Effat Muse

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1 The Caveman’s Facebook Hi, Life - A Short Story MH370 - A Poetry Tribute To The Lost Airplane Effat’s Travel Writer shares her Egyptian Nights Can Video Games be used as a learning tool? Effat Students Meet International Scriptwriters Art Reviews in this Issue! What Makes a Translang Soſtware Useful? Issue No. 6, April, 2014

description

The issue 6 of Effat Muse magazine. Look through for articles on literature, linguistics and a variety of artsy reads. Featuring Edgar ALLAN Poe's short story 'Silence - A Fable'

Transcript of Effat Muse

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The Caveman’s

Facebook

Hi, Life - A

Short Story

MH370 - A Poetry Tribute

To The Lost Airplane

Effat’s Travel Writer

shares her Egyptian

Nights

Can Video

Games be used

as a learning

tool?

Effat Students Meet

International

Scriptwriters

Art Reviews in

this Issue!

What Makes a

Translating

Software Useful?

Issue No. 6, April, 2014

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From the Editor’s Desk Dear Reader,

We hope you find this Issue 6 of Effat Muse a delightful read

and enlightening. Our magazine is a tribute to HRH Queen Effat

whose vision and efforts are the backbone of this University.

We, the writing community of Effat University, aim to positively

represent our university through our aspiration to achieve.

Working on this issue was truly a learning process for me and

the rest of the team. I would like to thank everyone who dedicat-

ed their time and effort and a special mention goes to Dr. Sanna

Dhahir, the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Scienc-

es, for all her encouragements and appreciation for our maga-

zine. She is a truly a role model for all of us.

In this issue we are introducing many new features. I Volunteer

is a column for volunteers who want to write about their experi-

ence. The Travel Writing column invites students to share their

travel memories with the reader and to expand our knowledge

of the cultures and communities in the world. A similar new section is A Page From the Journal of

*Student Contributor’s Name*. This section is part of the effort to encourage writing by allowing

students to contribute their thoughts and musings - almost like a diary entry.

In the third section of the magazine, Ling Wing, we have introduced Lexical Investigations. This is

a feature from Dictionary.com and the name, images, articles in that particular column belong

wholly to the Dictionary.com blog.

The last section of Effat Muse, The Classic Writer, is my personal favorite. In every issue we will

dedicate that section to a renowned writer by including their authentic work. Due to copyright

considerations we will focus on sharing public domain works. This issue features Edgar Allan

Poe, the inventor of the modern detective story.

I’d like to thank you for choosing to read Effat Muse and I hope you share this magazine with

those you know.

Sumaiyya Naseem

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Dear Reader,

Here we are at our sixth issue! In this issue we came out with

new material, lots of creative input, and most importantly a

new name, "Effat Muse". Staying true to our colors, Effat

Muse aims to enrich the community with new creative liter-

ary content and expose new talents. Read through the voice

of women and college students to discover a new taste for re-

ality. I always leave you guys with a quote, this time I will

celebrate the human capability to wonder as Socrates put it

"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom".

Afnan Linjawi , Co-Editor in Chief.

A Message From The Dean Dr. Sanna Dhahir

With the hard work and dedication of Sumaiyya Naseem, Afnan Linjawi, and all Ethos’ brilliant editors and contributors, yet anoth- er issue of our student publication has emerged full of youth and splendor. The magazine has matured over the years and birth cy-cles, transforming into a full-fledged Effat Muse. This number re-flects a Spring term well on its way to a triumphant conclusion. It highlights institutional and departmental achieve-ments, which have sparkled all around us ranging from conferences, seminars, and workshops to stu-dents’ assiduous efforts to bond with each other and the larger community. I am proud to be a part of both faculty and student worlds, and for the latter I surely have such a soft spot! Effat students, you are awesome. You have done so much this term. You are creative and out-spoken. You are leaders and role models. You are all I wanted to be when I was your age. Continue to car-ry the banner of success and maturity.

Dr. Sanna Dhahir, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences

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Contributors Fadia Maghrabi

Lujain Ajeenah

Esraa Ghouth

Sumaiyya Naseem

Alaa O. Bamashmoos

Nimra Naqvi

Mariam Daffa

Meral Khan

Yumna Anasri

Lina Babsail

Hiba Al-Wazani

Saad Naseem

Reemaz Hetaimish

Asmaa Awad

Rawan Balahmar

Wed Nasser

Dictionary.com

Hawazen Madani

Rawan Najjar

Nadeen Al-Wazani

Salma B. AlJuhani

Faculty Supervisor

Dr. Sanna Dhahir

Design

Shafna Abdulmajeed

Hadeel Milyani

Sumaiyya Naseem

Afnan Linjawi

Reporters

Sumaiyya Naseem

Fadia Maghrabi

Interviewers

Afnan Linjawi

Abrar Jehad Sweilim

Editors-in-Chief

Sumaiyya Naseem

Afnan Linjawi

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Mother Teresa once said that “every time you smile at someone, it

is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing”. It was-

n’t just this quote that inspired Mariam Daffa to initiate this cam-

paign. It was observed that individuals on campus and all around

us had somewhat decided to give in and not smile despite the daily

happenings. The initiative was taken to remind all those around us

to smile despite the grey areas on the daily routine whilst trying to

change for a better tomorrow.

The campaign started with a simple conversation and soon enough

the Student Government was very enthusiastic along

with a very fervent bunch we call the

Student Government Friends. Under the

lead of Mariam Daffa, Rawan Aldrees,

Marwa Ismail, Hiba Abbas and Meral

Khan a plan was hatched to turn those

frowns upside down. As cheesy as it

may sound, the simplest things can light

up your world which in turn can light up

someone else’s. Consider it a simple Pay

It Forward.

We initially started with distributing

paper smiles with lollipops to wake the

inner child and gain insight on how sim-

ple acts can

change the

mood. We re-

ceived a very

gleeful response

and therefore

decided to do

the campaign

once more, this

time with a

louder exclama-

tion. Second

time round, we collaborated with the Psychology Club and on the

day of their Annual Barbecue we distributed ribbons with the

word ‘Smile!’ on them and wanted to fly and make kites.

We put up a banner with the question ‘what makes you smile’

which received a positive response, as even the readers of other

answers started smiling and laughing at how little can make a dif-

ference to a person. We also had a mini photo booth that most of

the onlookers en-

joyed taking pic-

tures in. All in all,

it was an event for

everyone to enjoy

in one way or

another. Despite

the weather not

being on our side,

we still managed

to get

smiles from the students, coffee stained as they may

be; we had a louder and more enthusiastic response.

We hope to do a third appearance soon. Stay tuned

and remember, smile! It’s Sunnah!

Meral Khan and Mariam Daffa

KSAALT, stands for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Asso-

ciation of Language Teachers, initiated by passionate

educators with a promise to improve language teach-

ing in 2006, in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Following KSAALT criteria, monthly workshops or

seminars are held throughout the academic year. With a variety of

topics on methods and techniques for teaching various languages

thereby making it beneficial for different levels of language teach-

ing. Local members and often international speakers present these

seminars. An international annual convention is held on the first

Thursday of May of each year and it hosts academic professionals

in huge numbers.

The fifth annual convention of 2012 was held in Jeddah

under the title “Engaging and Motivating Students in Language

Learning”, also hosted by Effat University .

…..Continued..

SG Muse: The Smile Campaign

KSAALT at Effat University

As cheesy as it may

sound, the simplest

things can light up

your world which in

turn can light up

someone else’s.

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The former representative of KSAALT 2012-2013, Ms.

Fatima Mohammad, and a former English instructor in the EEA,

spoke about her experience saying "It's definitely not a one man's

job; it needs a team to make it this successful.", when asked about

the challenges they faced, "We owe it to those who advised us,

worked with us, and encouraged us throughout."

"Working on the convention with Laila Alkhateeb

(former English instructor in the EEA) as the representative of

Jeddah Chapter in 2011-2012 was a unique experince", adds

Ms. Fatima about the convention of 2012, "It was a great evi-

dence of the success of team work. It was a tense period for us;

to invite hundreds of people who may have not heard of

KSAALT yet and to get sponsored was a great challenge, but

we never gave up." Regardless of their dilemma, the convention

gained an exceptional attention, with sponsors such as Oxford

University Press, Cambridge, Pearson, and The British council,

and a huge number of attendees, from different parts of the

Kingdom.

More future plans await KSAALT in Jeddah, says Reem

Madani, the current Manager of Communication and PR in Effat

University. "We held the first workshop for this year in November,

and we had 230 attendees!"

"I believe in the message

KSAALT is spreading; we, as

educators, are in constant need

to improve ourselves and learn

new techniques to give our

students a better educational

experience." Ms. Reem expressed her vision for KSAALT, "It

is enabling us to create a growing community locally so we

can all share and benefit from each other. We aim to reach a

bigger number of schools and educational institutes every year

to spread our message."

- Fadia Maghrabi

I Volunteer: My Mocha at 21, 39

Jeddah Arts

A sweet experience that I’ll always remember is taking a

5 minute walk across the parking lot to the Coffee Bean and

Tea Leaf franchise in front of Gold Moor Mall. That was

my 15 minute break during the 6 days that I volunteered at

the 21, 39 Jeddah Arts event. It is an amazing col-

laboration that has brought con-

temporary Saudi art to the pub-

lic of Jeddah.

Those walks to get my steaming

White Chocolate Mocha and

some cake, coupled with short

conversations that I had with

random visitors were always my

favorite moments during my

time as a volunteer. Everyone

loved the experience of viewing

art display in Jeddah, something

that people are not used to.

They loved all of it, from paint-

ings in Past is Prologue to works of poetic art in Moallaqat.

I loved watching them entranced because as much as I love

art, I love knowing that it has touched others like it did me.

21, 39 is a two month long initiative which was inaugurated

on 4th February at Gold Moor Mall and will end on 4th April.

The event is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the

country’s burgeoning cultural scene.

For the geographically keen readers, “21, 39” is indeed the

geographical co-ordinates of the Jeddah city, the Queen of

the Red Sea.

I often felt like I

needed a specific

perspective in mind

to be able to grab

hold of the message

the artist tried to

convey.

We, as educators, are

in constant need to

improve ourselves

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It was my pleasure to volunteer those days in early February. I

would start at 4 in the afternoon and leave at around 10 in the even-

ing. My tasks were registering walk-ins and attendees for work-

shops, answering any of their questions and promoting other exhibi-

tions under the exhibition’s wing.

People who came to see the exhibition

were often surprised to know that it

was for free. In my time, when the

crowd wasn’t too thick, I myself

would wander the halls, which had

tough floors and walls of concrete, and

rooms that captured art in the raw en-

vironment. I would gaze at the art

works for a long time, trying to cap-

ture the thought of the artist that was

right in front of me. I often felt like I

needed a specific perspective in mind to be able to grab hold of the

message he artist tried to convey. It was neat and lovely and an ex-

perience that I’d always craved.

The first exhibition titled Moallaqat featured established

Saudi artists like Ahmed Mater, Saddek Wasil, Manal Al Dowayan,

and others. Their inspiration was the pre-Islamic era of Jahilliya and

poetry tradition of that time period. The second exhibition “Al-Madi

Kamukkadima”, translated to Past is Prologue, showcased painting

works of various renowned modern masters of art in the Kingdom

like Mohammad Siam, Safia Binzagr, Abdullah Radwi and Abdul-

lah Hammas, amongst others.

I personally recommend art enthusiasts at Effat University to grab

the opportunity and visit the exhibitions in Gold Moor mall or to

visit www.21-39.com for information on other exhibitions under the

same initiative. It will be an experience you might rave about for

days.

- Sumaiyya Naseem

Moallaqat featured

established

Saudi artists

like Ahmed

Mater, Saddek

Wasil, Manal

Al Dowayan

All the pictures in this page were taken personally

at the Gold Moor Mall Exhibition.

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Effat University organized trips to the Ithra’a 1001 Inventions

Exhibition. It was a truly inspiring experience that I shared with my

friends. The exhibition that was open for the public from 16th Octo-

ber to 28th November of 2013.

We were thrilled and excited to be at the exhibition and we were

organized in groups. It was a great opportunity to know more about

the history of Islamic inventions and culture.

Our supervisor and guide was Dr, Akila who decided to start our trip

with the live performance about Alemat Ra’edat from the Golden Era

of the Islamic Civilization. Dr. Salim Al-Hassani, the presenter, who

is the author of the book 1001 Inventions talked about the heroic

women of the past who were leaders and who brought about change

in the Islamic heritage. He also talked about Fatima Fehey’s contri-

bution to the building of a mosque and her condition that the struc-

tures would be made from what the country already has. This made

the work authentic and contributed to the local economy.

Dr. Salim talked about Sateta AlMahamly the pioneer in the field of

algebra. Her influence and contribution was so notable and admired

in Baghdad’s society after she passed away huge amounts of people

gathered to honor her and for her burial.

The exhibition changed my opinion and perspective of women. I

chose to talk about these two women because I was deeply affected

by their story and proud that the Islamic history had powerful and

intellectual women. I personally used to consider women weak be-

cause I thought women could not stand up for their rights and speak

up for themselves. Women are persons too and they can create and

invent and leave their fingerprints upon the world.

After we finished the valuable presentation by Dr. Salim, we went

out to the tents to know more about inventions and the past cultures.

There were inventions from all over the world, it was so much that

we couldn’t even count, so it was impossible to see everything in one

day. But we were happy we spent our day so well and got to know

our history.

I write with passion, love and proud feelings for these legends and

Queens and for all their inventions. We women are leaders of the

present and of the future. The truth is that women are not just created

to be sisters, daughters, wife or a mother. Woman was created to be

the owner of her opinion, a lady of the society , and a source of pow-

er for herself and those around her. Women were made capable of

achieving great things and history and our past shows that women

have achieved wonders.

There are countless women in history who contributed to the society

in amazing ways, not just Sateta AlMahamly and Fatima Fahey. As

the famous saying goes, behind every accomplished man is a woman.

I say that beside every accomplished man is an accomplished wom-

an.

- Lujain Ajeenah,

Edited by Sumaiyya Naseem

Two Inspiring Women in

History

Woman was created to be the owner

of her opinion, a lady of the society ,

and a source of power for herself and

those around her.

The images in this page were taken from

1001inventions.com

Effat Muse does not claim to own them.

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Workshop Diaries: Scriptwriting Workshop by AFAC

The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture recently organized a

scriptwriting workshop for aspiring film-makers and writers in KSA.

The 5 day workshop took place from April 1-5 at the Nesma Train-

ing Centre, in collaboration with the Saudi Film Association (SFA).

The E&T department organized a trip to the workshop under the

supervision of Dr. Sanna Dhahir and Dr. Ahmed Khuddro.

The professional film-makers, Jacques Fieschi from France, Ali Es-

safi from Morocco, and Ahmed Maher from Egypt, gave master clas-

ses and held interactive discussions that focused on scriptwriting and

film-making. The classes were extremely useful due to the profes-

sional backgrounds of the scriptwriters. Participants learned a lot

about the process of writing a script, the considerations a writer

makes, and the importance and essential qualities in creating back-

grounds of a character. The workshops also focused on how im-

portant it is to know the character you create and how influential

personal background becomes in the process of writing a story.

An interesting aspect of the discussions was the cultural influence in

the films. Mr. Ali Essafi stressed on the fact that most Arabian mov-

ies use western elements in their stories while disregarding the rich

Arabian culture and history. An example was given of the horror

films that usually feature vampires and zombies even in the eastern

industries. However, when an Arabian or eastern person writes a

movie, they should look at the history of folk tales and legends

like the Arabian Nights, the Genie, and the mystical aspects that

arise as a result of their culture and beliefs.

Mr. Ahmed Maher conveyed a similar message when he talked

about the diversity which occurs within the same country, culture

and even family. Every person’s experience and the society

around them, including their background, shape the way they

think and behave. The exact philosophy is applied to characters in

movies.

Mr. Jacques Fieschi discussed various aspects of scriptwriting and

film-making. He has written over 30 films and he’s directed two

of them which were received very well by the audience. One of

the two aspects of his discussion that stood out was how there

shouldn’t be a strict line between good and bad between characters.

Moralizing characters is

not an effective manner

of storytelling, especial-

ly considering the fact

that most characters

have a reason for the

way they are. Another

striking aspect of his

talk was the fact that

when if you’re working

with a director it’s best

to choose the director you’re most comfortable with. Scriptwriters

and directors don’t always agree, and there is a possibility that a di-

rector creates the film in a manner that the writer does not feel satis-

fied with. Working with directors you understand, and connect with

on some levels, is really important.

The workshops were extremely helpful for me, and I ended up writ-

ing a short film script by the end of the entire 5-day event. The event

was also a great place for networking with other film-makers, pro-

ducers and writers. The teams of AFAC, SFA and Nesma Training

Centre were also really encouraging and enthusiastic regarding the

initiative. Despite the absence of a concrete film industry in KSA,

there are countless persons with a passion for the moving picture and

its creation process.

Editor’s note: AFAC plans on organising workshops in the future. To

know more about their organization, future plans and social media

links visit their website: www.arabculturefund.org

- Sumaiyya Naseem

Moralizing characters is not an

effective manner of storytelling,

Despite the absence of a

concrete film industry in

KSA, there are countless

persons with a passion for

the moving picture.

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The FSTC and Effat University Project

On Monday 7th April, Professor Salim TS Al-Hassani, founder and

President of the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisa-

tion (FSTC), and Professor Mohamed Al-Gomati, Chairman of the

FSTC, visited the university to speak about the project that they

initiated in collaboration with Effat University.

They FSTC is fast gaining popularity around

the world for their 1001 exhibitions. This year

they held three major exhibitions in Malaysia,

Spain and KSA.

The significance of the exhibitions lies in the

fact that it represents the Golden Age of the

Muslim Civilization and all the inventions and

discoveries that were made during this era.

Ironically, this time period of 1000 years is

referred to as the Dark Ages due to the “lack”

in intellectual, scientific and educational substance. The aim of

the FSTC is to clear this misconception by

exhibiting the creations of that era and bringing to light the immense

and essential contribution that the Muslim Civilization made to-

wards the modern technologies and inventions.

In an interview conducted for Effat Muse, Dr. Salim stressed on the

fact that the idea is not to assert religious, racial or political superi-

ority, in fact, that is not even their consideration. The focus of the

FSTC is to educate the world about the importance of the “Dark

Ages”. This has already created a space for interaction and under-

standing between countries and nations.

In the discussion, Dr. Salim pointed out that European and western

names are extremely common when one passes through a school

textbook. However, the names of the brilliant minds and inventors

of the Golden Age are almost never mentioned. Interestingly, many

modern devices and technologies like the airplane, camera and auto-

mobiles had their models created from basic concepts that were first

devised in the Golden Age.

The Effat University project is incorporating the knowledge of the 1001 inventions into some courses. The idea of the project is for instructors and professors to pick out relevant inventions and infor-mation from the Golden Age and to incorporate it in their course material. In courses like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology or other ECE courses, students are already witnessing the integra-tion.

Dr. Salim and Dr. Mohamed talked about the importance of know-

ing about the inventions and the inventors. Once a person knows

about the history and the influence that lies in their cultural back-

ground, they begin to respect themselves more and they appreciate

their roots more. A lot of young people from the Arabian and East-

ern cultures feel lost and they don’t feel appreciated. They need to

develop a sense of worth and humanity.

The project aims to educate the students of Effat University and to

expand their knowledge. It also aims to

create a platform where inventors of Europe are men-

tioned alongside inventors of the Mus-

lim Civilization.

In the interview, Dr. Salim advised

teachers to “tell stories” instead of giv-

ing information in white and black.

When story telling becomes a part of

education, it develops interest in stu-

dents and it makes the classroom envi-

ronment stimulating. But more im-

portantly storytelling is a highly effec-

tive manner of passing on long term

knowledge.

Dr. Salim and Dr. Mohamed were extremely inspiring and their

discussion truly broadened my perspective of the role that the Mus-

lim Civilization has played during it’s Golden Age.

- Sumaiyya Naseem

The project aims to create a

platform where inventors of

Europe are mentioned

alongside inventors of the

Muslim Civilization.

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There is a strong link, in people’s minds, between video games and violence. Many people think of playing video games as a source to acquire aggression. Also, some studies show that playing video games can affect one’s health. For instance, it is very com-mon for a video game player to have some sort of muscle pain, attention problems…etc. Moreover, some of video game players suffer from obesity and sleep deprivation. However, Yumna Ansari conducted a research which tries to show that video games are ac-tually not bad things. The following is an interview I conducted with Ms. Ansari through e-mail .

Tell us a little about yourself. What are your interests and your aim as a person?

My name is Yumna Aziz and I’m a Computer

Science student in my junior year. Some random

things about myself: I’m a dreamer, I’m an ex-

pert in procrastination and I have an odd obses-

sion with cute things, especially cats and stuffed

seals. I’m an avid reader and I love reading all

types of books that catch my interest, although

fantasy novels are a particular favorite. I consid-

er myself a gamer – and almost failed sixth

grade because I found defeating The Page Mas-

ter a lot more interesting than reading my text books.

Over the past year, I’ve realized I have an interest in changing the

way the educational system is currently implemented and I hope I

can contribute to such a change through my passion for video

games. My dream is to become the best at what I do and make my

parents proud of me, inshaAllah.

Your presentation at the L&T Conference was about Video Games

and learning. What led you to pursue a research in the subject?

It all started after I decided to present video games as a solution to

the problems in the educational system in one of my research

courses. I began by having an abstract idea of the game based off

of the educational games I played as a child. As I delved deeper

into the subject, scrolling through research papers, articles and

books, I realized that video games have a huge potential of being

used as teaching tools, in theory and in practice. I also realized that

commercial games – although primarily being sources of entertain-

ment - have a lot to offer when it comes to learning from them.

This finding made me re-think of all the games I’ve played/still

play in a new light. When I heard that this year’s L&T would be on

MOOCs and I might even have the opportunity to participate as a

speaker, I decided to concentrate my research on a single genre. I

chose Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games because

not only do such games develop problem solving skills, but they

also develop team working and communication skills. And these

skills are exactly what are needed in the workforce today.

What was the main focus of your research? What results did you

obtain?

My research mainly focused on the appeal of MMOPGs as teach-

ing tools and the skills that can be learned through them from a

student’s perspective. I had students fill out a questionnaire online

and also passed out hard copies of the questionnaire at Jeddah

Prep. The results showed that majority of the students that play

MMOPGS said that

they developed team working, problem solving

and observational

skills as a result. It

also showed that

most of the students

believe that

MMOPGs should be

used in the classroom

to teach because it

would be a ‘fun’,

‘interactive’ method

of learning. They also pointed out that video games help present

information in different contexts and encourage the player to use

their imagination.

Do you plan on pursuing further study on the subject?

I certainly hope so. There is so much to learn and explore

in this field from the attitudes of teachers towards the subject to the

different ways video games can be used to teach. Another way of

looking at this topic is to ask whether the features of video games

can be implemented in real life. ...Cont..

Video Games and Learning

The results showed that majority of the

students that play MMOPGS said that

they developed team working, problem

solving and observational skills as a

result.

Page 13: Effat Muse

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I believe it’s a wide known fact that where schools have failed to

grasp the student’s attention, video games have succeeded. And if

we were ever to revolutionize the educational system, we first

need to understand what drives a player to spend hours playing a

video game while neglecting their school work. And if educators

and game designers succeed in bringing those elements into the

classroom, then, and only then can the educational system trans-

form to match the needs of today’s learners.

What is your advice to students who are working on research?

Although research can be long and tedious at times, it is a re-

warding experience. I would suggest choosing a topic that inter-

ests you to ensure you don’t give up half way. And do lots and

lots of reading. Sometimes, people have certain biases on a topic

and reading can certainly change their perspective. Reading al-

lows one to open their mind to possibilities which would never

have been an option in the past. Reading the researches of others

also helps you formulate your own research questions and prob-

lems. It provides you with guidelines to help you get started on

your research and exposes you to different approaches. And final-

ly, I would suggest you start writing – even if you don’t feel con-

fident in your writing ability. Because you will never know what

you can and cannot do until you try.

- Abrar Jehad Swailem

Ali Essafi is a Moroccan film director with a unique Arabic

message. Effat Muse met Mr. Alsafi in a screenwriting workshop held

by AFAC company at Nesmah Center on the 2nd of April.

Tell us a little about yourself:

Well you know my name, Ali Essafi from Morocco. I make motiva-

tional and realistic films, not really the fictional type. I am very curi-

ous to explore and film the historical sites in the Kingdom.

You mentioned in your talk that you have longed to come to Saudi

Arabia, how do you feel that you are here?

This is my first time to Saudi Arabia and I have only been to Jeddah. I

am very happy to be here because I was very curious about Saudi

Arabia. We hear a lot about it from afar and we come across some

clichés. So I have been very fortunate to come here and have such an

exchange with Saudi youth.

How did you find this workshop?

To be honest, I was very surprised to see such zeal and thirst for the

field of cinema here. It is very evident that the youth here is adamant

to discuss their social issues and has a great deal of curiosity towards

other cultures.

You mentioned that you had clichés about us, can you mention one?

Well we always here about the segregation between men and women

here in public places. We don’t know how to imagine that or what to

think of it. I used to think that there would be partitions everywhere.

But so far, from my stay in Jeddah, I found this to be untrue.

Our final question is, what is the message that you would like to con-

vey to anyone who would to pursue screenwriting or film directing?

As I have mentioned in my talk, as Arabs we must address our visual

sites and symbols in order to produce new and creative content. We

must look into our history and calligraphy. We must create our own

schools of art. There must be a unique Saudi style.

- Afnan Linjawi

….Video Games and Learning

Reading allows one to open their mind to

possibilities which would never have been

an option in the past.

An interview with Mr. Ali Essafi

Picture taken from the internet.

Page 14: Effat Muse

14

Literature Corner At Effat

Page 15: Effat Muse

15

A question readers are often asked is whether they prefer reading

physical, tangible books or online versions which can be carried any-

where, read on most smart devices and are easily accessible. Personal-

ly I’ve always been partial (I absolutely detest ebooks) to an actual

book that definitely takes up a lot of space in my handbag. People

who prefer ebooks have the advantage of reading wherever they go,

even at a boring wedding where the bride shows up at 2 in the night.

(Not a party rocker? Flip out your phone and pretend you’re busy

while you catch up with your favourite character!) If you’re someone

who is adamant on reading from paper, you will agree that it’s not

easy getting your hands on any book you like in this part of the world.

The collection in Jeddah bookstores is sadly limited. However, regard-

less of all that, there is an interesting relationship between book lovers

and the online world.

While you may hop the Google

bandwagon to look for the ebook of your

desire, there is a deeper and more intricate

world out there for you to explore. The

world of online Literature magazines and

blogs. From readers, writers to editors and

publishers; everyone is involved in ex-

pressing their views about books and art

through Tweets, Facebook statuses, Insta-

gram posts, or even Tumblr shares. In this review I’m going to tell

you about an online magazine that I personally recommend, and

which keeps me in the modern Art and Literature loop.

Warning: This post contains highly useful information that may cause

an increase in your intellect and knowledge!

GRANTA: Found in 1889 by a group of Cambridge students, Granta

has come a long way to become one of the most wide-read Literature

magazines around the world. The magazine was named after the river

Granta near Cambridge in England, and retains it’s original name to

this day. Having featured new writings of celebrated writers like Syl-

via Plath, Michael Frayn, and Ted Hughes, Granta has established

itself in the online and print world and has become one of the hotspots

for lovers of the written word.

It includes archives of memoirs, essays, fiction, poetry and

modern photojournalism. It’s one of the best places where you can

find about upcoming new writers, interviews of reputable writers from

all around the world, and poetry and essays. In praise for the excep-

tional magazine, the Observer wrote: “Granta has its face pressed

firmly against the window, determined to witness the world.”

It’s super easy to create an account on the Granta website. You can

also subscribe to the monthly newsletter which can be read on your

smartphone, anywhere you go, anytime you like!

This online magazine is often my morning cup of coffee. I enjoy

browsing through it on my 20 minute car ride to Uni, and I suggest

you find your 20 minutes too! Granta 127 is the most recent issue

of Granta. It focuses on Japanese contemporary literature and is

available online on their website.

Granta Books is the official publishing division of Granta. Various

novels published by Granta Books have won awards for their liter-

ary excellence. Website: http://www.granta.com/

- Sumaiyya Naseem

“What is the secret to happiness?” we often ask ourselves that

question over and over again, but we don’t quite know how to answer

it. Some say money and success, others say family and friends. Rich-

ard Templar helps answer that question by saying:

“It is quite simply how you feel inside, how you affect people

around you, what sort of friend, partner, and parent are you,

what sort of impact you make on the world, and what sort of

impression you leave in your wake.”

His International bestseller book “The Rules of Life” is a life-

coaching book that helps and motivates a person to live a happy

and successful life. The book contains a set of 106 rules - each

rule with an explanation of why and how it will be useful in life.

It is also divided into four areas: Rules for the self, partnership

rules, family and friends rules, and social rules. Some of the

rules are common sense but Templar explains it in a way that

make you wonder, “Why haven’t I thought of it like that before?”

Granta—Online Literature World

Book Blabber: Rules of Life

“Granta has its face

pressed firmly

against the window,

determined to witness

the world.”

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16

I have found all the rules interesting but here are some of the rules that

stood out for me:

Rule 4: Be flexible in your thinking. “Try to see life not as the

enemy, but as a friendly sparring partner.”

Rule 18: Aim to be the very best at everything you do – not sec-

ond best. “Failing is fine. Aiming for second

best isn’t.”

Rule 20: Don’t be afraid to dream. “Plans have

to be realistic; Dreams don’t.”

Rule 102: Be part of the solution not the prob-

lem.

Rule 103: Check what history would say about you.

-Esraa Ghouth

You didn’t kill me and so I love you. I was very afraid of life. I used to sit up hours in the night, in cun-

ning darkness, thinking about a lot of things that never mattered, con-templating and driving my energy away. It would tire me, and I would slump back to bed, only to do it the next day; all over again. Thank god that has mostly stopped. I'd have lost all my black hair of gore. That same ugly hair you now love. I'm not afraid anymore. I am breathing, curling, expanding and closing like a flower that blooms at 2 in the night. I used to mope around all day. Like Bella Swan, I'm afraid. I had hol-low eyes, I'd stare into space with a wall separating my vision and my sight. I'd make people feel sorry they talked to me. I didn't make any efforts to be lovely. I waited for people to leave me. I sat alone and when I felt someone approaching me, I'd take out a grave from my bag and bury myself in it. I wore headphones that played silence like a requiem. I looked like a person but I was actually a stick covered in flesh. I was an empty shell. There was a lot of depth about me, but none of it was deep or meaningful. I was a bottle of water with openings that leaked.

The dark under my eyes only became darker each week and looked more like me. I was bitter all the time. I felt like a fallen superhero. My life was a big tragedy. I needed change but never wanted it. I had become com-fortable in my pale skin. My clothes hung around me like beggars around a fancy car. I never got excited about anything other than haing the home all to myself. And as soon as everyone left, I'd switch off all the lights and write “Hi, Life” on my skin. Then I'd fall asleep after thinking a thousand things that were like a shovel upon my soul. I'd wake up in the dead of the night, have a can of coke while survey-ing the 50 missed calls on my phone. I'd left my family waiting out-

side the door until it had to be broken into. Once again. Life was fed up with me, but I thought it was the other way. I laughed when girls swooned over love songs and Johnny Depp. I thought Larry King Live was an old man taking his Monday Night Club too seriously. Harry Potter was a writer and J.K. Rowling his mother.

I was convinced I knew everything. I was convinced I had the world figured out all on my own and that everyone else was living it the wrong way. I knew I was right and during my moping sessions, I'd grrr about how people had no idea what fools they were. I was right and they were wrong and I was unhappy. One day I picked up the scissors and made a doll out of my hair. Then I walked right into you. Kind of bumped, actually. I swore at you, asked you to mind where you were going and said some other nasty things. Then you moved to the side to let me pass. I was facing a blank wall. I don't know how that bump in the corridor grew into a laugh on the swings. You told me my awful hair was nice, and I told you smelled like mice. You told me my quietness made me a poet, and I told you I wish we’d never met. You told me you loved me and I wrote you a note that went something like this…. Well, I’ve forgotten what I’d written but I remember you told me it was the nicest thing you’d read. My life was a silent, shaky town, but now I’m good at holding hands and the upside down frown. Many days have passed, and I still have my ugly hair and the terrible pale skin, except it blushes around you. Often my nights are spent in the dark and you write on my skin, “Hi, Life”. You changed me but you didn’t kill who I was. I wrote you this terrible poem that looks like a story; or maybe it’s a story that reads like a poem. But somewhere in the beginning there is an end and in the end, a beginning. Well, we’re at the end, so let’s begin another story.

Sumaiyya Naseem

Super Short Story: Hi, Life

I am breathing, curling, expanding

and closing like a flower that blooms

at 2 in the night.

What does

history say

about you?

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17

The novel “Pride and Prejudice” was written by Jane Austen

in 1813. Jane Austen was an English novelist of romantic fiction and

is considered one of the most widely read writers in English literature.

Her writings began with epistolary novels and her most famous novels

are Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and

Emma. Different movies were based on “Pride and Prejudice.” One of

the distinguished movies adaptations of the novel is Pride and Preju-

dice of 2005.

The novel’s theme dis-

cusses marriage issues

related to social class

during 19th century, but

for the protagonists of the

novel, Elizabeth Bennet

& Mr. Darcy it is much

more than that. They ac-

tually face their pride and

prejudice, which act as obstacles preventing them from falling in love

and finally getting married. The movie tries to translate the written

words into visual projections to depict the novel’s theme as much as

possible. Thus, if we compare the 2005 movie production with the

original novel we can sense that the movie is faithful to the original

theme. The movie beautifully depicts the life of the 19th century with

its settings and wonderful costumes. The movie beautifully shows the

conflicts and growth of the

characters into their true

form. For example, the

scene in the rain where

Darcy and Lizzie have an

angry argument is the point

where the pride and preju-

dice of the two characters

fall apart and the true emo-

tions of love is revealed.

If we compare the original novel with the 2005 movie pro-

duction - not only through the theme, but also through the characters -

we will notice that they made the audience visualize the novel in their

heart and body.

In conclusion, I am in love with “Pride and Prejudice” and

consider it one of the greatest works of Austen that was adapted suc-

cessfully into a movie. The book and the movie let you experience the

19th century life by involving your imagination and enhancing your

viewing experience. I recommend everyone to read the novel and then

watch the movie.

- Alaa O. Bamashmoos

Boovie Review: Pride and Prejudice

Cut out your excessive nostrils, old male

& eliminate that spray deodorant of yours, as well

Intolerable odor; I'm smothered, a hypocrite aroma of rotten Ginger

ale

Don't you comprehend the extent of your own stink, reek, & smell?

Through a wide open mouth and streaming cold saliva, I severely

inhaled

Pausing my lungs, fully occupied, wide, and set still

I rushed fleeing away from you & such surrounding filth

Brushing greens, under refreshing light, I stopped on the land's hill

& coughed out the excessive trapped air that was built

Oh, how much it made me extremely appalled and merely ill

But as of now, cleared from waves of windy weather, hit by wind-

mills

My system, distant away from your scent, had felt once again so

swell

- Salma B. Aljuhani

“Be positive”, a phrase that we often

hear from people in certain situations.

Well, it’s easier said than done, espe-

cially when we face difficulties or when

in distress. We can be positive when

things are going as desired but once when we face serious issues,

negative thoughts start haunting us. The actual question is not how

to be positive but rather how to “remain” positive.

I think it is really important to ask ourselves this question and come

up with answers because once we do; I assure you it will definitely

be a turning point.

I have come up with an answer myself. I have come to realize that

being thankful works like magic because - what is actually happen-

ing? You are focusing on the good and this gives you a rest from

thinking of the difficulties you are facing.

I wake up everyday embracing my blessings and thanking God for

everything. This helped me change the way I look at things. It made

me reach a level of satisfaction of who I am and everything that I

have. Nonetheless, It did not stop me from striving to be better. It is

something that pushes me.

So here is a thought to consider: Choose something to be

thankful for everyday and this will become a habit.

The Poetics : Alpha Male

A Page From the Journal of -

Remaaz Hetaimish

Being thankful

works like

magic

Page 18: Effat Muse

18

It’s summer 2012, and with both my elder siblings in London, my

parents and I have no plans of going out of Jeddah for the summer.

Then one day, I was told I have a flight to Egypt in less than 12

hours. – A surprise from my father that got me all perked up.

And so, the 4 day trip began.

Day 1: The Giza Pyramids

As the sun was setting we saw the breath-taking Pyramids. We stood

in a balcony so we could get a good view. High up in the sky the wind

was blowing in my face. With shaky legs, goosebumps, I had tears

rolling down my face, I watched the most amazing way anything has

ever lit up. Pink, Green, Blue and a wide variety of shades of colours

reflected on the Pyramids. Artificially dressed up mummy dummies

danced around with the most unique kind of scary grace. Bold Egyp-

tian voices narrated the Pharaoh's legendary stories. Spectacular Egyp-

tian instrumental music was pouring into my ears and would some-

times reach deafening levels. Lights playing with the

pyramids enhanced the beauty of the view. The Sun and

Light Giza show changed my world. I lived a dream

with eyes wide open. I no more believe in the phrase

'Nothing's perfect', because the Sun and Light Giza

Show was.

Day 2: Exploring Cairo

It was now time for a reality check. From the wonder,

the pyramids, stooping down to the real business. The

local places. Down to the core of Egypt we went and started our jour-

ney of the second day. Narrow crooked and rough paths. With humidi-

ty on our skin and the sounds of shop keepers shouting out glorious

deals, “Free free! Two on one free!” we roamed around the local mar-

kets in this blazing heat. Streets had a peculiar smell, like that of a

thousand workers sweating. Among the items being sold was hand-

made pottery and tiny little mummy sculptures. Then we proceeded to

the modern areas like the busy malls and community hotspots. We

visited shops with the most amazing paintings and historic sculptures.

I sat on an original

throne and saw actual tombs.

Day 3: History at its best

With the early morning breeze and breakfast in bed, the day began

calm and beautiful. Little did I know my day would end up

with Mummies gawking at me. Today was the turn for several hours

of exploring the Oldest Museum in the world. The coffins, the shields,

enormous earrings, rings, and even bullets made of gold. All belonged

to kings and queens of Ancient Egypt. Oh boy, the feeling you get in a

room full of Mummies with you being the only one not dead since a

1000 years. Left alone in a dark, cold room, with a heavy, manly his-

toric voice bursting from overhead speakers, coming out of nowhere

to tell me the history of each mummy. It was pure adrenaline rush. I

could hear my pulse throbbing in my ears. We saw the most historic,

the scariest, the most fascinating, and the most unbelievable sculp-

tures. Carved with ancient skills. We ended the day with an early sup-

per. Feasting on barbecued chicken marinated with Egyptian herbs.

Mouth watering, sizzling dishes arrived at our tables and the smell

filled the air around us. We dug in like hungry tired tourists.

Day 4: The River Nile

“Beautiful.” for the Nile is an understatement. I was be-

neath the sky and the moon followed me. It was our last

day and we spent it in our hotel packing up and our night

cruising The River Nile. There were tall and short build-

ings all around us. Right in the middle of the city, the

river Nile was flowing. Moonlight bounced off of the

water as I stood at the edge of the cruise breathing it all

in. It was as if the waves beneath me were not beneath

me but flowing within me. I felt the movement beneath

my feet. I stood at the deck and around me were few people; some

couples taking pictures of the great river and themselves. A little mur-

muring as people exchanged remarks on how exquisite the view is.

Colourful lights that were placed on the harbour reflected into the

water. Red and blue shades of lights cascaded on palm trees that sur-

rounded the river.. I was at peace. I knew these were the last few mo-

ments I had in Egypt. I sunk it all in, the smell of salt water, the sound

of waves timidly hitting our boat and the majestic view around me.

- Nimra Naqvi

Travel Writing: I Welcomed Egypt In-

to my Heart

Streets had a

peculiar smell,

like that of a

thousand

workers

sweating.

Page 19: Effat Muse

19

Art Reviews:

A Hunger After a Thousand Year

Nap

Review by - Lina Babsail

The Hunger After a Thousand Year Nap is a surrealistic

painting created digitally by Marcin Jakubowski. The painting covers a lot of life's philosophical aspects. The human head, which it looks too tired yet so relieved, represents the insides of earth. Despite the unbearable pain given by corruption, the deterioration was expected and somehow known. Humanity paved it’s path to corruption and created their own fate. The meas-ure of the arrogance of the human race was destroying the world, without them realizing it.

It asks each human to take a step back to real-ize how badly they affected mother earth. It seems like the earth was craving salvation or it was asking for mer-cy from humans before it came out with this enormous amount of rage. The artist drew this corruption and arro-gance in these buildings. What I find really interesting is that some buildings are white while the others are col-oured, depicting that earth or its insides had enough with humanity and its corruption, and it has been going for many years. These old buildings were placed on the back of the human head to give the artistic piece more meaning to. It shows that the pain and sufferings of mother earth was there long time ago, then it expanded and forced itself on humanity. Finally, this piece also supports the idea of earth waking up after thousands of years for vengeance, to make humans become obsolete, and it will give calmness to nature and its harmless creatures. The beauty of this peace is that it can be expressed in different ways, some see it as: man’s obsession with civi-lization, or how a man can seclude himself in his own world.

Editor’s note: Surrealistic art feasts on the unconscious and

explores dreams as a valid reality. Check out René Magritte, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo and Paul Delvaux.

Alwarsha and Power Reviews by - Nadeen Alwazani

“Alwarsha” is the title of this painting that is done by Tamara Alhus-seini. This Arabic title means “workshop” which is a sarcastic

way of explaining what is happening in modern society. The portrait is clearly about brainwashing children’s minds with many things in life, for example, our parents who raised us mostly through seeking approval and ac-ceptance from our society, rather than seeking our true selves without being affected from our surroundings. The brainwashing initiates at childhood and has become robotic and systematic throughout our adulthood. This truth is almost tangible in the painting; such feature is portrayed in the baby’s eyes, though he looks like a toddler, his eyes contradicts that. Moreover, the asym-metrical shape of his face portrays a more realistic look of the toddler, and the drawing technique of the tod-

dler’s skin is clean and semi-professional. I observed the sharp and bright colors of his brain are more pronounced compared to the rest of the painting. This might metaphorically represents the strong effect society has on children even at a very young age. It is always admired when an artwork is cleanly painted and has a clear and has a relatively easily understood theme.

(Review a painting or art piece that interests you and send us your work for an opportunity to get published!)

The

brainwashing

initiates at

childhood and

has become

robotic and

systematic

throughout our

adulthood.

Page 20: Effat Muse

20

“Power” is a distinguished painting done by Dina Hijazi. As commonly known among Arabs, the eagle symbolizes power and strength, hence the title came from. This painting portrays a sophisti-cated way of combining two different looks as one, meaning the ea-gle’s eye is shown as the man’s eye somehow, which is a clever way of revealing the theme of power that both man and eagle share. This artwork symbolizes the assumed strength and power of man in this patriotically oppressed society. It incorporates different tech-niques of drawing, including acrylic and water colors, which is done in a harmonious way.

The first thing that caught my attention was the eagle’s eye which is the focus of this painting. I have perceived that the combination of brown, black and white colors contribute to the warm atmosphere of the painting. Generally, the light used in the painting is organic and soft in nature –there is no sharp contrast of light, but rather a gentile distinction is clearly shown in the image. I have observed the curved lines in the man’s forehead portray natural and rhythmic feeling. Lastly, the man and eagle are in the painting are in correct scale and proportion to one another.

Our deteriorating lethargic bodies, rusting minds, and solitary fast forward lives are all obvious symptoms of technology taking its toll on us. So why do we disregard it's degenerating effect and continue to use it?

Technology is fast becoming the focal point in our lives. Without tech-nology, we feel as if there is no light guiding us. Can't you see that technology is slowly taking over our thoughts, replacing them with lethal efficiency? Technology is creating a growing army of dull-eyed slow-witted people who cannot think for themselves.

Technology weaselled itself into our lives and now it has the upper hand in every matter, a parasite that has latched itself on us and weaved its way into our daily life. Nowadays, we drive automobiles, watch television, constantly open the Internet to check out what our friends are upto, or simply even to read an article or a book. We live through tech-nology, and that's not truly living. There was connectivity in the past, but not as chaotic as it is today.

I would be first to admit that technology has its uses otherwise it would take me years to finish research instead of just a few weeks or months. The same goes for reading books. We finish reading faster now because our gadgets are always on us. Place is not an issue, and neither is time.

Technology is the kind of good thing that we should limit. It has its glamour and advantages, so we only see the pretty picture not what lurks underneath.

"Attention! Zombies were caught roaming in high schools!” If you have a desire to see a real zombie just go to any high school classroom and see the teenage students there. They walk around like they’re dead, unaware of their environment.

Today teenagers are the most dependent group on technology, for it has evolved in their generation. In my opinion, technology has ren-dered all teenagers lazy and petulant. When you walk in the class-room, you can see for yourself, the aloofness of their expressions, the glazed dullness in their eyes, and the iPhones and Blackberries glued to their hands. Teenagers rely entirely too much on technology, and if somehow that important asset vanishes, they wouldn’t survive the onslaught. For example, the recent ban on Twitter in Turkey had to be lifted because the youth took to the streets in rage. Internet and tech-nology has become a basic right for all human beings, and when taken away it would lead to unsurmountable chaos.

I concede that technology has made our lives infinitely easier and more efficient, but at the precious expense of our bodies and minds.

- Hiba AlWazani

Notes From Outside Effat: Lethal

Efficiency

There was

connectivity in

the past, but

not as chaotic

as it is today.

Page 21: Effat Muse

21

I was smiling at my shine, I could feel her holding my hand, With a similar promise of love, I could see her band, Intertwined with my fingers, I was under the stars, With flowers and fireworks, She walked down the aisle, She held my hand. I could feel her, next to me, I could feel her, in this fear, Comforting me, I closed my eyes, Wrapped in myself, I was fading, Tell her I love he-....

Our hearts are pounding, Hungry for light, We're screaming, can you hear us? Our tears are creating storms, Can you see us? We're ripping the tides apart, Desperate for closure, We're fading... Can you-... Somewhere we hide, From all the darkness in this world, Up above, down below, We're the lucky ones, Far away from all lies, We're fading... Can you find-.. I still remember, I dug my tiny nails into their fingers, Daddy took me in his arms, And we walked from window to window, When our house faded In the sky and I cried. I was scared and Mommy held me tight, I burst balloons and bothered people, I laughed when Mother shushed me, I cried for colours at the shop, I faked a cry to stay in your arms. I should've gone to school, I'm sorry Mother, I love you, I'll go to school every day, I'll be the best version of myself, Father, I'm scared and I miss your arms around me, I don't want the colours or the candy. Can I have your arms around me? Daddy I'm scared.

I'm fading... Mother I lov-…

- Saad Naseem

We recently conducted a short survey through the use of email, Face-book, and other social media networks. Our survey aimed at getting a rough idea of the favourite books of people around Jeddah. Much research needs to be conducted when it comes to reading and the soci-ety of Jeddah. As much as there are reading enthusiasts, there are those who have never picked up a book. Effat Muse plans on finding out why. Is your favourite book in this list?

Birds Without Wings, by Louis de Bernières, (Lisa Zuppé)

The Alchemist, Paolo Coelho, (Hanan M. Asghar)

The Working Theory of Love - Scott Hutschins, (Noora Omer)

The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough (Imrana Hasan)

To The Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf, (Shadia Bakhsh)

The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks, (Laila Fatima)

The Secret - Paul Harrington, (Lugain B. Tayeb)

Paper Towns - John Green, (Muna A. Al-Shehri)

Diplomatic Baggage: The Adventures of a Trailing Spouse - Brigit Keenan, (Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed)

P.S. I Love You - Cecelia Ahern, (Hadeel Milyani)

Veronica Decides to Die—Paolo Coelho, (Nimra Fatima)

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green, (Asmaa Al-Sheikh)

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less - Jeffry Archer, (Karima Khadaker)

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee, (Fatima A. Haroon)

The Secret History - Donna Tartt, (Sumaiyya Naseem)

Don’t Be Sad - ‘Aidh Ibn Abdullah Al-Qarna, (Wed Nasser)

World Without End - Ken Follett, (Fawzia M. Hersi)

Hopeless - Colleen Hoover, (Basma AbdulMajeed)

The Good Son - Todd Strasser, (Fatima Hatim)

The Kite Runner - Khaled Husseini, (Jasna Usman)

Bastard of Istanbul - Elif Shafak, (Huda Merchant)

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen, (Tina Ann Thomas)

The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom, (Asia Bukhari)

The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly, (Malak Fatani)

The Historian - Elisabeth Kostova. (Mariam Daffa)

Happy Reading!

Poetry From Outside Effat: MH370

We're the

lucky ones Is Your Favourite Book in This List?

Page 22: Effat Muse

22

Linguistics At Effat

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23

Linguist at Effat: Dr. Luai Hayajneh

Dr. Luai Hayajneh is a

professor in the English and

Translation department where

he teaches various courses on

Linguistics, Translation and

evening Editing and Publish-

ing.

Can you tell us a little bit

about yourself?

I have a B.A in English Lan-

guage and literature and M.A in

translation and interpretation from Yarmouk University/Jordan and

Ph.D in Linguistics: translation studies from Salford University/UK. I

have worked at Dhofar University in Oman and Jadara University and

Al-albyat university in Jordan. I am also lan-

guage consultant and translation project man-

ager, Oxford International Group. My research

interests are: technical translation, medical

translation; subtitling; translation studies: cul-

tural, referential, stylistic, and lexical gaps and

their effects on Arabic – English translation;

discourse analysis.

In your opinion, what is the most important specialty or research

area in linguistics? And why?

It is hard actually to give a fairly precise answer. It is a circle. If you

follow one direction you will simply find yourself going round in a

circle to meet other directions. Theoretical or applied linguistics do

stand in a complementary distribution. Other sub-branches- phonetics,

syntax, morphology…etc. or language teaching…etc. can’t be

categorized in terms of most important to less important. Yet,

you don’t need to capture or understand all of them. They all,

however, have in common what is called the Core Concepts.

You can’t say that cardiology is more important than neurolo-

gy or radiology. They do complete one another, and they do

need each other.

In your opinion, what makes a good linguist and what

makes a bad linguist?

Many factors do actually decide this. My most important factor is the

time given for reading. If you don’t read you don’t actually update

yourself, you don’t update your skills, you don’t know what is going

around you, you don’t develop yourself…etc. I remember the yellow

pages of one of my professors during my B.A. She spent around 17

years in the university teaching the same materials and using the same

yellow pages!!! So to read or not to read is what makes a linguist good

or bad.

What advice do you have to give for a novice in the field?

One of my favorite proverbs or sayings is: if there is a will, there is a

way, i.e. if you truly want to do something, you find a way to do it, in

spite of all obstacles. Start with a thorough understanding of the Core

Concepts of your field. Read as much as you can, practice as much as

you can, never say it is impossible and that it can’t be done.

- Afnan Linjawi

“That’s not what I meant!” Have you ever wondered how many times

we say those words to people? Those words are said when there is a

misunderstanding between

two people.

I will tell you about my per-

sonal experience. I went to

have a coffee at a café.

Before I ordered, I

asked about their new

beverage. I asked them

how much it is for, and

then I ordered my Mo-

cha Latte. They gave

me the receipt which

said “Hot Beverage”, so I waited for my order.

The waiter served me my drink and left. But when I tasted it, I imme-

diately realised that it was not the Mocha Latte that I had ordered. I

also realised that they had misunderstood my order. The cashier

thought that I wanted the new beverage. I called the waiter and told

him I didn’t want the new beverage, I was only asking about it. He

took my cup and apologised.

After a few minutes, he brought back my cup and it

had the new beverage in it. Once again. I quietly

laughed to myself and left the café disappointed.

I knew every time I had tasted my cup that it was

not what I had ordered. These things happen be-

cause of miscommunication and it may not seem

like a problem. But according to history, miscom-

munications on a bigger level have caused wars.

- Rawan Balahmar

That’s Not What I Meant!

I quietly

laughed to

myself and left

the café

disappointed.

To read or not

to read is what

makes a linguist

good or bad.

On the Next Page:

Read about India’s official language. India has

hundreds of languages and dialects.

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24

India is a land of great history and diversity. The different Indian

provinces have different official languages. In example, Bihar in East

India has three official languages: Hindi, Urdu and Bengali. In addi-

tion to that, Hindi on its own has more than 13 different dialects.

The central government sees the need to set an official lan-

guage while constitutionally recognizing the other

languages of India. This puts pressure on the Indian

government as it does not want speakers of other

languages see its decision as an attempt to erase their

own language and culture. This linguistic diversity in

India credits to the many cultures invading India

throughout history, starting from the dominance of

the Moghul Empire over North India, bringing with

it their Persian tongue which was inherited from

their religion, Islam. The Moghul did not just bring a

new language to the land, they brought poetry and music. This junc-

tion resulted in the Hindustani poetry. The Hindustani poetry is based

on the Hindustani language which contains words from Arabic and

Persian and is written in Perso-Arabic script. The uniqueness of the

combination developed into the language Urdu.

After the collapse of the Moghul Empire, Britain colonized

North India which brought the English language to the country. At the

time, Urdu was used in official contexts. The change was caused by

the demand of nationalists to change the official language from Urdu

to Hindi, which is written in Indian script. Even those whose mother

tongue was not Hindi supported this argument. That change never

happened until British India was divided into two countries, India and

Pakistan. Urdu became the official language of Pakistan due to the

prevalence of the Muslim population and Hindi became the official

language of the non-Muslims which prevailed in India.

The Indian constitution has declared that English can be used

in official contexts but Hindi is the language of the country as it is the

most commonly spoken language in India and it dates back to the pre-

independence times in Indian history.

- Wed Nasser

Article Courtesy of Diction-

ary.com

The name March is derived from the

Roman Martius named after Mars,

the Roman god of war. In ancient

Rome, March 1st marked the first

day of spring, which coincided with

the beginning of the calendar year and the start of the military cam-

paign season—which may explain why soldiers “march into battle.”

The Roman ruler, Numa Pompilius, added January and February to

the calendar thus making March the third month of the year. While

many have adopted the Gregorian calendar, some cul-

tures and religions still celebrate the start of the

New Year on March 1st.

Hares mate during the month of March and a female

hare may be seen “boxing” (striking another hare

with her paws) off a male to prevent an act of pro-

creation – hence “Mad as a March hare”—a phrase

that appeared for the first time in Sir Thomas

More’s “The supplycacyon of soulys,” published in

1529. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, under the pseu-

donym Lewis Carroll, also referenced this annual event in 1865’s Al-

ice’s Adventures in Wonderland (often shortened to Alice in Wonder-

land) and the passage: “The March hare…as this is May, it won’t be

raving mad—at least not so mad as it was in March.”

The Ides of March is a reference to the date Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in 44 B.C. and is observed on the 15th day of the month. The above article was taken from www.dictionary.com for the purpose of education. The content completely belongs to the aforementioned website. Effat Muse claims no credit for the work.

The Official Language of India

The Moghul did not

just bring a new

language to the

land, they brought

poetry and music.

Lexical Investigations: Is There a

Connection Between the month

March and Marching?

The Ides of March

is a reference to

the date Julius

Caesar was

stabbed to death

in 44 B.C.

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25

The Caveman’s Facebook

If you ever thought that ancient human beings didn’t have their own Facebook and text mes-saging, you thought wrong my friends! All these applications that we use every day to com-municate have been there all long, though not as fancy as it is now.

We can’t just stop thinking about how much has changed in our lives. History and human culture has evolved through the centuries that came before us. Man-kind went from being simple cavemen searching for food and shelter to the person sitting behind the computer, Google searching the internet, sliding down his very com-fortable chair until his head can no longer be seen!

It all started 3000 years ago when cave painting began. It was a sign that humans desired to connect and share ideas. They used mud and water to paint. Sometimes, they would cut themselves to use their own blood as ink (ouch! Thank God we have touch phones!). These cave paintings were a representation of past events, to tell stories of their victories, to teach hunting techniques and methods, and to ignite a legacy, a legacy that will be remembered for centuries to come. No matter what was the purpose of cave painting, it was their only way to document important events as writing wasn’t an option

yet. These days we have our smart gadgets and online hubs for that, like Facebook and Path.

Communication then started to improve a little bit. That’s when the Egyptian invited a new writing system called hieroglyph that uses pictures and symbols. It wasn’t just a language, but also a decretive

feature added to their buildings that marked their existence as a civili-zation.

(It reminded me of Emoji! Those faces are always fun to use!)

Then there are the Greeks. The role of the Greeks can never be forgotten as they were the first civilization ever to use alphabetic system which is quite close to the English letters, which we still refer to, for example in Mathematics.

Day after day our world has been transforming, humans did-n’t stop at creating new digital com-munication systems that have be-

come a part of our daily lives. We can’t go a day without checking our WhatsApp or Instagram. Tech-nology in all of its forms, whether it was internet or mobiles’ apps, has definitely made our lives easier. Who knows what will happen in the next few years. No matter what it is, it’s sure will be something worth waiting for.

- Asmaa Awad

Sometimes,

they would cut

themselves to

use their own

blood as ink.

The images on this page were taken from the

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26

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Google Translate Vs. Golden AlWafy

English is the first international language. It is the

second language for a lot of native speakers of other languages. A

huge number of people are currently engaged in learning English, and

it’s not easy. It becomes necessary to provide an easy way to learn.

Translating words of English that a person does not understand, into

the language they natively speak really helps a lot. There are many

softwares and online applications that help with that matter. Some are

useful and some are slow and inefficient and oft times inaccurate. The

following reports compares two programs for translation from

English: namely Google Translate and Golden Al Wafy.

Google Translate

Google Translate has been famous in the prefix as a Web site is a

service of the Google search engine services. It only translates

scientific words and words of the original English language. It can

also translate a text into different languages other than English.

Dozens of features have increased the benefits of Google. It has added

voice input method and pronunciation of words in most languages.

What distinguishes it from the rest of the programs is that it can

translate English slang. It also helps in translation by suggesting more

appropriate words to the user. Another useful feature is it’s ability to

recognize the language that you enter.

Golden Al Wafy software

One of the most famous software that has served consumers is the

Golden Al Wafy. It allows the user instant and accurate translation of

words.

Golden Al Wafy helps correct spelling errors by selecting the "spell

check for English text," and also explains the verb and the noun and

adjective of the word in case a word contains more than one meaning.

Golden Al Wafy also gives translation of names. Like Google

Translate, users can listen to the pronunciation of the words.

The Golden Al Wafy contains a dictionary of words to be more

accurate. The program was available after a paid fee, but later on

anyone could use it for free. Unlike Google Translate, Al Wafy is a

program that does not need to connect to the network.

The disadvantages for Google translation

Google Translation unable to translate long texts, causing errors

in grammar. It also does not work without the internet connection.

The disadvantages for Golden Al Wafy

The problems that have limited the use of the program Al Wafy

to the present day is that it is a program for computers only and cannot

be used in smart phones. It is also unable to translate Arabic texts into

English. Every software has disadvantages, it’s best to use the most

time efficient one.

The translation field is

ultimately a culture and

language field. In Transla-

tion Connect, we will fea-

ture some of the most use-

ful and important re-

sources for translators.

www.translatorscafe.com

Translation café is a website that has many advantages and helpful

features for people to use. The website offers a chance to communi-

cate with others in many different ways. Communication is an im-

portant thing for many translators it enables them to help each other or

to know about other languages. The website is not limited to the Eng-

lish language only. It features many languages worldwide. The web-

site offers job opportunities in translation and related fields in many

companies such as Bostico International Company, Cuttingedge

Translation Service, Transperfect and many more.

- Hawazen Madani

Translator’s Café

- Rawan Balahmar

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28

Heard At Night

A talented Effat student Rawan Najjar sent us a beautiful piece written in Arabic. We decided to use that lovely writing

for a translation competition. Following is the text Rawan Najjar sent us:

أحيانا تأخذ الحياة منا أشياء ثمينة .. أشياء نحبها وال نتخيل أن نعيش من دونها .. لكن ربما أخذ منا هذا الشيء

لنكافئ بما هو أجمل وأفضل .. أو .. ربما أراد هللا أن يختبر صبرنا فيجازينا عليه بما نحب .. إن لم تكن الحياة

عادلة في نظرك .. فاهلل هو العدل .. لن يصيب قلبك بالحزن إال وله حكمة في ذلك .. وال تنسى أن هللا لو أراد

لك خيرا سيصيبك به ولن يمنع ذلك أحد من الخلق .. ولو أراد بك سوءا فسيصيبك به أيضا .. ال تجزع وال

تقنط وال تيأس .. حاول .. ادعه وأطلب منه .. قف بين يديه ليال فسهام الليل ال تخطئ ..

Many students sent their entries for the competition. The one that stood out was done by Nadeen AlWazani. We congratu-

late all the participants for their effort, and many congrats to Nadeen for her work. The following is Nadeen’s entry.

Sometimes life deprives us of the most precious things .. things that we love and can’t live without .. but maybe life deprives us of these things in order for us to be rewarded with something better and more beautiful .. or .. maybe God wanted to test our patience so that we are rewarded with what we love .. if you believe that life is unfair .. God is indeed fair .. God will make you suffer of heartache out of Wis-dom .. and don’t forget that if God planned for you good life no one could ever stops Him .. and if God planned for you malady He shall do so, as well .. don’t dismay, despond, or despair.. try .. pray and ask God .. kneel before God at night praying, as prayers are surely heard at night ..

Translated by Nadeen AlWazani

- Rawan Najjar

Write What’s on YOUR Mind

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Edgar Allan Poe 1908– 1949

And all I loved, I loved alone.

The Classic Writer

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30

Silence - A Fable - Edgar Allan Poe

"Ours is a world of words: Quiet we call

Silence -- which is the merest word of all" - Al Aaraaf.

"Listen to me," said the Demon, as he placed his hand upon my head. "There is a spot upon this accursed earth

which thou hast never yet beheld And if by any chance thou hast beheld it, it must have been in one of those vigorous

dreams which come like the Simoon upon the brain of the sleeper who hath lain down to sleep among the forbidden

sunbeams --among the sunbeams, I say, which slide from off the solemn columns of the melancholy temples in the

wilderness. The region of which I speak is a dreary region in Libya, by the borders of the river Zaire. And there is no

quiet there, nor silence.

"The waters of the river have a saffron and sickly hue --and they flow not onwards to the sea, but palpitate forever

and forever beneath the red eye of the sun with a tumultuous and convulsive motion. For many

miles on either side of the river's oozy bed is a pale desert of gigantic water-lilies. They sigh one

unto the other in that solitude, and stretch towards the heaven their long ghastly necks, and nod to

and fro their everlasting heads. And there is an indistinct murmur which cometh out from among

them like the rushing of subterrene water. And they sigh one unto the other.

"But there is a boundary to their realm --the boundary of the dark, horrible, lofty forest. There,

like the waves about the Hebrides, the low underwood is agitated continually. But there is no wind

throughout the heaven. And the tall primeval trees rock eternally hither and thither with a crashing

and mighty sound. And from their high summits, one by one, drop everlasting dews. And at the

roots strange poisonous flowers lie writhing in perturbed slumber. And overhead, with a rustling and loud noise, the

grey clouds rush westwardly forever, until they roll, a cataract, over the fiery wall of the horizon. But there is no wind

throughout the heaven. And by the shores of the river Zaire there is neither quiet nor silence.

"It was night, and the rain fell; and, falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood. And I

stood in the morass among the tall lilies, and the rain fell upon my head --and the lilies sighed one

unto the other in the solemnity of their desolation.

"And, all at once, the moon arose through the thin ghastly mist, and was crimson in color. And

mine eyes fell upon a huge grey rock which stood by the shore of the river, and was litten by the

light of the moon. And the rock was grey, and ghastly, and tall, --and the rock was grey. Upon its

front were characters engraven in the stone; and I walked through the morass of water-lilies, until

I came close unto the shore, that I might read the characters upon the stone. But I could not decypher the characters.

And I was going back into the morass, when the moon shone with a fuller red, and I turned and looked again upon

the rock, and upon the characters --and the characters were DESOLATION.

"And I looked upwards, and there stood a man upon the summit of the rock, and I hid myself among the water-

lilies that I might discover the actions of the man. And the man was tall and stately in form, and was wrapped up from

his shoulders to his feet in the toga of old Rome. And the outlines of his figure were indistinct --but his features were

the features of a Deity; for the mantle of the night, and of the mist, and of the moon, and of the dew, had left uncov-

ered the features of his face. And his brow was lofty with thought, and his eye wild with care; and, in the few furrows

upon his cheek I read the fables of sorrow, and weariness, and disgust with mankind, and a longing after solitude. And

the moon shone upon his face, and upon the features of his face, and oh! they were more beautiful than the airy

dreams which hovered about the souls of the daughters of Delos!

And from

their high

summits,

one by one,

drop

everlasting

dews.

--and the

lilies sighed

one unto the

other in the

solemnity of

their

desolation.

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31

"And the man sat down upon the rock, and leaned his head upon his hand, and looked out upon the desolation.

He looked down into the low unquiet shrubbery, and up into the tall primeval trees, and up higher at the rustling

heaven, and into the crimson moon. And I lay close within shelter of the lilies, and observed the actions of the man.

And the man trembled in the solitude --but the night waned and he sat upon the rock.

"And the man turned his attention from the heaven, and looked out upon the dreary river

Zaire, and upon the yellow ghastly waters, and upon the pale legions of the water-lilies. And the

man listened to the sighs of the water-lilies, and of the murmur that came up from among them.

And I lay close within my covert and observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in

the solitude --but the night waned and he sat upon the rock.

"Then I went down into the recesses of the morass, and waded afar in among the wilderness

of the lilies, and called unto the hippopotami which dwelt among the fens in the recesses of the

morass. And the hippopotami heard my call, and came, with the behemoth, unto the foot of the

rock, and roared loudly and fearfully beneath the moon. And I lay close within my covert and

observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in the solitude --but the night waned and he sat upon the

rock.

"Then I cursed the elements with the curse of tumult; and a frightful tempest gathered in the heaven where before

there had been no wind. And the heaven became livid with the violence of the tempest --and the rain beat upon the

head of the man --and the floods of the river came down --and the river was tormented into foam --and the water-

lilies shrieked within their beds --and the forest crumbled before the wind --and the thunder rolled, --and the lightning

fell --and the rock rocked to its foundation. And I lay close within my covert and observed the actions of the man.

And the man trembled in the solitude -- but the night waned and he sat upon the rock.

"Then I grew angry and cursed, with the curse of silence, the river, and the lilies, and the wind, and the forest, and

the heaven, and the thunder, and the sighs of the water-lilies. And they became accursed and were still. And the moon

ceased to totter in its pathway up the heaven --and the thunder died away --and the lightning did not flash --and the

clouds hung motionless --and the waters sunk to their level and remained --and the trees ceased to rock --and the wa-

ter-lilies sighed no more --and the murmur was heard no longer from among them, nor any shadow of sound through-

out the vast illimitable desert. And I looked upon the characters of the rock, and they were changed --and the charac-

ters were SILENCE.

"And mine eyes fell upon the countenance of the man, and his countenance was wan with terror. And, hurriedly, he

raised his head from his hand, and stood forth upon the rock, and listened. But there was no voice throughout the

vast illimitable desert, and the characters upon the rock were SILENCE. And the man shuddered, and turned his face

away, and fled afar off, and I beheld him no more."

_______________

Now there are fine tales in the volumes of the Magi --in the iron-bound, melancholy volumes of the Magi. Therein, I

say, are glorious histories of the Heaven, and of the Earth, and of the mighty Sea --and of the Genii that over-ruled

the sea, and the earth, and the lofty heaven. There was much lore too in the sayings which were said by the sybils; and

holy, holy things were heard of old by the dim leaves that trembled around Dodona --but, as Allah liveth, that fable

which the Demon told me as he sat by my side in the shadow of the tomb, I hold to be the most wonderful of all!

And as the Demon made an end of his story, he fell back within the cavity of the tomb and laughed. And I could not

laugh with the Demon, and he cursed me because I could not laugh. And the lynx which dwelleth forever in the tomb,

came out therefrom, and lay down at the feet of the Demon, and looked at him steadily in the face.

[This story was originally published in 1838 as "Siope - A Fable".]

************************************

And the man

trembled in

the solitude --

but the night

waned and

he sat upon

the rock.

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32

There are some qualities- some incorporate things,

That have a double life, which thus is made

A type of that twin entity which springs

From matter and light, evinced in solid and shade.

There is a two-fold Silence- sea and shore-

Body and soul. One dwells in lonely places,

Newly with grass o'ergrown; some solemn graces,

Some human memories and tearful lore,

Render him terrorless: his name's "No More."

He is the corporate Silence: dread him not!

No power hath he of evil in himself;

But should some urgent fate (untimely lot!)

Bring thee to meet his shadow (nameless elf,

That haunteth the lone regions where hath trod

No foot of man,) commend thyself to God!

Silence

A Sonnet by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor, and literary critic, considered part of the Ameri-

can Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earli-

est American practitioners of the short story, and is generally considered the inventor of the detective

fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was

the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a finan-

cially difficult life and career.

Poe As a Character: The historical Edgar Allan Poe has appeared as a fictionalized character, often rep-

resenting the "mad genius" or "tormented artist" and exploiting his personal struggles. Many such de-

pictions also blend in with characters from his stories, suggesting Poe and his characters share identi-

ties.

- The above text was extracted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe

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