He was the newly polished diamond like the one soon-to-be lost ring dropped between sideboard and mattress
His teeth were straighter and polished whiter than his Grady White and sleeker than his smooth Armani suit and lawyer-ease
Wouldn’t she find a six-figure
attorney a quiet listener and a pleaser of womankind by nature
So she thought a man with means would welcome someone more substantial than a summer fling a bartender hip to rap and conversation who was yet an articulate university graduate like himself and a soon-to-be pharmacist worthy of his status
A trustworthy attorney might be the catch of the day one evening
on Federal Hill so she thought
Though she found him engaging on various subjects unavailable to twenty-year old boys she was used to dating
His knowledge of wine lists 401k’s and luxurious getaways
in the Caribbean and hidden hideaways was more superior than her own father’s experience
Though he proved to be lost in his own pleasures riding into her body’s erogenous zones and no less uncaring than the fumbling boys of her university dorm
When the ring was lost after
less than a half hour of grunting blindness and hip grinding she surely was perplexed that he may have been no champion of foreplay and ethical manners and was only a rich swindler and pretender
Authorities took down the information two days later and a nurse unwrapped the rape kit that sent his world spiraling into debt and infamy
Would there be another political campaign?
His corporate lawyer job was lost
to gossip and media shaming along with the Grady White sold to pay for the hot shot female Boston defender
Tennis would we played not at the private men’s club if even that now as his friends kept finding other engagements
In the end he found his freedom more precious than the open sea
crying like a kindergartener on their first day when he was acquitted
And she found her slimmed down frame left the found diamond looser than before when inexplicably it had somehow slipped off her finger on that Tinder rather than tender night
And the jury who had only hearsay of the prosecution lawyer’s dramatics to go by and no DNA no security camera footage to convict her Tinder date of her intoxication and lack of consent
The jury would wonder was she wiser in the ways of modern hooking up now or frightened into depression never to overcome anorexia and trauma
to find love.
Widow At The Council On Aging
Her father’s ghost is always circling like a butterfly ready to alight on a round table with miss seventy-eight year old widow showing up uninvited to the noon time meal which is usually a meat product splashed with gravy that a vegan like herself cannot eat
She has a newly self-published book out that again has her child of innocence praising her fathers musicianship and kindness
This may all be true like a President being more sainted than Mother Teresa in the vanity of illusions that memory reshapes into a variety of wildflowers that will await her in heaven as the face of her butterfly father hovers above our unholy heads
What I found most surprising though was her unthinkable story of her eleven year old self babysitting a chimpanzee in the infield of a race track
Thechimp was the pet of one of the hairdressers for the famous Rockettes who kicked up a lot of gossip and pheromones behind the scenes around the saxophone player her father who was evidently as spotless as she remembers
After A Bourgeois Marriage
I was no Kerouac not one of those beaten journeying authors of miraculous encounters in the night neither of risk nor meager means except with their wits traveling west like thrift shop hobos of stream of consciousness devices.
My own divine madness would sit reading and never cross the high plains on a locomotive nor settle into a commune of ocean bathers in the jagged movie theater that is the dreamland of underachievers and panhandlers and religious fanatics.
Ironically I have found the egg over easy comfort of a single bed without a companion to wish a goodnight to in the dark and it’s more tedious than an unpublished diary manuscript of fantasies from a lionhearted drunk.
The main principles of the division of words into categories in the language under study
Student of Andijan State Institute of Foreign Languages Abdullajonova Rayhona Arabjon qizi Abdullajonovarayhona874@gmail.com +998886630603 Scientific Supervisor: Odina Ismanova
ANNOTATION. Die Klassifikation von Wörtern in Wortarten spielt eine zentrale Rolle beim Spracherwerb, insbesondere beim Erlernen der deutschen Sprache. Diese Arbeit untersucht die grundlegenden Prinzipien der Wortartenzuordnung im Deutschen unter Berücksichtigung didaktischer, linguistischer und kognitiver Aspekte. Besonderes Augenmerk gilt der Bedeutung von grammatischen und semantischen Merkmalen sowie der Rolle des Kontextes beim Lernprozess.
Annotation. The classification of words into parts of speech is crucial in language acquisition, especially when learning German. This paper examines the core principles of word categorization in German, taking into account didactic, linguistic, and cognitive aspects. Special attention is paid to the importance of grammatical and semantic features, as well as the role of context in the learning process.
SCHLÜSSELWÖRTER: Wortarten, Sprachdidaktik, Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Grammatik, Sprachlernen, Semantik, Syntax KEYWORDS: Parts of speech, language didactics, German as a foreign language, grammar, language learning, semantics, syntax In the process of learning a language, the ability to correctly understand words and divide them into categories is one of the main competencies for the learner.
Especially when learning German, correctly distinguishing parts of speech (Wortarten) is important for improving language structure and clarity. Each word belongs to a certain category according to its meaning, form and function in the sentence. This article analyzes the linguistic, didactic and cognitive framework for word categories in the case of the German language. It also discusses the challenges encountered in the learning process, ways to overcome them and effective teaching strategies.
1. The concept of Wortarten and its necessity. There are 10 main categories of words in German: Substantiv (noun), Verb (verb), Adjective (adjective), Adverb (ravish), Artikel (article), Pronomen (pronoun), Numerale (number), Präposition (preposition), Konjunktion (connective), Interjektion (vowel). These categories of words differ according to their mutual meaning, morphological and syntactic signs.
For example, nouns always change with gender, number and verbs, respectively, according to person, tense and date.
2. Criteria for the separation of parts of speech. Formal criteria: By means of these criteria, a category is determined on the basis of the appearance of a word, that is, its morphological forms (flexions). For example, words ending in the suffixes “-heit, -keit, -ung” are considered Substantiv: “Schönheit”, “Bewegung”. Semantic criteria: Based on the meaning of a word, it can be divided into a specific category.
For example, action words (gehen, sprechen) are usually verb. Syntactic criteria: Determined on the basis of the place of a word in a sentence and its relationship with other words. For example, nouns are most often accompanied by the article: “Der Hund”, “Ein Buch”.
3. Problems that arise in the learning process. For those who are learning, the German flexion system may seem quite complicated. Some words can be used in more than one category: “Laufen” (verb): I run every morning. “Das Laufen” (noun): Running is fun. In addition, the meaning and category change depending on the context: “Good” (adjective): a good person “Good” (adverb): It tastes good
4. Didactic approaches. In learning German, you can increase the effectiveness of the teaching of parts of speech through didactic methods. The following approaches are particularly important:
Thematic approach: Words are selected based on topics that are relevant to the students’ interest (e.g., “Friendship”, “Sports”, “Family”) and they are taught in context. With this approach, the student learns vocabulary on the basis of semantic groups. Gramma-based approach: The morphological features of each word group (e.g., the arrival with an article, the change of the verb with tenses) are explained consistently. This approach allows you to thoroughly master German grammar.
Communicative Approach: Words are taught through real-life conversations, dialogue, and role-playing. This method ensures the active participation of students and helps in the practical application of grammatical knowledge.
Visual Approach: Words are explained using pictures, diagrams, and diagrams. This is especially effective for readers whose visual perception is strong. Teaching via Interactive Technologies: Conducting interactive exercises, online tests, and simulation classes using multimedia tools will engage students in the classroom.
Integrative Approach: New words are taught in a way that is integrated with listening comprehension, reading, writing, and speaking competencies. This approach harmonizes activities in four languages.
5. Analysis by Case Studies. The following words are used in different categories based on context: “Because” (conjunction): I’m staying at home because it’s raining. “Weile” (noun): After a while he came back. “Noch” (adverb): I still have time. “Still” (particle): It’s even bigger than I thought.
6. Cognitive Approach and Psycholinguistic Factors. The use of schematic theory, chunking and input flood methods in dividing phrases into groups according to the process of memorization and comprehension of learners is effective. In particular, perception through sight and hearing (multimodal input) increases efficiency.
Correct recognition of parts of the German language and solid handling, play an important role in improving the language competence of the learner. Through parts of speech, the grammatical construction of the language becomes understandable, the possibility of clear expression becomes possible in the construction of sentences and speech development. A harmonious application of interactive, thematic, grammatical and communicative approaches in the learning process increases the motivation of the students.
Also, working with words that have multiple meanings and context, teaching them in a practical way in the classroom will serve to thoroughly master the language. It is important for teachers to use modern didactic methods, to use multimodal approaches in the lessons, to offer assignments that enable students to think independently and perform grammatical analysis. Teaching strategies based on comprehension through logical connections and context, not just memorization, give higher results. In conclusion, a deep understanding of parts of speech develops not only grammatical knowledge, but also communicative skills and makes the process of mastering the language effective.
REFERENCES 1. Duden – The Grammar. 9th edition. Mannheim: Dudenverlag, 2016. 2. Helbig, G./Buscha, J. (2010): German Grammar. Ein Handbuch für den Ausländerunterricht. Langenscheidt. 3. Eisenberg, P. (2013): Grundriss der deutschen Grammatik. Stuttgart: Metzler. 4. Zifonun, Gisela et al. (1997): Grammar of the German Language. de Gruyter.
5. Hentschel, Elke / Weydt, Harald (2002): Deutsche Grammatik. Berlin: de Gruyter. 6. Durrell, Martin (2011): Hammer’s German Grammar and Usage. Routledge. 7. Thurmair, Maria (2013): Exercises on German Grammar. Hueber Verlag.
Corporal Toby Weydig was lazy. Some people might think of him as a good person or a bad person, but everyone acquainted with Corporal Weydig would agree that he was extremely indolent.
In May of 1970, Toby was discharged from the Army after honorably completing his two-year draft obligation. Although Toby’s two years of military service coincided with some of the bloodiest fighting of the Vietnam War, the closest Corporal Weydig ever got to Southeast Asia were his weekly visits to the Thai restaurant, The Golden Triangle, located about a half-mile beyond the gates of Fort Dix in southern New Jersey. Toby was crazy about the restaurant’s seafood noodle cuisine and the proprietor’s long-legged daughter, Bobbi.
Corporal Weydig spent his entire two-year tour of duty at Fort Dix, an infantry training facility that turned out human fodder for the war. As a trainee, Toby was slotted for a platoon in Vietnam until he heard a rumor while working KP in the fort’s huge kitchen facility. A fat and likeable mess sergeant advised Toby that in order to get out of the Army, all one had to do was to pee in bed every night. The overweight cook insisted that a medical discharge would be awarded for chronic bed wetting.
The cook may have been telling the truth, or perhaps he enjoyed the thought of headquarters being bombarded with urine-stained sheets. Toby Weydig promptly wet his bed for twenty-seven consecutive days. Not having to get up at night to go to the bathroom certainly appealed to the young recruit.
Toby wasn’t offered a discharge. However, he was pulled off infantry orders at the completion of boot camp and assigned to the fort’s vast laundry service. His first sergeant, who truly disliked Toby, told him that he was promoted to corporal because of his expertise in cleansing out the nocturnal wet-dream emissions of homesick recruits who refused to swallow their libido-busting daily allotment of saltpeter tablets. Toby shrugged off the cruel sarcasm and his first sergeant’s contempt for him, reasoning that it was much easier than having to shrug off shrapnel and jungle fungus.
When May 8th arrived, Corporal Toby Weydig became plain old Toby Weydig. Despite his lack of combat experience, Toby noticed that his separation paperwork repeatedly listed the phrase, Vietnam Era Veteran. The words made Toby proud and he remembered a conversation he had with the beautiful Asian waitress, Bobbi. She once expressed admiration and concern for all the young boys who were being filtered through Fort Dix to fight in such a horrible war. Toby, in a rare instance of defensive posturing, drew himself up and staring into Bobbi’s eyes stated, “Listen Bobbi, when the Viet Cong hit the Jersey Shore who do you think is going to repel them?” She laughed, then Toby laughed too, but he didn’t think it was so funny.
Toby was happy to leave the military, but was financially depressed. He had saved nothing from his paltry paychecks the past two years. Before boarding a bus that would take him into the New York City Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street, Toby called his father. “Hello, Pop.” “Toby?” “Yeah.” “How’s it going, son?” “I’m free, Pop.” My service to my country is over.” “There’s nothing free here, Toby. You got a job lined up?” “Not yet, Pop. But I’m going to get one as soon as I return.” “Return where?” “I was hoping you and Ma could put me up for a short time while I look for work.” His father grunted into the telephone, place his hand over the mouthpiece, and shouted something to Toby’s mother. Although Toby couldn’t make out his mother’s muffled reply, her tone didn’t sound encouraging.
“Your mother wants to know how long you’re planning to stay.” “Christ, Pop, I’m just asking for a few days, maybe a week or so until I can find my own place. Gimme a break, will ya?” “Hey, Toby, the only reason why you ended up down at Dix was because you were too lazy to take your SATs and get your ass into college like everyone else. Chasing skirts was more important, right? Your mother and I begged you for five years to get a lousy part-time job. Did you?” Toby wrinkled his forehead and pressed the receiver against his temple. “I made my own money,” he muttered. “That’s right,” said his father. “But I don’t count selling nickel bags and mescaline in the school locker room as gainful employment. How do we know that you’ve changed? I don’t want no twenty-one-year-old mooching off me. You’re not a kid, Toby. You’re a man.” Toby stared at his reflection in the telephone booth. “Look, Pop, if you don’t respect me, at least respect the uniform I’m wearing. Let me prove that I’ve changed. All I’m asking for is a few days to get myself organized. That’s all. I respect myself now, Pop. I want you and Ma to respect me too.” “Okay,” said his father and hung up the phone. It upset Toby that he would have to spend his first summer of freedom in two years working at some stupid job. The more Toby thought about his impending summer drudgery, the more outraged he became. Monday morning, Toby’s parents were pleased to see him up and dressed way before his 9:30 appointment at the Veterans Administration employment office. His father was annoyed by his son’s three-day growth of beard, but Toby explained that he was sick of his military look and his facial hair had nothing to do with a lack of pride in his military service but that the hippie girls he was anxious to meet would be turned off by his clean-cut look.
Hopefully, a beard would be a quick fix solution, at least until his hair grew out. The lobby of the V.A. counseling services was already crowded by the time Toby arrived. All of the young men seated within the semi-circle of chairs had long hair and were dressed in shorts or blue jeans. Toby felt like a freak because of his close-cropped hair, sports jacket and tie.
Some of his fellow veterans gave Toby a mock salute, which he returned with a grin. A tall, thin veteran around Toby’s age with greasy long hair and a bushy moustache walked over and extended his hand.
“Hi. My name’s James, but friends call me Mr. Jimmy. First timer?” Toby nodded and shook the man’s hand. “I’m Toby.” “Which branch did you escape from, Toby?” “Army. And you?” “Same.” “Mr. Jimmy, how come everybody’s dressed so. . . relaxed at an employment office?” Mr. Jimmy grinned and glanced over at the receptionist. “Are you really looking for work?” “I have no goddamn choice. I’m broke.” “That’s not true, Toby. You look like a smart guy.” “Yeah, so?” Toby was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with Mr. Jimmy and the rest of his brothers-in-arms. “Knowledge is power,” whispered Mr. Jimmy. “I don’t need power. I need cash,” replied Toby.
“You ever hear of U.C.X.?” “No. What’s that, Mr. Jimmy?” “It’s a huge government tit,” giggled Mr. Jimmy, “that you can suck on for a long time if you stroke it right and don’t pull too hard.” Mr. Jimmy lit up a cigarette and offered one to Toby. Toby shook his head but listened intently as Mr. Jimmy explained that U.C.X. was a special unemployment program for returning veterans. It guaranteed them an eighty-one-dollar-a-week check for six months while they looked for work. Mr. Jimmy said there was a special U.C.X. line at the State unemployment office so that unlike regular benefit seekers, there was no long and annoying wait. He claimed that picking up checks every two weeks was fast and painless.
Toby was shocked. “Wow. Six months is a long time and that’s pretty good money.” Mr. Jimmy laughed so loud the receptionist at the far side of the room looked over at him. “I’m on my ninth month, man. I’m here because I need to get approval for another three-month extension. The state makes you clear with a V.A. rep before cutting you more checks after your six months has lapsed. Every guy you see is here for another extension on their account. You’re the only rookie here today.” “But doesn’t the employment counselor try to hook you up with work?” “Nah, he’s cool. He doesn’t give a shit. Besides, he just runs the same old tired jobs over and over again on his viewfinder. People think we Vietnam Vets are all crazy dope-smoking fiends on the brink of violence. Guys offering real jobs don’t register with the V.A. office.” “That sounds great,” said Toby. “But there’s one problem. I’m not a Vietnam Vet. I spent my tour at a fort in New Jersey.”
Mr. Jimmy shrugged. “So what? I was stationed in California. I pissed into the Pacific Ocean a few times, so maybe something of me made it over to Southeast Asia. But it doesn’t matter where you served, it’s when you served. As long as it was during wartime, a jungle grunt shooting his ass off for thirteen months, or a stateside paper shuffler like me both get the same benefits.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a shout of “Mr. Weydig!” The two men shook hands as Toby headed towards the employment counselor’s office. Mr. Jimmy had spoken the truth. Early the next morning Toby was down at the state unemployment office, inaugurating his U.C.X. account. The unemployment office was located in Englewood, a Bergen County city Toby detested. When he walked inside the building, he couldn’t believe how jammed it was. There were more than a dozen lines stretching from the teller’s stations all the way to the front of the building. Toby spotted the overhead sign, U.C.X., and was pleased to see only eight people standing underneath it.
The clerk, a matronly looking woman about his mother’s age smiled and handed him forms to fill out. After completing the paperwork, he returned to the clerk and she gave him his first check. “I know that a lot of people don’t appreciate what you boys did for our country, but I do,” she said. “Thank you,” said Toby. “I’m glad your horror show is over and that you made it back safely. Welcome home.”
Toby smiled at the woman and nodded. While he cashed his check at an Englewood bank, he glanced at his paperwork to see if his non-combatant status was listed anywhere. It wasn’t. In smeared black print it simply stated Vietnam Era Veteran.
The summer turned into a happy dream for Toby. He spent most of it down the Jersey shore with his buddies, swimming and picking up girls. In the beginning, he pretended to his parents that he was truly searching for employment. He’d leave the house in the morning looking for work, but would often return late in the evening, sunburned, tired and wearing a completely different change of clothes.
The truth was revealed weeks later when his father happened upon him filling out his bi-weekly employment search sheet that he had to turn into the unemployment office as proof that he was sincerely looking for a job in order to qualify for his benefits.
While his father silently watched, Toby scoured the newspaper help wanted section, copying down the names and addresses of businesses where he supposedly interviewed. The clerks at Unemployment never challenged his desire to find work, but his father did. His parents were so upset at their son’s deception—theft is the word they used—that they kicked him out of their house.
Deception had become an integral part of Toby’s summer of freedom. Once he discovered that he could earn respect and money from the state by pretending to be a warrior, he decided to do the same with his social life. It started as a simple pick-up line for bikini-clad beauties on the beach. Quite a few young ladies would offer up comfort to the returned war veteran who was trying to piece his life together after the trauma of unrelenting, senseless combat.
Soon Toby was presenting himself as a burnt-out infantry veteran to all he met. After his parents forced him to leave, a World War II veteran who ran a decayed motel near the beach let Toby stay free of charge in a basement room. It was a solemn gesture of brotherhood between two combat veterans.
If one were to search for something positive to say about Toby at this time, although he was a very lazy young man, he was not a lazy liar. It was amazing how much energy he poured into his new persona. Accepting the limitations of his imagination and ignorance, he’d spend hours at the library, reviewing newspaper microfilm that chronicled the war during his two years at Fort Dix.
Toby took such copious notes that one would think he was a dedicated actor researching a challenging role. As the summer came to a close, a new Toby Weydig had emerged. A kind of bitterness crept inside this world-weary twenty-one-year-old veteran. He was upset at his parents for kicking him out. He loved to tell the story of their cruel indifference to their returning warrior son and was quite successful soliciting support and sympathy from both men and women whenever he offered up his torrid tale of disrespect and rejection.
Less than three weeks after moving in with friends renting a dilapidated house in Bergenfield, Toby was notified by the New Jersey Department of Unemployment that his benefits were being terminated for falsifying his work search sheet. He felt as if his entire world had imploded, a world based on the gratuitous respect for his military exploits. His roommates offered him little comfort.
“Big deal, get a job,” said Jeffrey. “I got a job. You’ve got to kick in your share of the rent. The last guy we roomed with fell down on his share. We bailed him out for a few months and then he skipped on us. We’re not carrying you, Toby. We can’t afford it.”
“It’s not having to find work that upsets me, Jeffrey. It’s the indifference of a government who can send me out into a killing field and then suddenly call me a liar and a fraud and take away the one measly comfort I earned. Earned! I earned those checks! I’m not going to be disrespected by the same people I put my life on the line for. I was abused in war. I will not be abused in peace!”
Jeffrey shrugged. “Speaking of abuse, how about cleaning out the sink after you trim your beard? When I went to wash my face this morning I almost puked. It felt like I was dipping my face into a urinal filled with pubes because sometimes it smells like you pissed in the sink.” Toby’s sorrow at losing his benefits turned into total fear as his appointment with the Claims Examiner drew closer. He knew that everyone thought of Vietnam Vets as deranged assholes, and by God, he was going to scare the sonofabitch who was trying to terminate his benefits into extending his unemployment account. On the way to his appointment, Toby Weydig did something he had not done in many years. He entered a church to pray for help. It was called The Good Shepherd Assembly of Englewood and was located a block and a half from the unemployment office.
The small church was dimly lit. Its light came from the concentrated bunches of candles burning beneath beautifully crafted tableaus and icons scattered about the church. All of the religious mosaics, sculptures, and paintings depicted a bearded, loving shepherd tending his flock. Toby was so moved by the quiet, peaceful atmosphere that he dropped into a pew and sat for many minutes with his eyes closed, his head resting against the smooth wooden bench. The comforting coolness of early morning dew seemed to be ingrained into the fine wood; the foul, wincing headache that Toby had taken to bed and still gripped his skull suddenly vanished.
With the disappearance of his headache, Toby leaned forward inside the pew and opened up his eyes. He noticed that his anger had also disappeared, and with it, his anxiety over his impending confrontation with the Claims Examiner. Viewing all the images of the good shepherd, he knew that he had to choose between good and evil, to take a moral stance with that New Jersey civil servant’s interrogation that was less than an hour away. Toby smiled, bowed his head, and ran out of the church of The Good Shepherd Assembly and straight to the Englewood Public Library’s reference department.
The librarian apologized for the lack of materials she had concerning sheep, but she did lead Toby to a hopeful wall of shelves lined with encyclopedias. Hope turned to help as Toby borrowed some scrap paper and a pencil and began to furiously jot down facts about sheep. He scribbled away until it was time to leave for the interview. On the walk over to the unemployment office, Toby read and re-read his library research, pulling out phrases and facts that he recited like a mantra. Right before he pushed open the Claims Examiner’s cubicle door, he slipped his sheep list inside his U.C.X. folder and took a deep breath.
Seated behind a cluttered desk was a man who rose to shake his hand. The chunky claims examiner appeared to be about forty with a neatly trimmed moustache and a Prince Valiant hairstyle. The man’s glassy green eyes were highlighted by deep set circles of black. The hand he extended was weak and Toby noticed its pale, effeminate smoothness and size.
“The name’s Moolins, Dennis Moolins,” he said. “And you are Toby Weydig?” “Yes, sir.” Mr. Moolins eyed every inch of Toby’s appearance. His inspection ended when he glared directly into Toby’s face. Toby remembered what a pamphlet from that very office had stated about successful job interviews, and proceeded to direct his own glare at the bridge of the man’s nose as he was offered a seat. “You know why you were called into this office don’t you, Mr. Weydig?” “I believe I’m being accused of fraud, sir.” Mr. Moolins lifted a fistful of papers from a folder. “I personally called these lists of potential employers you’ve submitted when picking up your checks and not one can verify that you had applied for work with their organization. Can you come up with a word other than fraud to describe my investigation, Mr. Weydig? May I call you Toby?
Toby nodded. “You can call me Dennis. I’ll be glad to listen to any explanation you can offer for not searching for work, Toby, but based on the evidence-or rather the lack of evidence-for your job searches, I’m afraid I have no choice but to terminate your unemployment benefits.”
Toby pinched open his UCX folder and peeked inside. “Are you going to defend your behavior, Toby?” asked Mr. Moolins as he returned to his desk and began to scribble something onto an official looking piece of paper. “Defend, Mr. Moolins? I defended my country for two years and now that I’ve returned home, I’m being forced to defend myself against the same government that sent me to fight its war? Is that what you’re asking me to do, Mr. Moolins?”
The claims examiner stopped writing and looked up at his client. “This isn’t a battle, Toby. It’s simply an inquiry into the truth, the truth of your honest search for employment. I conduct these weekly interviews with both veterans and non-veterans. “Are you a military man, Mr. Moolins?”
“I never served in the Armed Forces, if that’s what you’re asking. But I do respect you fellas who did,” he added, somewhat defensively. “Do you respect how war can change a person, Mr. Moolins?” “Yes, but I don’t classify lying and cheating your government for undeserved benefits as a legitimate change in a warrior’s mentality. Do you, Toby?” “My change came from the brutality I witnessed. If I was to find employment that’s directly connected to my military service, I’d have to find work as a butcher.”
Moolins glanced at Toby’s file. “Butcher’s probably the only occupation you didn’t list on your fictitious job search forms. “No, sir. There’s one more. One true job, the only career where I know I’d be able to excel and utilize the intense changes resulting from my combat experience.” “And what would that job be, Toby?” “Shepherd.” Moolins raised his eyebrows. “Did I hear you correctly, Toby? You did say shepherd, as in one tends sheep?” “Yes, sir.” “I’m afraid you’re living in the wrong part of the country if tending sheep is to be your life’s work, Toby.” “But this is my home, Mr. Moolins!” Toby rose from his seat and placed his hands on the investigator’s desk. “Are you saying that I’m responsible for the accident of my New Jersey birth?”
“Please be seated, Mr. Weydig.” The claims examiner stared into Toby’s eyes in an attempt to intimidate him. “Let’s say I could find a situation where you could perform shepherding duties. What sort of knowledge or expertise in the shepherding profession could you offer a potential employer?” Toby smiled. “I’m an expert on sheep, sir. My only respite from the war were the hours I spent assisting monks at a Buddhist temple, helping them tend their sheep.”
“You don’t say?” smirked Moolins. Toby nodded. “Did you know that sheep are not only even tempered, but even toed? “No, I’m completely unaware of that information,” said Moolins as he began to fidget in his chair. “Are you a religious man, Mr. Moolins?” “I don’t think that. . . well, I suppose I am.” “Then you must be aware that sheep are referred to more often than any other animal in the bible.” Moolins smiled and jotted a sentence into his file report. “So, you’re telling me you’ve had hands on experience as a shepherd?” “Yes, sir. As a matter of fact, the most moving moment of my life occurred when I dipped a newborn lamb’s umbilical cord in iodine to prevent infection. It made me feel full.”
The claims examiner rattled some papers on his desk. “Your file is also pretty full, Toby, and the animal that the New Jersey Bureau of Unemployment Benefits associates with your name isn’t lamb, but bull.” Toby leapt from his seat. “I don’t care what you think of me or what names you call me, but how dare you mock the sweetest of God’s creatures! Sheep are sacred beings Mr. Moolins, and I’m more than proud of the time I spent trying to control their foot rot by my tedious trimming of their fungus infested feet! Or blue tongue. Have you ever seen a lamb with that horrible disease? Do you think you’re so much better than a sheep? Toby stared at Moolin’s stomach. “Well, let me tell you, one of the most common diseases that inflicts them is overeating, so don’t try to distance yourself too much from those sweet and joyful souls!
Moolins jabbed a thumb into the excess of flesh under his chin. “Calm down, Mr. Weydig. This is a claims investigation, not an inquisition.” “Take away my benefits, withhold my money, but don’t taunt me for telling you the truth about the first animal to be domesticated by man 11,000 years ago in Southwestern Asia!” Toby paused for a breath and a sigh while grinding his teeth, trying to buy enough time to recall more sheep encyclopedia facts without having to peek at his folder. “Calm down, Toby. I’m just trying to help you find relief from your nightmarish rut of unemployment.” “Mr. Moolins, do you know what the word rut means to a shepherd?” Moolins tilted his head slightly, as if viewing Toby from a different angle. “No, I don’t, Mr. Weydig. I just want you to make an honest buck, that’s all. What does rut mean to a practitioner of herding sheep?”
Toby bit down on his lip, flared his nostrils and once again jumped up to place his hands on the desk, leaning forwards towards the examiner in a manner some might consider threatening. “A rut is the period of sexual excitement in sheep and a buck is what you call a male of the species. If you think I’m in a rut to make a buck then you have me figured out all wrong. I can assure you that my impulses are quite healthy and normal. I adore women!”
“I’m glad for you,” said the confused civil servant. “I didn’t mean to be insulting. Relax.”
Toby noticed the spreading circle of perspiration staining Moolins’ underarms as he put down his pen and gently gestured for Toby to sit. His smile was solicitous and nervous. “I will investigate all the resources at my disposal to find you gainful employment as a shepherd, Mr. Weydig. I promise.”
Toby wanted to laugh but bit down on his lip instead. “You know, although sheep are well adapted to cool climates they could easily adapt to New Jersey’s environment because their wool supplies them with an excellent tolerance to heat. A sheep’s body temperature is about 102 degrees Fahrenheit, but most importantly, their heat loss comes from evaporation from their respiratory tract. Yes, Mr. Moolins, sheep do sweat somewhat, just like me and you.”
Mr. Moolins nodded and rose from his desk and gently ushered Toby to the door. The two shook hands and Toby was handed an envelope that contained his disputed unemployment check.
When he shut the door behind him, Moolins grimaced, shook his head, and immediately called his supervisor to advise him that Weydig was a Vietnam nut job who should be allowed to run out his claim without any further interference, at least until a federal government agency could intervene and properly deal with his PTSD.
Summer surrendered to fall and entered winter as Toby’s six months claims extension went unchallenged. When Toby’s unemployment claims finally expired, he continued to suck on the government teat by evoking his G.I. bill educational benefits to study acting at New York’s prestigious Academy of Dramatic Arts. He had no problem passing his series of entry auditions.
While still a first-year Academy student, Toby starred in his first play, a one-act Vietnam War drama produced by the American Theater of Actors, titled “Fresh Fatigues.”
Mark Blickley grew up within walking distance of New York’s Bronx Zoo. He is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, and Veterans For Responsible Leadership. His latest book is the flash fiction collection ‘Hunger Pains’ (Buttonhook Press).
Using English fluency formula to improve student’s speaking skill
Olimova Shahina Botirjon qizi
Students of Uzbekistan State World Language University
Scientific advisor: Kaljanova Gulmira
Teacher of Uzbekistan State World Language University
Abstract: Speaking is a crucial skill for English learners, especially students who intend to study at international universities. Unfortunately, most students come across challenges with speaking skills. Mainly, the cause of the problem is lack of English practice. In social media, many videos and podcasts try to give secret methods and new ways to learn English, but the principles are quite simple and mostly nothing new. Students get a bit confused about which is the best, but nobody explains to them how to practice. The English fluency formula is one technique that provides a special way to improve speaking skills.
Аннотация: Умение говорить является важнейшим навыком для изучающих английский язык, особенно для студентов, которые собираются учиться в международных университетах. К сожалению, большинство студентов сталкиваются с трудностями в умении говорить. В основном, причиной проблемы является отсутствие практики английского языка. В социальных сетях множество видео и подкастов пытаются дать секретные методы и новые способы изучения английского языка, но принципы довольно просты и в основном не являются чем-то новым. Студенты немного путаются в том, что лучше, но никто не объясняет им, как практиковать. Формула беглости английского языка — это одна из методик, которая обеспечивает особый способ улучшения навыков разговорной речи.
Annotatsiya: Ingliz tilini o’rganuvchilar, ayniqsa xalqaro universitetlarda o’qish niyatida bo’lgan talabalar uchun gapirish juda muhim mahoratdir. Afsuski, ko’pchilik talabalar nutq qobiliyatlari bilan bog’liq qiyinchiliklarga duch kelishadi. Asosan, muammoning sababi ingliz amaliyotining etishmasligi. Ijtimoiy tarmoqlarda ko’plab videolar va podkastlar ingliz tilini o’rganishning yashirin usullari va yangi usullarini berishga harakat qiladi, ammo printsiplar juda oddiy va asosan yangilik emas. Talabalar qaysi biri eng yaxshisi haqida bir oz chalkashib ketishadi, lekin hech kim ularga qanday mashq qilishni tushuntirmaydi. Ingliz tilini ravonlik formulasi nutq ko’nikmalarini yaxshilashning maxsus usulini ta’minlovchi usullardan biridir.
Keywords: English fluency formula, speaking skill, practicing English communicative skills.
Ключевые слова: формула беглости английского языка, навык говорения, отработка навыков общения на английском языке.
Kalit so’zlar: Ingliz tilini ravonlik formulasi, so’zlashuv mahorati, ingliz tilida kommunikativ ko’nikmalarni mashq qilish.
Introduction: English is an international language that is mainly used in social media networks, and most information on websites is given in English. Apart from that, English is the main communicative language across the world that can help students to build strong relationships with international students. Effective speaking skills improve social interactions and help build relationships and built confidence. The English fluency formula could help them not only to improve their speaking skills but also to enhance their language source. This formula consists of 3 parts, including studying, practicing, and time, which result in fluency.
Formula: (S+P) x T=F
S=study
P=practice
T=time
How to study
The study part of the formula has two main secrets. Firstly, students need to try to study in context and avoid word lists. For example, if learners use a grammar book, they need to utilize it as a reference; they should not study the whole book.
Study steps:
1.Know current level.
Students could know their level through online tests or ask teachers to check their knowledge.
2. Choose the text at a suitable level.
It can be an audio text, video, or written text. It has been suggested that the chosen text or video should be above the learner’s level. If it is appropriate for the learner, it will be more engaging for them to learn English. Students could find their own resources, or even better, they can choose a coursebook. The coursebook is a great way to boost speaking skills because it’s all in one place.
3. Read, listen, and watch.
In that place, students need to watch English content for enjoyment instead of analyzing it. They should just read, look, listen to the video or film, and not overcomplicate the process. Because if they watch videos for only academic purposes, they can get bored with studying, and they will not be motivated to carry on.
4.Analyze the text.
In this part, students do a deep analysis of selected text and try to find new vocabularies as well as grammar structures in the text. After that, they search for new knowledge on the internet to know the exact meaning and learn how to use it.
How to practice
The main concern among students is how to practice speaking during the learning process. As technology is developing day by day, students have more options for practicing with other learners. One of the best ways is using ChatGPT. In that program, they can choose one topic to discuss, and they convey ideas, and ChatGPT asks questions to facilitate a discussion. Additionally, students may engage in structured debates on various topics that allow them to articulate their ideas. It not only helps to improve their speaking skills but also broadens their horizons and improves critical thinking.AI programs could help students with pronunciation practice. Students read passages aloud and ask to give feedback on pronunciation and suggestions. Most importantly, after speaking, ChatGPT gives feedback on areas for improvement, such as vocabulary usage, sentence structure, and pronunciation. Through this, students know their mistakes and can correct them with enough practice.
There are two main ways to practice:
1.Alone.
In that case, students can efficiently use YouTube for improving their speaking ability. While watching one video, students can pause and repeat the sentence that they hear. Sometimes they can change words, tense, or even the structure of sentences. It is like a shadowing technique that helps students to boost their speaking skills.
2.Practicing with others.
Students can speak with people who intend to learn English. In this method, they need to choose a person who has the same level as them. They can use Google to find topics, and they should have 20 minutes of talk a day.
For alone practice, there are kind of three good ways:
1.One of the controlled ones, where students should just repeat sentences in the video.
2.Semi-controlled.
In this way, students may change the structure, vocabulary, and words. While they are repeating, they can change a word, or they even can add some new information.
3.Free practice.
This way is wider as compared to others. Students need to find some phrases that they have not seen before. After that they will make a story, trying to use those phrasal verbs. It is always a good idea to record when they are practicing alone. They have a chance to listen back and find mistakes. This method is helpful for lone learners because they can not get feedback from others.
Research and discussion:
The English fluency formula is one of the effective techniques that helps students to develop improved communication skills. The research was conducted in a university class. For observation, first-year students were taken during 2 weeks. Every lesson, teachers tried to teach using the English fluency formula. In the first week, they selected one interesting YouTube website and started to watch one video every lesson. The video was about educational theories; students independently chose it based on their interest. In the second week, they began to analyze the video and found new vocabularies as well as grammatical structures; they wrote all of them down. Additionally, students imitated characters with gestures. Teachers requested to learn deeply what they had written. Finally, when teachers got interviews from students to check their speaking ability, improvements were seen in vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and fluency.
Conclusion:
Speaking is a vital skill in learning English that needs to be mastered by students. Most students have problems with lack of practice with others, which makes students levels low. The English fluency formula aimed to help learners improve their English language skills and enhance fluency. Based on research given above, it is proven that the English fluency formula can help students to improve their fluency, pronunciation, grammar, and overall ability to speak. During research, students were able to learn new knowledge and find more information on topics they were interested in. Lastly, with the imitation technique, students can speak more like a native speaker and learn more phrases that are usually used by natives.
References:
1. 1. Ur, Penny. (2012). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge University Press.
2. Nation, I.S.P., & Newton, J. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking. Routledge.
3. Lazaraton, Anne. (2001). Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to the Study of Language Learning Strategies. In Language Learning Strategies in Independent Settings (pp. 25-50). University of Michigan Press.
4. Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes. (2009). “Will mobile learning change language learning?” ReCALL, 21(2), 157-165.
Anmerkung. In diesem Artikel werden die Arten von Sprechaktivitäten und die Methoden ihres Trainings analysiert. Grundsätzlich wird der Unterrichtsprozess des Sprechens auf Deutsch mit der usbekischen Sprache verglichen. Der Artikel analysiert eingehend Möglichkeiten zur Entwicklung des Sprechens, des Hörverständnisses, der Lese- und Schreibfähigkeiten, methodischer Ansätze und des kommunikativen Ansatzes im Sprachunterricht. Jede Art von Sprechaktivität ist eine wichtige Phase des Sprachenlernens, und sie entwickeln sich in gegenseitiger Abhängigkeit
Annotation. This article analyzes types of speech activities and methods of their training. Basically, the teaching process of speaking in German is compared with the Uzbek language. The article analyzes in depth ways to develop speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing skills, methodological approaches, communicative approach in language teaching. Each type of speech activity is an important stage in language learning, and they develop interdependently.
Speech activity is a means of satisfying basic communicative needs of a person. In any language learning process, four main types of speech activities are distinguished: listening comprehension, reading, writing, and speaking. These skills are seen as complementing and reinforcing each other. In modern language teaching methodologies, the integrated training of these four skills is required. The same is true for the study of German. This article examines each type of speech activity separately and analyzes the differences, similarities, methodological approaches in their teaching in Uzbek and German. In addition, the types of exercises used in the formation of each skill, the structure of the lesson, the role of the teacher, and methods of working with students will be extensively covered.
1.Listening comprehension skills. Steps of Teaching Listening Comprehension in GermanTypes of Listening Material (Audio Recordings, Video, Live Speech)Exercises: Global, Selective and Detailed Comprehension. Phonetic differences in the Uzbek language and German, problems of pronunciation. The role of context in listening comprehension. Listening comprehension is one of the core skills in language acquisition. It not only supports oral communication but also helps internalize pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and syntactic structures of the foreign language. In German language learning, listening plays a particularly crucial role due to the language’s phonetic complexity and sentence structure. Steps of Teaching Listening Comprehension in German.
The teaching of listening skills generally follows a three-phase structure: 1. Pre-listening phase – This phase prepares learners by activating prior knowledge, introducing key vocabulary, and setting the context. It may include prediction exercises, discussion questions, or vocabulary brainstorming. 2. While-listening phase – During this stage, learners engage with the audio material. The teacher may focus on: Global comprehension: understanding the general meaning or topic. Selective comprehension: identifying specific information (e.g., numbers, names, dates). Detailed comprehension: analyzing and understanding all elements of the text.
3. Post-listening phase – This involves reflection and integration of the content through follow-up tasks like summarizing, discussion, role-play, or writing a response. Types of Listening Material. A variety of materials should be used to expose students to different accents, speaking speeds, and contexts: Audio recordings: radio broadcasts, podcasts, dialogues, songs. Video materials: TV programs, films, vlogs, documentaries. Live speech: conversations with native speakers, guest lectures, interviews, or teacher-led storytelling. These materials should be both authentic (real language use) and didactic (adapted for learners’ levels), depending on the objectives of the lesson.
Exercises for Different Comprehension Levels. Global comprehension tasks: identifying main idea, mood, or theme of a recording. Selective listening: finding specific data (e.g., price, time, place). Detailed comprehension: understanding cause-effect, opinions, or implied meanings. Matching tasks, true/false questions, gap-filling, sequencing events, and answering open-ended questions are effective formats. Phonetic Differences: Uzbek vs. German . Uzbek and German differ significantly in phonetic structure: German includes umlauts (ä, ö, ü), the ‘ch’ [ç] and [x] sounds, and the glottal stop, all of which are absent in Uzbek. Stress patterns in German are more variable, whereas Uzbek generally follows a more regular stress system. German consonant clusters can be challenging for Uzbek speakers (e.g., Strasse, Frühstück). Vowel length (kurz/lang) in German can change word meaning, a phenomenon not present in Uzbek.
2. Speaking skills. Basic principles of the development of conversational speech in German. Practicing forms of dialogue and monologue. Exercises aimed at expressing free expression on social topics. Ways to improve speech flexibility and vocabulary. Role plays, interactive lessons in language teaching. Conversational competence in German is considered one of the central goals in foreign language acquisition. To master spoken German, learners must develop not only correct pronunciation and intonation, but also the ability to spontaneously produce context appropriate responses, use appropriate vocabulary and grammatical structures, and maintain coherence in longer dialogues or monologues.
Developmental Principles of Conversational Speech in German. One of the basic principles in developing speaking skills is communicative orientation, meaning that learners should use the language not for rote repetition but for authentic communication. Language teaching should therefore simulate real-life situations, where learners have to interact spontaneously and meaningfully.
The development of speaking skills follows a spiral model: initial basic speech patterns (greetings, self-introduction) gradually evolve into more complex communicative tasks (debating, expressing opinion, storytelling). Another key aspect is automatization – learners should be exposed to a sufficient amount of practice to internalize language structures to the point where speech becomes fluid and automatic. This involves repetition, but always in communicatively meaningful contexts.
Practicing Forms of Dialogue and Monologue. In language classrooms, both dialogue and monologue forms of speech are essential. Dialogues foster interactive communication and help learners react to partners’ input, while monologues encourage organized, extended speech such as presentations or storytelling. For dialogue practice, some effective strategies include: Information gap activities, where students must communicate to complete a task. Interviews and peer questioning. Structured role-plays simulating everyday scenarios: shopping, asking for directions, making appointments.
For monologue practice, learners can be tasked with: Describing pictures or experiences. Giving short presentations on familiar topics. Narrating a story or summarizing a text. Exercises Aimed at Free Expression on Social Topics. These tasks not only build linguistic skills but also promote critical thinking and intercultural awareness, especially when comparing perspectives from the target language culture (German speaking countries) with the learners’ own.
3. Reading skills. Strategies for working with text. Types of texts taught in German: Informative, Fictional, Formal Style. Development of reading technique: speed reading, selective reading. Understanding the meaning of a word based on context. Comparative analysis with Uzbek language teaching
4. Writing skills. Stages of formation of writing competence in German. Types of written speech: essay, letter, formal appeal. Correct application of grammatical structure, spelling and punctuation. Creative Writing Exercises: Story Making, Screenwriting. Criteria for evaluating written works
5. Integration of types of speech activities. Methods of joint use of speech activities in the classroom. CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) training. Task based learning and Project-based learning methods. State Technologies in German and Uzbek language teaching: online platforms, multimedia tools
Training of speech activities is at the heart of every language teaching system. An integrated development of listening, speaking, reading and writing is important for mastering a German language. Each type of speech is related to a different type and reinforces each other. Therefore, emphasis should be placed on a comprehensively integrated approach to lesson planning. The effectiveness of the language teaching process increases through a communicative approach, interactive exercises, the use of autistic materials. For teachers, this means the need to update their knowledge and skills, to use modern methods.
References
1.Bimmel, P., & Rampillon, U. (2000). Learning and working techniques German as a foreign language. Langenscheidt.
2. Glaboniat, M. et al. (2005). Profile German. Learning objective determinations, optional descriptions and test tasks. Goethe-Institut.
3. Nünning, A. (ed.). (2008). Fundamentals of Language Didactics of German as a Foreign Language. Butcher.
4. Bausch, K.-R. et al. (2003). Handbook of Foreign Language Teaching. Francke Verlag.
5.Funk, H. & Koenig, M. (2010). Target language German. Textbook and Workbook. Cornelsen.
6.Helbig, G. & Buscha, J. (2001). German grammar. Ein Handbuch für den Ausländerunterricht. Langenscheidt.
7. Thaler, E. (2012). Teaching German as a foreign language. UTB.
