The Ability to Use Algebra to Determine Solutions

The Ability to Use Algebra to Determine SolutionsThe past five decades have seen more information being posted on the internet. This data is needed to generate a business strategy for a company or an investment in energy, so that it will become financially stable. An employee working for a company might need this type of advice for personal reasons as well as work-related reasons. The advent of the Internet has allowed people from all over the world to be able to gather information from each other.Algebra is one way to help a person decide on the best course of action to take. In this case, it is used to help a person know what the best option would be if it is necessary. There are two types of different ways in which this can be done. One is through the use of geometric figures, and the other is through the use of ratios.Statistics is one form of algebra that is used by many people. This may be used to show how much money was spent on particular items, as well as for the purpose of determining whether or not something is profitable. There are several different ways in which this could be used.The use of numbers to represent results is known as using numbers to calculate results. A good example would be if someone wanted to find out how much money they should invest into an investment plan for a specific product. By using a number, the person could look at the figure and know how much money they should be investing.There are a variety of different ways in which it is possible to calculate the exact answer for any given mathematical problem. Many different options exist to help with this problem. All methods are based on a solution to determine the answers to mathematical questions.Another way in which algebra can be used to determine how to solve a problem or how to determine a solution is by utilizing a mathematical equation. Using an equation will help a person to determine how many different items need to be included in a particular equation. Algebra is able to show a solution to these questions.Numbers are great tools to help people solve problems. Algebra is used to help people make use of these numbers to come up with a solution. All forms of algebra will be able to tell a person how to solve a problem or how to get the best answer to a question.In a numerical form, a solution can be found by finding the right form of this type of algebra. It is possible to figure out different types of relationships with numbers. These different relationships can be used to help a person to choose the correct course of action for their life.

Should You Join a High School Language Club

Should You Join a High School Language Club Learning a new language can open many doors for students. A high school language class is a great way to learn the basics, but if youre looking for a way to engage further with the language and culture, a high school language club might be the answer. High school language clubs can improve your language skills, build your resume, and connect you with your peers in a creative way. Keep reading to learn if a high school language club is right for you. Joining a high school language club can improve your language skills Joining a language club allows you to explore a language outside of the structure and formality of a classroom setting. You may feel more comfortable speaking in this environment if there are parts of the language you arent grasping. Take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere, and dont be afraid to ask others for tips on learning the language. [RELATED: How to Choose a Foreign Language to Study] Joining a high school language club can prepare you for college admissions Many competitive colleges and universities will look at more than just your academics when making admissions decisions. Taking foreign language classes is a plus, but being able to show your dedication to the language through involvement in a language club can greatly boost your resume. Not only will it showcase your level of interest in the language, it will also illustrate to colleges skills such as collaboration and commitment. [RELATED: How High School and College Students Can Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] Joining a high school language club can connect you with new people One of the most important things you can gain from your involvement in a high school language club is a new community of people. A club provides the potential to meet new people across all grades and interest levels. Utilize this network of people when trying to master your second language. Form study groups or group chats for when you need assistance outside of meeting times. You will begin to feel more confident in the language if you have the support of others with the same end goal. Joining a high school language club can introduce you to different cultures Through your club, you can learn about aspects of the culture that will help you further your understanding. Since some clubs in high school are run by students, you will likely have the opportunity to dive deeper into areas of the language and culture you find most interesting, such as: What kinds of food do other cultures eat, and what significance lies behind those traditions? What sports do other cultures often participate in, and what is the history behind this? In what ways do other cultures dress differently from your own, and why do they do so? Do brief research on the culture associated with the language you are learning, and go into the club with ideas of what you would like to learn. Chances are, others in the group would also benefit from learning more about different cultures. [RELATED: 5 Myths (and Realities) About Study Abroad] Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

What is Traditional Japanese Food

What is Traditional Japanese Food How to Recognise Traditional Japanese Food ChaptersJapanese Cuisine: Going Way Back in TimeHonzen-ryori: Ancient Japanese Foods Served in StyleKaiseki-ryori: Authentic Japanese CuisineWashoku versus YoshokuContrary to recent claims that multiculturalism is passé, perhaps more so than any other country’s, Japanese food is influenced by other cultures’ preferences. A perfect instance of such is the much-beloved tonkatsu, a deep-fried, panko-breaded pork cutlet that is usually served with rice and cabbage salad.This dish epitomises what the Japanese call yoshoku â€" western-influenced cuisine.Essentially, yoshoku represents European dishes with a Japanese spin; indeed, the aforementioned pork cutlet dish is reminiscent of the Germanic schnitzel... and for good reason!It was the Dutch who introduced the dish during the Meiji Restoration period, when the emperor concluded that Europeans were physically bigger than Japanese because of the food they ate.Now that that fact has been disclosed, we have no choice but to delve into the history of Japanese cuisine.Let’s find out which dishes are native to the Japanese culture, which ‘outsiders’ are so popular they’ve been adopted as an integral part of the cuisine, and which foods are still considered outsiders.Pour yourself a cup of Japanese tea â€" or sake if that’s your preference, and find out where all these yummy concoctions really came from.Spiritualism played a part in shaping the food culture of those early days, too.During the Yamato Period, from 300 to 538 CE Buddhism was introduced; another Chinese influence, albeit routed through Korea. So great was Chinese influence in every aspect of Japanese life at that time that the tail started wagging the dog â€" meaning that the Japanese started knowingly and actively imitating Chinese food and culture.Mapu tofu â€" a popular dish in Japan today originated in China’s Sichuan Province, giving ample evidence of the Japanese mirroring of China. China’s and Buddhism’s influence had lasting and, some say dire consequences on the diet of the Japanese.In 675 CE, that belief system led to meat eating banned; especially consuming the flesh of domesticated mammals, for five months out of the year. Prior to Emperor Tenmu’s declaration, it was not unusual to eat meat, even horses, dogs and chickens, year-round.After that decree, wild game remained in the stewpots as it was considered essential to the Japanese diet in remote regions. Chickens became pets and monkeys were only eaten as a part of ceremonies.Further restrictions on meat consumption: Empress Koken declared a ban on fishing in 752 CE but, to compensate the fishermen for their loss of livelihood, she promised them extra rice.The Heian Period (794-1195) saw further banning of meat from dinner bowls.Perhaps the oddest decree of that period â€" perhaps of all time was: should any government official, imperial household member or person of nobility eat meat, they would be considered unclean for three days and barred from p articipation in any religious ritual.Get some of the best cooking classes London on Superprof.From this brief history, we see that the Chinese had a massive influence on early Japanese culture, especially their food: what it contained and how it was prepared, served and eaten.The end of the Chinese Tang dynasty signalled the end of that culture’s influence over Japan, but they did make one more remarkable contribution to the Japanese food culture: chopsticks.Granted, they too came to Japan via Korea and it is true that only nobility used them at first; ‘commoners’ still ate with their hands.Nevertheless, from the 9th century on, Japan set out to find its individuality, both in cuisine and in culture. What happened next could be considered a complete denouncing of lavish Chinese foods and eating habits.No longer would there be elaborate preparations; offerings were simplistic but substantial â€" peasant fare by another name.Fish and seafood made its way back into their diet but meat was still vilified: anyone who slaughtered an animal and consumed its flesh was considered ‘burakamin’, worthy of discrimination and ostracisation.In the meantime, said peasants did get their bit of nobility: the chopstick made its way into the countryside. Soon, eating with one’s hands was considered crass, even in the poorest households.Also explore the diversity of regional Japanese cuisine...Honzen-ryori: Ancient Japanese Foods Served in StyleAs expansive as traditional dining in Japan sounds, each dish presentation is only a couple of bites! Image by Robert-Owen-Wahl from PixabayThis cuisine is what emerged from the Shogun influence of the 14th century. That is when eating became highly ritualised and stylised. Prior to that time, all of the food had been placed on the table at once, as it is still done in China today.In this updated eating etiquette, food would be served on legged trays to individual diners, arranged in a prescribed manner and following a strict li st of permissible dishes.Find the best cooking courses in the country thanks to Superprof.Those dishes included:Sakizuke: an appetizer, generally served with sakeNimono: a simmered dish involving dashi and fish, tofu and/or seasonal vegetablesMukozuke: a sashimi dishHassun: basically, whatever is in season â€" be it fruit, veg or meat ( meat is also seasonal!)Yakimono: a grilled dish of fish or meatSokuji â€" a rice dish.This feast would be preceded by an aperitif and rounded out with a sweet, perhaps mochi cakes. Invariably, a tea ceremony would follow.Unfortunately, it is no longer common to find such an extravaganza.Some elements of such a meal feature in traditional Japanese weddings and some Japanese restaurants might serve such a feast... but the entire experience will likely run into the thousands of yen!If that’s more than the cash outlay you were anticipating, you may find elements of this style of cuisine in kaiseki-ryori, a much more common presentation. Discover other Japanese food specialities... Kaiseki-ryori: Authentic Japanese CuisineThis dining experience centres on harmony between appearance, taste, texture and colour of the foods.Originally, this meal started with a bowl of miso soup complemented by three other dishes; today, that is what the Japanese people consider a ‘set meal’.In other words, it is a standard dinner in the average Japanese home or restaurant.Today, in the finer Japanese restaurants, you are more likely to be treated to much the same outlay of dishes as with the traditional Honzen meal, but with a slightly more reasonable price tag.Typically, chefs will start your dining experience with an appetizer and follow it with seasonal fare; generally a type of sushi and several side dishes.You would then linger over sashimi, ahead of a simmered dish that may consist of vegetables, meat, fish or tofu, each stewed separately so that they will keep their own flavour. You would then cleanse your palate with a soup.Now you’re o n for some grilled fare, typically fish, followed by an acidic palate cleanser such as pickled cabbage or radish.And then, you get into some serious eating: a hot pot. The reigning favourite is Sukiyaki:a pot of broth with assorted raw ingredients that you scald in the broth prior to eating.Finally, you encounter the Japanese staple dish, rice, mixed with ingredients fresh in season.  You may end the meal with a dessert: seasonal fruit, some confection or cake.This meal sounds substantial until you consider that each serving is only a few mouthfuls... but rest assured you won’t leave the restaurant hungry! What is on your top ten list of Japanese foods?Although rice is a diet staple, soba noodles are also quite popular in Japan Image by ?? ? from PixabayWashoku versus YoshokuThe two styles of cuisine covered so far are considered Washoku: traditional Japanese cuisine.The more modern style of cooking is called Yoshoku and it incorporates elements of European cooking arts, as we men tioned in this article’s introduction.At one time in Japan’s history, outsider influence was deemed harmful and the country entered a period of isolationism: nobody was allowed in or out for about 220 years.Besides limited commerce with China, the lone exception was trading with the Dutch, through which trickled medical, scientific and technical advances.Naturally, early assays into meat-based cooking were replications of Dutch foods but soon, others followed, each getting their own ‘spin’ and being served in Japanese style.What most westerners and many Japanese consider an authentic Japanese food feature, tempura, actually made its way to the islands from Portugal in the 1500s.So ingrained is tempura in the food culture there that it is considered ‘washoku’.The easiest way to tell whether you are eating traditional or ‘updated’ Japanese dishes is by how they are served.Traditional dishes will be served in individual bowls; it is considered poor taste to mix flavours together. Also, these meals will invariably be eaten with chopsticks, save for the soup.By contrast, ‘updated’ fare may be mixed; you might be served a plate of teriyaki chicken on a bed of rice, for example. For this type of dining, western-type spoons are acceptable utensils.Another dead giveaway that you’re in for some ‘real’ Japanese food: the Japanese restaurant menu will list those dishes in katakana, a syllabic means of writing foreign-sounding words... but that line is getting blurred.Some yoshoku dishes are so popular in Japan that they are now served as part of the washoku lineup, like that cutlet dish we mentioned at the start of the article.These days, it may be served with Japanese sauces like daikon or ponzu and, more tellingly, it features on menus as a native Japanese word rather than its syllable-spelling.There is no doubt what traditional Japanese food is: elegant, tasteful, appealing to the senses â€" including that mysterious fifth taste, umami.Were we to designate foods that are traditional... that would be a bit harder, seeing as that notion is in flux.But then, Japanese cuisine has long been about so much more than food for sustenance.Now learn how Japanese food is adapted to suit tastes around the world...

Start Boxing Now With A Coach!

Start Boxing Now With A Coach! Start Boxing With The Help of an Instructor! ChaptersWhy Train with a Private Boxing Coach ?How Do You Find a Private Boxing Instructor?How Long Does a Boxer Stay at the Beginning Level?What's Next, After Your First Boxing Class?“Rhythm is everything in boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that’s in rhythm or you’re in trouble.” â€" Sugar Ray RobinsonYour ideas have finally come to fruition, and you now want to put yourself to the test and seriously take on boxing, right?To exercise via sport, to let off steam or to know how to defend oneself in case of aggression, the reasons to learn boxing are as numerous as they are personal.The ring is a particularly physical environment, difficult and demanding, where it is necessary to be enduring and powerful, but where  brute force would be nothing without a high technicality.In this respect, it is necessary to start with a good base understanding of the sport, otherwise you may soon have regrets: the slightest little bad habit taken during your first boxing  class will be extremely difficult to uproot ... Your first attempt at the sport will indeed become the foundation of all of your sporting technique.Nothing better, then, than an experienced boxer to show you the way: there just for you, he can give you demonstrations and watch you to monitor any error that may occur!To avoid the KO, you must find a great coach!What's Next, After Your First Boxing Class?As we have just seen, there is no more effective or tailor-made way to learn boxing than through private instruction  with an expert coach: it's a custom introduction and education, at your own pace, where you will easily overcome any inhibition (a kind of misplaced shyness is a common disadvantage of many learners).Then, once the bases are in place, we can more easily branch-out to courses in several clubs, the advantage is to be able to confront sparring partners regularly and in good spirits, and not just spar with your coach.You'll see fast improvement after your first day of tra ining in the boxing ring or gym!The boxing club is also the ideal springboard to find opponents to face in a legal and secure  environment, with the benefit of sound advice and the experience of others.Of course, this should not prevent you from continuing to look for instruction by your private coach, if you have the means and if boxing has become like a drug for you, in order to progress faster.The state of mind, with enthusiasm and motivation, is the most important thing to make quick progress! In a very short time, you will be able to say: Beware the one who will seek me out, for I will send him to the ground!Finally, find out if you should to choose competitive boxing or fitness classes ...Discover how much boxing classes really cost here.Find out more about boxing for women here.

What is Pattern Making

What is Pattern Making Pattern Making: the First Step in Clothing ChaptersClothing Before PatternsPattern-Making ParticularsThe Tricky Science of SizingPattern-Making for Non-Clothing ItemsWe are so lucky! We take it for granted that our trousers have two legs of equal width and length and that our shirts button up evenly. We don’t even need to constantly tug one sleeve down to match the other!You might think that this is such an obvious thing to remark upon but it wasn’t so long ago that merely draping oneself in a piece of cloth and cinching a belt to hold it closed was standard attire.In some parts of the world, it still is: think of India’s flowing saris, for instance, or the traditional kimono of Japan, held together by its obi.There is a science to making clothes to fit the body; clothes that are ‘even’ on both sides. It is called pattern-making.As you may have guessed, that statement only applies to roughly the last 150 years. Before that time, all sewing was bespoke; done by hand and made to order.Even that is not exactly true.Onl y the wealthy could afford tailor-made clothing; everyone else made do as best they could. As you might imagine, those results might not have been… even.What really revolutionised the clothing industry â€" indeed, what turned clothing into an industry was the sewing machine.The first working sewing machine caused a riot. Angry tailors, fearing for their future income, burned down the shop of one sewing machine inventor and nearly killed him.Fortunately, we’ve moved past those days; now we live in a time where we can buy all the clothes we want without having to endure multiple fittings at the dressmakers’ or tailors’, with a reasonable assurance that the clothes will be properly cut and sewn.Besides the sewing machine, what makes such extravagance possible? Sewing patterns!Today, your Superprof takes a look behind the actual making of clothes to see how they are measured and cut, how they are sized and why there really is no ‘one size fits well’ in off-the-rack clothing. Find and take sewing courses on Superprof.Before the mid-19th Century, outside of the royal court, sewing was pretty much for practical purposes only.Nobody had the time to sit around, dreaming of dazzling garments, nor did they have the money to buy shimmering cloth with which to make said garments.  To say nothing of the fact that the average person had no need of shimmering garments.The Industrial Revolution changed all of that.It didn’t give people reasons to wear nice clothing but it made the possibility of clothing being more than just serviceable.Machines could now produce low-cost bolts of cloth from which many articles of clothing could be made and factories sprang up to mass-produce clothing. They were able to do so thanks to pattern-makers.Discover how you too can make your own clothes patterns... A dressmaking form is a way to get a look at how well the dress will drape Image by Lara Gonzalo from PixabayPattern-Making ParticularsMass-producing clothing for men in varying sizes was really not so difficult; measurements are pretty straightforward and nothing gets draped.Women’s clothing, on the other hand, proves a far greater challenge. Besides the greater variety of styles in women's clothing,  things get much more complicated because there is no hard-and-fast ratio of the bust-waist-hip measurement.That is why clothes-making was soon standardised through the use of patterns. These patterns are meant to accommodate body measurements of the average-sized person.To be more exact, two main pattern-making techniques were designed.The Flat PatternPattern drafting starts with a set of measurements.Let’s say you want to make a pattern from which all of your future clothing will be made from. You will need to take exact measurements of your:Neck, measuring at its basechest (bust) : wrap the measuring tape around your chest at nipple heightshoulder width: from shoulder to shoulder, across the yokesleeve length: measure both arms from shoulder to wristyou will also have to measure your biceps and wrist!Waist: measure the fullest part, if possiblehips: here also, you should target the fullest parthalf-length: from the base of your neck to the top of the hipsAnd so you would continue, measuring your inseam, outer seam, thigh girth and so on.Once you have all of these measurements, you would plot a sloper; a basic outline of your measurements.In fact, you may want an upper and lower sloper and, if you anticipate making skirts and dresses, you might make a narrow skirt sloper. Don’t worry, you can always embellish it later!The point of having a sloper is that you have a basic outline from which to make patterns. You might think of your slope as a two-dimensional dressmaker dummy.You may also want to make it on something more resilient than paper; maybe paperboar d or even a thin sheet of Teflon.Once you have created this more durable slope, its name changes to ‘block’. You can make free sewing patterns from your own blocks Image by Maatkare from PixabayThe Draping MethodIf you’ve ever undertaken any sewing projects that called for draping cloth over a dress form, then you are already familiar with this method of making clothing patterns.As its name implies, one simply drapes muslin over this form until the desired look is achieved, after which the design is transferred to paper to create a slope or the cloth itself becomes the pattern.Using such a form is especially effective if you want to learn how to make your own dress patterns because it gives you a three-dimensional look at how the dress will drape and flow.The Tricky Science of SizingIf you endeavour to make clothing for yourself or members of your family, you will encounter one obvious stumbling block: not everyone is the same size. Or shape, for that matter.How do clothiers use a slope or block to make clothing suitable for everyone? That is where sizing â€" grading is the industry word for it, comes in.To make a graded shirt pattern, for instance, you would first trace your block onto pattern paper.Then, using the centre line, the measurement that reaches from the base of the neck to the top of the hips as a baseline, expand or shrink the straight seams as needed.Straight seams include the bottom line of the shirt and its sides. They are the best place to start grading because they run parallel and perpendicular to the centre line.Once you expand/contract the sides of the shirt, you must also modify the armhole. For that, you would take away from the side seam â€" the lower part of the sleeve opening, rather than from the shoulder.You would surely need a French curve ruler to make sure the bow of the armhole keeps its proportion in relation to the shirt's grading.The neckline is another tricky measure to grade; here too you would have to rely on geometry to make your adjustments.It is important to know that slopes and blocks do not include any seam allowances so, as you adjust your pattern for size, do not forget to add an inch or two for this allowance.Grading a pattern is not complicated; you may get a better idea of how to do it by looking at a Butterick pattern… You can learn how to sew and make patterns by following a quilt pattern Image by engin akyurt from PixabayPattern-Making for Non-Clothing ItemsThe days when sewing was considered an essential skill are gone. Today, few practise home sewing and children do not learn to sew in schools anymore â€" at least, not public schools.A recent poll indicates that rather than sew a button back on or mend a tear, most people would discard the item of clothing to buy a new summer dress and buying sewing supplies would never cross their minds.Still, there is room for hope, judging by the number of Vogue patterns being bought and the sewing tutorials being watched online.So maybe, instead of starting with an ambitious sewing project like a sundress or a gathered skirt, you could start by sewing something you won’t wear but may still display.You could start with bag patterns. Sewing a unique tote bag would give you a good idea on how to measure and cut, how to follow a pattern… and you may even le arn how to grade from a bag pattern.Once you know how to sew bags, you could move on to something larger.You might opt for a quilt pattern, for instance. A simple Internet search will turn up free patterns that you could download and execute â€" probably not in time to make holiday gifts this year but certainly by next year…When you feel you are ready to start making clothing, you might start with doll clothes.True, the sizes are scaled down dramatically but, once you get the hang of sewing those tiny clothes, you can look forward to buying your first sewing pattern and make something for yourself.In all, learning how to make patterns for sewing is not difficult and, once you gain the skills necessary to do it, there’ll be no stopping you!Now, learn all about pattern-making for fashion design…

When Did Latin Die (Did It Ever, Really)

When Did Latin Die (Did It Ever, Really) What Happened to Latin? ChaptersThe History of Latin: The Origins of the LanguageClassical Latin and Vulgar LatinLatin to the RenaissanceThe Birth of ItalianHow Come the Catholic Church Speaks Latin Now?Did Latin Ever Really Die?Examples of Italian Words Similar to LatinWhy Bother Learning Latin?You probably are aware that the Romans spoke Latin.  You probably also know that the Italians are the descendants of the Romans.However, if you’ve studied both languages, you’ll have noticed that they’re quite different to one another.How did Latin turn into Italian over the years?  Why did Latin change so much and become the Italian we know today? When did people stop speaking Latin - and why? Discover the history of learning Italian with us.It turns out that a lot can happen over the course of 2,000 years. Hopefully, this article should have the answers you’re looking for.Latin comes from the Italic languages. The Italic languages were generally spoken in what is now Italy.Latin was never the only language spoken in the region. In fact, the whole area was home to plenty of different peoples and languages.Italy has always been a fertile land for language. (Source: pixabay.com)Let’s go back to the 6th century BC.The Italic people we’re interested in resided in the centre and the south of Italy. At the time, this region was known as Latium. This area currently is home to the Vatican.The Italic languages, like almost every language spoken in Europe, are members of the Indo-European language family.  This includes a lot of languages that have since disappeared as well as languages such as Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian.It should be noted that while the Italic languages were spoken around what we now call Italy, the speakers of the Italic languages weren’t originally from Italy.According to historians, they emigrated from the Balkans around 1500AD. Certain specialists think that the group that occupied Italy before them were the Ligures who are thought to be an It alo-Celtic people.Before the foundation of Rome in 753AD, we believe that the Italic languages were heavily influenced by Greek and Estrucans.Once Rome was created it became hugely important in spreading the Latin language around the region.  Latin inherited 6 of the 8 grammatical cases from the Indo-European languages.Including:The Genitive: used for possessionThe Vocative: used for addressing or calling peopleThe Accusative: used for the object of the verbThe Dative: used for nouns that are to or for somethingThe Ablative: used with nouns that are by, with, or from somethingThe Nominative: used for the subject of the verbClassical Latin and Vulgar LatinBefore speaking about Classical and Vulgar Latin, we need to look at Old Latin which was spoken until around the 1st century BC.Old Latin: Evolution and DeclineAfter the foundation of Rome and its expansion, Latin began to spread across the regions occupied.Thanks to colonisation, it reached as far as the limits of Western Europe, A sia Minor, and North Africa.The Romans left more than just words. (Source: pixabay.com)By the 3rd century BC, Latin was the official language of the Roman Republic.  It was used by the Roman administration as well as for law, politics, and religion.  While it coexisted with Greek dialects, Latin quickly took over the other languages.  This is due to leaders forbidding their people from speaking Greek in favour of Latin.Classical Latin entered its golden age between 75BC and 14AD when Latin literature played an important role in its propagation.  The two centuries that followed could be called Classical Latin’s silver age.While Rome was responsible for the spread of Latin, the fall of the Western Roman Empire led to its decline.How did we get from Classical Latin to Vulgar Latin?Before the Huns arrived from the East and forced migration to the West, the Roman Empire was weakening.  In the 5th century, some Germanic peoples were taking control of areas of Italy. The Eastern Roman Em pire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, survived the attacks and Greek culture began to spread.However, Latin only declined moderately. Latin's tough. It can roll with the punches.  We could say that rather than disappearing, Latin transformed when it came into contact with other languages (such as the Germanic languages).Furthermore, Classic Latin was used by leaders, intellectuals, and writers. The colonists and soldiers, on the other hand, spoke the Latin of the people, commonly referred to as Vulgar Latin. Think about the difference between standard English - used by politicians and academics and in written texts - and the language that we actually speak: there's quite a difference.Vulgar LatinVulgar Latin gave rise to a number of different languages: the Romance languages and Italian, namely.While already in decline in the 2nd century, Classical Latin became less important while the opposite was true for Vulgar Latin.  In fact, scribes and clerks began to rewrite civil and re ligious documents into Vulgar Latin which would take over Classical Latin.Classical Latin (which wasn’t in use by the people) lost its lustre once the empire collapsed. Since the connections between Rome and the other cities were complicated, the region began to fracture linguistically as there was no standardised form of the language for people to use.  However, the Romans did put the Latin alphabet into common use and nowadays is used by tonnes of languages all over the world.Latin to the RenaissanceWith the arrival of new peoples over the centuries, Latin transformed and evolved.By the 5th century, Italy was under invasion by the Ostrogoths.  In 6th century, the Lombards had a go. The Francs, under the reign of Charlemagne, came to Italy in the 8th century. We should also mention that Southern Italy was under the control of the Byzantine Empire and the Muslims.The large number of different cultures allowed the language to take on new terms.Medieval LatinBetween the 9th and 14th centuries there was Medieval Latin.  While Latin started to become less and less popular, priests and intellectuals still used it. They’d add new terms from Hebrew and Greek.And so, in the Middle Ages, you'd see a strange phenomenon in which, whilst nobody actually spoke the language - as they rather spoke the regional derivations of Latin - the Church and the Holy Roman Empire (Charlemagne's power) used the language in all of their official correspondence and records. In fact, Charlemagne promoted the use of the Latin language and literature in what became known as the Carolingian Renaissance.Consequently, the 'dead' language spread into territories that never had a history of speaking Latin, such as the German states. This was due to the fact that the Holy Roman Empire over which Charlemagne ruled conquered new states - and so officials and authorities in his extended kingdom were required to follow the desires of the Emperor.Yet, during this period, the nature of Latin was cha nging: Latin grammar, pronunciation, syntax, and vocabulary all changed, with different users, contact with each vernacular, and a move towards greater clarity, such as the use of the preposition.Renaissance LatinDuring the Renaissance (between the 14th and 16th centuries), we see the development of a cultural force known as Renaissance humanism.  This was a movement - in line with the Renaissance's broader project of the 'rebirth' of classical forms - that paid close attention to the study of classical antiquity. Many of those involved in the movement - such as Petrarch, Boccaccio, and Bracciolini - were collectors of antique manuscripts, and they were known for promoting classical models for the art and literature of the day.  However, the Latin that they studied and promoted was put promoted in opposition to what was Medieval Latin: they didn't so much like the then contemporary Latin with all its changes and developments than the 'proper' Latin spoken by the ancient Romans. For example, they looked to writers such as Cicero and Virgil as their models.  The importance of this movement cannot be overstated - as, all across Europe, Latin came to be taught in the humanist style. You find people like Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe having to learn the Latin of Virgil in London.  This language came to be known  as Renaissance Latin - and, whilst it was never spoken by the people as such, this language was written by diplomats, artists, politicians, and philosophers throughout the period.We know at some point that the Italian language we know today took over from written and spoken Latin.Placiti CassinesiThe earliest documents we have of written Italian come from the late tenth century - and they are rather prosaic. They are legal documents regarding a dispute between some monasteries and a landowner about fifty miles south of Rome.Rather than in Latin - in which most other legal documents were still being written at this time - these texts, known as the Plac iti Cassinesi, are written in a vernacular. They show a distinct difference from Latin, moving away from Latin grammar and with different spellings and syntax and new words. The dialect in which they are written developed straight out of the vulgar Latin we discussed above.The Renaissance and Italian VernacularWe can point to the Renaissance and Florentine writers such as Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch as a significant turning point in the death of Latin as the language of culture in Europe.Whilst these writers promoted classical culture and Latin as models and benchmarks of literary quality - and although they wrote in Latin too - these writers were also the first to compose poetry in the vernacular, meaning in the local language.Dante's Divine Comedy is one of the works responsible for making unifying Italy's linguistic landscape. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)Dante's  The Divine ComedyThanks to his work The Divine Comedy, Dante is one of Italian’s forefathers. The Florentine write r wanted to be understood by everyone and not just by the elite - and this work was one of the first poems ever to be written in something called Italian.  Who wrote in Florentine, a sub-dialect of the Tuscan dialect, and borrowed words from Latin, French, Lombard, and Provençal.  His goal was to show that everyday language was as noble as Latin - and his work  De vulgari eloquentia  (ironically, a defence of the value of the vernacular written in Latin) explained his decision.His gamble paid off since a number of other poets followed in his footsteps  - including Petrarch. And inspired by this vernacular poetry, writers across Europe moved away from Latin too: Geoffrey Chaucer and John Gower as examples.  The First Italian DictionaryHowever, 'Italian' as such was still far from existing at this point. Dante was writing in a dialect - in a peninsula in which there were nearly a thousand such dialects.It wasn't until 1612 that the first Italian dictionary was published, by a institu tion in Rome called the Academia della Crusca. Their  Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca, one of the first dictionaries in the world,  was an attempt to formalise the Florentine dialect (the language in which Dante was writing) and this became the basis for standard Italian subsequently.As Florence was such an important city state from the time of Dante into the seventeenth century, it was this Tuscan dialect that proved most influential in the development of the Italian language. Even today, Italian is based on this dialect - much as 'standard' English is based on the dialect spoken around London from the time of Chaucer.Modern ItalianBy 1861, when Italy was finally unified as a country, only 2.5% of the population could speak Italian. Everyone still spoke regional dialects.As the country entered into political union, 'Italian' became the language of the state - and so the common language of the people in the peninsula.It is thought that Alessandro Manzoni's novel  The Betro thed, published in 1827, set the basis for modern Italian.Tempted to type  Italian classes near me in google?   Save time and head straight to Superprof to connect with local tutors now.How Come the Catholic Church Speaks Latin Now?Bit by bit, Latin became the language of religion rather than of the people. Whilst, after the 16th century, we use the term New Latin (or Neo-Latin) to refer the Latin being used in international science, we use 'Ecclesiastical Latin' to refer to that spoken by the Catholic Church.  But now, Latin is only spoken in the Vatican as an official language. The reason for this is that the Church was, back in the Middle Ages, one of the main promoters of Latin as a language. Part of the demand of the Reformation in the sixteenth century was that church ceremony be performed in the vernacular.  Consequently, a strong attachment to Latin can be seen in the Roman Catholic Church. It wasn't until the 1960s that the Church allowed mass to be performed in languages o ther than Latin! However, even now, all official documents are written in Latin.Interestingly enough, whilst they speak Latin in the Vatican, pronunciation is based on Italian - so they may not be as different as they might seem!Did Latin Ever Really Die?The answer to this question is yes and no - and it is very hard to identify a precise moment at which it died definitively. Scholars make the helpful distinction between  extinct  languages - which no-one speaks - and  dead ones, which no longer has a native community that speaks it. In this sense, Latin is a dead language, but it has been dead for a very long time.Rather, the history of Latin is one of change: the populations speaking the language changed, Latin pronunciation and grammar changed, and it was heavily manipulated and reformed by the whims of different intellectual currents throughout history.But Latin, clearly, never became extinct - not in the same way as languages like Etruscan or Phoenician, for example. Rather, it remained as a language - at least, as a language that is studied and recognised - due to European culture's continued respect, not to say adoration, for the classical culture of ancient Rome.Throughout history, cultural movements and political powers strove to legitimise their own cultures and authority by appealing to the memory of ancient Rome. So, the Holy Roman Empire chose its name to hark back to that ancient culture - and there is no surprise that it was Charlemagne who had such an effect on the revival of the language.Similarly, figures during the Renaissance in Italy sought to give their artistic works a greater authority by returning to the models of ancient culture - and this in turn returned Latin to the centre of artistic production.This concern for ancient Rome continued long after this - with Roman architecture being the inspiration for cities such as Edinburgh long into the nineteenth century. With such an attention to the culture of the ancients, Latin is very unli kely ever to go fully extinct.You could also look at the history of Hebrew, a language that was successfully brought back from the dead when the state of Israel adopted it as its official language.Examples of Italian Words Similar to LatinLatin still has a huge influence on Italian vocabulary.To prove our point, we’ve put together a list of a few Latin terms and their almost-identical Italian counterparts.Here’s a non-exhaustive list, with the Italian listed first, followed by its Latin root and English translations:ItalianLatinEnglishAccelerareAccelerareAccelerateBibliotecaBibliothecaLibraryCalamitàCalamitasCalamity/DisasterDiplomaDiplomaDiplomaEnciclopediaEnciclopediaEncyclopaediaFondamentaleFundamentalisFundamentalGladiatoreGladiatorGladiatorIndeterminatoIndeterminatusUndeterminedLacrimaLacrimaTearMaggiordomoMajor domusButlerNegoziatoreNegotiatorNegotiatorOccasionareOccasionariCausePacificazionePacifiicatioPacificationQuerimoniaQuerimoniaLamentationThe are tonnes of expressi ons in Latin that have made their way into English, too.Latin also gave us our alphabet. (Source: pixabay.com)Why Bother Learning Latin?People still learn Latin today, and not just those people who are working in the Catholic Church, nor those who have chosen to study classical history or the history of medieval or early modern Europe.Rather, kids are still taught Latin at a lot of schools. Most famously, children at public schools learn the subject - but it is not uncommon in state schools too. If you are one of these people, you might benefit from a Latin tutor.If you are not one of them, you might wonder why you would ever bother learning Latin. But we've already told you that  Latin ain’t yet an extinct language - and it comes in useful a lot.  Help to Understand Your Own LanguageIf you love Italian culture and the lingua italiana, you can see how Latin can help you better understand your Italian lessons (as well as a number of English words).  It can help you learn Italian in school or in private tutorials or learn Italian online  - and it will help you make sense of  why  particularly rules are to be found in the language, as you will notice that all of the irregular aspects of the language come straight out of the Latin.  But it can also help you to understand French, Portuguese, Romanian, any of the Italian dialects - and even English, a language that has been influenced by Latin to a perhaps surprisingly huge extent. If you are interested in grammar, etymology (the history of the meaning of words), or syntax - pretty much any aspect of linguistics - a knowledge of Latin will be pretty essential.Develop Your Knowledge of History - and the History of LiteratureLatin tutorials won't only help you with your knowledge of language. But they could help you to understand ancient history better too. In studying Latin, you will be looking at the most important texts written in the language. And these so happen to be hugely important historical documents that help us understand what on earth was going on in the world back then as well. You can't study the Romans in any detail - or antiquity in general - without a pretty solid understanding of the Latin language.Finally then, knowing Latin also helps your understanding of literature. So, if you are a poetry nerd, you'll probably be thinking, where do we get all our literary forms, poetic themes and concerns, and motifs from? The answer to that is ancient literature - including Latin, but also Greek. So, if you want to develop your knowledge, Latin is the language to learn.If you’d like to learn Italian culture in general, you should learn Latin as it was used by Virgil.  Learn the Italian basics with our blog for Italian for beginners.   A private tutor can help you get the bases of the Italian language:Italian courses LondonItalian lessons GlasgowItalian lessons Birmingham

How to Handle Rejection in College Admissions

How to Handle Rejection in College Admissions The following piece was written by Kofi Kankam. Kofi has been featured in our Admissions Expert series and is a former admissions interviewer for The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the co-founder of Admit Advantage. Well, I want to start by making it clear that not all acceptance letters from colleges come in large manila envelopes, so you shouldnt be grief-stricken at the sight of what appears to be the dreaded denial letter. In fact, many colleges send a single acceptance letter followed by a larger envelope detailing next steps and early aid offers. And in some cases, the process may be completely electronic. That being said, suppose you do find yourself the recipient of the gut-wrenching, thanks-but-no-thanks letter? The first thing, I am happy to report, is that life will in fact go on. Will you be upset? Likely. Will you be devastated? Possibly. Does the possibility still exist for you to go on to lead a happy, productive life? Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. And here is how you do it. Foremost, understand and recognize that you are so much more significant than a college acceptance. The entire college application process can be anxiety-provoking and angst-ridden, leading you to a state of vulnerability you are likely experiencing for the first time. I liken it to that first day of kindergarten when you know no one and hope that just one person is compassionate and brave enough to inquire: do you want to be my friend? Isnt this what we all pine for in our outreach efforts to the colleges to which we submit our applications? Here, you have recalled and recounted every important detail of your life for the past three years, desperately hoping that it is enough. I am here to tell you that it is. Hopefully, your college research and application process led you to discover that there isnt just one school out there for you or one path for you to pursue. So, if you find yourself in the position of being denied admission to one of your top choices, here are some tips that may help you get through this rough patch: Be open to acceptance letters that may be forthcoming. Do not allow yourself to be so distraught and jaded about one rejection letter that you miss out on opportunities that await you at other schools. Consider a gap year. There is no golden rule that requires students to enter college directly after high school. Frankly, some students, for a variety of reasons, are not ready for college immediately following high school graduation. There are tons of programmatic offerings out there for students to pursue, from volunteering to traveling and using the downtime to perhaps work, earn extra money for college, and devise a plan for applying to schools that will optimally meet their needs. Yes, there is a primetime network television show that pokes fun at community college, but many such institutions have a plentitude of courses that could essentially serve two functions: get you a feel for the kind of material youd like to study once you matriculate at a four-year institution, and potentially earn credits that are transferable to many four-year schools. When all else fails, transfer. So, you have opened your mind to the possibilities that exist beyond your dream school and committed to attending another college only to find that youre miserable there. Once youre sure youve given the school a fair shot (and not merely set the expectation of misery only to meet it), you should thoughtfully go about researching and investigating other schools that may be a good fit. The advantage that youll have this time around is that you will already have one collegiate experience under your belt. You should use this experience as the basis for conducting a thorough assessment of why you were unable to find and create happiness on that campus. If you dont, you will truly be doing yourself a disservice and may end up navigating similar waters at a different university. If you are reading this posting, it is likely that things didnt turn out as you had hoped, and you have my full sympathy. However, I hope you feel some sense of comfort in knowing that you share this space with the likes of Ted Turner, Warren Buffet, and Tom Brokaw, all of whom were also the recipients of small envelopes and ultimately went on to thrive in their respective lives. Visit Admit Advantage for more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.