method

This week in SLA, we discussed data gathering methods, and interpretation. Today, however, 'method' is something else entirely- a cleaning product that comes in french lavander scent. It smells wonderful! I used it on my kitchen and bathroom floors, and the whole house (o.k. it's really a studio apartment) smells like a field of lavander- not chemically, juct soft and pleasant. I would highly recommend this cleaner.

data collection

Our first assignment is due on Tuesday in SLA (second language acquisition). The idea is to record conversation and elicited immitation from a language learner. We will have a structure/functor/phoneme in mind, and we will try to get the learner to use it in conversation. Then we will have the learner repeat back sentences (written to include the form for study). After that we will transcribe the sentences and five minutes of dialogue. After that we will analyse the dialogue using two different methods, TLU (target like use) and SOC (supplied in obligatory context). This is going to be a very interesting class!

Spinach artichoke dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup freshly grated parmasan cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsly chopped
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded Monteray Jack or mozzarella cheese
toasted baguette slices, assorted crackers or pita chips, if desired.

Spray the inside of a 1 to 21/2 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. mix mayonnaise and parmasan cheese in medium bowl. Stir in artichoke hearts, spinach and bell pepper. Spoon into slow cooker, sprinkle with monteray jack cheese.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm with baguette slices. Dip will hold up to 3 hours.

I haven't tried this one yet, but it looks tasty!

principles and paramaters

an analogy comparing driving a car and principles and paramaters taken from Second Language Acquisition: Overall there is a principle that drivers have to keep consistently to one side of the road, which is taken for granted by all drivers in all countries. Exceptions to this principle, such as people driving down motorways on the wrong side, rate stories in the media or car chases in action movies. The principle does not, however, say, which side of the road people should drive on. A parameter of driving allows the side to be the left in England and Japan, and the right in the USA and France. The parameter has two values or settings- left and right. Once a country has opted for one side or the other, it sticks to its choice: a change of setting is a massively complex operation, whether it happens for a whole country, as in Sweden, or for the individual travelling from England to France. So, a universal principle and a variable parameter together sum up the essence of driving. The principle states the universal requirement on driving; the parameter specifies the variation between countries.

mashahoo vs. mishahoo

מישהו רוצה משהו טוב
mishahoo rotse mashahoo tov?
mishahoo= somebody, noun (subject)
mashahoo= something, noun (object)
rotse= wants, verb- male singular, present tense
tov= good, adjective
mashahoo tov= something good (to eat is implied- and one is usually thinking of something sweet, like cake-עוגה ooga)
In a question like this one, the male singular is always used. The answer can be male or female, singular or plural. The same sort of thing is done in English in questions such as Who wants to go to the movies? wants is third person singular.

a puzzle

Fur is a plural non-count noun. How would one express fur in the singular?
a piece of cake- a piece of fur?
a strand of hair- a strand of fur?
a speck of dust- a speck of fur?
None of these options really sounds right. Any thoughts?