Monday, April 4, 2011

BBC LEARNING ENGLISH

Business Language to go

Woman talking on the phone
Now, forget about dictionaries and grammar books: you don't have the time for that! Instead, listen to Business Language To Go, a series that is all about chunks of language as used in business contexts. The series - first broadcast in 2001 - was produced by Ruth Whitbread and presented by Carmela DiClemente and business language expert David Evans.
 
LISTEN TO :
- Business socialising
- Training and away days
- Delegating
- Telephoning
- Appraisals
- Presentations
- Meetings
- Induction
- Job interview


CLICK HERE: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/talkaboutenglish/2009/02/090211_tae_bltg.shtml

The 12 Longest and Most Difficult Words in English

You think you have a good ? Try using these words in a sentence. As in “I totally screwed your mom in the hepaticocholangiocholecystenterostomies”.
1.
This word has 27 letters which appears in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Act V, Scene I, which means “invincible glorious” or “Honorableness.” It is the ablative plural of the Latin contrived honorificabilitudinitas, which is an extension of honorificabilis meaning “honorableness.” This word was spoken by Costard in ’s plays:
O, they have lived long on the alms-basket of words.
I marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word;
for thou art not so long by the head as
: thou art easier
swallowed than a flap-dragon.

2. Antidisestablishmentarianism
This is the best known long word which has 28 letters. It means “opposition to the withdrawal of state support or recognition from an established church, esp. the Anglican Church in 19th-century England” as explained in Dictionary.com. Specifically, it is the political philosophy that is opposed to the separation of the church and state. This term originated in the context of the 19th century Church of England, antidisestablishmentarians were opposed to proposals to remove its status as the state church of England. It has been quoted once by the Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone, 1809- 1898. This word can be broken down as follows:
~ism………………..The philosophy of
~arian……………….those people who belive in
~anti…………………opposition to
~dis…………………..the removal of
~establishment…….The Church of England as the official state church

3. Floccinauccinihilipilification
This 30- letter-word is a non-scientific word and it appears in the first edition of the Oxford Dictionary. It is longer than antidisestablishmentarianism. The 1992 calls floccinaucinihilipilification “the longest real word in the Oxford Dictionary,” whereas it calls pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis “the longest made-up word in the Oxford Dictionary.” It means “act or habit to deny the value of some particular things” but some dictionaries translate it as “the act of considering something to be worthless.” It was formed by Estonian scholars, who searched for as many Latin words meaning “nothing” or “not very much as possible”: flocci (means “a little bit,” but literally it means “a bit of wool”), nauci (means very little), nihili (means “nothing”), pili (means “very little”); fused them together, and then added the suffix “fication” on the end, to give the sense of an action.
This word has been used by Sir Walter Scott and Senators Robert Byrd and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. It was used by Senator Jesse Helms in 1999 during the debate on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty [Randolph V. Cinco]. It also appeared on March 14, 1996, in “Zippy,” a comic strip distributed by King Features Syndicate:
Do you think I may be too quick to find fault with things and people, Zippy?
Yeh.
Th’ ‘floccinaucinihilipilification’ process.
Th’ what?
Floccinaucinihilipilification!! It means ‘the estimation of something as valueless’!
You’ve been randomly reading th’ dictionary, haven’t you?
Yes. That and my natural tendency toward antifloccinaucinihilipilification!!
Floccinaucinihilipilification was also used by Press Secretary Mike McCurry in his December 6, 1995, White House Press Briefing in discussing Congressional Budget Office estimates and assumptions: “But if you—as a practical matter of estimating the economy, the difference is not great. There’s a little bit of floccinaucinihilipilification going on here.”

4. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
1949: Parker & Young (unpublished song-title): Supercalafajalistickespialadojus.
1951: Parker & Young (song-title): Supercalafajalistickespeealadojus; or, The super song.
1964: R. M. & R. B; Sherman (song-title): Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
1967: Decisions U.S. Courts involving Copyright 1965-66 488 The complaint alleges copyright infringement of plaintiff’s song `Supercalafajalistickespeealadojus’ by defendants’ song ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’ (All variants of this tongue twister will hereinafter be referred to collectively as ‘the word’.)
Above citations show that this stunning word has been noted for its first four letters from 1949 to 1967.
This 34- appears in the Oxford Dictionary. It is a word specifically created for a song in the movie Mary Poppins until its film version of the musical was popular enough that everyone got to know this word.

5. Hepaticocholangiocholecystenterostomies
This 39-letter long is the longest word found in Gould’s Medical Dictionary. It is a surgical terminology, which refers to surgical creation of a connection between the gall bladder and a hepatic duct and between the intestine and the gall bladder.

6. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
This 45-letter long word is the longest word found in dictionaries. According to the eighth edition of Webster dictionary, it means, “pneumoconiosis disease caused by inhaling small particles of quartzite.” This is the scientific name for a coal miner’s disease, which is particularly caused by breathing in particles of siliceous volcanic dust. It is the lung disease that miners in Africa came down with from getting silicon silvers in their lungs.
On Feb. 23, 1935, the New York Herald-Tribune reported on page 3:
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis succeeded electrophotomicro-graphically as the longest word in the language recognized by the National Puzzlers’ League at the opening session of the organization’s 103d semi-annual meeting held yesterday at the Hotel New Yorker.
The puzzlers explained that the forty-five- is the name of a special form of silicosis caused by ultra-microscopic particles of siliceous volcanic dust.

7. Antipericatametaanaparcircumvolutiorectumgustpoops of the coprofied
This word has 50 letters. There is a display of one French writer’s ancient story in a library shelf, with this long word as its book title.

8. Osseocaynisanguineoviscericartilagininervomedullary
This word has 51 letters. It is a terminology related to an anatomy. It appeared in a novel called “Headlong Hall” written by an writer, 1785-1866.

9. Aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriolic
Aequeo: equal (Latin, aequo)
Salino: containing salt (Latin, salinus)
Calcalino: calcium (Latin, calx)
Ceraceo: waxy (Latin, cera)
Aluminoso: alumina (Latin)
Cupreo: from “copper”
Vitriolic: resembling vitriol
This word is at 52 letters, describing the spa water at Bath, England. It was invented by the Medical author, Dr. Edward Strother, 1675-1737. This word is composed of the following elements:
9.Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarr-hounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk
This word has 100 letters. It appeared in the book titled “Finnegan wake” written by Irish author, Andean James Joyce, 1882- 1942. This word refers to the downfall of Adam and Eve.

10. Lopado temakho selakho galeo kranio-leipsano drim hypo­trimmato silphio kar-abo melito katakekhy meno kikhl epi­kossy-pho phatto perister alektryon opto keph-allio kigklo­peleio lagōio siraio bap-hē tragano pterýgōne
This word has 182 letters and is derived from the Greek word, originating from the drama script of comedy titled “ecclesiazusae” written by a Greek writer, Aristophanes, 448- 385. It refers to spicy foods that cooked from the remaining vegetables and beef. It is a frictional dish mentioned in Aristophanes’ comedy Assemblywomen.

11. Methionylglutaminylarginyltyros-ylglutamylserylleucylphen-ylalanylalanylglutaminylleucyllysylgl-utamylarginyllysylglutamylglycylalan-ylphenylalanylvalylprolyphenylalanY-lvalythreonylleucylglycylaspartylp-rolylglycylisoleucylglutamylglutam-inylsErylleucyllysylisoleucylasp-artylthreonylleucylIsoleucylglutam-ylalanylglycylalanylasparthlalanylleucy-lglutamylleucylglycylisoleucylprolylp-henylalanylseRylaspartylprolylleucylal-anylaspartylglycylpRolylthreOnylisoleuc-ylglutaminylasPfraginylalanylthreonyll-eucylarfinylalanylphenylalanylalanylal-anylglycylvalythreonylprolylalanylglut-aminylcysteinylphenylalanylglutamylm-ethionylleucylalanylleuOylisoleucylargi-nylglutaminyllysyhistidylprolylthreonylis-oleucylprolylisoleucylglycylleucylmethion-yltyrosylalanylasparaginylleucylvalylphen-ylalanylasparaginyllysyglycylisoleucylas-partylglutamylphenylalanylthrosylalanyl-glutaminylcsteinylglutamyllysylvalylgly-cylvalylaspartylserylvalylleucylvalylalnyl-aspartylvalylprolylvalylglUtaminylglutam-ylserylalanylprolylphenylalanylarginylgl-taminylalanylalanylleucylarginylhistidylas-paraginyvalylalanylprolylisoleucylprolylisoeucylphenylalanylisoleucylphenylalanylisoleucylcysteinylprolylprolylaspartylalanylasp-artylaspartylaspartylleucylleucylarginylgluta-minylisoleucylalanylseryltyrosylglycylarginy-lglycyltyrosylthreonyltyrOsylleucylleucylsery-larginylalanylglycylvalylthreonylglycylalanyl-glutamYlasparainylarginylalanylalanylleucyl-prolylleucylasparaginylhistidylleucylValylala-nyllysylleucyllysylglutamyltyrosylasparaginy-lalanylalanylprolylprolylleucylglutaminylglg-ycylphenylalanylglycylisoleucylserylalanylp-rolylaspartylglutaminylvalyllysylalanylalany-lisoleucylaspartylalanylglycylalanylalanylgly-cylalanylisoleucylserylglycylserylalanylisole-ucylvalyllysylisoIeucylisoleucylglutamylgluta-minylHistidylasparaginyliSoleucylglutamylpro-lylglutamyllysylmethionylleucylalanylalanylle-ucyllysylvalylphenylalanylcalylglutaminylproly-lmethionlysylalanylalanylthreonylarginylserine.

According to the , 18th edition, this 1,909-letter-long word is regarded as the world’s longest word in the language. This word has also included in the American Chemical Society’s Chemical Abstracts. It is the longest real word of a Tryptophan Synthetase (its scientific name is Methionylglutaminy…serine) A protein, an enzyme that has 267 amino acids which describes a protein in the amino acid of a strand of DNA. The shortened version of this protein is known as titin, or sometimes conectin, which is involved in striated muscle formation. Its empirical formula is C132983H211861N36149O40883S693.

12. Hippopotomonstrosequippeddaliophobia
This word has 36 letters. It is somewhat ironic that the word for “fear of long words” as it should be has a length of 6.2 cm.


http://www.yeeeeee.com/2008/11/07/the-12-longest-and-most-difficult-words-in-english/

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Sky News - Interview with Rupert Murdoch

 
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG (pronounced /ˈruːpət ˈməːdɒk/; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian media magnate and the founder, Chairman, and CEO of News Corporation.
Beginning with one newspaper in Adelaide, Murdoch acquired and started other publications in his native Australia before expanding News Corp. into the United Kingdom, United States and Asian media markets. Although it was in Australia in the late 1950s that he first dabbled in television, he later sold these assets, and News Corp.'s Australian current media interests (still mainly in print) are restricted by cross-media ownership rules. Murdoch's first permanent foray into TV was in the USA, where he created Fox Broadcasting Company in 1986. In the 2000s, he became a leading investor in satellite television, the film industry and the Internet, and purchased a leading American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal.
Rupert Murdoch was listed three times in the Time 100 as one among the most influential people in the world. He is ranked 13th most powerful person in the world in the 2010 Forbes's The World's Most Powerful People list.[4] With a net worth of $6.3 billion, he is ranked 117th wealthiest person in the world.

Wikipedia

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Modal Verbs of Probability Quiz


Use must, might, may, could or can't plus the correct form of the verb.

Where is David? He __________ (be) at school. Classes begin at 8. She __________  (think) that it is a good idea. It's crazy!
I'm absolutley sure!. They __________  (arrive) yesterday, I saw their ticket.
Courses __________ (begin) the fifth of September.
Are you joking! David __________ (go) to Paris last week. He doesn't have enough money.
They __________ (live) in New York, but I'm not sure.
The concert __________ (be) wonderful last night. Fiore is a great conductor.

Answer key:
must be - can't think - must have arrived - might/ may begin - can't have gone - could live - must have been

http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blmodalprob.htm


Modal Verbs of Probability

Listed below are examples and uses of modal verbs of probability. Modal verbs of probability are used to express an opinion of the speaker based on information that the speaker has. Example: He must be at work, it's 10 o'clock. In this case, the speaker is 100 % sure that the person is at work based on the speaker's knowledge that the person in question usually works at during the day.

http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blmodalprob.htm

Examples Usage
They must be in Spain by now.
She must have done well on the test.
Use 'must' plus the verb when you are 100% (or almost 100%) sure that something is the case.
She might come this evening.
David may invite Jesica to the match.
Jack might have gone to France.
Use 'might' or 'may' to express an opinion that you think has a good possibility of being true.
Jane could be at work.
Peter could have arrived late.
Use 'could' to express a possibilty which is one of many. This form is not as strong as 'might' or 'may'. It is just one of a number of possibilities.
You can't be serious!
They can't have worked until late.
Use 'can't' to express an opinion that you are 100% sure is NOT true.
Notice that the past form remains 'can't have done'

Sunday, January 23, 2011

American hot dog eating record set

Chestnut, a 22-year-old civil engineering student at San Jose State, ate 50 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes Thursday at the Las Vegas qualifier for a spot at the table at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

The mark sets the American hot dog eating record, beating the 42 hot dogs and buns swallowed by Sonya Thomas last year. In the same competition, Chestnut had only eaten 32.
"I was hoping to do 40," said Chestnut, the champion in pork ribs (5.5 pounds in 12 minutes), waffles (18.5 in 10 minutes) and jalapeno poppers (118 in 10 minutes). "I did 48 at home, but it's always harder to do it in front of a crowd."

By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com
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