When you think about a sentence, you usually think about words — not lines. But sentence diagramming brings geometry into grammar.
If you weren't taught to diagram a sentence, this might sound a little zany. But the practice has a long — and controversial — history in U.S. schools.
And while it was once commonplace, many people today don't even know what it is...
Burns Florey and other experts trace the origin of diagramming sentences back to 1877 and two professors at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. In their book, Higher Lessons in English, Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg made the case that students would learn better how to structure sentences if they could see them drawn as graphic structures.
After Reed and Kellogg published their book, the practice of diagramming sentences had something of a Golden Age in American schools.
More from NPR.
Diagram sentences! (Works on only some computers.)
Showing posts with label language. Show all posts
Showing posts with label language. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
13 Scientific Terms You Might Be Using Wrong
From Mental Floss:
When scientists use these words, they typically mean something completely different than what they do when non-scientists use them. Sometimes our definitions are too narrow or too broad, and sometimes, we use terms interchangably when they actually shouldn't be. We dug deep into the American Museum of Natural History's website to help set the record straight.
When scientists use these words, they typically mean something completely different than what they do when non-scientists use them. Sometimes our definitions are too narrow or too broad, and sometimes, we use terms interchangably when they actually shouldn't be. We dug deep into the American Museum of Natural History's website to help set the record straight.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
The Most Commonly Spoken Language in Each State Besides English and Spanish
From Mental Floss:
Today's map comes from Ben Blatt of Slate, who used data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. He created several other language maps, too, including each state's top Native American, Scandinavian, and African language.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Email Greetings In Multiple Languages
When communicating with people from around the world, it's a nice touch to mix in a greeting or two in the other party's native tongue.
Monday, December 23, 2013
How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk
What does the way you speak say about where you’re from?
Click and answer all the questions to see your personal dialect map from the New York Times.
(I'm most like someone from Yonkers, NY; Newark/Paterson, NJ; and Tulsa, OK!)
At this writing, the quiz may be slow to generate the map because of great demand!
Click and answer all the questions to see your personal dialect map from the New York Times.
(I'm most like someone from Yonkers, NY; Newark/Paterson, NJ; and Tulsa, OK!)
At this writing, the quiz may be slow to generate the map because of great demand!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
What Languages are Spoken in Your Area?
Did you know that more than 300 different languages are spoken in the United States? A new report and mapping tool released by the U.S. Census Bureau takes a detailed look at many of the most popular languages spoken at home in America.
Of the 292 million people age 5 and older in the U.S. in 2011, 60.6 million individuals, or 21 percent, reported speaking a language other than English at home. This number grew by 158 percent from 1980 to 2010, while the nation’s overall population age 5 years and older grew by 38 percent. Check out this viz-of-the-week to see which languages grew the most.
The statistics show us not only that people spoke a language other than English at home, but also how well they spoke English.
If you are wondering what languages are spoken in your community, you can look it up with a new tool. The 2011 Language Mapper illustrates the geographic concentration of the population speaking 15 individual languages. The mapper, which uses data collected in the American Community Survey from 2007 to 2011, also shows, for each of these languages, the concentration of those who spoke English less than “very well.”
More from the Census Bureau.
Of the 292 million people age 5 and older in the U.S. in 2011, 60.6 million individuals, or 21 percent, reported speaking a language other than English at home. This number grew by 158 percent from 1980 to 2010, while the nation’s overall population age 5 years and older grew by 38 percent. Check out this viz-of-the-week to see which languages grew the most.
The statistics show us not only that people spoke a language other than English at home, but also how well they spoke English.
If you are wondering what languages are spoken in your community, you can look it up with a new tool. The 2011 Language Mapper illustrates the geographic concentration of the population speaking 15 individual languages. The mapper, which uses data collected in the American Community Survey from 2007 to 2011, also shows, for each of these languages, the concentration of those who spoke English less than “very well.”
More from the Census Bureau.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The Ultimate Regional Vocabulary Throwdown
From BuzzFeed:
These maps break down the most debated items. "Pop" v. "soda" is only the tip of the iceberg.
These maps break down the most debated items. "Pop" v. "soda" is only the tip of the iceberg.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Internet Users by Language
Internet World Stats is an International website that features up to date world Internet Usage, Population Statistics, Travel Stats and Internet Market Research Data, for over 233 individual countries and world regions.
Because of the importance of this research, and due to the lack of other sources, Internet World Stats publishes several tables and charts featuring analysis and details for the top ten languages and also for the detailed world languages in use by country.
Because of the importance of this research, and due to the lack of other sources, Internet World Stats publishes several tables and charts featuring analysis and details for the top ten languages and also for the detailed world languages in use by country.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Moving to U.S. and Amassing a Fortune, No English Needed
By KIRK SEMPLE
More than 40 years after arriving in New York from Mexico uneducated and broke, Felix Sanchez de la Vega Guzman still can barely speak English. Ask him a question, and he will respond with a few halting phrases and an apologetic smile before shifting back to the comfort of Spanish.
Yet Mr. Sanchez has lived the great American success story. He turned a business selling tortillas on the street into a $19 million food manufacturing empire that threaded together the Mexican diaspora from coast to coast and reached back into Mexico itself.
Mr. Sanchez is part of a small class of immigrants who arrived in the United States with nothing and, despite speaking little or no English, became remarkably prosperous. And while generations of immigrants have thrived despite language barriers, technology, these days, has made it easier for such entrepreneurs to attain considerable affluence.
Many have rooted their businesses in big cities with immigrant populations large enough to insulate them from everyday situations that demand English. After gaining traction in their own communities, they have used the tools of modern communication, transportation and commerce to tap far-flung resources and exploit markets in similar enclaves around the country and the world.
More HERE.
More than 40 years after arriving in New York from Mexico uneducated and broke, Felix Sanchez de la Vega Guzman still can barely speak English. Ask him a question, and he will respond with a few halting phrases and an apologetic smile before shifting back to the comfort of Spanish.
Yet Mr. Sanchez has lived the great American success story. He turned a business selling tortillas on the street into a $19 million food manufacturing empire that threaded together the Mexican diaspora from coast to coast and reached back into Mexico itself.
Mr. Sanchez is part of a small class of immigrants who arrived in the United States with nothing and, despite speaking little or no English, became remarkably prosperous. And while generations of immigrants have thrived despite language barriers, technology, these days, has made it easier for such entrepreneurs to attain considerable affluence.
Many have rooted their businesses in big cities with immigrant populations large enough to insulate them from everyday situations that demand English. After gaining traction in their own communities, they have used the tools of modern communication, transportation and commerce to tap far-flung resources and exploit markets in similar enclaves around the country and the world.
More HERE.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
2011 Determinations of Political Jurisdictions Subject to Minority Language Assistance Provisions of the Voting Rights Act
Pursuant to specifications in the Voting Rights Act as amended in July 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau released today a list of 248 jurisdictions across the nation that must provide language assistance during elections for groups who are unable to speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process.
The list identifies which jurisdictions are covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act and must provide language assistance for Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian language groups. The Census Bureau has made these determinations following each decennial census since Section 203 was enacted in 1975. In 2006, Congress specified that the Census Bureau shall use statistics from the American Community Survey to make the determinations following the 2010 Census.
The 248 covered jurisdictions are 3.1 percent of the 2,920 counties and 4,972 minor civil divisions that comprise the political subdivisions in the United States. There are 79,245,487 voting-age eligible citizens in the covered jurisdictions, or 33.8 percent of the total U.S. voting-age population. The determinations found a total national population of 19,209,431 voting-age citizens from the language minority groups that reside in the 248 covered jurisdictions, compared with 13,463,635 and 296 jurisdictions in 2002, an increase of 42.7 percent. The determinations found a total of 14,794,716 Hispanics, 4,030,110 Asians and 384,605 American Indian/Alaskan Natives voting-age citizens in the covered jurisdictions.
Consistent with the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2006, the determinations were processed using data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey estimates. Census Bureau statisticians also used modeling techniques based on the 2010 Census population counts to improve the accuracy of the results.
A complete listing of which jurisdictions are covered, and for which language minority groups, can be found on the Federal Register Notice Public Inspection site. For more information, please visit HERE.
These are the jurisdictions in New York State:
Bronx County………………………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Kings County……………………………………………………………………………….. Asian (Chinese)
Kings County……………………………………………………………………………….. Hispanic
Nassau County…………………………………………………………………………….. Hispanic
New York County…………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Chinese)
New York County…………………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Asian Indian)
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Chinese)
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Korean)
Suffolk County……………………………………………………………………………… Hispanic
Westchester County……………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
The list identifies which jurisdictions are covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act and must provide language assistance for Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian language groups. The Census Bureau has made these determinations following each decennial census since Section 203 was enacted in 1975. In 2006, Congress specified that the Census Bureau shall use statistics from the American Community Survey to make the determinations following the 2010 Census.
The 248 covered jurisdictions are 3.1 percent of the 2,920 counties and 4,972 minor civil divisions that comprise the political subdivisions in the United States. There are 79,245,487 voting-age eligible citizens in the covered jurisdictions, or 33.8 percent of the total U.S. voting-age population. The determinations found a total national population of 19,209,431 voting-age citizens from the language minority groups that reside in the 248 covered jurisdictions, compared with 13,463,635 and 296 jurisdictions in 2002, an increase of 42.7 percent. The determinations found a total of 14,794,716 Hispanics, 4,030,110 Asians and 384,605 American Indian/Alaskan Natives voting-age citizens in the covered jurisdictions.
Consistent with the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2006, the determinations were processed using data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey estimates. Census Bureau statisticians also used modeling techniques based on the 2010 Census population counts to improve the accuracy of the results.
A complete listing of which jurisdictions are covered, and for which language minority groups, can be found on the Federal Register Notice Public Inspection site. For more information, please visit HERE.
These are the jurisdictions in New York State:
Bronx County………………………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Kings County……………………………………………………………………………….. Asian (Chinese)
Kings County……………………………………………………………………………….. Hispanic
Nassau County…………………………………………………………………………….. Hispanic
New York County…………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Chinese)
New York County…………………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Asian Indian)
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Chinese)
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Queens County……………………………………………………………………………. Asian (Korean)
Suffolk County……………………………………………………………………………… Hispanic
Westchester County……………………………………………………………………. Hispanic
Monday, January 3, 2011
Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners
Source: Migration Policy Institute
While ELL students nationwide speak more than 150 languages, Spanish far outranks others as the most common first -- or home -- language. At the same time, although it is spoken in 73 percent of ELL students’ homes, Spanish is not the top language spoken by ELLs in every state.
New York 229,260
Spanish 146,702
Undetermined 12,821
Chinese 6,974
Arabic 5,915
Bengali 5,048
Percent ELL Students Speaking the Top Language 64.0
Percent of ELL Students Speaking the Top Five Languages 77.4
While ELL students nationwide speak more than 150 languages, Spanish far outranks others as the most common first -- or home -- language. At the same time, although it is spoken in 73 percent of ELL students’ homes, Spanish is not the top language spoken by ELLs in every state.
New York 229,260
Spanish 146,702
Undetermined 12,821
Chinese 6,974
Arabic 5,915
Bengali 5,048
Percent ELL Students Speaking the Top Language 64.0
Percent of ELL Students Speaking the Top Five Languages 77.4
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Language of Local Government
This list of definitions and acronyms provides easy-to-understand explanations of words, phrases, terms and acronyms commonly used in local government that may not be familiar to citizens or newly elected or appointed municipal officials.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
One-in-Five Speak Spanish In Four States
At least one-in-five residents of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas spoke Spanish at home in 2007, according to new American Community Survey data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Nationwide, an estimated 35 million, or about 12.3 percent, hablan español at home.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Habla anglais?
Someone was looking for the percent of people who speak English by country.
I knew that one could check the individual countries in the World Almanac, but that'd be tedious. A better choice, the CIA. I also Googled and found these raw numbers and these from 1995.
Of course, these are often estimates and this article, unlike anything else I came across, suggests that there are more speakers of English in India than in the US. I suppose it depends on how one measures fluency.
I knew that one could check the individual countries in the World Almanac, but that'd be tedious. A better choice, the CIA. I also Googled and found these raw numbers and these from 1995.
Of course, these are often estimates and this article, unlike anything else I came across, suggests that there are more speakers of English in India than in the US. I suppose it depends on how one measures fluency.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Hispanic Heritage Month, 2007: Sept. 15-Oct. 15, Part 2
Businesses
Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002.
1.6 million
The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.
Triple
The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared with the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.
$222 billion
Revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 19 percent from 1997.
45%
. . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and Chicanos.
29,168
Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.
•43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction; administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services; and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.
•States with the fastest rates of growth for Hispanic-owned firms between 1997 and 2002 included New York (57 percent), Georgia and Rhode Island (56 percent each), and Nevada and South Carolina (48 percent each).
•Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles County (188,422); Miami-Dade County (163,187); and Harris County, Texas (61,934).
Spanish Language
32.2 million
The number of U.S. household residents 5 and older who speak Spanish at home.
Spanish speakers constitute nearly one in eight U.S. household residents. Among
all those who speak Spanish at home, more than one-half say they speak English very well. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
29%
Percentage of Texas residents who speak Spanish at home, which leads all states. This compares with the national average of 12 percent. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
78%
Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home. Of that number, about half speak English very well. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance
$35,967
The median income of Hispanic households in 2005, statistically unchanged from the previous year. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005.)
21.8%
The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2005, statistically unchanged from 2004. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005).
32.7%
The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2005, statistically unchanged from 2004. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005).
Education
59%
The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2006.
12%
The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2006.
3.1 million
The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2006, up from 1.4 million a decade earlier.
839,000
Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2006 (e.g., master’s, professional, doctorate).
11%
Percentage of all college students in October 2005 who were Hispanic. Among elementary and high school students combined, the corresponding proportion was 19 percent.
Educational attainment levels are higher among certain Hispanic groups than among others. For example, among Cubans 25 and older, 73 percent were at least high school graduates, and 24 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Jobs
68%
Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who are in the civilian labor force. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
17%
The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who work in management, professional and related occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older work in service occupations; 22 percent in sales and office occupations; 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations; 16 percent in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations; and 19 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
77,700
Number of Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 49,200 physicians and surgeons; 53,700 postsecondary teachers; 29,000 lawyers; and 3,300 news analysts, reporters and correspondents are Hispanic. (Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008)
Voting
7.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential election. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting — about 47 percent — did not change statistically from four years earlier. (Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004.)
Serving our Country
1.1 million
The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002.
1.6 million
The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.
Triple
The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared with the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.
$222 billion
Revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 19 percent from 1997.
45%
. . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and Chicanos.
29,168
Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.
•43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction; administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services; and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.
•States with the fastest rates of growth for Hispanic-owned firms between 1997 and 2002 included New York (57 percent), Georgia and Rhode Island (56 percent each), and Nevada and South Carolina (48 percent each).
•Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles County (188,422); Miami-Dade County (163,187); and Harris County, Texas (61,934).
Spanish Language
32.2 million
The number of U.S. household residents 5 and older who speak Spanish at home.
Spanish speakers constitute nearly one in eight U.S. household residents. Among
all those who speak Spanish at home, more than one-half say they speak English very well. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
29%
Percentage of Texas residents who speak Spanish at home, which leads all states. This compares with the national average of 12 percent. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
78%
Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home. Of that number, about half speak English very well. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance
$35,967
The median income of Hispanic households in 2005, statistically unchanged from the previous year. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005.)
21.8%
The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2005, statistically unchanged from 2004. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005).
32.7%
The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2005, statistically unchanged from 2004. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005).
Education
59%
The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2006.
12%
The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2006.
3.1 million
The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2006, up from 1.4 million a decade earlier.
839,000
Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2006 (e.g., master’s, professional, doctorate).
11%
Percentage of all college students in October 2005 who were Hispanic. Among elementary and high school students combined, the corresponding proportion was 19 percent.
Educational attainment levels are higher among certain Hispanic groups than among others. For example, among Cubans 25 and older, 73 percent were at least high school graduates, and 24 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Jobs
68%
Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who are in the civilian labor force. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
17%
The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who work in management, professional and related occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older work in service occupations; 22 percent in sales and office occupations; 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations; 16 percent in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations; and 19 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
77,700
Number of Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 49,200 physicians and surgeons; 53,700 postsecondary teachers; 29,000 lawyers; and 3,300 news analysts, reporters and correspondents are Hispanic. (Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008)
Voting
7.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential election. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting — about 47 percent — did not change statistically from four years earlier. (Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004.)
Serving our Country
1.1 million
The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
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