Batch 12th: Midterm Exam Notice

Introduction to English Phonetics

Midterm exam of Introduction to English Phonetics will be held on 2nd November. Suggested topics for exam are given below:

Broad Questions:
Describe the English fricatives.
Describe the English nasals.
Write about English Short Vowels.
Write about English Long Vowels.
What are the Pure Vowels?

Short Notes
Vowels & Consonant
Lateral
Cardinal Vowels
Approximants/Semi Vowels
Consonant Chart
Schwa
Affricates

Marks Distribution:

Broad Questions: (2 out of 4): 2*10 = 20
Short Questions: (2 out of 4): 2*05 = 10

Total Marks: 30 Marks.
Duration: 90 Minutes.

Democritus' atomism.

Democritus (ca. 460 BCE – ca. 370 BCE) was an Ancient Greek philosopher born in Abdera in the north of Greece. He was the most prolific, and ultimately the most influential, of the pre-Socratic philosophers; his atomic theory may be regarded as the culmination of early Greek thought.

His exact contributions are difficult to disentangle from his mentor Leucippus, as they are often mentioned together in texts. Their hypothesis on atoms is remarkably similar to modern science, and avoided many of the errors found in their contemporaries. Largely ignored in Athens, Democritus was nevertheless well-known to his fellow northern-born philosopher Aristotle. Plato is said to have disliked him so much that he wished all his books burnt. Many consider Democritus to be the "father of modern science".

"Atom- small indivisible elements are the fundamental building block of the universe". To grasp the position of Democritus, let us use a metaphor. Democritus traces the whole universe or nature back to a gigantic game of billiards. In which small particles objects are created when such small, indivisible elements join together. Objects dissolve when these atoms are pulled away from each other.

Nazim Ahmed, ELL, SUB

Heraclitus and Perminides and their philosophy

Heraclitus:

Heraclitus lived around 500 BC in the city of Ephesus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He became famous as the "flux and fire" philosopher for his proverbial utterance: "All things are flowing." Coming from an eminent aristocratic family, Heraclitus is the first nobleman in the cabinet of Greek philosophers. He introduced important new perspectives into Greek thought and produced a book of which his followers said that it is hard to read.
In spite of the difficulties, Heraclitus was admired by his contemporaries for the theory of flux, which influenced many generations of philosophers after him. Judging from his writings, Heraclitus doesn't appear to be a complaisant character. Not only does he condemn all of his philosophic predecessors, but his contempt for mankind leads him to think that dullness and stupidity are innate human traits.

"Everythingis a state of flux, but change occursaccording to an unchangeable law and this law involves inteaction between the two opposites.But this interaction between the opposites is such that it creates hermony"-according to Heraclitus.

Actually, there exist two forces-constuctive and destructive. A constant tension between these two forces is the fundamental building block of the universe.

Perminides:

Perminides was another Greek philosopher, who was known as the mad philosopher by other contemporary.

"What is, is./What is not, is not./ What is, can be thought./ What is not, can not be thought."

He believed that change is impossible. Our senses betray with us, to show the changes. Actually he was the 'spiritual philosopher' and he depended on ritual and spiritual practices.

So, we can make a clear distinction between these two. Change is possible- according to Heraclitus. But Change is logically impossible, what human beings notice by means of sense of change is basically nothing. These are the illusion of senses- according to Perminides. Anyone can justify the statement of Perminides, if he judges it in the greater context of spiritual reality.

Nazim Ahmed, ELL, SUB

Class Routine: Fall'2009

State University of Bangladesh
Department of English Studies
Routine for Fall’2009

Batch 12th
Saturday: 11-12:30(MA)
Sunday: 12:30-2(FM) + 3:30-5(NU)
Monday: 2-330(CSE) + 5-6:30(NU)
Tuesday: 9:30-11(CSE) + 3:30-5(MA)
Wednesday: 2-3:30(FM)


Batch 13th
Saturday: 11-12:30(MA)
Sunday: 2-3:30(MHA)
Monday: 3:30-5(SA)
Tuesday: 12:30-2(SA) +2-3:30(MHA) +3:30-5(MA)


Batch 14th
Saturday: 11-12:30(MA)
Sunday: 8-9:30(JU) +1230-2(MHA)
Monday: 2-3:30(MHA)
Tuesday: 12:30-2(JU) +3:30-5(MA)

Jafor Ali Khan, ELL, SUB

Anaximander and his philosophy

Anaximander was a younger contemporary of Thales, who also sought for the first material principle; he was a disciple and successor of Thales and philosophized in dialogue with him.

For Anaximander, the principle of things, the constituent of all substances, is nothing determined and not an element such as water in Thales' view. Neither is it something halfway between air and water, or between air and fire, thicker than air and fire, or more subtle than water and earth. Anaximander argues that water cannot embrace all of the opposites found in nature — for example, water can only be wet, never dry — and therefore cannot be the one primary substance; nor could any of the other candidates. He postulated the apeiron as a substance that, although not directly perceptible to us, could explain the opposites he saw around him.

Anaximander introduced us with "Apeiron", the boundless in space and time. He believed that, the boundless in space and time is the building block of the universe. There is a problem with the answer made by the philosopher. The term 'fundamental building block' refers to something material or solid. So it should be made of something material.But according to Anaximander, the fundamental building of the universe is made of something immaterial or abstract. So, we find a conflict between two things, matter and spirit.

This perticular notion is attributable to other aspect of life. As for example, the very critical point of William Shakespeare’s famous play ‘As You Like It’, marriage is highlighted. The clear intention of marries support the business of human flesh, which is material. On the other hand the oath word from any religion during the marriage supports the spiritual things. So the conflict between material and spiritual being continue.

Nazim Ahmed, ELL, SUB