I would really recommend the book/mp3 Syrian Colloquial Arabic. It is the best package I've come across. Personally, I relied a lot on Byki (which is also about $50) and made my own flashcards from textbooks that are dialect-specific, and from my Arab husband. These are also many subtitled movies in the Palestinian and Lebanese dialect that I have benefited from. For the more expensive (but also available for free illegally) help, There is Pimsleur's Eastern Arabic. I think it was hugely helpful for my accent and it's what I started with. But it's not the best. I would stay away from things like Rosetta stone since it is very generic and doesn't teach the dialect at all. :)

 

Code, pride and honour- please correct me ;)

Code, pride and honour

The lifestyles, habits and cultures of other civilisations have always interested me. The culture of Far East and the samurai's world particularly intrigue me. Why am I writing about it? Becouse I watched Edward Zwick's movie.

"The Last Samurai" tells about former soldier- military veteran, captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) who suffers remorse related to his military past. He get a a proposition from his friend, Capitan Algren, who invites him to coach the soldiers of emperor Meji, in Japan. The character accepts the proposal, not knowing he'll become entanged in a dispute between the emperor and the samurais. When he comes to Japan, he picks up information about an enemy. Later he's forced into premature confrontation, which ends with defeat. Through unusual perseverance, Algren kills many samurais. As a result, he's spotted by their commander and taken as a captive to a world entirely unknown for him as yet.

The overall plot tells about conflict between emperor amd samurais, but also about friendship, love tolerance and honour- may enumerate on and on.

As I recall, the movie is full of different motives and fascinating characters; among other things, a perfect chieftain and warrior - Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) He is an honourable man who believes in destiny and fighting for the independence of Japan. Through his example we can describe samurai's culture, habits and the most importants for samurais values.


Edward Zwick's creation shows the conflict between traditional culture, and modernity and progress. The undecided emperor, blinded by western culture, rather than unite his country divides it and half brings it to decline. How many people should die for understanding that the most important thing is one's own tradition and national distinctiveness, more than "waterly clothes, new invention". [the phrase in quotations does not make sense in English.]


For me it's just a very well realised film that isn't only a great pastime but is also thought-provoking.



It's my home work for English I hope so here aren't many mistakes. Thanks for corrections ;)