German words which are the same as English, similar, and capital or small letter for morgen / Morgen

You can use German in Germany, Austria and German-speaking parts of Switzerland.  Also Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and parts of Belgium and Italy.

I am learning German on Duolingo. I also have several books on learning German. The words which I remember most easily are those with the same or similar letters. The challenge is to remember when to use capital letters and add the accents, which are there to help you with the correct pronunciation. 

One puzzle which perplexed me and got solved today was when to use a capital letter for the word morgen meaning both morning and tomorrow - and tomorrow morning.

German - English - the same words

Nouns are capitalised at the start of the word in German.

April - April 

Bank - bank

cool - cool

Jazz - jazz

orange - orange

Party - party

pink - pink

Pizza - pizza

English - German - the same spelling

April - April

bank - Bank

cool - cool

hotel - Hotel

Jazz - jazz

orange - orange (colour)

party - Party

pink - pink

pizza - Pizza

taxi - Taxi

German - English similar spelling 

elf - eleven el

freundlich - friendly fr ... nd

gelb - yellow el

Glas - glass

hilfe - help h l

hassen - hate ha

Hotel - hotel

Musik - music mus

langsam - slowly l

oft - often  oft

shoppen - to shop shop

singen - (to) sing  sing

Souvenirs - souvenirs

Taxi - taxi

English - German similar spelling

eleven - elf

friendly - freundlich

help - hilfe

(to) hate - hassen

music - Musik

often - oft oft

(to) shop - shoppen

(to) sing - singen

slowly - langsam s

yellow - gelb

False Friends

Don't ask for a Gift for your friend. Gift in German means poison. 

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographical_distribution_of_German_speakers

Translate google

duolingo.com

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Swiss-German_phrasebook

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German Words Which Are The Same As Or Similar to English

The Same word German - English and English - German

Baseball - baseball  baseball - Baseball

Basketball - basketball basketball - Basketball

Cousin - cousin - Cousin

popcorn

Park - park  park - Park (capital initial letters in German for nouns)

Sandwich - sandwich sandwich - Sandwich

Similar Words German - English

fisch - fish

garten - garden

hallo - hello

hund - dog / hound

mann - man

milch - milk

musik - music

singen - sing

wasser - water

Similar Words English - German

bed - bett

beer - bier

hello - hallo

man - Mann (double the n and use an initial capital for a noun)

here - hier

milk - milch

music - musik

sing - singen

Useful websites for learning and translating German

duolingo.com

translate google

translate.google.co.uk

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Spanish Words - Secrets To Remembering Them

 How to remember Spanish words? Find similar words in English with letters in common.

Spanish - English

bonita - pretty / beautiful b for beautiful, bon for good, it sounds like the ett in pretty)

cafeteria - cafeteria

diario - diary

entrar - to enter

el examen - the exam

hoy - today (OY hOY tOdaY)

invitado - guest (INVIT .DO INVITaDoO - INVITeD persOn)

llamaste - you called (double ll in both words, a in both words, S for Second person Singular, the same as Latin amo amas amat where amas is you love. ending e for the past, as in the English ed, called)

mercado - market (MERcAdo MAR K E, c and k sound alike, so do d and t)

la musica - the music (add a in Spanish)

muy - very - muy looks like MUch and verY

oceano (oh say arn oh, upward forward diagonal accent on the e) the ocean

roto - broken (letters RO ROto bROken)

ciencias - science (Science is a plural word in Spanish. Move the s from the start of the word to the end.

Useful websites for learning Spanish

duolingo.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language_in_South_America

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Euston Station - Nearby Eating And Meeting Places

The Pub with outside seating.

Whilst waiting for a train, and meeting up with others, you can buy from machines and hole in the wall kiosks and sit at tiny tables in a big public seating area. I have done this, keeping a tight hand on my luggage with people coming and going

You can also take the escalator up, and stairs down, to fast food places upstairs. Again, people at adjoining tables were so fast, I keep a foot on my luggage to make sure it did not run off with a passers-by. 

Outside in a kind of courtyard. Again I felt rushed. People at the next table changed twice in the time it took us to drink a cup of coffee and wolf down a sandwich or muffin.

For a more leisurely meeting I found two more close by options. At the entrance, if you like loud thumping music, there's a pub with outside areas for smokers.

The Pub entrance.

 

Friends Meeting House, Seed Café. The quieter area by the books. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Reminder Notting Hill Carnival in August

 Saturday August 25 to Monday Aug 27, Notting Hill Carnival.

Cost and Free

Some of the events are paid for. Saturday has paid-for events. \

Sunday and Monday are free.

Yes, it's free. But note the station opening and closing times. 

What To See And Hear

Expect parades. Three miles. Also the streets are filled with dancers and musicians and bands, sales of food and clothing, and fun.

You can see some of the dramatic, clourful costumes on You Tube, and the scantily clad revellers twerking.

Family day, for parents and children, is means to be more sedate, music without the - ahem.

Where And When?

Why is it running on Monday, rather than Friday? Because Monday is the August Bank Holiday (national holiday).. No work. Play day.

The starting time this year is 10 am. Becauase of a sound curfew, it ends at 7 pm.

The celebration of Caribbean culture started in 1966. More details from

Useful Tip For Families

Write you mobile phone number on the arms of children so if they get lost an adult can phone you to say where they are.

Useful Websites

https://nhcarnival.org/https://nhcarnival.org/

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/event/9023471-notting-hill-carnival

https://metro.co.uk/2024/08/21/everything-need-know-notting-hill-carnival-2024-21460231/

https://www.facebook.com/NHCarnivalLDN/

Previous Years

See Van Gogh Alive Exhibition, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Singapore, France the USA, Worldwide and Online

 

Angela Lansvury wearing a Van Gogh scarf, souvenir from the Van Gogh exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

The Souvenir Scarf

My husband brought me this Van Gogh scarf back from Indonesia. I was very pleased with it. he said that it was hard for him to choose the colour because the scarves were folded in a see through cellophane cover. he did not buy the yellow sunsflowers but the blue with red because he thought those were my colours. I would have been equally happy with the yellow.

But the dark blue goes with a black outfit and so is more useful and versaitile.

You can buy amazing things online. Not only scarves but also dresses. My friend Sylvia in Singapore had a Van Gogh dress she bought which I admired.

You can even buy Van Gogh wallpaper and skateboards.

https://www.vangoghmuseumshop.com/en/shop

The Van Gogh Exhibition

The exhibiton was in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was previously in Singapore. It has visited many countries.

The price is expensive, compared to other museums in Jakarta, but different and worthwhile. My husband said, "I don't normally like multi-media and modern things, but this was wonderful. You start in a room full of flowers and mirrors at the back make it look as if it goes on forever.

Another room has a reproduction of van Gogh's bedroom. ery spartan. Three hooks for clothes. The room is like a theatre, with a painted backdrop for the windows and doors. But real furniture, a bed and chair.

Another room has music with the paintings. One mural is animated with a train which he painted running along the track.

The amazing thing is the way they extend a painting across the ceiling and the floor and around three sides of the room.

It seems to be still in Singapore until October 10th.

https://feverup.com/m/119247

Also in France and the USA.

Useful Websites

Wiki includes an entraning video.

From Wikipedia.

Description	English: Van Gogh immersive exhibit, at the Carrières de Lumière former quarry in Les Baux-de-Provence, France.
Date	29 May 2019, 16:00:54
Source	https://www.flickr.com/photos/154265517@N03/48038494441/
Author	.marc carpentier

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Gogh_immersive_experience

https://www.vangoghmuseumshop.com/en/shop

For more photos see Sept 12 post.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Trump Street, in London, England, and Memories of The Night Watchmen

I saw this street name in London, England, and had to record it. Why is it called Trump Street? 

 Trump Street, London, England. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I didn't know why. But the road was closed.  I passed by Trump Street in Cheapside on a walking tour which started from Guildhall Art Gallery, near Bank station, and ended near Blackfriars underground station.. 

Another walking tour company gave some historical dates and suggestions as to how the street was given its name. My favourite suggestion is that it was named after a nearby tavern called The Trumpeter.

A nearby alley was the Trump alley. The shops sold trumpets, used by the night watchmen. 

The watchmen had to watch at night, and day, for invading armies, robbers, and fires. They could signal to each other and awaken the inhabitants.  Later the watchmen made announcements in the daytime, and played musical tunes.

The nearby pub has gone, and the entire street was destroyed by German bombs in WW2. But it has now been rebuilt. 

Nothing to do with American President Trump. But it is certainly a street which brings an American President to mind.

Useful Websites

https://www.london-walking-tours.co.uk/secret-london/trump-street.htm

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/StOlaveHartStreet/HorseTrumpeter.shtml

https://music.allpurposeguru.com/2014/06/medieval-night-watchmen-and-the-modern-wind-band/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200702-the-last-night-watchmen-of-europe

Home House - a trendy club in impressive traditional decor in central London

 Home House, the name is discreet, and so is the door entrance, just the number. Who would guess, if they did not know about the club? Nobody.

By day, it is like a five star hotel. Suited doormen greet you. 

Impressive.

Evenings are quite different, more like a discotheque in a hotel.

You sign in or are signed in by a member. 

Inside, music is playing. It is to traditional London clubs what Starbucks is to coffee bars. The traditional grand staircase is olde world, and the ceilings are sumptuously decorated. But the restaurant has modern chairs and banquettes, and the lounges, one leading to another, reminded me of Starbucks style sofas. You can lounge around enjoying drawing room type chats with friends, as tall girls wearing fishnet stockings and miniskirts strut past as if it's a discotheque.

Food and drink

You can have a selections of humus and other starters to share, served on a three-tier stand. 

The Garden

Outside the windows at the back is a garden with a marquee in winter, providing shelter from the weather.

Leave your coat and umbrella downstairs in the cloakroom with a girl who takes them from you, issues a ticket. There is no charge but she politely accepts a tip when you leave. 

Tastefully Decorated Toilets

On the ground floor the gents toilet has busy wallpaper, according to my husband.

London Notting Hill Carnival | Day 2 • 29 August 2022

Day 1, Sunday, is family day. Day 2, Bak Holiday Monday, is for more outrageous and sexy entertainment.

More On Modernized Masks

 

Flag of Singapore.

I have two friends who teach music in Singapore. One of them told me in detail how the teachers of music must proceed in schools. The children are not allowed to sing, but can use musical instruments. 

Cleaning Shared Musical Instruments

The children use only instruments which can be cleaned quickly and thoroughly. For example, plastic or wooden xylophones. The children are not allowed to touch the instruments, but must play them with two sticks. At the end of the lesson all the sticks are dropped into a container. The teacher disinfects the whole lot with a spray which is issued to the teachers.

The pupils also have a disinfectant wipe for their hands, and items they touch, before they start to play and after they finish.

Improved Masks

The latest masks issued free by the government to everybody are a new design and heavier. They can be washed off, like plastic, unlike washable cloth, so they last longer. They also fit better around the top of the nose and the chin. But that means they are harder to breathe through. The teachers have to wear them all day. Much less waste of resources and landfill. Especially when you compare the new type to the first disposable masks, still available, the concertina type with the plastic ear loops which quickly pull out. 

"They are more effective, but harder to wear. And they make it harder to communicate."

Transparent Masks

 I asked, "What about transparent masks?"

"In the early days at school the teachers could wear those masks which look like a suspended sheet of plastic. But they Don't block out the underneath. At one school for little children (in Singapore) a male teacher wore that kind of mask and a whole cluster of the kids were affected. So they had to close the school temporarily to clean it. Then they banned those masks."

Useful to know. Because I bought one before our son's wedding. I thought they seemed a great idea. They allow a greater area of air to breathe, less pressing against your mouth and nose. I would have thought you could re-design them to make them enclose all around, possibly with a drawstring.

Alas, I missed out. The new masks are no longer available.

Useful Websites

https://www.todayonline.com/world/explainer-n95-kf94-which-mask-best-protecting-against-covid-19-1793866?cid=instagram_ig-profile_social-free_06092018_today

https://www.temasekfoundation.org.sg/news/media-releases/free-for-each-singapore-resident-one-maskpure-air-reusable-antimicrobial-mask-with-n95-grade-filtr

Author

About the author of this blog post

Angela Lansbury

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.

Quick Quotations

Who Said What When

 

PR CALENDAR. Planning PR for a year's worldwide themed meetings, online if not in person

BHA Meeting online.

TCA meeting online.

I am PR for two Toastmasters International clubs in Singapore, BHA and TCA - the A stands for advanced, so one of my jobs is to plan and distribute posters for forthcoming meetings, using themes and colours. The three obvious ones for the calendar are New Year for January, Love for February (Valentine's Day) and Christmas or winter celebrations for December. I am looking at pictures of foods and festivities so that people can either cook up the recipes to eat at home, or wear fancy dress (red Santa hats), or have a background colour. 

Here are the Ideas I have found for themed meetings.  

I thought of starting with August, but it is simpler to arrange things by the calendar from January to December. So, as I am writing in July, the calendar is Jan to Jun for 2022 and July to Dec for 2021. Here goes.

JANUARY 2022

Colours

Foods Scottish porridge, haggis, potato and neeps (turnips), shortbread

Music

FESTIVALS

January Sales

Famous People's Memorial Days

Jan 1 New Year's Day (New Year's Resolutions. Plans. SMART goals)

Jan 7th. Orthodox Xmas. (Family. Food. Gifts. Religion.)

Jan 26 Australia Day. (Australia flag.)

Photos

Jan 26 Burns Supper Night. (Haggis. Burns poetry.)

Jan 27 Holocaust Remembrance Day. (Anne Frank. Jews. Holocaust. Yiddish. Gypsies. Homosexuals.)

2nd Monday coming of Age Day in Japan. (Age. Youth.)

3rd Monday Martin Luther King Jnr Day.

Online Toastmasters Club Dates: 

BHA (First Wed eve and third Sat afternoon) Wed eve 6.30 for 7 pm Singapore time, Wed Jan 5 in 2022.

BHA 3rd Saturday afternoon Sat Jan 15 in 2022, 1,30 for 2 pm Singapore time.

TCA  4th Tuesday evening Jan 25th 2022 7.15 for 7.30 Singapore time.

Both on Zoom.

FEBRUARY 2022

Colours Pink (for love) OOO Valentine's, red roses and hearts and , or orange for CNY

Food: Oranges, Lo Hei, chocolates

Music (I just called to say I love you)

FESTIVALS

Feb 1 and 2 (fluid) Chinese New Year (CNY)

Feb 6 Sunday 2022 New Zealand Waitangi day (Themes and symbols kiwi ,New Zealand map and flag, Maori, travel) (Mondayised so Monday is also a national holiday because Sunday is not a working day)

Feb 14 Valentine's Day (Themes and symbols. Love. Gifts. Hearts.)

Shrine to St Valentine in Ireland

Feb 15 USA Presidents' Day

Feb 21 2022 Chinese Yew Year (Singapore Lo Hei platter with fish and coloured vegetables and chopsticks)

Photos

Online Club Dates

BHA first Wed is Feb 2nd 2022; 3rd Sat is Feb 19 2022

TCA 4th Tuesday is Feb 22nd 2022.

Music

MARCH 2022

Colours Green (St Patrick's Day) OOO

Foods Irish whiskey, potatoes, sourdough 

Music

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Molly Malone (In Dublin's Fair City, where the maids are so pretty)

FESTIVALS

March 1 2022 Pancake Day/Mardi Gras (using up food before Lent) 

March 8 International Women's Day. (Themes. Equality. Sex. Women.)

March 9 Teachers' Day (Themes books. Teach. Knowledge.)

March 17 St Patrick's Day (Themes Irish. Song. Speech.)

2nd Monday Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth flag

Online Club Dates

BHA 2022 first Wed is March 2nd; 3rd Sat is Mar 19

TCA2022 the 4th Tues is Mar 22nd

APRIL 2022

Colours Red Poppy for Anzac Day OOO

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

April 25 Anzac Day (Australia and NZ, Gallipoli, WWI)

Photos

Online Club Dates

BHA 1st wed is wed 6th April 2022

3rd Sat is Sat April 16th 2022 

the 17 th is Easter Sunday so people could be busy away all weekend

TCA 4th Tuesday April 2022 is Tuesday 26th

MAY 2022

Mental Health Month and Mother's Day

Colours

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

May 1st April Fools Day

May 1st Labor Day

May 8 VE Day (Victory. Europe. Peace. France.)

Famous People 

May 7 Rabindranath Tagore - tribute to Tagore

May 16 2022 Vesak Day - Birth of Buddha

Buddha Statue. Vietnam.

2nd Sunday Mother's Day USA.

Last Monday in May is Spring Bank Holiday in the UK.

Photos

Online Club Dates

BHA WED May 4th 2022
SAT 21st 2022
TCA  TUES May 24th 2022

JUN 2022

Colours

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

Photos

Online Club Dates

BHA Wed 1st Jun 2022

BHA 3rd Sat is Jun 18th 2022

TCA 4th Tues is 28th Jun 2022

JULY 2022

TCA 4th Tues 26th

BHA first Wed 6 July 2022

BHA 3rd Sat 16 July 2022

TCA 4th Tues 26July 2022

(JULY 2022

(Hari Raya Haji July 9 2022)

....................................................

JULY 2021

Colours

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

July 4 American Independence (American flag. Themes: Freedom. War.)

July 14 Bastille Day. (American flag. France. Revolution.)

3rd Monday in July in Japan, Marin Day. (Sea, ships, sailors.)

July 20, 2021 Hari Raya 

Photos

Online Club Dates

In 2021

BHA  1st Wed was the inauguration of the new committee 

3rd Sat (past Lim Tong Lee)

AUGUST 2021

Colours Red and white for the Singapore Flag and the Swiss flag.

Foods Swiss Chocolate. Singapore chicken rice.

Music

FESTIVALS

August 1 Swiss National Day - Swiss flag, chocolate, time pieces, time

Aug 9 Singapore National Day, Singapore flag, chicken rice?

Photos

Singapore Flag

I have shown this bordered so that the white of the flag can be seen against the white background of the page. The plain flag is in Wikipedia but after months of searching and stress I finally found a bordered version in Wikimedia Commons.

Singapore flag. Red and white.

Swiss Flag

Flag of Switzerland. Red and white.

Online Club Dates

AUG 2021 BHA 1st Wed 2021 Aug 4th

3rd Sat 21st Aug 2021

4th Tues 24th Aug 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021

Colours

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

3rd Monday in September. Respect for the Aged in Japan.

Photos

Online Club Dates 2021

SEPT BHA 1st Wed 1st Sept. 3rd Sat is 18th

TCA 4th Tues is 28th Sept2021

OCTOBER 2021

Colours

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

Photos

Online Club Dates

BHA Oct 2021first Wed is 6th; 3rd Sat is 16th 

TCA Oct 2021 fourth Tues is 26th

NOVEMBER 2021

Colours

Foods

Music

FESTIVALS

Photos

Online Club Dates

BHA first Wed is Nov 3rd . 3rd Sat is Nov 20th 2021

TCA fourth Tues is Nov 23rd

DECEMBER 2021

Colours

Red, white and green.

Foods

Music

Auld Lang Syne

Silent Night

Religious Christian

Secular Xmas

Xmas carols

FESTIVALS

Dec 24 Xmas Eve

Dec 25 Xmas Day

Dec 26 Boxing Day (UK) Sales Start!

Dec 31 New Year's Eve

Photos

Xmas Spruce tree London

Online Club Dates

BHA first Wed  DEC 2021 is 1st 

3rd Sat 2021 is 18th

TCA Fourth Tues 2921 is 28th

2021

JULY - JUBILANT JULY

Theme/WOD Jubilant

WORKSHOPS & EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS (based on level one of Pathways)

1 Your first speech or role EASY ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Articles A and The, Plurals, Tenses, Pronunciation, Singlish)

2 CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Wed July 7th 

Saturday 17th

July 4th American Independence Day.

2021 AUGUST - AWESOME AUGUST

1 Pathway Level 1 Introductory Speeches

2 Evaluations

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2021 SEPT - SUPER SEPTEMBER

Wed 1st

Sat 18th SPEECH CONTESTS

Humorous Speech Contest

Table Topics Contest

2021 OCT - ODD OCTOBER

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

2021 NOV - NOVELTY NOVEMBER

Wed 3rd

Sat 20th Wed

Diwali Hindu Festival of lights Nov 4th.

Nov 25th American Thanksgiving.

Hanukah (floating) starts in 2021 28 Dec 8 days until Dec 6. Jewish Festival of lights, celebrated by Jesus.

2021 DEC - DARLING DECEMBER

Wed  1st (Hanukah if not previous month. Festival foods.)

Sat 18th

Speech on 

JAN 2022 - JOYFUL JANUARY

Wed Jan 5th New beginning - forget the past

Sat 15 Long-term plans = for the future/Chinese New Year (CNY for short)

2022 FEB FUN FEBRUARY

Theme Love and romance - Chinese New Year

Feb 1st and 2nd are holidays - do we move this Feb 2nd meeting date?)

Wed 2nd (Valentine's Day is  upcoming, Feb 14, which is a Monday in 2022)

Sat 19th

2022 MAR - MARVELLOUS MARCH

Theme

Wed 2nd

Sat 19

March 1st is Christian Pancake day. 

2022 APR - APRIL'S AIMS

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

Muslim Ramadan 1-30 April.

Jewish Passover (Seder meal=Last supper) April

 16

2022 MAY - MODERNISING MAY

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2022 JUN - JUBILANT JUNE

Wed 1st

Sat 18th

I am working on this list. It may take all day. Come back later to read more.

Useful Websites

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Singapore Public Holidays

https://publicholidays.sg/2022-dates/

USA Public Holidays

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_the_United_States 

UK Public Holidays

Australia Public Holidays

NZ Public Holidays

Canadian Public Holidays

South African Public Holidays

Indian Public Holidays

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

About the Author

How to learn or teach the words of Auld Lang Syne for karaoke, New Year's Eve and Summer Holiday Last Night

Flag of Scotland

If you are going to an event where they are likely to sing Auld Lang Syne on the last night, it helps to know the words. You find them in Wikipedia. You can bring them up on your phone. Or email them to yourself and open the email at the event and share each verse with the person standing next to you. 

Prepare to stand up to sing, no clutter on your feet, nor a laptop on your lap. If you have a laptop to read the words, sit at a table at the front, side or back of the room. Who will I try to ensure I am sitting next to? An old friend? Or a new friend who I want to be an old friend? 

You could shake hands with a couple of people, to be sure you find somebody who does not have damp hands when it comes to holding hands through three verses!

For Covid-19, you might hold out a white handkerchief on both sides for the other person to hold, or the song sheet. I remember attending an orthodox Jewish wedding of a student I met at University College London. I was surprised  to see the men dancing around the room, in a linked line, but hands separated by white handkerchiefs. I thought how ol time and odd. Now it seems sensible.

If you are organizing the event, you can display the words on the screen. Or distribute song sheets. Or, for children or adults, practise earlier in the day.

Even if you are not from the UK or England or Scotland, you might think the words sound familiar, even if you don't know the words.

One line appears in You're a grand old flag.

Useful Websites

Auld Lang Syne - Wikipedia

You're a Grand Old Flag - Wikipedia 

(See next post for details of author Angela Lansbury and the words and tune of Happy Birthday to you.)

The tune to which "Auld Lang Syne" is commonly sung is a pentatonic Scots folk melody, probably originally a sprightly dance in a much quicker tempo. The song originally had another melody, which can be traced to around 1700 and was deemed "mediocre" by Robert Burns. The famous melody was first used in 1799, in the second volume of George Thomson's Select Songs of Scotland.^[10]

Older versions of the original song which use other melodies have survived in isolated Scottish communities. The American folk song collector James Madison Carpenter collected a version of "Auld Lang Syne" which appears to be distantly related to the original folk song version from a man named William Still of Cuminestown, Aberdeenshire in the early 1930s. William Still can be heard singing the song on the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website.^[11]

Lyrics[edit]

The song begins by posing a rhetorical question: Is it right that old times be forgotten? The answer is generally interpreted as a call to remember long-standing friendships.^[10] Alternatively, "Should" may be understood to mean "in the event that" (expressing the conditional mood) referring to a possible event or situation.

George Thomson's Select Songs of Scotland was published in 1799 in which the second verse about greeting and toasting was moved to its present position at the end.^[10]

Most common usage of the song involves only the first verse and the chorus. The last lines of both of these are often sung with the extra words "For the sake of" or "And days of", rather than Burns' simpler lines. This allows one note for each word, rather than the slight melisma required to fit Burns' original words to the melody.

The "singable" English version given here keeps the Scots phrase "auld lang syne" rather than translating it as "long long ago" or something like that — see the third paragraph of this article for a full explanation of this phrase.

Burns' original Scots verse[5]	Standard English version (singable)	Scots pronunciation guide (as Scots speakers would sound)	IPA pronunciation guide (Burns' own Ayrshire dialect)[12]
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?[a] Chorus: For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup! and surely I'll be mine! And we'll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. Chorus We twa hae run about the braes, and pou'd the gowans fine; But we've wander'd mony a weary fit, sin' auld lang syne. Chorus We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, frae morning sun till dine;[b] But seas between us braid hae roar'd sin' auld lang syne. Chorus And there's a hand, my trusty fiere! and gie's a hand o' thine! And we'll tak' a right gude-willie waught, for auld lang syne. Chorus	Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? Chorus: For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely you'll buy your pint cup! and surely I'll buy mine! And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne. Chorus We two have run about the hills, and picked the daisies fine; But we've wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne. Chorus We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine; But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne. Chorus And there's a hand my trusty friend! And give me a hand o' thine! And we'll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne. Chorus	Shid ald akwentans bee firgot, an nivir brocht[c] ti mynd? Shid ald akwentans bee firgot, an ald lang syn*? Chorus: Fir ald lang syn, ma jo, fir ald lang syn, wil tak a cup o kyndnes yet, fir ald lang syn. An sheerly yil bee yur pynt-staup! an sheerly al bee myn! An will tak a cup o kyndnes yet, fir ald lang syn. Chorus We twa hay rin aboot the braes, an pood the gowans fyn; Bit weev wandert monae a weery fet, sin ald lang syn. Chorus We twa hay pedilt in the burn, fray mornin sun til dyn; But seas between us bred hay roard sin ald lang syn. Chorus An thers a han, my trustee feer! an gees a han o thyn! And we'll tak a richt[c] gude-willie-waucht,[c] fir ald lang syn. Chorus	ʃɪd o̜ːld ə.kwɛn.təns bi fər.ɡot ən nɪ.vər brɔxt tɪ məin ʃɪd o̜ːld ə.kwɛn.təns bi fər.ɡot ən o̜ːld lɑŋ səin Chorus: fər o̜ːld lɑŋ səin mɑ d͡ʒo fər o̜ːld lɑŋ səin wiːl tɑk ə kʌp o kəin.nəs jɛt fər o̜ːld lɑŋ səin ən ʃeːr.li jiːl bi juːr pəint.stʌup ən ʃeːr.li ɑːl bi məin ən wiːl tɑk ə kʌp o kəin.nəs jɛt fər o̜ːld lɑŋ səin Chorus wi two̜̜ː heː rɪn ə.but ðə breːz ən puːd ðə ɡʌu.ənz fəin bʌt wiːv wo̜n.ərt mʌ.ne ə wiːrɪ fɪt sɪn o̜ːld lɑŋ səin Chorus wi two̜̜ː heː pe.dlt ɪn ðə bʌrn freː moːr.nɪn sɪn tɪl dəin bʌt siːz ə.twin ʌs bred heː roːrd sɪn o̜ːld lɑŋ səin Chorus ən ðeːrz ə ho̜ːn mɑ trʌs.tɪ fiːr əŋ ɡiːz ə ho̜ːn o ðəin ən wiːl tɑk ə rɪxt ɡɪd wʌ.lɪ wɑːxt fər o̜ːld lɑŋ səin Chorus

1. ^

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, is a semi-retired travel writer still researching bucket list countries and seeking out the special, unusual, people, places,  landmarks, hotels, museums and trails, fabulous foods, recipes, clothes and online souvenir shopping.

Angela Lansbury is a member of Toastmasters International.

About the Author Angela Lansbury

The Author - Quick Quotations

Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers plus another ten self-published books. 

About Angela The Speaker & Trainer

Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses.

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President  Public Relations, Immediate Past President. VPPR

Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club.

Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK

BHA

Past meetings have included Garen Tee on using story telling in business, on 

bha.learncool.sg/meet/bha . 

Recent meetings of BHA included an educational session on using Powerpoint for posters.

Next BHA meetings, always first Wednesday evening, 7 pm Singapore time. Next meeting is  the third Saturday afternoon, June 19th 2pm Singapore time.  Inauguration of the new committee was by the incoming Director of S, plus a lively speech on teamwork.

Next meetings will be on these dates (unless a national holiday in Singapore or worldwide)

Themes and word of the day are tentative

2021

JULY - JUBILANT JULY

Theme/WOD Jubilant

WORKSHOPS & EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS (based on level one of Pathways)

1 Your first speech or role EASY ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Articles A and The, Plurals, Tenses, Pronunciation, Singlish)

2 CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Wed July 7th 

Saturday 17th

July 4rh American Independence Day.

2021 AUGUST - AWESOME AUGUST

1 Pathway Level 1 Introductory Speeches

2 Evaluations

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2021 SEPT - SUPER SEPTEMBER

Wed 1st

Sat 18th SPEECH CONTESTS

Humorous Speech Contest

Table Topics Contest

2021 OCT - ODD OCTOBER

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

2021 NOV - NOVELTY NOVEMBER

Wed 3rd

Sat 20th Wed

Diwali Hindu Festival of lights Nov 4th.

Nov 25th American Thanksgiving.

Hanukah starts 28 Dec 8 days until Dec 6. Jewish Festival of lights, celebrated by Jesus.

2021 DEC - DARLING DECEMBER

Wed  1st (Hanukah if not previous month. Festival foods.)

Sat 18th

Speech on 

JAN 2022 - JOYFUL JANUARY

Wed Jan 5th New beginning - forget the past

Sat 15 Long-term plans = for the future/Chinese New Year (CNY for short)

2022 FEB FUN FEBRUARY

Theme Love and romance - Chinese New Year

Feb 1st and 2nd are holidays - do we move this Feb 2nd meeting date?)

Wed 2nd (Valentine's Day Mon Feb 14)

Sat 19th

2022 MAR - MARVELLOUS MARCH

Theme

Wed 2nd

Sat 19

March 1st is Christian Pancake day. 

2022 APR - APRIL'S AIMS

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

Muslim Ramadan 1-30 April.

Jewish Passover (Seder meal=Last supper) April

 16

2022 MAY - MODERNISING MAY

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2022 JUN - JUBILANT JUNE

Wed 1st

Sat 18th

Jul 6, Jul 16, Aug 3, Aug 20, Sept 7, Sept 17, Oct 5, Oct 15, Nov 2, Nov 19, Dec 7, Dec 17.

Angela The Blogger 

Angela has several blogs speeches, comedy and song writing and organizing, writing intermittently, but writes almost daily on these three:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

See many varied posts such as the post on sculptor Tom Harvey.

Please share links to your favourite posts.