это интересно
занимательные факты на тему

Увлекательные и неожиданные факты об английском языке

Изучать иностранный язык не только полезно, но еще и интересно, если отвлечься немного от грамматики и фонетики и узнать больше о самом языке. Английский язык является самым распространенным языком общения в мире после китайского и испанского. На нем говорят более миллиарда человек, но почти половина из них вряд ли знают, почему местоимение «я» всегда пишется с большой буквы, или какое наидлиннейшее слово в английском языке. Об этих и некоторых других неожиданных фактах далее пойдет речь.

Do you know it? J.R.R.Tolkien.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, (3 January, 1892 – 2 September, 1973), was a philologist and writer, best known as the author of The Hobbit  and its sequel The lord of the Rings.

1)He served as the Professor of

a) French and English mythology

b) Anglo-Saxon language

c) fictional mythology.

2)Tolkien created a legendarium,

a) a fictional mythology about the remote past of Earth

b) Tolkien's published fiction stories and novels

c) Tolkien's fiction stories and novels characters.

3)The Tolkien family had its roots in present-day

a)  Germany

b) South Africa

c) Scotland.

Tolkien met and fell in love with Edith Mary Batt, three years his senior, at the age of sixteen. Father Francis forbade him from meeting, talking, or even corresponding with her until he was twenty-one. He obeyed this prohibition to the letter. On the evening of his twenty-first birthday, Tolkien wrote to Edith a declaration of his love and asked her to marry him.

4)She replied saying that she was already engaged, but had done so because she had believed Tolkien had forgotten her.

a) They never met, but always remembered each other.

b)The two met up and renewed their love, with Edith returning her ring and choosing to marry Tolkien instead.

c) Tolkien married another girl in revenge, but necer was happy.

During his life in retirement, from 1959 up to his death in 1973, Tolkien received steadily increasing public attention and literary fame. The sales of his books were so profitable that he regretted that he had not chosen early retirement.

For the fans of Tolkien there is a website:

The correct answers are: 1)b  2)a  3)a  4)b

By the way, Middle-Earth interactive map is here.

The information is taken from http://www.biographyonline.net/writers/tolkien_jrr.html  and http://www.tolkiensociety.org/author/biography/

English tea

Tea ceremonies or drinking tea is an integral part of the cultures where tea is bred from ancient times.But how old is English tea? It is amazing to hear that the first europeans to get aсquainted with tea were not  English,but Portuguese.They considered tea as a medicine. After King Charles II marriage to portuguese princess Catherine english nobles got used to drinking tea. This habit gained the popularity very quickly. Luckily for the Englishmen London merchants formed an Ost India  Company to serve the court interest and for their own profit.

At first tea (and coffee also) was sold in the chemist' s shop or in the coffee house. By the 17 century tea had become the privillege drink for men as it was served in the places where mostly men gathered like clubs or private dinners or parties. It was queen Chatherine again who popularized tea among the court ladies and the society.

In 1717 the first tea shop "Golden Lion" was opened in London. That was the start of mass import of  tea and the beginning of the famous English tea ceremony.

One of the most well-known of English traditions is Afternoon Tea, a meal that seems to reflect the perceived view of Englishness today. But in fact tea is drunk 6 times a day, as a rule. In the early morning to wake yourself up and an hour or two later for breakfast with milk and toast. That is known as English Breakfast tea. The third time comes in the lunch-time. English tea #1 is served at lunch. You may be sure the tea ceremony in Great Britain is of that importance as the Japanese tea ceremony. But with lots of tasty things.

There is also a tea break in the day time and, of course, the famous five o' clock tea.At last about 7 p.m.  it is time for High tea. It is drunk in the warmest and the cosiest  place in the house in no hurry. The perfect beginning and the ending of the day!

An everage Englishmen buys approximetly 40 kilos of tea a year. There is a saying "The man with no tea in him" referring to a hard-hearted person.

Here are some more tea idioms:

A storm in a tea cup - буря в стакане воды

It's not my cup of tea - это не в моём вкусе

Not for all the tea in China - никогда в жизни

Take tea with somebody - вести дела с кем-то

Remember, afternoon tea parties are, above all else, about socializing and enjoying friends. Revel in the moment, savor in delightful food and relax with the warmth of the tea and the friendship.No one will truly care whether you eat your scone or hold your cup "correctly" but good manners are appreciated.

Now watch some usefull tips to be sure of your manners.

• It is considered rude to stir one's tea in wide circular motions. Proper etiquette requires the teaspoon to be held at the six o'clock position to begin. Then, any added liquid is folded lightly towards the twelve o'clock position two or three times.
• The teaspoon should never be left in the teacup. When not in use, the small teaspoon is placed on the right side of the tea saucer.
• When not in use, the teacup is placed back on the saucer, rather then held. The saucer will be on the table, or in one's lap if there is no table.
• If having milk in one's tea, pouring either the tea or the milk into the cup first constitutes good manners. As a side note, cream is generally avoided as it can mask the taste of the tea.
• Sugar cubes may be added to tea with or without milk.
• When having lemon with tea, delicate lemon slices are generally offered. A small fork is usually provided for adding lemon to tea.
• Another tip is not to combine lemon with milk in tea, as the lemon juice will cause the milk to curdle.

There is a historical event connected with the tea. Of course, it is The Boston tea party.
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, on December 16, 1773. Disguised as American Indians, the demonstrators hurt no one but destroyed the entire supply of tea sent by the East India Company in defiance of the American boycott of tea carrying a tax the Americans had not authorized. They boarded the ships and threw the chests of tea into Boston Harbor, ruining the tea. The British government responded harshly and the episode escalated into the American Revolution.

Do Americans drink tea? America is the only place where people drink tea more iced than hot, thanks to the South where Sweet Tea is an institution. And for good reason, because it is pretty darn delicious.