Reddit mentions: The best language & grammar books

We found 3,592 Reddit comments discussing the best language & grammar books. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 1,452 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

1. Spencerian Penmanship (Theory Book plus five copybooks)

    Features:
  • Used Book in Good Condition
Spencerian Penmanship (Theory Book plus five copybooks)
Specs:
Height12.24 Inches
Length9.5 Inches
Number of items5
Release dateFebruary 1985
Weight0.9 Pounds
Width0.8 Inches
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2. The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading

The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading
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Height11 Inches
Length8.5 Inches
Number of items1
Weight1.79 Pounds
Width0.79 Inches
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5. The ALL NEW Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate

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  • Ships from Vermont
The ALL NEW Don't Think of an Elephant!: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate
Specs:
Height9 Inches
Length6 Inches
Number of items1
Weight0.54895103238 Pounds
Width0.5 Inches
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7. Spencerian Copybooks 1-5, Set, without Theory Book (Spencerian Penmanship)

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  • Used Book in Good Condition
Spencerian Copybooks 1-5, Set, without Theory Book (Spencerian Penmanship)
Specs:
Height7.7 Inches
Length8.4 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateFebruary 1985
Weight0.7 Pounds
Width0.7 Inches
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8. Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

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  • Little Brown and Company
Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
Specs:
Height8.25 Inches
Length5.5 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateJanuary 2008
Weight0.6172943336 Pounds
Width1.15 Inches
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9. The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention

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  • Holt Paperbacks
The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention
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Height9.15 Inches
Length6.0999878 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateMay 2006
Weight0.9 Pounds
Width1.4 Inches
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12. Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics, 11th Edition

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  • Used Book in Good Condition
Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics, 11th Edition
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Height10.62 Inches
Length7.62 Inches
Number of items1
Weight3.25 Pounds
Width1.7 Inches
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13. Describing Morphosyntax: A Guide for Field Linguists

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Describing Morphosyntax: A Guide for Field Linguists
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Height9 Inches
Length6 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateOctober 1997
Weight1.30734121366 Pounds
Width0.97 Inches
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14. Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction

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  • Wiley-Blackwell
Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction
Specs:
Height9.598406 Inches
Length6.700774 Inches
Number of items1
Weight2.13407469616 Pounds
Width1.29921 Inches
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15. Thinking about Mathematics: The Philosophy of Mathematics

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Thinking about Mathematics: The Philosophy of Mathematics
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Height5.43 Inches
Length8.44 Inches
Number of items1
Weight0.91712300992 Pounds
Width0.69 Inches
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16. Moral Politics : How Liberals and Conservatives Think

    Features:
  • HarperCollins Publishers
Moral Politics : How Liberals and Conservatives Think
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Height8.44 Inches
Length5.38 Inches
Number of items1
Weight1.1904962148 Pounds
Width1.3 Inches
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17. The Ultimate French Review and Practice

The Ultimate French Review and Practice
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Height10 Inches
Length7 Inches
Number of items1
Weight1.72401488884 Pounds
Width0.9 Inches
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18. A New History of Western Philosophy

Clarendon Press
A New History of Western Philosophy
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Length9.1 Inches
Number of items1
Weight3.43039279672 Pounds
Width6 Inches
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19. Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man

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  • Introduction by Lewis H. Lapham
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Specs:
ColorGrey
Height0.97 Inches
Length8.9 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateOctober 1994
Weight1.19931470528 Pounds
Width5.94 Inches
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20. Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It

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  • Used Book in Good Condition
Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It
Specs:
Height9 Inches
Length6 Inches
Number of items1
Weight0.59 Pounds
Width0.5 Inches
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🎓 Reddit experts on language & grammar books

The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where language & grammar books are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Total score: 1,543
Number of comments: 152
Relevant subreddits: 3
Total score: 554
Number of comments: 50
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Total score: 169
Number of comments: 23
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Total score: 156
Number of comments: 60
Relevant subreddits: 4
Total score: 126
Number of comments: 36
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 120
Number of comments: 24
Relevant subreddits: 1
Total score: 101
Number of comments: 24
Relevant subreddits: 2
Total score: 61
Number of comments: 15
Relevant subreddits: 7
Total score: 36
Number of comments: 16
Relevant subreddits: 4
Total score: 12
Number of comments: 12
Relevant subreddits: 2

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Top Reddit comments about Words, Language & Grammar:

u/Mr_Cutestory · 190 pointsr/Games

I'm glad to see someone discussing these post-modern philosophies in the context of games. Like others have mentioned, these are not unheard of concepts in the realm of academia and the arts. You seem to have that crucial curiosity that leads to learning and understanding, but little of the cultural and historical context to make it concrete, so maybe I can direct you to a few examples that might supplement some of these thoughts and might serve as a launching point for further research!

---

First, I'll suggest something more accessible in podcast form: this is a lesser-known science/culture topical podcast of very brief, 20 minute episodes, but is also a comedy podcast, so you might find it fun as well. Doesn't get too deep into it, but is a very good and enjoyable point of entry!

I. http://wehaveconcerns.com/2014/08/like-this/

Discusses how Facebook's underlying algorithms recursively feed us information and points of view we want to see and agree with. Suggests the increasing machination of the human interaction with logic algorithms and how it reinforces our tribalist tendencies, like Campbell was talking about in Metal Gear.

II. http://wehaveconcerns.com/2014/12/must-seethe-tv/

Discusses the phenomenon of "Hate Watching," or consuming a show, movie, or other media for the express purposes of hating on it. Points to that same moral tribalism from earlier, and our tendency to use media to reinforce in-groups and out-groups.

III. http://wehaveconcerns.com/2015/01/creeping-self-doubt/

Discusses the paradoxical concept of 'self' and our relation to the physical universe as it relates to the brain and body. Describes a Post-Cartesian self; Descartes said "I think, therefore I am," but a post-modern definition of self suggests a more distributed organism rather than a neuro-centric one.

EDIT: This being a gaming sub, the podcast hosts have worked in the gaming industry and might be familiar: Anthony Carboni, formerly of Rev3games, and Jeff Cannata, formerly of The TotallyRadShow and currently of DLC podcast.

---

Next up is a bit more of a read, but you should find it interesting. (Two excellent reads!)

I. http://www.academia.edu/3868290/What_Can_a_Body_Do_Stelarc_and_the_Body_s_Potentiality

Stelarc, Australian artist, whose work discusses the Post-Cartesian self & the prosthetic identity of the human. Notable exhibitions include The Prosthetic Head and The Ping Body.

Borrowing from the work of Marshall McLuhan, (who coined the phrase "The medium is the message," you can read more about his ideas here and here,) he conceptualizes the body as a permeable boundary, and thus sees media as an extension of the human central nervous system. Campbell was suggesting similar concepts in Metal Gear, as the branches of the collective media are informed by central human tendencies. Speaking of games and McLuhan, Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid and The Witness, gives an interesting talk on the gaming medium, entitled "The Medium is the Message." Only tangentially related, but very much worth the watch!

II. http://stelarc.org/documents/ZurgruggARTICLE-Stelarc_Virilio.pdf

Discusses how media-technology has made a much broader spectrum of geography and time instantly accessible to the modern man, making the concept of 'now' completely bastard, where nothing dies and, perhaps, nothing lives.

---

Finally, I'll direct you to my favorite writer, post-modern fictionalist and grand-daddy of cyberpunk, William Gibson.

I. http://lib.ru/GIBSON/frag_rose.txt

Gibson's first published story, the very brief Fragments of a Hologram Rose, (1977.) Again, the post-modern concept of self, of relationships with others, the world, and technology.

And if you liked it, of course move onto his Sprawl Trilogy, which further portrays these concepts in the context of cyberpunk. Can't go wrong with his seminal Neuromancer, (1984,) the first entry into Sprawl, which inspired pretty much the entire shape of our increasingly decentralized world, the internet, and cyber-culture e.g. The Matrix (1999.)


The works of Italian writer Umberto Eco and Argentine writer Jorges Luis Borges might also intrigue you, (but they are admittedly dense, at least it was for me!)

---

On a relatively minor note, because it's a gaming subreddit, I'd like to throw in Bioshock, (2007,) which did some wonderful stuff with narrative that is slightly relevant. [Bioshock, 2007 SPOILERS](#s "Fontaine, disguised as the voice of Atlas, guided you through the story in, quite literally, the most video-gamey way possible: invisible-narrator-guy says "Kindly do this, pick this up, go here, shoot this guy." When it's revealed that you were being manipulated the whole time, the sense of player agency; the most unique aspect of the video game medium, is revealed to have been a farce. Bioshock, in a really awesome twist, uses the video game medium to discuss the illusory nature of individual agency in a compelling fashion. It really speaks to the relationship we have with media, and how it can pose very interesting questions about the nature of self. As McLuhan said, the medium is the message.")

Another quick note, but can we all take a second to appreciate how awesome Kojima is? I know that Kojima love is in-vogue as of late, particularly because of his falling out with Konami, but as evidenced by your post, there is a lot more going on in his work than most people realize. Even his new Death Stranding trailer is filled with batshit ontological symbolism!

---

Well, I hope my mini-crash-course at least piqued your interest in the slightest. It's not by any means comprehensive, but I hope you might glean something from it. And let's not understate the fact that we're interacting through the internet right now, and the very themes we are discussing that these great artists and thinkers have espoused are manifesting, literally, as we speak. Again, the medium is the message. If you (or anyone) end up checking any of it out, feel free to let me know what you thought! If not, it's cool!

EDIT: Almost forgot! Check out Spike Jonze's, Her. One of my all time favorite films. (Watch online, Amazon) Again, portrays the increasingly post-modern relationship we have with technology, society, and other people in an absolutely beautiful, affecting way. Highlights inevitability of growth and the subsequent fundamental needs and incompatibilities inherent in any relationship.

u/IamChurchill · 3 pointsr/Sat



Hey you can use any or all of the below mentioned resources:

WEBSITES:

  1. Khan Academy; Official partner of the College Board. It consists of videos & questions related to each & every section of the SAT Test with detailed explanations & performance tracking. And it's totally free!
  2. UWorld; This websites boasts of having a collection of more than 1800+ questions. with detailed explanation, detailed rationales for incorrect answers, performance tracking, vivid illustrations, track time to improve your speed, compare your results to peers and a lot more. PAID.
  3. 1600.io; Offers multidimensional online instruction for the SAT. In addition to it also offers course-by-course basis preparation. It covers about 3,000 real SAT questions in 200 hours of video instruction. Although I don't have an experience with this site but it's highly appreciated by other test takers. PAID.

    BOOKS:

  • Mathematics: Personally I don't fine this section on SAT abstruse so I think following books are more than enough to ace the SAT-Maths section;

  1. The College Panda's SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook for the New SAT; The best thing about this book is that it focuses on every particular section of SAT making it easy to comprehend & more helpful than the books that randomly talks about all the topics at once. Practice questions are incredible and are backed-up with Nielson's very simple & easy to understand answers & explanations. Also, there is a Website and any errors made in printing are mentioned on it.
  2. The College Panda's 10 Practice Test For The SAT Math; Running out of Practice test? Want something more? Well this book has some relatively realistic versions of the SAT's mathematics sections (both calculator and no-calculator).
  3. PWN The SAT: Math Guide; Still not satisfied with your SAT preparation? Longing for something more? When you're done with this book you'll be able to approach the SAT with confidence - very few questions will surprise you, and even fewer will be able to withstand your withering attacks.

  • Writing:

  1. The Ultimate Guide To SAT Grammar, 4th Ed; It isn't about drilling as most of them (books) are. It's about the philosophy of the SAT. Author backs up her advice with relevant questions from Khan Academy in each chapter & provides comprehensive coverage of all the grammar & rhetoric tested on the redesigned SAT Writing & Language Test. Two things that you'd miss - lack of enough practice questions & its overpricing (Especially for International Students). She had a Website where you can look-up for Errata & other college related information. You'll also get a practice question each day prepared by Erica herself!
  2. The Ultimate Guide To SAT Grammar WB, 4th Ed; Fall short on practice questions? Need something to execute what you've learned so far? This accompanying workbook to The Ultimate Guide to SAT® Grammar contains six full-length tests in redesigned SAT format, each accompanied by thorough explanations designed to reinforce the concepts and strategies covered in the main grammar book.
  3. The College Panda's SAT Writing: Advanced Guide & WB, 2nd Ed; This one is truly geared towards the student aiming for the perfect score. It leaves no stones unturned. It has clear explanations of all the tested SAT grammar rules, from the simplest to the most obscure, tons of examples to illustrate each question type and the different ways it can show up, hundreds of drills and practice questions to help you master the concepts and a lot more. AND, THREE PRACTICE TESTS.

  • Reading: Probably the "hardest-to-score" section on the SAT test.

  1. The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition; Intended to clearly and systematically demystify what is often considered the most challenging section of the SAT, this book provides a comprehensive review of the reading skills tested on the redesigned exam for students who are serious about raising their scores. Meltzer's explanations and tricks are very descriptive and include hints to easily discern the correct answer through process of elimination. Major drawback? Well, it lacks enough practice questions & is highly overpriced!

  • ESSAY: For this section I'd say Khan Academy + these 2 books are more than enough. If you work with these modestly I guarantee you can easily achieve a perfect score on SAT Essay;

  1. The College Panda's SAT Essay; The writer covers all of the main facets of the new SAT Essay, including the scoring, structure and key elements of a rhetorical analysis, combined with more strategic advice regarding such topics as paragraph structure, transitions, vocabulary usage, length, writing speed, quotations, examples, and the elements of persuasion. Author's high-scoring essay from the May 2016 exam is included where he shares everything from what he did right as well as the subtle things he initially missed.
  2. SAT Vocabulary: A New Approach; Covers key vocabulary for the Reading Test, Writing and Language Test, and Essay. This book offers an approach that is aligned with the new SAT’s focus on vocabulary in context. The concluding chapter on the Essay is short but outstanding. The chapter features a particularly helpful presentation on 6 persuasive devices, a list of 25 top Essay vocabulary words, and best of all a real Level 24 essay written by a real student on the November 2016 SAT.

    Hope this helps. If liked, please don't forget to up-vote. And all the best for your preparation and test.
u/WillieConway · 5 pointsr/askphilosophy

A book that might interest you and him is Herbert Marcuse's One-Dimensional Man. Marcuse was a Marxist thinker, and he wrote that book as a criticism of what the individual has become in advanced industrial society. He is a clear and entertaining writer, and he has a lot of examples to support his ideas.

A much harder book from a non-Marxist perspective is Stanley Cavell's The Claim of Reason. Cavell is a tricky writer--he's hard to read quickly, and he doesn't have totally organized arguments. Nonetheless, he talks a lot about what it means to be human and what it means to deny one's own or another's humanity. I'd only recommend this book if your partner knows something about philosophy already.

Then there is a thinker like Emmanuel Levinas, who writes about how it is to experience other people. He's also a bit tough to read, but he has a fascinating and highly influential idea of our ethical responsibility to other people. His classic work is Totality and Infinity.

Existentialism talks a great deal about what it is to be human. The thinker Jean-Paul Sartre wrote that there is no human nature, only a human condition. His big book is Being and Nothingness.

The German thinker Hannah Arendt might just be the closest fit to your partner's interest. She wrote a book called The Human Condition that is all about what it means to act.

One last suggestion: it's not quite philosophy per se, but if your partner is interested in technology and media and the effects it has on people, then Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man might be a good gift. McLuhan is not a hard writer, and he has short chapters. He's a bit of a funny writer though, not only because he makes jokes but because he sometimes makes claims without even an attempt to back them up. However, the book is a blast for someone who is interested in how, say, the electric lightbulb changed human life. Of the books I've mentioned here, it's probably the easiest read.

Hope those suggestions help. By the way, if you could give a sense of your partner's education level it would help. As I said, the Cavell book is probably best for someone who has studied philosophy in depth already. On the other hand, I think a beginner could get into McLuhan and work through Marcuse.

u/UltraFlyingTurtle · 2 pointsr/writing

I totally understand. I need some structure as well.

I've bought so many creative writing books, and I've realized the best ones are the ones used in college classrooms.

This one is my favorite. You can do a writing exercise from it everyday, and you'll improve greatly. Unfortunately it's pricey at $67 (try to get a used version at half the cost).

What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers (3rd Edition)

What's great is that each chapter builds your skills gradually, starting with exercises to write good intro sentences, then to character development, point of view, dialogue, interior landscape of characters, plot, element of style, revisions, learning from the greats, etc.

The authors have said this has been the best way to see improvements from their students, and it's been working for me. Unlike other writing exercise books, this one has a clear structure, and moreover, they really go in depth in explaining the exercise and it's goal -- the technique it's trying to develop.

What I find especially helpful is that the book includes student examples for most of the examples. I own many writing exercises books, and so often I need to a clue on how to execute the exercises or I'm lost. The book also comes with short stories to study, too.

I was so skeptical about the book, since it isn't cheap, but the reviews on Amazon won me over. Read those reviews -- so many people recommend the book.

Note, if you can't afford it, there is the original, much cheaper version. It's much smaller, and doesn't have as many student examples or extra content (like the short stories), but it's costs way less. I'm guessing this was the original book before they expanded into a college textbook. I also own it also and it's still good. It's nice to carry around with me if I don't want to take the much larger newer version.

My other recommendation is this book:[The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing by Alice LaPlante](
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Story-Norton-Creative-Writing/dp/0393337081/)

LaPlante is great at explaining the little nuances, the details in what makes creative fiction work. She goes into more details, and has writing exercises at the end of each chapter, including a short story to read. So she gives more theory of how good writing works. She avoids flowery or abstract advice found in so many other books.

I found it an excellent companion to the "What If" book.

This book is also used in college courses, and it's thick! Lots of material. Fortunately, however, this version I linked is around $13. This is the same exact book as the college version for $52 (named "Method and Madness: The Making of a Story").

Lastly, this isn't a college writing book, but just a bunch of really helpful exercises on how to improve as a writer.

Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer by Roy Peter Clark

What I like is that he gives examples to his exercises, too, from books, newspaper articles, etc. I really love all of Roy Peter Clark's writing books.

Anyway, good luck. I was in a deep writing funk. Depressed I wasn't improving, and I decided to write everyday using exercises from those books, and it's helped me so much.

Edit: typos.

u/ConnorOlds · 13 pointsr/writing
  • "On Writing," by Stephen King (http://amzn.com/B000FC0SIM) - The first half is a good biography, and the second half is great insight into how Stephen King comes up with his stories. Not just the genesis of the story, but that actual "I sit down and do this, with this, in this type of environment." And then what to do when you finish your first draft. He is very critical of plotting, though. If you disagree with him about that, it's still good for everything else.

  • "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White (http://amzn.com/020530902X) - This is a handy little book for proper grammatical and prose rules. How to write proper dialogue, where to put punctuation, and how to structure sentences to flow in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

  • "Stein On Writing" by Sol Stein (http://amzn.com/B00HFUJP5Y) - I just picked this book up, so I haven't finished it--but it seems to be a little more in depth than Stephen King's On Writing. For instance, it looks more at not just what makes a good story, but what makes a good story appealing to readers. So whereas Stephen King preaches a more organic growth and editing process to write a story, this one seems to be more focused on how to take your idea and make it a good story based on proven structure.

    Honorable mention:

  • "The Emotion Thesaurus" by Angela Ackerman (http://amzn.com/B00822WM2M) - This is incredibly useful when you're "showing" character emotions instead of "telling" the reader what those emotions are. For example, "He was curious," is telling the reader the character is curious. "He leaned forward, sliding his chair closer," is showing the reader that he is curious.

  • I think it's easy for writers (myself included) to get too wrapped up in studying writing, or reading about writing. The best way to improve your is to write more, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, articles or short stories, novels or book reviews. The same principle applies to most skills, art especially. While reading about the activity certainly helps and is probably necessary at some point, you're going to just have to perform the activity in order to improve. Imagine reading about running more than actually running to practice for a marathon. Or reading about flying instead of getting hours in. Or reading about piano theory instead of actually playing piano. But if you're coming from nothing, it would probably help to read those three books before starting in order to start practicing with a good background right away, instead of starting with nothing and winging it on your own.
u/mrperki · 1 pointr/shutupandwrite

Overall, I'm quite impressed with this.

I agree that you could use a bit of help with conveying emotion, but so could most writers, to be perfectly honest (I include myself in that camp). A good tip is to evoke emotion by describing the outward (physical) and inward (mental) expressions of it. For example, instead of saying "Robert seemed more relaxed and focused than before," describe what makes Robert seem more relaxed and focused: "Robert's restless fidgeting had subsided, and he was leaning back in his chair."

Everyone expresses emotions differently, so it's good to decide ahead of time how each character expresses anxiety, happiness, anger, or whatever feelings you expect them to have over the course of your story.

I quite like The Emotion Thesaurus as a reference for this type of thing, but be careful not to rely on another writer's ideas of expression too heavily. As long as you can use a reference like this as a starting point, rather than a crutch, you're in good shape.

My other general comment: don't be afraid of adding a bit more colourful description. You're somewhat like me, in that dialogue is clearly your strength, but you're a bit intimidated by descriptive text. You don't have to describe every feature in the room, or every single movement a character makes. The trick is to add a little bit here and there to break up the dialogue; right now I feel a bit like I'm reading a courtroom transcript instead of a work of creative fiction. The good news is that you're already good at bits of description (case in point: the line about the steam and smell of the tea is perfect). You just need to employ it a teeny bit more.

u/ReindeerHoof · 5 pointsr/classicalmusic

The first thing that I suggest is that you buy a reputable book that will teach you how to write. I'm not saying that you're a bad writer, but I would wager that most people write three times worse than they think they can (I am including myself). On Writing Well is a classic, and you might also want to read this one and this one, although I strongly recommend completing the first one. What's included is:

a) Keep it simple. Don't say it's going to be a turbulent precipitation, say that it's going to rain. A lot.

b) Study each adverb and adjective. Any words that aren't necessary should be cut. Is it really important to say that the violin was wooden? Probably not. What about the sentence "She smiled happily"? The "happily" isn't necessary, that's what "smiled" means.

c) Use specific verbs.

d) Consistency is key. Switching tenses or something similar in the middle of writing is generally a bad move.

e) Proofread. Duh. That goes hand in hand with editing.

So, yeah. You should really look into that stuff area. One read-through will help significantly.

Ok. So now that I finished preaching to you, let's move on. I didn't find any templates in my quick search, so that's of no use right now. What you can do, though, is study very well-written program notes. Are their sentences long or short? When are they longer or shorter, and why? Is the tone active or passive (psst. it's probably active)? What's the tone that they use, and what is your impression at the end? You get the gist. If you write down what you think your thoughts for three of these, you'll have a good idea what you're shooting for. Other than that, it's all up to you, so go nuts.

Anecdotes are also a nice way to make things entertaining. Search for stories, or impacts on the audience. Did you know there are at least six editions of the Rite of Spring? Why was the one your orchestra's performing (let's assume) created? Many people also don't know about the riot after its premier. Stravinsky escaped out the back entrance to avoid the aristocratic mob. Say fun things, win fun prizes, or something like that.

It's also important to know that stories tend to follow the path of one person. The Odyssey could have had its crew be the focus, instead it was Odysseus. Inside Out could have placed all the emotions front and center, but it was Sadness and Joy that saved the girl. Keep that in mind if you're going down a similar path.

Man, I went all out on this. Good luck with your program.

u/CrazyBohemian · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Some of these aren't on Amazon, but all of them outside of amazon are on my wishlist, is that okay?

1.) Something that is grey.

[This compilation of xkcd comics!] (http://www.amazon.com/xkcd-0-Randall-Munroe/dp/0615314465/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&coliid=I12D1D7CV12AVC) Though there aren't any formerly-unseen comics included, this is perfect for the lover of the famous (and always relevant) Xkcd webcomics.

2.) Something reminiscent of rain.

[This t-shirt for fans of Incubus that is apparently out of stock now, but I'm keeping it on my wishlist to gaze wistfully at.] (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/315rOsJeWzL._SL135_.jpg)
Incubus has always been one of my favorite bands, and all art that the lead singer (Brandon Boyd) produces is amazing, so I had high faith in this shirt being wonderful if I had the money to buy it.

3.) Something food related that is unusual.

[So I typed in "candy" and this popped up..] (http://www.amazon.com/LOCOMO-Rainbow-Hedgehog-Plastic-Baseball/dp/B00BRWH99K/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_2_49?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1376327288&sr=1-49&keywords=candy)
I'm not sure what I was expecting.

4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why.

[My mom has always wanted to learn calligraphy and someone recommended this book to me] (http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Calligraphy-Complete-Lettering-Design/dp/0767907329/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&coliid=I35YCU37X7E6Y2)
She paints signs for people, usually featuring newborn babies or pets, and she always has to print out a guide and trace it if her customers request a font for their name.

5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!

[This compilation of postsecrets-- artistic postcards with secrets written on them-- that are all touching in their own way.] (http://www.amazon.com/PostSecret-Extraordinary-Confessions-Ordinary-Lives/dp/0060899190/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&coliid=I22JZDFLS686V8)
If you haven't heard of Postsecret yet, you should check it out [here] (http://www.postsecret.com/)

6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!

I dunno!

7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)

I have two cats, but I got nothing for this one.

8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.

[This key from KeypersCove] (http://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Winter-Rose-Key-Necklace/dp/B00D3S4GVU/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376329005&sr=8-1&keywords=keypers+cove)
I had a similar one on my wishlist but it's out of stock now.

9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?

[Cloud Atlas!] (http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Atlas/dp/B00CRWJ5GO/ref=sr_sp-btf_title_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1376329072&sr=8-4&keywords=clouds+atlas)
Terribly confusing unless you see the [trailer] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWnAqFyaQ5s) first, it's surprisingly appropriate for this sub.

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.

[This climbing pick] (http://www.amazon.com/Omega-Pacific-Mountain-Axe-80cm/dp/B002J91R1G/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376330277&sr=8-2&keywords=climbing+pick)
Ever played Telltale's The Walking Dead? Well, one character had a climbing pick that they used pretty frequently to scale buildings and kill zombies..it opened my eyes to the possibilities and dual uses of items.

11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.

[This book] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Emotion-Thesaurus-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) for my writing skills, I always have trouble finding just the right way to convey the proper emotion, plus I have severe social anxiety so it would help me figure out how to act in real life as well.

[Or this book by the famous Virginia Woolf] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Waves-Harvest-Book-ebook/dp/B004R1Q41C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&coliid=IHP0D0N718720) just the type of writing style I'm aiming for.

[Or this book that I'm sure would help me with my technique.] (http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Tools-Essential-Strategies-Writer/dp/0316014990/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)

12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.

Hm?

13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?

I used to have this on my list, but a [Geiger counter] (http://www.amazon.com/Radex-RD1503-RADEX-Radiation-Detector/dp/B00051E906/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376331004&sr=8-1&keywords=geiger+counter) because I'm paranoid about radiation and etc. Deleted it off my list because it's not useful for everyday life.

14.) Something bigger than a bread box. EDIT A bread box is typically similar in size to a microwave.

I got nothing on my list.

15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.

[These socks] (http://www.amazon.com/Portal-Chells-Aperture-Science-Socks/dp/B008JGPSJU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&coliid=I2KUOG9B813AXT) because they're ultra thin and I'm sure they could be crumpled up that small.

16.) Something that smells wonderful.

I'd put something here, but there's nothing I'm sure of. [This book] (http://www.amazon.com/White-Fluffy-Clouds-Inspiration-Forward/dp/0974512001/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1KXQQYMQ3MHEJ&coliid=I16LKBYPI8BE5U) because it could smell like Brandon Boyd?

17.) A (SFW) toy.

I've got nothing!

18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.

[This shirt] (http://www.designbyhumans.com/shop/rising-t-shirt/13087/) because I find it amazing, oh my god oh my god.

19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.

[I've been trying to learn Irish for quite awhile now..] (http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Irish-Michael-OSiadhail/dp/0300121776/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376331377&sr=8-1&keywords=learn+irish)

20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.

[This poster, this poster!] (http://smbc.myshopify.com/products/dear-human-19x27-poster) To see what it's based on, the original comic is [here] (http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2223)

u/ElderTheElder · 1 pointr/PenmanshipPorn

Yeah, lots! Some of my old technique books were found in the library of a now-defunct printing school in NYC and thus will be very difficult to find again, but a few good ones that you shouldn't have trouble finding are:

The Universal Penman is a collection of some of George Bickham's most beautiful calligraphic pieces. It's a lovely book for inspiration and general style (not so much technique but rather seeing how the letters are shaped and spaced, etc.).

Spencerian Penmanship is a good technique for learning the basics of Spencerian letterforms. I purchased the version without the five extra copy-books on Amazon but I'm not seeing it there right now (just the version with the copy books, which could be useful).

– JA Cavanaugh's Lettering & Alphabets is a good place to learn the basics of a few different lettering styles, particularly loose script lettering for advertising layouts and some Roman + Caslon styles.

– Leslie Cabarga's Logo, Font, & Lettering Bible has some extremely helpful tips for digitizing your lettering work as well as other general design tips. It is, ironically enough, a horrendously designed and dated book but the methods are still instrumental.

– Finally, Colt Bowden's How To Paint Signs and Influence People zine is a really lovely modern take on lettering techniques. Though it is geared for signwriters, the techniques taught for building up letterforms has followed me through to my pen-and-ink work as well. Plus, it's a really fun little series and your money is going to a very talented and passionate dude.

Hope this was helpful!

u/Futur3Blu3s · -1 pointsr/IWantToLearn

Let me start by telling you to save yourself the trouble. Learning Japanese is a long hard road and once you get to the end you'll realize that the Anime or manga that spurred your desire to learn is actually juvenile and terrible. The economy here stinks and translation is one of the most boring, tedious jobs in existence. Furthermore, even after you achieve intermediate proficiency and can speak and understand a lot of Japanese, you'll realize that it doesn't matter because speaking Japanese requires being Japanese to a certain extent and you won't and can't ever be Japanese.

If that still doesn't persuade you to learn any other language, here are a few resources:

Reviewing the Kanji Forum - This is a site devoted to Heisig's Reviewing the Kanji which is a series of books devoted to learning the Kanji independently and then learning the readings later. I suggest you do this. It will take anywhere from 3 months to a year and you won't be able to read or write any Japanese at the end of it, but in my opinion, this foundation is of profound necessity. After you do this, acquiring vocabulary and understanding even complicated scientific terms in Japanese will be leaps and bounds easier.

Tae Kim's guide to basic Japanese grammar - This is a basic primer. Free and through. Study it and internalize it. It's no substitute for a class and instructors to drill you, but it's free and explains concepts in Japanese grammar in a way that will complement any classes you take and/or let you work at your own pace towards more complicated material.

Anki - Download Anki. It's a Spaced Repitition System (SRS) program. Make two decks. A sentences deck and a vocabulary deck. Whenever you learn a new word, put it into the vocab deck and put interesting sentences into the sentences deck. Finish your reviews every day. (Like braces, this is something that will be with you for the rest of your life, so learn to love it.) Time box your reviews to about 5 minutes at a time.

Kanji in Context - Start working through this series of books. I do something like 2 kanji a day in the vocabulary workbook, putting all the words into an Anki deck and obscuring the kanji I'm learning, such that the answer to the card is to write that kanji. This primarily enforces the readings I'm learning. Writing things increases your ability to dedicate them to memory. I put the sentences into the sentences deck. Prepare to get behind. Maybe you'll slag through it.

lang-8 - Once you've got some conversational Japanese under your belt, sign up at Lang-8 and write some or respond to other journal entries. Native speakers congregate here and will correct your Japanese, talk to you in Japanese, and generally have a conversation.

Buy or research ways to study for the JLPT and sign up for level 4. The goal is not passing this test (only level 1 and 2 really matter and even then, most people who get this certification are NEVER asked they took it) but simply setting a deadline. Level 5 (test changed this year) is crazy easy. Make this your goal. Even if you can't actually get to a testing site or don't have the money, convince yourself that you do and buy some JLPT study guides and work towards level X (again, probably 5). Once you feel confident you can pass level 5, start studying for level 4 and so on. Use the bi-annual deadlines to keep yourself studying. Watch Japanese stuff on Youtube, find a way to go to Japan and do all this in a native environment. Once you get to the end of the road, you'll probably end up discovering that it wasn't worth it.

My recommendation is to learn Mandarin if you're interested in learning an Asian language and something European if you're interested in History. (If you're interested in reading historic Japanese texts, good luck. You'll have to learn Japanese and then classic Japanese. (Most natives can't read pre-WWII newspapers easily or at all-- this is where you're headed.))

u/ChemMJW · 12 pointsr/German

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you can't learn a language without learning its grammar. Your request is like someone who wants to be a surgeon saying he doesn't want to bother with studying anatomy. It just doesn't work like that.

Sure, with Duolingo or Youtube or a smart phone app, you could probably pick up some vocabulary and maybe even a few stand-alone phrases. Without understanding the grammar, though, you'll never be able to put those words together into meaningful sentences and arrange those sentences into meaningful conversations.

It would be like listening to someone in English who always says things like "Me want store please to go." Sure, a native English speaker will probably understand that you really meant "I want to go to the store, please." However, after two minutes of a conversation like that, the native speaker will be mentally exhausted.

So, as someone who himself didn't start learning German until he was 18, please believe me when I tell you that you will be doing yourself a huge favor in the long run if you take it slow here at the beginning and don't try to jump ahead until you get a firm grasp on the grammar. This won't necessarily be easy, and it won't necessarily be thrilling, but it *is* necessary. Having a large vocabulary and knowing cool slang words don't mean anything if you can't put them together correctly to make sentences.

Finally, you mentioned that you don't know English grammar very well. This is part of the problem, too. How can you learn the grammar of a foreign language if you don't have a frame of reference via the grammar of your own language? A grammar guide that was used in the German department where I studied might be helpful. It's relatively inexpensive on its own, but you might even be able to find it for free at a local public or university library, if you have access to one.

Finally, don't hesitate to ask grammar questions here (but help us help you by not asking 20 different grammar questions in the same post).

Viel Spaß und viel Erfolg!

u/twin_me · 12 pointsr/IWantToLearn

I'm a PhD student in philosophy, and one of the areas I'm beginning to research is effective methods for training students to properly use evidential support in arguments (obviously this isn't my main area of research, but I have thought about it a bit).

Many universities now offer an Introduction to Critical Reasoning course. Their quality does vary depending on who teaches it (like any course), but I know the one offered at my university is fantastic. If you can't take a course, then there are plenty of books and textbooks aimed at teaching the kind of skills you are looking for. I honestly don't know which are considered the best, but these three all seem fine: 1 2 3.

I'd like to talk about some more specific things. You mentioned in another post studying predicate logic. I love symbolic logic. I wish more students took it. I will probably be teaching it for a long time. But, I think for your stated goals, studying critical reasoning will be much more efficient than studying formal logic.

Another posted suggested reading Spinoza, Kant, and Heidegger. This is terrible advice. These are three of the most difficult philosophers to read in the entire history of philosophy (Spinoza is actually quite fun to read in TPT, but nobody reads that, so I'm sure the poster was referring to The Ethics). Reading Heideger won't help your ability to use logic and reason. It just won't.

Students' biggest problem is that they often fail to understand the reading. For example, a very large chunk of students in Intro to Philosophy classes every year think that Descartes actually believed in an evil demon who was deceiving him, and was thus a skeptic. Critical reading is not an easy skill. Lots of intelligent people aren't that great at it (when an article gets posted on Reddit, look at some of the responses). The best way to improve this skill is to identify your friends who you think are especially good at critical reading, read the same thing as them, and then discuss it.

Students' second biggest problem is not understanding evidential support. For example, almost every intro to philosophy and intro to ethics course includes a day or two going over the Euthyphro. A modern slant on Socrates' main question in this dialogue goes like this: Does God command certain actions because they are morally right, or are certain actions morally right just because God commands them? The right way to respond to this argument is to draw out the implications of each position, and see whether they have any problems or not. Instead, most students will say things like "I'm a Christian so I believe in Divine Command Theory" - and then they will use the rest of the essay to misquote Bible verses at you. The best way to improve your use of evidential support is to study critical reasoning texts - they all have large sections on it - and to practice using it in discussions with people who will challenge you.

Outside of students, many experts (and dare I say) even scientists still make mistakes with reasoning. The most common mistake that I see is when people ignore or don't give proper attention to alternative interpretations of data.

For example, consider this really neat little article. The author (a researcher in cognitive science) describes some really cool experiments where people screw up even simple rule-following tasks (e.g. they recognize and correctly identify 400 as an even number immediately, but take longer to recognize 798 as an even number, and in some cases actually respond that it is odd). The author of the article then makes the claim that "The human mind is ill-suited to carry out rules." However, the data discussed doesn't support this claim - people aren't getting the even / odd tests wrong a majority of the time. The weaker (and less interesting claim) is that the human mind is not perfect at carrying out rules. Or, even better, that the human mind is mostly fine at carrying out rules, but frequently when we should use rule-based thinking, we use heuristics instead).

So yeah. My advice. Don't read Heidegger to try to improve your critical thinking abilities. Read some critical reasoning textbooks. Some of them are fantastic. Talk with your friends who you think are really good at using logic and reason. A lot. Argue with them. Using reasoning is a skill, and you have to practice it to get good at it.

u/potterarchy · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I rather liked Guy Deutscher's The Unfolding of Language, which is about how language may have first developed (all conjecture of course, we can never really know, but he makes some interesting points). Bonus: He writes for the average person, meaning you don't necessarily have to know anything about linguistics to read the book. Downside: It's a bit pop-science. But I liked it anyway. :)

Edit: I've also heard good things about Ken Jenning's Maphead. Ken's really awesome anyway, you should read his stuff. Great sense of humor. And along the same line, AJ Jacob's The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World was really funny and interesting.

u/[deleted] · 5 pointsr/LearnJapanese

Please don't use Rosetta Stone. It's really terrible for language acquisition. And no, it's not all there is... the great thing (and also overwhelming thing) about learning a language is that there are tons of different methods of tackling it!

Here's some resources I've found that have worked well for me:

Grammar:

Genki: This is a great two-part textbook provides a really good introduction into the language. Lots of practice problems as well.

Tae Kim's Guide: A free online resource for learning about Japanese grammar. Also very good, and worth reading even alongside Genki.


Vocabulary:

Anki: A very good SRS flashcard program. (SRS means that it shows you things you know well less frequently than things you are unfamiliar with... very efficient)

Rikaisama: A Firefox extension that allows you to hover over Japanese words in a webpage, and it will automatically display dictionary results for that word. It even has the ability to let you add hovered words straight to your Anki deck as vocabulary cards.

Read the Kanji: A website that provides you with around 7000 unique sentences worth of vocabulary and reading practice, with a really nice progress tracking system. Unfortunately, it's not free.

Kanji:

Remembering the Kanji: An excellent book that teaches you over 3000 kanji with a very strong system. It breaks the kanji into elements, and teaches you them as combinations of those elements. For example, unlike many books which try to teach you a 20 stroke kanji by saying "write it a bunch of times until you remember all the strokes", this book teaches it to you by saying "Hey look, this kanji isn't that bad... it's just a combination of two or three kanji characters that you've already learned."

Reviewing the Kanji: A website meant to be used alongside the above book. Provides tools to review the things you've learned, and track your progress. Also includes user comments and stories to be used as a supplement to those in the book.

-------------------------------

I'd start with those. But when you get further along in the language, even more opportunities for practice open up to you. Playing Japanese video games. Watching Japanese movies and shows. Listening to Japanese radio, or music. Browsing Japanese websites. Singing along to Japanese karaoke. Talking with Japanese natives. Whatever you enjoy. And there's tools to help you with all those things as well.

u/MsManifesto · 3 pointsr/TwoXChromosomes

It sounds to me that the times in which you are unhappy with your ability to be assertive come from when you lack confidence. You say when pushed too far, you react in unbalanced ways, that you feel shitty when you have successfully presented your case, that you let others make decisions since you worry about the outcomes if you do, and that your attempts at assertiveness are often desperate. It seems to me, in these situations, you fear being wrong--you aren't confident that you are right.

Confidence during conflicts, arguments (since arguments aren't always conflicts), and decision making comes from a couple of difference places, in my opinion.

First, the ability to clearly articulate your own position. If your own position isn't clear to you, you're likely to fumble your words, miscommunicate, contradict yourself, etc. It also makes it more difficult for you to change your position if you are confronted with a good argument against it. Also, sometimes in arguments, there needs to be a give-and-take, meaning, your point may be lacking or overextending on something, and if you acknowledge that, your point can then be all the more stronger.

Second, your ability (and recognition of this ability) to competently analyze the situation and/or the counter-arguments. Now, I say this as a philosophy major, but a formal study of logic can aid enormously in this (here is a good, short book I would recommend if you were so inclined). However, I find that most people are already quite capable of this, since everyday language is composed of numerous analyses of situations and arguments. Sometimes all it takes is slowing yourself down. For example, I used to rush into conclusions and see things narrowly, which lead me to make a lot of mistakes and had an impact on my confidence. Slowing down just a little bit to contemplate other options can make a big difference. This can be practiced outside of arguments, too, which helps, since it is far less stressful that way.

Third, patience and self-control. Staying calm, striving for clear communication, being receptive to feedback, and being emotionally honest can all have a big impact on the ways your confidence is felt. A lot of people think that emotions are antithetical to reason, and for women, this is a particularly pernicious misconception. But the reality is that emotions are integral to the ways we come to understand the world around us, and being clear and honest about the way you feel with other people, and they to you, sheds a lot of clarity on a situation.

I hope some of this is helpful. You say that you are otherwise a confident person, so you know that side of yourself already. You just need to work it in to being assertive about something when you want to be. Best of luck!

u/veringer · 1 pointr/JoeRogan

I've heard several Trumpians slip similar terms into conversations. Just yesterday a pro-Trump friend of mine, drew a comparison between family and nation by saying: "It's like mommy's gone and daddy isn't going to put up with the same bullshit as her."

I don't know if this metaphor emerged naturally or as a byproduct of a broadly distributed theme amongst the movement. In either case, it's been fairly well-described by George Lakoff as "strict-father" v. "nurturant parent" models of political thought. From [a 2004 SvN blog post](* https://signalvnoise.com/archives/000718.php):


> What the strict-father model attempts to accomplish is this: it is assumed children have to learn self-discipline and self-reliance and respect for authority. Now another important part of this model, in America but not in other countries, has to do with what happens when such children mature. The slogan, “eighteen and out,” is common. The mature children are supposed to be off on their own as soon as possible. Good parents don’t interfere in their lives. If the nation is the family and the government is the parent, in the strict-family model, the government shouldn’t meddle in their lives.

> When I looked at the liberal model of the family, I found it a very different model. It assumes the main thing a parent has to do is care for and care about his child. It is through being cared for and cared about that children become responsible, self-disciplined and self-reliant. The purpose is to make children become nurturers, too. Obedience for children comes out of love and respect for parents, not out of fear of punishment. Instead of punishment, you have restitution.

If you don't want to buy/read the books, here are some digestible references:

u/belliebean · 7 pointsr/Charlotte

I appreciate your thoughtful comment. I think some of your generalizations about the families I serve are dangerous, though; they're the kind of generalizations I've seen used by teachers and administrators to avoid pushing my kids the way they need to be pushed, and they're the kind of generalizations that people use to justify abandoning these schools and families when it comes time to vote on education policy and spending. A lot of my kids come from two parent homes, a lot who don't have wonderful grandparents, aunts and uncles doing their best to make sure these children have what they need. A lot of my kids have parents and siblings in their homelands; they are here with me because their parents believe that splitting up the family and sending the kid to a Title I school in America is STILL the best thing they can do to give their kids a chance at a better life (and in most cases I tend to agree with them). I taught between 70-80 kids last year and I didn't meet a single parent who I thought was a deadbeat or was doing anything less than their best for their kids under often grueling circumstances. Many of them were marginalized and neglected by their teachers and administrators when they were students and have a hard time trusting educators, and they certainly are at a disadvantage when it comes to navigating the bureaucratic nightmare that public education can be-- especially if English isn't their first language. There are so, so many reasons my students are behind (and truly, I have many students who meet and exceed grade level-- more than people usually assume), a different reason for each kid, and there are so many shitty, negative messages in our culture about who they are and what they are capable of that they really do internalize-- and little to none of that has to do with bad parenting.

That said, thank you for the resources. I think you're spot on about classic drama being a good entry point, I plan on doing Antigone with my kids this year (R+J being a 9th grade text and Macbeth usually reserved for seniors, though I loves me some Shakespeare). And a lot of these modern or urban interpretations can serve as wonderful "hooks" to get kids to be receptive to the classics. I think the problem is when teachers are unable to go beyond what the kids immediately relate to ("oh that dude is rapping. I like rap.") and bring them closer into the text and its original context, as well as how it speaks to our contemporary issues. The truth is that kids at affluent schools like Myers Park aren't being taught Shakespeare in a way that is "easy to relate to" and that in college their professors won't be teaching it to them that way either, the expectation of those students is that they rise to meet the text and the teacher should be giving them a boost. I definitely want to use every resource available to maximize my students' initial interest in the text, but I also want to make sure I am holding my kids to the highest academic expectations possible (which includes habits and mindsets) because that is what is really going to open doors for them after high school.

All of which is kind of aside from the point that all kids need book-rich environments; they need to be surrounded by books that represent lots of interests and skills levels and need to be given time to spend with them freely. This is happening less even in affluent public schools, as the standardized test push makes independent reading seem frivolous and time wasting to administrators and as technology becomes accepted as the cure-all for our education ills. An excellent book about this problem is "Readicide" by Kelly Gallagher (http://www.amazon.com/Readicide-Schools-Killing-Reading-About/dp/1571107800) if you're interested. It has definitely helped me refine what I want to do with my kids this year.

u/terribleatkaraoke · 4 pointsr/ornamentalpenmanship

Welcome! Sure, it's easy to learn and not too expensive. Many lessons are available online for free. Here are a few quick guides:

For business penmanship all you need is a fine (thin) pen. So you don't need to mess with a nib and ink if you don't want to. Just grab a 0.4mm gel or EF fountain pen. It's very elegant and practical for every day use.

Spencerian and ornamental penmanship is very similar.. the latter is like a beefed up version of the latter. You do need to buy a dip nib and ink and must go through the learning curve of these new tools. Mike Sull sells a good beginners set and guide, or this set for practice.

No matter which style you practice, good handwriting will come in very handy throughout your life. In addition to looking professional and cultured, a lovely Spencerian letter is an amazing pants-dropper. Good luck and feel free to share your progress here or in /r/calligraphy

u/peppermint-kiss · 1 pointr/SandersForPresident

> Christian world view

For most of the history of America, Christianity was intimately tied with expanded social programs to help the needy, and moral issues were mostly left out of politics.

Knowing that they could not compete with Christianity and its support of the New Deal, big business leaders who did not benefit from it began to form think tanks to work up a strategy to counteract it. To clarify, a think tank is an institute that performs research intended to promote a specific world view. Essentially, these business leaders and millionaires paid scientists to figure out the best way to "sell" conservativism to the vast majority of Christian liberals and convince them to vote against their own self-interest (and, I would argue, the teachings of Jesus Christ).

One of the most famous players in this production was Paul Weyrich. His big breakthrough in think tank research was that by tying conservative economic policy with (manufactured) moral imperatives, he could convince people that liberal policy was immoral, which has a much stronger cognitive effect than convincing people that a certain policy is illogical or against their best interest. For example, you might avoid calling your mother a bad word, even if she deserves it, because you find it immoral to disrespect your parents - even though doing so may be very logical and may make you feel very good.

So they set to work on testing and developing moral arguments against liberal economic policy. If you do some reading into the output of those think tanks, I think you may find that many of your viewpoints align very closely with the talking points they spent very good money to scientifically develop and hone to be the most convincing.

They also did another very successful trick, which is to tie social issues that many Christians had strong feelings about - abortion, gay rights, interracial marriage - to their economic policy, despite the fact that they had little to no connection. (Quick - what's the connection between lower taxes and not allowing gay people to marry?)

If you, or anyone else, is interested in reading more, here are some good resources:

  1. The official trailer for the film Common Ground: Christians and the Message of Bernie Sanders

  2. The Gospel of Bernie Tumblr, run by a Liberty University alum. I suggest starting at the bottom of the page to read the oldest posts first.

  3. Here is Bernie's full speech at Jerry Falwell's conservative, evangelical Christian Liberty University.

  4. Read the aforementioned Wikipedia article on Paul Weyrich.

  5. article (Politico): The Real Origins of the Religious Right

  6. article (The Christian Left Blog): The History of the "Christian" Right

  7. podcast (The Best of the Left): History of the Christian Right

  8. book (George Lakoff): Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think
u/FreeThinkingMan · 1 pointr/CringeAnarchy

> How is defending our own norms and values bigoted?

What you consider "white people" norms and values, aren't "white people" norms and values. You think they are because you are uneducated and you dont know how people come to believe/value what they do or what creates "culture" or the values you claim to extol. When you learn the answer to these questions you will then realize how you are currently uneducated and hold values are backwards and contradict the ACTUAL values/norms of western civilization which are enlightenment values.

These things aren't your "heritage". What you refer to as this are really just a form of antiquated Christian traditionalism that contradict western values. If you actually want to know the great history of western values and realize the actual legacy of white people(if you insist on racializing such a thing), I recommend you read Anthony Kenny's "The History of Western Philosophy". Below is the Amazon link and below that is part one.

https://www.amazon.com/New-History-Western-Philosophy/dp/0199656495

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.bibotu.com/books/2015/A%2520New%2520History%2520of%2520Western%2520Philosophy%2520-%2520Vol%25201.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi63e3r5a_eAhVlRN8KHWo_CM0QFjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw29a-DaxnCVryAbRYj2FGL9

You can find pdfs of parts 2, 3, and 4 online for free by Googling the name of the book and pdf.

When you learn the history of ethics, Christianity, political philosophy, and knowledge you will learn the actual legacy of western civilization and realize it has nothing to do with race, even though the philosophers who have advanced all the things I mentioned in the western world were generally white due to their privileged status in western civilization over the span of 2000+ years(a fact you want to blindly dismiss or are offended by for some odd reason).

I hope you will take this comment seriously, resist your temptation to confirmation bias your views and resist your temptation to look away and look into this book I recommended. This book I recommended will unequivocally change your mind and literally teach you how to think accurately, as that is the true subject of it. A detailed history of philosophy that shows its gradual development and advancement.

I will be happy to elaborate on any questions you may have.

u/JoeNiw, u/Belongs_To_The_Nords, u/Al_Shakir, u/HagridTheSoviet, u/Porphyrogennetos

u/AHemlockslie · 1 pointr/Calligraphy

I'm learning Spencerian, and I got a set of practice books that have helped a lot. I'm only like 2/3 of the way through the first of 5, but I'm starting to break away from it and just learn what I need as I need it. The beginning, though, was extremely beneficial. The pages are full of practice lines with everything divided up an spaced for perfect letters. In the first book, for example, the boxes are generally the exact size where the upstroke to start writing a lowercase i takes you from bottom left corner up to the opposite corner in the top right. It's very helpful for getting down the length and the slant, especially since they're core components of the script that apply to pretty much all the letters. It also talks about how certain types of lines in the script are supposed to be made, which again helps with consistency in your writing.

This looks like the one I have, but you might be able to find practice sheets of the appropriate grid size free online, as well as theory. The theory book and 5 practice books are also available separately if you only want one or the other.

u/SATaholic · 5 pointsr/Sat

For Reading: https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875

For Writing: https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/098949649X/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=college+panda+sat+writing&qid=1563901164&s=gateway&sprefix=college+panda&sr=8-3 or https://www.amazon.com/4th-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/0997517867/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2/133-6279214-8476330?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0997517867&pd_rd_r=b1b3ba1b-4d03-4aef-8534-fb724df88793&pd_rd_w=tVeGd&pd_rd_wg=AG0DL&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=S0E4J8G00TRD6F0ZY1ZK&psc=1&refRID=S0E4J8G00TRD6F0ZY1ZK

For Math: https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2/133-6279214-8476330?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0989496422&pd_rd_r=6bc275dd-8dee-497b-aa49-17576266463e&pd_rd_w=YjIig&pd_rd_wg=Pc71l&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=P3X7H8SAQZT59M5F6FNV&psc=1&refRID=P3X7H8SAQZT59M5F6FNV or https://www.amazon.com/PWN-SAT-Guide-Mike-McClenathan/dp/1523963573/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=pwn+sat+math&qid=1563901232&s=gateway&sprefix=pwn+sa&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

For Essay (if you’re taking it): https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Essay-Battle-tested/dp/0989496465/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=college+panda+essay&qid=1563901277&s=gateway&sr=8-3

For General Strategy: https://www.amazon.com/SAT-Prep-Black-Book-Strategies/dp/0692916164/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=sat+black+book&qid=1563901330&s=gateway&sprefix=sat+bla&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

For Practice Tests: https://www.amazon.com/Official-SAT-Study-Guide-2020/dp/1457312190/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=college+board+sat+2020&qid=1563901505&s=gateway&sprefix=college+board+&sr=8-3 (NOTE: These practice tests are available online but I prefer having them on paper, which is why I bought this book.) and https://amp.reddit.com/r/Sat/comments/9544rw/all_qas_tests_and_scoring_in_pdf_form/

Good online resources include Khan Academy, UWorld, and 1600.io. Also, I recommend taking a timed practice test often to follow along with your progress and see what you need to work on. Make sure to do the practice test all at once (don’t break it up into section) and try to do it in the morning like you would in the real SAT. Then, go over your mistakes very carefully (this is VERY IMPORTANT) until you truly understand the mistake so that you won’t make it again in the future. This is the most important step. If you skip this, it’s unlikely that you see any meaningful score improvement. Also, It’s up to you which resources you buy/use based on what sections you need help with. Good luck!

u/ich_auch · 1 pointr/LANL_German

the books that I have are:

Hammer's German Grammar and Usage - it's a huge comprehensive in-depth look at everything grammatical, breaks everything down completely. good as a reference book but not really to go through and study

English Grammar for Students of German - it's a really brief overview comparing English grammar to German grammar with examples, but doesn't get really specific

Berlitz Self Teacher: German - some of the vocab is a little outdated but it's a cute concise book that's really good to carry on the subway or whatever and read in short spurts. there's special parts dedicated to helping you "think in german" which is important for fluency. it's a pretty good book for beginners I think.

I also have Barron's 501 German verbs but I actually haven't started looking through it yet.

and then if we add an audio section to this list is highly recommend Pimsleur's audio courses, though they're pricey so you may want to try and obtain them ahem another way.

u/bananaman911 · 3 pointsr/Sat

Make sure first that the resources you are working with are top-notch. According to the sub, the best online resource to learn concepts (across all the sections) is Khan Academy. In terms of Reading, this means doing the practice with the various passage types (fiction, social studies, and science). In terms of Writing, this means learning the various conventions of the English language. Feel free to also download the free official SAT Question of the Day App for daily questions (every other day will have an English question).

If you are a book person and willing to spend some money ...

The best Reading resource, according to the sub, is Erica Meltzer. My personal recommendation is that you stick with official practice sections for this one because, quite simply, no one makes questions like the CollegeBoard. Mark off select practice tests for use as full-length exams ... the other tests' sections can be used individually. In the case of Reading, use those for practice. If you're afraid of running out of official material, maybe start with PSATs, which are also easier and can ease you in. Make sure you do deep analyses of your errors (know HOW you picked the wrong answer, HOW to avoid doing that again, WHY the correct answer is right, and WHY the incorrect answers are wrong ... you must do all of those things to really obtain value from your practice) and also examine the questions you were not super confident in. Even take a second look at questions you got right to see if you could find a faster way of arriving at the answer. Note down any vocabulary that might have impeded your ability to understand the passages/questions/answers. Make sure to keep a log of all your analyses.

For Writing, the best resources are Erica Meltzer (if you prefer a very dense writing style) or College Panda (if you prefer something more to the point). Meltzer also has a separate workbook of practice tests. Work through either of these by chapter. After every couple of chapters, do a practice section for a mixed review to see if you can handle dealing with the concepts when you no longer have the benefit of being told what to look for. Keep in mind that Writing isn't all just grammar ... there is a reading component to it in which you must think about adding a relevant detail, shifting a sentence, or replacing a word in context ... this is where your Reading skills should blend in as well.

For explanations to the official tests, use 1600.io. Only the first four tests are free, but the site is quite highly regarded. Give that free trial a go, and see if you think it's worth the money.

Be aware that you'll likely see quick gains with Writing, but I promise that once you get the hang of Reading, that score will also see similar improvement. It just takes some time for most people to grasp it. The main thing is accepting that the correct answer is always supported by something in the passage ... you cannot rely on outside assumptions.

Good luck!

u/bkcim · 2 pointsr/copywriting

And I have these in my list on amazon. Would love to get some opinions on them:

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

 

Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $100,000 a Year or More

by Robert Bly

 

Words that Sell

by Richard Bayan

 

Tested Advertising Methods

by Caples and Hahn

 

Writing That Works

by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson

 

Confessions of an Advertising Man

by David Ogilvy

 

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

by Al Ries and Jack Trout

 

The Robert Collier Letter Book

by Robert Collier

 

Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose

by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee

 

Letting Go of the Words

by Janice (Ginny) Redish

 

Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers

by Harold Evans

 

Can I Change Your Mind?: The Craft and Art of Persuasive Writing

by Lindsay Camp

 

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

by Roy Peter Clark

 

Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy

by Roger Horberry and Gyles Lingwood

 

Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads

by Luke Sullivan

 

WRITE IN STEPS: The super simple book writing method

by Ian Stables

 

On Writing Well

by William Zinsser

 

The Wealthy Freelancer

by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage and Ed Gandia

 

Write Everything Right!

by Denny Hatch

 

The Secret of Selling Anything

by Harry Browne

 

The Marketing Gurus: Lessons from the Best Marketing Books of All Time

by Chris Murray

 

On Writing

by Stephen King

 

Writing for the Web

by Lynda Felder

 

Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

by Ann Handley

 

This book will teach you how to write better

by Neville Medhora

u/taniaelil · 2 pointsr/Futurology

NLP is actually exactly what I'm aiming for. It's pretty interesting stuff.

My favorite book for entry level linguistics stuff is what I used in my intro class: Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics. It's very well organized and separated, so you can pretty much skip anything that isn't really interesting without suffering later. It's also really well written and has a lot of examples and other fun stuff in it.

FIRST is a fantastic organization. Being involved in the FRC team that we founded in my high school was literally the thing that got me interested in STEM. I was a junior, and planning on going to a really non-traditional, liberal arts focused school (with no computer science department at all!). Because of FIRST, I instead chose a school where I would be able to keep learning about programming and robots, which was definitely for the better.

I think the USA has the stereotype for being anti-science because there is a significant portion of the population that is. Even in my University, there was a girl (studying Biology of all things!) in my first year dorm who believed that the Earth was 10,000 years old and that evolution was a lie meant to discredit Christianity. My intro Astronomy class had a whole day devoted to countering Young Earth Creationism, because so many of the students in the class were trying to use it to counter what the professor said.

However, we have an absurdly large population, so you also have a lot of people on the exact opposite end of that spectrum. I think that is why the US can maintain a reputation of being anti-science while at the same time leading the charge in many scientific fields.

u/profeNY · 2 pointsr/linguistics

I strongly recommend Ohio State University's book Language Files. If you buy the most recent edition it is fairly expensive, but if you go back a few editions you can get "very good" used copies for under $15. The Table of Contents for the current edition is here and gives you a good feeling for how much ground it covers. Each section has clear explanations and some examples to work through. It gives you a good understanding of what it's like to actually DO linguistics.

I recommended this book to someone a few years back who gave me Reddit Gold in return. It really is that good!

Edit: you have a good chance of finding this book in a local library (public or academic) because it is so popular. Look for it on worldcat.org.

u/VorvarX · 2 pointsr/LSAT

I would definitely recommend practicing with real LR questions. Consider purchasing Fox’s Logical Reasoning Encyclopedia. It’s a huge collection of questions organized by type and from easiest to hardest so that you can work your way up.

That being said, if you are looking to read something that will make LR easier, consider a book like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0872209547/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0K40QP66SXTM0BKQAHBS&dpPl=1&dpID=61X5ctUve8L

I literally just typed “fallacies” into amazon, but a book like this will basically cover every wrong argument you could see on the LSAT. I took a class on Critical Reasoning my freshman year and I know it gave me a head start on LR.

For reading comp, I’m a philosophy major so I have the opposite problem you do. Scientific articles throw me off a hair. If you want some interesting reads, check out the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy online. It’s free, the language is very formal and sophisticated, and you can read about basically anything and everything you’d want. The LSAT seems to like bringing up utilitarianism relatively often, so maybe check out their page on that. Also the LSAT mentions Kant pretty frequently, so you can also check out the page on him.

Of course this isn’t necessary to get a perfect LSAT score; the test, as you know, does not presuppose any prior knowledge about these topics. However, I’m sure you have found, as I did, that it’s easier to read about things you know something about. Read some philosophy, but drill drill drill those RC passages!

As for getting a 170, I can’t say. My diagnostic was 155, and I got a 164 in February. My last two PTs were over 170, but obviously the only one that counts is the official.

You’ve got this!!!

u/zooey1692 · 3 pointsr/LearnJapanese

Two resources that a majority of folks here will (without doubt) plug to you:

Kanji Damage

Heisig's Remembering the Kanji

Both of these are based around learning the components that comprise the Kanji (radicals) as opposed to learning each Kanji stroke by stroke. Make some flash cards and drill! I would suggest writing them out, but others seem content using an SRS like Anki. Some people also advise following Heisig's method and NOT learning the Japanese pronunciations until you've learning a hefty majority of the common use kanji, while others say you should learn the readings while you go (the Kanji Damage way). I've been chugging through Heisig's book at twenty kanji a day and it's been pretty easy.

Overall, as has been said over and over in this subreddit, do whatever you need to do to make learning it easy for you! Try stuff out and if it doesn't stick, move on to the next resource. Best of luck!

EDIT: I'd also like to add how even though kanji will seem really intimidating at first, once you get in the groove you'll find it's incredibly easy. Seriously. I'm at over 300 Kanji after three weeks of studying and can easily retain 90% of that when I'm studying and reviewing. If you approach it from the right angle, it shouldn't be too bad! :)

u/WileEWeeble · 0 pointsr/Libertarian

"Do you have any data to back up your claim that "While not all conservatives raise their children in this way, the vast majority do, and it is what I have experienced"."

http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Politics-Liberals-Conservatives-Think/dp/0226467716/

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_authoritarianism"

Those just from top of my head, but the study of conservative/authoritarian model vs empathetic model of parenting is deep and long. They even developed a pretty well establish and commonly applied measurement; the F-scale.

People, in the USA, who score high on it trend GREATLY towards conservative politics and the GOP and apply strict authoritarian models of parenting.

That all said, in reply to the OP "question" the reason Libertarians tend to shy away from liberal politics and positions, despite sharing far more of their political positions with them, is the Libertarian view empathy as a weakness and share the conservative fear of the their fellow man as something inherently evil. Liberal models involve a focus on empathy, nurturant parent modeling, and a belief the true nature of man is decent.

Or, Liberals tend to think we do better when we come together for our mutual benefit and Libertarians AND conservatives believe their fellow man is dangerous and destructive.

Ironically, at least conservatives understand we all must work together and accept the limitations on our freedoms that all societies bring. Libertarians seem to have either not read or understand basic foundational concepts like Hobbes Social Contract or just rather want the protection of the social contract but are unwilling to share the burden.

Really, a Libertarian is just a narcissistic (or extremely ignorant) conservative. The authoritative model is the "answer' to a conservatives basic mistrust of his fellow man. The Libertarian still fears/distrusts his fellow man but seeks some impossible worldview where he is "self-reliant" YET still benefits from all the positive features of a structured (authoritative or not) society.

In my experience the young Libertarian is just generally ignorant of basic social contract (and will often "grow out of it" as he learns and understands the world better) and the older Libertarian is just a ragging narcissist who believes the world has done wrong by him or else he would be fabulously wealthy and appreciated as he was clearly meant to be.

u/NewlyIndependent · 69 pointsr/IWantToLearn

The best route is to take up a course on Logic.

Study introductory predicate logic. Break statements into predicates - identify their antecedent and consequent. Identify the differences between a predicate's negation, inverse, converse, and contrapositive; more importantly, how they can be used to derive logical Truth. Familiarize yourself with Gödel's completeness theorem.

Next, learn to identify a fallacy; study up on logical fallacies.

Cognitive Biases are the next most important step. Being aware of your own cognitive biases will help you identify when your analyses are being skewed.

Study everything about everything. More information about your domain of concern will granter you further insight for analysis.

Lastly, take care of yourself. Get lots of sleep, eat healthy, and exercise; your judgement will be impaired if you don't.


Some books to help:

u/MuskratRambler · 1 pointr/linguistics

If you mean get into, as in you want to be interested but just can't find the motivation, what got me interested was reading about it. Learn from the best. Here are some good ones on documentation itself (I guess more on the eminence of languages dying and the need for documentation):

  • Linguistic Fieldwork—Claire Bowern

  • When Languages DieDavid Harrison

  • Vanishing Voices—Daniel Nettle & Suzanne Romaine

  • Endangered Languages—Sarah G. Thomason

    Fieldwork is often closely associated with typology, so here are some books that explain some of what's possible in the world's languages:

  • Describing Morphosyntax—Thomas Payne

  • Ergativity—R.M.W. Dixon

  • Changing Valency—R.M.W. Dixon & Alexandra Aikhenvald

    And then there are reference grammars, often the fruits of fieldwork. Here are some good ones I've gone through:

  • A Grammar of Tariana—Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald

  • A Grammar of Hup—Patience Epps

  • Basically any other one in the Mouton Grammar Library, plus here are some free ones from Language Science Press.

    Then again, if you mean get into it meaning what language should you pick and what part of the world, that's a harder question to answer. I feel like languages just sort of happen to people: they know someone who happens to come from a community of minority language speakers, or they have a friend who says they ran into an understudied language while abroad, or you yourself happened to live in that part of the world for whatever reason. It's hard to go study a language out of the blue because you need an "in" somehow, which is hard to purposely get, I think.
u/cheald · 1 pointr/homeschool

We did the exact same thing with our left-handed son (likewise as recommended by The Well Trained Mind). He's 5, and his penmanship is remarkably good. He was coached on the strokes for each glyph one at a time, but we let him figure out how he was most comfortable drawing them. My wife and I are both right-handed, so we can't really "guide" his hand, but we can go through the motions with him.

Last year, he also practiced writing his letters daily, with the help of a guide that he could reference if necessary - his penmanship is quite good for a 5-year-old, I think, though that might just be my bias talking. :)

Cursive is an interesting additional question. It's a dying skill in the age of computer communication, but I think we'd still like to teach it. I was taught Specerian cursive via copybooks like these. I dunno if we'll use that or something else, though.

u/FactualPedanticReply · 12 pointsr/AskReddit

If you like learning about how languages develop and change, this book will probably have a big effect on the way you see language shifts. It's an entry-level summary of the basic language evolution principles that allow, for example, modern linguists to reverse engineer ancient languages with scant records.

The book jumped to mind because, if you understood some of these concepts, you'd never argue that people will descend to pointing and grunting. Using intense words to describe relatively mundane phenomena (e.g. "awesome") is something people often bemoan, but as those words become banal people continually seek new ways to make their communication - their very voices - stand out from the crowd in its intensity. That's a bit of a treadmill, but it's not necessarily one that actively lacks virtue.

Using "lazy" language like contractions, malapropisms, nonstandard spellings, metatheses, and so on isn't necessarily "destructive" to a language in a holistic sense, either. If certain terms or formations lose their specificity in a miasma of misuse, the need for that specificity doesn't necessarily go away. As long as people have need to communicate with specificity, they will reach for ways to do so when the moment requires it. Language is the tool we all use to convey meaning, and we're tool-makers at the very core of our collective being.

There are some "errors" I actively object to because they interfere with my speedy comprehension of written material in a jarring way. Some of that, I'm sure, is my own conditioned outrage. (For example, a sentence like "it's suppose to be this way," is jarring to me, but it's tough to make a sound semantic argument why "supposed to" and "intended to" should have identical meaning that precludes the use of "suppose to" without feeling like you're throwing good linguistics after bad.) Some of it I feel has genuine utility in easing comprehension, e.g. they're/there/their, its/it's.

Some corrections, such as less/fewer and further/farther, I feel are pedantic. As you might gather from my username, I have a certain appreciation for the pedantic, and I'm aware that I'm not alone in that capacity. I don't think that's any great sin, in and of itself! I will often correct people on matters of pedantry on the off chance that they, too, appreciate a good bit of pedantry. Overall, I try to control the image and tone of that communication carefully, though, because of something my Aunt, a professor of linguistics at University of Texas, told me a long time ago:

"One person can't hurt a language, but they can hurt feelings. Act accordingly."

This is a professor whose career's work was in recording and preserving endangered languages in the Yucatan.

So yeah - lighten up, there, son. Ain't none of these people gonna hurt English none, so long as folks've got stuff to say and use English to do it. If something trips you up, decide if it's because of a specificity/fluency barrier or just a learned "correctness fetish," and then do the needful.

u/ejpusa · 0 pointsr/politics

WE DONT FEAR YOU.

WE DONT FEAR YOU.

WE DONT FEAR YOU.

WE DONT FEAR YOU.


"'You cannot accept that we don't fear you'"


I've pointed this out a few times, Trump is a "Father Figure", and it's a CLASSIC Father that abuses his wife and children, year, after year, after year. And they take the abuse. But yet the wife and kids will stay. Until one day, "Dad" goes too far. The kid's rebel.


Trump supporters are wired to "LOVE DAD", but one day Dad goes too far, and the kids rebel, and walk out saying, "WE ARE NO LONGER AFRAID OF YOU, DAD!" That happens. The sense of freedom is unbelievable.


A Trump supporters brain can be rewired, it takes a very strong jolt of reality to do it, but this could.


PLEASE read Lakoff, ($4 on Amazon used will CHANGE your life) he is brilliant at taking apart the "Father Figure" aspect of Trump voters. And one day, the kids do leave. It's not impossible to reprogram a brain. Think this quote by AOC will live on in the history of Ameria, for generations. 4 women, take on Dad, and he will crumble. It can happen.


"You cannot accept that we don't fear you'" 1000 years from now, they'll look back at AOC, and the teachers of the day will say to the 3rd graders, "See what you are capable of? Yes, these women changed the world, you can too."


\> Ten years after writing the definitive, international bestselling book on political debate and messaging, George Lakoff returns with new strategies about how to frame today’s essential issues.

Called the “father of framing” by The New York Times, Lakoff explains how framing is about ideas―ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, ideas that are proactive not reactive, positive not negative, ideas that need to be communicated out loud every day in public.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/160358594X/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

u/iamelben · 2 pointsr/AskSocialScience

The fundamental question that we're really fighting over is "How can society best be organized?"

And believe it or not, it's REALLY REALLY GOOD that we're fighting over it. Well, maybe not fighting, but definitely that we're debating...well, maybe we aren't debating, but WE SHOULD BE.

I hate to perpetuate the political dichotomy that seems to permeate the public sphere, but the truth is that we really are pretty evenly split into two fundamental camps based on answers to that fundamental question:

1.) The "conservative" answer is "Society is best served by individuals taking care of themselves." From this ethic, you get memes like:

a.) "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps."

b.) "Greed is good/let the markets decide."

c.) "Small government/don't depend on government."

d.) "Freeloaders/welfare queens/etc."

2.) The "progressive/liberal" answer is "Society is best served by individuals taking care of each other." From this ethic, you get memes like:

a.) "From each according to his own effort, to each according to his need."

b.) "Income inequality is bad for everyone."

c.) "Government is good/government protects us from corporations."

d.) "Affirmative Action/Hate Crime Legislation/ect."

For more information, I highly recommend George Lackoff's tome on the subject. You can get it used on Amazon for ~$7 including shipping.

u/LepaMalvacea · 10 pointsr/conlangs

Building off of what others have said— it helps to look at bilingual dictionaries and see the varied ways terms translate. As an example, see the English Wiktionary entry for French gentil. This word is what English borrowed 'gentle' from, but there are still senses and differences from what you get with the related English word. Ideally, just about every word will have at least a bit of complexity- even words that translate to very concrete concepts like 'tree' or 'rock' may have metaphorical extensions, idiomatic uses, etc.


For more 'grammatical' parts of the language, it's good to remember that labels like 'accusative' or 'passive' only refer to one aspect of a construction's use. In Latin, the accusative and ablative both appeared with prepositions, and which case was used determined whether the sense was location or movement, like 'in' vs 'into' (sorry, I don't remember which case is which). You'd never get that just by reading the definition of an accusative case though.

In English, there are two main possessive constructions: X's Y and Y of X. However the usage of each is somewhat different, and both include usages that wouldn't be considered ownership. Your language should have some way of expressing all of the senses these English constructions do, but they should have different distributions and range of semantics.

Wikipedia can be a good resource for learning about some of the possibilities of various grammatical categories. If you can, I'd recommend grabbing a copy of Describing Morphosyntax - it goes through many possibilities for different constructions and gives plenty of examples.

u/uufo · 1 pointr/askphilosophy

I think it's not the best for this particular goal. The section "general introductions" contains a lot of books that are mostly appetizers. If you have already decided to study systematically to build a solid foundation you can downright skip these.

All the books of the other sections are either classics in their own right (therefore, you will study the meat of them in your study of the history of philosophy, and you will do so in the context of what they were replying to, what kind of assumptions they made etc.) or famous but not essential books that have been chosen according to the tastes of the author of the list (therefore you don't need them for foundations; you can always choose to include them in your list if you decide they are valuable in their own right).

So I say skip all the list for now. A much better and much faster way would be to read Anthony Kenny's history of philosophy. If you work through it making sure you understand all the arguments, your focus, thinking, and comprehension skills will already be at another level.

After that, you can start grappling with the Critique of pure reason. Be warned that most of the "introductions", "guides", "explanations" and "companions" to the CPR are actually investigations of obscure points that manage to be harder to read than the actual CPR. The best two books that I found that are actually introductory guides to CPR are this and this.

Despite the titles, they are not "Kant for dummies". They are actually dense expositions which require concentration, familiarity with terms used in philosophy, and knowledge of what came before Kant (both offer a quick overview, but if you don't already know what it's talking about it will just leave you dizzy). Of course, if you have already done step 1, this will be a breeze for you.

I suggest you read both before opening the real CPR, but if you only have patience/time for one: Rosenberg is more one-sided, more focused on certain aspects, and somewhat less clear on some points, but he will really get you excited on what the CPR can mean - it will become a great adventure that could possibly transform your whole understanding of yourself and the universe. Gardner is less exciting, but he is so clear, so exhaustive in predicting what kind of doubt can arise for the reader and in presenting the different interpretations, that it is scary.





u/LGBTerrific · 2 pointsr/linguistics

A few years ago, I made a language for an independent study at my university. It mostly consisted of translating the Tower of Babel into the language. It was something that showed my language had at least limited use.

I've tried twice since then to create another language, somewhat based off my previous work- but mostly trying out new things, doing more research than before, etc. It hasn't been successful. I keep getting indecisive about things.

I've been using The Language Construction Kit as a reference - especially the book version. It's a pretty decent book that does cover things more in detail than the site (plus, very handy to carry around). How to Create a Language is another useful site. These are great sources for going through the process of making a language (in the book, the author includes part of a grammar on one of his languages, and includes commentary on the decisions and mistakes he made).

I also really love Describing Morphosyntax. It's much more detailed than any of the above- as it's more aimed for linguists. It goes through the process of things to look for in a language when documenting it. It explains variation of the different aspects of grammar, which I've found very helpful to determine ideas to incorporate for my language.

Livejournal's Conlangs community is another good resource.

Edit (#4?) I just found the Conlangs Wikia (check out the conlangs category or list of conlangs to see example languages)

u/rockytimber · 7 pointsr/conspiracy

Some of the new media tends to be more interactive than "one way".

But sure, there is still a "hive mind" being projected. And the institutional structures, even the architecture, street grids, etc. tends to reinforce a mindset.

The thing I like about McLuhan was that he pointed out that the dominant class is in a better position to exploit new technology, often, but is not necessarily in charge of it or always at the cutting edge of it, no matter how they might try. In other words, technology is disruptive, even to elites, in many cases. Also, if you look at culture, some of the creative nuances of culture are not under the elites control. There are some subtle effects of our world that get expressed in art, film, etc. that the elite may learn to exploit, but that initially was not welcome by the elite. And of course, I speak of "the" elite, but yes, far from monolithic. There are lots of fragments in the elite as well. Yet affluence and the ability to network, plus social competence, etc. means that their vested interest in the profit making infrastructure, their support of the financial system for example, so far, has held together what is largely politically illegitimate , in other words, a hypocritical lie. As if there is a free press, laugh, or as if their is a balance of power between the three branches, gag. Or one person, one vote, rolls eyes.

So, I will be looking into Guy Debord some more, also Gramsci, thanks! (If you haven't read McLuhan, its frustrating. I would start with his book Understanding Media, The Extensions of Man, the chapter on Games. Skip the hot/cold descriptions to start. Believe it or not in the original days of low resolution black and white tv, the initial physical response to the refresh rate and the pixilation was different than the response to modern screens. https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Media-Extensions-Marshall-McLuhan/dp/0262631598, almost free on Amazon.

u/DevonianAge · 1 pointr/SRSBeliefs

If you are so inclined, it might be helpful to read Moral Politics by George Lakoff. He's a linguist and a progressive/democrat activist person, and some of his books are straightford political advocacy books. That one however, is more of a linguistics/ psychology book. In it he advances his theory that political positions (including on gay marriage) tend to stem from our tendency to consider political/societal level issues from the vantage point of our unconscious/ received assumptions about how families ought to work on an authoritarian-nurturing spectrum. Basically, on an unconscious level, we analogize. I found the book repetitive and boring at times, but his basic premise has been pretty useful way to think about these things for me.

Anyway, maybe thinking about this issue from some other perspectives-- sociology, gender politics, civil liberties, etc. could help you gain perspective on the ultimate source of your discomfort (as in, why is this a key religious belief for so many people? What does the status quo actually do-- who does it benefit, and why?). Once you understand your motivations a little better, maybe things won't feel the same anymore.

u/toferdelachris · 8 pointsr/RocketLeague

Well this one's kind of an interesting possible case of language change. See, lol started, of course, meaning "laugh out loud". Eventually, though, it's taken on its own status as a general term to indicate something is funny. It no longer necessarily means the person is actually "laughing out loud". One piece of evidence for this includes that it has its own pronunciations (/lɑl/ as in "lawl" or /lol/ as in "lohl" or approximately "Lowell", where the vowel rhymes with "pole") apart from pronouncing the initialism (that is, "ell oh ell"). Another piece of evidence is that it has its own derivations relating to this more general concept, as in doing it for the lulz. Applying the original literal meaning to this idiom would suggest this be read as *doing it for the laugh out louds or *doing it for the laughs out loud or something else that is just essentially nonsensible.

So, how does this apply to lol out loud? Consider the relatively famous case of the evolution of the word "today" from Latin to French. The Latin word for "today" is hodie (similar to hoy in Spanish). hodie is reduced from hoc ("this") + die ("day"). Derived from this, in Old French people thus said hui for "today", which more or less meant "this day". Eventually, though, this wasn't enough, and people eventually came to say au jour de hui, which literally means "on the day of this day". This was reduced to aujourd'hui. Finally, in modern times, some people now apparently colloquially say a jour d'ajourd'hui, or "on the day of on the day of this day". (source, see also Deutscher's Unfolding of Language for more details). So, hopefully you can see a connection: even though lol may in some cases literally mean "laughing out loud", it is not out of the realm of language change for people to eventually start saying lolling out loud unironically, as the original form gets reduced and/or loses its original literal connotation.

u/bokan · 2 pointsr/worldnews

It’s a fundamental personality trait. Some people are drawn to this this “strong father” archetype and enjoy authoritative leaders and a social hierarchy based on social darwinian justice. Others, i.e. educated people (seriously, look it up), prefer egalitarianism and freedom of choice, with a solid social safety net. These are less likely to believe that the people that happen to be “on top” morally better than those currently on the bottom. Whereas the authoritarian thinker finds comfort in believing that everyone is getting exactly what they deserve.

So this explains, for example, some of the defense of the current president. He is the president, thereby he deserves to be the president. He is “wealthy,” thereby he is better than those who are not, and has moral authority. It doesn’t matter what he says or does, because authoritarian people rigidly respect the power structure, because it makes their world make sense.

This is mostly coming from this book (and some psych papers that I can’t recall at the moment):

https://www.amazon.com/ALL-NEW-Dont-Think-Elephant/dp/160358594X

u/goldenponyboy · 6 pointsr/French

I find that it's really easy to teach yourself once you have a sound foundation. At that point, you sort of know what you don't know.

I broke my learning into a few main topics:

  1. Grammar - Advanced French Grammar and this one
  2. «La colle française» - (the glue) this mostly includes prepositions, adverbs, interjections, and temporal vocabulary--it's the little things which count!
  3. Idiomatic expressions - phrases like, "it turns out that" and "on the spot" to "Rome wasn't built in a day"
  4. Verbs
  5. Nous + adjectives

    I listed them in the order I learn them. I really focus on #1-3 because I think they're the true indicators of fluency, and #3 makes movie-watching a lot easier. Verbs can be tricky if you can't spot their tenses and conjugated forms. Nouns and adjectives are the easiest to pick up. I make my own study decks using Anki.

    This and that are good for translating phrases.

    I think accents come naturally. Anyway, that's not so important if you can't formulate your ideas in coherent French ;) This is a fun site for testing out pronunciation.

    Hope this helps!
u/Woetra · 1 pointr/PhilosophyofMath

It might be helpful to read an introductory text first. My first philosophy of math course used Stewart Shapiro's [Thinking about mathematics] (http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-about-Mathematics-The-Philosophy/dp/0192893068/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341687670&sr=8-1&keywords=stewart+shapiro) as a supplementary text. I didn't use it too much, but it is pretty good and quite approachable from what I recall. Shapiro is a very well regarded contemporary philosopher of mathematics.

You could also start with the [SEP article] (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/philosophy-mathematics/). This will give you an overview of the area, its history, and the various sub-disciplines. That can help you narrow down what in particularly you are interested in which will make it easier for you to find appropriate books.

u/mightyhermit · 6 pointsr/PhilosophyofMath

I've only taken one module in philosophy of mathematics (also the only actual philosophy class I've taken) but Shapiro has a good book we used as a go-to text. Link below bc I don't know how to format on mobile. As far as prerequisite knowledge, you shouldn't need much beyond set/model theory and some mathematical logic, and even that isn't necessary depending on how far your studies are.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-About-Mathematics-Philosophy/dp/0192893068

Gives a good overview of various topics in PoM, mainly questions of either:
• Ontology - Do mathematical objects exist? If so, in what sense?
• Epistemology - How do we have mathematical knowledge? How does it apply to the real world?

Aside from the book mentioned above, just do a quick Google and see what you can find in your library catalogue! Ayer, Kant, and Quine are some prominent authors.

Hope that helps some :)

u/RedStarRising · 3 pointsr/linguistics

Start with Wikipedia. For linguistics is pretty good and some of my professors have suggested I used to get familiar with topics before I research them a bit a more. The nice thing about wikipedia articles is if you are interested in reading more you can just go to the articles and books they cite at the bottom. I would also suggest you check out Describing Morphosyntax. It gives a really good introduction to various topics and just all around interesting.

Someone on here suggested the Language Construction Kit and I would also suggest that because even though it might now be the best introduction out there it will introduce you to the magical world of conlanging. For me if it wasn't for conlanging I probably wouldn't have been as motivated to learn linguistic topics and to get familiar with a wide range of languages.

u/absoluwuteunit · 7 pointsr/Sat

Top score is a 1600, lowest score is a 400. Theres 3 sections (Math, Reading, & Writing/Language) and an optional essay (max score is a 24). The average score is a 1060, most colleges are okay with just about anything between an 1100-1300, though more selective colleges will have an average of 1350, and top colleges usually have an average of 1520 or so.

Practice is always the best way to prepare: The Official SAT Study Guide is the most realistic practice you're going to get. It includes 8 full-length tests (though you can get those for free on the CollegeBoard website) and review of all the topics on the test.

I'm going to be taking the June SAT tomorrow and I've been using Erica L Meltzer's Grammar and Reading Guides (which are worshiped on this subreddit, for good reason), as well as the QAS Released Tests on this subreddit (scroll down and you'll see "Prep Materials" on the right-hand side. They're real tests!)

One thing that helps is identifying my mistakes and reviewing them, making sure they don't happen again the next time I practice. Typically a (responsible) person will begin preparing for the SAT about 3 months in advance, and they'll take the test about 3 times.

I hope this helps!

​

Erica Meltzer: https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3QJ7NNDCFZME1YAVRHE4

​

https://www.amazon.com/4th-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/0997517867/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2/143-3214858-8357969?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0997517867&pd_rd_r=a2f63509-83e3-11e9-b0f3-5fc5494b71c2&pd_rd_w=5Oxt6&pd_rd_wg=XSG76&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=961V20KBVK1215JA12QN&psc=1&refRID=961V20KBVK1215JA12QN

u/Sat3rn · 5 pointsr/Handwriting

As strange as it may sound, the best thing that happened to me was acquiring a fountain pen.

Initially, I purchased the Spencerian Penmanship Copybooks and I found that basic repetition of simple strokes really helped to make myself aware of my hand and finger movements. The books helped me to, more than anything else, sit down in once place for an hour or so and simply focus on the techniques of writing. It got me familiar with practicing writing.

This is where the fountain pen comes in. I practiced my writing with a fountain pen, and the way the nub works and the weight of the pen made me very conscious of my every movement. Looking at my fountain pen writing, I was convinced that my handwriting hadn't improved. Yet when I set down my fountain pen and took up a normal ballpoint, the difference was easily noticeable; writing with a ballpoint pen was suddenly so easy. That was when I realized how my writing had improved.

Hope this helps, and best of luck in school!

tldr; Repetition and practice, coupled with a fountain pen.

u/Thatshaboii · 5 pointsr/Sat

I have personally only used Meltzer's english book, CP's english book, and CP's math book and can vouch that all of these are amazing, but others on this sub also recommend other books. Here is a list of many of them. I hope they serve you well :] (Edit: I apologize for how huge this post is, lol)


English

u/soapdealer · 19 pointsr/AskHistorians

In my opinion, the most convincing explanation of why economically-disadvantaged whites vote for a political party contrary to their economic interests (and why rich, city-dwelling intellectuals vote Democratic) is in Moral Politics by cognitive linguist George Lakoff.

The argument is essentially that the two major ideologies in US politics are defined by deeply held worldviews about morality, not economic self-interest or sincere policy preferences. It was a lot more convincing to me than Frank's "they vote Republican because they're dupes" thesis. The argument is too complicated for me to break out in detail here, so I'd recommend the book, even though it was written during the 1990s, so its examples are a little out of date.

I think we should also be careful when analogizing past political parties to our own. The "Progressive movement" around the turn of the century is most definitely not the same as today's left-liberal "Progressives" in the Democratic party. Many pet causes of the Progressive Movement (e.g. temperance) would be considered very conservative today. Politics was sufficiently different 100 years ago that even drawing left-right analogies simplifies things way too much. The issues were far different in that time, as was the composition of the electorate.

EDIT: added a link

u/tendeuchen · 3 pointsr/duolingo

>But what exactly does a linguist do

If you mean job-wise, this here shows some of the different kinds of trouble you can get into as a linguist.

If you mean what kinds of things you can study, the school I go to requires classes in 4 core areas of study: phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax (I think most universities probably have a similar requirement.). From there you can then take advanced topics in those areas or in other areas like sociolinguistics, areal linguistics, language acquisition.

The program I'm doing is focused in language documentation, so that involves learning how to go out to the field (or wherever you find a consultant) and make records of languages with little to no description. This includes gathering material to write up descriptions that can range from simple overviews of the phonology or the morphology of the language to writing a whole grammar of the language (like this one).

>why did you choose this for studying

I've just been interested in foreign languages for as long as I can remember. Trying to figure out how they work the way they do is just an extension of that for me. I really like syntax and historical/comparative, and also just learning how other languages express things.

Wikipedia is actually a pretty good place to start learning about the subject. The Language Instinct is pretty good and The Unfolding of Language is really good to see how languages can change over time.

u/MaryDaJane · 16 pointsr/fountainpens

thank you all for your kind words, im truly flattered. Very motivated to keep on practicing <:


Btw I dont really have a fixed script for both capitals or lower case letters yet, im just copying whatever i find decent looking.


A while ago i found this image just browsing thru google:
https://i.gyazo.com/6e9fe4a6b9211273d79c900e1b8868c4.png
(source unknown to me) and thought they look pretty nice.

Also I just finished the Spencerian penmanship copybooks:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088062096X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They are great, some of the capitals letters are from there.
http://i.imgur.com/BLhSBni.jpg?1

Hope this is helpful<:

u/PumpkinCrook · 1 pointr/linguistics

I'll second the recommendation of The Language Instinct. Pinker approaches it from the perspective of a cognitive scientist, but it's a good book if you want an overview of linguistics and linguistic theory (although some of his claims are controversial and as breads mentioned, it's somewhat outdated).

As for English syntax, I don't think there are any books out there intended for the layman, so your best bet would probably be to pick up an introductory textbook with a syntax unit. I'd recommend Language Files from the Ohio State University Press. It's an excellent and comprehensive introductory text, one of the best.

An Introduction to Language by Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams is also well-regarded, but I haven't taught from it, so I can't speak to it personally.

u/mandix · 1 pointr/cscareerquestions

I'm telling you... you do not have to wait to become a web designer especially if you have any CS chops. It sounds like you need some kind of validation lol? In design you have to be an entrepreneur, design your own experience, find out some people who are doing design x software email them... surprise them, designers love surprises and something different... make your own luck.

As far as Amazon good books, you really want to aim for a whole view of design at this point. Think of it like you wouldn't learn run before you can walk, there is A LOT out there.

u/kctong529 · 1 pointr/languagelearning

If what you want to achieve is A1 and nothing beyond, you best bet would be getting one of the many course books:

u/atla · 5 pointsr/linguistics

This was my introductory textbook. I found it pretty approachable, and you can wiki / google anything you don't understand. Pretty cheap, too (Amazon has it as only $40 or so new; you should be able to get it cheaper elsewhere).

If you don't know IPA, I found this really useful for audio clips. Also, figuring out how they're made isn't that difficult, and it makes understanding the different sounds easier.

You might also want to check out a few books from your library. I've heard good things about Stephen Pinker's The Language Instinct. You can find other book recommendations elsewhere on the subreddit.

Google and Wikipedia are your friends. Google things about language that you're interested in, figure out what that issue is 'called', wiki that, look at the sources it gives, google more stuff... Simple English is your friend on wikipedia.

There's also this link in the sidebar, so you'll get more information there.

u/Schottler · 1 pointr/German


Hammer's German and Usage

Hammer's German and Usage Workbook

German Grammar drills

Secondary grammar book

Personally, Hammer's Grammar book is quite enough. It is around 500 pages of dry grammar. It is very well constructed and very easy to understand, get it with workbook. It is logical, as it teaches you from the most essential and easiest structures. Nouns -> genders, -> cases, that way it is easier to learn.

Secondary Grammar book is not necessary.

Advice her to use Anki, its a very helpful tool i think for the most easiest words to learn. Especially it helps a lot with German genders.

u/the_fella · 1 pointr/German

I have a BA and MA in German, so that's pretty much how I learned. I also did some studying on my own for grammar points that I found confusing. There're a lot of websites for German grammar. Watching videos in German is a good way to improve your listening comprehension. I can watch most films in German starring Germans without much of a problem. However, I can't understand Austrians. It sounds to me like they're speaking German with a mouth full of food. I don't want to brag (well maybe a little), but I'm really good at German grammar. To me it just makes sense. If you want a good German grammar book, I'd recommend English Grammar for Students of German. I also highly recommend this website. It's by a native German speaker, but he really knows his stuff and understands how to teach it to native English speakers. I've used it especially for some of the finer grammar points.

u/ExistentialistCamel · 1 pointr/DestructiveReaders

GENERAL FEEDBACK

The piece wasn't a complete train wreck, but it didn't blow me away either for reasons that I'll get to in the mechanics section. My main issues with the piece are a consistent one or two clause sentence structure. (I ate coco puffs and the sky was falling. The coco puffs were good. The sky falling sky wasn't.) You need to wring more out of your descriptions and make each sentence work a little bit harder. It can take some practice doing, but it is better to have to much that you can cut down -- rather than having to construct whole descriptions of objects in my opinion. This, however, is not an excuse to spew giant info dumps upon the reader. Make sure to add details as the main character interacts with them, which will in turn help with showing rather than telling.

MECHANICS


> The path we traveled grew more worn as the environment around us slowly shifted from the lush forest I was familiar with into that of a swamp. The rich green of the forest floor began to give way to the wet browns and greys of the wetlands. Arlets feet fell with a moist plop in the muddy soil and the smell of mildew filled the humid air. Our path was raised to avoid being completely taken by the swamp and its water. One could not say that these people were completely at their home’s mercy

I'll spend some time deconstructing your opening paragraph to give examples what I'm talking about. The first sentence is abysmal and it's a good example of one that looks like it's doing something, but requires another sentence to say what you did before (e.g. how is the forest shifting to wetland? I don't get a picture of it). The second could simply be the opening line, and the reader can begin to infer that the forest was shifting to wetlands, and you could describe some of the foliage. Since this is an academic written in first person, it would establish his character if he could precisely name some of the plants and it makes sense to describe some interesting examples of foliage that you could come up with. As it stands his absorption into this new world feels shallow because there isn't much description of it. Try reading the opening section of Perdido Street Station by China Mieville if you want the most evocative description that I've read of a setting, and a fantastic novel centered around an academic. "Ardets feet fell with a moist plop in the muddy soil and the smell of mildew filled the air" This is a good example of showing rather than telling, and giving descriptions of the scenery through the actions of the people involved. The last sentence is poor because it is telling rather than showing, and it has a surprise "not" which makes the whole thing a non-description of stuff that isn't happening.



> “So, we keepin’ tied up now? Don’t love the silence meself.”

The mixture of potential slang with a heavy accent makes this sentence unintelligible. Whilst the accent is consistent, I think it is too hamfisted usage throughout the piece. Try dropping the apostrophes to see if the accent can still be discerned, rather than throwing them on every word. The reader will probably read "Don't love the silence myself" in the same tone as "Don't love the reader meself," because the key word is starting the sentence with "don't."

>So many unfamiliar sights and flora came into view as we traveled that I had become lost in simple observation.

This doesn't fit with a plain description, and it is implied.

>He responded. He maintained an amused grin about him as he spoke.

He responded is implied, and the second sentence can be implied from the tone of the sentence. Cut the whole thing and watch out for excessive description on speech.

> As the goblin spoke, I strained as my fingers flipped through the various books in my bag. My notebook had to be amongst these somewhere. Were fairies more reliant on their wings for flight I would have had an even rougher time of this. Arlet looked towards me shortly after starting off again and paused upon seeing my predicament.

The first sentence is clunky, and I had to read it a few times to get a vague idea of what was going on. The second sentence can be completely cut. The third needs a ", then" before "I" to make it less tricky -- however the description doesn't do anything in itself. Are the fairies flying with the bags? The first clause in the last sentence is unnecessary, because it is implied that he started again if he had to pause.

>The belittlement was less than appreciated. My strain now coupled with the heat of irritation and grew significantly worse as a result.

This is a prime example of showing rather than telling, and I'll give a rough example on how to get more out of your sentences.

>I struggled with the massive bag of books that teetered back and forth as the Goblin sniggered, "you got it master?"
I gnashed my teeth together as sweat poured down my face and aggravated my eyes.

My rework isn't super great, but it gives a rough idea of what the concept is. If the characters are pouring down sweat, then it can be assumed that it is blazing hot outside. I growled is a basic description of an anger emote (I highly recommend using The Emotions Thesaurus when struggling to find an emotive action that shows an emotion).

u/veritate_valeo · 6 pointsr/linguistics

I highly suggest you read the book The Unfolding of Language

It is one of my favorite books, readable to a layman yet delving into some pretty complex stuff in terms of grammatical complexity, phonology etc. It is basically an introduction to linguistics and morphology class nicely encapsulated in one very well-written book.

And it deals specifically with your question.

The author of the book analyzes linguistic creative destruction, that is, what we perceive to be the "erosion" of grammatical structures actually helps to build new ones over time. A good example he gives is the latin verb conjugation giving way to that in the romance languages. Latin loses the structures like amavero, I will love, whereas French takes the infinitive amare --> aimer and adds the verb avoir, have. So we get the complex French conjugation system wherein the future is denoted by "aimerai", "i will love", for example.

Anyway, I highly recommend that book if you ever have a few lazy days to read through it.

u/Tangurena · 2 pointsr/relationships

One thing I found was to do my best to understand their philosophy and what values were important to them.

I found 2 books to be pretty good on explaining the differences: Moral Politics (which is a bit dated) and The Righteous Mind. I think Haidt's book explains things a bit better because his premise is that we have several different axes for our value systems, and that those differences give rise to our different political differences.

u/phawny · 2 pointsr/German

In the same way that die can be either an article or a relative pronoun in German, that can be either a relative pronoun or a simple subordinating conjunction in English. Sometimes the same form fulfills multiple functions in a language. It's simply a different way of dividing up the grammatical work.

Edit: I will point out that we actually can make a distinction here in English, but only for inanimate vs. animate antecedents. If it's a relative pronoun, you can get that or who(m). If it's just a plain subordinating conjunction, you'll only get that.

  • I know that he is already here. (conjunction)
  • I know who he is already here. (conjunction, so the form does not change)
  • That is the most beautiful house that I have ever seen. (relative pronoun)
  • That is the most beautiful woman who I have ever seen. (relative pronoun, so the form may change)

    If you have never been taught basic grammar, you might find this book useful in drawing comparisons between English and German.
u/JessTheMullet · 2 pointsr/Handwriting

I bought the mott media reprint of the original Spencerian workbooks off of Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088062096X It's rather old-fashioned, but it'll get you the basics and you can adapt it to regular use without much effort. Spencerian was originally supposed to be efficient, and with practice, you're supposed to be able to write it at a pretty good speed while still having it be easy to read.

u/OrbitModule · 2 pointsr/penmanship

I'm on the same journey, friend. I started with ordering some nice gel pens, and that helped. But I moved on to an entry level fountain pen, the Pilot Metropolitan Fine, and it has really sparked my love for writing. I ordered some Spencerian Script workbooks here and the theory book here, and already started last night with taking it slow and working on my grip. I wish you luck!

u/PublicyPolicy · 2 pointsr/fountainpens

I picked up spencerian. Its nice but very slow. Properly practiced, most cursive are faster to write than print. Part of the reason they exist. Though spencerian, super slow. Will improve with muscle memory though.

If you need something faster, business script could be what you need.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/088062096X/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1487481437&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=spencerian+handwriting

I have been working through that with a flex pen. Very rewarding but its kinda weird to re learn to write at 32, but like you my hand writing was always crap.

From that book i learned i missed many fundamentals they simply did not teach. Oh well.

u/005 · 1 pointr/funny

OK, so there's a fat cat on the window sill. This is the first literal description you've given this entire time. Now, with that, convey an idea.

Please stop acting like you've read these books when you haven't. And please go read them, or at least admit you haven't. You've "read" Vonnegut, but have you read his musings on writing with concepts? You've looked at an Amazon page of a Postman book, but have you delved into a Postman book and looked at how he talks about pictures, words and media? Have you read the grandfather of all these books, "Understanding Media" by Marshall McLuhan, which talks about how people take advantage of our poor understanding or language? Have you read Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics," which does a spectacular job of showing us how we can't really convey literal with communication mediums? Have you read "The Phantom Public" by Walter Lippmann, which looks at how words affect public policy? In fact, have you ready "1984" and discussed the use of media by Big Brother?

I'm sure you're a smart fellow, perhaps smarter than I am. But there is an inherent issue you aren't quite understanding with language. This isn't about definitions about metaphor, simile or even our particular version of language. This is about language and communication as a human tool -- its limits and powers.

u/ThomasWinwood · 5 pointsr/conlangs

Short answer: Have a triliteral for "speak", then answer questions like

  • If I put m-rh-n into a pattern for creating verbs (*emrhen) what does that mean?
  • If I put sh-k-t into a pattern for creating nouns (*shekt) what does that mean?
  • What other words can I form from m-rh-n and sh-k-t?

    Some cautionary advice: give some thought to the shape of the language before triliteral roots developed and what sound changes created the sense in the speakers' minds that three letters chosen from within the word would carry meaning as opposed to a whole root - your language will come out better for it. The Unfolding of Language has a pretty good overview of the process in Semitic - if you're not careful you'll end up creating something not interestingly different from Arabic.
u/wyzaard · 1 pointr/IWantToLearn

I think you are unwisely dismissive of the chronological route.

Placing abstract and difficult ideas in historical context and threading a narrative is a great way to make those ideas more concrete and engaging.

A psychological sense of the historical roots of ones culture is also a fantastic bulwark against feelings of arbitrariness and absurdity of modern life.

I think any discipline, whether philosophy, mathematics, science, engineering or art is only enriched by the chronological approach. History is important and wonderful and learning the history of the development, evolution and progress of culture is a great counterpoint to learning history as one damned atrocity after another.

A book like Kenny's A New History of Western Philosophy is big and dense, but not impossible to "conquer". It took me about 6 months to finish. That required a bit of commitment on my part, yes, but don't assume OP is a slacker that can't even commit to such a elementary project as reading through a slightly long book.

There are shorter less dense historical introductions to philosophy too.

u/alantrick · 2 pointsr/linguistics

I'd highly recommend The Structure of Language. It's not actually published yet, but we used a sort of preview version for my Syntax & Semantics course and I liked it. Also I know lots of people who like Describing Morphosyntax. I didn't like it a lot (probably because I didn't spend enough time reading it as I should have). It's quite thorough.

Edit: I just looked through Simpler Syntax on google books. It seems interesting, but I don't know if it would make a very good educational book. It's really more of a description of an individual syntactic theory.

u/Spoggerific · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

He's not kidding. Mnemonics are the shit.

I'm learning kanji at the rate of 20 per day with the help of this book's mnemonic system. I spend at most five minutes per character, and after studying them and writing them down only once, I am able to remember them incredibly easy.

With the help of anki for review, it only takes me about four separate reviews spaced over a week or two to remember a character, essentially, permanently. According to my anki history, I've never failed a card that the system considers "memorized", and my success rate for cards a week or less old is 82%.

Before I came across that book I linked a little bit above, I was trying to memorize them by rote, writing each character down dozens and dozens of times every day until it stuck. I could only do maybe three or four characters each day, and I almost always half-forgot them three days later.

u/77mx77 · 2 pointsr/NoStupidQuestions

If you really want to learn these books are very good, they come with paper to write on and examples that you can write over to get a feel for the motions. Also, you should also have a look ar /r/Handwriting, there's a lot of information there as well.

Also, I would definitely recommend getting a fountain pen (/r/fountainpens ), it really makes the experience a lot nicer, and imo makes learning cursive easier.

u/ErrantWhimsy · 1 pointr/self

I just bought some basic Spencerian copy books off of Amazon, along with some pilot varsity fountain pens. I think it was less than $25. So far I am really enjoying it!

I've been thinking learning it with someone else would be awesome, to try to stay accountable on practicing. Interested?

Edit: The books and the pens if anyone is interested.

u/MShades · 1 pointr/Calligraphy

Thanks! For the Spencerian, I'm using the set published by Mott Media - a theory book with a set of workbooks. It's good, although I think it would be better used as a supplement to lessons with an actual person.

As for Uncial, I cobbled that together from a lot of resources. Part of it was just stumbling my way through scripts until someone here said, "It looks like you might be trying to do Uncial." I used a few of the resources in the Wiki as well, and they were very helpful.

u/Bad_lotus · 8 pointsr/AncientGreek

This is a nicely annotated compendium that teaches the history of Ancient Greek through reading. You will find a huge assortment of dialects and genres represented:

https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Greek-Reader-Mycenaean-Koine/dp/0199226601

Combine with an historical grammar and you should be good to go. This is a recent introduction by a great scholar:

https://www.amazon.de/Historische-Grammatik-Griechischen-Laut-Formenlehre/dp/3534206819

Anything by Pierre Chantraine is highly recommended if you can read french. Both his treatment of Homeric, his historical grammar and his dictionary.

Another good dictionary to consult for individual glosses is the one by the late Robert Beekes. It's not perfect but very accessible:

https://brill.com/view/title/17726?lang=en

I would recommend you to consult Fortson and Ringe if you have little previous experience with diachronic linguistics. Ringe for methodological questions and Fortson for Proto-Indoeuropean. Proto-Greek contains many morphological archaisms inherited from Proto-Indoeuropean. You can focus on inner greek developments, but not everything you encounter can be analyzed in a meaningful way within Greek, so it's good to know where to look if the greek data is insufficient:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/historical-linguistics/6722029555C7DB845251785673A48B4C

https://www.amazon.com/Indo-European-Language-Culture-Benjamin-Fortson/dp/1405188960

If you want an in depth introduction to Ancient Greek dialects for students at graduate level and above this tome by Gary Miller should come in handy along with Buck's classic work on the subject, but it's not necessary if you only want to brush up on the fundamentals:

https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Greek-Dialects-Early-Authors/dp/1614514933

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-greek-dialects-9781853995569/

u/the_traveler · 3 pointsr/AskHistorians

>Is there a good book I could read to learn more about (proto-)Indo-Europeans and all those subgroups you mentioned?

For the Proto-Indo-Europeans, you can read Beekes, Mallory, or Fortson. For the Pre-Indo-European people, there has yet to be a book addressing all of them (and there's a good chance there will never be a book, because so little is known about them). You can see my blog, which I linked in my first post, to see a survey of all the Pre-Indo-Europeans. From there, you must google search. If you have any questions about specific Pre-IE people, just ask.

>I'd like to learn more about this stuff too. In a way, it seems to parallel the old (and probably wrong?) legends about the ancient history of India.

Yes, well, the linguistic conquerors of Europe were the same conquerors of India: the Indo-Europeans. A lot more of the Pre-IE cultures of India survive than do in Europe.

edit: A side-note, my list on my blog is incomplete. There is a bounty of Pre-IE studies of tribes in northernmost Europe: the Baltic strip, the higher reaches of Sweden, Finland, and Norway, and the expanse of northern Russia. These tribes are often called Pre-Proto-Uralic tribes, because those lands were displaced by the Urals rather than the Indo-Europeans. Unfortunately, the good majority of stuff being written on it is in Finnish, which I can't read.

u/d11b · 2 pointsr/japanese

If you are a serious learner of the language, then this is site all you need IMO: All Japanese All The Time. I stumbled across this site while in college and in the course of three years (one of which was spent abroad in Japan), I learned Japanese to a very high level. If you are still a student, it will be even easier for you to take on this method.

One more thing. This is also a part of the AJATT method, but deserves separate recognition: Remembering the Kanji. In all my years of learning Japanese, this book was the single most useful text I've ever encountered.

Good luck!

u/rdh2121 · 10 pointsr/linguistics

No problem, it was fun. :D

If you're interested in IE Historical Linguistics, you might want to check out Ben Fortson's awesome Introduction, though this is much more focused on the reconstructed language itself and the development of the individual daughter languages than in the history and culture of the original Indo-Europeans.

For more of a broad cultural history, you might want to check out Mallory's book, which is written in a very easy to read style.

u/montypie · 8 pointsr/AcademicPhilosophy
  • This book is fantastic.
  • The first two sections of this site give good philosophy-specific advice.

    The best advice though is to find a senior philosophy student or a generous professor or TA who is willing to give you direct feedback.
u/meat-head · 10 pointsr/ELATeachers

Lots of experience.

First, here are four books I recommend related to this (in rough order of practical to theoretical):

Book Love

Readicide

In The Middle

Free Voluntary Reading

Second, if ALL you did was make sure they read books and developed a love for them, it would be good.

The best way to "keep them accountable" imo is to conference with them semi-regularly to talk about the book they are reading. Something else I do is go around and write the page number they are on. This can give you data on reading rate over time. It also helps to know who is reading and who is faking.

Now, your student population will affect how/when/if you do this. But, I imagine it will be helpful for about 90% of high school populations. Maybe 100. (Free Voluntary Reading backs this up with many many studies)

It can be a struggle, but if you make it part of your culture, you will get buy-in. Consider that I work at an alternative high school with "difficult students". One of my most resistant readers this year ("I ain't reading books. I hate reading..") Has finished like 6-10 books in half a year. She probably hasn't read that many in her last 3-5 years of school combined.

One important key is getting good books.

The most common argument against high school SSR is "I don't have time to that with all the content I have to cover." Depending on how nice I was feeling, I would say, "You don't have time not to." Otherwise, I might say, "Quit wasting student time with so much 'content'. "

u/kyrie-eleison · 3 pointsr/linguistics

My Intro Linguistics course used Ohio State's Language Files. I was very impressed with it, not just as an introductory text, but as a textbook in general. It has exercises at the end of each chapter. You can probably find a key online, but I (and I'm sure the rest of /r/linguistics) would be happy to help with any questions you have.

u/Bookish_Love · 12 pointsr/writing

This is a neat list, but I agree with some of the other commenters--I think it's easy to mis-use this sort of list as an excuse to slip into lazy writing.

Personally, I suggest Angela Ackerman's book "The Emotion Thesaurus." I like her book because it focuses on the psychological aspects of human emotions, and the physiological effects they can possibly have. She doesn't just list a bunch of physical actions, but rather takes the time to delve into what sort of character would use a certain set of actions, and when might be appropriate to include them. It's only a couple bucks on Amazon, if you want to check it out: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00822WM2M/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#navbar

u/anuvakya · 4 pointsr/linguistics

I learned from the crosspost that you do not want to reveal the language because of privacy issues. Please reconsider as it would be much easier for the community to help. Giving at least the language family would help.

At this point, it seems that if you're serious about this language you have to do linguistics one way or another. Even if you do not plan to read a paper on the language, you would still have to learn at least some linguistics in order to figure out how the language works from speakers (i.e. doing fieldwork)--basically knowing what to do or ask, which is your question. But if you did know linguistics, perhaps it would be easier to access the existing linguistic resources. Fieldwork is a difficult and painstaking process and it takes even professional field linguists many years literally living with the native speakers to really understand the workings of a language.

If you do decide to start learning linguistics for this situation, try a typologically oriented introduction to linguistics, like Payne's Describing Morphosyntax and Exploring Language Structure.

u/raw157 · 1 pointr/books

Sounds like a great class. If I could recommend a book to you, you should really check out Readicide. It is a great book about how schools are killing reading and it mentions many of the studies you probably talked about it class. Be warned, it does have some Bush bashing in it. Besides the Bush bashing (which I just found annoying) it is a great book and a very quick read that is very informative and gives you many tools you can use in the future to point to studies and data that can help you in the future as (I assume) an educator.

u/Cawendaw · 2 pointsr/Calligraphy

Is she interested in broad edge calligraphy (stuff that looks like a medieval manuscript) or pointed pen calligraphy (stuff that looks like fancy cursive)? If it's pointed pen, these are a set of copybooks for one form of pointed pen (note that they're meant to accompany a theory book, sold separately). If broad edge, here is a free downloadable pdf of Italic, one form of broad edge calligraphy.

You could also make such a book yourself fairly easily. Just find a ductus (the diagram of a letter with little arrows) of the alphabet or alphabets she wants to practice. This book has a bunch of them, and you can find others by googling "[name of alphabet] ductus." Cut out each letter in a graphics program and paste them in front of some lines. Print and bind it into a book, and voila.

(This next section is going to use some fairly basic calligraphy terms. If you don't understand what something means, please read through our wiki and google any terms you don't understand. The answers are out there, I promise.)

If she's doing broad edge, find out what size nib(s) she'll be using, then determine the x-height of the alphabet you want to put in your exercise book. There's usually a nib ladder to the left of the ductus. That will tell you the x-height.

Let's say it's Textura quadrata, the x-height is 5, and she's using a pen with a .8mm wide nib. Then you can go to a guideline generator like this one, set the x-height to 5 lines, set the nib width to .8mm, and get a pdf that you can paste the letters from the ductus into.

Once you have your pages, you can bind them yourself, or just turn them into a pdf, take the pdf to a copy shop and ask them to turn the pdf into a spiral notebook (or whatever binding they offer that strikes your fancy).

u/mickypeverell · 2 pointsr/French

You're welcome!! Thank you for liking my explanation ヾ(^-^)ノ. My comment got downvoted for quite a few times so i thought that maybe I wrote something wrong (´・ω・`)? . Anyway, it depends on your level actually so may I know where your level is at now?

This one has the grammar book that is said to be good for any level. I've browsed through it and it's quite thorough. and there is also the vocab book on the same page.
https://www.reddit.com/r/French/comments/4n18w7/just_came_across_the_practice_makes_perfect/

For me I personally love this one, even though it's not really complete, but it's still very thorough. Ultimate French Review if u don't wanna buy it i'm sure the the pdf is somewhere on the internet. however i only recommend this for those who are at least A2, or preparing for B1, and you totally don't need it if you're sitting for A1.

u/kygipper · 29 pointsr/politics

George Lakoff will help you understand conservatives (and swing voters) better than any pundit ever could.
He also does a great job of explaining the moral nature of politics, and how liberals can formulate better moral arguments to persuade what he calls "bi-conceptual" voters.

Edit: The poll referenced in this very post is one of many examples I've seen in recent years of actual data backing up Lakoff's theories. When combined with recent studies showing the differences between the parts of the brain liberals and conservatives use to process political/moral issues, Lakoff's concepts are dead-on.

u/itsjeremylemon · 3 pointsr/duolingo

Schaum's Outline of German Grammar is good.

Also, English Grammar for Students of German

And as RadiiRadish has said, Memrise is fantastic for vocabulary. I haven't been to German is easy! so I can't attest to it's merits.

Here is a pretty good site with likely familiar fairy tales in German.

Get Germanized is a fun youtube channel that teaches vocabulary, culture, etc. I know it's not reading material, but fun no less.

u/ADefiniteDescription · 1 pointr/askphilosophy

You should just read this book. It's extremely easy and still very useful, and written by the best philosopher of maths currently alive.

u/AFrameNarrative · 1 pointr/French

I have not used the book you have mentioned, but I have found the teaching method to be utterly ineffective with most of the glossy and colourful books that are generally published/prescribed these days, with few exceptions.

My first French textbook was Cours de langue et de civilisation françaises by Gaston Maugher. I have gone through many, many books since then, but this remains to be my favourite.

I recommend The Ultimate French Review and Practice and English Grammar for Students of French - the former covers all basics in a clear, concise and thorough manner and the latter draws neat comparisons with English grammar to help you understand French grammar.

u/Zoobles88 · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Morthy demands:

old posh Englishman: old posh Englishmen like to write, right? (Writing Stuff)

Never seen in public: these slippers would look ridiculous in public (Other Stuff)

Most phallic: this is the best I've got(Other Stuff)

Akeleie demands:

Most geeky: probably my Adipose toy (Other Stuff)

Achieve a goal: I would love to be a writer (Writing Stuff)

Deserted island: who doesn't need a ukulele on and island? (Other Stuff)

Thanks for the contest!! :D

u/2ysCoBra · 1 pointr/videos

> Like I said before, it was a smartass response that you're reading too far into.

Like I said before, it was a very basic inference. You're looking way too much into what I was saying.

> Saying "a mix of both idiots and intellegent people who are idiotic" rather than "idiots" doesn't have the same ring to it.

You're reading your own use of the word into his statement. Maybe that is what he meant, but that's not what the logic of his statement said, which is why I was asking him about it.

Here are a couple texts that I think you would benefit from.

  • Numbah 1
  • Numbah 2

    The first one is really solid, but it's expensive. The second one isn't as robust, but it gets the job done, and it's significantly cheaper.

    > i'm out.

    Cheers :)
u/CraxyMitch · 0 pointsr/Firearms

It's a nice looking font. If you'd like to improve it, as others are saying, get a good stable fountain pen, and this, you won't regret it.

​

u/poisionde · 0 pointsr/Calligraphy

What you currently have, and what Pilot Parallels are are called broad edged pens. Italic is a broad edged hand. Spencerian, on the other hand, is a pointed pen script. Although I don't do pointed pen hands, you need a pointed pen nib, and preferably an oblique holder, instead of what you currently have. See the wiki.

To learn Spencerian the IAMPETH website as well as the Spencerian Copybooks are recommended.

I'm not sure whether learning Italic first is recommended or not. Someone who is more knowledgeable with pointed pen scripts should speak up :)

u/Socialinception · -6 pointsr/seduction

This gives 0 actual value to anyone- it's just a list of positive traits. Also, the writing is sub-par at best, I recommend reading a guide: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Tools-Essential-Strategies-Writer/dp/0316014990/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522185432&sr=8-3&keywords=writing

u/Index_Case · 1 pointr/writing

I think these are both worthy reads. Fairly easy to dip in and out of too:

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer - Roy Peter Clark

The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase - Mark Forsyth

The last one I found especially interesting.

u/AngelOfGrief · 1 pointr/French

>There are a few good grammar review books out there. The Ultimate French Review and Practice is good, as is Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French Grammar.

Would you recommend one over the other? Or both?

u/FA1R_ENOUGH · 4 pointsr/askphilosophy

I'd recommend reading a book on the history of philosophy. That way, you'll have a working understanding of all the major philosophers, and you will probably find someone's philosophy interesting enough to pursue them further. A classic is Samuel Enoch Stumpf's Socrates to Sarte. A friend of mine also recommended a more contemporary book that he said is becoming more standard today. A New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny.

Other standards works many students start with include Rene Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy. Also, Plato is a good starting point. The Five Dialogues are some of his earlier works. These include the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, and Phaedo. I personally started with Plato's Republic, which a former professor informed me that you must read in order to consider yourself educated in today's world (Interestingly enough, he's only ever said that about books he's read).

u/spiritstone · 2 pointsr/languagelearning

I am no sure if a single text can help you achieve your goals for self-study.

However, I have heard great things about the "Erkundungen" and "Begegnungen" Deutsch Als Fremdspreche series from Schubert-Verlag for existing self-study learners, which also has an online site for grammar exercises, http://www.schubert-verlag.de/aufgaben/index.htm

Alternatively, an English and progressive teaching grammar like this well known one may suit you better:

"English Grammar for Students of German"

u/_tnxm · 2 pointsr/Sat

Have you tried The Critical Reader: The Ultimate Guide to SAT Reading by Erica Meltzer? I recently bought it after seeing many recommendations and great reviews. While I haven’t used it yet, I’ve looked over it and its seems pretty helpful, goes over many areas I’m struggling with and has lots of examples and explanations etc. Most people will recommend this so if you haven’t already, I suggest you give this a try. Good luck!

u/Tropos1 · 2 pointsr/thedavidpakmanshow

Kyle did a nice job there. The framing pressures at Fox News are at such full force that you have to be very active in counteracting them. Otherwise you will fall into any of a long list of games they play with their average viewer to gain support for their conclusions. I would suggest a book by George Lakoff called Don't Think of an Elephant, as it's about that very subject

u/Danny_0cean1 · 7 pointsr/C_S_T

As with all thoughts, there will always be people who co-opt them for their own ends, regardless of the actual substance of them. Both Capitalism and Communism were/are exploited to enrich very few despite promising prosperity for all. All religions have been abused in so many ways to justify so many atrocities throughout history. Monarchism, Feudalism, Racism, Sexism, Fascism, Anti-Semitism, and so on. Even ideologies which focus entirely on freedom like Libertarianism or Anarchism can and have been used to control and manipulate.

​

Social Constructivism is an idea. It's a theory that attempts to explain aspects of human societies and behaviours. It is used by stupid people stupidly, and smart people smartly. It can be used to control or free people. It seems to be an inevitable aspect of human nature to tend towards oppressive hierarchy. It takes concious effort to fight it. That is what these people, for the most part, believe they are doing. And, if we're being honest with ourselves here, they actually are. They have the stats to prove that these negative outcomes are ongoing even in rich developed Western countries. You say that they are deliberately employing a divide-and-conquer strategy as if they are waging a war on everyone else. As if it's you and them. But it isn't. All they want is a good and just society, which I think is something you want too. I know I do.

​

The French revolutionary philosophers, along with British ones, together formed the rights-based natural-law freedom-focused philosophy that founded the United States and dominates the Anglosphere, and the rest of the Western World. It is a rich and varied body of work I'd encourage you to look into since you seem quite interested in it. Here's some good starting points: Jean-Jaques Rousseau, and this is the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Positive and Negative Freedom. The latter is excellent and has articles on everything you can think of. A really good book is a New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny. If you can only read one thing, read that. It's like 1000 pages but it breezes by; his style is so good and engaging. The reasons why these ideas came about was in the pursuit of freedom. Even Marx. He and Adam Smith were actually very much cut from the same cloth. It's all very interesting.

​

China is not as monolithic or united as you seem to think it is. It has suffered and continues to suffer from frequent unrest and dissent. We rarely hear about it over here in the West. But remember: everyone in China is basically just like you. The country is as mixed as you'd expect over 1.5bn people to be, it's just relatively cut-off from the rest of the world.

​

​

u/Zenmachine83 · 1 pointr/politics

If you are interested, maybe check out one of Lakoff's books like "Don't Think of an Elephant. This critique rings true for me as I work in community mental health, mostly with children and families. I see the impact of differing parenting strategies/structures every day. I am biased I'm sure, but I think securing funding for basic access to healthcare, education and mental health services for children would go a long way towards solving our problems in this country. The right-wing worldview is not pro-social and in some cases is downright anti-social. Lakoff puts forward a number of solutions for this problem.

I agree that the structure of our democracy most likely needs to be altered. This could mean moving towards a parliamentary system and/or it should include efforts to increase voter participation and civil society.

u/ANauticalVehicle · 1 pointr/Handwriting

Yeah, here are some links to IAMPETH: 1 2

2 is a collection of Spencerian examples by master penmen and the first are a few practice sheets. There are also a few books you can get through Amazon (or possibly locally depending your location). 1 2


I would recommend the latter, but it is often expensive/unobtainable. The guides online can help a lot too, though I recommend you print off the sheets and trace the letterforms for a while to get them down.

u/James_Of_Scots · 4 pointsr/Handwriting

I think your handwriting looks fine, but if you are wanting cursive, I could recommend the Spencerian penmanship (theory book plus five copybooks) I own these books, and I love them. It's a system based on ovals, and meant for speed, due to the 52° slant. I have linked below, both the UK link to buy them, and a US link.

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Theory-Book-Copybooks-Spencerian-Penmanship/dp/088062096X

US: https://www.amazon.com/Spencerian-Penmanship-Theory-Book-copybooks/dp/088062096X

u/skypetutor · 2 pointsr/psat

> How would you tackle the psat reading and writing portion? I'm currently missing around 5-7 reading questions and 4-5 writing questions. I've read both Barron's and Princeton's review books on how to answer reading questions. Barron's suggests to read the whole passage and focus on the introductary sentences, while Princeton's method is to use the questions to guide you to the answers from the reading section, so I'm a little confused on which method is better than the other.

Both Barron's ("Barron's's?") and The Princeton Review's SAT Reading strategies are rather simplistic and designed for the average student, not the high scorer. I would suggest that you simply find the method that works best for you, and that you buy an SAT Reading guide by a true professional such as Erica Meltzer.

For more information on SAT Reading strategies, check out my free e-book, Master the SAT.

u/thedwarfshortage · 2 pointsr/Calligraphy

Thanks a lot! I'm sure I'll get more relaxed and less shaky over time. But in the mean time, do you think I should get this? I've been contemplating for a while now, and I want to know whether it would help or not.

u/scatteredloops · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Linky.

I'm a believer that things will eventually work out, and so far, they always have. No matter how horrible or stressful a situation, I've made it through and have come out better from it. I may not always get what I want, but when I look back at what happened, it worked itself out and was often for the best.

Even if it's all based on random chance, there's still a chance of good things happening. Your life is complete shit, Maya. Just accept it. BUT DON'T. That's a lie.

u/warrtooth · 2 pointsr/linguistics

if you're interested in book recommendations, I've been been reading the unfolding of language, which has some good discussion about the sort of processes that cause inflections to appear and disappear. I've found it to be a very easy and interesting read!

u/Anna_Smith-Spark · 2 pointsr/Fantasy

I haven't read The Horse, the Wheel and Language. I will look out for it now, I'm very interested in Indo-European history and the reconstruction of Indo-European ur-culture.

I can't really claim to be an expert on linguistics. But Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, while not exactly a riveting thrill-ride, does set out the whole basis of linguistic change and development over time, and explains the way in which languages can be reconstructed. I studied philology as a part of history (you can track cultural changes through vocabulary, for example, or date sections of a manuscript using word changes), and this kind of guide is very helpful. It does help with understanding how Tolkien managed to create a language, too.

u/alynnidalar · 2 pointsr/conlangs

Reading Describing Morphosyntax may result in something a bit more complicated than what you're looking for, but the end product will be awesome, and you'll probably learn a ton along the way. I certainly have been.

EDIT: Also, the final section of the Language Construction Kit offers some advice and a possible outline.

u/Mitchacho · 1 pointr/LANL_German

I have this book: English Grammar for students of German. It compares English and German in lots of areas of grammar in easy terms. I find it pretty helpful.

Also you could probably find a better price for the book but I just linked a better description.

u/jina100 · 2 pointsr/fountainpens

I’ve been slowly making my way through these books. I’ll practice a letter a bit and then integrate it into my daily writing to the best of my ability :)

u/l33t_sas · 5 pointsr/linguistics

Well I'm no expert on IE but I don't see what other methods you could use other than the comparative method. There are books on IE linguistics.

>How do linguists determine how/when a particular phonetic shift was likely to occur?

Let's start with the when, since that is easier to answer. Now one thing that linguists cannot do is give a specific time when a sound change occurred, based solely on comparative linguistic evidence (of course this might be possible with historical or archaeological evidence). What linguists can do is put sound changes in the sequence in which they occurred.
For example, if you know that a language reflects two protophonemes t and k as k and ʔ respectively, then you know that k>ʔ must have occurred earlier than t>k. Why? Because if t>k had happened first, then the k>ʔ change would have then affected the /k/s resulting from this change and you would have a change that looks like this: t>ʔ. Incidentally, these changes I just described actually happened in Hawai'ian.

Now onto how, there's a couple of ways this question can be interpreted and it's not clear to me exactly which you mean. Are you asking why sounds change? How linguists choose a proto-phoneme to reconstruct? Whether we can predict a future sound change?

u/illuminatiscott · 1 pointr/reddit.com

This is one of the most informative and entertaining books I have ever read. It discusses how language has changed and keeps changing, and how the so-called "degradation" of language is actually what's responsible for its amazing complexity.

u/RagamuffinRay · 1 pointr/thedavidpakmanshow

This does a pretty good job of it: https://www.amazon.com/Moral-Politics-Liberals-Conservatives-Think/dp/0226467716

Strict father vs nurturing parents mentality.

u/Coloradical27 · 3 pointsr/ELATeachers

Yes! SSR is an important part of my class. I make sure to give students 20 minutes each day for it, and they have 20 minutes per night, 5 nights a week for homework. They may choose any book they want as long as they read. I work with students who are in grades 9 and 10, but they test at a 6th grade reading level. We also read literature, but SSR is so they can read recreationally and find books that suit their interests. Kelly Gallagher's Readicide is the book that most informed my reading pedagogy. It also cites many studies about the importance of students doing recreational reading.

u/spike12385 · 1 pointr/Sat

4th Edition, The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997517867/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2g7SDbCADK738

The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997517875/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uh7SDb4SK8C3G

These are some rather expensive books but they really do work. Good luck!

u/gnorrn · 3 pointsr/linguistics

Fortson, Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction is what you want. Absolutely superb in every respect.

u/mcaruso · 1 pointr/LearnJapanese

Yep, that's definitely true. This, incidentally, is what Heisig set out to do with Remembering the Kanji, to give an English speaker the same advantage in Japanese as a Chinese speaker (that is, know how to write each kanji and a rough approximation to its meaning).

u/WordsfromtheWoods · 1 pointr/writing

I prescribe these two books for you to read in this order:

Writing Tools: 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

  1. https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Tools-Essential-Strategies-Writer/dp/0316014990

    On Writing Well, 25th Anniversary Edition: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction

  2. https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Well-25th-Anniversary-Nonfiction/dp/0060006641/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539787015&sr=1-4&keywords=on+writing+well

    Read these two books carefully and apply the advice to your own writing.

    Good luck.
u/cairo140 · 11 pointsr/linguistics

Steven Pinker's The Language Instinct is a strong layperson's introduction to lingistics.

Ohio State has a huge undergraduate linguistics program and publishes an omnibus introductory linguistics textbook to boot. I've heard good things about it: Language Files.

u/crank12345 · 4 pointsr/askphilosophy

You are probably beyond this stage, but I would generally suggest Shapiro, https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-about-Mathematics-Philosophy/dp/0192893068, to a student interested in that topic as a good starting point.

u/Ryslin · 7 pointsr/Calligraphy

I'm not sure if you're asking how to do the more advanced stuff that /u/kapule910 did, or if you're looking to get started. If it's the latter, be sure to check out the Spencerian Penmanship Theorybook - https://www.amazon.com/Spencerian-Penmanship-Theory-Book-copybooks/dp/088062096X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527000026&sr=8-1&keywords=spencerian+penmanship+theory+book+plus+five+copybooks

It was written by Spencer's children/pupils and provides an excellent introduction to the style, along with practice books / exercises. A bit old school, but I think that adds to the charm. =o)

u/hobsonpills · 1 pointr/politics

lol you cant formulate a logical reply so you go on the offensive with belittling remarks. That's Intellectually-dishonest debate tactic 101 which clearly subverts your effort when its recognized and lets the opposing conversationalist know you can't back up your side and that they won the argument. May I recommended some light reading on the art of debating, I think you will find it immensely helpful if you plan on continuing to post here.

https://www.amazon.com/Rulebook-Arguments-Hackett-Student-Handbooks/dp/0872209547

u/AlotOfReading · 2 pointsr/math

To understand the general history of math, you won't need to understand what you most likely consider to be math. You will, however, need to understand how to put yourself in the shoes of those who came before and see the problems as they saw them, which is a rather different kind of thinking.

But anyway, the history of math is long and complicated. It would take years to understand everything and much of it was work done on paths that are now basically dead ends. Nevertheless, here are some other resources:

u/LeeHyori · 2 pointsr/askphilosophy

This is a really good book that I had to use in my philosophy of mathematics course. It's very accessible, and gives you a great introduction to philosophy of mathematics. It keeps things in perspective and reminds you what's at stake, the main questions, all in historical context: http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-about-Mathematics-The-Philosophy/dp/0192893068

Here's a professional review of the book attesting to its awesomeness: http://web.calstatela.edu/faculty/mbalagu/papers/Review%20of%20Stewart%20Shapiro%27s%20Thinking%20About%20Mathematics.pdf

u/grumpypants_mcnallen · 1 pointr/AskReddit

> My knowledge of kanji is laughable at best.

Heisig's Remembering the Kanji has a very novel approach to learning the kanji, although It's not for everyone. The problem for me was that I was both being too lazy, but also that it works best with English as your primary language.

As for vocabulary training I'm not sure.

u/DoctorModalus · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Sir Anthony Kenny's "A New History of Western Philosophy"

https://www.amazon.com/New-History-Western-Philosophy/dp/0199656495

In my experience subject histories are a wonderful way to learn the major epochs and gain an deep understanding of historical advancement without focusing solely on dates an events.

u/Antaria77 · 2 pointsr/writing

There's a good book series, hold on I'll link it, bought these for myself, and they're great https://www.amazon.com.au/Emotion-Thesaurus-Writers-Character-Expression-ebook/dp/B00822WM2M