Friday, September 18, 2009
Week 5 - Written Discourse
Reflecting on my reflections, my writing style is indisputably oriental. This perhaps stems from the fact that I started learning "proper" English only around 7 or 8 years old. Well, no wonder my Singaporean teachers could appreciate my essays much better than the cambridge examiners. At this juncture, I guess everyone in the same predicament would sigh and wonder why we weren't taught such a linear and oriental framework differences before we had attempted the O's and the A's. If only!
Onto the subject of examinations, essay papers usually cause more distress than technical papers. One, you can't actually prepare for it. Consequently, this involuntary inattention translates into anxiety. Two, everything you write is subjective, which in turn, eventuates into accentuated fears after leaving the examination hall. Of course, not all people encounter such difficulties. I, for one, prefer questions where my answer can either be right or wrong but not in between. This allows me a feeling of certainty and prevents restless nights with thoughts of failing the exam flashing across my mind every so often. Writing is too subjective. If we had been taught such frameworks (Yes, I have to concede we were taught to write things in a particular way, but we were made to follow blindly and could never fully understand the rationale nor the actual delivery we were supposed to provide), then English and GP exams would have been a much smoother ride.
But then again, what makes to say that English essays have to be written linearly? Why are well-presented paragraphs with valid arguments ignored just because the student did not provide a topic sentence? That does not seem fair at all.
[I must remember not to adopt the style of the Germans and the Russians and convert this into a lamenting session]
Well, being slightly off tangent here and going back to the topic, I've always found Chinese texts, ancient especially, more beautiful and elegant in contrast to her (his?) English counterpart. I absolutely adored the manner in which the writer would start off by presenting the setting, people, time and venue etc. and leave the readers in suspense about what is the point that he/she actually endeavours to bring across. The phrases are coined so flawlessly and romantically that evoke emotions deep from the heart. Using the most ubiquitous example - idioms. 4 simple words can sum up a few sentences. Oriental written discourse never fails to awe me and I'm proud to write in such a manner. =)
p.s. I had trouble with the comment box previously but it's working fine now. Please click on (number) comments on my GEK1036 My Cross Cultural Communications and Discourse at the end of every entry to leave a comment. Thank you and have a good reccess week!
Onto the subject of examinations, essay papers usually cause more distress than technical papers. One, you can't actually prepare for it. Consequently, this involuntary inattention translates into anxiety. Two, everything you write is subjective, which in turn, eventuates into accentuated fears after leaving the examination hall. Of course, not all people encounter such difficulties. I, for one, prefer questions where my answer can either be right or wrong but not in between. This allows me a feeling of certainty and prevents restless nights with thoughts of failing the exam flashing across my mind every so often. Writing is too subjective. If we had been taught such frameworks (Yes, I have to concede we were taught to write things in a particular way, but we were made to follow blindly and could never fully understand the rationale nor the actual delivery we were supposed to provide), then English and GP exams would have been a much smoother ride.
But then again, what makes to say that English essays have to be written linearly? Why are well-presented paragraphs with valid arguments ignored just because the student did not provide a topic sentence? That does not seem fair at all.
[I must remember not to adopt the style of the Germans and the Russians and convert this into a lamenting session]
Well, being slightly off tangent here and going back to the topic, I've always found Chinese texts, ancient especially, more beautiful and elegant in contrast to her (his?) English counterpart. I absolutely adored the manner in which the writer would start off by presenting the setting, people, time and venue etc. and leave the readers in suspense about what is the point that he/she actually endeavours to bring across. The phrases are coined so flawlessly and romantically that evoke emotions deep from the heart. Using the most ubiquitous example - idioms. 4 simple words can sum up a few sentences. Oriental written discourse never fails to awe me and I'm proud to write in such a manner. =)
p.s. I had trouble with the comment box previously but it's working fine now. Please click on (number) comments on my GEK1036 My Cross Cultural Communications and Discourse at the end of every entry to leave a comment. Thank you and have a good reccess week!
2 comments
on my GEK1036 Cross Cultural Communications and Discourse