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Recently on my job I had to make a small pocket calendar for an aircraft design bureau. It was intended only for foreigners, so we took a standard calendar layout and wrote months and days only in English. The layout looked like this:
http://asc.fatal.ru/Calend01.jpg
But I knew that at least in the USA people used to have Sunday for the first day of week. I never saw American calendars so I guess that they must look so:
http://asc.fatal.ru/Calend02.jpg
Just wonder, am I right?
Not traditional USA format, in my opinion... but yes, you are absolutely correct. In the USA, we show Sunday as the first day of our week on our calendars.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tu-160
Traditional USA format... the days are listed left-to right at the top... not down the side.
I hope this helps, Tu.
Thanks, useful to know!
(The size of the calendars is 100x70 mm. Popular standard for Russia)
Click Download to get a calendar in Word format:
http://www.calendarsthatwork.com/index. ... lendarForm
Also, our seasons start on the 21st day of the month, not the 1st (ie Winter starts Dec. 21, not Dec. 1). Crazy Russians... :P
It's not more crazy than in England they have the first floor on the second one. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Бармалей
:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Basil77
Winter only starts on December 21st? Now that IS crazy.
Разделение года по нашим, западным, датам не так уж бестолковое, как это вам кажется.
В природе, на основе ориентации Солнца относительно Земли, год разделяется по частям, которые более или менее соответствуют нашим, западным, разделениям. Даты эти -- приблизительно 21 апреля, 21 июня, 21 сентября, и 21 декабря и называются quarters четверти (?) года. А также есть так-называемые cross-quarters, даты эти прибл. -- 2 февраля, 2 мая, 2 августа, 2 ноября.
Точные даты на 2006г., с названиями:
Imbolc - Feb 3 (популярно Groundhog Day)
Vernal Equinox - March 20 (Spring Break!)
Beltaine - May 5 (May Day)
Summer Solstice - June 21
Lughnasad - August 7 (Does anybody celebrate this?)
Autumnal Equinox - Sept 22
Samhain - Nov 7 (All Hallow's eve)
Winter Solstice - Dec 21
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http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/2006.shtml
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Главные Четверти - это два солнцестояния и два равноденствия. Остальные -- cross-quarters.
Несмотря на то, что такое разделение года основано на старинных языческих расчётах, оно по сей день живо, хоть бы среди узкого круга людей.
21 апреля, 21 июня, 21 сентября, и 21 декабря -- это начала астрономических сезонов.
Суббота изначально считалась последним днём в еврейском календаре -- когда Бог уже всё создал и отдыхал. В некоторых языках воскресенье - первый день и т. д. Для христиан же главнее воскресенье, когда воскрес Иисус Христос. В русском, например, сами названия говорят о том, что понедельник -- первый, вторник -- второй и т. д. В современном Китае, который заимствовал западный календарь, понедельник называется буквально "первый день" и т. д.
Воскресенье было единственным выходным днем в европейских странах, когда только-только начинали как-то организовывать рабочих на заводах. Но тогда вообще развлекаться считалось зазорным, нужно было ходить в церковь и вести благопристойную жизнь в кругу семьи. А с понедельника опять начиналась работа с утра до вечера.
А вот интересно, если в английском суббота-воскресенье называется "week-end", то почему воскресенье иногда считается началом недели?
Simple. In England, Monday is the first day of the week, and the concept of the two day weekend entered the language from there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Propp
Besides which, I would totally dispute that Sunday is still considered the first day of the week by anyone but those clinging to what they were taught decades ago in Sunday school, even in those countries who still officially class Sunday as the first day, such as the US. For all practical purposes, I reckon the vast majority of people consider Monday to be the first day of the week. Business, schools, government, et al, all count weeks as Monday to Sunday, no matter where you are. Double click your clock in Windows and have a look, the week runs from Monday to Sunday, not Sunday to Saturday.
That can't serve as an example because it's customizable.Quote:
Originally Posted by scotcher
Don't be silly.
I'll try to. :) But the first day of week IS customizable in WinXP at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by scotcher
Пошли-поехали :o :o :o ... And all Tu-160 asked was - what a small pocket calendar looks like? :)
AgreeQuote:
Originally Posted by Dobry
I haven't known this before. I used to come across calenders with the weeks running from Sunday to Saturday but I thought that it was just a matter of style rather than traditional American format.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dobry
I was surprised too when I recently found out that all American calenders are like that!Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
Now you know :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
How come you were surprised when you found that out? How long have you lived in the States? I suppose - long enough to know that a typical American calendar looks like that in the picture.Quote:
Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
I prefer a traditional Russian calender where weeks run from Monday to Sunday. They are way more habitual!
Habitual...? Usually, this word has a somewhat negative connotation: habitual drunkard, habitual criminal, nabitual drug user..., etc. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
What I meant was that a traditional Russian calender is more common. Does habitual sound akward in that context or does it simply cause negative feelings?Quote:
Originally Posted by charlestonian
P.S. charlestonian, where are you from? Or rather - where are you originally from?
I have not seen "habitual" being used this way... (They are way more habitual![/quote]).Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
Let's hear what others say...
BTW, I was born in Ukraine but I have lived in the US the most of my life.
habitual не так употребляется. лучше в этом контексте : they are more convenient, they seem more natural, they make more sense when they run Mon- Sun.
Agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by chaika
I've lived here 7 years now, but I really haven't needed to look at a calender that much :) I guessed I used my European calenders when I did and never really paid attention to the format of American calenders. My life is filled with so much more important things than how the calenders run! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
Thanks for explaining why 'habitual' doesn't work in that sentence of mine! I really appreciate your help.
charlestonian, since you have lived in the USA almost all your life and was born in the Ukraine, you must speak both fluent English and Russian, mustn't you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
I would like to think that I am :lol:. Why?Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
stupid error! I am inclined to think that it was a misprint..... Thanks anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
charlestonian, I can't tell you why. Usually when someone has lived in a foreign country for a long time, they speak the language that is spoken in this foreign country fluently.
"Why?" stands for "why did you ask?" :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
You can't tell me why did you ask that question? :o
I probably misunderstood your question. I asked you that question because I was interested in how good your Russian and English is. Well, for example, your Russian/English may be perfect or it may be very, very good but not perfect. That's why.
Nobody's language is perfect :lol: And that includes native speakers. And, how do you define "perfect?" Perfect South African, or Australian, or even British English may sound strange to Americans... Perfect language of the US South sounds funny to northerners..., and vice versa. Same in Russia. Go figure...Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
I normally distinguish between a native speaker's command of a language and that of a learner. Since you have lived in the US for long, you may be classed as almost a native speaker. It's all subjunctive and I don't think we should try to define what each of us means by the word 'perfect'. If you don't have any problems whatsoever getting your ideas across to people speaking the same language as you and at the same time you make very few mistakes, then your grasp of a language may be regarded as 'perfect'.Quote:
Originally Posted by charlestonian
I am fine, I don't have any problems. But, keep in mind that just living in some country for a long time does not guarantee that they speak the language of that country fluently. Some people can live in another country for many, many years, and they still can barely speak the language. I know some Chinese, and Russian close-knit families who have lived in the US many years, but their English really sucks, because they continue to use their native language within the family, and thus learn very little.Quote:
Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
That's exactly what I was talking about! You're correct that there are people who have lived in another country for many years and haven't gained much. I think that it's very stupid to live in a foreign country and don't even attempt to learn the language of that country. If I had an opportunity to live in an English-speaking country say for one year, I'd try to make the most of my stay.Quote:
Originally Posted by charlestonian