The Polyglot - Issue 4

POLYGLOT

WORLD POWERS ALSO INCLUDES: BANNING BULLFIGHTING?

INTERNATIONAL EASTER TRADITIONS

SPANISH EXCHANGE WRITE-UP

the polyglot issue 4 3

Contents Angela Merkel: the pheonix of Germany Vladimir Putin: the iron fist of Russia Bullfighting: culture or cruelty?

Turbulent Taiwan Spain fact file ¡Bienvenidos en España!

China fact file Easter in Europe Le Cinéma & La Película Unforgotten Ukraine Russia fact file PEGIDA Germany fact file

4 6 8 10 12 13 14 16 19 20 23 24 26

Editorial I am exceptionally pleased with the final outcome of Issue 4, as I think it achieves the core principles of what The Polyglot strives to accomplish. Not only does this issue help pupils currently studying (or aspiring to study) modern languages through enhancing their vocabulary, grammar and linguistic skills, but this issue cultivates fascination in foreign cultures, traditions, languages and current affairs. This particular issue has gone above and beyond the confines of the languages taught here at Abingdon School, and has become more reflective of the diverse backgrounds and cultural experiences that make up the student body. We therefore have a fantastic collection of articles ranging from the current situation in Ukraine and the customs and traditions of the Eastern Orthodox church, to the Taiwanese elections.

Of course, it goes without saying that this edition of the magazine would not have been achievable without the wondrous creative effort of the Polyglot team and all the contributors.

- James Fotherby, Editor-in-Chief

GERMANY

the polyglot issue 4 5

Angela Merkel: A

The Pheonix of Germany

lthough she may not seem like the sort now, throughout her childhood, Angela Merkel wanted to become a figure skater, fascinated by the elegance and agility involved. During her time as Chancellor, Merkel has gained the nickname ‘Mutti’ or ‘Mummy’ amongst the German population, due to her reputation as a pragmatic leader, who values the interests of her people.

Added to this, Angela Merkel has become renowned for her cautious and indecisive speeches, covering all opinions – so much so that her name has entered the dictionary as a verb, to ‘merkeln’, meaning not to make a decision or be hesitant. When dealing with Russia, Merkel and Putin go back a long way: Putin was a KGB agent also living in East Germany when the wall fell, and was not happy about it.

Interestingly, Angela Merkel has a phobia of dogs, after she was bitten by one in the 1990s – Putin has tried to exploit this weakness by buying her a toy dog as a gift, and allowing his giant black Labrador to roam free during a meeting. So it is no surprise that the two have a fractured relationship: Merkel has long been a vocal critic of Putin, despite being the first modern European leader to speak fluent Russian.

Today, Merkel is ranked as the most powerful woman in the world according to Forbes, and the fifth most powerful person, behind Putin, Obama, Xi Jinping (General Secretary of China) and Pope Francis.

1954

Angela Merkel is born in Hamburg, East Germany, to a Christian minister and an English teacher. She is raised on the East German side of Berlin, the division of which she grows up to resent.

1978

Angela Merkel gains a degree in physics from the University of Leipzig, going on to become a physicist in East Berlin.

1989

The fall of the Berlin Wall allows Merkel to become involved in German politics, joining the Christian Democratic Union party.

2000

Having risen up through the party, Merkel becomes chairperson of the CDU.

November 2005

Angela Merkel becomes the first female chancellor of Germany upon taking up the role in; she is also the first chancellor of the unified Germany from the GDR.

September 2013

Merkel becomes the longest-serving elected female head of government in Europe, eclipsing Margaret Thatcher.

2015

Merkel lead Europe in the movement to take in Refugees from the Syria Crisis

RUSSIA

Vladimir Putin: The Iron Fist of Russia

P

utin epitomizes the modern Russian: serious, image-obsessed and eager to honour the country’s Soviet heritage. President of Russia since 1999, bar a brief stint as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012, he is the longest serving leader of a major country in the western world. Surrounded by rumours of corruption and intimidation, his reign remains one of the most fascinating in recent history.

Growing up in a communal apartment block in Leningrad (modern-day St Petersburg), he became a fighter from a young age, receiving a black belt in Judo at the age of 18.

After graduating from Leningrad State University, Putin joined the KGB, where he would spend 16 years as an officer. The KGB was the secretive state security agency of the Soviet Union, shrouded in mystery and suspected of torture and concealing murders. Putin moved to Dresden to work for the East German branch of the KGB, responsible for recruiting spies to travel to the US, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel before the force disbanded upon the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Putin returned to his native Russia to pursue a career in politics in 1991, moving to Moscow where he eventually rose to the role of acting president in 1999, and eventually, president

in 2000. He retained this position until 2008, when he was forced to step down (as presidents can only serve for two terms), until his re-election in 2012.

So why is his reign so controversial? You may have heard about the recent scandal concerning his involvement in the murder of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006, but this is only another in a long line of public scandals. A recent BBC documentary accused Putin of corruption, nepotism and amassing a secret personal fortune. This is in addition to claims of human rights violations, imperialistic intentions, and of inciting homophobia and racism. Publicly, there is strong evidence for such accusations, namely in the crisis surrounding the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, the lesser-known occupations of parts of Chechnya and Georgia, and the suspected downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17

by Russian-backed rebels in Ukraine in July 2014. He also sparked outrage in 2013 with his comments that Russia must avoid diplomatic relations with countries who were “going away from their roots� in legalizing gay marriage.

Putin may be controversial in his heavy-handed rule, but he continues to win favour among Russians, of generations young and old.

the polyglot issue 4 7

SPAIN

the polyglot issue 4 8

Bullfighting: Culture or cruelty?

‘It is in intrinsica in S

James Fotherby considers the current controversy in Spain, and both sides of the argument

O

n the 13th March 2016, the city of Valencia witnessed a mass protest of forty thousand Spaniards in support of bullfighting.

The protest was organised in response to the recent surge of demonstrations across Spain calling for the end of bullfighting. These demonstrations, protests and counter-protests highlight how controversial the issue of bullfighting is, and also encapsulates the divide amongst Spanish people, between those in favour of bullfighting and those strongly against it.

The main argument used in defence of bullfighting is that it is inherently, and intrinsically embedded in Spanish culture. The practice of fighting bulls on foot was introduced in Spain as early as 1726, however, slightly different variations of bullfighting have been practised in Spain since the Roman Empire. Therefore, historically speaking, bullfighting plays an important role in the foundation of Spain’s cultural identity. This cultural importance can be seen perhaps most clearly by how Spain’s parliament bestowed cultural-heritage status on bullfighting last year, which consequently made it much harder to pass further bans beyond that of Catalonia in 2010, and the Canaries in the early 1990s.

The other major argument in support of bullfighting is that to remove it would be an assault of the people’s freedom and liberty. The protest in Valencia, organised by the Taurine Union of Valencia and Bous al Carrer (Bulls in the Street), was staged under the slogan “The bull: culture, roots and freedom of people”. This shows how the people’s cultural heritage is close-

ly associated with their freedom, and that people should have the freedom to participate, watch and enjoy bullfighting if they so wish.

Whilst some Spaniards defend bullfighting on the grounds that it is the symbol of their culture and freedom, others argue that bullfighting is outdated, brutalized killing that has no place in modern 21st century society.

The question of whether bullfighting is inhumane and cruel is heavily disputed, with both sides probably exaggerating the treatment of the bull. For instance, supporters of bullfighting maintain that the bull is killed painlessly by a

swift severing of the major artery to the heart causing near instant death.

Opponents of bullfighting, PETA being the most vocal, argue that not only does the bull suffer tremendous amounts of pain in the ring, as ‘the kill’ is often botched and an executioner is needed to finish the job, but that the bull is maltreated weeks up to the fight in order to aggravate it and severely impair its speed and strength.

Bullfighting is therefore an incredibly controversial issue, not only internationally, but in Spain itself.

I personally think that bullfighting should be outlawed, or at least modi-

the polyglot issue 4 9

nherently, and ally, embedded Spanish culture’

fied in some way to prevent the abuse of the animals involved. Here a parallel can be drawn with fox hunting.

Fox hunting in the UK was prohibited in 2004, however, hunting is still practised, but crucially the hunts follow artificially laid trials. Therefore, whilst the culture and tradition of fox hunting was respected, the brutal and cruel aspect of killing the fox in a “sporting manner� was removed. Despite the fact I personally think bullfighting should be banned, I think my views as a non-Spanish person are neither relevant nor important. Ultimately, I think the question of whether bull-

fighting should be outlawed to be one which concerns Spain, and Spanish people alone. Clearly the issue of removing bullfighting is more complex than it seems, as some view it to be part of their culture and identity. This raises the question of: do non-Spaniards have any right to interfere in the culture and practises of another free, autonomous country?

Nonetheless, despite my views I am happy to see that bullfighting is on the decline. Interestingly, the recent economic recession seems to have had a big impact on bullfighting, as local governments can no

longer afford to hold bullfights and people can no longer afford the relatively high ticket prices. An Ipsos Mori poll last year suggested that the majority of Spaniards do not approve of public funds being used for bullfighting, that 75% have not attended a bullfight in the past 5 years, and that only 29% of Spaniards were in favour of it. Although it seems as if bullfighting will not be outlawed in Spain anytime soon, the current economic climate and growing prominence of animal rights groups suggests that bullfighting might die out in the near future.

CHINA

Turbulent Taiwan

C

hina has had a murky relationship with its close neighbour, the Republic of China, or Taiwan since the end of the Chinese Civil War (1950), but it has always been the intention of the Chinese government to one day reclaim the island and reunite the two. The government of Taiwan on the other hand, whilst never having declared independence, has transformed itself into a fully established and functioning nation. For many years, the Taiwanese government has rejected closer ties with Beijing, that is until the recent government of the outgoing President Ma, sought a

more intimate relationship with the mainland in hopes of economic gain while still maintaining independence and avoiding the question of reunion. However, the election in January of Taiwan’s first female president, Ms Tsai-Ing-Wen, and her pro-independence party, the Democratic Progressive Party (the DPP) has added a great sense of uncertainty to the future of this relationship.

The main reason for this uncertainty is the historical stance of the DPP on Taiwan’s relationship with China.

The last time the island had a DPP president (2000-2008), it had fought

the polyglot issue 4 10

Ethan Lo analyses how the elections in Taiwan cloud the future of cross-strait relations vigorously against all attempts made by businessmen or lobbying groups to cultivate a more amicable relationship with Beijing, even if these were to be purely commercial relationships. Instead, it sought ever-closer ties with the Unites States in order to protect itself against what it saw as an increasingly aggressive China that was seeking to project her power into the region.

The DPP is therefore seen as more hostile and thorny than the party of former President Ma, the KMT, which although originally was the party that had fled to Taiwan because of its defeat in the Civil War, it is now seen as adopting a more pro-China stance.

Thus, even though the DPP of today is undoubtedly much more friendly towards the idea of a closer relationship with China, shown most clearly by the fact that Ms Tsai, a former legal academic, helped negotiate the first charter flights between the two nations, there are still doubts within the Beijing government as to how well they would be able to work together.

The manifesto on which Ms Tsai has been elected has also become an issue of concern. In recent years, there has been a growing anti-China sentiment amongst the Taiwan populace, especially the younger generations, as promises of growth and rejuvenation for the Taiwanese economy through closer trade and commercial relationships with China have fallen through. There has also been an increasing feeling that any financial gain made as a result of closer relations has only been shared out amongst the big corporations, failing to benefit the smaller businesses or the general population, leading to a particularly disgruntled middle class.

Furthermore, many have voiced concern at the fact that the island may be becoming economically too dependent on China. People fear that Beijing

‘In recent years, there has been a growing anti-China sentiment amongst the Taiwan populace’ would have the Taiwanese government at its beck and call, leading to inevitable union under terms which most certainly would be considered unfavourable by the Taiwanese people. All of this had been fed into the platform on which Ms Tsai campaigned, as she advocated for a return to focusing on developing Taiwanese industries and letting the younger generation have a say in the future of the island. Although the general consensus is that she would not seek official independence from China, many, especially Beijing officials, feel that Ms Tsai may very well oppose any further trade deals that would increase the influence of Chinese corporations on the island’s economy, potentially causing further tension and conflict.

Therefore, it is not difficult to see that the election of Ms Tai will have serious repercussions on Taiwan’s relationship with China. Already, China has announced a 40% cut in the quota for unaccompanied tourist travel to Taiwan and has suspended 80% of organised tours, while Taiwanese residents can now only travel freely to four Chinese cities, as opposed to 47 before the elections. There may very well be further ‘punishments’ by China in an attempt to make the island’s economy suffer and coerce Ms Tsai and her party to cooperate with Beijing.

Ms Tai, a seasoned treaty negotiator, will undoubtedly have to tread carefully in order to avoid any confrontation with China. She must also find a delicate balance between developing relations with Japan, Korea and the United States, whilst at the same time keeping China relatively satisfied. This careful, considered approach contrasts starkly to Beijing’s rather jumpy and reactionary treatment towards Taiwan. A good case in point being the message of warning sent to the president-elect shortly after her victory, cautioning her against any actions which may draw the ire of Beijing. One could only hope that both sides will remain calm and communicative, despite there being little hope that there may be any further positive developments in their relationship.

Spain Fact File El 11 de Septiembre se conoce oficialmente como el Día de Cataluña.

The 11th of September is officially known as Catalonian Day. El 11 de septiembre de 2013, 1.6 millones de catalanes participaron en una cadena de 400 kilómetros, desde la frontera francesa en el este hasta Valencia, para manifestarse a favor de la independencia catalana.

On the 11th September 2013, 1.6 million Catalans took part in a 250 mile long chain that stretched from the French border in the east down to Valencia, to campaign for Catalan independence.

Una tradición que existe en Cataluña en Navidad es tener un ‘tió de natal’, un leño que defeca los regalos.

A Christmas tradition in Catalonia is to have a smiley-faced piece of wood called a ‘poo log’, that excretes presents.

Originalmente, la Torre Eiffel se suponía que iba a estar en Barcelona, pero se rechazó porque los ciudadanos creyeron que era demasiado fea.

The Eiffel Tower was originally intended to be in Barcelona, but it was rejected because it was deemed to be too ugly by the people.

Joan Pujol García, un agente doble español, recibió al mismo tiempo una Cruz de Hierro de los alemanes y un MBE del Reino Unido durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Spanish double agent Joan Pujol Garcia received both an iron cross from the Germans and an MBE from the British during World War 2.

El 43% del aceite de oliva en el mundo procede de España.

43% of the world’s olive oil comes from Spain.

Insultar a la familia real en España se considera un delito que tiene un castigo de hasta dos años de cárcel.

Slandering the royal family in Spain is an offense that is punishable with up to two years in prison.

El 70% de la población española es católica, pero un estudio reciente reveló que solo un 13.6% van a la iglesia los domingos.

70% of the Spanish population are Catholic, but a recent study revealed that only 13.6% go to church on a Sunday.

La ONU predice que España será el país más viejo del mundo en 2050, con un 40% de la población con más de 60 años.

The UN predicts that Spain will be the world’s oldest country by 2050, with 40% of the population over 60.

the polyglot issue 4 page 12 12

SPAIN

¡Bienvenidos en España!

Harry Donoghue discusses his experience of the Spanish Exchange, and how the trip has helped his studies

I

n my five years at Abingdon, I have taken part in many excursions with the school. However, no trip have I enjoyed more and no place have I felt more a connection with, than the Spanish Exchange to Santiago de Compostela.

When we arrived, we were introduced to our exchange partners, and any initial feeling of anxiety at getting to know our exchanges was immediately replaced with a feeling of relief, as all the exchange partners were eager to get to know us. I’m sure I speak for the other boys, when I say that we felt very welcomed by both our partners and their parents, who from the first meeting made us feel at home. Throughout the week, when our exchanges were in school, we had the opportunity to visit places such as Santiago and A Coruña where we got a feel for the cities, as well as interesting cultural locations, such as the Santiago de Compostela cathedral, Muncyt (the science museum in Coruña) and the wind farm in

Sotavento. These visits were great days out, as not only did it allow us to learn many things about the immense history and heritage of Galicia, but it also allowed us to test our Spanish skills in shops and cafes when we were given free time.

On other days, we had the chance to go to lessons with our exchanges, where we sat in the classes and tried to understand what the teacher was saying. All the teachers were very friendly, and some of them even included us in discussions, whether it was reading a script in Spanish language, or talking about forces in physics.

In my opinion, one of the best aspects of the exchange was how we experienced life with our partners at the weekend and after school; despite the initial shock of eating at nine o’clock in the evening, it was great to go out into the city at night, where we met with friends, played football and got food to

the polyglot issue 4 13

eat. The atmosphere on these nightly outings was so relaxed, which allowed us to make friends with loads of Spaniards, and also to improve relationships with people from school with whom we would not normally get the chance to socialise with.

I was initially unsure about going on this exchange, as when the letter came out for it last October, I didn’t know if I would enjoy it or not. But, when I look back on that time now, I laugh, as this week was such an amazing experience for me, and such unforgettable memories have been made between ourselves and our exchange partners. I would urge anyone unsure about going to give it a go, as it is such a great trip to go on.

On behalf of everyone, I would like to thank Señora Pradas and Señora Engel-Hart for organising this trip, and making it so special. This was without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best weeks of my life.

‘No trip have I enjoyed more and no place have I felt more a connection with’

CHINA

China Fact File 孔子，公元前551年出生于中国山 东的鲁国（今天的山东曲阜），是 一位有影响力的中国哲学家，教师 和政治家。他以他的广泛流传的格 言和社会活动中的典范而著名 。 孔子理论是人们的传统和信仰的基 础。他提出了著名的“己所不欲， 勿施于人”的 黄金法则。

大运河（北京至杭州大运河），世 界文化遗产，是世界上最长的人 工河，也是游客的旅游目的地。 从北京出发，流经天津，河北， 山东，江苏，到达浙江省杭州市 与黄河长江相连。 总长度1，776 公里（1, 104英里）

Confucius , born in 551 B.C. in the Lu state of China ( present-day Qufu, Shandong),was an influential Chinese philosopher, teacher and political figure known for his popular aphorisms and his models of social interaction. Confucius’s principles had a basis in common Chinese tradition and belief. He espoused the well-known principle “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself ”, the Golden Rule.

The Grand Canal (also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the longest canal or artificial river in the world and a famous tourist destination. Starting at Beijing, it passes through Tianjin and the provinces of Hebe,Shangdong,Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the city of Hangzhou linking the Yellow River and Yangtze River.

The total length of the Grand Canal is 1,776 km (1,104 mi).

红色，代表火焰，象征欢乐和好 运。在中国，所有红色的传统的东 西都有特殊的含义：古代宫殿的城 墙，国旗，中国结，红灯笼，红地 毯，红衣服，传统的窗花剪纸。红 色是吉祥的颜色，象征团圆，健 康，幸福，美满，和平与繁荣。 Red, corresponding with fire, symbolizes good fortune and joy. All traditional red things have been playing special roles in China: the walls of ancient palaces, the national flag, Chinese knot, lantern, couplet, clothes, traditional paper-cuts for window decorations.Red is the color of the auspicious, signifying reunion, health, happiness, harmony, peace and prosperity.

中国的十二生肖12年循环一次，每 一年都以一个动物命名。中国人认 为你在哪一年出生就会含有这个动 物的性格。这十二种动物是：鼠、 牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、 猴、鸡、狗、猪。

上海，是中国人口最多的城市，也 是世界人口最多的城市。上海作为 通往中国和长江三角洲的城市，有 悠久的历史。是中国最大的经济贸 易中心和中国文化中心。

The Chinese zodiac follows a twelve year cycle, each of the years being named after an animal. The Chinese believe that people born in a particular year take on the characteristics of the animal associated with that year. The twelve animals are : rat, ox ,tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and boar.

Shanghai , meaning “Upon-the-Sea”, is the largest Chinese city by population and the largest city proper by population in the world. Shanghai has a long history as a gateway to China and the Yangtze River delta. It is also the largest economic and trade center in China, and one of China’s cultural centers.

汉字是用于书写中文或其他亚洲语 言的文字。中国汉字大约有90000 个，其中2500个是经常使用的。那 就意味着如果一个成年人掌握2500 个汉字就可以进行日常阅读了。 Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and some other Asian languages. There are over 90 thousand Chinese characters all together and 2500 of the characters are more often used. That means a Chinese adult can understand the daily articles if he knows 2500 characters.

INTERNATIONAL

the polyglot issue 4 16

Easter in Europe Felipe Jin Li, Regina Engel-Hart, Oleksandr Bilyi and Temana Lai Mink recall the popular Easter traditions they’ve seen around Europe

Pascuas en España

E

n España se celebra la Pascua con procesiones religiosas durante la Semana Santa. Todo empieza con el Domingo de Ramos, el día en el que se conmemora la llegada de Jesucristo a Jerusalén. En este día, la gente lleva palmas y ramos de olivo a misa para que sean bendecidos, y es tradición llevar ropa nueva para tener suerte durante el resto del año.

El Viernes Santo es el día más trágico de la Semana Santa porque se recuerda el vía crucis y la muerte de Jesús, y por eso la gente suele ponerse ropa de luto. Y, cómo no, en España comemos torrijas, que son sin duda el postre más tradicional de la Semana Santa.

La torrija consiste en una rebanada de pan, empapada en leche o vino que se reboza en huevo y se fríe en aceite para luego servirlo con miel, azúcar o canela. Finalmente, para concluir la Semana Santa el Domingo de Resurección, en algunas regiones es tradición zamparse la Mona de Pascua.

In Spain, we celebrate Easter with religious processions during the Holy Week. It all starts with Palm Sunday, the day on which we commemorate the arrival of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

On this day, people carry palm and olive branches to church to be blessed and it’s tradition to wear brand new clothing as it’s believed it will give you luck throughout the rest of the year.

Holy Friday is the most tragic day of the Holy Week, because we remember Jesus carrying the cross and his death, therefore people tend to wear mourning clothes. And, of course, in Spain we eat torrijas, which are without a doubt the most traditional dessert of the Holy Week. Torrija consists of a slice of bread, soaked in milk or wine, which is then coated in egg and fried in oil to later serve it with honey, sugar or cinnamon. Finally, to end the Holy Week on Easter Sunday, in some regions it’s tradition to munch la Mona de Pascua.

Ostern in Deutschland

D

as sind normale Ostertraditionen, die unabhängig von der Religion in Deutschland gefeiert werden.

Eier färben: In den Wochen vor Ostern werden Eier in farbigem Wasser hart gekocht. So halten sie sich länger und sie sehen schön aus. Die gefärbten Eier werden später auch bei der Ostereiersuche verwendet.Eier schmücken: Bevor die Eier bemalt und mit verschiedenen Stoffen aufwendig beklebt werden, werden sie zuerst ausgeblasen.Der Höhepunkt ist natürlich die Ostereiersuche am Ostersonntag. Kinder und Erwachsene suchen Nester mit kleinen Schokoladeneiern und Schokoladenosterhasen. Man kann sogar in fast jedem Zoo in Deutschland am Ostersonntag auf Ostereiersuche gehen. Ein weiteres beliebtes Gericht zur Osterzeit sind Osterlämmer – obwohl sie so heißen sind es in Wirklichkeit süße Kuchen in der Form von Lämmern.

the polyglot issue 4 17

These are common German Easter traditions, celebrated regardless of religion:Colouring eggs: In the run up to Easter, eggs are boiled in coloured water so that they are preserved for longer and look nice on displays. The coloured eggs are later used in the Easter egg hunt. Decorating eggs: Before the eggs are painted and decorated with a range of fabrics and styles, they are f irst emptied through a process called ‘yoke blowing’.The climax of the Easter tradition, of course is the egg hunt on Easter Sunday. Both children and adults alike participate in searching for small nests containing chocolate eggs and bunnies. In fact, on Easter Sunday one can f ind these small nests in almost every Zoo in Germany. Another popular food eaten during this period are Easter lambs - although names can be deceiving as they are really sweet cakes shaped as lambs.

Пасха в православных церквях

П

асха в православии отмечается в другой день от католической / протестантской Пасхи, так как наша церковь использует юлианский календарь. Одна из главных традиций на Пасху - мы приветствуем друг друга говоря: “Иисус воскресе” и ответ “воистину воскресе.” Люди склонны приветствовать всех на улицах относительно того, знают они друг друга или нет. Еще одна традиция это пасхальный огонь, который символизирует Свет Божий, который просвещает людей и все народы после воскресения Христа. Считается, что Пасхальный огонь загадочно появляется каждое пасхальное утро в Храме Гроба Господнего. Перед тем как батюшка входит в гробницу Иисуса он проверяется охранниками на наличие спичек, зажигалок и т.д. Когда приходит время он выходит из гробницы с огнём и делится им с людьми и батюшками из других церквей, чтобы они могли привезти огонь в другие страны. В течение Великой Субботы и после пасхального богослужения в храмах освящают куличи, творожные пасхи, яйца и всё, что приготовлено к праздничному столу для разговения после Великого поста.

Easter in the Orthodox Church is celebrated on a different day to the Catholic/Protestant Easter as our church uses the Julian calendar. One of the main traditions on Easter day is that we greet each other saying ‘Jesus has risen’ and reply ‘risen indeed’. People tend to greet everyone on the streets regarding whether they know each other or not. Another tradition is the Easter fire which symbolizes God’s Light that enlightens people of all nations after the resurrection. It is believed that the Easter fire mysteriously appears every Easter morning in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Before the patriarch enters the sepulchre he is checked by guards for matches or lighter. When the time comes he leaves the sepulchre with the light and shares it with people and priests from other churches so they can take the light to the other countries. During Holy Saturday after the Easter service, people consecrate Easter cakes, Pascha - an Easter cottage cheese dish, Easter eggs and all that is prepared for the festive table for the breaking the fast of Lent.

Pâques en France Temana Lai Mink describes the popular ways Easter is celebrated in France

C

haque année, les dimanches de Pâques, la communauté chrétienne célèbre la résurrection de Jésus. Aujourd’hui, ce miracle se traduit par des séances de décoration d’œuf, d’enfants rampant à quatre pattes à la recherche de sucreries et de réductions du tonnerre au rayon chocolat. Pourtant, ce sont surtout des cloches que l’on retrouve au moindre coin de rue et pas des lapins. En France, les œufs en chocolat que vous dévorez sont effectivement pondus par des cloches volantes munies d’ailes !

Pour comprendre l’existence de ces cloches, il faut remonter jusqu’au septième siècle où l’église catholique décida d’arrêter de faire sonner les cloches, chaque année pendant trois jours, en signe de deuil pour la mort de Jésus Christ. L’histoire qu’one raconte aux enfants est celle-ci : toutes les cloches s’étaient envolées en direction du Vatican, afin de se faire bénir par le pape.

Elles reviennent toujours à Pâques, emportant avec elles des cadeaux en tous genres.

Every year at Easter, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Nowadays, this miracle is honored through the decoration of eggs, children crawling on all fours looking for candy and great price tags on chocolate. However, it’s flying bells rather than chocolate bunnies you find at every street corner. In France, the chocolate eggs you devour are actually laid by flying bells, equipped with wings!

In order to understand the existence of these bells, one must go back to the seventh century when the Catholic Church decided to put their bells on hold, every year for three days, as a sign of grief for the passing of Jesus.

We tell children the following story: the bells flew off to Italy in order to be blessed by the Pope. They always come back for Easter, carrying gifts of all kinds upon their return.

Un Film & Una Película

the polyglot issue 4 19

FRANCE Neuilly Sa Mère, as seen by Harry Donoghue

C

omme chaque film qui traite le sujet de la vie et les difficultés des adolescents, “Neuilly sa mère” est peut-être le meilleur film, grâce à des blagues, des moments qui te rendent triste, et plus. Le film parle d’un jeune garçon qui s’appelle Sami (Sami Benboudaoud) qui doit déménager à cause du nouvel emploi de sa mère.

Quand sa mère lui donne les nouvelles, il est triste, mais après être arrivé à sa nouvelle maison à Neuilly, il se sent plus heureux car Neuilly est un quartier très chic et beau où sa tante habite. Dans sa nouvelle maison, il rencontre sa famille, qui est pour la plupart assez bizarre, et il y a beaucoup de moments marrants où Sami apprend comment sa nouvelle famille fonctionne. Alors bien que la famille soit vraiment bizarre, le collège est l’autre chose qui l’embrouille et pendant le film, Sami se bat fortement avec ses examens, des amitiés, et des relations amoureuses, ce avec quoi les adolescents peuvent s’identifier. De plus, il a du mal à s’intégrer avec les autres élèves à cause de

sa culture musulmane. Heureusement, il réussi toujours à régler les problèmes, et plus tard dans l’histoire, nous commençons à voir Sami pas seulement avec l’humour, mais aussi avec une sympathie, car sa vie n’est pas trop différente de de la nôtre.

Ce film est parfait si (comme moi) tu aimes rire et les blagues t’intéressent. En plus, mes amis et moi avons été touchés par ce film, et je dois dire que c’est le meilleur film français que j’ai regardé.

Glossaire:

une blague: a joke déménager: to move (house) bien que (+subjonctif ): although embrouiller qn: to keep someone busy avoir du mal à +inf.: to find it hard to +inf. réussir à + inf.: to manage to +inf.

SPAIN James Fotherby reviews El Laberinto Del Fauno

E

s indudable que “El Laberinto Del Fauno” es una de las películas españolas más exitosas de todos los tiempos. De hecho, la película ganó en total 91 premios, incluso, tres prestigiosos premios Oscar.

La película está ambientada en la España franquista de 1944, tras cinco años del final de la Guerra Civil, y cuenta la historia de Ofelia, una niña de ocho años (Ivana Basquera) y sus experiencias con los monstruos que existen en la realidad y en la fantasía. Los monstruos de su fantasía son el fauno, los hadas y otras criaturas mágicas, y los monstruos reales son su bruto padrastro, el Capitán Vidal (Sergi López), y los falangistas.

Lo que es interesante es que el director, Guillermo del Toro, ha mezclado tres géneros diversos. La película tiene elementos de fantasía, pero además tiene elementos de una película de guerra y de una película de horror. Esta mezcla única hace que la película sea auténtica y muy distinta a todas las otras películas. Encima, la película es una obra maestra visualmente desde el principio hasta el final. La película captura lugares bonitos, como los bosques y los palacios ornamentados,

y hace que las criaturas mágicas parezcan casi reales.

Desde mi punto de vista, “El Laberinto Del Fauno” es una película que atraerá tanto al cinéfilo como al observador casual.

Glosario:

indudable: undeniable exitoso/a - tener éxito: successful tras = después de el hada: fairy el padrastro: stepdad los falangistas = fascists who followed Franco mezclar - la mezcla: mix un género: genre diverso/a = distinto/a = diferente una obra maestra: masterpiece un bosque: forest parecer: to seem atraer - la atracción: to attract el cinéfilo = una persona que adora el cine

RUSSIA

the polyglot issue 4 20

Unforgotten Ukraine Alex Bilyi gives his perspective on the past and current events in the Ukraine

W

ith Europe facing a refugee crisis and terrorist attacks such as those in Paris, the Ukrainian conflict has moved down the West’s list of priorities. The war has received little media attention, leaving Europeans with many questions, the most disputed being how it all began? There are many different perspectives and I will try to find the most democratic explanation.

Our story starts with group of protesters at Independence Square in Kiev demanding the European integration of Ukraine. Despite suppression from the authorities, the protest was joined by other volunteers and political powers that too wanted to be freer, to get rid of corruption and to have true freedom of speech. They stood against the regime of now ex-president Viktor Yanukovich, who turned what seemed to be a peaceful protest into a violent revolution by sending in special services to get rid of protesters. It seems as if he could have successful, but something stopped him, perhaps common sense or fear.

Although Yanukovich sent in some forces to intervene and injure around half of the protestors, he never used full military force, as if pouring oil onto fire. However, once this fire got big enough he had to flee from the country leaving around 100 people dead in the centre of the Kyiv streets.

In came the new government, which appeared to be pro-European and democratic...

Later in the year, Crimea was occupied by Russia - back to where “it should be”. Whilst I don’t want to argue too much about who should live there, I will point out that for the centuries Crimea was inhabited

by Crimean Tatars who were previously expelled by Soviet Union to Asia in 1940/50s. Most of the Tatars left Crimea after the 2014 annexation, including the ex-head-representer of Tatars who was banned

from entering the country again.

Another point is that all Crimea’s major water supply, electricity and gas comes from Ukraine, which it is physically connected to. We were limited in the actions we could take, partly because we couldn’t withstand Russian military power, but also out of “respect” for the referendum we all “truly” carried out in 2014.

After the fall of Ukrainian currency, the revolution, and the annexation of Crimea we assumed that all our problems were gone.

Unfortunately however, our problems did not end there. The conflict in the East evolved into a war. This is where the story becomes very complicated. Some Ukrainians say that Putin “hired” troops and sup-

the polyglot issue 4 21

False Friends Spanish

recordar: to remember - to write - to record la red: anger - heat - network gracioso: gracious - free - funny

French

le procès: progress - procedure - trial rester: to pause - to rest - to stay un stage: training course - theatre - stage

German

der Enkel: ankle - uncle - grandchild also: also - therefore - furthermore der Brand: fire - light - brand

Answers: to remember, network, funny, trial, to stay, training course, grandchild, therefore, fire,

plied them with heavy weapons (as obviously he couldn’t just use the Russian military), others say it was the doings of the new government to earn money - rumour has it that Poroshenko, the current President of Ukraine, has a warship factory.

Some say the war was an attempt to seize Rinat Akhmetov’s business and companies located in the East,

Rinat being the wealthiest man in Ukraine. On the other side, Russians say that the Ukrainian government bombed peaceful protestors in the East. Here you can see that perspectives differ greatly, and that there is no one story.

There is no official evidence of Russian presence in Crimea, yet my grandparents still live in the East

(they preferred to stay) and here is what they told me: they now use the Russian currency of the ruble, they have adopted Moscow Standard Time, and Ukraine has no control over the Ukrainian-Russian border in that region. The Russian control over the border coupled with the frequent military training “accidents”, when Russian military forces

the polyglot issue 4 22

get lost and cross the border by accident, leads to only one logical conclusion. That pro-Russian radicals in Donetsk, Luhansk districts must be receiving military supplies and support from Russia. It is easy to believe that they could obtain some guns, explosives and maybe a few armored cars on their own accord, although I am unsure how they acquired the vast quantity of weaponry and heavy artillery. Again, rumours about the Ukrainian side profiting from the war and the sale of arms sounds particularly convincing.

So what is it like now? Most people are now refugees and have lost their homes. Innocent people still die in the East. The Ukrainian economy is in turmoil with increasing prices and decreasing salaries, although surprisingly it can still fund the war. People are losing their faith in the new government as it doesn’t seem to be improving the situation and it appears that the promise of European integration was merely a way of getting into power. The Eastern community lives in fear with limited amount of goods and freedom, even petrol is sold by around 40 liters per car. People are exhausted and suppressed.

As a native Ukrainian I can say that we have had enough of tomorrows. You might think that war is necessary unless it touches you. A logical resolution is to relinquish the East and Crimea, to redirect the country’s attention and resources from war to the rebuilding of homes, communities, and the lives of refugees. In the best case scenario, after much development, integration and improvements of the economy, Ukraine can join the EU. Many people will question this resolution, they

will say: “Do you really think Putin will stop with the East and Crimea?”

Or “You can’t just leave your citizens behind.” Or “War is already there and you can’t just stop it”. Whilst these are all valid questions and highlight the extreme difficulty of the situation, surely any form of peace is better than more deaths, more agony, and more suffering.

Ukraine means ‘near the edge’ because it borders Europe and Russia.

Ukraine has always experienced war, conflict and repression. Today in a developed world so close to HICs like UK or Germany is it normal for such actions to continue? It’s time to stop and change.

‘Yanukovich turned what seemed to be a peaceful protest into a violent revolution’

Russia Fact File

the polyglot issue 4 23

В 2008 году Владимир Путин выпустил его диск с дзюдо, «Учимся дзюдо с Владимиром Путиным» In 2008, Vladimir Putin released his judo DVD, “Lets Learn Judo with Vladimir Putin”. Четыре года спустя Интернациональная Федерация Дзюдо наградила Путина высокой позицией 8-ого Дана.

Four years later, Putin was granted by the International Judo Federation the high-ranking position of 8th Dan. Россия потратила около 80 миллиардов долларов США на олимпийские игры в Сочи, делая их самыми дорогими за все время.

Russia spent approximately $50 billion on the Sochi Winter Olympics, making it the most expensive Olympics ever. В 1908 году Императорская российская олимпийская команда по стрельбе опоздала в Лондон на 12 дней, так как они не использовали григорианский календарь.

In 1908, the imperial Russian Olympic shooting team arrived in London 12 days too late for the games because they were not using Gregorian calendar. Россия (17 миллионов кв. км) больше по-площади чем Плутон (16.6 миллионов кв. км).

Russia (17M KM2) has a larger surface than Pluto (16.6 M KM2) 77% России занимает Сибирь, хотя там живут только 27% населения.

77% of Russia is made up of Siberia, but only 27% of the population lives there. В России женщин на 11 миллионов больше чем мужчин.

In Russia, there are about 11 more million women than men. В 1867 США купила Аляску у Российской Империи за 7.2 миллионов долларов США (около 2-ух центов за акр).

The US purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire for 7.2 million dollars (about two cents per acre) in 1867. Эрмитаж в Санкт-Петербурге является домом для 70 котов. Они защищают галереи от грызунов. Это традиция с 1745 года.

The Hermitage museum in St Petersburg is home to 70 cats. They guard the galleries from rodents, a tradition which dates back to 1745. В ноябре 1957 года Лайка – советская собака-космонавт, была отправлена в космос. Лайка была первой собакой в космосе. Выкладывая людям дорогу в космос.

November 3, 1957, Laika- a Soviet space dog- was sent into outer space. Laika was the first animal in space. Paved way for human spaceflight. Пробки в Москве настолько плохие, что состоятельные россияне нанимают псевдо скорые для обхождения пробок.

Traffic in Moscow is notoriously bad, so much so that wealthy Russians hire fake ambulances to beat the jams. В России больше часовых поясов (11) чем в любой другой стране.

Russia has more times zones (11) than any other country.

GERMANY

the polyglot issue 4 24

PEGIDA

Regina Engel-Hart examines the worrying threat of rightwing groups in Germany

W

hether we like it or not, social networking has become an integral part of our lives: what was once seen only as a way to stay in touch and chat with friends, is now an important tool for people from all walks of life to gather followers and court fame - from musicians and poets to charities and campaigns.

Who would have predicted that a Facebook page would develop first into a campaign, and then a movement which senior politicians can no longer ignore?

PEGIDA: ‘Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes’ (‘Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West’) organised a gathering on 20 October 2014 to protest against religious demonstrations on behalf of other countries on German soil. The rapid increase in followers of the group and swell of support at

demonstrations (from 350 in October 2014 to over 25,000 at the January 2015 event in Dresden), have further encouraged the founders that they are on the “right” track.

Germans are, however, well aware of their history and luckily, many are also aware of the danger that the spread of hate can cause. With every PEGIDA demonstration, an even larger counter protest takes place, such as “München ist bunt” - “bunt” meaning colourful.

Their aim generally is to make enough noise so that PEGIDA speakers are inaudible, and they usually succeed, for which I am thankful for and proud of my co-citizens.

But I do wonder: is it right to drown out a dialogue? To not listen to what they have to say, be it rightful or not?

PEGIDA wants to be taken seriously and their claims have been softened

considerably since 2014, making them more socially acceptable. However, it is also understandable that politicians do not want to engage in discussions (an innate bonus of a democracy) with a movement of which many members are openly anti-democratic. The media, which is constantly referred to as the “Lügenpresse” (lying press) by PEGIDA, is also reluctant to give the movement any recognition, as they do not want to create a platform from which hateful messages can be spread.

PEGIDA has to be classed as populist right, which carries an important word: populist. The group is no longer made up solely of deluded right-wing extremists; now, the movement has more conservative members, as well as many who consider themselves “Zentrum” (from moderate political parties).

Their main claims are that political

the polyglot issue 4 25

‘Who would have predicted that a Facebook page would develop into a serious political movement? correctness prevents people from saying what needs to be said, and that their voice isn’t heard in politics. This explains the chant they use: “Wir sind das Volk” (“We are the People”) - although one has to note the irony of this choice, as it was widely used around the time of the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany in 1990, representing the people’s wish to reintegrate communities, families and friends.

The slogan “Wir sind das Volk” has also surfaced recently in a Youtube video depicting an even more xenophobic incident. In Bautzen, Saxony, a bus with refugees, who were on their way to a temporary refuge, was stopped with those shouts, and their open racism and brutality is upsetting. In Clausnitz, also in Saxony, a hotel that was meant to be turned into a refugee shelter was burnt down and people not only seemed to be enjoying the fire, but they also obstructed firemen attempting to control the blaze. An arson attack is suspected.

The rise of PEGIDA and xenophobic incidents like those in Saxony scare me, as they show so many parallels to the Nazi era. We always questioned how the hatred of Jews could go that far - now we are witnessing how quickly

fear can turn into hatred and violence.

But we must not let it grow any further.

This is our chance to learn from the past.

What to do about it? How should we react to a movement like PEGIDA, which might become even more popular now that Germany has admitted thousands of refugees and people are afraid of change? Incidents like the numerous sexual assaults in Cologne on New Year’s Eve by immigrants certainly don’t help either. However, pointing to Saxony and labelling people who make xenophobic remarks as Nazis is not going to solve the problem. Being called a Nazi won’t change their minds. It is only going to isolate these people and push them further to the edge of society, creating an even bigger gap between “us” and “them”. Let’s face it: We don’t know how to react to this fascist behaviour.

To avoid radicalisation of any kind, integration is key. We have to get people (Germans as well as immigrants) involved in the local communities and educate them about the co-existing religions. Angela Merkel has after all stated that Islam is part of Germany. Teaching Islam as well as Catholic and Protestant religion at school is a step in the right direction. Counter-protests chant for a colourful coexistence. We need to live it.

GERMANY

the polyglot issue 4 26

Germany Fact

Ein neuer Trend in Deutschland sind müllfreie Supermärkte wo Kunden ihre eigenen Behälter mitbringen und sie mit Lebensmitteln füllen.

A growing trend in Germany are zero-waste supermarkets where shoppers bring their own containers to fill with groceries.

Der erste Kaffeefilter der Welt wurde von Melitta Bentz im Jahre 1908 in Deutschland erfunden.

The first coffee filter was invented by Melitta Bentz in 1908 in Germany.

Gartenzwerge wurden vor 140 Jahren in Deutschland erfunden und es gibt über 20 Millionen von ihnen in Deutschland, das entspricht einem Zwerg auf jeden vierten Deutschen.

Garden gnomes were invented in Germany around 140 years ago and there are 20 million of them in the country, which equals one gnome for every four Germans.

Albert Einstein (geboren in Deutschland, 1933 ausgewandert in die Vereinigten Staaten), wurde 1952 die Präsidentschaft über Israel angeboten, die er aber ablehnte.

Albert Einstein (born in Germany, emigrated to the United States in 1933) was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but turned it down.

Gummibärchen kommen aus Deutschland, aus der Firma von Hans Riegel in Bonn - HARIBO. Gummy bears originated in Germany in the company of Hans Riegel in Bonn - HARIBO. Das Logo von Walt Disney zeigt die Silhouette des Schlosses Neuschwanstein in Füssen, Nahe der österreichischen Grenze.

The logo of Walt Disney showcases the silhouette of the castle Neuschwanstein in Füssen, near the Austrian border.

File

the polyglot issue 4 27

Credits

The Polyglot Contributors

Ethan Lo Felipe Jin Li Harry Donoghue James Fotherby James Gordon Oleksandr Bilyi Regina Engel-Hart Temana Lai Mink

Editor-in-Chief James Fotherby

Head of Art and Design Blake Jones

Supervising Editor Regina Engel-Hart

Printed by LeachPrint

Want to write for The Polyglot?

Contact us at: regina.engelhart@abingdon.org.uk

Find The Polyglot on ISSUU @http://issuu.com/thepolyglotmagazine

Deutschland hat das l채ngste Autobahnnetz Europas, aber die meisten PKWs pro Einwohner gibt es in Luxemburg, Italien, Zypern und Malta.

Germany has the longest network of motorways in Europe, but there are more cars per inhabitants in Luxemburg, Italy, Cyprus or Malta.

The Polyglot is a publication wholly produced and owned by Abingdon School, a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity (Charity No. 1071298). Copyright in all articles and images remains with the creators and owners of those works. Previously published images and quotes or other excerpts from published works are used either by explicit permission or under the terms of Fair Use or a Creative Commons licence.

The Polyglot Issue 4