(a student's discussion of the reasons why Switzerland could win the European Championship)
"[...] However, the Swiss national team has really good physical abilities. They can run faster than me without losing breath. I must mention that I faint after running about ten meters. Unfortunately, I am not the measure of all things. So they were not as fast as the German players at the last game. In other words, the Swiss players were as fast as a turtle, whereas the German players were Speedy Gonzales. Nevertheless, the Swiss national team has good physical abilities - compared to me.
Switzerland therefore has not had good results since the World Football Championship. [...] Actually, these bad results could be only a diversionary tactic. Switzerland will play much better during the European championship. Moreover, the opposing team will be confused because they will have underestimated our team. This reason is the most improbable one, but hope springs eternal."
C: … uh … ^what's his name _
Clark Gable Gable Clark Gable \
P: Yeah Clark ^Gable \
C: How do you say Clark Gable ((in Italian)) \
P: What's his ^real name \
his ^real name is /^klʌrke ^ga:ble/
((imitates Italian pronunciation))
S: @@@
Ch: A:nd … <@ it's often like this @> \
P: And just [that's just] in in in ^boring situations \
Ch: [and then]
P: when things have to be –
Ch: … lightened ^up /
P: yeah … just a little bit _
S: so you lighten them ^up by making things I^talian \
P: <@ yeah it's really ^funny @> \
Ch: It's ^re::ally funny \
How cool is
this.
I especially recommend the "Indogermanisches Etymologisches Woerterbuch".
"The young people were pleased with each other from the first. On each side there was much to attract, and their acquaintance soon promised as early an intimacy as good manners would warrant. Miss Crawford’s beauty did her no disservice with the Miss Bertrams. They were too handsome themselves to dislike any woman for being so too, and were almost as much charmed as their brothers with her lively dark eye, clear brown complexion, and general prettiness. Had she been tall, full formed, and fair, it might have been more of a trial: but as it was, there could be no comparison; and she was most allowably a sweet, pretty girl, while they were the finest young women in the country.
Her brother was not handsome: no, when they first saw him he was absolutely plain, black and plain; but still he was the gentleman, with a pleasing address. The second meeting proved him not so very plain: he was plain, to be sure, but then he had so much countenance, and his teeth were so good, and he was so well made, that one soon forgot he was plain; and after a third interview, after dining in company with him at the Parsonage, he was no longer allowed to be called so by anybody. He was, in fact, the most agreeable young man the sisters had ever known, and they were equally delighted with him. Miss Bertram’s engagement made him in equity the property of Julia, of which Julia was fully aware; and before he had been at Mansfield a week, she was quite ready to be fallen in love with."
From: Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, Beginning of Chapter 5.
"The dean of a major medical school, perplexed as to why his institution was unsuccessful in its attempts to recruit female students, asked [someone] to investigate the problem. What emerged was striking. One of the interviewes had been rating applicants with respect to their 'emotional maturity,' 'seriousness of interest in medicine,' and 'neuroticism'. As it turned out, the vast majority of females did not receive positive evaluations on any of his criteria. Specifically, whenever the woman was not married, he judged her to be 'immature.' When she was married, he concluded that she was 'not sufficiently interested in medicine.' And when she was divorced? 'Neurotic,' of course. No win. No escape. No admittance." (67)
Shiraev, Eric and David Levy. 2004. Cross-Cultural Psychology. Boston: Pearson.
