The development of language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The development of language - Essay Example Today, millions of people speak one of the twenty-eight Mayan languages as their primary language. Apart from for the Waxtek speakers of Veracruz, Mayan languages occupy a large geographical zone in eastern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, western Honduras, and western El Salvador (Sharer & Traxler 23). Mayan language family includes 31 languages spoken in Guatemala, Belize and southern Mexico. According to general classification, it has five major branches. It is frequently believed that Huastecan split off in the very beginning, followed by Yucatecan and then all other groups branched out (Campbell 71-72).Most of the Mayan speakers are partially bilingual and their second language is Spanish or English in case of Belize(Sharer & Traxler, 23). Other languages have great influence on all Mayan languages. For instance, there is grammatical evidence for prehistoric connections between the Mayan and the adjoining language family, MixeZoquean. Borrowing words started between these groups in the Pre-classic age and was generally from Mixe-Zoquea to Mayan. For instance, in addition to ajaw (lord) and kakaw (cocoa or chocolate), quite a few basic Mayan kinship and body-part terms came from Mixe-Zoquean. Most of the Mayan languages have few numbers of loanwords from Nahuatal. Nahuatal is the language of native peoples from Central Mexico, particularly post-classic Mexica, or Aztecs. Most probably these loanwords refer to the rising importance of the Central Mexican states in the Post-classic era. The Maya not only borrowed but also influenced other languages. For instance, more or less extinct language of southeastern Guatemala, Xinca does not belong to Mayan language family but it has a large number of loanwords from Mayan. Since European contact, the process of this exchange continued with Spanish and English. A very good example is the word kakaw that has entered English as cocoa just like Mayan word xook as the

Multinational corporations - debate the positive and negative aspects Essay

Multinational corporations - debate the positive and negative aspects of multinational corporations - assess the potential impact on global business in the Arab World - Essay Example The operations of multinational corporations mainly originate from developed countries and extend beyond their own countries, and cover both developed and less developed economies. Multinational corporations play a crucial role in globalisation. They contribute to both positive and negative impact on economies involved in international business. Anti-corporate people argue that multinational companies reduce competition and enterprise while pro-corporate people claim that multinational corporations improve the economic development of underdeveloped countries. In most cases, multinational corporation originate from developed and the emergent economies and enter underdeveloped and other developed countries, causing negative and positive impacts in such economies. Generally, multinational economies cause more advantages than disadvantages, and can be considered as an important element of a globalised world. One of the advantages of multinational corporations is that it reduces unemployment in host countries. Noland (2007) suggests that multinational corporations could reduce these unemployment rates and improve businesses. Unemployment in less developed economies world has led to impoverishment, discontent, militancy and repression. Multinational corporations can come into play by providing opportunities of employment for the host countries; hence increasing the welfare and standard of living for the local communities. Through economic integration, multinational corporations are able to transfer and disseminate technological knowledge and innovation as well as information and capital into their host countries. The local capacity of building the economy in less developed countries is uncertain. Foreign multinational corporations entering the local markets of such countries may bring in knowledge, information, technology, capital and innovation to build the economy and reduce uncertainties experienced by businesses in the local