Talking about Register

Before I came to study TKK at the University of Graz, I had never really paid attention to register. Now that I am an English student, register became an essential issue, especially when you're not writing to friends or relatives.

Firstly, I want to briefly talk about the three different types of register. Afterwards I'll show you what kind of register I've came across in lyrics.

1. Formal register

The register you use always depends on the social setting, the people you are talking to and why. It goes without saying that register also depends on your age and dialect. The formal register is used when talking to business partners or people of a higher status.

When it comes to linking words or sentence adverbials that you use in a writing, you need to be very careful with the appropriate usage of these words. For instance, the words hitherto, by contrast, conversely, nevertheless, nonetheless, accordingly, with reference to, hence, etc. are of a high register. On the contrary, adverbials like Mind you, So, And, I mean, That reminds me, Anyway, Anyhow, By the way, etc. wouldn't be used in a formal register, but rather in spoken English.

2. Informal register

The informal register is very common in spoken English and if you are texting people who are close to you. For example, when I am writing to my Irish friend David, I would start like this: Hey David, how you doing? I would never use these words when writing to my former working colleagues in Zurich, Switzerland or when writing a business letter.

3. Neutral register

The neutral register is, as can be assumed, kind of a middle course between the informal and the formal register. It's generally used when talking to people you don't know very well and still want to be polite with.

There are numerous sentence adverbials of a neutral register and can therefore be used in either a formal or an informal conversation. For example: beforehand, eventually, lastly, subsequently, on the one hand, on the other hand, despite, though, regarding, as a result, and so on and so forth ...
--

Let's have a look at the the song Royals by Lorde now. I'm aware that the register of this song is on purpose. The reason why I am searching for informal words and suggest formal ones is because I want to practice it!

For some words and phrases I have found a synonym of a higher register. I've underlined these words in the lyrics and explained them afterwards.
[Verse 1]
I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address,
In a torn-up town, no postcode envy

But every song's like gold teeth, grey goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room, We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams.
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece.
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash.
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair.

And we'll never be royals (royals).
It don't run in our blood,
That kind of luxe just ain't for us.
We crave a different kind of buzz.
Let me be your ruler (ruler),
You can call me queen Bee
And baby I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule, I'll rule.
Let me live that fantasy.

[Verse 2]
My friends and I—we've cracked the code.
We count our dollars on the train to the party.
And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this,
We didn't come from money.

[...]

Words and phrases that are rather informal

• Several times, contractions appear in the writing such as I've, I'll, we've, etc.
• In the second paragraph, it says trippin' instead of tripping.
• The phrase to not care is quite rough, I think it would be nicer to say to not bother.
• Kind of wouldn't be used in a formal writing, but in spoken language (I guess..)
• The word luxe is normally followed by a noun, but here it isn't.
• To crave sounds also fairly informal to me; I believe that to desire sounds better.
• The word buzz I am not sure about. It doesn't sound formal to me. I guess it depends on the context you're using it. Here, however, the word fits.
• In the first line of verse two, the phrase to crack the code sounds rather informal. Instead we could say to decode.
• The phrase to come from money in the very last line is not of a high register, at least that's what I assume as it can't be found in a dictionary.
• In general, the lyrics don't consist of any (or very little) formal words that derive from Latin or French
• ...

I came up with very little informal words or phrases in these lyrics. This was the first time I took a closer look at lyrics. I will, however, look at some other lyrics every now and then to increase my lexicon and to have a look at the song's register.

For those of you who are now in the mood to listen to this song, here is the link to the YouTube video:

 

Comparison of two Red Cross Societies: Austria and America

As some of you might have read in this blog article, I am a paramedic at the Austrian Red Cross. Since I have read and heard a lot lately about American culture, people and geography, I became curious about the American Red Cross Society. So I asked myself the question: What does the American Red Cross do compared to the Austrian Society?

What they have in common:

1. Blood Donation: Both the American and the Austrian Red Cross Society provides a Blood Donating Program.
2. Training Services: The Austrian Red Cross provides First Aid courses as well as Babysitting courses. The American Society, however, goes even further: they offer Family Caregiving, Child Care, Pet First Aid, Water Safety Education, Swimming Lessons and many many more.
3. Disaster Relief: Both National Societies provide food, shelter and health care in case of a natural or man-made disaster. Even beyond their state borders they're helping out. The Austrian Red Cross, for example, provided victims of the Tsunami "Ketsana" in the Philippines in November 2013 with food and water - see pictures here.

What the American Red Cross does additionally:

1. Supporting America's Military Families: Military members and their families are supported by the American Red Cross. They help them to prepare for their military service or take care of wounded persons.

 image source: http://newsroom.unl.edu/announce/files/file4567.jpg

What the Austrian Red Cross does additionally:

1. Ambulance Services: When somebody calls the ambulance because they're hurt, a Red Cross ambulance car will soon arrive to help out and bring the patient to the hospital.
2. Health & Community: Numerous people are not able to carry out everyday actions anymore (e.g. to prepare breakfast). The Red Cross sends some kind of "nurses" to the person's home.
3. Tracing Services: The Red Cross supports people who lost someone during a war, a natural disaster or because of migration.
4. Development Cooperation: After a war, the Red Cross doesn't only want to give the victims first aid, but provide them with water (drinking-water purification) and all the other goods so as to make the victims independent again (so that they're not depending on another country or organization).
5. Youth Red Cross: Kids should be aware of dangers as early as possible. For this reason, the Red Cross teaches First Aid to kindergarten kids and primary school kids.

image source: http://www.climatecentre.org/images/images_training/austrianredcross.jpg

 

What I found interesting...

...is the motto or slogan of the two societies:

American Red Cross: Together, we can save a life

Austrian Red Cross: Out of Love (german: Aus Liebe zum Menschen)


...is the number of full-time employees:

American Red Cross: 35,000

Austrian Red Cross: 7,200


...is the number of volunteers:

American Red Cross: 1,000,000

Austrian Red Cross: 59,000

Here's a nice advertisement of the American RC. Check it out!

For further information, have a look at the website of the American Red Cross Society here (that's where I got the information from).

Switzerland - more than chocolate, cheese and banks

In 2011, I had the unique opportunity to live in Switzerland for almost four months. Why? The high school I attended from 2008 to 2013 wanted every pupil to do an internship. Since the school is focused on communication- and media design, the internship should be interned at an advertising company or any firm that has something to do with graphic design. I applied to a company called connex.io, which had its company headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

I have lived in Zurich for almost four months, so I dare to claim that I know the city and some characteristics of Switzerland well. Even the final assignment I wrote within my high school diploma was about Switzerland's economy and it's diplomatic relation to the European Union.

Facts about Switzerland

• Switzerland is located in middle Europe, but not part of the EU
• Switzerland is officially called the "Swiss Confederation" (Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica, CH)
• Austria is twice the size of Switzerland, but Switzerland has almost the same population as Austria
• Switzerland has no capital, but a federal city (de facto the capital, not de jure) called Berne
• Switzerland consists of 26 cantons which all have a constitution of their own
• In the Swiss Alps there are more than 73 mountains over 4,000 meters
• There are four official languages in Switzerland: German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic
• Switzerland has a direct democracy, and in two cantons they have a so-called "Landsgemeinde", where people vote by raising their hands
• Switzerland is globally known for its stable economy and wealth
• liberal labor market, hence a low unemployment rate
• several successful economic sectors
• political stability
• good education system
• Since 1815, Switzerland is officially a neutral state
• Due to the fact that Switzerland has been neutral for many years, some international organizations have settled in Switzerland:
• UNO (United Nations Organization)
• ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent)
• WTO (World Trade Organization)

Zurich

Zurich is located in the northern part of Switzerland. As the largest community of Switzerland, the city has a population of 379,915. Zurich lies on the north-western edge of the Zurich Lake, hence it provides loads of leisure activities like renting a boat or going swimming in the Zurich Lake. Apart from that, there are numerous other activities. Going shopping, for example, is something many tourists do. Providing that your income is accordingly high, I would recommend to go shopping in the Bahnhofstraße and enjoy the great range of goods offered.

Going hiking on the Uetliberg is a nice opportunity to enjoy a fascinating view over Lake Zurich and Zurich. Although the mountain itself is ony 900 meters high, it's well worth a visit. What's more is that Zurich offers a great variety of museums and art galleries. One of the most known museums is the Swiss National Museum. By the way, have you ever heard of the art movement Dadaism? The movement was started in a small bar called "Cabaret Voltaire" (been there!) in Zurich in 1916.

There are lots of beautiful churches in Zurich that give you the possibility to enter or simply take a picture from outside. In August, you can attend the Street Parade, which is one of the biggest house and techno music parades worldwide (also been there!)

Although Switzerland is definitely worth a visit, you should spend your money wisely!

Here are some photos I took during my stay in Zurich:

 

See more photos of Zurich and other cities of Switzerland here!

 

My Personal Rating of American TV Series

Are you also a great fan of watching TV series? Then you've just found a soulmate. Here is a short list of


1. American TV series I like

2. American TV series I don't like

3. American TV series I would like to watch

1. TV series I like

Modern Family

year: 2009

imdb.com rate: 8.6 / 10

plot: The series tells the story of three families which turn out to be extraordinary in many ways. Mitchell, for example, and his partner (two guys on the bottom of the picture) adopt an Asian child. Jay is married to a Colombian woman who is way younger than he is - they have a son called Joe. Last but not least, the third family consists of Claire, who is married to Phil, and their three children.

reasons why I like it: The exclusive constellations of the three families, who are, by the way, interrelated, makes the story very entertaining.

image source (1): http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/53/Modern_Family_Promo_Season_1.jpg





Pretty Little Liars

year: 2010

imdb.com rate: 8.0 / 10

plot: One girl of a clique consisting of five friends suddenly disappears and no one knows where she could have gone. Because of this mysterious incident, the other girls kind of break up their friendship with each other. One year later, the girls receive weird messages (or let's say threats) from an unknown sender. The girls start seeking this anonymous person who keeps sending them threatening messages.

reasons why I like it: From the very first episode, I was extremly curious about what will happen next. Until now, I have just seen a few episodes. That is, however, enough for me to tell it's nicely done.

image source (2): http://www.30somethingmel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ABCFamily-AndrewEcclesPrettyLittleLiars1-e1305357367585.jpg





Unforgettable

year: 2011

imdb.com rate: 6.3 / 10

plot: Carrie Wells, a detective of the NYPD, has a special gift: Hyperthymesia. She remembers everything of her past live, even which day it was or how the weather was like. This turns out to be a beneficial gift for her job as a detective. There is only one thing she cannot recall: the day her sister Rachel was murdered. However, every now and then, Carrie remembers a tiny piece of what had happened on that very day.

reasons why I like it: The fact that Carrie has Hyperthymesia makes her clearly distinguishable from other detectives of TV series. Carrie doesn't give up to search for Rachel's assasin. That keeps the series interesting and worth following.

image source (3): http://www.serien-load.de/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/unforgettable_xlg.jpg





O.C., California
year: 2003

imdb.com rate: 7.3 / 10

plot: A kid named Ryan Atwood steals a car together with his brother. Sandy Cohen, a public defender and attorney, helps the boy out by bringing him home to his family since he feels somehow connected to this boy. After a while, the Cohens adopt Ryan to their family. Since then, Ryan lives in one of the wealthiest areas of California: Newport Beach. If only the girl next door didn't have a boyfriend...

reasons why I like it: Ryan Atwood is accused of stealing a car, his mother throws him out of their home and is brother is going to jail. The boy has no prospects, until Sandy Cohen brings him home to his friendly wife and son. It's very impressive to see how Ryan changes his attitude so that he can stay with his new family in Newport Beach.

image source (4):http://www.smileys-film-liste.de/img/filme/oc-california-staffel-1.jpg





Grey's Anatomy

year: 2005

imdb.com rate: 7.6 / 10

plot: Meredith Grey has just finished her studies at unversity. That's why she starts working at a hospital, among a few other newcomers. What she doesn't know: One of the doctors of this hospital, Derek, is the guy she has just spent a night with.

reasons why I like it: To be honest, I normally don't watch all these medical dramas. However, Grey's Anatomy has aroused my interest. I find it very intriguing to watch how the actors manage their stressful job in the hospital. What makes it even more amusing is that Meredith, the protagonist, obviously has a crush on Derek, who is working in the same hospital as a doctor of neurosurgery.

image source (5): http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81DaXog16dL._SL1500_.jpg



Gossip Girl

year: 2007

imdb.com rate: 7.3 / 10

plot: The story is mainly about five youngsters living in Manhattan: Serena, Blair, Dan, Chuck and Nate. There is, however, obviously someone else: Gossip Girl. The curious thing about this person: Nobody knows who it actually is. Gossip Girl has a website that is followed by almost every kid in Manhattan. No matter who or what is new in Manhattan's elite - Gossip Girl will write about it on her blog, so that everybody is immediately informed.

reasons why I like it: There's a lot of nonsense going on. This nonsence makes the series quite interesting, though. It's a fabulous idea to base the story on a mysterious person called "Gossip Girl". I've started to watch this series as the producer Josh Schwartz did a nice job with O.C., California a few years before.

image source (6): http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/graphics/news3/GossipGirl_S1_flat.jpg

 2. TV series I don't like

American Horror Story

year: 2011

imdb.com rate: 8.4 / 10

plot: A family, consisting of Vivien, Ben and their daugther Violet, moves into a house in Los Angeles. The house, that should actually support their idea of starting over as a family, seems to be cursed. Mysterious things are going on within this house and the people who had been living in there.

reason why I stopped watching: After watching a few episodes of it, the series became too macabre for me. Regularly watching a series like this would scare the sh*t out of me. I prefer watching a softer thriller or horror movie every now and then.  
image source (7): http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71xSPFFI1iL._SL1500_.jpg

3. TV series I want to watch soon

Breaking Bad

year: 2008

imdb.com rate: 9.5 / 10

plot: Walter White, a chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with cancer. When meeting his ex-student Jesse, he suggests to produce and sell meth in order to provide for this family.

reason why I want to watch it: This TV series has a 9.5 rate in imdb.com (place 1!). That is definitely worth taking a closer look at it.  
image source (8): http://media.mightyape.net.nz/images/products/2793379/Breaking-Bad-The-Complete-First-Season-15099913-5.jpeg



 



Mad Men

year: 2007

imdb.com rate: 8.7 / 10

plot: The series tell the story of an advertising agency in the 1960s. The publicity expert Don Draper, is working for the agency called "Sterling Cooper" and thus plays a leading role in "Mad Men". It's not just about him, though, but also his relationships to people around him.

reasons why I want to watch it: It seems to me that "Mad Men" is completely different to others. I've never heard of a series that is about an advertising agency and is set in the 60s.
image source (10): http://www.dvd-forum.at/img/uploaded/kinoplakate/large/126379397377491100.jpg

Irish "Lord of the Dance" and "Riverdance"

Have you ever heard of the two Irish dancing shows "Lord of the Dance" or "Riverdance"? If not, this is a good opportunity for you to get to know these two shows.

Riverdance

In the dancing show "Riverdance" people dance to traditional Irish or Celtic music. The typical Irish dancer does tap-dacing, which means moving the legs very rapidly, while body and arms stay rather rigid. Mostly, there is not just one person dancing but a group of 20 or more. The Riverdance was first performed during the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 in Dublin.
Here is a YouTube video of the Riverdance performance in 1994:

 

Recently, I found a video on YouTube of people dancing to Riverdance music during a flashmob on St Patricks Day in 2011. Looks really nice!

 

Lord of the Dance

Established in 1996, "Lord of the Dance" is also a widely known Irish dancing show. The producer, Michael Flatley, had been dancing in the Riverdance show until 1995. One year later, he created a dancing show of his own. He even took a leading part in the "Lord of the Dance" show.

Traditional Irish Music

Since I was talking about two Irish dancing shows, it seems appropriate to me to write something about traditional Irish music as well. Initially, I wanted to write about Irish dance moves, but all these different bars seemed really complicated to me. That's why I am now emphasizing on a few important instruments of traditional Irish music:

The fiddle is actually a violin. In Ireland, however, it's played differently than you would play a usual violin.

The guitar is also a very common instrument in Irish music. Some musicians play the bouzouki, which is actually a Greek instrument.

The banjo, an instrument we already know from the people living in Appalachia, is also widely used in Ireland.

The flute (there even exists the Irish Flute) is a wooden instrument and often used in Ireland as well.

The harp is very traditional for Ireland and Irish music and had already been used by the Celts.

Irish fiddle

Banjo

Harp

 

Image Source (1): http://www.lighthousestringband.com/images/fiddle.jpg

Image Source (2): http://az58332.vo.msecnd.net/e88dd2e9fff747f090c792316c22131c/Images/Products26868-1200x1200-353709.jpg

Image Source (3): http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/19/001/251/070/DV020_Jpg_Jumbo_475019.914_natural_maple.jpg

The Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners and The Chieftains are very popular bands in Ireland. In the 50s and 60s, folk music started becoming famous in the U.S. and later on, even in numerous other countries all over the world. According to wikipedia.org, The Clancy Brothers even had an impact on many musicians, e.g. on American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, who is nowadays widely known for songs like "Blowing in the Wind", "Like a Rolling Stone" or "Knocking on Heavens Door".

 

How I got the idea

A friend of mine, David, who is from Dublin, once showed me some moves of an Irish dance (Irish dancing can be really exhausting by the way). David and me, we both are supervisors at the International Friendshipcamp of the Austrian Youth Red Cross (read more here) in Langenlois (Lower Austria). That's where and how I first got the chance to listen to Irish music and try out Irish dancing. Thanks a lot for that, David, and keep on dancing! :)