Magazine created by students of the Department of English and American Studies at Masaryk University.

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Language of the Future as Imagined by British Novelists

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by Jana Záhoráková

Many novelists resort to creating dialects and languages to enrich the worlds that they make up. Probably the most famous instance of this was J.R.R. Tolkien with his detailed languages and whole cultures in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and more recently George R. R. Martin in Game of Thrones. It adds another dimension to the characters and their history. This article, however, concentrates on British novelists who do not create a new language, but rather envision the world in the future and invent ways in which present-day English might develop. They usually choose dystopian futures and with said use of the English language highlight the impact of totalitarian would-be eras. The novels discussed below are George Orwell’s 1984, Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange and David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas.  Keep Reading

#StayWoke Because #BlackLivesMatter: From the Tweets to the Streets

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Vitaly Vlasov, CC BY 4.0, pexels.com

by Lucie Tomaňová

 

Since its emergence, social media has been the target of criticism from older generations as well as an unexplainable fascination for the younger generations. Through a very short time, it has transformed society and created significant differences between those who can use it and those who cannot. The ability to immediately share anything worldwide has created opportunities to share news as it is happening and to make content go viral and seen around the globe. Moreover, the use of hashtags as active links to posts with a similar topic has made it easy to navigate the sites to find specific content.

When the Black Lives Matter campaign emerged in 2013, it was social media like Twitter and Facebook that helped the movement grow from a one-city affair into a nation-wide network of collaborators and representatives of the issues of racism and social justice. Sharing of news, videos, and details about demonstrations, marches, and happenings has made the Black Lives Matter movement an unprecedented sensation. An online community of “social warriors” has built a network that the authorities have been unable to take down. Keep Reading

Vegans’ Milky Way: The Rise of Dairy Substitutes in UK Context

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by Linda Krajčovičová

Dietary restrictions in today’s world are partly a result of advanced medical knowledge of numerous food intolerances, and partly a result of people’s interest in trying out different lifestyles. The popularity of various diets is largely a result of the great availability of resources, such as substitutes like tofu or gluten-free bakery products. Dietary restrictions nowadays are primarily concerned with omitting animal products, either completely, or to some degree. The concept of veganism has slowly become a stable conversation topic in recent years and has influenced many people since its origin. This article focuses on the most common vegan food eaten by both vegans and non-vegans i.e. plant-based milk, and provides a brief characterisation of the most accessible types. Keep Reading

BTS and Parasite, or How Korea is Going Far

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by Mariia Minaeva

Korean popular culture has always been very distinct from what can be seen in the US or Europe. Korean music and TV shows were considered childish, and not taken seriously by Western viewers as they were too different. So why are Korean songs now topping the international charts? And how is it that American TV shows are desperate to have Korean groups as guests? Why do their clips on YouTube get millions of views in less than a day? What is this emerging Korean phenomenon? And more significantly, why is it so important for humanity?

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A Corona Diary from Denmark: Two perspectives

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On our way to a Covid-19 test site.

by Anna Jílková and Michaela Medveďová

 

The early months of 2020 saw the start of the global pandemic and caused an unexpected halt on life as we knew it, locking people in their homes for a good portion of the spring. But for us, the lockdown took place in our home away from home – Denmark, where we both moved to do our Master’s degrees. Both Danish society and the education process were impacted. So, how has the land of the Vikings handled 2020 so far? Keep Reading

“What we are trying to do now is create another bilateral high point”: Interview with Her Majesty’s Ambassador Nick Archer MVO

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By Markéta Šonková, Kristína Šefčíková, and Anna Formánková

Talking to an ambassador is always fascinating, as one can find out so much about the different cultures and many intersections between cultures. Talking to a British ambassador, whose professional CV runs across several countries and high offices, during a turbulent time in UK politics and a worldwide pandemic, makes the debate even more captivating. However, the discussion with Her Majesty’s Ambassador Nick Archer, who has resided in Prague since January 2018, examined not only Brexit or the past of the Czech-British ties, and the stepping stones the two countries can use to build their future ties, but also the many things we share in our everyday lives, the importance of nurturing these common values, seeing and working with the bigger picture, and inevitably also the Queen. Keep Reading

New World – New Media: Why Not Everything Should Be in English

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by Anna Jílková

Society is currently undergoing many changes. They might not be as visible as in the past; we all walk on two legs, we all live in houses, go to school, have washing machines, shop in supermarkets, and connect to the Internet. Nevertheless, they are still there. And the fact that they happen more slowly does not make them less significant. It only makes them less noticeable. One such a tendency slowly pervading our world is globalization. And what happens when globalization starts playing around with media? Let’s see…

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At the Centenary Crossroads: Interview with His Excellency Charles Sheehan

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by Markéta Šonková and Anna Formánková

 

Markéta Šonková with H. E. Charles Sheehan. Photo by Lucie Tomaňová.

Ambassador Sheehan has been the Irish ambassador to the Czech Republic since 2015, but his time in the Czech Republic has slowly reached its end. The Cork-born lawyer has spent his career in the Irish Diplomatic Service, and his professional CV sports many illustrious posts. And yet, the ease and lightness with which he discusses a wide variety of topics ranging from sports, to literature, was simply heart-warming. 

Although Ireland is a small European nation, its culture is widely popular all around the world. Nevertheless, Ireland is much more than shamrocks, vast green fields, and St. Patrick’s celebrations. To that end, we talked to His Excellency about the Czech-Irish ties and their future, the Irish footprint in the world, and whether he has ever finished reading Joyce’s Ulysses, a feat many students of English and American studies strive to conquer themselves. Keep Reading

Remembering the Anglo-Irish Propaganda War

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by Kristína Šefčíková

The first quarter of the 20th century embodies one of the most turbulent times of the Irish existence. In a span of just a few years, Ireland experienced an uprising, a war, a split, a civil war, and a deepening secession from the British Empire. These events were accompanied by an unprecedented amount of sovereignty which eventually led to complete independence. However, a country of 3.2 million people was unlikely to achieve freedom through a military stand against the magnitude of the Empire alone. Ireland had to find a more effective and economic solution, and so it reached for an alternative instrument – propaganda. Keep Reading

Languages, Cinema and the Fire of Revolution: Erasmus in France

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by Mariia Minaeva

THE CITY OF CAEN. VIEW FROM THE CASTLE SITUATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.

There were two things I had heard about the Erasmus programme – international students do not have a responsible attitude to studying and have crazy parties that prevent locals from sleeping. There were two things I had heard about France – French people like complaining a lot and do not speak English (or, if you are lucky enough, they do, but only with their famous French accent). Are these just long-standing stereotypes claimed by the people who have only seen it from the outside, or simple facts noted by someone who has experienced it firsthand? Before the beginning of my Erasmus stay in France, I was prepared for both options. And – maybe at least a little bit – I was eager to prove them wrong.

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