เมอร์เคิลปกป้องการตัดสินใจของเธอที่จะไม่ระงับการนำเข้าผ่านท่อส่งก๊าซนอร์ดสตรีม, โดยให้เหตุผลว่า คงไม่เกิดความแตกต่างมากนัก หากเบอร์ลินหยุดซื้อก๊าซจากมอสโกว์ในปี ๒๐๑๔
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“คงจะเป็นเช่นเดียวกันในสมัยนั้น หากเราตัดความสัมพันธ์ทางเศรษฐกิจทั้งหมด,” เมอร์เคิล กล่าว, โดยชี้ไปที่ “ประเทศอื่นๆ” ที่ยังคงซื้อก๊าซจากรัสเซียมาจนถึงทุกวันนี้
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Merkel defends her decision not to halt imports via the Nord Stream pipelines, arguing that it would have made little difference if Berlin had stopped buying gas from Moscow in 2014
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‘It would have been the same back then if we had broken off all economic ties,’ Merkel said, pointing to ‘other countries’ that continue to buy Russian gas to this day
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4:00 PM · Nov 23, 2024 · 9,024 Views
https://x.com/RT_com/status/1860246930313433505

Prepare For The Lavish World Of Bridgerton With Regency Period Words

This spring may be a bit steamier than usual, thanks to the return of the hit Netflix show Bridgerton. This Regency romance with a modern twist took audiences by storm last year with its unpredictable plot, historical setting, and very attractive cast of characters. If you watched the first season last year or you’re catching up now, you may find yourself wondering what some of the historical language in the show actually means. Bridgerton, like a lot of period dramas, is not 100% historically accurate, but the language, costumes, and customs on display do have real roots in the past. Here are 16 words you need to know to get ready for season two and become fluent in the language of Bridgerton.

viscount
You’ve likely heard of a count, but after catching up on Bridgerton, you may be wondering: what in the world is a viscount? We’ve got your back. A viscount is “a nobleman next below an earl or count and next above a baron.” It’s a hereditary title that was first recorded in English in the mid to late 1300s within a peerage or nobility system. You could think of it as a “vice count,” since it’s believed to have come from the equivalent in Old French, visconte.

rake
In the world of Regency romance, a rake is not a gardening tool. It’s an insult dating back to the 1600s that means “a dissolute or immoral person, especially a man who indulges in vices or lacks sexual restraint.” It comes from rakehell, an alteration of the Middle English rakel, meaning “rash, rough, coarse, hasty.” Rakes are the “bad boys” of the Bridgerton era. Of course, on TV, that may be a part of their appeal.

promenade
In 2022, you might make a relationship Instagram official. In the 1800s, you were likely to promenade. Promenade is a verb that means “to conduct or display in or as if in a promenade; parade.” This might mean taking a public walk with the object of your affection to make your courtship known, as Daphne and the Duke of Hastings do in season one. Fun fact: the word prom comes directly from promenade.

duke
You’ve likely heard the title of duke, but what do they actually do? A duke, in historical British society, is “a nobleman holding the highest hereditary title outside the royal family, ranking immediately below a prince and above a marquis.” Dukes hold the highest social rank in British peerage, with the female equivalent being a duchess. This term, which dates back to the 1100s, comes from the Medieval Latin dux, or “hereditary ruler of a small state.”

countenance
Countenance sounds like another fancy title, but it actually refers to “appearance, especially the look or expression of the face.” For example: The duke could scarcely hide his intrigue behind his serene countenance.

Historically, countenance is related to control and the idea of keeping one’s cool, especially in polite society. Though it refers more generally to one’s facial expression today, countenance comes from the Old French contenance, or “behavior, bearing.” The Old French noun comes from the Latin noun continentia “self-control, restraint.”

coming out
In the 19th century, coming out meant something different than it does today. It was customary for young women at the time to come out, or have “a debut into society, especially a formal debut by a debutante.” This typically involved a special ball or series or balls and parties. Essentially, this debut was a signal to the community that the woman was ready for courtship and marriage.

ton
When you hear talk of “the ton” on Bridgerton, they aren’t mispronouncing the word town. Ton means “fashionable society,” particularly high class society during the Regency era. The word comes from le bon ton, a French phrase meaning “good or elegant form or style.” Members of the ton were generally upper class, wealthy, and respected.

Regency
Bridgerton is an example of a regency romance, a genre of historical romance set during the Regency era. Regency, in this sense, means “characteristic of or relating to the Regency periods in France or the United Kingdom or to the styles of architecture, furniture, art, literature, etc, produced in them.” This time period is generally believed to fall between 1811–1820.

season
The season is a big deal to the fictional characters in Bridgerton, but they aren’t necessarily referring to winter, spring, summer, or fall. More likely, they are referring to the social season, or “a period of fashionable social events in a particular place.” The season was a time for coming out, social events, and marriages. It’s thought to have taken place from early spring until around Christmas time.

sire
Today, sire is a respectful, if a little old-fashioned, form of address. But when the word is used in Bridgerton, it’s more likely meant in the archaic sense: “to beget; procreate as the father.” Men at this time were expected to “sire an heir” to secure their lineage and place in high society.

modiste
Any lady fit for a Bridgerton-style ball must have a modiste on hand. That’s an older term for “a female maker of or dealer in women’s fashionable attire.” As you may have guessed, English speakers borrowed the word modiste from French. In the Regency era, a modiste could not only make clothes, but also advise women on what was fashionable and appropriate for various events.

courses
Even Regency-era women had to worry about Aunt Flo crashing the party. Courses is an older, fancier way of saying “menses,” or a period. In the Bridgerton time period, the presence or absence of someone’s period was essentially the only way of determining whether or not she could bear children or was pregnant, so much is made of courses by the women on the show.

high in the instep
If you wanted to drop a sick burn on someone in the 1800s, you might say they were high in the instep. The instep is “the arched upper surface of the human foot between the toes and the ankle,” and accusing someone of being high in the instep was a way of saying they’re conceited, arrogant, or haughty.

virtue
In modern times, we think of virtue as personal morals or values. Historically, the term was mostly about sex. Virtue meant “chastity; virginity”, especially in reference to women and girls. It was considered of the utmost importance for a woman to “keep her virtue” until marriage. The word entered English in the late 1100s, and it can be traced to the Latin virtūs, or “manliness.”

trousseau
Bridgerton is part romance and part historical fashion education. A trousseau is “an outfit of clothing, household linen, etc., for a bride.” The word comes from Old French trusse, literally “a little bundle.” In some instances, a trousseau may also have included jewelry and other items and been a part of a woman’s dowry. While dowries aren’t a part of modern wedding traditions, some brides still prepare a trousseau of things they intend to wear throughout their wedding festivities.

swoon
Now that your vocabulary is ready for the next season of Bridgerton, it’s time to let the swooning commence. To swoon means “to enter a state of hysterical rapture or ecstasy.” Whether you have a favorite duke, duchess, viscount, or modiste, chances are you’ll be acting out this term at least a few times when they appear on screen. Keep in mind that swoon comes from the Middle English swonen, or “to faint.” You may want to binge-watch carefully.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

Should You Say “Octopuses” Or “Octopi”?

It’s the internet’s favorite eight-armed plural debate: octopuses vs. octopi. (And that relative newcomer, octopodes.)

Is there a “correct” plural for octopus? And what’s with the -i in octopi?

In this article, we’ll wrap our tentacles around these questions, break down the differences between each term, and tell you which terms are acceptable and most commonly used.

Quick summary
Both octopuses and octopi are acceptable plurals for octopus. Of the two, octopuses is the simpler and more commonly used. The proposed plural octopodes is based on the plural of the Ancient Greek word from which octopus ultimately derives. But it’s rarely used outside of the octopuses vs. octopi debate.
Is it octopuses or octopi?
Like the octopus itself, the English language is, in many cases, very flexible: both octopuses and octopi are acceptable and commonly used plural forms of octopus (despite what anyone on the internet may say).

But why octopi? Well, in Latin, there’s a class of words that end in -us. These words get pluralized by replacing -us with -i. Many English words with strong roots in Latin have retained this pluralization pattern—think alumnus/alumni and stimulus/stimuli.

Along with octopus, there are a few cases in which both endings are used, including: platypuses/platypi; cactuses/cacti; syllabuses/syllabi; and thesauruses/thesauri (though, if you ask us, a plural is unnecessary here since you really only need one thesaurus).

Still, in all these cases, it’s more common to pluralize with a plain old -es.

If you’re looking for a tie-breaker, consider this: scientists who study these creatures seem to prefer the plural octopuses (though of course the preference is not universal).

What about octopodes?
Some people object to the plural -i ending in octopi because octopus actually derives from the Latinized form of the Greek word oktṓpous (meaning “eight-foot”). The plural of this word would be oktṓpodes.

Based on this, some have proposed the plural octopodes. Reverse-engineering a word’s plural to match its language of origin is a strange way to go about using language (especially when there are two perfectly good plurals right there), so octopodes is not commonly used. Still, some people like to use it (especially to spice up the octopuses vs. octopi debate).

P.S. Don’t confuse octopodes with the word octopods, which refers to the eight-armed cephalopod mollusks of the order or suborder Octopoda, including octopuses and paper nautiluses.

P.P.S. (Platypus Postscript) Platypus has an origin similar to octopus (from the Greek platýpous, meaning “flat-footed”), so the equivalent hypothetical plural would be platypodes. But we don’t see platypodes happening anytime soon.

Do you know the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?

Examples of octopuses and octopi used in a sentence
You have encountered more than one octopus and you want to know how to describe your situation. Check out these example sentences, in which we show how octopuses and octopi are always interchangeable.

- Octopuses/octopi are often solitary.
- We saw not one but two octopuses/octopi during our dive today!
- Different types of octopuses/octopi can vary greatly in size.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

5 Types Of Character Traits To Help You Create Your Complex Characters

Characters are arguably the most important part of any fictional work. Whether in a book, television show, or movie, characters are the ones audiences identify with and the vehicles for telling the entire story. But how do you go about creating characters that people will love, fear, want to know more about, and find utterly unforgettable?

It all begins with a character’s traits. Character traits are the essential building blocks of every character in a story, and choosing the right traits can help establish unique identities that will engage your audience from start to finish. Here’s what you need to know about writing great characters, the unique words you need to describe those characters, and how to get started on creating your own complex characters from scratch.

What are character traits?
When you meet a new person, you often learn about them by observing their traits. A trait is “a distinguishing characteristic or quality, especially of one’s personal nature.” The characters in stories have traits as well.

A character trait is a literary term for adjectives and descriptions that writers use to add personality and depth to characters. In fictional stories, character traits serve a number of purposes, including:

- Helping readers connect and identify with a character.
- Providing insight into a character’s motivations.
- Making it easier to differentiate between two characters.
- Solidifying a character’s role, such as villain or hero, in the story.
- Adding complexity to each character.


Character traits may be internal or external. External traits are things another person might notice, like how someone looks, their particular accent when speaking, or how they carry themselves. Internal traits have more to do with what’s going on inside a character’s mind. They are the emotional elements, private thoughts, and actions that make up a character’s personality.

The many different kinds of character traits
When it comes to deciding on traits for your own characters, there are no rules. Just like no two people on earth are exactly alike, no two characters in a story will ever be exactly alike. Let’s check out some words you might use when describing your own characters’ one-of-a-kind traits.

Personality

charming
stoic
approachable
reclusive
ambitious
impulsive
demanding
poised
distrustful
even-tempered


Physical attributes

lanky
energetic
petite
elegant
curvaceous
rugged
stately
graceful
fumbling
brawny


Beliefs and morals

philosophical
judicious
greedy
pious
deceptive
spiritual
altruistic
haughty
stingy
revolutionary


Classic hero traits

courageous
adventurous
honorable
sincere
visionary
persistent
humble
reliable
honest
noble


Classic villain traits

envious
demonic
unscrupulous
furtive
mischievous
deceitful
brutal
powerful
wounded
resourceful


Building characters
Now that you’re armed with a great character vocabulary, let’s learn a little more about how to build characters.

Option one: Start with the character
One method of character building is to begin with an idea of your character’s role or defining trait and build from there. For example: a queen.

Ask yourself questions about your character’s motivations and the way others see them.

- What does the queen look like?
- How did the queen ascend to power?
- Do people like this character? Why or why not?
- What is someone’s first impression of this character?
- What is this character afraid of?
- What does this character want more than anything?

As you answer questions about your character, their physical appearance, beliefs, personality and motivations will begin to emerge. The next step is to write them into a scene and see how these qualities impact their actions and interactions.

Option two: Start with traits
On the writing podcast Death of 1000 Cuts, author Tim Clare frequently uses timers and lists to flesh out ideas for everything from characters to story locations to plot points. The idea is to let the creative flow and avoid overthinking things.

Try setting a timer for 10 minutes and making a list of interesting traits a character might possess. These might include physical attributes, personality quirks, preferences, and strengths and weaknesses, like:


smart
anxious
curly hair
wears a lot of purple
loves video games
hates chocolate
lives in outer space
holds grudges
ambitious


Once time has lapsed, look at your list and start to dig into the traits you wrote down. Circle 8–10 character traits and begin to flesh them out. How do these traits work together? How did your character come to possess these traits?

As you begin to write your characters into scenes, their traits will solidify and you will get to know them better. Before you know it, they will feel real, and the traits you spent time cultivating will help drive the rest of your story.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

Why Isn’t This Map in the History Books?
Native Tribes of North America Mapped

The ancestors of living Native Americans arrived in North America about 15 thousand years ago.
As a result, a wide diversity of communities, societies, and cultures finally developed on the continent over the millennia.

The population figure for Indigenous peoples in the Americas before the 1492 voyage of Christopher Columbus was 70 million or more.

About 562 tribes inhabited the contiguous U.S. territory.

Ten largest North American Indian tribes: Arikara, Cherokee, Iroquois, Pawnee, Sioux, Apache, Eskimo, Comanche, Choctaw, Cree, Ojibwa, Mohawk, Cheyenne, Navajo, Seminole, Hope, Shoshone, Mohican, Shawnee, Mi’kmaq, Paiute, Wampanoag, Ho-Chunk, Chumash, Haida.
Below is the tribal map of Pre-European North America.

The old map below gives a Native American perspective by placing the tribes in full flower ~ the “Glory Days.”
It is pre-contact from across the eastern sea or, at least, before that contact seriously affected change. Stretching over 400 years, the time of contact was quite different from tribe to tribe. For instance, the “Glory Days” of the Maya and Aztec came to an end very long before the interior tribes of other areas, with some still resisting almost until the 20th Century.
At one time, numbering in the millions, the native peoples spoke close to 4,000 languages.
The Americas’ European conquest, which began in 1492, ended in a sharp drop in the Native American population through epidemics, hostilities, ethnic cleansing, and slavery.
When the United States was founded, established Native American tribes were viewed as semi-independent nations, as they commonly lived in communities separate from white immigrants.

🇭🇺🇪🇺 นายกรัฐมนตรีฮังการี วิกเตอร์ ออร์บัน กล่าวว่า "โลกเปลี่ยนไปตั้งแต่วันอังคารที่ผ่านมา ยุโรปต้องเผชิญกับความเป็นจริงใหม่ เราต้องฟื้นฟูสันติภาพ"
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🇭🇺🇪🇺 Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says "the world is a different place since this Tuesday. Europe needs to face the new reality. We must restore peace."
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7:42 AM · Nov 10, 2024 · 57.4K Views
https://x.com/BRICSinfo/status/1855410653827125427

🧵ชัยชนะของทรัมป์ทำให้โซรอสต้องโศกเศร้า: นี่คือสาเหตุ

กองทุนป้องกันความเสี่ยงมหาเศรษฐี จากฉลามที่ผันตัวมาเป็น “นักการกุศล” เสรีนิยมที่มีแนวคิดฉ้อฉล ผลประโยชน์ทางการเงินของจอร์จ โซรอส และโครงการทางการเมืองอาจประสบปัญหาเมื่อโดนัลด์ ทรัมป์กลับมาที่ทำเนียบขาว.
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เมื่อวันศุกร์ที่ผ่านมา, Bloomberg รายงานว่า Soros Fund Management มีแผนจะปิดสำนักงานในฮ่องกง ซึ่งเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของ "การปรับโครงสร้างองค์กร" แบบกะทันหัน หลังจากดำเนินกิจการมาเป็นเวลา ๑๔ ปี
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ในขณะเดียวกัน, แคมเปญของเฒ่าโซรอสผู้เป็นพ่อและอเล็กซ์ลูกชายของเขาเพื่อให้พรรคเดโมแครตยังคงอยู่ในทำเนียบขาวก็ล้มเหลวในการจ่ายเงินปันผล, แม้ว่ากองทุนเพื่อการปฏิรูปนโยบายของโซรอสจะโอนเงิน ๖๐ ล้านดอลลาร์ให้กับ Future Forward, ซึ่งเป็นกลุ่มซูเปอร์ PAC ที่บริจาคเงินมืดสนับสนุนพรรคเดโมแครต นอกเหนือจากเงินบริจาค ๑๕ ล้านดอลลาร์จากบริษัทในเครือ Open Society Foundations ในปี ๒๐๒๓
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นอกจากเงินแล้ว ครอบครัว Soros ยังได้ลงทุนส่วนตัวจำนวนมากในการรณรงค์ต่อต้าน “พรรครีพับลิกันแบบ MAGA” ในปี ๒๐๒๔ ในช่วงต้นปี ๒๐๒๓, Alex Soros ได้ประกาศลดขนาดการดำเนินงานของ OSF ในยุโรปตะวันตกลงอย่างมาก เพื่อมุ่งเน้นไปที่ยูเครน, มอลโดวา, บอลข่านตะวันตก, และสหรัฐอเมริกา โดยพยายามหยุดยั้งไม่ให้ทรัมป์กลายเป็นเรื่องสำคัญสูงสุด
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จอร์จ โซรอส ส่งสัญญาณเตือนภัยเกี่ยวกับนโยบายต่างประเทศ “อเมริกาต้องมาก่อน” ของทรัมป์เป็นครั้งแรกในปี ๒๐๑๖, เมื่อเขาทุ่มเงินหลายล้านดอลลาร์ให้กับแคมเปญหาเสียงชิงตำแหน่งประธานาธิบดีของฮิลลารี คลินตัน หลังจากที่ทรัมป์ชนะการเลือกตั้ง, โซรอสได้ให้ทุนสนับสนุน “ขบวนการต่อต้าน” ต่อต้านทรัมป์ โดยแสดงออกผ่านการประท้วงบนท้องถนน, การท้าทายวาระในประเทศของทรัมป์ในศาล, การล็อบบี้ลับๆ ของสมาชิกในรัฐบาลของเขา, การสนับสนุนสมาชิกรัฐสภาที่ส่งเสริมนโยบายต่างประเทศแบบเสรีนิยมใหม่, และแม้แต่เงินสด ๑ ล้านดอลลาร์ที่ใช้ไปกับเอกสาร “สมคบคิดระหว่างทรัมป์-รัสเซีย” ที่ฉาวโฉ่
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ในช่วงวาระแรกของทรัมป์, โซรอสได้ล็อบบี้บริษัทเทคโนโลยียักษ์ใหญ่ให้ควบคุมโซเชียลมีเดีย จัดหาเงินทุนสำหรับแคมเปญเพื่อสนับสนุนอัยการและผู้พิพากษาสายเสรีนิยม, ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้งผู้ว่าการรัฐ, ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้งสมาชิกรัฐสภา, และเจ้าหน้าที่ระดับรัฐและท้องถิ่นอื่นๆ หลายสิบหรือหลายร้อยคนในปี ๒๐๑๘ และ ๒๐๒๐
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การเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างเห็นได้ชัดของ Soros และ OSF จากการแทรกแซงในต่างประเทศไปสู่การแทรกแซงการเมืองภายในประเทศของสหรัฐฯ ทำให้ผู้สนับสนุนทรัมป์โกรธแค้น, ซึ่งพยายามประกาศว่าเขาเป็น “ผู้ก่อการร้ายในประเทศ,” ริบทรัพย์สินของเขา, และขับไล่มหาเศรษฐีชาวฮังการีผู้นี้ออกจากประเทศ
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เมื่อโจ ไบเดน ชนะการเลือกตั้งในปี ๒๐๒๐, กลุ่มนักวิจัยที่เชื่อมโยงกับโซรอสได้ล็อบบี้รัฐบาลของเขาให้สนับสนุนนโยบายที่สนับสนุนหลักการ OSF ในนโยบายด้านที่แตกต่างกันเกือบสองโหล, และจัดสรรเงิน ๒๐ ล้านดอลลาร์เพื่อจัดตั้ง "องค์กรระดับรากหญ้า" เพื่อขายร่างกฎหมายโครงสร้างพื้นฐานมูลค่า ๑.๒ ล้านล้านดอลลาร์ของไบเดน
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ในปี ๒๐๒๒, โซรอสได้จัดสรรเงิน ๑๒๕ ล้านเหรียญสหรัฐฯให้กับ “Democracy PAC” เพื่อสนับสนุนผู้สมัครที่ต่อต้าน MAGA ในช่วงกลางเทอม
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ในปี ๒๐๒๓, เมื่อเริ่มมีการฟ้องร้องทางอาญากับทรัมป์, อดีตประธานาธิบดีเชื่อมโยงการ "ล่าแม่มด" ทางการเมืองต่อตัวเขาเข้ากับโซรอส และอัลวิน แบร็กก์ อัยการแมนฮัตตันที่ "คัดเลือกและจัดหาเงินทุนเอง" ของเขาทันที ซึ่งแคมเปญหาเสียงในปี ๒๐๒๑ โซรอสเป็นที่รู้จักว่าบริจาคเงินให้อย่างน้อย ๑ ล้านดอลลาร์
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“ผมคาดว่าทรัมป์จะถูกตัดสินว่ามีความผิดอย่างน้อยในบางกรณี, และจะต้องติดคุกในวันเลือกตั้งในเดือนพฤศจิกายน ๒๐๒๔,” โซรอสกล่าวในการให้สัมภาษณ์เมื่อเดือนสิงหาคม ๒๐๒๓ “ถ้าผมพูดถูก, เขาไม่น่าจะชนะการเลือกตั้ง แต่ถ้าผมพูดผิด, สหรัฐฯ จะเผชิญกับวิกฤตรัฐธรรมนูญ ซึ่งอาจนำไปสู่วิกฤตเศรษฐกิจด้วยเช่นกัน”
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ดูเหมือนว่าจะมีบางอย่างผิดพลาดอย่างร้ายแรงในการคำนวณของมหาเศรษฐี, โดยอดีตผู้จัดการด้านการเงินของโซรอส, สแตน ดรัคเคนมิลเลอร์, ได้เตือนเมื่อกลางเดือนตุลาคมว่าตลาด "มั่นใจมาก" ว่าทรัมป์จะชนะ
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🧵TRUMP’S TRIUMPH SOWS SORROW FOR SOROS: HERE’S WHY

Billionaire hedge fund shark-turned liberal “philanthropist” George Soros’ financial interests and political projects may be in trouble when Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office.
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On Friday, Bloomberg reported that Soros Fund Management plans to shut down its Hong Kong office as part of a surprise “administrative reorganization” after 14 years of operations.
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Meanwhile, the campaign by the elder Soros and his son Alex to keep a Democrat in the White House has failed to pay dividends, despite the Soros’ Fund for Policy Reform’s transfer of $60 million to Future Forward, a pro-Democrat dark money super PAC. That’s on top of a $15 million donation by an Open Society Foundations subsidiary in 2023.
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Along with money, the Soros family invested significant personal capital into the campaign against “MAGA-style Republicans” in 2024. In early 2023, Alex Soros announced a dramatic scaling back of the OSF’s operations in Western Europe to focus on Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, and the United States, with the effort to stop Trump becoming a top priority.
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George Soros first sounded the alarm over Trump’s “America First” foreign policy in 2016, when he pumped millions into Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. After Trump won, Soros funded an anti-Trump “resistance movement,” manifesting itself in street protests, court challenges to his domestic agenda, secret lobbying of members of his administration, support for lawmakers promoting a neoliberal foreign policy, and even $1 million in cash spent on the infamous “Trump-Russia collusion” dossier.
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During Trump’s first term, Soros lobbied tech giants to regulate social media, funded a campaign to support dozens, if not hundreds, of liberal prosecutors and judges, gubernatorial candidates, congressional hopefuls, and other state and local officials in 2018 and 2020.
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Soros and the OSF’s noticeable shift away from meddling abroad to interfering in US domestic politics earned the ire of Trump backers, who sought to declare him a “domestic terrorist,” strip him of his assets, and expel the Hungarian-born billionaire from the country.
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When Joe Biden won in 2020, a Soros-linked think tank lobbied his administration to support policies favoring OSF principles in nearly two dozen different policy areas, and laid out $20 million to create “grass roots organizations” to sell Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.
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In 2022, Soros channeled $125 million into a “Democracy PAC” to support anti-MAGA candidates in the midterms.
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In 2023, as criminal indictments began to come down on Trump, the former president immediately linked the political “witch hunt” against him to Soros and his “hand-picked and funded” Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, to whose 2021 campaign Soros is known to have donated at least $1 million.
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“I expect that Trump will be found guilty at least in some cases, and will be in jail by election day in November 2024,” Soros said in an August 2023 interview. “If I am right, he is unlikely to win the election. But if I am wrong, the US will face a constitutional crisis that is likely to bring on an economic crisis as well.”
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Something seems to have gone terribly wrong in the billionaire’s calculations, with Soros’ ex-money manager, Stan Druckenmiller, warning in mid-October that the markets were “very convinced” that Trump would win.
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8:20 PM · Nov 9, 2024 · 28.4K Views
https://x.com/SputnikInt/status/1855239000606265400

Pun, Pangrams, Palindromes, And More: Discover Types Of Word Play

Words are powerful, and a masterful use of words can change the world. At the same time, words have a fun side to them too. While the English language often seems to exist purely to confuse us, English also has a silly side that can make us laugh and smile. Are you skeptical? Well, we have dug deep into the English toy box to find a bunch of different ways we can play with words. Fair warning: those that have a low tolerance for dad jokes will want to leave immediately.

Puns

By definition, a pun is a humorous use of a word with multiple meanings or a funny use of a word as a substitute for a similar sounding word. The related terms punning, play on words, and paronomasia are often used to refer to the act of making puns. The term double entendre refers to a type of wordplay that also uses words with multiple meanings, albeit usually in a more risqué manner than a whimsical pun.

Examples of puns

Puns that involve words with multiple meanings:

The young monkeys went to the jungle gym for some exercise.
The investor in the bakery demanded a larger piece of the pie.
The art competition ended in a draw.
The maestro turned away from the orchestra as they told him the bad news; he couldn’t face the music.

Puns that involve similar sounding words:

- She claimed the big cat was a tiger, but we knew she was lion.
- When he asked me what the flowers should smell like, I told him to use common scents.
- As it turned out, the runners themselves had rigged the race. It was an inside jog.
- The negotiations over the birds went poorly; neither side would give a finch.

Tom Swifty

A Tom Swifty is a fun use of words that follows a quote, usually said by a fictional Tom, using a punny adverb. The term Tom Swifty was coined by writer Willard Espy and named after the Tom Swift series of books, which tended to use a lot of adverbs to describe dialogue.

Examples of Tom Swifties

“I have frostbite,” Tom said coldly.
“I’m stocked on all the essentials,” Jess said needlessly.
“We feel really bad about what we did,” the children said shamefully.

Stinky Pinky

Stinky pinky, also known as stinky pinkie and by many other names, is a word game in which players try to guess a rhyming phrase based on a definition. The phrase “stinky pinky” itself is a possible answer when playing the game. It is unknown who invented the game or named it, but word games with the name “stinky pinky” can be traced back to at least the 1940s.

Stinky Pinky examples

Clue: “Stone timepiece” Answer: Rock clock.
Clue: “Road pork” Answer: Street meat.
Clue: “A young cat’s gloves” Answer: Kitten’s mittens.

Spoonerisms

A spoonerism is a, usually accidental, swapping of initial sounds of two words. The term spoonerism is named for Oxford lecturer William Archibald Spooner, a notoriously nervous speaker who often swapped the beginnings of words when he spoke publicly.

Spoonerism examples

- It is tinner dime. (“dinner time”)
- He used to work on a bail soat. (“sail boat”)
- Happy dogs love to tag their wails. (“wag their tails”)

Kennings

A kenning is a metaphorical or poetic phrase that is conventionally used in place of another term.

Kenning examples

gumshoe = a detective
pencil pusher = an office worker
tree-hugger = an environmentalist

Pig Latin

Pig Latin is a form of language, usually used by children, in which the first consonant or consonant sound is placed at the end of a word followed by the sound ā (written as “ay”).

Example: Ancay ouyay eakspay igpay atinlay? (“Can you speak pig Latin?”)

Palindromes

A palindrome is a word, phrase, or sentence that reads the same if read forward or backward.

Palindrome examples

Single words:

madam
eve
noon

Multiple words:

dog god
ward draw
live evil

Sentences:

A man, a plan, a canal. Panama!
Madam, I’m Adam!
Was it a cat I saw?

Anagrams

An anagram is a word, phrase, or sentence formed by rearranging the letters of another.

Anagram examples

porter is an anagram of report
attics is an anagram of static
pub toss is an anagram of bus stop

Antigrams

An antigram is an anagram that means the opposite of the original word or phrase it was formed from.

Examples

on the sly is an antigram of honestly
arise late is an antigram of earliest
over fifty is an antigram of forty-five

Pangrams

A pangram is a phrase or sentence that includes every letter of the alphabet. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog is a famous example of a pangram. Some other fun examples of things that rely on alphabet-based challenges include lipograms, heterograms, tautograms, autograms, and kangaroo words.

Ambigrams

An ambigram is a word or visual design that reads the same or creates a new word or image when flipped upside down or reversed. For example, the word dollop is an example of an ambigram because it would still theoretically read as “dollop” even when turned upside down.

Acrostics

An acrostic is a set of lines or verses where certain letters spell out a hidden message.

Example:

Curious
Agile
Territorial
Smart

Backronyms

A backronym is an existing word turned into an acronym by creating an appropriate phrase that it could serve as an acronym for.

Examples

Ghost is a backronym of “ghoul haunting our spooky town.”
Car is a backronym of “carrying all riders.”
Alligator is a backronym of “a large lizard is grinning at the other reptiles.”

Rhyming, alliteration, assonance, and consonance

These four words all have to do with using words that have similar sounds. Most people are familiar with rhyming, which typically refers to using words with similar-sounding endings as in The big pig ate a fig. The word alliteration means to use words with similar-sounding beginnings or words that start with the same letter. Assonance means to use similar-sounding vowels anywhere in words when rhyming, whereas consonance means to use similar-sounding consonant sounds anywhere in words when making a rhyme.

Alliteration examples

She sells seashells by the sea shore.
Big bunnies bounded behind busy birds.
Ten tenants took twenty tents to Thailand.

Assonance examples

We see these bees.
Leave the cleaver for the skeevy beaver.
Doodle the Cool Poodle wants oodles of noodle strudel.

Consonance examples

Look! The crook took cook books!
Ross, toss the sauce to our boss Joss.
We heard the third nerdy bird’s words.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

The Wait Is Over! Learn If You Should Use “‘Til” or “Till”

If you feel like until has just too many letters or syllables, good news: you’ve got options. But should you use ’til or till? And what’s the difference, anyway?

By the end of this article, you’ll know the differences between until, till, and ’til, including in terms of origin, level of formality, and use.

Quick summary
Until, till, and ’til all mean the same thing. The informal contraction ’til is a shortening of until that’s typically only used in informal contexts. The word till is a separate word altogether—it’s actually older than until. Till isn’t informal, but it can seem that way due to the informality of ’til, which sounds exactly the same.

’til vs. till
The word ’til is a shortening of until that, like many contractions, is typically reserved for informal contexts. It’s sometimes spelled without the apostrophe, especially in casual use. (Technically speaking, ’til is an example of the linguistic process known as aphesis, which involves the disappearance or loss of an unstressed initial vowel or syllable.)

Till is sometimes seen as a misspelling of ’til, but that’s not the case. It’s actually a separate word altogether with a variety of meanings, one of which means the same exact thing as ’til.

till or until
Till and until are completely interchangeable—they mean the same exact thing and can be used in all the same ways, including as a conjunction or preposition. They both have a very long history of use in English, but in fact till is even older than until: the first records of till come from before 900, with the first records of until coming in the 1100s. (Until and till are based on the same root.)

Even though they’re interchangeable, till may seem more informal than until to some people because it’s so similar to the shortening ’til. For this reason, some people avoid using till in formal contexts. Still, you can never really go wrong using till.

The occasional rendering of ’till with an apostrophe (certainly influenced by ’til) is generally considered a misspelling—and frankly unnecessary, since till is right there to use.

Examples of ’til, till, and until used in a sentence
Until, till, and ’til are interchangeable in meaning, but people often choose which one they use based on how formal they want to be. This means that ’til is typically being avoided in formal contexts, which sometimes leads to the avoidance of till as well. Still, in any of the examples below, any one of the terms could be used if formality were not a consideration.

- I thought it was a great offer until I realized there are no benefits attached.
- I stay up till midnight every so often, but rarely any later.
- The sign says “Open ’til midnight,” so we’ve still got time.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

“Disc” vs. “Disk”: Get Around The Different Uses For Each One

The question of whether to use disc or disk can be a bit circular: in some cases, one is definitely preferred, but in many cases their use overlaps—meaning they’re often interchangeable. This is because both words typically refer to something round and flat (though not always, as we’ll see). The difference, when there is one, usually just depends on what the established preference is.

The discrepancies can be disconcerting, but we hope this discussion will help you discard any confusion or discontent.

Quick summary
Disc and disk can be and are used interchangeably in many contexts, though disk may be slightly more common. The D in CD and DJ (usually) stands for disc, which is the spelling also used in disc golf. The spelling disk is usually used in the context of computer storage in terms like disk drive, floppy disk, and hard disk. It’s also usually used when referring to intervertebral disks—the ones in the spine.

Should I use disc or disk?
In most cases, disc and disk can be—and are—used interchangeably. In general, the word disk was once much more commonly used, but the two words now have a relatively similar level of use.

This all means that there’s really no good rule to remember when to spell it one way or the other. Instead, here’s a handy list showing which spelling is more commonly used in a specific term or a particular context.

disc golf
The various types of flat, plastic circles that are thrown in various games (including disc golf) can all be called discs. The type of flying disc used for a casual toss—and in the sport known as Ultimate—is popularly known by the brand name Frisbee.

compact disc, disc jockey
In the context of music, the D in CD and DJ most often stands for disc—though you may see disk used in some cases. And, technically speaking, a musical compact disc can be considered a type of compact disk, the broader name for any 4.75-in (12-cm) optical disk (which, yes, can also be called an optical disc).

disk drive, disk space, hard disk, magnetic disk, floppy disk
In the context of computer data storage, the spelling is usually disk.

Anyone just now discovering what a floppy disk is might be wondering why it’s called a disk when it’s square rather than round, but it’s because the actual disk inside the plastic shell is actually round. You can remember to use the spelling with a k in this context because floppy disks are sometimes called diskettes (not “discettes”).

slipped disk, herniated disk
The pads between the spinal vertebrae are usually called disks or intervertebral disks.

flat, circular objects
In general, any thin, flat, circular plate or object—or one that at least appears to be round and flat—can be referred to as a disk or a disc. While the spelling disc is very common in general, the spelling disk is probably even more common, especially in several specific contexts.

astronomy
Surfaces of heavenly bodies appear flat during regular observation, and for this reason they are often referred to as disks, as in the disk of the moon and the solar disk.

biology
Roundish, flat structures in a body can be called disks, as in blood disk (also called a platelet) and germinal disk (also called a blastodisk).

geometry
The domain bounded by a circle can be called the disk.

plants and flowers
The central portion of the flowerhead is called the disk.

Examples of disc and disk used in a sentence
That was a lot of info! Let’s see some examples of these senses in use.

- The mysterious disc in the video—purported to be an extraterrestrial craft—turned out to be a Frisbee.
- Growing up, I always wanted to be a radio disc jockey, but that’s only because podcasters didn’t exist yet.
- The telescope is set up to observe the disk of the moon.
- I want to copy the contents of the floppy disk to the hard disk—is that possible?
- How much disk space is available?
- She’s been out of work with a herniated disk.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

“Ingress” vs. “Egress”: Do You Know The Difference?

Ingress and egress look and sound like they’re opposites, and they are. They’re primarily used in the context of entrances and exits, especially in architecture and other fields related to planning how people get in and out of places.

You can probably guess from the in in ingress that it generally means “the act of going in” or refers to an entryway. But there’s a lot more to know about these words and how exactly they’re used—including in astronomy and in terms like egress window. Join us as we get into the ins and outs of ingress and egress.

Quick summary

Ingress can refer to both the act of entering or to an entryway (an entrance) itself. Egress refers to both the act of exiting or to an exit itself. In astronomy, they’re used in a more specific way relating to heavenly bodies (like planets) entering into or emerging from an eclipse.

What does ingress mean?

Ingress means “the act of entering,” “the right of entering,” or “the means of entering.” The last sense is typically the one used in relation to architecture and related fields. A point of ingress in a building is an entryway. It’s a concise way of referring to a place where people can enter that avoids using a more specific term, like door (since points of ingress might not all technically be doors). The word isn’t always used in relation to buildings—it could be applied to parking lots, for example, which often have multiple points of ingress for vehicles to enter.

In astronomy, ingress is another word for immersion, the entrance of a heavenly body (such as a planet or a moon) into an eclipse caused by another heavenly body (like when the moon moves into Earth’s shadow) or into another instance of their paths crossing in some way (such as an occultation or a transit).

What does egress mean?

Egress means “the act of going out,” “the right to go out,” or “the means of going out.” The last sense is the one used in relation to architecture and related fields. For example, a fire safety code often requires a building to have multiple points of egress—places for people to exit, such as doors and fire escapes. A parking lot might have some one-way access points devoted to ingress and others devoted to egress.

In astronomy, egress is another word for emersion, the emergence or exit of a heavenly body from an eclipse, occultation, or transit—that is, when it comes back into view.

What is an egress window?

An egress window is a window or skylight that can serve as an exit in an emergency. They’re not intended to be regular means of access—they’re typically much smaller than doors, just big enough for a person to crawl through in case of something like a fire or a building collapse. You’ll especially see the term used in building codes and plans.

Where do ingress and egress come from?

The -gress part in both words ultimately comes from the Latin gradī, meaning “to go, step, walk”; this verb is also the origin of the word grade. The prefix in- means, yep, “in,” and the prefix e- is a variant of ex-, which means “out” and is also used to form the word exit.

What is the difference between ingress and egress?

The difference between ingress and egress might seem obvious: ingress refers to an entrance, and egress refers to an exit. And generally that’s true. Of course, it’s very common for many access points to be used for both ingress and egress—you come in the same door you go out. But in architecture and site planning, it’s often important to differentiate the two for many different reasons, such as accessibility, safety, and proper traffic flow.

Even though the words are used in more specific ways in astronomy, the basic idea is the same: ingress involves entering, and egress involves emerging or exiting.

Remember: ingress goes in and egress exits.

Examples of ingress and egress used in a sentence

Take a look at some example sentences to help you remember the difference between ingress and egress.

- The room has two points of egress, but only one point of ingress—one door is an emergency door that only opens outward.
- The developer plans to add another ingress point for the proposed neighborhood so that residents can enter from the south end.
- The investigation revealed that a broken door prevented egress.
- You’ll have to add an egress window to get the basement up to code.
- The moon began egress, exiting Earth’s shadow.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

“Fruit” vs. “Vegetable”: Thyme To Explain The Actual Difference

Trying to classify what’s a fruit and what’s a vegetable isn’t always cut and dry. In fact, the debate about it can get pretty juicy—seedy, even. This all stems from the fact that some things we eat are technically fruits but are almost always called vegetables (and treated like vegetables, too). Some people make a distinction based on the level of sweetness, but the difference—from the perspective of a botanist, at least—is less a matter of taste and more a matter of which part of the plant you’re eating.

This article will get to the root of which foods are fruits, which are vegetables, and which are actually fruits despite always getting placed with the vegetables at the grocery store. You’ll come away with answers to these questions and more:

What exactly is the difference between fruits and vegetables?
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
Is a potato a vegetable?
Are berries fruit?
What about nuts?

We’ll even include a list of the fruits and vegetables whose categorization status most often pits people against each other, along with their technical classification and what they’re usually considered in culinary use. (Spoilage alert: the fruit and veggie puns are already pretty ripe, but they’re going to get even grosser.)

Quick summary

Technically speaking, a fruit is a plant’s developed ovary that comes from a flower and contains one or multiple seeds. The term vegetable is much broader—it refers to any part of a plant that’s used for food, including the roots, tubers, stems, and leaves. Many of the foods that we casually call vegetables, like tomatoes, are technically fruits. Still, it’s a technical distinction that’s usually ignored in practical contexts, such as menus or the layout of the produce section.

What is the difference between a fruit and a vegetable?

To a botanist, the word fruit specifically refers to the edible part of a seed plant that develops from a flower into a ripened ovary that contains one or more seeds—fertilized seeds capable of generating a new plant. Fruits come from many different types of plants: apples grow on trees, grapes grow on vines, and blueberries grow on shrubs, for example. The botanical definition of a fruit has nothing to do with whether or not it tastes sweet.

The word vegetable tends to make us think of savory (and nonsweet) flavors. But vegetable simply means any part of a plant that is grown primarily for food. This can be the leaves (spinach), the root (carrots), the tuber (potatoes), the flower (broccoli), the stalk (celery), or other parts—including the fruit. Yes, definitionally speaking, fruits are actually just one type of vegetable (because they’re an edible part of a plant).

Still, people don’t usually think about their fruits and vegetables in terms of strict, definition-specific distinctions. In everyday, nonscientific contexts, we usually make the distinction between a fruit and a vegetable based on how we eat it and what dishes we put it in, especially according to whether it’s sweet or not. To most of us, fruits are the edible, usually sweet parts of a plant—often ones that are eaten raw, squeezed for juice, or used in desserts.

Many things that are technically fruits are commonly treated as vegetables (and even sometimes the other way around). Here are some whose categorizations are among the most ambiguous.

Tomato: fruit or vegetable?

It’s both. No matter how you slice it, a tomato is technically a fruit (the seed-filled ovary of the plant), but it’s typically treated as (and called) a vegetable. The classification confusion is understandable, given its savory but sweet flavor and the fact that it’s commonly used in savory dishes in the same way that vegetables usually are. Even the Supreme Court has had trouble with putting the fruit in the right category. In 1893, the high court of the US decided a tomato is a vegetable because of the way it’s used in cooking, regardless of the botanical categorization.

Just because the scientific definition is clear doesn’t mean the issue is settled. Perhaps the distinction is best summarized by the quote, often attributed to journalist Miles Kington, that “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” But even that notion has been contradicted by countless cooks—search some variation of tomato and watermelon salad recipe and you’ll get millions of hits.

Is a cucumber a fruit?

The cucumber plant is part of the gourd family. The part that people eat (and turn into pickles) is the fruit of the plant. So while you might not think of a cucumber salad as a kind of fruit salad, cucumbers do fit the technical definition of a fruit. It’s a good reminder that taste and how people commonly prepare a food have little to do with its scientific classification.

Is a coconut a fruit?

A coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm. It falls into the subcategory of fruits called drupes, which are distinguished by an outer skin, a fleshy middle, and a hard woody shell over a single seed. However, unlike other drupes in which the flesh covering the seed is what’s eaten (like peaches or cherries), the edible part of the coconut is the meat just inside that last interior shell.

Is a potato a vegetable?

The potato is part of the same family of plants (the nightshade family) as the tomato, the eggplant, and some peppers. But unlike those, it’s classified as a vegetable because the part of the plant that’s eaten is the tuber part of the root, as opposed to the reproductive organ.

Many people asking “Is a potato a vegetable?” are really asking if they can count it as one nutritionally, like they do green vegetables. Traditionally, potatoes have been considered a starch, but they’re full of nutrients, including vitamins C, B1, B3, and B6, as well as minerals like iron, potassium, and folate.

Is a carrot a fruit?

This is an easy one—carrots are definitely vegetables, not fruits. Like potatoes, carrots are a type of root vegetable. The greens of the plant are edible, but carrots are grown for the bright orange (or purple, or white, or yellow) taproot growing underneath.

Remember, vegetables can come from all parts of the plant, be it the roots, leaves, stalks, or other parts. Keeping that in mind can be useful when sorting out whether something belongs in the vegetable category or the fruit category.

But here’s an easier way—we’ll just tell you. Produce this produce list any time there’s a rhubarb concerning edible plant facts.

Are berries fruit? What about nuts?

You might be thinking that grains are a surprising inclusion in the fruit category. They aren’t the only fruits that often get left out of the fruit conversation, either. Nuts, berries, and pods (such as peas) are also technically fruits.

A berry is a small fruit that usually has small seeds embedded, as in grapes and blueberries. Tomatoes, in fact, also fall into this group. From a botanical standpoint, only simple fruits—those that develop from a single ovary in a single flower—are berries. Still, some other fruits commonly called berries, like strawberries and raspberries, are technically aggregate fruits, meaning they develop from multiple ovaries of a single flower. Some fruits commonly classified as berries, such as the mulberry, are multiple fruits, meaning they come from the ovaries of several individual flowers.

Nuts are also simple fruits, albeit ones eaten dry. These have an edible inside that’s enclosed in a hard shell, like a chestnut or hazelnut. Some other things that we call nuts, like walnuts and almonds, aren’t nuts from a botanical perspective, but are instead the kind of fruits classified as drupes (like coconuts), since the shells are covered in a fleshy outside. Peanuts are also not nuts—they are legumes, meaning they’re technically a vegetable.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

Hmmm...I think like I explained before - everything is just distraction , u cant come to the common truth here on this earth. Everything is just made up to sreal toy precious time and focus on yourself....u can find only your own truth. So focus on yourself, your world, your time...don't think too much about the world arround u- all rjat world is u in all the different shapes. So if u want to change the world, change yourself....
Right in this moment u think that the end of world is coming - and person near u thinks that there is no difference in this world in last 50 years - understand?? We live in a matrix, everyone has its own perspective on outer world - IT IS JUST A MATRIX!!!

This is best try to explain u ..how I see all this, I cant do it better. God's plan is that every soul has to learn on its own....there is common school or a book that open eyes to everyone...everything that exsists for real and forever is your consciousness, all the rest are just creations of it

If Yuo’re Albe To Raed Tihs, You Might Have Typoglycemia

Ever heard of typoglycemia? Even if you haven’t, chances are you’ll recognize one of the viral puzzles that explains this phenomenon. Starting around 2003, an email circulated through what seems like every inbox claiming that scrambled English words are just as easy to read as the original words.

However, as cool as the original email was, it didn’t actually tell the whole truth. There’s more to scrambled words than meets the eye.

What is typoglycemia?

That viral email tested our ability to read scrambled words. Here’s what it looks like:

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Could you read it? Even with a mistake in this viral email (rscheearch cannot spell researcher), the truth is pretty much every fluent English-speaker can read and understand it.

The word-scrambling phenomenon has a punny name: typoglycemia, playing mischievously with typo and glycemia, the condition of having low blood sugar. Typoglycemia is the ability to read a paragraph like the one above despite the jumbled words.

Is typoglycemia real or a trick?

Does it take you nanoseconds to solve the Word Jumble in the newspaper? No? While your brain can breeze through some word-scrambles, it’s more complicated than that click-bait email suggests.

Matt Davis, a researcher at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge University, will help us sort it out. Here’s what they believe the email got right: unless you have a rare brain disorder, people read words as whole units, not letter-by-letter. That’s one of the factors explaining why we can “magically” read the message.

But here’s where Davis reminds us why the daily Word Jumble still manages to scramble our brains for breakfast. That trending email led us to believe all we need is for “the first and last letters to be in the right place” and nothing else matters. Actually a lot else matters.

What makes a scrambled word easier to read?

Here are some other factors a jumbled passage needs in order for everyone to easily read it:

1. The words need to be relatively short.
2. Function words (be, the, a, and other words that provide grammatical structure) can’t be messed up, otherwise the reader struggles.
3. Switching (or transposing) the letters makes a big difference. Letters beside each other in a word can be switched without much difficulty for the reader to understand. When letters farther apart are switched, it’s harder. Take porbelm vs. pelborm (for “problem”).
4. We understand scrambled words better when their sounds are preserved: toatl vs. talot (for “total”).
5. Here’s a big one: the passage is readable because it’s predictable (especially because we’ve seen it so many times)!

Other factors play into it as well, like preserving double letters. For example, in the word according, the scrambled email keeps the cc intact (“aoccdrnig”). Double letters are contextual markers that give good hints. But we could also scramble it up this way: “ancdircog.” Breaking up the cc makes it harder, right?

All told, we’re code-making machines (we speak the code of English) and we’re wired to find meaning out of nonsense, in part by looking at contextual cues. However the codes can only be scrambled to a certain degree before we get lost.

Try these two (tougher) word puzzles

Try your hand at two hard-scrambled passages below which prove your brain needs more than just the first and last letters of a scrambled word to read it quickly.

With these, you’ll see why our brains can only handle typoglycemia to a point. The answers at the bottom; try not to cheat!

1. A dootcr has aimttded the magltheuansr of a tageene ceacnr pintaet who deid aetfr a hatospil durg blendur.
2. In the Vcraiiton are, a levloy eamlred geren, pirlaalty frmoueltad form asirnec, was uesd in fcaibrs and ppaluor falrol hresesdeads.

The first example is from that blog post by Matt Davis. The second is our re-scrambling of a fascinating Jezebel lead. And they’re not easy! Research shows that typos definitely interfere with reading speed. (There’s a reason we have spell-checkers!) Tricky jumble puzzles that can take hours to complete also prove that, in the end, letter order and spelling absolutely make or break our comprehension of a word.

Ready for the answers?

1. A doctor has admitted the manslaughter of a teenage cancer patient who died after a hospital drug blunder.
2. In the Victorian era, a lovely emerald green, partially formulated from arsenic, was used in fabrics and popular floral headdresses.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

Appreciate Yourself And Others More With Words Of Affirmation

New Year’s goals aren’t just about what you do, they’re also about what you say. This year, why not build up yourself and your relationships with some words of affirmation?

Words of affirmation are things we say that express care, commitment, love, and support. They’re so important, they’re actually one of the five love languages that author Gary Chapman says people require to feel and express love in relationships. But words of affirmation aren’t just tools for sharing our feelings with other people. They’re an important part of self-affirmation and offering encouragement to yourself as well.

The past two years haven’t been easy on anyone, but starting a new year presents the chance to embrace opportunity, build your self-confidence, and put yourself out into the world in a new way. As you commit to self-improvement or growth in your relationships this year, here are 22 words and phrases of affirmation to help you express love and appreciation for yourself and others.


1. “I’m thankful for…”
Gratitude can be something you express to others, or it can be something you experience within yourself. Being intentional about expressing thanks for the things, people, and opportunities in your life is a way of affirming appreciation for the moment and inspiring positivity about the future.

2. “I’m proud because…”
You might feel pride for something as big as completing a marathon or as simple as making that tough phone call you’d been putting off for a week. Either way, when you’re proud of yourself or someone else, say it.

3. “I feel supported when…”
How do other people show up for you? Point it out to them, and let them know how much you appreciate having them in your corner.

4. “I feel inspired when…”
Notice what motivates you. It might be something another person does, or inspiration may strike when you’re taking time for yourself. Acknowledge those moments to bring attention to them and to help you recognize moments of inspiration in the future.

5. “I am brave.”
Every day you take chances, tackle goals, share your feelings, and put yourself out there. Those are all brave things to do. When life feels scary, affirm to yourself that you have shown bravery a million times before, and you can do it again.

6. “I am loved.”
You matter to the people around you. Remind yourself of this when you’re feeling disconnected or overwhelmed. You could even call up someone you care about and remind them that they are loved, too.

7. “I can.”
If you’re experiencing doubt, remind yourself that you can do whatever it is that’s making you feel worried. You may not do everything perfectly, but you can try, show up, and keep working towards the goal.

8. “I value…”
What do you love about the people in your life? What makes your relationships meaningful? You can affirm your connections with others by sharing these things and letting them know the special place they hold in your life.

9. “I love you.”
Love is something you feel, but it’s also something to share. When you love someone, let them know it. It can’t hurt to also say it to your reflection in the mirror sometimes. We won’t judge.

10. “Thank you.”
“Thank you” is a simple phrase that makes a big impact. Thanking others lets them know they’re seen, needed, and appreciated. Thanking yourself is also a way of acknowledging the good you do in the world and the power you have to make a difference.

11. “I’m worth it.”
It’s normal to experience doubt or wonder if you’re good enough for the things and people you want in your life, but we’re all worthy of good things. Remind yourself of this when the going gets tough.

12. “I love my life when…”
Think about what brings you joy, then celebrate that. Maybe this means telling yourself you love your life when you’re being active or taking chances, or maybe it’s telling someone else you love your life when they’re a part of it.

13. “You are so special to me.”
Special means “of a distinct or particular kind or character.” It’s nice to hear that you are uniquely appreciated, so make it a point to share those feelings with the most special people in your life.

14. “I’m here.”
Sometimes the best way to affirm your care for someone is just to be there for them. You can do this by taking care of something they need done, bringing them a gift, or just telling them, “I’m here.”

15. “I feel loved when…”
In relationships, it can be important to share not just your own love for someone, but also the ways they make you feel loved. Communication like this can strengthen your bond and help you support each other in ways that feel more thoughtful.

16. “It impressed me when…”
We don’t always know when we’re being noticed or appreciated by others. Make an intention to share these moments more often. You can start by just letting someone know when something they do catches your attention.

17. “I’m lucky…”
Acknowledging the good things in your life can help you notice all of the small privileges and joys you experience on a daily basis. Ways to finish this sentence might include: I’m lucky to be here, I’m lucky to experience this moment, or I’m lucky to have you in my life.

18. “I feel great.”
Feeling good? Shout it from the rooftops. It’s easy to acknowledge when we’re feeling off, down, or out of sorts. This year, try to be intentional about also affirming the good days and good vibes you experience.

19. “I’m showing up for myself.”
When you practice self-care, accomplish a goal, or even just tackle a basic task of daily living, you’re showing up for yourself, and that’s a big deal. Affirm that you are your own biggest support, and you do a great job of being you.

20. “I am capable.”
When self-doubt creeps in, affirm that you are capable. You may not be perfect (no one is!), but you are always capable of learning, trying, practicing, and getting better.

21. “I find you so…”
How do you feel about the people in your life? They’d probably like to hear it. You might say you find them attractive, inspiring, helpful, friendly, hilarious, or kind.

22. “I am doing my best.”
No one is going to get it right 100% of the time, but making an effort to be a good friend, parent, worker, and person is what counts. No matter what challenges or success are ahead, remind yourself in each moment that you are doing your best.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

🎻 แนวทางการฝึกซ้อมไวโอลินของ Hilary Hahn: การพัฒนาทักษะผ่านความมุ่งมั่นและวินัย

Hilary Hahn เป็นหนึ่งในนักไวโอลินที่ประสบความสำเร็จและเป็นที่ยอมรับมากที่สุดในยุคปัจจุบัน เธอมีชื่อเสียงในด้านเทคนิคที่ไร้ที่ติ ความสามารถในการตีความผลงานดนตรีอย่างลึกซึ้ง และความทุ่มเทให้กับดนตรีตั้งแต่อายุยังน้อย การฝึกซ้อมไวโอลินของเธอเป็นที่สนใจของนักดนตรีและผู้ที่ชื่นชอบดนตรีคลาสสิกทั่วโลก

✅ 1. การฝึกฝนที่มีวินัยและต่อเนื่อง : ตั้งแต่อายุเพียง 4 ขวบ Hilary Hahn เริ่มต้นเรียนไวโอลิน และได้รับการฝึกฝนอย่างเข้มงวดตั้งแต่นั้นเป็นต้นมา หนึ่งในคุณสมบัติสำคัญที่ทำให้เธอโดดเด่นคือความสม่ำเสมอในการฝึกซ้อม เธอฝึกซ้อมไวโอลินอย่างต่อเนื่องหลายชั่วโมงต่อวัน โดยเน้นที่การพัฒนาเทคนิค การควบคุมจังหวะ และการตีความดนตรีอย่างลึกซึ้ง

การฝึกซ้อมของ Hilary ไม่ได้เน้นที่ปริมาณเวลาเพียงอย่างเดียว แต่เน้นที่คุณภาพและการตั้งเป้าหมายในการพัฒนาตัวเองให้ดีขึ้นในทุก ๆ วัน ซึ่งการมีวินัยนี้เป็นสิ่งสำคัญสำหรับนักไวโอลินที่ต้องการประสบความสำเร็จ

✅ 2. ความใส่ใจในรายละเอียด : สิ่งที่ทำให้ Hilary Hahn แตกต่างจากนักไวโอลินทั่วไปคือความใส่ใจในรายละเอียดเล็ก ๆ น้อย ๆ ทุกครั้งที่เธอฝึกซ้อม เธอให้ความสำคัญกับการพัฒนาทุกส่วนของการเล่นไวโอลิน ตั้งแต่การจับโบว์ การควบคุมการเล่นโน้ต ไปจนถึงการสื่อสารอารมณ์และความรู้สึกของเพลง เธอเชื่อว่าการใส่ใจในทุกรายละเอียดจะช่วยสร้างผลงานที่มีความสมบูรณ์แบบและสามารถสร้างความประทับใจให้กับผู้ฟังได้

✅ 3. การฝึกเทคนิคพื้นฐานอย่างสม่ำเสมอ : ถึงแม้ Hilary Hahn จะเป็นนักไวโอลินระดับโลก แต่เธอยังคงฝึกซ้อมเทคนิคพื้นฐานอยู่เสมอ เช่น การบรรเลงสายเปล่า (open strings) การฝึกซ้อมสเกล (scales) และการฝึกซ้อมเสียงสั้นและเสียงยาว (staccato/legato) เธอเชื่อว่าการมีพื้นฐานที่แข็งแรงจะช่วยสนับสนุนให้เธอสามารถเล่นเพลงที่ซับซ้อนและท้าทายได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ

✅ 4. การตั้งเป้าหมายในการฝึก : ในการฝึกซ้อมแต่ละครั้ง Hilary Hahn มักจะตั้งเป้าหมายที่ชัดเจนเสมอ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการพัฒนาส่วนที่ต้องปรับปรุง เช่น การเล่นโน้ตที่ซับซ้อน การปรับปรุงการตีความในเพลงหนึ่ง ๆ หรือการทำความเข้าใจอารมณ์ของเพลง เธอเชื่อว่าการตั้งเป้าหมายช่วยให้การฝึกซ้อมมีประสิทธิภาพและมุ่งเน้นในการแก้ปัญหาที่แท้จริง

✅ 5. การใช้ความคิดสร้างสรรค์และการตีความส่วนตัว : Hilary Hahn ไม่ได้เป็นเพียงนักไวโอลินที่เล่นได้อย่างไร้ที่ติ แต่เธอยังมีความคิดสร้างสรรค์ในการตีความเพลงแต่ละบทอย่างเป็นเอกลักษณ์ เธอเชื่อว่าเพลงไม่ใช่เพียงแค่การเล่นโน้ตตามที่เขียนไว้ แต่เป็นการสื่อสารความรู้สึกและเรื่องราวของผู้ประพันธ์เพลงไปยังผู้ฟัง การฝึกฝนด้านการตีความนี้ช่วยให้การแสดงของเธอมีความน่าประทับใจและเป็นที่จดจำ

✅ 6. การทำงานร่วมกับนักดนตรีคนอื่น : Hilary Hahn ยังให้ความสำคัญกับการทำงานร่วมกับนักดนตรีคนอื่น ๆ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการแสดงร่วมกับวงออเคสตร้า หรือการเล่นดนตรีแบบกลุ่มเล็ก ๆ เธอเชื่อว่าการทำงานร่วมกันช่วยพัฒนาทักษะในการฟังและการปรับตัวให้เข้ากับสไตล์การเล่นของคนอื่น ๆ ซึ่งเป็นทักษะที่จำเป็นสำหรับนักไวโอลินที่ต้องการเป็นนักดนตรีที่มีความสมบูรณ์แบบ

✅ 7. การพัฒนาอย่างต่อเนื่อง : ถึงแม้ว่า Hilary Hahn จะประสบความสำเร็จอย่างสูงแล้ว แต่เธอยังคงมองหาวิธีการพัฒนาตัวเองอย่างต่อเนื่อง ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการเรียนรู้เทคนิคใหม่ ๆ หรือการสำรวจเพลงใหม่ที่ท้าทายมากขึ้น เธอเชื่อว่าการเรียนรู้ไม่มีที่สิ้นสุด และความมุ่งมั่นในการพัฒนาตัวเองนี้เป็นสิ่งที่ทำให้เธออยู่ในจุดสูงสุดของวงการดนตรีคลาสสิกมาอย่างยาวนาน

📍บทสรุป

แนวทางการฝึกไวโอลินของ Hilary Hahn สะท้อนถึงความมุ่งมั่น วินัย และความใส่ใจในรายละเอียด การฝึกซ้อมที่มีเป้าหมายและคุณภาพช่วยให้เธอกลายเป็นนักไวโอลินที่ประสบความสำเร็จระดับโลก สำหรับผู้ที่ต้องการพัฒนาทักษะไวโอลิน การนำแนวทางเหล่านี้มาใช้ในการฝึกฝนจะช่วยให้คุณก้าวไปสู่ความสำเร็จในการเป็นนักดนตรีที่ยอดเยี่ยมได้เช่นกัน

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🎻 Hilary Hahn’s Violin Practice Approach: Skill Development Through Dedication and Discipline

Hilary Hahn is one of the most successful and respected violinists of the modern era. She is renowned for her flawless technique, deep musical interpretation, and commitment to music from an early age. Her violin practice regimen has drawn interest from musicians and classical music enthusiasts worldwide.

✅ 1. Discipline and Consistency in Practice:
Hilary Hahn began learning the violin at the age of four and has undergone rigorous training ever since. One of the key traits that set her apart is the consistency of her practice. She dedicates several hours each day to practicing the violin, focusing on developing technique, controlling rhythm, and interpreting music deeply.

Her practice is not just about the number of hours spent but also about quality and setting goals to improve daily. This discipline is crucial for any violinist striving for success.

✅ 2. Attention to Detail:
What differentiates Hilary Hahn from other violinists is her meticulous attention to detail. In every practice session, she focuses on refining every aspect of her playing, from bow grip to note execution, to conveying the emotion and feeling of the music. She believes that paying attention to these details results in a flawless performance and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

✅ 3. Regular Practice of Basic Techniques:
Although Hilary Hahn is a world-class violinist, she still consistently practices basic techniques such as open strings, scales, and staccato/legato exercises. She believes that a strong foundation allows her to play complex and challenging pieces more effectively.

✅ 4. Goal Setting in Practice:
During each practice session, Hilary Hahn sets clear goals, whether it’s improving difficult passages, refining her interpretation of a piece, or understanding the emotional tone of the music. She believes that setting goals helps make practice sessions more efficient and focused on solving real issues.

✅ 5. Creativity and Personal Interpretation:
Hilary Hahn is not only a technically flawless violinist but also highly creative in her interpretation of each piece. She believes that music is not just about playing the notes as written but about communicating the composer’s emotions and story to the audience. Her focus on interpretation adds depth and memorability to her performances.

✅ 6. Collaboration with Other Musicians:
Hilary Hahn values working with other musicians, whether performing with orchestras or in small chamber groups. She believes that collaboration helps develop listening skills and adaptability to different playing styles, which is essential for any violinist aiming to become a well-rounded musician.

✅ 7. Continuous Improvement:
Despite her great success, Hilary Hahn continually seeks ways to improve herself. She is always learning new techniques and exploring new, more challenging pieces. She believes that learning is a never-ending journey, and this commitment to self-improvement has kept her at the pinnacle of the classical music world for many years.

📍Conclusion:
Hilary Hahn’s approach to violin practice reflects her dedication, discipline, and attention to detail. Her goal-oriented and high-quality practice has made her one of the world’s leading violinists. For those aspiring to improve their violin skills, adopting these approaches can help guide you toward becoming an exceptional musician.

Do You Remember These Old Dating Slang Words?

If you thought dating slang originated with terms like ghosting or breadcrumbing, think again. Popular culture has always included pet names and other unique language to describe all things love and romance. Some of these terms originated in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, while others go back even further than that. But all of them helped lay the groundwork for the interesting and sometimes odd dating slang we know and use today. Follow along as we take a look back at some of the most interesting, surprising, and even clever classic dating slang words from decades past. Please note: we’ll be having a frank discussion about sex and other mature dating topics here—but grown-up pants, as always, are optional.


necking
What people might call making out today used to be known as necking. Necking is a classic term for “kissing, caressing, and other sexual activity between partners that does not involve stimulation of the genitals or sexual intercourse.” This term has been popular at various points throughout the past several decades, but you might be surprised to learn that the one of the earliest recorded uses of necking to mean “kissing” actually occurred as early as 1825.

little black book
These days, people have matches on dating apps and randos in their DMs. Back in the day, they might have had a little black book. This phrase describes “a personal telephone directory [which historically were often small, pocket-size books bound in black] listing girlfriends, or, less often, boyfriends.” While physical address books were more common before computers and cell phones took over, the phrase doesn’t necessarily mean that someone has a physical little black book. Rather, it implied that someone had a lot of dates or was something of a ladies’ man.

going steady
If you’re exclusive with a significant other, it used to be said that you were going steady. This phrase, dating back to the early 1900s, means to “date one person exclusively” because you were seeing the same person regularly (“steady”). Steady, as a noun, could also be used in a similar way to boyfriend or girlfriend as a title for the person someone is dating. For example: He asked her to be his steady.

friend with benefits
This phrase was popularized in the ’90s by the Alanis Morissette song “Head Over Feet,” and later inspired the title of a 2011 movie starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. A friend with benefits is “a friend with whom one has sex without a romantic relationship or commitment.” Today, that might also be called a hookup, though friend (or friends) with benefits hasn’t gone extinct. There’s even a text acronym for the term: FWB.

booty call
Booty call is another dating term that can be traced back to the early ’90s. It’s a “phone call, text message, email, etc., whose purpose is to arrange a meeting to have casual sex.” Booty call incorporates the slang term booty, which has a surprising history. Booty was known as a vulgar slang term for female genitalia in the early 1900s, then evolved as a milder slang term for buttocks by the 1920s. By the time booty call was born, booty (as is common for historical slang terms that objectify women) denoted both a “female body considered as a sex object” and “the act of sex.”

wingman
In the context of dating, a wingman is “a man who helps a friend with romantic relationships, especially one who helps the friend attract a woman.” This dating word was popular in the ’80s and ’90s especially, though it’s still in use today. The term wingman was taken from a 1940s Air Force term for the “pilot in a plane that flies just outside and behind the right wing of the leading aircraft, in order to provide protective support.” Apparently looking for love requires protective support, too.

Dear John
If you find yourself the recipient of a Dear John letter, it’s not good news. The phrase is a name for “a letter from a woman informing her boyfriend, husband, or fiancé that she is ending their relationship.” It’s commonly believed to have been coined during World War II when people were separated for long periods of time and communicated via letter. Historically, Biblical names like John and Jack were such common male names they became generic stand-ins used to refer to any man. Though the phrase Dear John (or its female counterpart, Dear Jane) is not as common now, it is used in the title of a popular Taylor Swift song.

keen
Are you keen to learn about the next word on the list? Keen means “eager; interested; enthusiastic.” In the 1950s, it was also commonly used to indicate a crush. For example, someone might say I think she’s keen on him. Attractive or especially likable people were also sometimes described as being peachy keen. The word keen has been used as a slang term meaning “wonderful” since at least the 1910s.

bunny
Some dating words fell out of favor because they were used in a sexist way. Bunny is one of those words. Bunny is an outdated slang term used to describe “a pretty, appealing, or alluring young woman, often one ostensibly engaged in a sport or similar activity.” For example, an attractive woman at the beach might have been referred to as a “beach bunny.” This phrase was popular in the ’70s but quickly fell out of favor. Now, its use is often considered offensive.

boo
Boo might be the original bae (more on this term soon). This ’90s word is an affectionate name for a significant other. The term is thought to have originated in hip hop culture and spread into pop culture from there. Boo may be connected to the French beau or the pet name baby.

beau
Speaking of beau, this term of endearment means “a male lover or sweetheart.” You might think of it as a fancier, more old-fashioned way of saying boyfriend. Beau was first recorded in English in the late 1200s, but its use as a dating term can be traced back to the 1720s. The word is related to the French beau, which means “the beautiful.”

bae
And that leads us to a much newer term: when you think of Millennial dating slang, it’s hard not to think of bae. This word originated in the early 2000s and enjoyed viral fame throughout the 2010s, thanks to the internet. Bae is “an affectionate term that one uses to address their partner or spouse.” It’s thought to be a shortening of other popular pet names, like babe or baby, and likely originated in Black English. It’s been said bae is an acronym for “before anyone else,” but as fun as this theory is, it’s just a misconception.

rationed
This 1940s slang term has a surprising history. During World War II, rationing goods was common. A ration is “a fixed allowance of provisions or food, especially for soldiers or sailors or for civilians during a shortage.” What does this have to do with dating? Well, rationed also became a sort of shorthand for asking women if they were in a relationship or available. As in, Are you rationed? Comparing women to rationed goods like stamps isn’t exactly romantic, so it’s probably no surprise that this one slowly faded into obscurity.

round the bases
Bases aren’t just for baseball. They also have a history as popular dating terminology. In the ’80s and ’90s especially, people referred to different levels of physical intimacy as bases. For example, first base means to “engage in petting that goes no further than kissing.” Each subsequent base adds more physically intimate acts. Rounding the bases, then, would mean progressing through these acts towards whatever act—possibly sex—was deemed a home run.

parking
If the word parking makes you think of cars, you’re on the right track. Similar to necking, parking is a slang term for “the act of kissing and caressing in a parked car.” This usage was most popular in the ’40s and ’50s, likely due to the rise of car culture and drive-in movie theaters changing the landscape of dating.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

Words To Use Instead Of “Congratulations”

Congratulations!
Joyful times go hand in hand with congratulations. When addressing graduates, newlyweds, or anyone with good news, a hearty “Congratulations!” or a swift “Congrats!” is in order. Congratulants, “people who congratulate,” have been using the pluralized expression congratulations, which stems from the Latin gratus meaning “pleasing,” since the 1600s.

The singular noun meaning “the act of congratulating” has been around since the late 1500s.

Props!
When congratulations are in order, the term props might come up. This slang shortening of proper arose in the 1990s and refers to respect and esteem.

In addition to giving and receiving props as recognition, you can do someone a prop to help them out. In the 1995 film Clueless, Cher notices that Josh is dancing with Tai, despite the fact that he never dances, to make her feel included. Cher explains: “He’s doing her a prop so she won’t feel left out.”

Way to go!
If you admire someone’s grit and hustle, you can use this sporty method of congratulations. This active phrase has been traced back to the 1940s, when it was used in sports to congratulate a person or team on a great performance. In the 1960s, it began to be used more generally to refer to any kind of achievement.

If “Way to go!” doesn’t do it for you, some peppy alternatives include “Great job,” “Nice going,” “You rock,” and “You rule!”

Nailed it!
This handy phrase really hits the nail on the head when you want to give someone their due. Nailed it has been traced back to at least the 1970s and metaphorically refers to the act of successfully hitting a nail with a hammer.

In slang, we use a variety of other congratulatory phrases that also refer to forceful impacts or metaphorical violence such as “Killed it,” “Crushed it,” “Destroyed it,” and “Slayed it!”

social media cheers

Like, follow, and subscribe! Social media platforms all have different ways of congratulating somebody and letting them now how awesome their content is. These include:

Twitter: the heart or a retweet
Facebook: the thumbs-up on Facebook
Instagram: the like
YouTube: like, share, subscribe to a channel; hitting the bell icon
TikTok: like and follow
Snapchat: take a screenshot for later
Reddit: upvote; give Reddit Gold/Platinum; or a badge
Tumblr: reblog
Twitch: subscribe to a channel and/or give a donation

GG (Good Game)
Shorthand for “good game” in the world of esports, GG is used to congratulate a victorious opponent.

Additionally, it’s used to politely concede a match or admit defeat, most commonly in the realm of professional StarCraft. It’s all about the humble loss. Not everybody is a good sport, though, and the phrase GG EZ (“easy,” as in an easy win) is often used in a mean-spirited way to put down a defeated opponent.

Three cheers!
Three cheers is generally followed by “for” and the name of the person or thing being celebrated.

A person being cheers-ed might also respond to a toast of three cheers with the word … cheers, which, especially in the UK, can mean “thanks.” That’s a lot of cheers.

The term cheer entered English in the late 12th or early 13th century, and ultimately comes from the Greek word kárā meaning “head.”

Hip, hip, hooray!
For some Victorian flair, opt for the ever-cheery hip, hip, hooray (or hurrah). This expression of uncertain origin surfaced in the early 1800s, though the exclamation hip had been used since the mid-1700s. Hip repeated three times was used as a noun in the 1800s to refer to a collective cheer.

But, let’s not forget about hooray, a variant of hurrah. This exclamation dates from the late 1600s and is very similar to shouts in German, Danish, Swedish, and even Russian. Someone’s last hurrah is their “final moment or occasion of glory or achievement.”

Kudos!
Though it sounds colloquial, kudos finds its roots in the hallowed halls of academic institutions. At the turn of the 1800s, academics transliterated the Greek kydos, meaning “praise or renown.” By the 1920s, kudos had spread beyond the walls of universities and into the columns of newspapers.

Don’t be fooled by the S at the end of kudos; the word is, in fact, a singular noun. However, enough English speakers have erroneously interpreted it as plural for so long that already by the 1930s, the back formation singular kudo arose. Grammar sticklers avoid using kudo as a singular and kudos as a plural, though both forms can be found in popular usage.

Hats off!
The phrase hats off, while often said to graduates wearing the illustrious cap and gown, has nothing to do with the tradition of tossing hats in the air in celebration. This phrase, dating back to the 1600s, harks back to the custom of uncovering the head as a sign of respect.

Etiquette expert Emily Post advised gentlemen on the many situations in which they must remove hats to maintain politeness. In 1922 she wrote: “A gentleman takes off his hat and holds it in his hand when a lady enters the elevator.” He also lifts his hat whenever he asks a question or says “Excuse me.” You know, maybe we could all stand a little formality these days …

a round of applause
The act of clapping one’s hands together to show acclaim is actually much older than you might think. Scholars are unsure of the exact origin, but we have evidence that even the ancient Romans would show their appreciation by clapping their hands. In fact, the word plaudits (which means an expression of approval) comes from the Latin verb plaudere, meaning to clap one’s hands. The verb applause is also based on this Latin verb.

Today, the highest form of applause is the standing ovation, where every member of the audience rises to their feet and applauds. Any performer who manages to please an audience enough to cause them to stretch their legs a bit certainly deserves a big hand.

congratulatory emoji
Sometimes, it is better to use pictures rather than words to congratulate someone. In texting and on social media, many different emoji are used to give somebody a pat on the back after a job well done. The Clapping Hands emoji 👏 is used to refer to a round of applause and the Trophy emoji 🏆 references the shiny knickknacks we give to people who have accomplished something.

The Party Popper emoji 🎉, Confetti Ball emoji 🎊, Partying Face emoji 🥳, and Bottle with Popping Cork emoji 🍾 are also commonly used to congratulate someone. These party animals refer to the act of throwing a party in celebration of an achievement and the stuff you are likely to find at such a shindig.

Mazel tov!
This expression of congratulations and best wishes comes from the Hebrew term literally meaning “good luck.” Though many reserve the English good luck for before a big event, you can cheer mazel tov to wish someone good fortune or to say congratulations.

Mazel tov appeared in the 1600s spelled as missal tob but was rendered in English as mazel tov by the 1900s. Whatever transliteration you prefer, the term has been lovingly said ever since.

Felicitations!
If you want to stand out from the crowd of people offering their congratulations, try roaring felicitations. This less common expression of congratulations ultimately comes from the Latin felix, “happy.” English speakers have been using the singular form of this term (meaning “an act of congratulation”) since the early 1700s.

So, if you want to be original (or sound old-fashioned) in wishing your congratulations, reach for a felicitous felicitations!

congratulatory adjectives
You don’t have to think too hard when it comes to saying congratulations. Sometimes, a single adjective will do. All you need to do is shout “Fantastic!”, “Stupendous!”, “Amazing!”, “Incredible!”, or “Spectacular!” This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to celebratory adjectives, though. You can use our handy thesaurus to find many more impressive synonyms of these words that you can shout out when you want to signal how much someone has impressed you.

Keep going!
What’s more powerful than simply saying congratulations? Encouraging someone to keep pushing ahead and to accomplish more. You’re not only celebrating the accomplishment at hand, but also showing enthusiasm for their future. Keep going!

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

"ชื่อเสียงนั้นเป็นสิ่งที่สร้างขึ้นได้ใน 20 ปี และใช้เวลาเพียงแค่ 5 นาที ในการทำลายมัน ถ้าคุณคิดถึงเรื่องนี้ให้ดี คุณจะทำสิ่งที่ต่างไปจากเดิม"
"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."

-วอร์เรน บัฟเฟตต์ (Warren Buffett)

#Thaitimes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzS10wHjUxo
บทสนทนาการซื้อตั๋วหนังที่โรงหนัง
(คลิกอ่านเพิ่มเติม เพื่ออ่านบทสนทนาภาษาอังกฤษและไทย และคำศัพท์น่ารู้)
แบบทดสอบการฟังภาษาอังกฤษ จากบทสนทนาการซื้อตั๋วหนังเรื่อง ธี่หยด 2 ที่โรงหนัง
มีคำถาม 5 ข้อหลังฟังเสร็จ เพื่อทดสอบการฟังภาษาอังกฤษของคุณ

#conversations #listeningtest #basiclistening

The conversations from the clip :
The conversations from the clip :
Customer: Hi! I’d like to buy two tickets for Theeyod, please.
Ticket Seller: Sure! What time would you like? The next showings are at 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM.
Customer: We’ll take the 7:30 PM show, please.
Ticket Seller: Great choice! Do you want regular seats or VIP?
Customer: Hmm, what’s the difference?
Ticket Seller: VIP seats are more spacious and come with complimentary snacks.
Customer: That sounds nice, but we’ll go with regular seats this time.
Ticket Seller: No problem. That’ll be $20 for two tickets. How would you like to pay?
Customer: I’ll pay by card, please.
Ticket Seller: Alright. Please insert your card here… Perfect, your payment went through!
Customer: Great! Are there any good seats left?
Ticket Seller: Yes, there are! You can choose your seats on this screen.
Customer: Let’s go with these two in the middle. Is that okay?
Ticket Seller: Sure! Here are your tickets. Enjoy the movie!
Customer: Thank you! We’re excited to see Theeyod.
Ticket Seller: I hope you enjoy it! It’s a real thriller.

ลูกค้า: สวัสดีค่ะ! ฉันต้องการซื้อบัตรสองใบสำหรับ "ธี่หยด" ค่ะ
พนักงานขายบัตร: แน่นอน! คุณต้องการเวลาไหนครับ? รอบถัดไปคือ 17:30 น. และ 19:30 น.
ลูกค้า: เราจะเลือกรอบ 19:30 น. ค่ะ
พนักงานขายบัตร: เป็นการเลือกที่ดี! คุณต้องการที่นั่งปกติหรือ VIP ครับ?
ลูกค้า: อืม มีความแตกต่างยังไงบ้าง?
พนักงานขายบัตร: ที่นั่ง VIP จะกว้างขวางกว่าและมาพร้อมกับขนมขบเคี้ยวฟรี
ลูกค้า: ฟังดูดี แต่ครั้งนี้เราจะเลือกที่นั่งปกติ
พนักงานขายบัตร: ไม่มีปัญหาครับ ราคาสำหรับสองใบคือ 20 ดอลลาร์ครับ คุณจะชำระเงินอย่างไรครับ?
ลูกค้า: ฉันจะชำระด้วยบัตรเครดิตค่ะ
พนักงานขายบัตร: โอเคครับ กรุณาใส่บัตรของคุณที่นี่... สมบูรณ์แบบ การชำระเงินของคุณเสร็จเรียบร้อยแล้ว!
ลูกค้า: ดีมาก! ยังมีที่นั่งดี ๆ เหลืออยู่ไหมค่ะ?
พนักงานขายบัตร: มีครับ คุณสามารถเลือกที่นั่งของคุณบนหน้าจอนี้ได้เลย
ลูกค้า: เอาที่นั่งสองที่ตรงกลางนี้ได้ไหมค่ะ?
พนักงานขายบัตร: ได้ครับ! นี่คือบัตรของคุณ ขอให้สนุกกับหนังนะครับ!
ลูกค้า: ขอบคุณค่ะ! เราตื่นเต้นที่จะดู "ธี่หยด"

Vocabulary (คำศัพท์น่ารู้)

Ticket (ทิค-เก็ท) n. แปลว่า ตั๋ว
Show (โชว์) n. แปลว่า การแสดง, รอบภาพยนตร์
VIP (วี-ไอ-พี) adj. แปลว่า พิเศษ, วีไอพี
Spacious (สเป-เชิส) adj. แปลว่า กว้างขวาง
Complimentary (คอม-พลิ-เมน-ทา-รี) adj. แปลว่า ที่ให้ฟรี
Snacks (สแนคส์) n. แปลว่า อาหารว่าง
Regular (เร็ก-กิว-ลาร์) adj. แปลว่า ปกติ, ทั่วไป
Seats (ซีทส์) n. แปลว่า ที่นั่ง
Choice (ชอยส์) n. แปลว่า ตัวเลือก
Pay (เพย์) v. แปลว่า จ่าย
Card (คาร์ด) n. แปลว่า บัตรเครดิต/บัตรเดบิต
Insert (อิน-เซิร์ท) v. แปลว่า ใส่
Payment (เพย์-เมินท์) n. แปลว่า การชำระเงิน
Screen (สครีน) n. แปลว่า หน้าจอ
Thriller (ธริล-เลอร์) n. แปลว่า หนังตื่นเต้น, หนังระทึกขวัญ

Special Words To Describe Someone You Love

There are so many reasons why we love and value the people in our lives, but sometimes it can be hard to find the right words to describe just what it is that makes those people so special. If you’re working on the ultimate love letter, preparing a special birthday toast, or even just talking someone up to a friend, you don’t want to fall back on broad terms like funny, kind, or cute. That’s the time to say what you really mean.

Talking about the people you love might mean talking about a significant other, but it can also mean describing a friend, parent, sibling, or other special person, too. No matter who you’re trying to describe or shower with praise, here are some handy alternatives to the most overused words to use when talking about someone you love.


Other ways to say: talented

Celebrating someone’s talent is usually a welcome compliment, but talent describes a pretty broad pool of qualities, abilities, and skills. What does that special person really excel at that makes them so, well, special? Here are a few other options to try.

accomplished
Accomplished is the word to use when someone is “highly skilled” or even “expert” at something. It demonstrates appreciation not only for their skills, but also for the time, energy, and hard work they put into acquiring those skills.

artistic
You can call someone artistic as a way of complimenting their skill and execution in art or their excellent taste and style. Someone who’s artistic likely has a unique, creative approach to many things, and this word calls that out.

capable
Have you ever been around someone who just seems to be good at everything? Those people are highly capable, which means “having power and ability; efficient; competent.”

inspirational
Sometimes a person’s gift is inspiring others around them to shine as well. Calling someone inspirational says they don’t just do great things, but they also motivate the people around them just by being who they are.

brilliant
Brilliant is the right word for someone you see as “shining brightly; sparkling; glittery; lustrous.” It might describe their distinguished abilities in one particular area or their bold and awe-inspiring approach to everything.


Other ways to say: kind

Kindness is an important quality, and a great way to acknowledge someone’s kindness is by pointing out all of the specific and meaningful ways they express it. Here are some words to do that.

affectionate
Affectionate means “showing, indicating, or characterized by affection or love; fondly tender.” Some people are more affectionate than others, so if someone’s outward displays of affection mean a lot to you, use this word to let them know it.

considerate
Considerate is the word to use for someone who is always looking out for other people’s feelings, performing small acts of kindness, or putting thoughtfulness on display on a regular basis.

big-hearted
Someone who is big-hearted is generous and kind. You might love a big-hearted person if you see that your special someone is always thinking about what they can do to show care and concern for others.

friendly
Sometimes being kind means treating everyone like a friend. Friendly people are “favorably disposed; inclined to approve, help, support.” It’s a way of explaining that your loved one isn’t just kind, but they also never hesitate to lend a hand or a shoulder to lean on.

gentle
Gentle is another way of saying “kindly” or “amiable.” Someone who could be described as gentle isn’t just nice, but is also likely a calm, compassionate, and steady figure in your life.


Other ways to say: attractive

Looks aren’t everything, but there’s nothing wrong with finding a few fresh ways to let people know they’re looking great. Rather than pulling out a bland word like attractive, here are some other options that get to the heart of what really draws you to someone.

alluring
Alluring doesn’t just mean someone is nice looking. It also means they have a charisma or charm that draws you towards them. Someone who is alluring is “very attractive or tempting; enticing; seductive.”

elegant
Whether it’s a special occasion or you admire someone’s style and grace every day, elegant is a word to use when describing someone who is “tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.”

bewitching
Does someone in your life just have that special “it” factor that makes people want to be around them? They could be described as bewitching. This magical sounding word means “enchanting, charming, fascinating.”

charming
When someone is delightful or pleasing to be around, it’s usually because they’re charming. Someone might have charming good looks, but charming also extends to their sparkling personality and the way they make people feel in their presence.

lovely
Isn’t he or she lovely? This adjective means “charmingly or exquisitely beautiful.” It’s the perfect word to describe someone who is lovely in looks but also wonderful to spend time with.


Other ways to say: funny

A sense of humor is a great quality, but there are so many ways to be funny. Is the person more of a George Carlin, an Ali Wong, or a Jim Gaffigan? Here are some words to talk about the funny people in your life.

playful
If someone’s specialty is keeping things light and always finding humor in people and situations, you might describe them as playful. It literally means “full of play or fun.”

whimsical
A childlike or even off-the-wall sense of humor might be called whimsical. This word means “given to whimsy or fanciful notions; capricious.” Think: Robin Williams.

clever
Some people always know the right thing to say. You might describe them as being clever. These quick thinkers always find a way to get laughs by being both charming and bright.

hilarious
Hilarious means “arousing great merriment; extremely funny,” and it’s reserved for the people who are truly laugh-out-loud funny. These folks might be the life of the party or they might reserve their best jokes just for you. Either way, the fun never stops.

witty
Someone who is witty sees the world a little differently, and their sharp observations and clever comebacks can be very entertaining. They also might be funny in several mediums. Witty means “possessing wit in speech or writing; amusingly clever in perception and expression.”


Other ways to say: smart

If you value intelligence, then you’ll probably also value having more than one way to talk about it. Pull out one of these bonus words when describing the brainiacs in your life.

astute
If someone wows you with their keen perceptions and spot-on observations, you could say they’re astute. This word describes people who are shrewd, intelligent, and always the first to connect the dots.

crafty
While crafty can mean that someone is great with a sewing machine, it also means “cunning; deceitful; sly.” This doesn’t mean a crafty loved one is up to no good. It just means you want them on your team on game night.

wise
Wise describes the person you go to for advice, support, and to talk about the deep stuff. Wise means “having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right.” These people are like the lighthouses in the storms of life.

shrewd
If that special person in your life always knows how to get the best deals or how to convince people to be on their side, they might be shrewd. Shrewd means “cunning or tricky; artful,” and it’s a word for people who know how to use their deep intelligence to their advantage.

bright
No, we don’t mean the person you love is shining like a light bulb. Bright means “quick-witted or intelligent.” It’s a word that describes people who have many skills, catch on quickly, and are always capable of learning something new.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

“Commonwealth” vs. “State”: Which One Do You Reside In?

It’s common knowledge that there are 50 states in the United States of America—and you might even be able to name them all—but did you know that four of them are technically considered commonwealths?

You might even live in one of these four and not even know it. Read on to find out if you do, and if so, what that means for how your state—sorry, your commonwealth—is governed. We’ll also try to clear up the state of confusion by sharing our wealth of knowledge about what commonwealth means in other contexts.

Quick summary

Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and Massachusetts are commonly referred to as states, but they are actually legally designated as commonwealths. But the difference is only in the name—being a commonwealth doesn’t entail any legal or governmental differences from the other 46 states.

What does commonwealth mean?

Commonwealth has several different meanings (and it is often capitalized). It can refer to a federation of states (Australia is designated as a Commonwealth in this way), a self-governing US territory (Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands are designated as Commonwealths in this way), or an association of nations (such as what’s known as the British Commonwealth or the Commonwealth of Nations). It can also be used in more general ways, such as to refer to the body of people of a nation or any group of people united by some common interest. Commonwealth combines the word common and wealth (as in “the condition of being happy and prosperous”).

But in the context of the US and its 50 states, the word commonwealth is simply used as another word for state in the official names of four states in particular.

Which states are commonwealths?

Four US states are technically designated as commonwealths: Pennsylvania (admitted to the union December 12, 1787), Massachusetts (February 6, 1788), Virginia (June 25, 1788), and Kentucky (June 1, 1792). The first three were among the original 13 colonies (Kentucky was part of Virginia until it became the 15th state). All four use the word commonwealth in their official name: the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

You might have noticed that we’ve called the four of them states, and, frankly, so does just about everyone else—including their residents. After all, we usually say that the US has 50 states (not 46 states and four commonwealths).

So what does this mean in practical terms? What sets commonwealths apart from other states?

What is the difference between a state and a commonwealth?

Other than the name, there really is no legal or governmental difference between states known as states and states known as commonwealths. The word commonwealth was simply the word chosen as the official designation of each of them as a political entity—and the one used in official founding documents like the state constitution (it’s typically understood to imply that the commonwealth was founded through the common will of the people and for the common good). In fact, the word state is also often used in such documents without any distinction.

In addition, the states of Vermont and Delaware use both commonwealth and state in official documents.

How to use commonwealth vs. state

\When it comes to Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and Massachusetts, the word commonwealth is really only used in the context of their official names in official documents—or as a bit of good trivia. In general, all four are most commonly called states.

In other contexts, the word commonwealth may have more importance or entail a legal distinction. For example, because Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth territory of the US, its citizens are US citizens, but they do not have all the legal rights of the citizens of US states.

Examples of commonwealth and state used in a sentence

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the race or ethnicity of the individual.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky was admitted into the Union as the 15th state in 1792.

Copyright 2024, XAKKHRA, All Rights Reserved.

Are you or someone you love suffering from sleepless nights?

Have you ever stayed up all night watching someone you love struggle to sleep? I have, and this is how I cared for my daughter without relying on medication...


Whether it’s your child, partner, parent, or a dear friend, watching someone you care about struggle with insomnia is heartbreaking. I’ve been there too, as a father caring for my daughter. I’ve shared my journey and the knowledge I gained in The Secret of Insomnia. If you’re seeking hope or guidance, I encourage you to read this personal review. Sometimes, understanding and sharing experiences can make all the difference.

If you're interested in learning more, please read A Personal Review of "The Secret of Insomnia" below:

A Personal Review of "The Secret of Insomnia"

As the author of this book, I feel a deep responsibility to write this review—not for my own benefit, but to help others who may be struggling with a loved one suffering from insomnia.

I used the knowledge in this book to care for my 8-year-old daughter, who had difficulty sleeping at night. I deeply understand the pain of watching someone you love, especially your own child, experience sleeplessness. My daughter began to have trouble sleeping after her mother—my beloved wife—passed away when she was just 6 years old.

At first, she managed to sleep well enough. But after about a year, she began to experience issues. She found it difficult to fall asleep and often stayed awake until the early morning. Sometimes, she would wake up at 1 or 2 a.m., and it would take her hours—sometimes between 2 to 6 hours—to fall back asleep. Over time, she developed what I call "unconscious bedtime anxiety," a dangerous stage in insomnia. If someone begins to fear sleep without realizing it, the situation can quickly spiral out of control.

Knowing this, I felt an immense sense of responsibility to prevent her from reaching that stage. I committed myself to understanding and creating knowledge to help her before things worsened. This sense of duty led me to write "The Secret of Insomnia," a book I describe as "Truth from Phenomena," shaped by my direct observations and experiences with my daughter's sleeplessness. Every method, every process detailed in this book stems from the responsibility I felt in addressing my daughter's insomnia.

Today, although my daughter’s condition has improved significantly, there are still moments when new emotional challenges arise. When she carries heavy emotional burdens, it affects her ability to sleep, and the insomnia returns. During these times, I guide her back to the knowledge within this book. Together, we reflect and apply the lessons, helping her to navigate through the insomnia. Throughout this journey, I have never relied on medication—only the methods developed in this book.

Although I am the author, I use the knowledge in this book as a reader as well. That’s why I’m writing this review—not to promote the book, but to give hope to those suffering from insomnia, whether it’s yourself or someone you love. I hope this knowledge can guide you or your loved ones through this suffering.

Lastly, I want to thank every reader who has taken the time to understand this book, even though it’s not always easy. It contains complexities, including scientific insights from Future Frontier Science, but for those willing to persevere, the knowledge within can be transformative.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the person who rated this book 4 stars last night. I had been anxiously waiting, wondering if anyone would find value in the book. Your review gave me the courage to write this—not just as the author, but as a father who uses this knowledge to care for his daughter, who is the heart of my love and my late wife’s legacy.

With Conscientious Responsibility,
Ekarach Chandon


If you’d like to purchase the book, you can click the link here: The Secret of Insomnia.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRKSVV3H

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Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei
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3:59 PM · Oct 6, 2024 · 19.2K Views
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How To Create Atmosphere & Mood In Your Writing To Engage Your Readers

Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone…
—The Haunting of Hill House (1959), Shirley Jackson

After reading that opening, we bet you’re wondering what happens next. The best authors and writers always find a way to draw their readers in, get them invested in the work, and leave them desperate to read the next sentence, the next paragraph, the next page.

How do they do this?

Writers have many tools in their toolboxes to make their work compelling, but a huge part of what draws us into stories is atmosphere and mood. Authors like Shirley Jackson use language, descriptions, and other devices to pull readers into a different world. Through atmosphere and mood, authors establish a tone for their work, create ambience, and evoke emotions. Keep reading to learn how the pros establish atmosphere and mood in their work, and to get some tried and true strategies for creating this magic in your own writing.

What are atmosphere and mood?

Atmosphere is “the dominant mood or emotional tone of a work of art, as of a play or novel.” If you think of your story, essay or other writing as a room, what does your reader feel upon walking into that room? That’s an easy way to consider the overall atmosphere of your piece. While the importance of atmosphere is commonly associated with poetry and fiction, it is also vital to adding depth to personal essays and other types of nonfiction writing as well.

Mood is a part and parcel of atmosphere, but they aren’t necessarily the same thing or always in lock step. Mood describes “a state or quality of feeling at a particular time,” and the mood of a story, poem, or essay can shift depending on the events, characters, setting, or changing information.

Atmosphere and mood work together, but they aren’t always in agreement. A story may have a suffocating or foreboding atmosphere, but within that atmosphere, readers can still experience feelings of joy, wonder, sadness, or hope.

Examples of atmosphere and mood

Now that you understand the basics of what mood and atmosphere are, let’s look at a few examples to see how atmosphere and mood work in action.

1. “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore –
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door …

Why it works

In just a few lines, Poe creates an atmosphere of suspense for the reader. It’s late at night, there’s a strange knocking at the door, and it’s reasonable to suspect something mysterious or even dangerous is waiting on the other side. In this example, the atmosphere is created not only by the setting, but also by the language used. Words like dreary, weary, curious, and lore help to create an atmosphere that feels spooky and mystical. And the rhythm of the poetry also gives the lines an intriguing musicality. The end result is the reader wants to know who is knocking just as much as the main character does.

2. “Shipping Out” by David Foster Wallace

“I have now seen sucrose beaches and water a very bright blue. I have seen an all-red leisure suit with flared lapels. I have smelled suntan lotion spread over 2,100 pounds of hot flesh. I have been addressed as ‘Mon’ in three different nations. I have seen 500 upscale Americans dance Electric Slide. I have seen sunsets that looked computer-enhanced. I have (very briefly) joined a conga line.”

Why it works

In this non-fiction travelogue, David Foster Wallace is talking about his experiences on luxury cruises. He opens by placing the reader directly onto a cruise ship. In the span of a paragraph, the reader experiences awe, curiosity, amusement, disgust, wonder, and excitement. Yet Wallace uses formal language (“I have seen”) and repetition (there’s that anaphora for you) to ironic effect. This creates an interesting juxtaposition of the elements of a tall tale with a bit of anthropological distance. This example, in particular, shows how mood can function independently from the atmosphere, and how both can change abruptly with the use of language.

Why atmosphere and mood matter

Atmosphere and mood are important because crafting an engaging story or essay involves more than just retelling events or facts in order. In order to draw readers in and get them invested in your writing, your work needs dimension. Atmosphere and mood work together to create that by:

- Communicating important details that place the reader in a scene.
- Making characters feel more real.
- Reinforcing themes and tone.
- Communicating genre elements.
- Solidifying world-building, or the fictional universe in which a story or poem takes place.

And, perhaps most important, atmosphere and mood are both tools for getting readers invested in the plot or details of a piece of writing. Mood helps them identify with characters in fiction, and atmosphere helps them become immersed in the narrative or information. Both are essential to writing something people want to read.

Tips for establishing and creating atmosphere in your writing

When you sit down to write, here are some important things to consider to help you easily add mood and atmosphere to your piece.

Choose your words carefully.
Think about how you want readers to feel when they read your work. What language and descriptions can you include to evoke those emotions? While you’re in the process of examining your language, try your best to avoid clichés. “It was a dark and stormy night” has been used so many times that it won’t do much to draw your reader into a scene. In fact, cliché phrases can sometimes even pull the reader out of the work and distract them. That’s not what you want!

Deploy strong imagery.

“Show, don’t tell” is probably among the most repeated pieces of writing advice, but that’s because it works. If you just say a house looks old, that may not pull the reader into the house. Instead, talk about the mossy, rotting floorboards and the peeling wallpaper. Use imagery to build a world around the person reading.

Be detailed.

If you’re writing a story or poem, offer specific details about the setting and time period. Drop careful hints about what is coming to build tension and anticipation. If you’re working on an essay, make sure each detail is thorough and succinct. Most importantly, make sure any main component of your story or argument is thoroughly fleshed out to paint the clearest picture possible for the reader.

Incorporate literary devices.

Similes, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole, and other literary devices can be especially helpful in developing atmosphere and mood. Of course, if you’re writing a more formal essay, you should use your judgment as to whether or not literary devices are a good fit for the piece, but a well-placed metaphor can go far in helping you make an important point.

Make use of your characters and dialogue.

Atmosphere and mood aren’t only created in descriptions of the setting. You can also use character descriptions, their words, and their actions to add to the mood or atmosphere you’re trying to create. For example, if you’re writing a horror story, you might describe your character’s shaky dialogue and uneven breathing. Perhaps they’re even pale with fright or have wide eyes. Readers can easily experience the atmosphere through characters.

Good spelling counts, too

Now that you know more about crafting mood and atmosphere in your writing, you’re ready to get started. But those aren’t the only elements of good writing to consider. Work on your next story, poem, or essay using Thesaurus.com’ Grammar Coach™. It will help you spot spelling errors and overused words and help you take your writing to the next level in real time.

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