Friday, March 20, 2020

Tips for Expressing Sympathy

Tips for Expressing Sympathy Unfortunately, bad things happen. When we hear about these events happening to people we care about, expressing our sympathy can go a long way. Doing so is often difficult as we want to communicate  our concern but dont want to be intrusive or offensive. With these tips and your sincere sentiments, your words of comfort are likely to be meaningful to the person in your life who is having a tough time. Structuring Common Phrases of Sympathy in English Here are some common phrases to help you express sympathy. Im sorry to hear about Noun/Gerund   Im sorry to hear about your difficulties with the boss. I know he can be really difficult at times.Ellen just told me the news. Im sorry to hear about your not getting into Harvard! Please accept my condolences.   This phrase is used to express sympathy when someone has died. Please accept my condolences. Your father was a great man.Im sorry to hear of your loss. Please accept my condolences. Thats so sad. Thats so sad that you lost your job.Thats so sad that he doesnt love you anymore.  I hope things get better soon. This phrase is used when people have been having difficulty over a long period  of time. I know your life has been difficult lately. I hope things get better soon.I cant believe how much bad luck youve had. I hope things get better soon. I hope you feel better soon. This phrase is used when someone is experiencing health problems. Im so sorry you broke your leg. I hope you feel better soon.ï » ¿Stay home for the week. I hope you feel better soon.   Example Dialogue Expressing sympathy is used in a number of situations. For example, you might express sympathy for someone whose family member has passed away. Generally,  we express sympathy to someone who has difficulties of some sort.  Here are some example dialogues to help you learn when to express sympathy in English. Person 1:  Ive been rather sick lately.Person 2:  I hope you feel better soon. Another Example Person 1:  Tim has been having a lot of troubles lately. I think he might be getting a divorce.Person 2:  Im sorry to hear about Tims problems. I hope things get better for him soon. Writing Sympathy Notes Its also common to express sympathy in writing. Here are some common phrases you can use when writing a sympathy note to someone. Notice that it is common to use the plural we and our when expressing written sympathy as a way to express that a family. Finally, its important to keep a sympathy note short. My heartfelt condolences on your loss.Our thoughts are with you.She/he was a lot of things to many people and will be missed tremendously.I am thinking of you in your time of loss.We are very saddened to hear of your loss. With deepest sympathies.You have my sincere sympathy.You have our deepest sympathy. Example Sympathy Note Dear John, I heard recently that your mother passed away. She was such a wonderful woman. Please accept my heartfelt condolences on your loss. You have our deepest sympathy. Warm regards, Ken

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Slang and shortened words are too casual and vague to others

Slang and shortened words are too casual and vague to others Hashtag: #RuinAFriendShipin5Words Social Media Words and Phrases in the Academic World Slang and Shortened Words are Too Casual and Vague to Others Slang words like â€Å"cops† and â€Å"pigs†, phrases similar to â€Å"It’s cool†, and shortened words such as texting terms (â€Å"r u†, â€Å"2moro†, etc.) are never tolerated in the academic sphere. One good reason is that readers of academic papers are not limited to natives, but include individuals from different ethnic groups who do not understand English slang words. Another is the fact that slang words are too informal for scholarly works that are mostly intended for a critical and educated audience. Shortened words, on the other hand, are usually texting terms that are rarely used in the academic sphere and may be misinterpreted by some readers. Identifying somebody from Asia using the phrase â€Å"that Oriental man† is offensive and humiliating to that particular person. Similarly, calling or labeling a black person â€Å"Nigger† is a mockery of his ethnicity. Moreover, they signify racial discrimination, a humanitarian issue that the academic world strongly opposed. People commonly use the word â€Å"retard† as a more sarcastic substitute for the word â€Å"stupid†. â€Å"Retard† is, in reality, a hate speech and oral transgression generally aimed to make somebody with mental and developmental disabilities feel bad. The word â€Å"retard† according to one study is scary and hurtful to those with intellectual problems. The affected individual often feels bitterness and often becomes aloof and socially isolated. Derogatory, Discriminatory, and Rude Words Offend People Insulting and discriminatory words hurt people’s feelings and dignity as human beings and therefore unacceptable in the academic world. The word â€Å"toilet† may be all right for other people, but it is insulting to an older generation. Similarly, words such as â€Å"wuss† or a weakling, â€Å"derp† or foolish and popular phrases like â€Å"That’s so gay† and â€Å"Don’t be a girl† have a huge emotional impact on people. A college in the United Kingdom banned the words â€Å"history†, â€Å"lady†, â€Å"mad†, â€Å"crazy†, and â€Å"slaving† because they are offensive to different people. These insulting words according to this institution offend women, ethnic groups, homosexuals, and upset those with mental illness. The phrase â€Å"taking the Mickey† is considered Anti-Irish and therefore racially offensive. The phrase â€Å"Go to hell† that most people frequently hear on TV is cruel and severely degrade someone’s dignity. Similarly, swear or rude words like â€Å"damn†, â€Å"scumbag†, â€Å"cripple†, and other dirty or obscene language hurts people’s feelings and dignity. These foul languages are somewhat comparable to Twitter users phrases that are offensive enough to #RuinAFriendShipin5Words such as â€Å"Dude, your sister is hot†, â€Å"I don’t like infected mushrooms†, or â€Å"Wow your baby is dumb† Ethics is the main reason for restricting these offensive and derogatory words. The academic world is against any form of marginalization, bias, narrow-mindedness, and stereotyping. The other reason is practical. For example, the meaning of incomplete words is often difficult to comprehend and therefore likely to be misunderstood and interpreted differently by readers. Words that are not inclusive can personally affect some readers while others, thinking that such words are inapplicable to their circumstances, disregard them at once.