When building a house, the most important material is probably wood, but it’s never the only material that’s necessary or useful. Metal, steel, and other construction materials are also needed. In combination with wood, each of these materials has its own special purpose. When we communicate, we also use various materials that help to “construct our message”.

Language is never the only material that is necessary or useful. Sometimes people communicate with just a gesture (maybe waving hello) or a facial expression (smiling or frowning). However, we communicate most often by using different communication materials together, in combination. These different communication materials are called modes. The modes of communication include speaking, writing, gestures, facial expressions, photos, colors, and more. Using modes together is called multimodal communication.

A PowerPoint presentation is an excellent example of multimodal communication. It combines speaking (sound modes) with what is displayed on the screen (visual modes). In a PowerPoint presentation each mode has its own job to do. It’s important to understand that, even though speaking and writing are both language, they are two different modes and not the same. In a PowerPoint presentation, speaking is the most important mode, and the visual modes on the screen—the writing, graphs, photos, and various colors—support the spoken message. The PowerPoint audience doesn’t read a presentation—they listen and watch it. The few words and sentences on the screen are just key points to help the audience to follow or remember. The color mode in PowerPoint is most often used to highlight and emphasize key information.

In PowerPoint, the image modes can do different kinds of supportive work. Images create audience interest (a blank screen or a screen with just words is just boring). Images can also be used for the audience to identify the topic and what the speaker is talking about at various points of the presentation. Photo images can also be used to demonstrate actions (not just describing actions) or to show proof that something is real or really happened. Actions are another kind of supportive work. The speaker might use eye contact, facial expressions, or physically move around to interact with the audience. The presenter might point to different parts of the screen. Or the presenter could use gestures to demonstrate something. These are all action modes.

Just as it is necessary to understand different construction materials for buildings, it is necessary to understand different composition materials of communication. We need to consider all the modes and how they work together to effectively communicate the information and message we want to convey in our presentations.

Photo Credit: pexels-pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

Q1. What does multimodal communication mean?

A. Communicating with many people

B. Combining speaking, writing, images, and actions

C. Speaking more than one language

D. None of the above

Q2. How can an image on the screen contribute to a PowerPoint presentation?

A. It can make the presentation less boring

B. It can show what the presenter is talking about

C. It can demonstrate how something works

D. All of the above

Q3. Why are there words on the screen in a PowerPoint presentation?

A. To combine the different modes for the audience

B. To help the audience follow what the speaker is saying

C. So the presenter can physically interact with the audience

D. So the audience can read the presentation if they prefer not to listen

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

A1.B

A2.D

A3.B

The martial artist Bruce Lee was once asked by his girlfriend, “Why do you study philosophy?” His joking answer was, “So that I can think long deep thoughts about being unemployed.” There are many jokes about philosophy and how useless it is, but there are three good reasons for studying philosophy: it is a great way to begin thinking about what is and is not true, thinking for ourselves about what is the right thing to do, and it also helps us to improve our reasoning skills.

There was a famous philosopher called Rene Descartes who asked himself how he knows anything is true. Most people do not question that the world around them is real, but Descartes noticed that when he was asleep and dreaming, he would also believe that the dream was real. Maybe you have had the same experience: perhaps you have had a terrible nightmare about being chased and eaten by a monster and felt the dream was real. How do we know what is real in our everyday lives? Descartes decided that everything can be doubted except for one thing, and that is that his doubts proved that he existed. He came up with the famous phrase “cogito ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am). This type of philosophy is known as epistemology (the study of knowledge), and in an era of social media and overwhelming information, it is more important than ever to have some standards to know what it is real.

Similarly, philosophy offers ways of deciding the right way to live. This is known as ethics, and questions about right and wrong are related to whether it is right or wrong to do what is best for the greater number of people, or to follow rules, or whether the right thing to do is what your society has decided is the right thing. For many of us, we don’t really think beyond what we are told is the right thing to do, and yet over time we may have to reassess our values and people begin to realize that societies often decide what is right and wrong through prejudice instead of reason. Three examples of this are the ways societies treat people of different ethnicities, same-sex marriage, and treatment of animals. Philosophy can help people realize the changes society needs to make.

Finally, philosophy uses logic and reason to come to conclusions. Learning the best ways to argue and to recognize when arguments are weak, is a great skill to have. Many people find it hard to explain their ideas and why they believe something. Some examples of bad arguments are “ad hominem” arguments (attacking the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself), “straw-man” arguments (replacing the actual argument being made with an easy to dismiss argument that looks similar) and arguments from nature (if it is natural, then it must be good). These are known as logical fallacies. By learning better ways to argue, we can become more persuasive and clearer thinkers.

In conclusion, philosophy can help us learn what is true, what is right, and also how to argue for those things. Of course, this short blogpost can only scratch the surface of this topic. If you want to find out more, then I recommend you watch a series of videos called “Crash Course Philosophy” on You Tube, or watch the Netflix TV series “The Good Place”, or read Thomas Nagel’s book, “What Does It All Mean?”

Photo Credit: Photo by Dominika Roseclay from Pexels

Blog Quiz

Q.1 What is the name of the branch of philosophy that deals with knowledge?

Q.2 What is the name of the branch of philosophy that deals with what is right and wrong?

Q.3 What is the name of the branch of philosophy that deals with making arguments?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

A1. Epistemology

A2. Ethics

A3. Logic

In my previous two blogs, I suggested two supplemental ways of stimulating your English learning; one is familiarizing yourself with the Ritsumeikan Charter in English, the other is collecting good English quotes, both of which are rarely taught in regular English classes. In this third blog, I would like to suggest still another unconventional way of supporting your learning, that is, singing songs in English.

Some people may say singing is rather entertainment, not studying, and so you cannot develop your language skills through singing. Well, that is true if you are not serious about linguistic training for essential skills such as grammar and vocabulary. Therefore, my suggestion for singing is rather supplemental and should not replace conventional learning methods taught in regular classes.

The reason for recommending singing English songs is very simple: it’s fun! As you have experienced, language learning requires a series of routine work that is sometimes boring and even painful. Quite a lot of patience and discipline are needed to continue fundamental training of, for example, memorizing tons of words and phrases, reading difficult passages with many technical terms, or listening to long conversations or lectures. Singing in English, on the other hand, does not require such patience or discipline. You can simply pick up a song you like and start getting yourself in your rhythm. In this way, you can practice listening and pronunciation, as well as reduce stress with karaoke effects.

Of course you must first understand the lyrics accurately and memorize them fully, but it’s not as difficult as you may think. Songs are much shorter than the passages in English textbooks. The same part of the lyrics are often repeated (refrains) so your memory can be strengthened easily. Even when you encounter unfamiliar expressions, looking it up in the dictionary would not be as painful simply because you have chosen a song you like in the first place. Your favorite rhythm and love for the song (and the singer) will assist you to even enjoy discovering new meanings and usages.

Here is an interesting example of lyrics in one of the popular songs, “Honesty” by Billy Joel: ♪ I can always find someone to say they sympathize, if I wear my heart out on my sleeve…♪ The expression “wear my heart out on my sleeve” is probably unfamiliar to most of you. It is an idiomatic expression meaning “speaking of your feelings and emotions honestly”. If you encountered this expression in your homework reading material, you would most likely leave it, and expression would go unnoticed, or feel bothered to look it up in the dictionary. However, if you really like this song, you will be intrigued by the uniqueness of this expression and find pleasure in checking it by yourself. Singing this song repeatedly, then, will lead to this expression settling into your memory. The same goes for unfamiliar grammatical usages too. In this way, your learning will be assisted by singing English songs with lots of fun!

♪ Honesty ♪ by Billy Joel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0juw2ovFEOg

Photo Credit: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Blog Quiz

Question 1. Why does the author recommend singing?

a) you can learn new grammar

b) it is fun

c) you will be famous

Question 2. What is one reason why it is easy to learn/remember the lyrics of a song?

a) the words are sometimes repeated in refrains (or choruses)

b) there are a lot of new vocabulary

c) you must learn all the new grammar first

Question 3. What does "wear my heart out on my sleeve" mean?

a) you fall in love easily

b) you have high blood pressure

c) you say your feelings honestly

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. b

2. a

3. c 

How can one enjoy this short type of poetry? The most important point when reading and creating a haiku is the viewpoint used to illustrate the scene at which one is looking. The following is a famous work by Yosa Buson (1716-1784):

菜の花や (Canola flowers)

月は東に (The moon in the east)

日は西に (The sun in the west)

Tiny yellow canola flowers are seen on the roads in spring. As the author can see the sun and the moon at the same time, the time of day is sunset. No other information is presented in the poem; therefore, the readers’ imagination is required to complete the interpretation; how many canola flowers there are, where the author is standing, if the author is accompanied by other people or if there are passers-by, the weather, the temperature, the color of the sky, and so on. The reader can add as much information as needed to complete the visualization of the scene.

While one can enjoy reading the poem and exercising one’s imagination alone, it is also enjoyable to exchange the imaginings with one’s peers, who may imagine different scenes based on the same poem. Such discussions deepen one’s understanding of the poem by considering diverse interpretations.

Once one understands how to enjoy reading a haiku, the next step is to attempt to create one. If one ignores all the rules, the poem cannot be identified definitively as a haiku; thus, I recommend following the rules as far as possible when creating a haiku in a language other than Japanese.

Poetry and art may be difficult, but the stay-at-home period provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy reading and to practice creating short forms of literature.

Photo Credit: Photo by Satoshi Hirayama from Pexels

Blog Quiz

Q1.How many sounds does each haiku have?

Q2.When was the form of the haiku established?

Q3.What time does the example haiku take place?

I’ll admit it. The older I get, the older I feel, and the less I feel “in touch” with what’s cool. You see, when I was your age, today’s internet did not exist. You know what else didn’t exist? Streaming. Netflix. Binge watching.*

Having a favorite TV show meant watching it every week on the same day, at the same time, on the same channel. That has changed, though. Now if I want to watch Game of Thrones, for example, I can sit down at 6:00pm and watch episode after episode until either I fall asleep, or I finish watching five whole seasons.

I had never tried doing such a thing before. I didn’t understand the appeal of speeding through multiple episodes in one sitting. I mean, when you talk to friends about the show, you can only ask, “How far have you gotten into the show? Oh, so you don’t know what happens to… oh, never mind...” Then the conversation is over. When I was younger, we could simply ask, “Did you see the Simpsons last night?” and then have a conversation about the whole show. Then repeat again six days later.

Instead of boring you with how boring I have become, let me introduce a show to you that I recently binge-watched. It’s called Cobra Kai, and it is available on Netflix. It is based on a 1984 movie that was a childhood favorite of mine: The Karate Kid (ベストキッド in Japan).

 In the original movie, a teenage boy named Daniel moves to California with his mother and tries to fit in with others, but instead gets bullied. He learns karate, and eventually beats his enemies.

Cobra Kai has the same main characters in it, but 35 years later. Daniel is now 50 years old, a successful businessman, and has a wife and two teenage children. Johnny (his enemy) has just lost his job and has to figure out what to do with his life. I will not spoil anything except to say that both men take up karate again, and their rivalry starts over... but not in the way you would expect.

There are so many twists and turns, unexpected new (and old) characters, and it is highly entertaining. As an old guy myself, I can relate to Daniel the father, the husband, the career man. For young people, I think the appeal will be connecting with the high school students that take over as sub-characters.

You might want to take up karate after watching Cobra Kai, or like me, you might really get into binge-watching other shows. What are you waiting for? Go watch the first three seasons of Cobra Kai! Season 4 is currently being produced!

* Binge watching means watching multiple episodes of a TV show (often drama or comedy) one after another, and quickly finishing an entire season (or series).

Photo Credit: Cottonbro@pixels.com

Blog Quiz

Q1. What did not exist when the writer was young?

a. TV shows

b. Netflix

c. The Karate Kid

Q2. What is the name of the TV show the writer wants to introduce?

a. Game of Thrones

b. The Karate Kid

c. Cobra Kai

Q3. What does the writer think will be interesting to young viewers of the show?

a. The main characters, Daniel & Johnny

b. The sub-characters, high school students

c. The skill of the karate fights in the show

 Scroll down for the answers.

Quiz Answers

A1.b

A2.c

A3.b

How much do you know about Rakugo? I think some of you might know about the Sunday evening TV program called Shouten. All of the performers are Rakugo storytellers. They tell witty stories while wearing a kimono. Performed since the Edo period, Rakugo is a performing art that has become part of Japanese culture. The Rakugo performer kneels on a cushion (zabuton) that is placed on a raised platform (koza) in the center of the stage. Without the use of stage effects, sets, or costumes, the storyteller's goal is to make the audience laugh while using a fan or towel as his or her only prop. This simple yet unique and sophisticated narrative art does not exist anywhere else in the world. The key points of Rakugo are (a) the story should include a punch line; (b) the story unfolds as a form of dialogue; (c) the performer changes the character through facial expressions; (d) a Japanese fan and towel are the only props; and (e) slight changes to their posture, mannerism, and tone of voice give life to many different characters.

Rakugo used to be a cultural practice unique to Japan. However, as its merits have become known worldwide, foreigners have begun to perform Rakugo in Japanese, and Japanese have started to perform Rakugo in English. The problem here is translation. Some of the situations in the stories and even some of the punchlines can be difficult to translate. I will give one example. Newcomers to anything have to take the first step, and in the world of Rakugo, a beginner starts by telling a story called Kuchinashi. The story begins with a customer entering a flower shop and asking the florist if the shop has any flowers. The florist says, “Yes, I have many different kinds of flowers.” The customer asks, “Do you have any flowers that talk?” The florist says, “Yes, I have flowers that talk.” The customer begins asking the flowers their names. The flowers answer by saying, “I'm Rose.” or “My name is Tulip.” Eventually, the customer finds a flower that doesn't answer his question. The customer angrily asks the owner, “Why doesn't this flower talk?” The florist calmly answers, “Because that flower is a Kuchinashi!” This punchline is easily understandable and funny to Japanese speakers because Kuchinashi literally means “no mouth.” How can you express the same thing in English and make the audience laugh? Some performers of English Rakugo will use the words “dried flower” or “wallflower.” Which one do you like better?

Photo Credit: Miguel Á. Padriñán@ Pexels.com

Blog Quiz

Q1. When did Rakugo begin?　

Q2. What are the two props?

Q3. How do Rakugo performers bring different characters to life?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

A1. Edo period

A2. A Japanese fan and a towel

A3. They slightly change to their posture, mannerism, and tone of voice.

Many people today listen to music using streaming services like Apple Music or downloaded mp3 files played through smart phones. When I was a child in the early 1970’s, we mostly listened to music with vinyl records. Then cassette tapes became popular because they were more portable, and you could record your own music onto them. Later in the 1990’s, CDs became the most popular medium for music.

My favorite way to listen to music is the vinyl record. In recent years, records have become trendy again, partly due to their popularity with DJs. I am not a DJ, but I have several other reasons why I like vinyl best.

If taken care of properly, records last a long time. I have several hundred records; most of them I bought in my youth or came from my father’s even older collection. Today I listened to the very first record I ever bought—Led Zeppelin IV. It still sounds great, even though the vinyl record is over 40 years old. None of the cassettes from my childhood work at all now, and even some of my CDs from the 1990’s don’t really work well anymore. My old records; however, have become some of my most prized possessions.

I believe the analog format of vinyl records provides a better, warmer sound than digital formats. Even the pops and crackles you hear on scratched or dusty records can have some nostalgic attraction for people of my generation. Many audiophiles think analog records contain a wider range of sound waves and give a rich, truer, more authentic sound.

Finally, and most importantly, listening to music with records is a more involved, satisfying experience. First, I have to physically find a record by looking through my record collection. The artwork on the record covers trigger memories and helps me choose what I want to hear. Then I have to take out the record from it's sleeve, decide if I want to hear side A or B, put the record on my turntable, and manually place the needle at the song I want to hear. Often, I will start from the beginning using the automatic function. This makes me listen to all of the songs in the order the artist intended, something I think is mostly lost today when we skip through and just pick single songs from our mp3 collection. As I listen to the record, I usually spend some time looking at the artwork and the information printed on the album sleeve, and sometimes I can read the lyrics to the songs if they are printed on the sleeve. I think listening to music with records is a more focused, complete, artistic experience than using other formats. When I play vinyl records, I can most fully appreciate what I am listening to.

Photo Credit: Alina Vilchenko@Pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. Which of the following is the oldest music medium?

A. CDs

B. Streaming Services

C. Vinyl records

2. In paragraph 4, what is an ‘audiophile’?

A. A professional musician.

B. A notebook with notes about music.

C. A person who is enthusiastic about high-quality sound.

3. Why does the author like vinyl records?

A. Because they are very convenient.

B. Because the author thinks they provide a better listening experience.

C. Because the author is a DJ.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

A1. C

A2. C

A3. B