roots of words and how spelling, mening and sounds have changed over time.
The word Etimology was derived from etumos, it means true. It studies the words' origin.

some examples:

• Assassin: n. Murderer, generally somewhat professional; esp. one who murders a prominent figure.

During the time of the Crusades the members Muslim  engaged people to terrorise their Christian enemies by performing murders as a religious duty. These acts were carried out under the influence of hashish, and so the killers became known as hashshashin, meaning eaters or smokers of hashish.Hashshashin evolved into the word assassin.

• Hazard: n. Danger; vb. To risk or expose to danger.This term evolved from the Arabic al zahr, which means the dice. In Western Europe the term came to be associated with a number of games using dice, which were learned during the Crusades whilst in the Holy Land. The term eventually took on the connotation of danger because, from very early on, games using dice were associated with the risky business of gambling and con artists using corrupted dice.

The next link is an etimology dictionary: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=a&allowed_in_frame=0

As teachers of children it's important to recognize where words came from.If we are helping to our students to develop their language and vocabulary we should know about the words we teach them. So if we have daily contact with words' origins we are more competitive for our job.

RHETORICAL DEVICES.

WHAT ARE RETHORICAL DEVICES?

Rethorical devices are the way to use the language effectively in spoken or writting form. So when you use rhetorical devices in a discourse, you are employing different methods to convince, influence or please everybody.  (http://literarydevices.net/rhetoric/).

Some examples:
 The next list contains some rethorical devices that we don't use too much.

• Anacoluthon: A sudden break in a sentence’s grammatical structure: “So, then I pulled up to her house — are you still with me here?”
• Anadiplosis:Repetition of words, especially located at the end of one phrase or clause and the beginning of the next: “I was at a loss for words, words that perhaps would have gotten me into even more trouble.”
•  Antanagoge: The contradiction of a negative comment with a positive one, as in “The car wouldn’t start this time, but it least it didn’t catch on fire.”
• Antimetabole: Reversal of repeated words or phrases for effect: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.
• Antithesis: Contrast within parallel phrases (not to be confused with the ordinary use of the word to mean “extreme opposite”): “Many are called, but few are chosen.” The term can also refer to literary characters who, though not necessarily antagonists, represent opposite personal characteristics or moral views.
•  Aporia: A statement of hesitation, also known as dubitatio, in which characters express to themselves an actual or feigned doubt or dilemma: “Should I strike now, or bide my time?”
• Apostrophe: Interruption of thought to directly address a person or a personification: “So, I ask you, dear reader, what would you have me do?”
• Bdelygmia: A rant of abusive language: “Calling you an idiot would be an insult to stupid people. Are you always this stupid, or are you just making a special effort today?”
•  Catachresis: A hyperbolic metaphor, as in “Each word was a lightning bolt to his heart.”
• Commoratio: Repetition of a point with different wording: “He’s passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! He’s expired and gone to meet his maker!” (etc., ad absurdum)
• Diacope: Repetition of one or more words after the interval of one or more other words: “People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.”
• Epanelepsis: Starting and ending a phrase, clause, or a sentence, or a passage, with the same word or phrase: “Nothing is worse than doing nothing.”
• Epistrophe: The repetition of a word at the end of each phrase or clause: “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
• Epizeuxis: Epizeuxis, epizeuxis, epizeuxis! My favorite new word, also called palilogia, refers to nothing more than the repetition of words: “To my fifteen-year-old daughter, everything is ‘boring, boring, boring!’”
• Hyperbaton: Excursion from natural word order in various ways: “Theirs was a glory unsurpassed”; “It is a sad story but true.”
• Polyptoton: Repetition of two or more forms of a word; also known as paregmenon: “You try to forget, and in the forgetting, you are yourself forgotten.”
•  Synecdoche: Substitution of a part or a substance for a whole, one thing for another, or a specific name used for a generic: “A hundred head of cattle were scattered throughout the field”; “A regiment of horse paraded by”; “The swordsmen unsheathed their steel”; “Do you have a Kleenex?”

Information was found in http://www.dailywritingtips.com/50-rhetorical-devices-for-rational-writing/

MORPHOLOGY

WHAT IS MORPHOLOGY?

It is the study of morphemes. Morphemes are basically the unit of language one up from phonemes.It describes the structure of words.

The previously imagens were found in http://www.glogster.com/synthia4204/ece-315-week-1-discussion-language-structure-/g-6kt4prvsf2ktadg4vc0v5a0