Typhoon

Typhoon  

Pronunciation: [taifun]

–noun

The word “typhoon” this is probably the most direct loanword--borrowed. It has represents a coincidence and convergence of at least two unrelated words of similar sound and mean. In Chinese, a hurricane or typhoon is called 台风 (tái fēng), and also by Chinese (Cantonese) tai fung  "a great wind," from tu  "big" + feng  "wind;" name given to violent cyclonic storms in the China seas Tiphon  "violent storm, whirlwind, tornado" is recorded from 1555, from Gk. typhon  "whirlwind," personified as a giant, father of the winds, perhaps from typhein  "to smoke." The meaning "cyclone, violent hurricane of India or the China Seas" (1588) is first recorded in T. Hickock's translation of an account in Italian of a voyage to the East Indies by Cæsar Frederick, a merchant of Venice, probably borrowed from, or infl. A third possibility is tufan,  a word in Arabic, Persian and Hindi meaning "big cyclonic storm" (and the source of Port. tufao ), which may be from Gk. typhon  but commonly is said to be a noun of action from Arabic tafa  "to turn round."

Part II EXILE

In that part the author told us about how they are living in Canada. When they were taking the train to go to the place where they are living, she did not want to talk to anyone; she sleeps through the day and the night. She really did not want to go to Canada, but she did not have any other choice. Two days after they arrived to Vancouver, a place of which she did not know anything about, Mr. Rosnberg brought them to school where they can learn English. Before she went to school the first word she understand from dramatic context is shut up, shuddup. About one year after their arrival, she often went to Mrs. Steiner‘s house. Mrs. Steiner is someone whom the author likes to talk with about her problems and her life. The author also played the piano for her. In later years she wrote a letter to her best friend Basia who is living in Poland. She told her about her life in Canada. The author also told us how she learned English and how the words speak. Later her mother said that she is becoming “English” and that means she is becoming cold. She does not want that but she is doing that.

The Book I choose

When I see the research paper book list, the first book I want to read is “Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language” by Hoffman, Eva. I want to read it because the title, just like my life now –a life in English. I am very interesting in that. So I choose that to read.

I want to know how the author thinks about the new life, why she moved out her county and also does she enjoy her new life, does she want to move back? For me, I am living in the USA because of my new family. I did not have another choice. Maybe that is good for me. In here, the big problem for me is the language—English. So now, I am learning it. Even though it is so hard for me but I still try to do as best as I can.

I choose that book also I want to know what kinds of difference between the author’s new life and my new life or I can learn something new from her. Maybe I can find something common between us.

Part Summary

In the part I Paradise, the author told us that she is from Cracow. She has a sister who is four years younger than her.  After war world II, when she was thirteen years old, her family moved to Canada. When it was time to leave her country, she felt that she was being pushed out of the happy, safe enclosures of Eden. That means the end of the world.

Also the author told us before she moved to Canada, how she grew up in her country—her childhood. Her mother told the author about how all her family members died. Her father is a short, powerfully built man. Also they told the author little about their prewar life in Zalosce. The author has too much confidence in her father.

When she was still a child she wanted to be a writer, so every two week, her mother takes her to the library to provide for her next fortnight’s reading. And also when she was eight years old, she had taken her first music lesson—piano lesson. Piano lesson are part of her parent’s ambitions for her the better things in life. At the music school Basie becomes her best friend. She is beautiful. They often walk home from school together. They talk about everything

Language and me

I was born in china so I speak perfect Chinese. I can understand what people saying in Chinese. And also I like to read Chinese books and write sometimes in Chinese. However, when I moved to the United States of America everything has changed for me.

Many people said that English is the second language; we have to learn it because we will need to use it. However, before I moved to the USA I thought I never needed to speak the English language nor read in it. Around where I lived, people just speak Chinese and also I always think China have about 1.3 billion people so we have a lot of people speaking or writing in Chinese. I do not speak English very well because I was too lazy to learn English when I had the chance to.  When I did not pass my English exams I could find some reason to tell my parent or teacher. However, I am regretting what I did.

I never thought that I would move to the USA, however, I am living here now. So now, I need to learn to speak English. Then sometimes I think when I was in high school, if I had study harder for English then I would have a good job now. I am working in a clothing store, I am a sales associate. I forgot how many time the store managers asked me when I can become a cashier and then move up to be a manager. I always said no, because I believe my English is not sufficient enough to communicate with everyone at the store. So now the only thing I can do and also I need to do is study English as hard as I can.