Studying New Age Tourism Potential In Kerala Tourism Essay

Studying New Age Tourism Potential In Kerala Tourism Essay Tourism seeks greener pastures for its growth and in this century every dimension of human culture has the potential to become a tourism product. Gauging the potential of variety, the products that are offered in new age tourism varied from alternative healing methodologies, avenues for aesthetic development, discourses by spiritual gurus and innovative tourism practices. This variety in tourism product resulted in the evolution of centres of attraction, which are almost three times more growth potential than the classic tourism market. Kerala is considered as the first State in India, which had initiated steps to exploit the emerging market of new age tourism and is now providing with wide and varied centres of attraction like aesthetic development, experiential and personalised self-development, and alternative approaches to health care. This study is of the view that there is a need for Certification of these New Centers of tourist attractions which will ensure quality of service provide and finally will boost tourism in Kerala. Introduction The history of tourism industry depicts a picture of exponential growth and increasing diversity. The number of activities and experiences that can be categorised as tourism has increased significantly and now every dimension of human culture has the potential to become a tourism product. It is rightly opined that tourism seeks for greener pastures to grow and expand. It uniquely celebrates differences in places and peoples to create novel experiences (Tejvir, 2004). Gauging the potential of variety, the products that are offered with new age tourism varied from alternative healing methodologies, avenues for aesthetic development, discourses by spiritual gurus and innovative tourism practices. This variety in tourism product resulted in the evolution of centres of attraction, which are almost three times more growth potential than the classic tourism market. Now tourist destinations are not seen as set of distinct natural, cultural, artistic and environmental resources but as an over all product, a complex and integrated package offered by a territory able to supply a holiday, which meets the varied needs of the tourist (Maria and Peter, 2006). The New Age faction has grown significantly since its emergence in the 1950s and 1960s (Dallen and Daniel, 2006). Originally, it was a counter-cultural movement, interacting with other counter-cultural movements of that time, such as the ecology, hippie, and commune movements. During the last decades, spiritual and esoteric methods have been popularized and commercialized by an expanding market of literature and workshops. This has made New Age a socially accepted phenomenon and it has thus lost much of its anti-modernist and culture-critical character. Objective of the study The main objective framed for this study is to analyse the available potential of tourism in Kerala vis-à  -vis to the New Age Tourists. The other objectives are as follows To identify the basic motivations of tourists visiting Kerala. To analyze the socio-demographic profile and the image of the destination from the tourist perspective. To examine the activities undertaken by tourists and the usage of usage of tourism intermediaries and suppliers. Study Area The new age destinations are facing a challenge to manage and organize their resources in order to supply a holiday experience that must be equal to or better than the alternative destinations experiences on the market (Maria and Peter, 2006). Hence Kerala can be considered as the first State in India, which had initiated steps to exploit the emerging market of new age tourism. As is rightly opined by Professor Peter Cochrane Travel has long been with us. Virtual reality is well upon us. Experience is already being revealed in tourism to the extent that it may now be the key objective of todays traveler (Khan, 1997). It is this urge of the present day traveler which made the tourism authorities in Kerala to developed wide and varied centers of attraction like aesthetic development (Kalamandalam art, drama and music); experiential and personalised self-development, (courses on meditation, personal relationships and self knowledge and finally, courses on alternative approaches to heal th care (Ayurveda massage for body rejuvenation). Moreover, it can also be opined that the primary sector comprising of agricultural allied operations is stagnant and tourism is considered one of the alternative strategy that can be adopted to regenerate the economy especially in the rural area (Tribe, 1995). During the last decade, one can witness the development of tourist resorts where packages are provided where all the above amenities are clubbed together. The study area was restricted to Kovalam, Varkala, Guruvayoor, Vallikavu, Kumarakom and Munnar. Out of this Kovalam and Varkal are beach resorts, Munnar, the famous hill resort and Gurvayoor and Vallikavu are religious centers. Methodology Both primary and secondary data was used for the study. Through the primary survey, we tried to analyse the demographic profile, visitor motivation, activities indulged at the centre and duration of stay. Statistical tools like correlation analysis were used to analyse the expenditure pattern and duration of stay of these visitors. Results and Discussions Driven by a buoyant economy and increase in the purchasing power of the middle class population along with the rising interest towards oriental culture and values, one can witness an increasing shift of tourism traffic towards India. From the Figure 1.1, it is clear that the tourist flow to India is showing an increasing trend. Only the moths April to June can be considered as slump period while peal flow is observed during the tourist season October to February. * = Provisional  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Source   :   Ministry of Tourism, GOI Likewise, only the off season period between April-May, one can observe a short fall in the tourist earnings. The efforts made by the Central government along with the sufficient support of various State Governments to make tourism a yearlong affair, can be clearly observed in the Figure 1.2 shown below. * = Provisional  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Source   :   Ministry of Tourism, GOI Though with vast potential and diversity in the products that can be offered by India, yet it ranks only twenty-second. Hence, India was not able to harness its multiplier effects for employment and poverty eradication. The recent policy changes like liberalization in aviation sector, rationalization of tax rates in the hospitality sector, tourist friendly visa regime etc is imperative to boost the tourism sector in India. Tourism in Kerala Domestic tourist arrivals (excluding pilgrims) rose from 52.40 lakhs in 2001 to 59.46 lakhs in 2005. Thus in five years, annual growth rate for foreign and domestic tourist arrivals are respectively 13.27% and 2.69%. According to the study of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on tourism sector in the State, Travel and Tourism generates as much as 7.7% of GSP and 6.2% of total employment. Visitor exports (tourism receipts) are worked out as 14.3% of the total export of the State. Figure : 1.3. Earnings from Tourism Source : Economic Review, 2006. Figure 1.3 provides a clear insight into the earnings from Tourism between 2001 2005. It can be observed that the foreign exchange earnings during 2005 is Rs. 1552.31 Crores and the total earnings from the tourism sector is Rs. 7738 Crores. The Economic Review highlights that the Tourism sector employs around 10 Lakhs persons in the State. As per the estimates of World Tourism Organization (WTO), propelled by the tourism and business travel boom, India needs an additional 300,000 by the year 2020. When we analyzed the expansion plan of various tourist markets in India, it is observed that Kerala is considered as a potential tourist zone, yet the expansion plan should be further strengthened to accommodate the needs of the tourists. Figure 1.3 illustrates the new room supply expected to be included in the key tourist zones. Potential of Spiritual Tourism in Kerala It is the Greeks and the Romans who cultivated the quest of well being through Spiritual tourism. One can also observe that the followers of majority of the religions used to undertake spiritual journeys at least once in a year. It is rightly opined by Timothy Dallen that spiritual tourism as the oldest and now one of the fastest-growing segments in the travel industry. The new breed of spiritual travelers likes to enjoy spiritual enlightenment without giving up their comforts, which resulted in this being added as an important component of New Age Tourism (Greg, 2007). Various studies had pointed out that many thousands of tourists visit India for various types of spiritual interactions with diety or godman. Though there are reservations against comodifying religion and to put holy places into spot light for mass consumption and to make holy things unholy, yet one can observe that the lines between mass tourists and religious tourists are becoming increasingly blurred. Even spiritual tourism is seen by many government and tourism officials as a way to either diversifying or save struggling economies (Dallen and Daniel, 2006). There exist difference of opinion about whether spiritual tourism is related to escapism from the self to an entirely different environment that offers pure relaxation, or, an opportunity to renegotiate ones place in the world and relationships. In extreme cases, it might be about confrontation of the worlds darker side and human tragedy, a reminder of ones mortality and place in a universal cycle (Steiner and Reisinger, 2006). This kind of exploration arguably has philosophical and spiritual dimensions, which can make ones minor troubles, seem relatively insignificant. Katusuhiko Yazaki who is the Japanese mail-order multimillionaire opined that We cannot find true meaning in life by occupying spacious residences. At some point people will need to raise their desires to a higher level (Khan, 1997). His illusion is that we have material possessions but for fulfillment, we need something beyond them, which urged the present day traveler to undertake spiritual journeys of self-discover y. These spiritual journeys make the traveler feel that he is just a minute component in the massive super structure called Universe. The study observed that majority of the tourists selected for the study falls in the age group 35 45 and 45 55. It is surprising to note that in both the groups majority of them is from the female group rather than male. This can be attributed to male ego, which refrain them speaking aloud about their personal life or difficulties. The study also observed that there exists a positive correlation (+.73) between income and expenditure on spiritual journeys. Majority of the tourists are from the higher income group due to which there demand for quality in services is much higher than the others. The Gurus or Godmans are of the view that when the tourist (patient) feels confident and energetic without any negative side effects literally provides them the assurance that the treatment had achieved its ultimate objective. Potential of Health Tourism in Kerala From the Medieval Age one can trace the elements of health tourism like the scrupulous attention paid to well-being of Romans and Greeks (Melanie and Catherine, 2006) along with the development of seaside and spa tourism of the 18th and 19th century by the European elite which continues even now though at a much faster rate. The House of Lords opined that the proliferation of wellness centers, holistic retreats, spas, spiritual pilgrimages, and complementary and alternative therapies is unprecedented (House of Lords Report, 2000). Experts came forward with various theories to justify the sudden spurt in growth. Some of them are of the view that the anomie of the western capitalist societies, the breakdown of traditional religions and the fragmentation of the communities. Though the advancement made in the field of medical science had resulted in the development of curative care for major diseases, yet one can observe that the psychological and emotional problems of man are left untr eated. Depression is commonly cited as being one of the greatest disease burdens of the 21st century and suicide rates are rising, especially amongst young men (e.g., Mealanie Smith and Catherine Kelly 2005). This can be attributed to high pressure he should withstand in a performance related pay-package work environment. But the only viable solution that is left for the mankind is to indulge in Health Tourism. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, deals with both the preventive and curative aspects of health in a most comprehensive way. Besides contributing to maintenance of health, it also has a wide range of therapeutic measures to combat various illnesses. Though the art of Ayurveda had spread around in the 6th century BC to Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea and Sri Lanka, yet one can witness in Kerala that this medical system is still being practised and perfected by the Kalari Gurukals who are considered as the master of the traditional martial art of Kerala Kalari. Vogue magazine once opined that Technology is destroying usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Nature has a remedy for every illness, an answer for every problem (Khan, 1999). It is from this view that the strength and growth of Ayurveda lies. Kerala is the only state in India, which can boast of making concerted efforts to promote health tourism in a big way, which has resulted in a substantial increase of visitor arrivals into the state. Kerala and ayurveda have virtually become synonymous with each other. The study observed that many of the health resorts are located in beach resorts like Kovalam and Varkala. Yet one can also observe that the serene hill resorts of Kerala also attract health tourists in sizeable numbers. Like all other form of tourism, Health Tourism also attracts mainly the affluent sections of the society. It is observed that both man and woman of various age groups are showing considerable interest in ayurveda and body rejuvenation therapies. Kerala can also boast of having the best pool of ayurvedic physicians and masseurs who are effectively trained and added to the resource pool by the many number of ayurvedic hospitals. When we made a correlation analysis with that of the total expenditure incurred by the tourists, it was observed that the correlation value is 0.89. Though the study observed that many of the ayurvedic health resorts are available in developed countries yet majority of them feel that it only at the origin of the practices, they feel that they ha d received optimum service. The study observed that though there is negative opinion about the effectiveness of certain therapies of ayurveda yet the people are of the view that it has placebo effect. Potential of Culture Tourism in Kerala Cultural tourism has been identified as one of the most rapidly growing areas of global tourism demand. Cultural tourism is about people traveling for cultural motivations and is measured by determining whether the travelers attended activities and venues such as festivals, exhibitions, theatre performances or historic sites. Kerala can boast of a unique Dravidian culture and tradition. It is because of the uniqueness, Kerala can boast of a unique standard of living, which is very different from the rest of India. This unique model is popularly known as the Kerala Model of Development. Hence both domestic and foreign tourists want to have a first hand experience about the social and cultural wealth of Kerala. Along with various historical sites, Kerala also boast of unique centers of learning where can both witness the art forms of Kerala. Moved by the unique nature, many of the tourists got enrolled in these centers of learning like Kalamandalam. The study observed that though vario us tour packages had included short duration performance by the traditional artists, only the dedicated ones like to purse these art forms. The short duration performance also enhanced the sales prospects of art souvenirs of Kerala. From the table given below, one can observe that the highest consumer group of cultural tourism in Kerala is the foreign tourists. Table 1.1 Trend in Expenditure Pattern of Foreign Tourists Activity Foreign (in percentages) Domestic (in percentages) Shopping for Souvenirs 78 52 Local Cuisine 63 48 Historic Buildings 81 67 Other Findings The other findings of the study are as follows. Though both the foreign and domestic tourists are satisfied with their visits, yet majority of them opined that there is still scope for improvement. From the study, it is clear that the tourists irrespective of the area to which they belong, depends on internet for their information needs. The study also observed that spiritual and cultural tourism is most preferred by domestic tourists than international tourists. The period of stay is higher for the foreign tourists than the domestic. It ranges between two to four days for the foreign tourists while majority of the domestic had a shorter stay of less than three days. The size of the group comprising the domestic tourist is much higher than the foreign tourist. Hence it is clear that the emphasis for domestic tourist is quantity and for the foreign tourist it is quality. This also conveys that for the domestic tourist, time is an important criterion whereas for the foreign they dont give undue importance to time factor. Finally, it can be opined that that the foreign tourist is very selective about the type of accommodation whereas the domestic tourists are satisfied with the available accommodation at the area. Conclusion Suggestions It can be opined that just as (old) mass tourism is not necessarily unsustainable, in all circumstances, new or alternative forms of tourism are not inevitably panacea in all situations. Indeed neither form of tourism is sustainable unless an appropriate planning and management regime is in place (Moscardo et.al, 1998). Much of the research till date focused on service quality in the hospitality sector, and in particular, measurement of customer perceptions of quality. There is little or no effort integrating quality into all aspects of managing tourism enterprise (Derek et.al, 2003). One of the views that emerged from this research is that majority of tourists visit Kerala for relaxation and rejuvenation. It was observed that both domestic and foreign tourist on their arrival at the destination, a sense of anti-climax prevailed in their minds. This is due to the gap between what that is propagated and what is actually practiced. The study observed that Certification of these New Cen ters of tourist attractions should be incorporated which will ensure the quality of service provide and finally will boost the tourist traffic to Kerala. These New Centers should adopt Co-opetetion strategies whereby the new or minor centers should co-operate with one another to achieve a sustained flow of tourists to these centers (Edgell, 2006). It can be concluded that it is due to the availability of diversified products that ensures that tourism still thrives in Kerala economy. Finally this study is of the view that still the government lacks a holistic view towards tourism development in Kerala. The authorities consider competitiveness and attractiveness as different entities but it is rather supply and demand side of tourism. Only through such a holistic approach, policy makers will have a clear understanding about what the tourists are looking for and what the stakeholders are investing in. Though there is an increase in the employment for the local community due to the appe arance of tourism, yet this study is of the view that there one can witness conflicts between the host and service providers. Hence it is suggested that the onus for bridging the gap should be on the shoulders of the service providers and the government. They should try to make the centers of tourist attraction especially the villages a self-sufficient one. The growing needs of tourist sector like meat, egg, fish etc can be sourced from the village itself rather than depending on external markets which will ensure the trickle down effect and sustainability in the long run.

Introduction to Provencal :: essays research papers

Introduction to Provencal Provenà §al was originally used in all the south of France, as far north as Poitou, Limousin and the Dauphinà ©. Romance language descended from Latin. XIth century Earliest texts (3) survive from XIth century. La Chanson de Sainte Foy (1033) is the only one of real merit. XIIth Century Period of the early troubadours. Dominant genre lyric poetry, especially the chanson (love poetry); also important, sirventes (satire); moral and religious poetry and the partimen (debate poetry). Principal poets: Guillaume IX of Aquitaine, Marcabru, Jaufrà © Rudel, Cercamon, Bernart de Ventadour, Bertran de Born, Arnaut Daniel and Raimbaut d’Aurenga. Wrote for a society where patronage was the rule. Poetry governed by strict conventions as regards rhyme and metre. Music very important. Poets were usually composers as well and set their poems to music. Society destroyed by the Albigensian Crusade (first part of the thirteenth century). Many southern lords destroyed or impoverished and replaced by northern invaders. Deathblow to troubadours, many of whom fled to Aragon and Italy where troubadour poetry continued to enjoy great prestige. Dante admired the troubadours very much. XIIIth century XIIIth century sees poetry continue with poets like Peire Cardenal and there are some surviving poems, which show that there was an epic tradition (Daurel et Beton), and a romance tradition (Jaufrà © and Flamenca). XIVth century Poetry becomes conventional with few outstanding poets, but real efforts to preserve the traditions and language. 1323 foundation of the Consistori del Gai Saber. The Jeux Floraux at Toulouse where prizes were awarded to the best poets. Religious poetry flourished (La Vida de Sant Onorat) and there was some epic poetry (Ronsasvals). Some theatre and prose especially religious (Barlaam et Josafat), but also secular (Melusino, Chronique de Montpellier). XVth century A period of decline in quality and quantity. Some theatre (les mystà ¨res rouergats and alpins), some prose (Chronique des Comtes de Foix et seigneurs du Bearn by Michel Bernis 1445). Period when Provenà §al writers are turning towards French for political and prestigious reasons. XVIth century Despite the à ©dit de Villers-Cotterets (1539) enforcing the use of French in official documents, a period of some revival. Particularly inGascony where the efforts of the navarese Kings to maintain their independence meant some of Gascon. Pey de Garros (1565) wrote Psaumes for Jeanne d’Albret. Guillaume du Bartas (also wrote in French) and Auger Gaillard (Lou Banquet 1583 republished three times) both use Gascon. In Provence Louis Bellaud (1543-88) and Pierre Paul poets of some merit with many followers.

Website Analysis

Website Analysis Assignment I choose the website of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan to analysis. Its address is http://www. gcfb. org/site/PageServer? pagename=homepage. The site clearly states Gleaners mission – Nourishing Communities by Feeding Hungry People, on the heading with the company’s icon and also in the first â€Å"What we do† text chunk. From the information provided, I found that it serves three audience segments: donators, volunteers, and partner agencies. From my perspective, the donators group is the one the organization mostly to target, because compare to other groups, the organization provides exhaustive introductions about donation and put them on a more easy-to-grasp place. For instance, three out of five homepage text blurbs and the first picture comes out in the homepage are all about donation The website groups related items into different menus and links. However, the link name and the hierarchical order are confusing to me. The main menu arranges information as HOME, TAKE ACTION, EVENTS/FOOD DRIVES, END HUNGER and PARTNER AGENCIES. For the first sight, people will not understand what the END HUNGER section means and will have to search. Besides, I think the END HUNGER and EVENTS/FOOD DRIVES sections should be before the TAKE ACTION and PARTNER AGENCIES. Because people need to see the organization’s mission and approaches before making a donation or partner decision. Moreover, the website does not do efficient in terms of web navigation. Different audiences have to click back and forward among different links to get all the information they want. The website’s menu put donation and volunteer together into the submenu of TAKE ACTION; It puts some of the partner agent information strangely into the END HUNGER section; Besides, the â€Å"Need Food Now† which links to Gleans partner agencies occurs twice at the top-row menu and the right column header within a screen length. This duplicate link is unnecessary since to find the information, you do not even need to roll your mouse. The bottom-row menu provides some site navigation about jobs and contact information but does not list any helpful information on location or site map. All these designs make the presentation distracting and inefficient. When I look into its content, I find the information is periodically updated, however, not fresh. The last update news is in October. I volunteered with Gleaner on the first Saturday of November and wanted to see our volunteer pictures on the website. It is clearly promised on website, the volunteer section that the pictures will updated per week. However, it seems that the company ate its words. Since the news is not newest, current audiences will feel disappointed and the prospective audiences may lose their interest to keep looking at the site. Despite the fact that some information is not easy to access for certain audience, the information content itself is helpful. For example, when I go to the Bag Hunger event link, I can find a very attracting event poster, the event date, location, contact information and even a calendar which brings you to previous and upcoming events. The website is written in a consistently professional and friendly tone. It invites interaction with email newsletters, facebook, twitter, mobile and visiting tour. Most of its texts maintain pleasing, easy-to-read line length, use the font size and color that are easy to read from the background. The line spacing is consistent and easy on the readers’ eyes as well. The text is balanced with vivid illustrative graphics and bulleted lists. The graphs in the website are really powerful. They are adorable and creative in design. When surfing the site, I even stored some pictures in my computer. But a problem about them is the size. They are so small that I have some struggles to catch the words in the picture. Thus the small size kills the informational effectiveness of the pictures. Glearners’ Food Bank has its headlines and page title clear, very simple but still to the point. So it saves the readers’ time and keeps them interested. Its name and logo are on every page and links to the homepage. The internal links provides identification for all pages with both heading and a short text that explains the purpose of each page. For the Donation site, you can see a description that â€Å"You can help feed our hungry neighbors today with your donation of funds or food to Gleaners†. For the volunteer, it has â€Å"View a list of current volunteer activities†, â€Å"View our Volunteer Scrapbook to see some of the thousands of volunteers who assist Gleaners every year† clearly states the purpose. The heading also contains a search with an advanced searching option. I tried the search by Wayne State University, and hoped to find their volunteer picture in the scrapbook. But the search gave me twenty unrelated Wayne community, Wayne annual report things. It did not work adequately. On a whole, I will trust the website with my information because it presents its information in a professional way and also because it is a member of many reputable charity organizations. Even though from my perspective, some items are grouped overlapped and they lack strong logic drive, most of the words are really simple and informative. To make the website look better, I suggest the following: * Make the images larger and easy on the reader’s eyes * Delete the duplicate hyperlink â€Å" Need Food Now† * Change the â€Å"END HUNGER† to a more clear and understandable title * Arrange the menu into a logic order –put END HUNGER and EVENTS/FOOD DRIVES sections before TAKE ACTION and PARTNER AGENCIES * Make sure the content is current and keep its weekly update promise

Reillys Law of Retail Gravitation

Reilly's Law of Retail Gravitation In 1931, William J. Reilly was inspired by the law of gravity to create an application of the gravity model to measure retail trade between two cities. His work and theory, The Law of Retail Gravitation, allows us to draw trade area boundaries around cities using the distance between the cities and the population of each city. History of the Theory Reilly realized that the larger a city, the larger a trade area it would have and thus it would draw from a larger hinterland around the city. Two cities of equal size have a trade area boundary midway between the two cities. When cities are of unequal size, the boundary lies closer to the smaller city, giving the larger city a larger trade area. Reilly called the boundary between two trade areas the breaking point (BP). On that line, exactly half the population shops at either of the two cities. The formula is used between two cities to find the BP between the two. The distance between the two cities is divided by one plus the result of dividing the population of city B by the population of city A. The resulting BP is the distance from city A to the 50% boundary of the trade area. One can determine the complete trade area of a city by determining the BP between multiple cities or centers. Of course, Reillys law presumes that the cities are on a flat plain without any rivers, freeways, political boundaries, consumer preferences, or mountains to modify an individuals progress toward a city.

Definition and Examples of Language Change

Definition and Examples of Language Change Language change is the phenomenon by which permanent alterations are made in the features and the use of a language over time. All natural languages change, and language change affects all areas of language use. Types of language change include sound changes, lexical changes, semantic changes, and syntactic changes. The branch of linguistics that is expressly concerned with changes in a language (or in languages) over time is historical linguistics (also known as diachronic linguistics). Examples and Observations For centuries people have speculated about the causes of language change. The problem is not one of thinking up possible causes, but of deciding which to take seriously...Even when we have eliminated the lunatic fringe theories, we are left with an enormous number of possible causes to take into consideration. Part of the problem is that there are several different causative factors at work, not only in language as a whole but also in any one change...We can begin by dividing proposed causes of change into two broad categories. On the one hand, there are external sociolinguistic factors - that is, social factors outside the language system. On the other hand, there are internal psycholinguistic ones - that is, linguistic and psychological factors which reside in the structure of the language and the minds of the speakers.(Jean Aitchison, Language Change: Progress or Decay? 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2001)Words on the Way OutAmidst and amongst are all rather formal, almost affected, now, and are more usually encountered in high-brow writing, less usually in speech. This suggests that these forms are on the way out. They will probably bite the dust, just as betwixt and erst have done...(Kate Burridge, Gift of the Gob: Morsels of English Language History. HarperCollins Australia, 2011) Anthropological Perspective on Language ChangeThere are many factors influencing the rate at which language changes, including the attitudes of the speakers toward borrowing and change. When most members of a speech community value novelty, for example, their language will change more quickly. When most members of a speech community value stability, then their language will change more slowly. When a particular pronunciation or word or grammatical form or turn of phrase is regarded as more desirable, or marks its users as more important or powerful, then it will be adopted and imitated more rapidly than otherwise...The important thing to remember about change is that, as long as people are using a language, that language will undergo some change.(Harriet Joseph Ottenheimer, The Anthropology of Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology, 2nd ed. Wadsworth, 2009)AÂ  Prescriptivist Perspective on Language ChangeI see no absolute Necessity why any Language would be perpetually changing.(Jonathan Swift, Proposal for Correcting, Improving, and Ascertaining the English Tongue, 1712) Sporadic and Systematic Changes in LanguageChanges in language may be systematic or sporadic. The addition of a vocabulary item to name a new product, for example, is a sporadic change that has little impact on the rest of the lexicon. Even some phonological changes are sporadic. For instance, many speakers of English pronounce the word catch to rhyme with wretch rather than hatch...Systematic changes, as the term suggests, affect an entire system or subsystem of the language... A conditioned systematic change is brought about by context or environment, whether linguistic or extralinguistic. For many speakers of English, the short e vowel (as in bet) has, in some words, been replaced by a short i vowel (as in bit), For these speakers, pin and pen, him and hem are homophones (words pronounced the same). This change is conditioned because it occurs only in the context of a following m or n; pig and peg, hill and hell, middle and meddle are not pronounced alike for these speakers.(C.M. Millward, A Biography of the English Language, 2nd ed. Harcourt Brace, 1996) The Wave Model of Language Change[T]he distribution of regional language features may be viewed as the result of language change through geographical space over time. A change is initiated at one locale at a given point in time and spreads outward from that point in progressive stages so that earlier changes reach the outlying areas later. This model of language change is referred to as the wave model ...(Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes, American English: Dialects and Variation. Blackwell, 1998)Geoffrey Chaucer on Changes in the Forme of SpeecheYe knowe ek that in forme of speeche is chaungeWithinne a thousand yeer, and wordes thoThat hadden pris, now wonder nyce and straungeUs thinketh hem, and yet thei spake hem so,And spedde as wel in love as men now do;Ek for to wynnen love in sondry ages,In sondry londes, sondry ben usages.[You know also that in (the) form of speech (there) is changeWithin a thousand years, and words thenThat had value, now wonderfully curious and stran ge(To) us they seem, and yet they spoke them so,And succeeded as well in love as men now do;Also to win love in sundry ages,In sundry lands, (there) are many usages.](Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde, late 14th century. Translation by Roger Lass in Phonology and Morphology. A History of the English Language, edited by Richard M. Hogg and David Denison. Cambridge University Press, 2008)

Critical evaluation of abortion as a social problem in the society Research Paper

Critical evaluation of abortion as a social problem in the society - Research Paper Example In such an occurrence, it becomes extremely necessary to conduct therapeutic abortion, which is prescribed by a health professional so as to save the mother. On the other hand, abortion can be induced willingly by a healthy mother so as to relieve herself from the responsibility of bearing and rearing the child, in which case it is referred to as elective abortion (Baumgardner, 2008). This paper is a critical evaluation of abortion as a social problem in the society, providing viable solutions to the menace. Abortion Abortion as discussed herein is a social problem, which has continued to remain a contentious topic of discussion internationally. This is due to the fact that different societies around the world engage in this debate from two perspectives. There are those who support it and those who feel that it should be illegalized on the basis of ethical and moral perspectives. However, several countries around the world such as the US, UK and some parts of Australia among others, have gone to the extent of legalizing abortion by enshrining it in their constitutions, while some such as Vatican city, El Salvador, Nicaragua, brazil, Mexico among others have made it illegal to have abortion irrespective of the prevailing circumstances (Beckwith, 2006). In general, at least 54 countries around the world permit abortion although some apply restrictions to avoid carelessness and irresponsibility. However, it is ironical to note that the rate of abortion in places where it is illegal matches that of places where it has been legalized (Beckwith, 2006). This is to imply that despite the efforts by these authorities to curb the menace, willing patients can acquire the services of clinics, which operate without their knowledge. According to research, approximately 45 million abortions are conducted on yearly basis. However, 50% of these are done under illegal and unsafe conditions contributing to a significantly high number of deaths, approximately 75000, and more than 3 million disabilities per year (Rosenbaun, 2005). This is a worrying trend based on the fact that, if the mortality rate emanating from abortion remains constant for 10 years, it means that more than 750000 persons would lose their lives while more than 30 million others would become disabled. Therefore, it is important to face the facts as they are and find viable solutions to this problem. The church for example has continued to uphold its moral standing, claiming that life begins at conception and therefore, harming a fetus is equivalent to murder (Beckwith, 2006). On the other hand, it remains adamant on the need to use natural methods of birth control. This may be the reason why abortion is illegal in places such as Vatican City, where the Catholic Church is most influential. However, they fail to realize that this only puts the citizens at a higher risk of performing unsafe abortions based on the fact that cartels operating illegal clinics will always establish themselves wit hout the knowledge of the authorities. Statistics indicate that at least 40% of women around the world can have access to these services, which are acquired in at most secrecy and discretion (Heary, 2009). The result is that the authorities will not have the capacity to protect these women since there is no way they can check on the qualifications of the personnel in this business as well as supervise the conditions through which abortion in these facilities is carried out. In order to find a better solution to the problem, it is important to highlight the various reasons why a woman may opt to have an abortion. To begin with, immorality in the society has continued to grow, with cases of rape, prostitution, adultery, incest and

Endometrial cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Endometrial cancer - Essay Example The most common type of endometrial cancer is endometrioid adenocarcinoma. It is developed in cells that form glands of the endometrium and shows specific features under the microscope. Endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) is the most common type of endometrial cancer, which compromises about 75% to 80% of endometrial cancer and usually occurs at the time of, or one to two decades after menopause, and shows most common symptoms with vaginal bleeding. Its clinical behaviour and grade depend on the degree of differentiation. High grade of tumour development are associated with more advanced stage of disease. Endometrial subtype of endometrial cancer (EEC) is estrogen related. It is already well defined that high level of estrogen in patients lead to increase the risk of endometrial adenocarcinoma as estrogen hormone sustains to promote the growth of endometrial cancer cells. That is, the risk of tumour development is associated with an increase in uncontrolled estrogen activity. According to the study of classic model regarding endometrial cancer and breast cancer, estrogen modulates the expression of estrogen responsive downstream effectors by binding to estrogen receptor and induces subsequent reactions through the action of estrogen receptor at the transcriptional level. The second most common form is papillary serous adenocarcinoma, which is composed of about 10% of all endometrial cancers and another form is clear cell adenocarcinoma, which compromises about 4-5% of all endometrial carcinomas. Both papillary serous and clear cell adenocarcinomas show more aggressiveness than endo metrioid adenocarcinomas, and can be often detected at advanced stages. Estrogen hormone functions on cell growth and differentiation, mainly in tissues of reproductive system including mammary glands, uterus, vagina and ovaries in female and testis,