Archiwum miesięczne: Listopad 2014

Welcome to a new cycle of posts about great English poems. We will kick off with one of this author's favourites, If–, by Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936). Kipling said that he was inspired to write the poem following news of the failed Jameson Raid in what is now known as South Africa. The poem, written as advice to the poet's son is a symbol of the “British virtues of a 'stiff upper lip' and stoicism in the face of adversity,” wrote one scholar.   If– If you can keep your head when…Czytaj dalej …

The Sound of Silence by folk group Simon & Garfunkel is one of the best established songs in the genre. Interestingly the song did not get much airtime when it was first released, but a remix soon started climbing the charts in 1965. The two musicians have played the song countless times at their converts and remains one of the band's most beloved singles. The haunting lyrics of the song are perfect for autumn evenings sitting next to a fireplace! Watch the video and read the lyrics. Hello darkness, my old friend I've…Czytaj dalej …

English language as we know it today has a long and winding history. It is considered a West Germanic language as it has links to the German spoken by the first settlers of Great Britain. Therefore as a descendant of the German language, it has cousins in the European continent, such as Dutch, Swedish and even Yiddish. Designer Minna Sundberg has taken inspiration from the language tress used by linguists to produce a visually inspiring design showing the different families of Old-World languages. The branches are the main families, while the size of…Czytaj dalej …