Issue 22

May 2017 Issue 22

FEATURED ARTICLE

THE KARCZMA

Anna Pitts discovers a hidden Polish gem in the heart of Birmingham

PAGE 5

THE LINGUIST TEAM 2016/17

CHAIR: KIA MARIE HUNT

SECRETARY: KATYA BROWNE

TREASURER: HENRY WAKELAM

CREATIVE DESIGNER: MARY

MCGOWAN

SOCIAL SECRETARY: NATALIE ELLIOT

PUBLICITY OFFICER & DESIGN

ASSISTANT: ZOE LUMSDEN

PROOF READER: SARAH

DANIELS

PROOF READER & GERMAN: RACHEL MORRIS

CURRENT AFFAIRS & PORTUGUESE: CONNOR HAINES

CULTURE: JENNY NICHOLLS

LIFE & STYLE: BEN HILTON

FOOD & DRINK: YANA

PETKOVA

TRAVEL: STEFFI BALLMANN

FRENCH: LUCY HARKINS

RUSSIAN: ALEX CAVES

CHINESE: NINA MA

ITALIAN & CATALAN: OLIVER EDWARDS

POLISH & UKRANIAN: CHARLOTTE SIMPSON

BULGARIAN: BORIS GENOV

SPANISH: EMILY DARBY

Salut! Агов! Olá!

Welcome to Issue 22 of The UoB Linguist Magazine. The current exam season hasn’t stopped our team from bringing you a great issue this month, so take a break from your stresses and enjoy our fantastic variety of internationally themed articles (plus, reading in another language definitely counts as revision!)

This issue’s English articles cover everything from British politics, to Cannes Film Festival, Polish cuisine, and eating out in New York! Life and Style is combined with French for this issue, with Marie’s piece on 2017’s Met Gala and its theme: Rei Kawakubo.

opportunity to say how proud I am of this year’s team: as well as becoming great friends, we have accomplished some amazing things together. And what better way to end our year than to be shortlisted from over 900 entrants for the Student Publication Association’s ‘Best Specialist Publication’ Award? It is so wonderfully fulfilling to see our magazine being recognised at a national level!

ABOVE

Want to see your photo on the cover? Send us an email at linguist@guild.bham.ac.uk

To the Spanish section I bring you a review of Global Voices, a multilingual music project and event held at the Bramall Music Building. In Polish, Aleksandra recaps the Fryderyk 2017 Music Awards, and in Portuguese, Megan Brown recounts her travel experiences in Portugal’s Porto and Coimbra. If you’d like to know what Birmingham could learn from other Erasmus cities, check out the German section. Plus, a particularly interesting read is Megan Pallett’s insight into the Russian Sign Language.

As this is the last issue of the academic year, I’d like to take the

In addition to thanking this year’s outgoing team, I’d also like to welcome the incoming team for the next academic year, and in particular, next year’s Chair, Mary McGowan. Just by looking at her creative design work on this year’s issues, you can clearly see Mary’s dedication to and passion for this publication. Though, of course, I am sad to pass on my responsibilities as Chair, I am also truly excited to see where Mary and her team will take the magazine next! I am very confident that there will be plenty of excellent developments to be seen, and that The UoB Linguist will only get bigger and better from here!

Thank you again to everyone that has contributed this year: not just committee members, editors, and writers, but readers too! It truly has been such a privilege to be part of such a vibrant community of language, travel, and culture enthusiasts.

And as ever, happy reading!

COVER PHOTO: Hannah Mei Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan

PHOTO: Jess Cooper Azores, Portugal

PAGE 3: CURRENT AFFAIRS

PAGE 4: CULTURE

PAGE 5: FOOD AND DRINK

PAGE 6: TRAVEL

PAGE 7: ESPAÑOL

PAGE 8: PORTUGUÊS

PAGE 9: DEUTSCH

PAGE 10: FRANÇAIS

PAGE 11:РУССКИЙ

PAGE 12: ITALIANO

PAGE 13: POLSKIE and БЪЛГАРСКИ

PAGE 14:УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ and

PAGE 15: MEET THE TEAM

If you would like to know more about our magazine, our writers or have comments to make about our articles then feel free to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages or email us. If you wish to read more articles check out our website. We’re always looking for new writers and contributors, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!

UoBLinguist_Mag

UoBLinguist_Mag

linguist@guild.bham.ac.uk

THEUOBLINGUIST.CO.UK

The UoB Linguist Magazine

GENERAL ELECTION 2017; A QUICK GUIDE

Where on Earth did that come from?

Theresa May took us all by surprise when, having declared on several occasions that she would not call an early general election, she stood outside Number 10 and declared that Britain will go to the polls on the 8th June.

The Prime Minister said she was calling the election in the hope that Britons would “strengthen her hand” in the upcoming Brexit negotiations by securing a large Conservative majority – but her critics point to the fact that the opinion polls suggest an easy win for her party, and believe she merely saw an opportunity to tighten the Conservatives’ grip on the government, with Brexit having little to do with it.

What are the main parties saying?

Regardless of May’s motives, all parties are keen to make their case to the British people, hoping to win their votes on the 8th June. Here’s an overview of the main parties’ messages:

CONSERVATIVES

By Connor Haines

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

Tim Farron’s Lib Dems are unapologetically pro-EU, and will be hoping to capitalise on that by winning seats in areas that voted Remain in last year’s referendum. They have pledged to fight for Britain’s place within the single market, as well as holding a second referendum on the final deal with Brussels, which would include an option to reject the deal and remain in the EU. Their other priorities include increasing NHS funding, tackling homelessness and extending environmental protections.

Image copyright: www.libdems.org.uk

UKIP

Image copyright: www.conservatives.com

The Tories are fighting this campaign, arguing that a larger Conservative majority will give Theresa May more wiggle room with the EU. On Brexit, they want to withdraw from the single market and customs union, and end freedom of movement. Domestically, they’re focusing on the traditional mantra of a low tax, low welfare economy (although Theresa May has ruled out raising VAT, but has refused to say the same for other taxes) They say they are the only alternative to a “coalition of chaos”, led by Jeremy Corbyn.

LABOUR

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall, as you can probably guess, wants to ensure the Brexit process is not delayed or derailed. His party advocates what he calls a “clean Brexit”, withdrawing fully from all of the EU’s institutions. UKIP’s other headline policies include banning the burqa, outlawing Sharia Law, and a temporary ban on new Islamic schools, as part of an “integration plan”, as well as cutting foreign aid.

GREEN PARTY

Image copyright: www.ukip.org

Image copyright: www.labour.org.uk

Jeremy Corbyn will be hoping to convince potential voters by remaining committed to implementing Brexit, but with a focus on maintaining the benefits of the single market, as well as ending freedom of movement. He has argued that many of the UK’s public services are underfunded, especially schools and the NHS, and has pledged four new public holidays, marking the UK’s patron saint days.

Image copyright: www.greenparty.org.uk

The Greens are opposed to Brexit, and believe that freedom of movement is a principle to be celebrated, not consigned to the past. They want environmental protections to be placed ahead of capitalism, and want a “Robin Hood tax” to end austerity and create jobs in the public sector, as well as raise the minimum wage to £10 per hour. You can find more information about the parties and their policies in their manifestos.

As you can tell, this election is very much the Brexit election, with differing views on what kind of deal we should be working towards – or indeed whether we should reverse the process altogether – playing a central role in the campaign. So will Theresa May get her wish for a stronger majority, or will someone else drive her out of Number 10? We wait and see

(Remember to vote so you can have your say!)

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL: ART OVER POLITICS

The Cannes Film Festival, perhaps the most prestigious film festival in the world, has been bestowing honours on motion pictures since 1946. What better place to annually celebrate movies than in France, the (contested) birthplace of cinema? I’m referring to the Lumière brothers’ invention of their Cinématographe (a primitive form of motion-picture camera), which they conceived in Lyon in 1895 and on which they showed short films to packed audiences in Parisian cafés. Topically, an aged Louis Lumière went on to become one of the first backers of the Cannes Festival, and served the role of inaugural jury president in its debut year. Few people today would have known, myself included, that the Cannes Film Festival was born out of a political rivalry. In the early 1930s the first competitive international film festival, the Mostra di Venezia, was held in Venice, Italy. This was a time when the prestige of the films was matched by that of the participating countries. However, pre-war Fascist scaremongering meant that countries such as Germany and Italy were receiving all the film commendations. It was in this vein that the masterpiece of French director Jean Renoir, La Grande Illusion, was deprived of the Coppa Mussolini, the festival’s top prize, despite its overriding appeal amongst the festival’s jury and general spectators. Ultimately, the film was tactically upstaged by Olympia, a propagandistic film commissioned by Joseph Goebbels to document Nazi successes at the 1938 Berlin Olympics. This meant the downfall of La Grande Illusion, which was subsequently banned in Italy and Germany and branded “Cinematographic Enemy No. 1”.

This was boiling point, and thus began a petition for an international film festival in France at which films would be judged on their artistic qualities rather than political bias. After the war, the Festival began proper. It prospered, showcasing a wealth of international films, and Cannes began to play host to Hollywood A-listers and wellrespected European stars.

By Matthew Bruce

The poster for Jean Renoir’s La Grande Illusion (1937). The film lost out on the top prize at the Mostra di Venezia film festival, which was instead awarded to a Nazi propaganda film. This sparked the petition for a politically neutral film festival and led to the birth of the now world-famous Cannes Film Festival.

However, politics reared its ugly head again early in 1968. Amongst simmering student angst in Paris, Henri Langlois, the long-time director of Paris’ famous art cinema, the Cinemathèque, was deposed. Many film directors, including French auteur François Truffaut, jettisoned the Festival and took up arms in the streets of Paris, protesting against this injustice. Mercifully, Langlois was reinstated, but the Festival never saw 1968.

1969 saw a return to normality, and since then, the Festival has gone from strength to strength. Unsurprisingly, the city of Cannes also greatly profits from the tourism and the media attention that the Festival brings. Currently, the festival has an annual budget of 20 million dollars, and plays host to 1,500 films from over 100 countries. While films of today can still be ‘political’, the strength of the Festival is owed to the artistic emancipation of cinema. Long may Cannes reign.

BEST BITES IN NEW YORK CITY

New York City is a tapestry of vibrant culture. Globally renowned as a mixing pot of great American tradition and glittering innovation, the city boasts one of the most varied and colourful cuisines in North America. Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth or prefer organic-based vegan joints, you’re sure to find something to hit the spot after a long day wandering round the sites. I’ve rounded up five of the city’s best bites for you to tick off on your next trip:

Egg Shop

First up, this one’s for the brunch fanatics. Egg Shop is exactly what it says on the tin: eggs galore. Bustling on a Saturday morning, the menu offers the best eggs benedict In Manhattan, and an extensive range of protein-packed breakfast bowls if you’re feeling more adventurous. The perfect way to line your stomach for an active-packed day in the city.

Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop

Located in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint, Peter Pan is a no-frills, family owned bakery serving the freshest baked goods in town. I’d suggest a sour cream donut paired with a plain coffee exactly what the locals opt for on their morning run.

Xi’an Famous Foods

Hot, doughy and a little spicy, Xi’an’s dumplings have

THE KARCZMA

By Anna Pitts

A traditional Polish restaurant tucked away in the heart of Birmingham city centre. I came across this restaurant when I was researching places to take my homesick Polish friend, who was visiting me in Birmingham. I had never eaten traditional Polish food before, and I didn’t know what to expect when I found the restaurant online, however I was definitely reassued bytheir high reviews! The location itself has great transport links as it is just around the corner from the Bullring and a short five -minute walk from New Street train station.

As we entered The Karczma, the sudden transition from the industrial surroundings of central Birmingham to the picturesque interior of an old Polish country cottage was honestly breath-taking. We were seated at a solid wooden table, and on benches covered by soft white fleeces. The walls were beautifully painted with traditional flowers and designs as well as a map of Poland (to which previous customers had pinned notes on places they had visited) and the shelves were adorned with decorations reminiscent of an eclectic range of Polish life. The design of the restaurant was a perfect backdrop to the stunning food; it really helped create a unique and authentic experience of Polish culture and cuisine.

On the recommendations of our waiter, who was very attentive and helpful, and had an extensive knowledge of the menu, I began with my favourite dish of the day: Żurek w chlebku. This was a hearty rye soup with smoked sausage,

By Grace Walker New York

become New York’s ultimate comfort food. Heavy in cumin, chili, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices, the joint’s specialties range from famous hand-ripped "biang biang" noodles, seared in hot oil, to lamb “burgers” with a jalapeño kick. Certainly heavy, but worth every bite.

By CHLOE

Offering a vegan only menu, By CHLOE is stirring up the fast food game in NYC. The menu ranges from guac burgers and sweet potato fries, to hearty and healthy quinoa salads. Wash down your take-out of goodness with a fresh green smoothie from the ever-changing daily menu. Rest assured, you’ll be left feeling full (and super nourished) for the rest of the day.

potato and boiled egg. It was served in a hollowed loaf of crusty bread, which as well as serving as a bowl, was integral to the taste of the dish. The food was not only filling, but a satisfying mix of textures and seasoning, which were a brilliant balance. I would recommend this dish to anyone who wants to try out Polish cooking for the first time.

For our second course, we tried the potato dumplings with bacon and fried sauerkraut, which were substantial and packed full of flavour. I then enjoyed a dish called Maryna’s Breast which was a chicken fillet stuffed with mushrooms and cheese, and served with mashed potatoes and selection of salads. This was certainly a gorgeous plate made of a diverse array of elements.

My friend and I both loved the food and general atmosphere created by the owners, and he remarked on how comforting and like home it was to him. The menu is a little more expensive than other restaurants I would typically go to as a student. However, due to the volume of food in each dish and the restaurant’s special character, The Karczma is perfect for a special occasion, and for people who want to try something new.

All the different aspects of The Karczma are very well thought out and lovingly presented. They give their customers an honest experience of some of the best food Polish cuisine has to offer, while remaining true to their core Polish hospitality values.

Pick up a benedict for $12

TRAVELLING SOLO: WHAT I LEARNT By Hannah Mei

It’s been just over a month since I returned to 北京 Beijing after that 33 hour train from 昆明 Kunming. The journey was surprisingly ok, and like this month gone by, time flew by! Maybe because it is the start of a new semester or maybe it is because I’ve slipped back into a routine – I have really appreciated the small luxury of sleeping in the same bed every night (instead of checking in and out every other day).

At the same time, I do feel stuck, a little claustrophobic. It could be a severe case of holiday blues, but arriving back in Beijing at 6am, everything felt a little bit smaller. Granted cycling back to my dorm with a 60L rucksack on my back and a healthy dose of sleep deprivation probably didn’t help But being back in class all day, I realised how much I missed travelling and exploring China. This semester, I am taking 15 credits of Chinese language classes and have moved up a level, it is another step up for me involving more characters, more hours in the library and …maybe more procrastination.

When I first came up with the idea of travelling solo around China, my mum was not too pleased at the thought of her *ahem* favourite child/daughter travelling around and getting lost in a country of 1.6 billion people. Other people thought I was mad, brave or didn’t speak enough Chinese

A few of my Chinese friends thought it was too dangerous for a 4ft11 girl with a debatable fluency in Chinese and a massive rucksack to be travelling alone around China.

Spoiler alert: I’m still alive and in one piece. Yes, my sanity has been questioned a few times and my intestines were mostly filled with rice for the majority of the 4 weeks. But here’s what travelling solo has taught me and why you should really try it too.

 It taught me it’s ok to be alone, because a) you actually are never alone. If you want some company, there is always someone to meet, say hi to and explore somewhere new with. I’ve been luckily enough to be housed, fed and invited to experience a typical Chinese wedding by kind strangers. And b) it’s actually alright (and not antisocial) to take some time out from life, interacting with humans and just having some time to think to yourself. China can be a really overwhelming place sometimes – the language, culture, people, food can be exhilarating but also a lot to process at times. Taking some time out to be alone with your thoughts is liberating and good for creativity, in my opinion.

 I’m much more open to trying new things, experiences and food. Whether it’s actively starting conversations and practising my Chinese – something 11 year old me would feel queasy at doing – or maybe my massive rucksack screams “travelling, please help me I don’t know what I’m doing!”, I’ve managed to get myself into funny situations just by smiling and saying ‘yes’ because

why not? Throwing caution to the wind and renting a moped to drive around Yangshuo was probably the best and worst idea I’ve ever been convinced to do: I crashed into flowerpot, dropped the moped into a car and had to ask a stranger how to start it up. But now I finally know how to drive a moped and not crash and it was fun!

 Nothing ever goes as planned, but it doesn’t matter. Whatever timings that I have in my head never seem to work out – I’m always late – but it usually works itself out in the end. Admittedly, I still arrive at train stations 2 hours early, just in case, because I never want to miss my train, but all the rest? Instead of getting worked up, flustered or becoming afflicted with sober Asian flush, I now take a few deep breaths and mutter 随便吧!

 Travelling is the best way to learn a language. End of story.

A month back in Beijing and I already miss the freedom of travelling and not knowing what is next. I always thought I settled well into a routine, which is still true; running in the mornings has been a good way of getting back into a rhythm. But I can feel the end of my year abroad approaching quickly and I can’t wait to get back out there and make the most of it. Travelling teaches you more about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, how to handle pressure and what life throws at you – whether it’s pharyngitis or 7hour coach journeys. It is also the best way to improve your Chinese speaking and confidence Maybe trying to speak 云南话 Yunnanhua with an 80-year old man without front teeth doesn’t leave you much room to communicate, but it was certainly a laugh (or that’s the homemade baijiu talking). Travelling solo doesn’t equal travelling alone –you’ll never know who you’ll meet next or what the next adventure will be. That’s the beauty of it all!

GLOBALVOICES

By Kia Marie Hunt

e interpretación simultánea

Un coro canta en los seis idiomas oficiales de las Naciones Unidas con grabaciones de traducciones simultáneas y músicos de jazz improvisando en vivo; ¿escuchar todos estos sonidos al mismo tiempo genera ruido? En realidad, es el proyecto de coro multilingüe ‘Global Voices’, con el que Franklin Heather ha conseguido unir sonidos de una forma increíble.

Como proyecto de fin de grado, Franklin creó Global Voices, combinando su amor por los idiomas con su pasión por la improvisación musical, y representando y poniendo en valor el papel de los intérpretes simultáneos en nuestro mundo.

El evento se realizó el 28 de marzo en el Bramall Music Building. Empezó con una cacofonía de voces superpuestas, destacando la tremenda dificultad de la interpretación simultánea. Momentos después, el coro, escondido al fondo de la sala, sorprendió al público envolviéndole con sus cantos y añadiendo desorden al ambiente, lo que representaba el caos al que se enfrentan los intérpretes al trabajar.

A lo largo de las seis primeras piezas musicales (que incluyeron la lectura y el canto de artículos de la ONU, testimonios de varios intérpretes y fragmentos de la declaración de derechos humanos) el coro se trasladó hacia el frente, el balbuceo se calmó, y el enfoque de la música se aclaró

poco a poco. Las piezas finales generaron un ambiente más festivo, con música más rápida, más libre y más eufórica. Un punto especial para mí, fue un pequeño dueto entre un soprano inglés y un barítono mandarín que creó una armonía muy hermosa y representativa de ambas lenguas. Esta progresión de caos, claridad y celebración, fue analizada por Louise Askew, intérprete del CICR, invitada a la mesa redonda posterior al evento. Según Askew, menudo los intérpretes se enfrentan a demasiada información que analizar al empezar, ya que todo está sucediendo a la vez; sin embargo, poco a poco llegan a lo que ella llama "ese punto óptimo" del entendimiento. De hecho Askew admiró la calidad del proyecto de Heather, ya que había logrado transmitir exactamente, con música, lo que ocurre dentro de la mente de un intérprete durante el proceso de interpretación. A otra oradora invitada, Jennifer Bell (directora, compositora y experta en acapella) también le entusiasmó la obra de Heather, a quién elogió por llevar ‘la interpretación funcional a un contexto estético’, y por ‘celebrar algo con un propósito práctico y político, como algo artístico y precioso.’

Ver a los músicos improvisando, comunicándose y colaborando espontáneamente, como hacen los intérpretes, fue una experiencia especial, fascinante. Así como un intérprete aporta su propia comprensión a toda traducción o interpretación, estos músicos dieron su propia identidad a la música. Los intérpretes son las voces anónimas que construyen puentes entre las diferentes culturas de nuestro mundo, y por eso merecen ser celebrados. Global Voices fue, simplemente, el homenaje perfecto.

Una gala para la improvisación y la traducción

PORTO E COIMBRA: UM PERFIL

By Megan Brown Porto + Coimbra

Você está planejando uma viagem para o Porto ou Coimbra? Aqui estão alguns lugares que valem a pena visitar.

Durante as férias de Páscoa, fui a Portugal para visitar a minha futura cidade e Universidade, pois no próximo ano vou estudar na Universidade de Coimbra. Para chegar a Coimbra de avião, você pode voar para Lisboa ou Porto. Eu escolhi ir até Porto e hospedei-me lá por 2 dias para explorar a cidade. Porto é cheio de beleza, história e, claro, vinho do Porto. A incrível Ponte Dom Luís separa a rua comercial movimentada e as adegas de vinho.

Em Porto se encontra o famoso ponto turístico ‘Livraria Lello’, uma livraria neo-gótica frequentemente classificada entre as principais livrarias do mundo, com cerca de 3000 visitantes por dia. É famosa por sua arquitetura excepcional e escada espiral. A autora J.K Rowling ensinou inglês em Porto durante 2 anos enquanto ela escrevia rascunhos de alguns dos livros da série Harry Potter. A Livraria Lello se tornou uma inspiração para ela depois de muitas visitas durante sua estadia na região norte.

Outros pontos turísticos que vale a pena visitar em Porto são a Torre Clérgios, as catedrais locais e o museu ‘World of Discoveries’. Para mim, ‘World of Discoveries’ foi um lugar maravilhoso para visitar e aprender sobre a história marítima de Portugal. Com jogos interativos em Português, Inglês, Alemão e Italiano, é acessível para muitas pessoas. A visita ao museu termina em um passeio de barco ao redor do mundo com um guia em áudio que explica a história dos descobrimentos portugueses.

Ao chegar na 3ª maior cidade de Portugal, Coimbra, fiquei chocado com a quantidade e altura das colinas. Tenho certeza que as vistas do topo são extremamente valiosas. Fiquei satisfeito em ver que valeu a pena ter escolhido passar o meu ano em uma faculdade fora da Inglaterra baseado na beleza e história de sua localização. Portanto, foi impressionante por dentro e por fora. A universidadefoi inaugurada em 1290 em Lisboa, passando por várias

mudanças de lugar até ser transferida permanentemente para a sua actual cidade em 1537, sendo uma das mais antigas universidades em operação contínua no mundo, a mais antiga universidade de Portugal e uma das maiores instituições de ensino superior e pesquisa do país. Tem mais de 20.000 estudantes e tem uma das maiores comunidades de estudantes internacionais em Portugal, sendo indiscutivelmente a universidade mais cosmopolita do país. Em 2013, a Universidade foi adicionada à lista do Patrimônio Mundial da UNESCO.

Dentro da universidade se encontra a deslumbrante Biblioteca Joanina, no estilo barroco, que não permite o uso de máquinas fotográficas ou filmadoras. Para admissão de turistas que são estudantes estrangeiros, o ingresso custa menos que € 10 e dá acesso a todos os principais edifícios da universidade, incluindo a sua própria capela privada.

Por mais bela que seja, a universidade não é a única coisa que Coimbra tem a oferecer. Existem jardins pitorescos com arcos admiráveis, ruas estreitas românticas e, situado na Baixa de Coimbra, tem ‘Portugal dos Pequenitos’. Esse ponto turístico adorável foi a minha visita favorita. É um parque que contém uma mini versão de Coimbra e também inclui miniaturas de colónias portuguesas como o Brasil, Moçambique e Angola. Além de, claro, um modelo pequeno de Portugal, com monumentos icônicos de Lisboa e de outras partes do país. Finalmente, o parque termina com casas típicas regionais encontradas em Portugal e são apenas grandes o suficiente para uma criança (ou um adulto disfarçado).

Espero que isto tenha ajudado a informá-los de coisas para ver em duas das maiores cidades de Portugal.

Es lässt sich sagen, dass ein Erasmusjahr eine der spannendsten Jahre deiner Zeit an der Uni sein kann. Dort ist es möglich, eine Reihe von Fähigkeiten zu erlernen, viele Städte zu entdecken, und neue Leute kennenzulernen. Hoffentlich verbessert man gleichzeitig die Sprache – sonst hat man vielleicht Probleme bei der mündlichen Prüfung im folgenden Jahr! Es gibt natürlich zahlreiche heimische Sachen, die man vermisst, wenn man im Ausland ist. Aber man muss zugeben, dass es Aspekte gibt, die einfach besser in der Erasmusstadt sind. Deswegen habe ich einige Studenten gefragt, was Birmingham von den verschiedenen Erasmusorten lernen kann. Danke an Sophie Morrow, Matthew Lock, Beth Davies, und Indigo Edwards für ihre Meinungen:

Sophie – Moskau, Russland:

Als ich in Moskau angekommen war, hat mich die Effizienz der öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel wirklich beeindruckt. Die Kosten für Transport sind angemessener als in Birmingham, und die Busse und Züge sind fast immer pünktlich. Die Moskau Metro ist zwar für ihre Schönheit weltbekannt, aber die Häufigkeit der Züge ist auch sehr praktisch. Die Kommunalverwaltung in Birmingham sollte sich mehr auf Investition in öffentliche Verkehrsmittel konzentrieren, wie in Moskau.

Matthew–München,Deutschland:

München ist als Radlhauptstadt Deutschlands bekannt. Das ist zum Teil wegen der schönen Radstrecken, die man in der Münchner Umgebung, sowie den nahliegenden Alpen, fahren kann. Es ist aber auch wegen der Radwegeinfrastruktur und des Verständnisses für Radfahrer. Die Radwege sind sicher und umfangreich; es wird jetzt zum Beispiel ein Radschnellweg – eine Autobahn für Fahrräder! – zwischen München und seinen Nachbarstädten gebaut. Weil das alles so gut funktioniert, fahren unglaublich viele Leute Rad, zur Arbeit sowohl als zum Spaß. Deswegen haben Auto- und Radfahrer ein ganz gutes, beidseitiges

By Rachel Morris

Verständnis, weswegen es sehr wenig Unfälle und Aggression im Straßenverkehr gibt. Daraus könnte Birmingham ein bisschen lernen. Beth – Quebec, Kanada:

Von meiner Erasmusstadt kann Birmingham viel lernen. Im Sommer 2015 bin ich nach Quebec gefahren und ich habe herausgefunden, dass das Leben einfacher und gesunder war. Im Winter gehen die Leute auch an die frische Luft und sie jammern nicht so wie die Briten, auch wenn es eiskalt ist!

Indigo – Mainz, Deutschland:

Was kann Birmingham von deiner Erasmusstadt lernen? In einem Wort: Feiern. In Mainz wird alles gefeiert. An Weihnachten feiern sie den Weihnachtsmarkt, im Februar wird Fastnacht gefeiert (Karneval in Mainz) und im Frühling sowie im Sommer reiht sich ein Weinfest an das nächste. Jede Woche gibt es im Sommer einen schönen Wochenmarkt. Natürlich hat Birmingham auch seine verschiedenen Feste, aber sie sind nichts im Vergleich zu denen in Mainz. Diese sind wirklich etwas ganz Besonderes. Weinschorlen in den Straßen und frische Erdbeeren direkt vor dem Dom neben dem Rhein: das perfekte Leben.

Ich – München, Deutschland:

Es besteht kein Zweifel daran, dass Birmingham eine interessante, hektische Stadt ist. Sie ist eine Mischung von Tradition und Innovation, und ist auf keinen Fall langweilig. Aber Birmingham sieht oft sehr grau, schmutzig und industriell aus. Als ich in München war, habe ich immer bemerkt, dass es eine schöne, saubere und friedliche Stadt ist. Und es war egal, wo ich war: vor dem Hauptbahnhof, ganz im Stadtzentrum oder auf irgendeiner Straße – ich habe mich immer sicher gefühlt. Deswegen glaube ich, dass Birmingham auf die Umwelt, das Aussehen und die Sicherheit der Stadt achten sollte.

WAS KANN BIRMINGHAM VON DEINER ERASMUSSTADT LERNEN?

RadfahreninderNähevonMünchen,Deutschland

Die Metro in Moskau

Das Parlaments Gebäude in Quebec, Kanada

REI KAWAKUBO

By Marie Craus

Son influence sur le monde de la mode

Cette année, un des plus grands évènements dans le monde de la mode, le Met Gala, a présenté les créations de Rei Kawakubo, fondateur de la maison de couture : « Comme des Garçons ». En effet, c’est la première fois que le Met Gala a rendu hommage au travail d’un créateur vivant depuis 1983 où le thème était un tribut à Yves Saint Laurent.

Mais qui est Rei Kawakubo ? Et pourquoi influence-t-elle autant le monde de la mode ?

Rei Kawakubo est une créatrice qui a réinventé les notions de la beauté et la mode depuis sa fondation « Comme des Garçons » en 1973. Elle n’a pas peur de désigner une création qui dépasse les frontières, en présentant souvent des tissus arrachés et effilochés. Et cela est bien révolutionnaire parce qu’elle nous invite à nous demander comment on définirait vraiment la beauté : Est-ce que c’est la perfection, ou est-ce que c’est quelque chose complètement différent ?

Comme maison de couture, « Comme des Garçons », dont les vêtements austères qui servent d’une déconstruction de la mode et de l’art, nous incite à réfléchir, en nous posant des questions pas seulement sur nos perceptions

de la beauté mais aussi sur notre société. Rei Kawakubo ne craint pas de faire des déclarations politiques, en défiant la société et ses opinions telles que le bien et le mal, le genre et la sexualité.

Elle a influencé les créateurs les plus importants du monde de la mode tels qu’Alexander McQueen et Jean Paul Gauthier et son succès est aussi grand que cette année. Le thème du Met Gala était un tribut à ses créations, en donnant des figures publiques comme Rihanna et Gigi Hadid l’opportunité de démontrer son ingéniosité. Alors certainement, on ne peut pas nier que Rei Kawakubo est une artiste révolutionnaire qui a changé le monde de la mode, peut-être sans que nous nous en rendions compte !

RUSSIAN SIGN LANGUAGE

By Megan Pallett

We have all heard of Sign Language, but did you know that there are around 300 Sign Languages used around the world? A famous few are British Sign Language, American Sign Language and French Sign Language. With all these different Sign Languages, it should not surprise you that Russians also have their own, with around 121,000 Russian Signers. The standard term for Russian Sign Language (RSL) was devised by Galina Lazarevna Zaitseva in 1992: RSL became known as "Russkii Zhestovyi Yazyk" (Russian: РусскийЖестовыйЯзык).

Education for the Deaf in Russia

A school for the Deaf was opened in Pavlovsk – near St. Petersburg – around 1806, which was thought to have been the start of RSL. Later, in 1920, it was exported to Bulgaria, where it became a separate language (Bulgarian Sign Language) rather than a dialect of Russian Sign Language, although RSL is also used there. Over 70 years later in 1992, the Moscow Bilingual School for the Deaf was opened, using RSL in classrooms.

There are around 225 specialised schools for the Deaf in the Russian Federation. Some are found in the major cities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok. In Russian Deaf primary schools, only fingerspelling is used. Full signs are then used in secondary school. Deaf schools are classified in two groups:

 The oral method, where signing is not used in the classrooms and students learn to lip read.

 Schools that allow signing in the classroom.

Many Deaf schools are no longer fully subsidised by the federal or local government. They struggle to provide basics and, as a result of their precarious situation, many Deaf schools are much more open to assistance from outside organisations.

Life for Russians with a hearing impairment

In Moscow, there is a ‘Центрмобильности’ – for those like me, who do not understand Russian, this means ‘mobility centre’ – where citizens who are physically challenged by day-to-day transport, such as those with impaired hearing, the blind and the elderly, are offered support. This support includes being helped into and out of train stations and subway stations, assistance whilst on public transport, and

subway stations, assistance whilst on public transport, and passengers receive help getting into Moscow’s centre. This is a breakthrough for the Deaf community in Russia because, for many years, they have been separated from the hearing world, especially in the educational system.

Influence of the Deaf in Science

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (Константи́н Циолко́вский) was born in 1857 in Izhevskoye. At the age of 10, Tsiolkovsky caught scarlet fever and became hard of hearing. As a result of his hearing impairment, he did not attend school and was therefore self-taught. However, his lack of schooling did not prevent him from becoming a Russian and Soviet rocket scientist and pioneer of the astronautic theory.

The Language

Signs are directional, meaning that “I teach you” vs “You teach me” is determined by the direction of the sign. Verbs are often substituted by nouns. A lot of vocabulary was borrowed from the French or Austrian sign languages. Moreover, there are similarities between American Sign Language (ASL) and RSL; for example, letters ‘A’ and ‘E’ are the same sign in both languages and their signs for ‘Apple’ are also similar. While ASL marks an ‘X’ shape on the face to sign ‘Apple’, RSL makes a claw like shape instead.

As a beginner to British Sign Language, I have been fascinated by Deaf culture and language around the world, so I hope that this article encourages you to try out Sign Language. After all, you have over 300 to choose from!

L'ITALIA È UNA REPUBBLICA DEMOCRATICA, FONDATA SUL LAVORO.

Questo è quello che dichiara la Costituzione italiana nel suo primo articolo. L’Italia, però, ormai da quando è iniziata la crisi del 2008 fa fatica a riprendersi e rimane in una situazione di stallo. Io nel 2008 avevo solo quattordici anni e non capivo bene cosa volesse dire la crisi, la mancanza di lavoro e il famoso detto “arrivare a fine mese”; vedevo e sentivo le esperienze di altri, ma non capivo fino in fondo il significato di questa maledetta crisi. Oggi invece a ventidue anni suonati e una laurea in mano, lo capisco perfettamente. Mi sono laureata a Novembre del 2016 e da ormai tre mesi sto cercando da lavorare e come molti giovani mi chiedo se restare o andarmene all’estero, ma una possibilità al mio paese la voglio dare. Da una parte ho l’esempio della mia amica Valentina diplomatasi e che dopo due anni passati a cercare un lavoro, rimanendo disoccupata per tutto il tempo, ha deciso di partire insieme a me, lei con destinazione Cardiff e io Birmingham; lei alla ricerca di un lavoro e io per vivere l’esperienza Erasmus. Partita con già una stanza affittata, dopo un mese di ricerca ha trovato lavoro in una nota catena di fastfood, in cui tutt’ora lavora. Dopo un anno e mezzo, la vedo diversa, la vedo felice e soprattutto indipendente; perché in Italia la possibilità di diventare economicamente indipendente per i giovani è quasi impossibile. E per questo voglio tornare alla mia ricerca di lavoro.

By Roberta Grella

Tornata dall’esperienza Erasmus, mi ritrovo a vivere nuovamente con i miei genitori e le abitudini che avevo acquisito vivendo da sola si sono scontrate con i ritmi della casa materna, ma senza questa non potrei avere un posto stabile su cui appoggiarmi e cercare di trovare un lavoro che mi possa permettere di lasciare il “nido”. Di colloqui ne ho fatti circa una decina e da alcuni sono uscita sconvolta. Il primo è stato per fare l’animatrice turistica in villaggi turistici o navi da crociera e mi era stato detto che se avessi superato la fase di selezione, mi avrebbero fatto fare due settimane di tirocinio in Spagna, e qui viene il bello, a mie spese. Dovevo, però, vederlo come un investimento, perché dopo questo stage mi avrebbero sicuramente assunto. Me

ne vado. Decido di portare curriculum in giro per la zona di Mirandola che è conosciuta per il settore biomedicale, ma anche in supermercati, ristoranti e gelaterie. In gelateria mi dicono che preferirebbero qualcuno che abbia già esperienza, in un supermercato mi chiedono la professione dei miei genitori e se conosco qualcuno che lavora in quella catena di supermercati. Non demordo e continuo, ma se mi chiamano ad un colloquio in un negozio o supermercato mi viene chiesto perché, io laureata, cerco da lavorare da loro. Al momento per non stare a casa senza fare niente lavoro come promoter e vengo pagata 25 euro al giorno, ma almeno ricevo il pagamento mensilmente, perché le agenzie, sì ti pagano di più, ma dopo due o tre mesi. In uno scenario come questo fatto di tirocini da 450 euro, voucher e contratti di lavoro occasionale, mi chiedo se ne vale la pena di aspettare per il colpo di fortuna di trovare un buon lavoro che coincide con i propri studi o adattarsi e vivere alle spalle dei propri genitori. Mi chiedo se le generazione di pensionati che ci chiama “mammoni” o “bamboccioni” si renda conto che in che mondo lavorativo ci affacciamo e se capiscono che se ce ne andiamo non siamo vigliacchi, ma vogliamo solo avere una vita dignitosa. Viviamo in un paese fatto di contratti determinati, tirocini malpagati, ferie e malattie inesistenti e tutto quello per cui hanno lottato gli operai del triangolo industriale (Milano, Torino e Genova) negli anni 60’ e che portò all’articolo 18 dello statuto dei lavoratori è svanito con un semplice Jobs Act. Forse sarebbe ora che quella lotta operaia che scoppiò alimentata dal maggio francese, tornasse ma sotto forma di giovani vogliosi di riavere un paese che li sappia valorizzare e non solo sfruttare.

...in Italia la possibilità di diventare economicamente indipendente per i giovani è quasi impossibile.

FRYDERYKI 2017 MUZYKI POWA NEJ I KLASYCZNEJ ROZDANE

Fryderyka 2017 w kategorii muzyka chóralna, oratoryjna i operowa otrzymał album "De Profundis - Polish Psalms of the 20th and 21st Century" nagrany przez Chór Narodowego Forum Muzyki pod dyrekcją Agnieszki

Franków-Żelazny.

Płyta zatytułowana "J.S. Bach: Sonaty BWV 525-530" autorstwa Marka Toporowskiego, Irminy Obońskiej i Marka

Caudle'a została uznana za najlepszy wydany w 2016 roku krążek w kategorii muzyki dawnej.

W kategorii recital solowy zwyciężyło nagranie skrzypka

Janusza Wawrowskiego zatytułowane "Sequenza".

Natomiast Fryderyka 2017 w kategorii muzyka kameralna

otrzymała płyta "Musica Profana 1" Pawła Łukaszewskiego.

Artysta otrzymał także drugą statuetkę za wydaną w ubiegłym roku "IV Symfonię o Bożym Miłosierdziu".

Nagroda została przyznana temu krążkowi w kategorii muzyka współczesna.

Z kolei płyta "Maksymiuk & Sinfonia Varsovia" nagrana przez orkiestrę Sinfonia Varsovia pod batutą Jerzego Maksymiuka została zwycięzcą w kategorii muzyka symfoniczna i koncertująca.

Licząca 375 osób kapituła nagrody uznała płytę "Grażyna Bacewicz: Complete String Quartets" w wykonaniu

By Aleksandra Kepka

Kwartetu Śląskiego za najlepszy album polski wydany w ubiegłym roku za granicą. Krążek ten otrzymał także statuetkę Fryderyka 2017 w kategorii Najwybitniejsze Nagranie Muzyki Polskiej.

Artystom szczególnie zasłużonym dla polskiej kultury muzycznej przyznawana jest Nagroda Złoty Fryderyk za całokształt osiągnięć artystycznych. W tym roku otrzymał ją pianista i pedagog Piotr Paleczny.

Uroczystość wręczenia Fryderyków 2017 uświetniła między innymi Polska Orkiestra Radiowa pod dyrekcją Michała Klauzy, Piotr Orzechowski "Pianohooligan" i Zespół Śpiewaków Miasta Katowice "Camerata Silesia" dyrygowany przez Annę Szostak. Galę poprowadził Jacek Hawryluk. Fryderyki wręczali laureatom Jarosław Sellin, wiceminister kultury i dziedzictwa narodowego oraz Miłosz Bembinow, kompozytor, dyrygent, członek zarządu Związku Artystów i Kompozytorów Scenicznych.

Fryderyki to jedne z najważniejszych nagród muzycznych w Polsce. Co roku Akademia Fonograficzna wyróżnia najwybitniejszych polskich artystów z różnych gatunków muzyki. W tym roku nagrody Akademii zostały wręczone po raz 23.

By Boris Genov

Кобрата разби Джонсън и чака Кличко или Джошуа Кубрат Пулев спечели големия сблъсък срещу Кевин Джонсън в "Арена Армеец",София в петък вечер 28.04.2017 г. Мачът в тещка категория за

интерконтиненталната титла на Световната боксова асоциация завърши с категорична победа за българския боксьор. Кобрата доминираше на ринга презцелиямачкатонепозволинапротивникасидори и да си мечтае за победа. Кубрат Пулев за първи път защити своята интерконтинентална титла на Световната боксова асоциация, която спечели в сблъсък с бившия световен шампион Самуел Питър в зала "Арена Армеец " в София на 03.12.2016 г. На пресконференцията преди мача Кубрат каза, че се е готвил много сериозно за този мач. Сподели, че

Джонсънемногоопитенбоксьорструденстилнаигра и в никакъв случай не е за подценяване. Преди мача американецът демонстрира голяма самоувереност и заяви,ченесестрахуваотПулев.Смятъше,чеКобрата неможедасеподготвизанеговиястилнаиграибеше сигуренвпобедата.Ноощев3-4рундДжонсънлежеше на въжетата и криеше главата си от непрестанните ударинаКобрата,коетогоспасиотнокаут.Следмача Кубрат Пулев благодари на всички българи за подкрепата и сподели, че чака с интерес мача между Кличко и Джошуа, който ще се играе тази вечер29.04.2017 г на Уембли. Победителят от този мач вероятнощебъдеследващияпротивникнаКобрата.Да му погелаем успешна подготовка и много победи в бъдеще!

КУБРАТ ПУЛЕВ

Пропуск через державний кордон учасників «Євробачення-2017» здійснюється відповідно до вимог чинного законодавства України у пріоритетному порядку, за технологічними принципами, що були застосовані під час масштабних міжнародних заходів «Євро-2012» та інших заходів. Минулої доби у пунктах пропуску для повітряного сполучення «Бориспіль» та «Київ» прикордонники оформилидвохучасників,якіпершіприбулинапісенний конкурс «Євробачення-2017».

Як йдеться в повідомленні прес-служби Держприкордонслужби України, всього рейсами «БакуКиїв», «Лондон-Київ», «Стамбул-Київ» таДубаї-Київ» для участі в конкурсі та його забезпечення, прибули 13 осіб. «В ході підготовки до проведення в Україні у 2017 році «Євробачення» у Державній прикордонній службі України було проведено низку заходів, серед яких у взаємодіїзДФСопрацьованопроцедуриприкордонного та митного контролю для гостей і учасників пісенного конкурсу в пріоритетному порядку. Особлива увага під час прибуття учасників конкурсу буде приділятися безпековій складовій та підтриманню правопорядку в пунктахпропуску», – йдетьсявповідомленні.

Читайте також Ентузіасти створили альтернативний промо-ролик Києва до Євробачення Наразі

By Alina Vasylenko

Держприкордонслужба щодо даного питання вже вжила комплекс необхідних організаційних та практичних заходів. Пропуск через державний кордон учасників «Євробачення-2017» здійснюється відповідно до вимог чинного законодавства України у пріоритетному порядку, за технологічними принципами, що були застосовані під час масштабних міжнародних заходів «Євро-2012» та інших заходів тощо. Передбачається, що основними пунктами пропуску,які будуть задіяніпід часпропуску учасників та гостей «Євробачення», будуть пункти пропуску для повітряного сполучення, на які припаде до 70 % від загальної кількості прибуваючих на пісенний конкурс. 20 % користуватимуться автомобільними пунктами пропуску, ще 10 % - залізничним сполученням. «Крім того, учора представниками Адміністрації Держприкордонслужби взято участь в інструктивній нараді керівництва Національної поліції за участі першого заступника міністра внутрішніх справ України СергіяЯровогозпитаньзабезпеченняпублічноїбезпеки і порядку під час проведення масових заходів пов’язаних з днем міжнародної солідарності та щорічногопісенногоконкурсу «Євробачення», – додали вДПСУ.

岁那年，她似乎与生命的

点的倒塌，沦陷，支离破碎，锦灰 成殇。麻木到惊愕，习惯性地活 着，呼，吸。

她尝试拿起那支笔，又不得不放 下，那重量，她已承受不住。现实 与梦境太近又太遥远，她脸上莫名 浮现的笑容，是来自另一个世界， 没有悲痛，没有哀伤，她心底唯一 的柔软。美到极致，痛到无尽，她 不敢去想，因为醒来现实只会更加 狰狞，又不得不想，因为那是她所珍 藏的仅剩的美好。

ДОКИЄВАПРИБУЛИПЕРШІУЧАСНИКИЄВРОБАЧЕНН 2017

THE LINGUIST TEAM 2017 18

CHAIR: Mary McGowan

PROOF

READER:

Rebekah

Quixano

Henriques

FRENCH + SPANISH

Emily Darby

GERMAN: Jenny Nicholls

ITALIAN: Claudia Ghilardi

SOCIAL SEC + UKRANIAN: Yelyzaveta Lizzie Kozii

FOOD & DRINK Libby Barret

RUSSIAN: Charlotte Simpson

ARABIC: Hecham Muhra