Archive for 'Culture'
The Fourth of July Posted by Gabriele on Jul 4, 2012
Tomorrow is the celebration of America’s independence. This holiday is commonly called “The Fourth of July,” but the holiday is officially known as Independence Day. This is the day that American’s commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which was the United State’s first major step in severing ties with Great Britain. Americans…
The Tooth Fairy Posted by Gabriele on Jul 1, 2012
In my last post, on Friday, I wrote a post about going to the dentist and some dental related vocabulary. One of the vocabulary words I introduced was “the tooth fairy.” Today I thought I would tell you a little more about this cultural figure. The tooth fairy is a fairy* who is believed to…
The Days of The Week – Part III Posted by Gabriele on Jun 26, 2012
This is the last post in my series looking at the days of the week in English. Today, we will be investigating what the days of the week mean culturally in modern America. Certain holidays, activities, and rituals are related to specific days of the week in different cultures. These aspects of culture may not…
The Days of The Week – Part II Posted by Gabriele on Jun 25, 2012
Yesterday I discussed the origin of the names of the days of the week in English. To continue on this theme, today I am going to introduce you to a popular child’s nursery rhyme about the days of the week. Young children in the United States are often taught to recite* the days of the…
Father’s Day Posted by Gabriele on Jun 17, 2012
Happy Father’s Day! Today is Father’s Day in the United States and so it is great day for us to celebrate and remember fathers while discussing the cultural and historical significance of this holiday in the United States. This is not just any old day for celebrating father’s; this is a national holiday in…
Things that mothers say in English Posted by Gabriele on Jun 15, 2012
No matter where you live in the world I bet when you were growing up your mother used a form of the imperative tense with you. The imperative tense in English is used: 1) as a direct order, 2) to give instructions, 3) to make an invitation, 4) on signs, and 5) to give friendly…
Flag Day Posted by Gabriele on Jun 14, 2012
Today is Flag Day in the United States and so I thought I would introduce you to some flag related vocabulary and briefly explain this holiday and the American flag to you. The American flag has two common nick names by which it is sometimes known; these names are “The Stars and Stripes” and…