1999

Much of the modern slang commonly used today in both British and American English has its origins in colloquial African-American language from the first half of this century. This type of speech became 'hip' or 'cool' in the 50s and 60s through the lifestyle and writings of America' s Beat Generation, the growth of rock ' n roll (itself an African-American term originally referring to sex) and the hippie movement. Nowadays many of these words are so widely used that they can hardly be still considered slang - many are even listed in dictionaries.

Irish cooking, though simple, draws on a tradition established over years. The Irish people know well how best to use fine foods produced from the land. It is not surprising that potatoes come first, being nourishing and satisfying for everybody. But it is not potatoes Irish cooking is about. Ireland' s famous beef and lamb dishes have become well known to the world. Most of us have tasted or at least heard of Irish Stew or Beef with Guinness.

As anticipation of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney mounts, The World of English speaks with sailing champion Mateusz Kusznierewicz about his life, sailing, and of course, English.

One thing all nations have in common is celebrations of one kind or another. Some are of religious origin, others are secular. Nearly every country has its national day or independence day, celebrated throughout the land, as well as local observances, restricted to certain regions or even individual villages. Typically such occasions include parades or processions, marching bands or folk musicians, and nearly always there is food, music, games and general merriment.

The Christmas holiday is among the world' s most widely celebrated festivals. Let' s take a look at some of our planet' s customs during this season of good cheer.

Karolyn Andrews, Ph D, currently manages Internet Polska, an Internet services company located in Poland and the States. Before she moved to Warsaw, she taught computer applications and Internet use in Washington, D.C. You can contact her at 2karo@polska.net with comments and suggestions for upcoming articles.

www.eiworldwide.com

Somewhere over the River Ubangi, in Likuali, the land of the pygmies, a white hunter once told me:" In this world all national borders are artificial. For thousands of years the only thing that has counted here has been the tribes and their laws. But who can work out the complicated geography of ethnic and tribal divisions?"

Since the huge success of her recent album with Goran Bregović - the biggest-selling record in the history of the Polish music industry - Kayah has become an even bigger name throughout Poland and her fame has begun to spread to other parts of the world. In an interviewconducted entirely in English she talked to The World of English about how she learnt the language and how important it is for her to be able to speak it.

WoE: How did you learn English?

The Sandakan fishmarket on the east coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah, Borneo, always boasts a huge variety of marine life on sale. Every day, fish, crabs, prawns and squids are brought to the stalls, ready for a buyer. Sometimes you might even catch some vendors selling pingpongballsized eggs eggs laid by the green turtle. These eggs are very rare and always sell out quickly, even though they are sold at RM$1 (current rate US$1.00=RM$3.80) each, an expensive price for a mere egg. Unfortunately, the huge demand also means that the survival of the green turtle is threatened./p>