Definition and Examples of Accent Prejudice or Accentism

Accent prejudice is the perception that certain accents are inferior to others. Also called accentism. In the book Language and Region (2006), Joan Beal notes that there are quite a few linguists who favour legislation along the lines of banning discrimination against what they call accentism. However, it is not something that employers appear to take seriously. Examples and Observations What causes a particular way of speaking to be perceived as superior is the fact that it is used by the powerful.(Suzanne Romaine,  Language in Society: An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2000) Just as errors, both of grammar and of word choice, are condemned as simply wrong by those who wish to uphold standards, so some accents of English (e.g. Birmingham, Broad Australian) are stigmatised as ugly and uneducated. There are, of course, no intrinsic grounds for such stigmatising, any more than there are for racial prejudice. Those who see accent prejudice as solely a language problem are inclined to wax indignant, to maintain that all accents are equal (forgetting perhaps the continuation of the Animal Farm motto: but some are more equal than others). For them, therefore, there is no problem: society has the duty to behave differently and overcome its prejudices. The applied linguist, however, is likely to recognise that it is indeed a problem and that it extends beyond language, reflecting social and political (and possibly ethnic) values.(Alan Davies, An Introduction to Applied Linguistics: From Practice to Theory, 2nd ed. Edinburgh University Press, 2007) Only very rarely are foreigners or first-generation immigrants allowed to be nice people in American films. Those with an accent are bad guys.(Max von Sydow) Accentism in the American South I used to say that whenever people heard my Southern accent, they always wanted to deduct 100 IQ points.(Jeff Foxworthy)The federal Department of Energy has dropped plans to give employees at a Tennessee laboratory Southern Accent Reduction lessons after complaints that the class was offensive. The lessons would have taught workers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory how to speak with a more neutral American accent so they could be remembered for what you say and not how you say it.(The Week, August 8, 2014) Accentism in Contemporary Britain Do accents still matter? Last week Dr Alexander Baratta from the University of Manchester spoke of accentism, where people are discriminated against because of how they speak, and likened it to racism. In a study, he asked people why they changed their accents and how it made them feel. A third of those questioned said they were ashamed about flattening out their accents. But what was the alternative? We all want to get ahead; for the most part, the best way to do that is to fit in. Still, there is a price, the professor says. Facing the world with a voice that is not your own can undermine your sense of being.(Hugh Muir, Do Accents Matter in Modern Britain? The Guardian, July 14, 2014)Received Pronunciation (RP: traditionally the highest-status variety in England) is sometimes stigmatized. Its speakers may be perceived as posh or snobbish . . . and their accents as reflective of an elitist discoursal stance. Young people in particular, it is suggested, are now likely to repudiate at titudes that sustained accent prejudice.(John Edwards, Language Diversity in the Classroom. Multilingual Matters, 2010)The English are the most famously accent-conscious. Do what you will--go to three different posh schools, have a duchess for a mother, get yourself educated at Cambridge, move to London--an expert will still be able to place you within a five-mile radius (the northern side of Cricklade, Id say) after a couple of sentences. Southerners still think Mancunians sound aggressive, Scotsmen disapproving, Liverpudlians thick, and the Welsh, Welsh.But it is changing. Just as languages are dying away at one a fortnight, so accents are smoothing, eliding, moving slowly towards the norm.(Michael Bywater, Lost Worlds. Granta Books, 2004) BBC Radio PresenterWilfred Pickles in Praise of Accent Diversity (1949) While I have the greatest respect for the many achievements of the B.B.C., I believe they are guilty of trying to teach Great Britain to talk standard English. How terrible it is to think that we may some day lose that lovely soft Devonshire accent or the bluff and very wonderful Scots brogue or the amusing flatness and forthrightness of the North-countrymans speech, or the music of the Welsh voice. May it be forbidden that we should ever speak like B.B.C. announcers, for our rich contrast of voices is a vocal tapestry of great beauty and incalculable value.  Our dialects are reminders of the permanence  of things in these islands of ours, where folks talk differently in places only five miles apart, a phenomenon that has its roots in the times when it took many days to ride from London to York by stage coach.(Wilfred Pickles in  Between You And Me. The Autobiography Of Wilfred Pickles, quoted by David Crystal in You Say Potato: A Book About Accents. Macmillan, 2014)

The Federal Government Of The United States Congress

The United States Congress, comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate, composes the Legislative Branch of the federal government of the United States. Congress is supposed to be extremely effective at enacting legislation dealing with major national issues, both at the domestic level and the foreign level. However, in recent years, members of Congress with differing views have not been able to find middle ground and enact much-needed legislation, although they often did in the past. This inaction, or congressional gridlock, has existed for a while but has become an extremely prevalent issue in recent years. In fact, according to a paper by Sarah Binder, a researcher at the Brookings Institution, the frequency of legislative†¦show more content†¦In order for legislation to be enacted, it must pass both the House and the Senate. This means that it is much more complicated to pass laws in bicameral bodies than unicameral bodies (Lenz and Holman). Additionally, co nstitutional rules, such as needing a supermajority rather than a simple majority, can cause gridlock (Smith). If Congress only needed a simple majority, as in only needing fifty-one percent of votes to be in favor of the bill, rather than a two-thirds supermajority, then Congress would be able to enact a much larger amount of legislation. In 2016, there was a prime example of congressional gridlock. Senate Democrats blocked a bill that was intended to fight the Zika virus, an infection that can cause birth defects in pregnant women, multiple times. According to the New York Times, the reason they blocked the bill was because they wanted Republicans to â€Å"drop an effort to block Planned Parenthood from receiving money to combat the mosquito-borne disease† (Huetteman and Tavernise). Historically, Republicans have typically gone against Planned Parenthood, a reproductive health care provider, while Democrats have routinely supported the organization. Since the organization would not receive money to combat the disease, which although typically transmitted via mosquito bite can also be transmitted through sexual activity, Democrats simply refused to pass the bill. TheShow MoreRelatedCriminal Jurisdiction in Indian Country Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesCountry Tribal nations enjoy a unique legal position in the United States attributable to their sovereign status with built in powers of self-government. They also enjoy a special relationship with the federal government. In turn, this status and relationship has consequences for tribes and their members; for the states and their citizens; and the federal government. This paper will explore the significance of tribal sovereignty, the tribal-federal trust relationship, and their impact on criminal jurisdictionRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States756 Words   |  4 Pagesthe U.S. Constitution: The federal system of government of the United States is based on its constitution. The Constitution grants all authority to the federal government except the power that is delegated to the states. Each state in the United States has its own constitution, local government, statute, and courts. The Constitution of the United States sets the judiciary of the federal government and defines the extent of the federal court’s power. The federal court has exclusive jurisdictionRead MoreThe Relationship Between State Governments And The Federal Government1521 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween state governments and the federal government is a difficult balance that is necessary to form a strong union. It is extremely difficult to find a balance between the powers that the states have to govern themselves, while maintaining a strong federal government. Federalism is a political system in which the national and regional governments share powers and responsibilities. The two work inde pendently, under the guidelines of the Constitution. Federalism is the best form of government forRead MoreGovernment Power and Authorities1111 Words   |  5 Pages#1. (Chapter 2) Define Federalism and Separation of Powers, Identify the Major Sources of State and Federal authorities explicit to the Constitution, and explain why the division of powers architecture was important to the Framers. Federalism is the division of Governmental powers and authorities between the State and Federal Governments. Separation of Powers is not actually labeled or defined within the constitution. However, the Framers of the constitution found â€Å"to avoid tyranny, a separationRead MoreDemocracy Vs American Democracy973 Words   |  4 Pageseveryone is born equal. People not only have power in democracy but also have a responsibility to the society. In addition, democracy relates with Constitutions and election. There are a lot of democracy societies except the United States. As a democratic country, the United States and Canada have similar political and rules, but still have differences. Thomas Paine, who was an English-born American political activist, considered that human beings have two rights which are in-born rights and civilRead MoreThe United States Federal Government1346 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States federal government is composed of three institutions, the Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court. Based on the Constitution of the United States, the federal system, and the separation of power, the three branches exist and each represents the three institutions, the legislative branch is vested by the Congress, the judicial branch is vested by the Supreme Court, and the executive branch is vested by the President. The three distinct branches are respectively independentRead MoreThe Federal Reserve : The Central Bank Of The United States1526 Words   |  7 Pages The Federal Reserve Introduction The Federal Reserve, also known as the Fed is the central bank of the United States. The system was created on December 1913 during the reign of President Woodrow Wilson. It was during this time that President Woodrow signed the Federal Reserve Act, incorporating it into the law. The Congress was behind the creation of the Federal Reserve with the ultimate goal of making it safer and more reliable to keep the money. The Congress was also compelled to establishingRead MoreFederal Government And The United States1498 Words   |  6 Pages Federal Government The United States of America government is called the federal government and is the republic of the fifty states which constitute the United States. It also constitutes the capital districts and several other territories. Now the government is made up of three different branches and they are the Executive, Legislature, and the Judicial. Those powers are all vested by the US constitution which is in the congress, the president, and also the federal court that also includesRead MoreThe Supremacy Clause : Conflict Between Federal And State Law1656 Words   |  7 PagesChristina Wood The Supremacy Clause: Conflict between Federal and State Law as it relates to Medical Marijuana The American Constitution provides for a division of government powers between the federal and state governments, as well as provides solutions in an event of conflict between these two governments. The Supremacy Clause is derived through Constitutional Law and determines that the Constitution, Federal statutes, and United States treaties contain the â€Å"supreme law of the land†, creatingRead MoreParagraph 8 Of Constitution And Its Effect On The Economy1548 Words   |  7 Pagespower of congress. Though the clause 1, the first power given to congress by the Constitution is the power to tax, and Congress also has the power to levy tariffs but it’s not allowed to charge more for imports into one state than into another. Then congress control the nation’s Finance and it’s make it has enough power to effect the politic. In the clause 2, congress are able to borrow money on the credit of the United State. It’s does offer any politic power to use , but its help the congress expansion

The Jewish People Of My Heritage - 1678 Words

When choosing subjects for this Essay one must look at the personal importance of historical events and choose carefully to embody the choices being considered. Within the subjects that I have chosen for this Essay I am embarking to express my individual opinions and views on the following subjects. We will be going over the seedling of gender equality, the faith of the Jewish people of my heritage, the Greeks impact on architecture and design, the council that made a religion from a man, and lastly a Queen that inspires me to never give up. I want to address firstly one of great significance not only to myself but to women worldwide. It is on the importance concerning equal rights we as women have today thanks to Hatshepsut. Her impact†¦show more content†¦I Jehovah your God will curse all who threaten you and bless the people who are good to you. So, Abram left his home and walked by faith to a land that God showed him and he was seventy-five years old, and Lot his nephew went with him out of Ha’-ran. Back then to uproot and re-locate was unheard of, the roads they traveled were wrought with thieves and criminals. To put it in perspective, think of walking outside of your home with nothing but the clothes on your back, a Rolex watch on your wrist and you are surrounded by thugs and scary characters. Now imagine that scenario but with great boldness and confidence that nothing will harm you. That is the attitude Abraham had when leaving his home at seventy-five years old, he knew God would take care of h im and his family. The faith of the Jewish people stem from stories such as this, their great confidence in their God is awe inspiring and almost mysterious. (Source Number 2.) Onto our next subject, we will look at the Greeks and the influence they have had on Architecture in Western Civilization. A simple observation of the Acropolis and you can see familiar designs and influence in western architecture from the columns to the moldings found in buildings today for example, the White House is filled with columns and moldings imitating Greek design. It’s easy to see why we have adopted the strong yet elegant designs of the Greeks, the designs are sturdyShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Deaf Culture1445 Words   |  6 Pagesof Deaf culture such as â€Å"language, heritage art and history†, I began wondering about how the historical significance of each one impacted the modern choices of Deaf individuals (Holcomb 17). Our textbook Introduction to American Deaf Culture makes references to how important American Sign Language is to define the Deaf community which leaves me wondering how strong the foundation of Deaf culture would be if based on h eritage rather than on language. Being Jewish I never learned Hebrew but knew allRead MoreThe Cultural World of Jewish Women Explained in Daughters of Tradition by Alicia Ramos-Gonzà ¡lez1806 Words   |  7 PagesAlicia Ramos-Gonzà ¡lez in her work Daughters of Tradition discuss, in great detail, the cultural world of Jewish women in Eastern Europe during the 16th-19th century. I believe that culture takes root in ones’ identity not only as an individual, but also in ones’ identity with their people and nation. Based on this belief, I have chosen to focus my explorations on the patterns found in the bases of Jewish identity among the women in Yiddish culture during this time. Despite the negative impacts towardsRead MoreHidden Childhood1646 Words   |  7 Pageswere subordinate to the German’s rule. Between September 1940 and June 1942, the German occupation of France caused the Vichy Government to pass many Anti- Jewish laws: including expanding the categor y of who is a Jew, forbidding free negotiation of Jewish-owned capital, confiscating radios in Jewish possession, executing and deporting Jewish members of the resistance movement, establishing a curfew, forbidding a change of residence, ordering all Jews to wear a yellow badge ( Star of David) and prohibitingRead MoreReflection of Juduasm Essay963 Words   |  4 Pagesnearly four thousand years, rooted in the ancient region of Canaan, which is now known as the land between Israel and Palestine. Judaism did not emerge until the 1st century C.E. Judaism traces its heritage to the covenant God made with Abraham and his lineage that God would make them a sacred people and give them a holy land. The primary characters of Israelite culture include the great patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophet Moses, who received Gods law at Mt. Sinai. Judaism is a traditionRead More My Jewish Identity in Conflict Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesMy Jewish Identity in Conflict When I think of my cultural identity, my religion--Judaism--comes to mind first and foremost. When I think of my Jewish identity in conflict, racism (in my case anti-Semitism) is the obvious factor. But to fully define my conflict with my religious identity, I cannot only write from personal experiences with racism. I must also include the anti-Semitism that my forefathers have endured, from the beginning of time up to today, ranging from the Spanish InquisitionRead MoreI First Visited The Virtual Holocaust Museum Website And Researched The Bodies Of The Holocaust871 Words   |  4 Pagesleader Adolf Hitler and the members of his group carried out Jews. The website classified the term Genocide to commit violent crimes against groups with the intent to destroy the existence of the group. The central issue raised by the site is informing people the awareness of Genocide. When I was looking into the cases mentioned on the website many of the cases are â€Å"racial profiling† ag ainst culture, religion and race. During the Holocaust the Nazis were a group that had wealth and power. According toRead MoreThe Jazz Singer1555 Words   |  7 PagesSamson Raphaelson. The short story was then adapted into an onstage musical in 1925 before finally becoming a full length feature film in 1927. The film follows a young man by the name of Jakie Rabinowitz. He lives with his mother and father in the Jewish ghetto of the lower east side of Manhattan. Jakie is an only child and is expected by his father to follow in the traditional family footsteps of becoming a Cantor. After a brief bit of research, I discovered that a Cantor is a person who leads worshipRead MoreLife738 Words   |  3 Pagesopportunity to work with an American novelist and short story writer, Ernest Hemingway. Although Hemingway is shown to be all male, he can’t seem to discover the fact that the story was written by a girl. The story is about a girl who is hiding her Jewish identity to be present at a country club party; however, the narrator changed the protagonist from a girl to a boy. Unfortunately, this act leads to events that have an effect on a few of the characters mentioned throughout the novel. The narratorRead MoreThe Sixties By David Kaufman1563 Words   |  7 Pages Jewhooing the Sixti es by David Kaufman is a book that examines the Jewish identity of the Jewish people as a whole based on the Jewish celebrities in America and their effect on popular culture, mainly during the first half of the 1960s. During this time, it was very common for people and especially for Jews to follow the habit of citing Jewish celebrities to which Kaufman refers to the name as â€Å"Jewhooing†. This action of jewhooing according to Kaufman â€Å"points to a deeper relationship between JewsRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King Jr.1308 Words   |  6 Pagespeace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective,† said Martin Luther King Jr. No other race of people on earth have been persecuted and oppressed more than the Jews. This persistent reality of their history is a sharp reminder that history does repeat itself and i t’s not always beneficial. During the Roman Empire in the first century of the Common

Financial Analysis of Blackmores-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write a Report on Financial Analysis of Balckmores Ltd. Answer: Introduction The analysis of the financial statements of a company provides evaluation of the companys profitability, liquidity, solvency, and efficiency which are four crucial aspects of the business (Gibson, 2012). This analysis has impact on the investors decision, lenders decisions and the governments revenue policies. In this context, this report has been prepared to provide financial performance analysis of Blackmores for the year 2015. Overview of Blackmores Blackmore limited is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange having headquarters in Australia. The company was incorporated way back in 1930 and since then it has grown magnificently standing with $471.62 million revenues in 2015 (Blackmore Limited, 2015). Blackmore operates in the consumer goods industry with the main products being produced for human and animal healthcare. The companys mission is to expand the business operations outside Australia and increase its reach to a large part of population. For the achievement of the mission, the company is working with the strategy of delivering quality products. The focus of the company is on improving the quality of products, which will push the demand upside. Further, the company is also considering expanding the business to the Asian countries namely China and Malaysia (Blackmore Limited, 2015). The company is running with the goal of satisfying the customers to the hundred percent. It believes that customer satisfaction is necessary for the achievement of the companys mission and vision. Financial Analysis of Blackmores In order to analyze the financial performance, it is crucial to extract the information from various sources which mainly comprise the financial statements, annual report, and boards report. The financial statements of a company comprise of three main components such as income statement, balance sheet, and the cash flow statement. The different piece of information is provided by these different components of the financial statements. Further, the companies listed on the stock exchange are required to prepare the annual reports that contain essential information about the companys business. The boards report provides information about the companys future plans and prospects. The information collected from the above discussed resources is analyzed by applying the financial evaluation tools. The ratio analysis is the most commonly used financial evaluation tool (Tracy, 2012). However, the other evaluation tools such as vertical analysis and horizontal analysis are also used in assessing the financial performance of a company. The ratio analysis covers all crucial aspects of the business such as profitability, liquidity, solvency, and efficiency. The ratios not only provide analysis into the trend but these also facilitates the comparison of the company with its peers (Tracy, 2012). The horizontal analysis on the financial statements of Blackmores Limited is presented in the appendix-1. Figure 1: Revenue growth of Blackmores It is depicted from the chart shown above that the revenues of the company has grown significantly in the year 2015 as compared to 2013. The revenues of 2015 are up by 44.34% as compared to the year 2013 (appendix-1). The primary reason for increase in the revenues over the two years appears to be the expansion that company has carried out. Figure 2: Growth in Net Profit of Blackmores Further, there could be observed a huge improvement in the net profits over two years time period. The amount of net profit increased from $25 million in 2013 to $47 million in 2015 registering an increase of 88%. Further, the gross profit was also seen been to be increasing by 47.25% (Appnedix-1). The positive growth in the gross profit and net profit is not only the result of increased revenues but the reduced costs and expenses have also contributed in that. As regards financial position, the total assets of the company have increased by 26.84% over the period from 2013 to 2015. Further, the total liabilities increased by 20.30% (Appendix-1). It could be observed that increase in total liabilities has been more than the increase in total assets which depicts improvements in the net worth. The improvement in the net worth indicates good solvency condition of the company. However, the company has been less concentrated on its liquidity position. The increase in current liabilities has been more than the increase in current assets indicating deterioration in the liquidity (Tracy, 2012). Further, the financial performance and position of Blackmores Limited has been analyzed in detail employing the ratio analysis. The financial performance of the company has improved as depicted from the net profit margin, gross profit margin, and return on equity. The net margin increased from 7.65% in 2013 to 9.96% in 2015. The gross margin increased from 66.67% in 2013 to 68.01% in 2015. The improvements in the net margin and gross margin depicts that the company has been able to save costs and expenses over the period. Further, the return on equity has increased from 25.51% in 2013 to 35.34% in 2015 (Appendix-2). The increase in the return on equity shows that the company has been able to provide good return to its investors. Though the financial performance of the company has improved but the liquidity has gone weaker over the period. The decrease in the current ratio shows deterioration in the liquidity position. The current ratio has reduced from 2.76 times in 2013 to 1.63 times in 2015 (Appendix-2). Further, the debt ratio has reduced from 1.36 times in 2013 to 1.20 times in 2015. The reduction in debt ratio shows improvement in the solvency position (Tracy, 2012). The assets turnover ratio has increased from 1.42 times in 2013 to 1.61 times in 2015 which indicates that the management has been efficient in utilizing the resources. Further, the inventory turnover ratio has also increased from 8.18 times to 12.10 times (Appendix-2). However, the analysis of receivables days shows that the company has been liberal on its credit policy. The receivables days increased from 71 days in 2013 to 83 days in 2015. As regards market performance, the PE ratio and dividend payout ratio both have decreased over the period from 2013 to 2015. The PE ratio of the company was 16.77 times in 2013 which decreased to 14.29 times in 2015. The decrease in PE ratio indicates adverse performance of the stock in market. Further, the dividend payout ratio has also decreased from 85.90% in 2013 to 75% in 2015. Limitations of Ratio Analysis The ratio analysis is a highly useful tool being applied in analyzing the financial performance of a company but there are certain limitations that the analyst should take into accounting (Grier, 2007). The first limitation of the ratio analysis is the use of historical cost in the preparation of the financial statements. The financial statements are prepared according the provisions financial reporting framework which requires the use of historical cost. The use of historical cost limits the use of ratios for analyzing what has happened in past. The ratio analysis does not provide a view of future. Further, the data used in the ratio analysis comes from the financial statements which are prepared using different policies and methods. The accounting rules permit the use of different accounting methods which could lead differences in the accounting figures of two companies. Therefore, the comparison based on the ratios would become less effective in such a case. Apart from that the ra tio analysis does not cover other aspects of the business such as quality improvement, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction (Grier, 2007). Information in the Annual Report and its Use It is the requirements of the legal provisions for the listed public companies to prepare and submit the annual report to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission. Therefore, listed companies prepare the annual report each year (Friedlob Welton, 2008). Generally, the content of the annual report is divided into three major parts such as business overview, directors report, and auditors report. The business overview section provides summary of the financial performance over the period of 3 to 5 years. This information is useful to have a quick look on the companys financial worth from the investors perspective. Further, the directors report contains information on the companys current and future prospects. The commitment of management for the future expansion and the strategic direction of the company could be observed from the directors report. The auditors report section covers the opinion of the auditor on financial statements of the company and the certified extract of financial statements. This section of the annual report provides the most important information for the use of all the stakeholders. The companys income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement are presented under this section, which provide the information required for the financial analysis. Further, the annual report also provides information on the corporate social responsibility of the company (Ehrhardt Brigham, 2016). Conclusion From the discussion carried out in this report, it can be concluded that the financial statements of the company contains the useful information required for financial analysis of the business. Further, the financial evaluation tools such as ratio analysis, horizontal analysis, and vertical analysis are applied to evaluate the financial performance of the company. References Annual Report of Blackmores. (2013). Retrieved August 18, 2017 from https://www.blackmores.com.au/about-us/investor-centre/annual-and-half-year-reports Annual Report of Blackmores. (2015). Retrieved August 18, 2017 from https://flipflashpages.uniflip.com/2/41140/355972/pub/document.pdf Ehrhardt, M.C. Brigham, E.F. (2016). Corporate Finance: A Focused Approach. Cengage Learning. Friedlob, G.T. Welton, R.E. 2008. Keys to Reading an Annual Report. Barron's Educational Series. Gibson, H.C. (2012). Financial reporting and analysis. Cengage Learning. Grier, W.A. (2007). Credit Analysis of Financial Institutions. Euromoney Books. Tracy, A. 2012. Ratio Analysis Fundamentals: How 17 Financial Ratios Can Allow You to Analyse Any Business on the Planet. RatioAnalysis.net