Thursday, October 31, 2019

Defining terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Defining terrorism - Essay Example The simplest definition of terrorism is the following one: â€Å"Terrorism is the use of violence or force, or the threat of such, directed upon innocents, civilians, or noncombatants, in order to achieve political objectives† (Thackrah 2004, p. 18). There is a vivid discussion about the fact whether to justify terrorism or not. Some academicians and scientists underline that it is impossible to justify the essence of terrorism. In the very essence terrorism is unjust and illegitimate. Nevertheless, this assumption is rather emotional and it is relevant to consider this phenomenon from moral perspective. Thus, there is no moral background for the governments to sponsor terrorists, but they really do that. There is nothing more than intimidation of people in the name of reaching the goals of a group of people or the whole nation–this is the way terrorists are perceived by many states. Media positions terrorist acts as if they stem from political grievances, though the es sence of these actions can be rooted not in political concerns, but rather in religious or social issues. The US Department of Defence defines terrorism as â€Å"the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological† (Thackrah 2004, p. 32). Intimidation, fear and violence are three basic pillars of terrorism. The government’s reaction to terrorist acts has been always developed in accordance with the essence of the main goals of terrorists. For example, one of the most scaring acts of terrorism committed by the Black September Organization in October 1983, when 241 U.S. military personnel were killed and many people were wounded. In reality, the main target of their terrorist actions was the whole American nation and the Congress. The government withdrew the Marines from Beirut and this factor w as rather impressive for terrorists and they considered it to be success. First ad foremost concern for different governments should be focused on the fact that terrorists position themselves not as the servants of the Devil or evil, but they position themselves as fighters for freedom and their rights. They are interested in promoting liberating images or images, â€Å"supporting† public interests. In other words, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter (Burkoff 2005, p.49). In accordance with modern researches and studies, definitions of terrorism are developed in different terms. Thus, Schmidt and Youngman refer to 109 different definitions of terrorism, where three equal words were present: violence, force; political; fear (Boaz). Generally speaking, terrorism is considered at international level, because the targets of terrorist attacks can be found in different countries. There is a very thin boundary between terrorism and crime. Thus, for exa mple, political motivation of terrorism cannot be denied and it is often positioned as the first and foremost underpinning for terrorist acts commitment. It can be defined as â€Å"politically motivated attacks on non-combatant targets† (Fields, 2001). The activities of terrorist organizations are often described with the use of such concepts, as â€Å"

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Ethnic Challenge Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Challenge Essay The article, â€Å"Ethnic Challenge† by Hollie Shaw discussed about marketing to ethnic groups in Canada. Shaw stated that understanding ethnic groups’ culture, beliefs, and realities is the key to successfully penetrate into their market. Companies, however, need to deliver their promises to these groups to boost sales and guarantee loyalty. Even though Canada adheres to multiculturalism, Shaw further noted that marketing to ethnic groups was never the case, as ads had only featured immigrants but had not directly targeted their market before. Today, however, companies like Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd. , Hudson Bay Co. , and Wal-Mart Canada Corp. , uses cultural marketing. Moreover, Shaw pointed out the case of Sunsilk, a famous shampoo brand in South Asia, which reworked its proposed ad after research found that its ad featuring a gay male hairdresser and his female client and confidante will not be effective, as South Asian women do not have this kind of relationship with their hairdressers. In conclusion, Shaw stated that ethnic marketing will become more important in the coming years as more and more immigrants are finding home in Canada. Shaw’s â€Å"Ethnic Challenge† is related to the course material in that the latter justifies the contentions discussed in the former. Shaw began the article by saying that before, big companies lacked the efforts in â€Å"marketing to Canadian immigrants† (par. 1). The course material mentioned a world systems theory, which contends that there exists a â€Å"dominant core and a subordinate periphery in the contemporary world,† so people have the natural tendency to give more importance and attention to power and authority (p. 271). Consequently, based on the theory, big companies would give marketing priority to the dominant core that holds power and authority. In addition, the ethnic groups were previously excluded in marketing and advertising since the dominant culture perceived them as different â€Å"individuals and groups who do not conform to† societal expectations (p. 272). However, Shaw pointed out that marketing, which excludes immigrants and ethnic groups has been changing, as more businesses try to target them through their ads (pars. 2-3). This new focus of marketing can be credited to the rise of new philosophical approaches on humanism that questioned power and inequality. Furthermore, as human geographers increasingly become more aware of the diversity of people and places, cultures are not just viewed as a way of life but as a process that allows involvement from people who would construct their own landscapes (p. 270). Thus, the critical knowledge that theories have laid down affect how Canadian lifestyle and living has been, including marketing and advertising. In addition, the article, which discussed the shift of focus in marketing target and the course material, which mentioned the rise of critical definition of culture are very clear manifestations that Canada respects all ethnicities, as marketing now targets previously-ignored immigrants (par. 5) and as Canadian policies continue to actively encourage multiculturalism, respectively (p. 270). After reading through the course material and the article, I have come to realize the question we should ask ourselves as native Canadians: Do we want immigrants to be assimilated or acculturated into the Canadian society? Shaw’s article answered this by clearly discussing marketing and advertising that cater to ethnic cultures, tastes, beliefs, and realities – an acculturation which allows ethnic groups to become part of the larger Canadian society, but still retaining their distinctive identity. Personally, I do not want them to be completely assimilated to our society as they have native and original cultures that they naturally live by. Thus, ads should truthfully reflect and represent their realities if companies want to be successful in their businesses. Moreover, since there is no group or culture that stands above the others, if ads need to have different versions, in different languages, let them be. In this way, every group, ethnic or not, will feel that they are given attention and they have a place in the society. Paul Dalby’s â€Å"Truly an Epidemic: The Diabetes Epidemic,† revealed that diabetes, which was once considered a disease of the middle age, is becoming an â€Å"epidemic† in Ontario as Canadians, regardless of age groups, has been found to carry the disease. The article started with the case of Michael Jacoby, once an all-star athlete but now struggling with type 2 diabetes, â€Å"in which the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin or the body does not properly use the insulin it makes. † Ninety percent of diabetics have this type of diabetes (par. 4). Dalby further revealed that there are 2. 25 million diabetics in Canada, one-third of which lives in Ontario – a 69 percent jump of the prevalence of the disease (pars. 7-8). Moreover, what is more alarming is that â€Å"children as young as 10 years old† have been found to have diabetes (par. 0). Thus, according to Dr. Diane Finegood, â€Å"a massive campaign to change bad habits† (par 22), which means a change from â€Å"supersized food† and â€Å"sedentary lifestyles† (par. 14) to proper eating and enough exercise (par. 23) is required. The course material is related to Dalby’s article in that the former can explain the details discussed in the latter. For instance, Dalby named diabetes an â€Å"epidemic,† which the course material defined as a temporary but widespread outbreak of a disease. Furthermore, the current statistics, which stated that one-third of the 2. 5 million diabetics come from Ontario, can be explained by the fact that the province, which is home to big cities, lives a very fast-paced life and holds more food choices. Thus, there is a greater opportunity to eat unhealthy foods. Moreover, Ontario, being an industrialized area, people tend to work longer hours and thus become less active to engage in exercise. However, according to the course material, the poor are less likely to be unhealthy. In Ontario, this does not seem to be the case, as those who acquire diabetes are â€Å"poor† in lifestyle choices – presence of a different culture and lack of exercise. Nevertheless, in other countries, the poor being unhealthy is justified because they are underfed. But in the case of Canada, most people are underfed of healthy foods. Furthermore, Dalby mentioned that a change in lifestyle of bad habits is needed to stop the rise of people suffering from diabetes and get Canadians to be healthy. The course material defined â€Å"being healthy† as living a healthy lifestyle; watching good eating habits, good physical and mental health, and strong immune system; not smoking or drinking; and regularly seeing a doctor for checkups. Moreover, Dalby’s revelation of diabetes being an epidemic is a cause of alarm for everyone because as the course material discussed, there is an interconnection between population, health, and environment, a study known as medical geography. With the unstoppable increase in Canada’s population, it cannot help but worry about the cause and spread of diabetes, the huge cost of healthcare systems to fight the epidemic, and the effects of a changing environment on the health of Canadians. The data that the course material provided enabled me to be worried about my own health, as well as the health of my fellow Canadians, particularly the children. Most of us are lured by fast food and unhealthy foodstuffs because of their unique and delicious tastes and availability; most also do not even do exercise due to lack of time and unwillingness. However, living in a fast-paced world is no excuse for us to disregard our health. If more, we should be primarily concerned because our population is not growing any smaller and our healthcare facilities are not getting any cheaper. Furthermore, we have to watch carefully our lifestyles against unhealthy food and habits because with the population boom, we do not know how our world can adequately provide for our basic needs for us to live happy, healthy, and satisfying lives. In addition, the innocent little ones, so fond of sweets and junk foods should be strictly guided and monitored to eat only healthy foods because without them, how can our nation function well in the future?

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Economic Impact of Pollution: Article Analysis

Economic Impact of Pollution: Article Analysis Luis Andre Talavera Nunez CONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC ANALYSIS An analysis of Peter Cai’s article: â€Å"Iron ore the victim in Beijings smog crackdown in the Business† Published the 26th of February – 2015 in the website businessspectator.com.au EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Peter Cai’s article analyses the economic impact of the pollution produced by the steel factories in China and their repercussion in the steel market and the iron ore prices. The article takes as an example the city of Hebei, one of the most important steel producer centres of China, which suffers one of the most critical pollution levels of its history. The province’s strategic location close to Beijing, the Chinese capital is a contributor factor to the increment of smog in the metropolitan area. The social pressure that arises from this issue is forcing the government to take drastic decisions with potential socio-economic impacts. New environmental standards were created in order to regulate the emissions. The new policies have the power to shut down any factory that does not meet the minimum standards. This is creating a lot of pressure on the industry and forcing the steel makers to reduce output and, in some cases, to update their assets. This new policies come in line with the Chinese economy slow down and the reduction of demand for the steel and its main resource, the iron ore. This has generated a crisis in the steel manufacturing industry that has seen a reduction of revenue and an increase of the operational cost in the last year. There is a potential risk of massive plants shut downs due to an important number of the steel makers won’t be able to afford the high cost that an update represents. This is also a consequence of poor government regulations during the economic boom that did not stimulate the companies to reinvest the capital in new and cleaner technologies when the revenue was higher. The social pressure has forced the government to take strong policies orientated to reduce the steel production capacity with the aim to minimize and control the toxic emissions. This represents a massive economic impact for the government which will be affected by lower tax revenue and potential increase of unemployment. INTRODUCTION The Hebei province, well known as the biggest steel producer in China and the second worldwide, contributor of the 22.5 percent of the national steel output is facing a critical time. The reports demonstrate a fall of 0.6 percent from the total steel production in 2014 in comparison to the 2013 figures and China’s total production is expected to drop 1.07% to 814 million tonnes by 2015. (Stanway, 2015; the Australian, 2015). The main reason for this crisis is the reduction in demand for the Chinese market and the new environmental policies that restrict the operation of plants that exceed the new emission standards (Li 2013). This environmental issue has situated the province within the top 10 most contaminated cities in China and has been affected people’s health critically reducing life expectancy by five years (Cai P., 2015; Stanway, 2015). As a consequence, there is a strong social pressure that request fast solutions to a problem that seems not to have a sustainabl e solution in the short term. This article address the following issues: The economic impact of the reduction of steel production’s output in the province of Hebei and its repercussion on the steel and iron prices in the short and medium term. The impact of the new environmental policies that force the shutdown of steel’s factories that don’t meet the minimum emission standards. Reduction in the demand of steel, impact on the government revenue and increment in the unemployment rate. ECONOMIC THEORIES One of the most important parts of the article is the dynamic of the Chinese steel market and its influence in the iron global supply. In the last decade the Chinese demand and supply for steel have been growing consistently driven by the strong urbanization process (World Steel Association 2014). However, this figure is changing rapidly due to China’s growth slowdown and a shift towards an economic model orientated to consumption and less steel dependent. The performance indicators demonstrate that the Chinese steel markets not in shape (Serapio. 2014), face serious issues related to competitiveness, productivity, efficient logistics, infrastructure and technology. The chart below explains the relation between Supply and Demand during the last 7 years and the reduction in market growth as result of the deceleration. Figure 1 – Source: EYGM Limited. 2014. The effect of the reduction in steel demand has been reflected in lower steel prices as result of the existing excess of the capacity. The steel producers have no other option than become more competitive, orientating their efforts to improve productivity and reduce costs in order to maximize the profits. According Agrawal (EYGM Limited. 2014), this highly competitive scenario will lead to a flatter marginal cost curve along the productive sector, reducing the breach between the competitors. This means that any fluctuation in the market variables will affect most of the participants evenly. THE PARTICIPATION OF THE GOVERNMENT What is the position of the government? The Chinese government is facing two major issues. According Elliott (EYGM Limited. 2015), the two major contributor factors are the critical contamination levels in most of the major cities around the country as product of the poor regulation policy to the steel market and the socio economic pressure to maintain an industry that provides generous tax income and maintain low unemployment levels. As result of social pressure the government decided to apply new regulation policies with the aim to reduce the actual steel production capacity. The new industrial emission standards give the government the tools to shut down the plants that don’t meet the new environmental requirements (Jiabao, Li. 2013). The article mentions that the pollution reduction technologies are expensive and under the current steel prices and many of the current steel producers are not going to be able to afford the investment. This exemplifies a clear normative economic, where the government identify a problem and prescribe solutions based on facts. Un-employment is an additional impact that has to be managed by the government. According Cai’s article, â€Å"the new industrial policy could cost 200,000 direct jobs as well as another 400,000 indirect positions†. In the short term the chances of a rapid migration towards a cleaner and environmental friendly industry are almost impossible due to the economic situation that the China is facing at the moment.. Here is where the government must evaluate different tools like tax incentives in order to stimulate the migration to cleaner industries in the medium term. One fact that was not mentioned in the article is that the government possesses participation in some factories; these factories receive incentives that allow them to operate even in loss with the aim to maintain levels of employment. This creates a clear dead weight loss for the government (EYGM Limited. 2014). The government subsidies are illustrated in the graph below: Figure 2 – Deadweight loss of government subsidy in the steel market. P1 is the original market price for the steel and Q1 is the original demand. Pc is the price that the consumer pays after the subsidy whilst Ps is the real price including the subsidy. Qs is the quantity of steel produced as result of the subsidy, this represent inefficient production. The area highlighted in red represents the deadweight loss to that the society pays as product of the government subsidy. CONCLUSION Cai’s article highlights the complex situation that the Chinese steel market is facing these days, as well as, the economic, environmental and social repercussion of its reduction capacity and the roll of the government in the market regulation. The article makes reference to production figures that can be easily tracked and verified in diverse economic reports. There are two points that the article doesn’t cover in deep. The subsidies of the government to some steel makers and how this affects the supply and the effect of the Iron Ore price fluctuations in the Chinese steel market. It’s clear that the social pressure is changing the traditional political Chinese scenario, characterized by their authoritarian decision making at the moment to approve and put in practice government interest policies. The demand for a better air quality reflects a new scenario where the politicians are willing to listen and negotiate. The short term solution of shutting down factories that don’t meet the environmental standards is only a policy that can alleviate the current contamination but does not provide a sustainable solution to the underlying problems: Maintain the competitiveness of Chinese market under optimal environmental standards. Reduce unemployment and also guarantee the resources that the country required to continue growing sustainably. The priority in a long term is to promote the development of more environmental friendly industries that can produce the high end products that China will require in the future. However, this is a big risk considering the investment and time required to transform an industry that has been considered one of the most traditional and important in China. REFERENCES Cai, P. (2015). â€Å"Iron ore the victim in Beijing’s smog crackdown†. Business spectator. Retrieved from http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/2/26/china/iron-ore-victim-beijings-smog-crackdown. EY Limited (2014). â€Å"Global steel 2014, planning to profit from opportunity: preparing for future demand†. Retrieved from http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_-_Global_steel_2014/$FILE/EY-Global-steel-2014.pdf The Australian (2015). â€Å"China’s steel production to fall†. Retrieved from: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/chinas-steel-production-to-fall/story-e6frg9df-1227208363291 Serapio, Manolo. 2014 â€Å"China steel demand shrinks for first time in 14 years as slowdown stings†Ã‚  http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/25/us-china-steel-idUSKCN0HK0Z320140925 Stanway, David. 2015. â€Å"Steel output dips 0.6 pct in Chinas Hebei in 2014†Ã‚  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/china-steel-hebei-idUSL4N0V51DK20150126 World Steel Association. 2014. â€Å"World Steel in figures 2014†Ã‚  http://www.worldsteel.org/dms/internetDocumentList/bookshop/World-Steel-in-Figures-2014/document/World%20Steel%20in%20Figures%202014%20Final.pdf EYGM Limited. 2015. â€Å"Global steel 2014 Planning to profi t from opportunity: preparing for future demand†Ã‚  http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY_-_Global_steel_2014/$FILE/EY-Global-steel-2014.pdf Jiabao, Li. 2013 â€Å"Plant shutdowns likely as emission standards kick in†Ã‚  http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-03/15/content_16310734.htm American Economic Review. 1997  http://www.swlearning.com/ibc/hall/pdf/CH1a_hl.pdf

Friday, October 25, 2019

Radhakrishnans Thought and Existentialism :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Radhakrishnan's Thought and Existentialism ABSTRACT: I attempt to show the similarities between the viewpoints of Radhakrishnan and the existentialist thinkers. The philosophy of Radhakrishnan is an attempt to reinterpret and reconstruct the Advaita Vedanta of Sankara in the light of scientific knowledge and techniques of modern time. Existentialism is an attitude and outlook that emphasizes human existence. For Radhakrishnan, the human is essentially subject, not object. The existentialists assert that the human is not an object to be known, but a subject. Both Radhakrishnan and the existentialists emphasize the immense potential and present day condition of humanity. Radhakrishnan acknowledges the reality of suffering and misery of worldly existence. The existentialists maintain that there are antinomies, contradictions and distress at the root of existence. Radhakrishnan is concerned with liberation as a state of freedom. Freedom is the central concept around which the existential enquiry revolves. Though Radhakrishnan has certain affinities with existentialism, he regards it as a stage in the human's pilgrimage through life. The philosophy of Radhakrishnan is an attempt to reinterpret and reconstruct the Advaita Vedanta of Sankara in the light of scientific knowledge and technique of modern time. The philosophy of Advaita follows the basic tenets of the Upanishadic philosophy. Radhakrishnan does not propound any system of philosophy. He is bound to tradition like his contemporaries. But, his philosophy is distinct from others by some of its peculiar features. It is based on his own experiences and reflections. Existentialism is an attitude and outlook that emphasizes human existence. 'Existence precedes essence'-this is the maxim of existentialism. Existentialism deals with the problems the individual has to face in life, with the ways how he faces them, with his feelings and emotions and above all, with his outlook on life and experience. It recognises freedom and responsibility of the individual man. Soren Kirkegaard is regarded as the father of 'Existentialism'. He starts discussion on it. It is further developed in the hands of subsequent thinkers like Karl Jaspers, Gabriel Marcel, Martin Heidegger and Jean Paul Sartre. It must be admitted that there are divergent interests and points of view within existentialism. There are certain affinities between the viewpoints of Rahdakrishnan and the existentialist thinkers. Indian thought, in general; investigates into the self. Radhakrishnan also maintains that "In India, 'Atmanam Viddhi,' know the self, sums up the law and the prophets." (1) We do hear in this 'Atmanam Viddhi' the voice of existentialism. The two great propositions of the Upanishads are ' Tattvamasi' (Thou art that) and 'Aham Brahmasmi' (I am Brahman).

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Similar to the manner

May 31, 1988, the day I was born. The significance of my birth was that I was born while my mother had her final exams in college! It was a terrible situation for her at that time and it was difficult to juggle studies with family but she kept struggling until her graduation! Really, it was a great accomplishment that I have yet to show her proper gratitude for and when I was born, my grandfather had the priority to name me and he selected my name because it is the same name of his mother! May 31, 1988 was not simply the day that I was born but it was so much more. My coming into the world could not have been foreboded in a better manner.Never was a birth into this world received with so much fanfare and celebrity. In fact, how many can claim that on the day they were born the earth shook and trembled? Seriously, however, Darwin, Australia, was shook by an earthquake that registered a 7 on the Richter scale. There were so many events that transpired on the day that I was born. While my birthday was not exactly featured on any major newspaper and neither did it grace the headlines of any tabloid (gratefully so), it did not mean that it was an uneventful day otherwise. In Brazil, the government made a major decision to revitalize the local economy by instituting fiscal reforms.Similar to the manner by which my parents were forced to make monetary adjustments to compensate for my arrival into this world and the horde of resources they would need to support me, Brazil too was forced to brace for the coming of financially challenging times and notches of belt tightening. In other parts of the world, my birthday was celebrated with the appointment of an Australian to the Secretariat of State of the Vatican. Though I would certainly like to claim that there were no misfortunes that occurred on the day that I was born I have to, perhaps, take the good with the bad or see things in a different light.Other people say that a man died the day that I was born but, on a pers onal level, the maxim out with the old and in with the new comes to mind. It was unfortunate that a man died when his boat capsized but then again I have somewhat believed in the circle of life and perhaps his passing had made way for my entrance into this world. Speculation aside, I am sure that the day that I was born will always be either a day of farewells or a day of greetings and salutations. Far from it for me to claim that the only newsworthy events that transpired on my birthday.In fact, there were other events that are indeed quite fitting to mark this occasion were the introduction of a new swimwear line made by known fashion designers. This was a line that decided to be risque and daring, much like the life I was destined to lead. It also marked a major landmark for sports news casting because CBS announced that it was expanding its roster of announcers and looking for black announcers. CBS was taking a step forward in race relations and breaking down established cultura l barriers by making that announcement.I could perhaps claim that my birthday was a day that boundaries in fashion and culture were broken. Finally, what would my birthday be like it consumerism was not celebrated and heralded at its finest for my birthday was the same day that Coach decided to launch its new model bag that would become the hippest bag in the United States that summer. Retailing for what at that time was already a huge sum of money, the new Coach bag with a tag price of US $138 as well as the Corum Admiral Watch at US $6,900 would be the perfect way to signal my arrival into this world.Exposed to expensive and soft leather, as well as courted by the bright reflections dancing on pieces of shining jewelry, this is the way I intend to lead my life. As I read the events that transpired on my date of birth, I am struck by a realization that makes me smile. While I am aware that the event of my birth will probably not be as well remembered by others, the annals of histor y will always show that something happened that day. It may not be my birth that people will remember but it whatever memory people will have will always occur on the birth date.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Lexicology Essays - Lexicology, Linguistics, Grammar, Semantics

Lexicology Essays - Lexicology, Linguistics, Grammar, Semantics Lecture I. Introduction. Lexicology as a branch of linguistics 1.The subject and the tasks of lexicology. Lexicology and other branches of linguistics. 2.Lexical units. Word as the main lexical unit. Literature: 1. .. . : , 2007. C. 9-13. 2. .. . / .. . : , 2008. C. 3-4. 1. The subject and the tasks of lexicology The term lexicology is composed of two Greek morphemes: lexis - word, phrase, and logos - science. The literal meaning is the science of word. Thus, lexicology is the part of linguistics which deals with the vocabulary and characteristic features of words and word-groups. Lexicology has its own aims, methods of research and its basic task is study and systematic description of vocabulary (lexicon) in respect to its origin, development and current use. It gives a systematic description of the word-stock of the language; It investigates the words structure, word formation, the semantic structure of English words; It also investigates the main principles of the classification of vocabulary units into various groups and ways of forming new vocabulary units; It studies the relations between different lexical layers of the vocabulary. There are two principle approaches in linguistic science to the study of language material: synchronic and diachronic. It means that the vocabulary of the language can be studied synchronically, that is, at a given stage of its development (descriptive lexicology). The descriptive lexicology of the English language deals with the English word in its morphological (morprhemes the word consisits of) and semantical (meaning of the word) structures and investigates the interdependence between these two aspects. The vocabulary can also be studied diachronically, in the context of the processes through which it grew, developed and acquired its modern form (historical lexicology). Historical lexicology studies the origin of words and word-groups, the development of their sound form and meaning. The two approaches shouldnt be set one against the other. In fact, they are interconnected and interrelated because every linguistic structure and system exists in a state of constant development so that the synchronic state of a language system is a result of a long process of linguistic evaluation, of its historical development. Closely connected with historical lexicology is comparative lexicology which studies the correlation between the vocabularies of two or more languages, and finds out the correspondences between the vocabulary units of these languages. Distinction is naturally made between general lexicology and special lexicology. General lexicology is a part of general linguistics; it studies the vocabulary and semantic processes irrespectively of the specific features of any particular language. Special lexicology is the lexicology of a particular language (e.g. English, Ukrainian, etc.). There are different branches of lexicology: etymology, word groups and phraseology, semasiology and onomasiology, morphology, word-building, lexicography, stylistics. Etymology is the branch of linguistics which deals with the origin and history of words. Semasiology is a science which studies the meaning of the words. Semasiology is closely connected to onomasiology, which goal is to find the linguistic forms, or the words, that can stand for a given concept/idea/object. While onomasiology starts from concepts, semasiology starts from forms and asks for their meanings. Semasiology is concerned with meaning and the change of meaning. A typical semasiological question is: Which meanings does this word have?, for instance, Which meanings does the word glass have?. A semasiological perspective is more the perspective of a listener who is looking for the meaning of a word s/he has heard. People speak of onomasiology when they are looking for grammatical forms that can stand for a given function, e.g.How can I express future time?, and when they are looking for conversational patterns that can be used in a given communicative task, e.g. How can I greet somebody? Morphology is the branch of lexicology which deals with the structure of the word. The ways the word is formed are studied by the word-building. The spheres of the use of the word are studied by the stylistics. Phraseology is the branch of lexicology specialising in word-groups which are characterised by stability of structure. The questions of words description and systematization is a subject of lexicography. Lexicology is closely connected with general linguistics, the history of the