Mediterraneo en sus orillas con Serrat

Juan Manuel Serrat -Mediterraneo

Quizá porque mi niñez
sigue jugando en tu playa,
y escondido tras las cañas

duerme mi primer amor,
llevo tu luz y tu olor
por donde quiera que vaya,

y amontonado en tu arena
guardo amor, juegos y penas.

Yo,

que en la piel tengo el sabor
amargo del llanto eterno,
que han vertido en ti cien pueblos

de Algeciras a Estambul,
para que pintes de azul
sus largas noches de invierno.

A fuerza de desventuras,
tu alma es profunda y oscura.

A tus atardeceres rojos
se acostumbraron mis ojos
como el recodo al camino...

Soy cantor, soy embustero,
me gusta el juego y el vino,
Tengo alma de marinero...

¿Qué le voy a hacer, si yo
nací en el Mediterráneo?

Y te acercas, y te vas
después de besar mi aldea.
Jugando con la marea

te vas, pensando en volver.
Eres como una mujer
perfumadita de brea

que se añora y que se quiere
que se conoce y se teme.

Ay...

si un día para mi mal
viene a buscarme la parca.
Empujad al mar mi barca

con un levante otoñal
y dejad que el temporal
desguace sus alas blancas.

Y a mí enterradme sin duelo
entre la playa y el cielo...

En la ladera de un monte,
más alto que el horizonte.
Quiero tener buena vista.

Mi cuerpo será camino,
le daré verde a los pinos
y amarillo a la genista...

Cerca del mar. Porque yo
nací en el Mediterráneo... 

Pedro Navajas con R Blades

Pedro Navajas -canción

Por la esquina del viejo barrio lo vi pasar
con el tumbao que tienen los guapos al caminar;
las manos siempre en los bolsillos de su gabán
pa' que no sepan en cual de ellas lleva el puñal.

Usa un sombrero de ala ancha de medio la'o
y zapatillas por si hay problemas salir vola'o,
lentes oscuros pa' que no sepan que esta mirando,
y un diente de oro que cuando rie se ve brillando.

Como a tres cuadras de esa esquina una mujer
va recorriendo la acera entera por quinta vez,
y en un zaguan entra y se da un trago para olvidar
que el dia esta flojo y no hay clientes pa' trabajar.

Un carro pasa muy despacito por la avenida
no tiene marcas pero to`os saben que`s policía.
Pedro Navaja las manos siempre dentro’ el gabán
mira y sonríe y el diente de oro vuelve a brillar.

Mientras camina pasa la vista de esquina a esquina
no se ve un alma esta desierta toa' la avenida;
cuando de pronto esa mujer sale del zaguán
y Pedro Navaja aprieta un puño dentro’ el gabán.

Mira pa' un lado, mira pa'l otro y no ve a nadie
y a la carrera pero sin ruido cruza la calle.
Y mientas tanto en la otra acera va esa mujer
refunfuñando pues no hizo pesos con que comer.

Mientras camina, del viejo abrigo saca un revolver esa mujer,
iba guardarlo en su cartera pa' que no estorbe;
un 38 Smith and Weston del especial
que carga encima pa' que la libre de todo mal.

Y Pedro Navaja puñal en mano le fue pa' encima,
el diente de oro iba alumbrando to'a la avenida
(La hizo fácil)
mientras reía, el puñal le hundía si compasión,
cuando de pronto sonó un disparo como un cañón.

Y Pedro Navaja cayó en la acera mientras veía
a esa mujer de revolver en mano y de muerte herida a el le decía,
yo que pensaba hoy no es mi día estoy sala'
pero Pedro Navaja tu estas peor no estas en na'.

Y créanme gente que aunque hubo ruido nadie salio,
no hubo curiosos, no hubo preguntas, nadie lloro.

Solo un borracho con los dos muertos se tropezó,
cogio el revolver, el puñal, los pesos y se marcho.

Y tropezando, se fue cantando desafinao'
el coro que aqui les traje y da el mensaje de mi cancion:

Coro
La vida te da sorpresas, sorpresas sorpresas te da la vida
¡ay Dios¡ (Bis).

Pedro Navaja matón de esquina
quien a hierro mata a hierro termina
(Se repite coro)

Maleante pescador
pa'l ansuelo que tiraste,
en vez de una sardina un tiburon
enganchaste.

la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (Bis)
I like to live in America.

(Se repite coro)
Ocho millones de historias tiene la ciudad de Nueva York

(Se repite coro)
Como decia mi abuelita
el que de ultimo rie, se rie mejor

la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (Bis)
I like to live in America
(Se repite coro),

Cuando lo manda el destino, no lo cambia ni el mas bravo,
si naciste pa' martillo del cielo te caen los clavos.

(Se repite coro)
en barrio de guapos cuidado en la acera
cuidao’ camará que el que no corre vuela

(Se repite coro)
como en una novela de Kafka
el borracho doblo por el callejón

La vida te da…

Language Functions -some selections

48 Language Functions –Word Selector index
A quite unique resource to non-native speakers. In order to express quite as many  as 7 ways to be thankful to M. MacCarthy, my teacher in the Master's Course in Teaching English EFL - Valencia -(1995-6)

Classification of thanks

1. Complimenting/expressing appreciation for the benefactor or the favour/gift

Thanks a lot. You are wonderful! Thank you so much for our  WordSelector. It's really the knowledge I wanted.

2. Expressing obligation

I am really grateful for what you have done for my learning. Thanks a lot.

3. Expressing a lack of necessity

Thanks a lot, but you took unnecessary trouble for me.

4. Promising to repay

I don't have enough words to thank you. I will pay you back somehow as soon as I can with an entry in my blog.

5. Expressing surprise and delight

Wow! Wonderful! Thanks, thanks, thanks! Here we have a useful list indeed. In Catalan and another 4 languages!

6. Exaggerating

I really appreciate this. You're a lifesaver for my work at manresaEOI.

7. Expressing affection

Thank you so much, dear professor. I don't know what I would've done without your books.

               MACCARTHY, M. Ed. 1995. Cambridge Word-Selector. Cambridge: C.U.P

other function in Larson's pictures here

Cambridge Word Routes and Word Selectors are a range of unique bilingual reference books in which words and phrases are organised in topic groups, helping learners to explore related vocabulary in a way that is not possible in conventional dictionaries. The learner's own language is used in all explanations, making the information easy to use.

           Index:

L1      Introductions                   Presentacions

L2      Forms of address            Maneres d'adreçar-se a algú

L3      Greetings                        Salutacions

L4      Leave-taking                   Acomiadar-se

L5      Opening a conversation  Començar conversa

L6      During  a conversation    Durant una conversa

L7      Closing a conversation   Acabar una con versa

L8      Asking to see someone   Demanar per algú

L9      Expressing good wishes   Expressar desitjos

L10    Seasonal Greetings  Felicitacions (X-tra dates)

L11    Expressing sympathy     Expressar compassió

L12    Shopping                       Anar a comprar

L13    Thanking                        Donar les gràcies

L14    Permission                      Permís

L15    Offers                              Oferiments

L16    Invitations                       Invitacions

L17     Advice                           Consell

L18     Information                    Informació

L19     Instructions                   Instruccions

L20     Directions                      Direcció

L21     Making arrangements    Fer plans                

L22     Asking favours              Demanar favors

L23     Apologies                      Disculpes

L24     Reminding                     Recordar

L25     Reassuring                     Tranquil.litzar

L26     Persuading                     Convéncer

L27     Suggesting                     Suggerir

L28     Agreeing                          Posar-se d'acord

L29     Disagreeing                     Discrepar

L30     Opinions                         Opinions

L31     Preferences                     Preferències

L32     Degrees of certainty        Graus de certesa

L33     Obligation                       Obligació

L34     Expressing surprise        Expressar sorpresa

L35     Expressing pleasure        Expressar plaer

L36     Expressing displeasure   Expressar enuig

L37     Complaints                      Queixes

L38     Praising                           Lloar

L39     Announcements           Comunicacions públiques

L40     Reacting to news         Reaccionar a una notícia

L41     Talking about the time     Parlar de I'hora

L42     Narrating and reporting   Narrar i informar

L43     Problems of communication Problemes de comunicació

L44     Written communications   Comunicacions escrites

L45     Signs and notices             Rètols i anuncis

L46     Using the postal service   Servei de correus

L47     Telephoning                     Telefonar

L48     Other communications     Altres maneres de comunicar-se

for other resources: click on eslgold

for another book: Conversational American English

Aalso in other languages -bilingual books, see below:

REVIEW from the Italian edition:

This book may be designed for Italians learning English, but it's an amazing reference for advanced speakers of Italian as a foreign language. It is a combination of encyclopedia (arranged in conceptual, not alphabetical, order); thesaurus (thousands of words, with nuances explained in Italian, and illustrated in idiomatic Italian and English phrases); and picture dictionary (very practical themed sections - learn how to say "crochet hook" in Italian!). There are also highlighted boxes throughout the book containing idiomatic locutions in English, with Italian equivalents. The long final section of the book is devoted entirely to "communication" - complete phrases in English, with Italian equivalents. There is a complete index in the back. This is a true treasure chest for language lovers. It is like a thesaurus, but with each listing explained and illustrated. The nuances of meaning are impressively spot on. And the wealth of idiomatic expressions is invaluable.

The book's only flaw is that it is endlessly fascinating, and keeps me engrossed way past my bedtime! (Warning: the print size is rather fine.)

Review from the Greek edition:

I bought this book without paying proper attention. I am a student of Greek and hadn't noticed that this book is designed for Greek speakers learning English. However, I still find it a very useful book when trying to establish the correct word to use or indeed the correct use of a word. Despite all the explanations being in Greek it is still usable and I've learned a lot from browsing its pages. It has an extensive word list in the back (both English and Greek) to help you find a specific word you want to use as well as an index of the various categories covered (some 450 in all) eg wild animals, gardening, astronomy, even sex (and it doesn't miss out all the naughty words). Defintely not for beginners though. Would be so great to have a complementary sister book of Greek into English.

PS:  A note on quite:

 I guess, strictly speaking, quite placed in front of words like few, many, often etc. would never please a scholar.

QUITE has many meanings:

completely, entirely - This is quite impossible.fairly, rather, to a certain extent - It's quite warm today; He's quite a good artist; I quite like the idea.exactly, indeed, I agree - "I think he is being unfair to her." "Quite".

This is, however, one of those idiomatic uses where culture is reflected in language.

There was always a tendency in the English to be self-deprecating. Indeed, this was counted as part of gentle(wo)manly conduct. We had this idea that to express absolutes was not really polite (perhaps because it sounded too didactic?). Thus a convention grew up of qualifying absolutes:-, which spread to any definitive adjectives and/or nouns. Thus, a person was not beautiful but "rather" beautiful; not evil but "somewhat" evil etc. 

The word QUITE, as you noted, has different meanings - one of which is "rather" or "to a certain degree". Thus it came to be used to qualify definite statements: e.g. "I'm quite well/unwell" rather than a definitive "I'm well/unwell." etc.

As this usage is colloquial rather than grammatical it's difficult to come to grips with a rule for it's use. Why it is permissible to use

"quite a lot" but never "quite many" could now only, perhaps, be explained as not sounding right:- but the reason it doesn't sound right is only because of common usage, there is no grammatical stricture to underpin this no-no. (At least, none that I can supply atm - or can someone else provide one?)

(Sigh) The English language can be rather eccentric in its application. I take my hat off to any non-native speaker who tries to understand it.

age accountability: Born at the age of 1 or on the 33th of April in the Old style

Item 1. Born at the age of one and a half is possible!

Note that, in Korea, age is counted age differently from everywhere else. When a baby is born, Koreans count him as one year old immediately. In addition, Koreans count themselves one year older every January 1. So, according to Koreans, a baby born in December, 2005 is already two years old in January, 2006. The result of this is that everyone is really between one and two years younger than their "Korean age." This is of little importance in most circumstances; however, there can be surprises when talking about young children. Some Koreans refer to non-Korean age as "American age." If possible, take the time to point out that the rest of the world, including Japan, uses standard, non-Korean age. Kindergarten children are between the ages of four and six (non-Korean age!).

Item 2. Read on two immortal deaths

Although 23 April is often stated as the anniversary of the deaths of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, this is not strictly correct. Cervantes died on 23 April according the Gregorian calendar; however, at this time England still used the Julian calendar.The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Spain ( Inca Garcilaso also died on the 23rd April) to promote sales (and reading!). Whilst Shakespeare died on 23 April by the Julian calendar in use in his own country at the time, he actually died ten days after Cervantes (on the 33th of April with the Papist Gregorian Calendar) because of the discrepancy between the two date systems. The apparent correspondence of the two dates was a fortunate coincidence for UNESCO (1995) put forward by Catalan activists as on dat day Josep la died and Nabokov was born.

To learn about our bard's life and death, all the questions here:




Item 3. when the day of death was difficult to state.

 Read the footpring at our greatest physicist (not Hawkings, not Kepler): Sir Isaac Newton:During Newton's lifetime, two calendars were in use in Europe: the Julian or 'Old Style' in Britain and parts of northern Europe (Protestant) and eastern Europe, and the Gregorian or 'New Style', in use in Roman Catholic Europe and elsewhere. At Newton's birth, Gregorian dates were ten days ahead of Julian dates: thus Newton was born on Christmas Day, 25 December 1642 by the Julian calendar, but on 4 January 1643 by the Gregorian. By the time he died, the difference between the calendars had increased to eleven days. Moreover, prior to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in the UK in 1752, the English new year began (for legal and some other civil purposes) on 25 March (Lady day), i.e. the feast of the Annunciation: sometimes called 'Annunciation Style') rather than on 1 January (sometimes called 'Circumcision Style'). Unless otherwise noted, the remainder of the dates in this article follow the Julian Calendar.

Item 4. when the October revolution took place in November.

In Russia, the terms "Old Style" and "New Style" have the same significance as elsewhere. The start of the year was moved to 1 January in 1700, but the Gregorian calendar was introduced there much later, on 14 February 1918 (Gregorian calendar) in Soviet Russia (which became the Soviet Union in 1922). Hence the October Revolution of 1917 is so called, despite having started on 7 November under the Gregorian calendar (25 October [Julian calendar]). Articles about the October Revolution which mention this date difference tend to do a full conversion to the dates from Julian to the Gregorian calendar.

Further reading: What about Turkey?
In the Ottoman Empire they used the Islamic (Lunar) calendar, which count its beginning from 622.07.16 (JD# 1948440) the so-called Hijra era. Later, on 1789.03.01 JU, the Julian (solar) calendar was introduced as a fiscal year (also used by the postal services), but the Islamic calendar remained as a religious calendar and was still used in the legal sphere and especially for all documents issued by the sultan. They did not count this fiscal year from 1 AD but from the Hijra era. A special problem was the religious lunar year was shorter than the Julian solar year. So to bring the years into line again, the fiscal years numbers 1221 and 1255 were skipped.
    Of course the discrepancy continued but was disregarded. For the fiscal year in 1917 the Gregorian Calendar was introduced and the beginning of the year was moved to 1917.03.01, leaving out the days 16-28 Shubat (February) 1332. The final adjustment was made, when they changed the beginning of the year to 1918.01.01. So the Turkish fiscal year 1332 had only 352 days and the fiscal year 1333 only 306. The use of the religious Islamic calendar of course continued until the Republic abolished it on 1926.01.01.    The Ottoman post used the fiscal dates from the beginning in 1840. 


PD: From Lunisolar calendar to Solar discipline.
In Eastern Asia countries, the old style calendars were similar but not all the same. The Arabic numerals may be used for both calendar dates in modern Japanese and Korean languages, but not Chinese.

Japan. Japan started using the Gregorian calendar on 1 January 1873,^[21] locally known as "the first day of the first month of Meiji 6". The preceding day, 31 December 1872, was "the second day of the twelfth month of Meiji 5".

Korea. Korea started using the Gregorian calendar on 1 January 1896, which was the 17th day of the 11th lunar month in not only Korea but also in China, which still used the lunisolar calendar.

China. the Kuomintang-led Republic of China government adopted the Gregorian calendar on 1 January 1912. It kept the lunisolar Chinese calendar as well, especially for the timing of traditional holidays. When the Communists took over China in the late 1940s they kept this two-calendar system. 

reverend Billy and shopocalypse

Each year, Reverend Billy and his choir attend and perform at the Burning Man festival in Nevada.

The Church of Stop Shopping is a non-profit organization that includes Talen, theatrical director Savitri Durkee (who is married to Talen), a 34-member choir, and an 8-piece band.

What Would Jesus Buy? is also the title of Reverend Billy's book, subtitled "Fabulous Prayers in the Face of the Shopocalypse," released in March 2007.

The Choir celebrated the release of their latest album, The Shopocalypse, and will hold three holiday performances in New York City and have added an Hour of Power live Sunday webcast to their programming and have also have aDish Network TV show in the works.

On March 1, 2009, Reverend Billy announced in Union Square Park that he is running for Mayor of New York City on the Green Party ticket.

FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Church of Duetsche Bank, Barcelona

BY REV BILLY

About 80 people accompanied Reverend Billy and Savitri D -  founders of the New York City based Church of Stop Shopping - to a political ritual, "Naked Grief" in the lobby of the Deutschebank in Barcelona's Placa Catalunya at noon today.  The action was organized with activists and artists of The Influencers Festival. After entering the bank lobby, the crowd began dramatically weeping.  Savitri D disrobed, and as the Barcelonans around her cried, Reverend Billy implored the "God of Deutsche Bank" to stop investing in CO2 emitting coal-fired power plants.  Eventually coal was poured over the head and shoulders of the "Naked Mother" as the crying crowd shouted "Earthalujah!"

• Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, 2002 documentary .
• Preacher With An Unknown God, 2005 documentary received Honorable Mention at Sundance Festival
• What Would Jesus Buy?, 2007 feature-length documentary by Rob VanAlkemade

rebooting my computer

From this 25 operations which are related to

• a)    problems
• b)   Solutions
• c)    Descriptive words

Windows loves Apple

 humourous sketch. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: here

1.     Delete
2.     Software problems
3.     Keyboard not responding
4.     Wireless netword
5.     300 MHz computer
6.     Retrieve password
7.     Computer crashes
8.     Install a patch for the update of the new version
9.     The cutting Edge of technology
10. Viruses – adware – Spyware
11. Computer frozen
12. This page can not be displayed
13. Log off
14. Your hard disk files have been deleted
15. Your computer will now crash
16. An error on your C:/ drive
17. In order to repair the error
18. Press any key to continue
19. Click “ok” to continue
20. Your operating system is broken
21. Windows hardware update
22.   Do you want to restart your computer now?
23.  An error ocurred while displaying this message
24.  The operation completed successfully. Click on “ok”.
25.  The target file exists. Do you want to overwrite the file with this new one?
 

HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED!

the best picture TO DESCRIBE HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED IS .............  A - B - C - D -  E - F - G
picture  A: HOBBIES AT HOME 

picture  B: A KICK-OFF (a.k.a.  Football)


picture C: Dark Riders in my room


picture  D: at Birthdays

picture  E: Believe in your beliefs

picture is  F: School days

picture G: does the world go flat?