Motifs and Motives

Motifs and Motives Motifs and Motives Motifs and Motives By Mark Nichol The Latin term motus, meaning â€Å"a moving† or â€Å"motion,† is the progenitor of the Old French word motif, which survived unchanged into Modern French and was subsequently borrowed into English. Motif, in turn, inspired the English term motive and its variants. Here’s an introduction to the motif/motive family. Motif, employed in French to mean â€Å"theme† or â€Å"dominant feature,† was adopted into English to serve the same purpose, pertaining to a recurring idea in a literary work. The Germans borrowed it, too, attaching the native word leit (meaning â€Å"lead,† synonymous with primary) to it to describe an element in a musical composition associated with and characteristic of a person, place, or thing; the term was popularized by discussions of Wagner’s operas. The ever-welcoming English language included leitmotiv in its repertoire in the 1870s, a few decades after motif was adopted. However, motive, descended from the French term, dates from late medieval times and has spawned other words. Motive refers to an inward inclination to behave in a certain way or to take a specific action or course; it is less commonly employed as an adjective. (Interestingly, the connotation in a reference to someone’s motive for doing something is often a negative one; the word often implies scheming for selfish purposes.) Automotive (motive joined with the Greek prefix meaning â€Å"self†) was coined to refer to a theoretical flying vehicle in the mid-nineteenth century and later pertained to horseless carriages; locomotive was started out as an adjective in the early 1600s but became associated with railroad technology 200 hundred years later, first in the phrase â€Å"locomotive engine† and soon thereafter as a noun itself. Emotive began life as an adjective meaning â€Å"causing movement† and then acquired the connotation of â€Å"capable of emotion,† but its primary sense now, dating from early twentieth-century literary criticism, is â€Å"evoking emotions.† (The verb emote, meaning â€Å"to express emotions,† is a back-formation not from emotive but from the noun emotion.) To motivate is to inspire or prompt action; the noun form is motivation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Whenever vs. When Ever20 Slang Terms for Law Enforcement Personnel

Primary Source Focus Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Primary Source Focus Questions - Essay Example Duties that masters and mistresses expected from their servants include retaining honesty and overall morality in the house. According to Mrs. Beeton, one of the most important qualities of a good mistress is her ability to engage her servant. Another quality is informing her friends and relatives of an empty house through friendly domestics and a relatively lasting willpower (Clark 415). Beeton says some of the most typical issues that exist between masters and servants are decadence and somewhat disposed attitudes towards each other. Beeton’s instructions tell modern readers of the radical change in relationships between household owners and their house cleaners within a span of hundred and fifty years. However, the instructions do not portray any contemporary relevance since this culture was completely abandoned during the twentieth century. 1) In The Ladies Paradise, how is the department store personified (i.e. portrayed) and what do you think this says about the new culture of 19th C consumerism? What challenges and advantages did shop-girls like Denise face? The writer gives the department store the features of a monster-like apparatus and personifies it. The book portrays the department store as a â€Å"continual cascade of materials† flowing alongside the rumble of a river (Zola 36). This portrayal of the department stores paints the image of the 1800s Parisian department store by using numerous definitive pictures. These pictures allow Zola to make an unambiguous comparison between what a customer views at the store and what took place behind the curtains. Challenges Denise faced as a shop girl include supporting her orphan siblings by working at the kid’s section of the store and the store’s uninviting working conditions. However, Denise benefited from the â€Å"match of progress† and her immunity to shopping desires (Zola 41). The theory of evolution challenged conventional belief systems by crossing

Health promotion in Hong Kong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Health promotion in Hong Kong - Essay Example ealth Service of the Department of Health (DH), the obesity rate among primary school students increased from 16.4% in 1997-98 to 21.3% in 2007-08.  Recent study states that 20.3% of the boys and 10.1% of the girls are overweight at 10 years of age and about half of this figure is noticed among the 15-year-old (10.3% boys, 6.3% girls). To encourage healthy eating habit, DH has made arrangements so that public awareness with regard to the vitality of healthy eating can be increased. Obesity is now a global problem. There is now consensus on the negative impact of obesity on physical, mental and social functions in children (Swallen KC, et all, 2004 and Reilly JJ, Wilson D, 2006). What is more, majority of the obese children stay obese in their adulthood also (Vanhala M, 1998), resulting in potential augmented hazard of adult mortality and morbidity (Rudolf MC, 2001), (Burke V, 2005) and (Karnehed N, et al, 2007). Community need appraisal was conducted before the project was instituted. Clear pictures of health issue, identification of the problems and directions for intervention were undertaken. Obesity is the foremost public health scourge worldwide in children and adults [(Flegal KM, et all, 2002), (Hedley AA, et all, 2002), (Ogden CL et al, 2002), (Sharma M, 2007)]. The occurrence and brutality of childhood obesity is considerably raising with a consequent augment in the frequency of obesity-related unwholesomeness especially those linking to obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic and cardiovascular sequelae (Tauman R, Gozal D, 2006). Avoidance of childhood obesity is a critical concern for public health in several industrialized countries and some changeover societies. Nutrition and physical activity (PA) has been the most vital study focused on obesity prevention. But the issued findings of such treatments recommended little achievement in keeping away childhood obesity (Nestle M, Jacobson & MF. Halting, 2000). Some studies also focused on dietary or/and PA

Finance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Finance - Term Paper Example This would be addressed as workers retire and personal investment accounts replace Social Security. The best solution to this is a substantial personal account option and not only Social Security. 2. Formulate a risk management proposal for a fictitious potential client. Using that same proposal, augment your offering to this client. Elaborate about a proposed health insurance plan, pension plan alternatives etc. If appropriate for your fictitious client, include a section regarding alternative risk transfer techniques and bond offerings. An important trend in recent years has been the increased used of derivatives. A derivative is any of your financial assets whose value is derived from the value of some other â€Å"underlying† asset. These derivatives can be used either to reduce risks or as a speculative investment also. In theory, the use of these derivatives should allow one to manage risk better. There are also premiums that can be added to lessen one’s burden of risks. This includes the inflation premium to compensate for the expected loss of purchasing power, the default risk premium just in case there will be default in the borrower and the maturity risk premium compensate for the interest rate risk. Judgment Rating is used when potential losses are difficult to quantify. In this case, statistics is not a reliable source to determine possible losses. In judgment rating, the underwriter must use his experience and intuition to individually evaluate each potential client. A good example of this includes ocean marine insurance. Class Rating is used when losses are quantifiable or statistics are reliable. Here, there is a manual rating where it is classified into brackets which makes it easy to determine pricing in insurance proposals that are offered to customers. It is the established people of parallel situations and the great number of available statistics which permits for the

Electronic commerce Essay Example for Free

Electronic commerce Essay With rising prices on many items, and an unstable economy, many people have begun to buy and sell things online. Much of the time, you can get better deals shopping online, and make profits selling online. One of the biggest online auction sites is eBay. EBay gives people the chance to buy items online by bidding, and offers sellers the chance to sell some of their old stuff just lying around, or sell items they have gotten somewhere else. Being an eBay seller can be fun, exciting, and rewarding and also make you some extra money in the process! To become a successful seller, there are a few things that you should do to become the most profitable and reputable. First, you are going to need to set up your eBay account online. You simply go to their website, www. ebay. com and enter in all of the required information. Next, make sure you set up a PayPal account. PayPal offers you the ability to accept payment from buyers, as well as offers protection to buyers, and buyer’s like that added protection since after all it is online. You can get to PayPal’s website at www. paypal. com. Be sure to enter in all of your banking information so you can transfer the money you have received from your sales, into your bank account. PayPal is secure, so don’t worry about that. The selling process is about to begin! Figure out what exactly you are going to sell. Whether its stuff laying around the house or items you are buying in bulk and reselling on eBay. Make sure you research your item to see if it has sold recently, so you can get an idea of what it’s worth. Next, you will want to take really good photos of the item that you’re selling so the potential buyer can have a great idea of what they are actually bidding on. When setting your starting bid, be sure to start it a few dollars less than the last comparable item sold for. Now, you will need to put in the items title. Typically it’s a short description of the item, such as, â€Å"Brand New Avent Bottles Package of Three. † This will give potential buyers the ability to view your item when searching for an â€Å"Avent† bottle. Next, you need to add a detailed description of the item. Be sure to include in the description any information about the item, the dimensions, if needed, any flaws, and in some cases, how the item can help them, almost like a selling point. Afterwards, you will need to select the appropriate shipping information by entering the dimensions and weight of the package, along with what carrier you are shipping with. Also, be sure to list as a 7 day auction. Using 7 day auctions gives eBay buyers more time to search for your item. Finally, review all of your information for accuracy, and list your item! While the item is up for auction, you will be able to monitor through your eBay account how many people have viewed the item, and how many potential buyers are watching your item. Be sure to answer any questions you receive via email from buyers promptly. By answering in a prompt manner, buyers will more likely be able to get an answer to their questions, and judge if they want to bid on your item. Also, this gives potential buyers the impression that you are great seller by addressing their needs in a timely fashion. EBay also offers a mobile app that will send you updates almost instantly. If you download this app, you will have the ability to get notification on your smartphone, if anyone has something they need assistance with. At the end of your auction, hopefully your item has sold. If it has not, you always can re-list the item again. However, if it has sold you should pat yourself on the back. Typically, buyers pay within three days of close of auction. After your buyer pays, you will receive notification, and will be able to print a shipping label online. The shipping charge will be deducted from your PayPal account, and you will get a discount for being an eBay seller. Be sure to ship your item right away, as buyers want the item they have paid for in a timely fashion. Another thing, EBay reputation is a big thing potential buyer’s look at. As an eBay seller, if you do not have a good selling reputation, chances are no other buyers will bid on your items. Also, if your buyer has a problem when they receive your item, be sure to address any concerns they may have, and treat them like you would want to be treated as a buyer. Finally, leave positive feedback for your buyer, they should return the favor. If you enjoyed your first selling experience, keep it up! EBay is an easy way to make money, and have fun!

A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE :: essays research papers

When the question â€Å"what consitutes a redneck?† is asked the variety of answers is astonishing. People think of rednecks as drunkards, racist, trashy, or even Monticello people. I have lived in Monticello for sixteen years and even though most people are rednecks, not all. We chose Monticello to do our research because it was exactlly the atmosphere we were looking for. In order to be a redneck here, there are a few traits you must have, such as: a big truck, love the rebel flag, and dress the right way. A big truck doesn’t necessarily mean a nice truck. Most guys around here drive old, ragged, broke down trucks. The most common truck would be an older F-150’s, a Chevy Z-71, or a Toyota Tacoma. Most trucks will also have four wheel drive, this comes in handy when you go muddin and get stuck. Many of the newer nicer trucks have bigger tires, dual exhaust, a brush guard, and a lift kit. In Monticello, you are identified by your truck. Everyone knows who everybody else is by what they drive. Most rednecks are seen as racist and prejudice against african americans. People think this because rednecks are known for their love of the confederate flag. The confederate flag is a sign of heritage in the south. It stands for what we are and where we come from. On our survey of fiftty people 73 percent agreed that the confederate flag was a sign of heritage and not hate. Another trait that constitutes being a redneck would be the way that you dress. Rednecks can be identified by their tight wrangler jeans, Dixie Outfitter shirts usually sporting a hutin, fishin, muddin logo, boots and a cowboy hat. The majority of rednecks will drink, usually Natural (nasty) light or Bud Light. They also smoke or dip, usually Marlboro reds, or lights, and Copenhagen. Most people wonder what on earth is there to do in such a small town such as Monticello? Well, there are three main things: 1. Huntin’ 2. Fishin’ 3. Muddin’. Although the typical weekend would include Huntin in the morning, fishin in the afternoon and muddin at night we do manage to go to at least one movie every once in awhile. Most of the guys have just recently taken to shootin pool, I am terrible at the game therefore I sit and watch most of the time. Along about early November through late February every male above the age of 12 can be found in a deerstand at 5 a.m.. The idea of sitting on a wooden platform for

Narrative Essay (Life is Full of Mistakes)

It was a bright, cloudless sunny Thursday afternoon around 2pm; my mother and I decided to go grocery shopping. As she drove through the driveway, she saw a DHL delivery package dropped in front of the house dated third of March, 1988. When opening the package, an urgent warning letter was address to her from my elementary school Principal. Immediately, she opened the letter and read through it, her eyes turn red and started shouting on me! Saying; why don't you concentrate on your study? Instantly, I started crying so heavily. All of a sudden, she calm down and looked at me with complete love and said; â€Å"This is just a warning letter.†Then, assure me that she will be there for me in terms of helping me with my studies and daily homework. In addition, she explains that one must never give up and to keep trying. In fact, the mistake I made was not concentrating on my education, which led to a warning letter from the school Principal that I would not be allowed to return for my last year of elementary school because I had not maintained 5 passed subjects. As a matter of fact, not going to school regularly, not doing my homework, and not doing some extra reading at home had caused the letter sent to my parents.This mistake got me in trouble with my mother. First, I felt relieved with the words of encouragement I heard from my mother and thought about what to do to bring my grades up. Quickly, I determined to study so hard in order not to receive the final warning letter from the Children's House School principal. All of a sudden, my best friend came into my house and decided to help me out with some of my homework after seeing the letter. We read together that very day, he showed me the simplest way of getting sums done. Also, told me that he will take me to some of the jet academic competitions to get more knowledge and skills.On getting to the jet competition, I saw a lot of students from different schools taking part in the competition. Additionally, what surprised me at the competition is that the first mathematics question thrown to my friend at the event was the same one we both solve together, and he gave a correct answer when working it out without wasting much time. At the end of the competition, I learn different kind of tactics on how to keep up to date academic status from the students and this really busted my self-determination that I can make it as well.Second, In order to bring my grades up I had to attend school regularly and pay more attention in class. In fact, I was missing school because I lacked the interest and this affected my progress in all my classes especially mathematics and biology. These subject teachers did not want any of their students to miss more than five days in a lesson. If we do, we would lose fifty points, which joined to our advisory grade. As a matter of fact, I had missed ten days and I lost my hundred points. Additionally, these teachers normally talked to me and stated, â€Å"You are one of my favorite students.†They loved the level of my participation when I was in a class, but I had to come to school more because I was constantly taking the tests late. After they spoke to me, I began to start attending school more for a perfect attendance. In fact, I realized that not only was I hurting myself but also hurting my teachers as well. They both saw so much potential in me. Third, another problem is that I do not always do my home-work after school. Every day after school, I would hang out with my friends at the school playing field. In fact, I was not thinking about my importance, I was only thinking about having pleasant.Eventually my mom put her foot down and demanded that I must return straight home after the closing school hour to do my home-work, and she stated that when I got home from school, I felt so tired that I would not be able do any of my home-work. In addition, she continued that coming straight home from school instead of hanging out could im prove progress in a class. As a matter of fact, elementary science and mathematics subjects need much extra practice after school hour. Moreover, I was taking elementary science and mathematics, and I failed them twice.These classes involved a lot of reading and solving, and I did not spend much time practicing for these classes, as I should have. In fact, I dropped out of these classes because my final score was low; I knew that I could not handle these classes. Therefore, looking on how to improve my grades, I realize that am a strong person. As a matter of fact, I was not used to having a good grade, but I did not act as if it was the end of the world. Then, I simply changed so much in my studying habits and the school attendance. In fact, I determined not to have a grade below 5 pass subjects again.Lastly, I made it to the next class level with the help of my friend, class teachers, and my parents. Furthermore, I am doing my best not to receive the grades I had for the first ter m of my junior year. In fact, I had learned from my mistakes and I did fix them. During the second term of my junior year, I had struggled a lot and my intention is to passed 5 subjects or above and I did. In conclusion, now I felt so happy that my academic learning skills have improved than before and the experience I had from the jet academic competition changed my life.Additionally, my mother ideas of monitoring my class-work progress and congratulating me on my small successes in daily tests regularly really motivate me to do better and give me more confident of passing any upcoming class-work, test, and exam. Then, I maintained the status of competency up to the secondary school and to the college level. What I realized about reading, going to school regularly, and doing my homework is that it makes me stronger and improved the level of my Intellectual thinking skills.