Why do we say "Cheese" when we get our photo taken?

The Social Evolutionary

Smile and say "Cheese"... or "Potatoes"?

Learn English with Rachael Professional English Teacher

Rachael English Teacher Podcast

EMOJIS
(A)  Emoticons sind BELIEBTE Hilfsmittel in der digitalen Kommunikation. Sie machen einen Austausch zwischen zwei Leuten lebendiger, sie helfen aber auch, Missverständnisse zu vermeiden. 

(B)  Im Gegensatz zu einer realen Unterhaltung sehen wir im digitalen Raum den Gesichtsausdruck unseres Gesprächspartners nicht. Auch seine Gesten und und seine Stimme fehlen in dieser Kommunikation. Emojis können diese emotionalen Aspekte BIS ZU EINEM GEWISSEN GRAD vermitteln. 

(C)  Das "augenzwinkernde Smiley" 😉 zum Beispiel kann den humorvollen Unterton einer Nachricht ausdrücken. Ein Herz ♥ kann ein Wort in einer Gratulation ersetzen. Das Daumen-hoch-Emoji 👍 kann für eine ganze Antwort stehen. 

(D)  Emoticons dienen hauptsächlich dazu, die zwischenmenschliche Ebene in der digitalen Kommunikation zu unterstützen. Abstrakte Ideen oder grammatikalisch komplexe Details können sie nicht darstellen. Trotzdem wird jeder ZUSTIMMEN: Ein Bild sagt mehr als tausend Worte.

LearnGermanToday

Emojis

North Macedonia is a small European country with no coastline. It's surrounded by places that are more popular with tourists, including Greece to the south.

But wait — don't write off North Macedonia just yet! Here are just a few good reasons to visit a country Lonely Planet calls a "little-known gem."

Many travelers start with a place that's been described as one of Europe's best-kept secrets: Lake Ohrid.

The area, which includes the lake and the old town of Ohrid, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's easy to see why.

Old monasteries look down over the clear blue waters of the lake, which is one of Europe's oldest and deepest.

The town, which is said to be home to 365 churches — one for each day of the year — is also one of Europe's oldest. You can walk along the walls of the fortress, look around the town's old streets or relax by the water.

But there's more to see in a country that was part of Yugoslavia until 1991. Travel away from the lake and you'll find green national parks that are still home to bears, wolves and lynx.

But don't worry: there are lots of places where you can enjoy nature without getting close to those animals! Some people like to walk 2,500 meters to the top of Ljuboten, which means "the peak of love."

In winter, those same mountains are great for skiing. Many visitors choose to go to Mavrovo National Park, which is not far from Ohrid.

The capital, Skopje, is in the north of the country. It's a city full of quirky statues and lots of different types of architecture.

And don't miss the beautiful painted mosque in the nearby town of Tetovo.

North Macedonia might not be a hidden gem for much longer!




Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

North Macedonia: 'Little-Known Gem' Worth a Visit

Step into the enchanting world of Ramadan rituals in Damascus! Experience the heartwarming tradition of 'Iftar,' where families draw closer, and the city finds tranquility. This episode is a short version from my comprehensive podcast book. Dive into the full, immersive experience by accessing the book on Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3DBW2JH 
The audio version: 
https://speakrealarabic.com/course/The-Syrian-Encounters

Beyond Borders: Immersing in Syrian Culture

Ramadan Rituals in Syria 

Today we will read an article. You should listen and read in parallel. Ideally after doing that twice you should read the text out loud by yourself.

Article we will read today is: Первое — лучшее: как синдром утенка отравляет нам жизнь
Source: https://trends.rbc.ru/trends/education/61bb01b29a794780796740d4

After listening to the text, please answer the following questions in comments:
1) Что такое синдром утёнка? Опишите  одним предложением.
2) Синдром утёнка встречается только у обитателей животного мира или у людей тоже?
3) Приведите свой пример (из жизни или придуманный) проявления синдрома утёнка.

I will thoroughly check your answers! Hope to hear some weird examples!

Listen and read

Синдром утёнка (B1-B2)

В этом подкасте я назову 10 идиом о еде. Приятного прослушивания!


Привет, это Наташа!

Эпизод 25. Идиомы о еде в русском языке.

・世界で一番短い会話？「け」「く」の紹介
・「け」の意味、「く」の意味
・使い方の紹介
・東北地方の方言の特徴について
・まとめ

Nihongo tokidoki Inaka hougen with Megumi Na

Is this a conversation?「け」「く」世界で一番短い会話？Enjoy learning Tohoku dialect!

C’était il y a trois ans. C’était un soir, dans une petite ruelle sombre près d’une des grandes gares. Elle se tenait dans l’encadrement d’une porte, sous un lampadaire qui éclairait à peine. Elle avait un visage jeune, très maquillé. C’est le maquillage qui m’a attiré, sa blancheur, comme un masque, et les lèvres rouge vif. Les femmes du Parti ne se maquillent jamais. Il n’y avait personne d’autre dans la rue, et pas de télécran. Elle a dit : deux dollars. Je. . .