Mythology

Mythology (from the Greek mythos for story-of-the-people, and logos for word or

speech, so the spoken story of a people) is the study and interpretation of often sacred tales
or fables of a culture known as myths or the collection of such stories which deal with
various aspects of the human condition: good and evil; the meaning of suffering; human
origins; the origin of place-names, animals, cultural values, and traditions; the meaning of
life and death; the afterlife; and the gods or a god. Myths express the beliefs and values
about these subjects held by a certain culture.
Myths tell the stories of ancestors and the origin of humans and the world, the gods,
supernatural beings (satyrs, nymphs, mermaids) and heroes with super-human, usually
God-given, powers (as in the case of Heracles or Perseus of the Greeks). Myths also
describe origins or nuances of long-held customs or explain natural events such as the
sunrise and sunset, the cycle of the moon and the seasons, or thunder and lightning
storms. 

Types of Myth
 Etiological Myths
 Historical Myths
 Psychological Myths

The Sun and the Moon: A Filipino Folktale

Once, the Sun and the Moon were married. They shared a home in the sky.
When the Moon left to collect vegetables from the jungle, she asked the Sun to guard their
sleeping children. She also warned him to stay a safe distance away from the babies, since
his heat would burn them.
The Sun kept close watch over the children. But he was overcome with affection for them,
and wanted to kiss them goodnight. He forgot the Moon’s warning, leaned over the babies,
and they melted beneath him.
Horrified at his foolishness and afraid of his wife’s rage, the Sun hid. The Moon came back to
an empty sky house, and discovered what happened. After some time, the Sun returned, and
he and the Moon had a terrible fight. The Sun threw the jungle vegetables at the Moon’s face,
and that was the final straw. The Moon abandoned the Sun for good.
This is why, on a full night, you can see the marks left by the Sun against the Moon’s face.
The lost children have become stars. And the Sun constantly chases the Moon, trying to win
back her affections.

 Food for thought: This Filipino folktale not only gives an origin story to the stars, but also
circles themes of family and responsibility, important elements to tribal cultures and
equally important in modern life. 
Our actions, or failure to act, can have lasting impact on our environment and the people
around us. However, we can also find beauty in every tragedy, and no matter what happens
in life, we see that there is perpetual hope for redemption.

Figure of Speech Examples

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that possesses a separate meaning from its
literal definition. It can be a metaphor or simile, designed to make a comparison. It can be
the repetition of alliterationor the exaggeration of hyperbole to provide a dramatic effect.
In truth, there are a wealth of these literary tools in the English language. But, let's start
out by exploring some of the most common figure of speech examples.
Figures of Speech
Figures of speech lend themselves particularly well to literature and poetry. They also
pack a punch in speeches and movie lines. Indeed, these tools abound in nearly every
corner of life. Let's start with one of the more lyrical devices, alliteration.
ALLITERATION
Alliteration is the repetition of the beginning sounds of neighboring words.
Examples include:
 She sells seashells.
 Walter wondered where Winnie was.
 Blue baby bonnets bobbed through the bayou.
 Nick needed new notebooks.
 Fred fried frogs' legs on Friday.
ANaphora
Anaphora is a technique where several phrases or verses begin with the same word or
words.
Examples include:
 I came, I saw, I conquered. - Julius Caesar
 Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition! - King John II, William Shakespeare
 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the
age of foolishness. - A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
 With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right. - Abraham
Lincoln
 We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end... we shall never surrender.
- Winston Churchill
ASSONANCE
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds (not just letters) in words that are close
together. The sounds don't have to be at the beginning of the word.
Examples include:
 A - For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore. (Poe)
 E - Therefore, all seasons shall be sweet to thee. (Coleridge)
 I - From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire. (Frost)
 O - Oh hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn. (Wordsworth)
 U - Uncertain rustling of each purple curtain (Poe)
EUPHEMISM
Euphemism is a mild, indirect, or vague term that often substitutes a harsh, blunt, or
offensive term.
Examples include:
 'A little thin on top' instead of 'going bald.'
 'Fell of the back of a truck' instead of 'stolen.'
 'Letting you go' instead of 'firing you.'
 'Passed away' instead of 'died.'
 'Economical with the truth' instead of 'liar.'
HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect.
Examples include:
 I've told you to stop a thousand times.
 That must have cost a billion dollars.
 I could do this forever.
 She's older than dirt.
 Everybody knows that.
IRONY
Irony occurs when there's a marked contrast between what is said and what is meant, or
between appearance and reality.
Examples include:
 "How nice!" she said, when I told her I had to work all weekend. (Verbal irony)
 A traffic cop gets suspended for not paying his parking tickets. (Situational irony)
 The Titanic was said to be unsinkable but sank on its first voyage. (Situational irony)
 Naming a tiny Chihuahua Brutus. (Verbal irony)
 When the audience knows the killer is hiding in a closet in a scary movie, but the
actors do not. (Dramatic irony)
METAPHOR
A metaphor makes a comparison between two unlike things or ideas.
Examples include:
 Heart of stone
 Time is money
 The world is a stage
 She's a night owl
 He's an ogre
ONOMATOPOEIA
Onomatopoeia is the term for a word that sounds like what it is describing.
Examples include:
 Whoosh
 Splat
 Buzz
 Click
 Oink
OXYMORON
An oxymoron is two contradictory terms used together.
Examples include:
 Peace force
 Kosher ham
 Jumbo shrimp
 Sweet sorrow
 Free market
PERSONIFICATION
Personification gives human qualities to non-living things or ideas.
Examples include:
 The flowers nodded.
 The snowflakes danced.
 The thunder grumbled.
 The fog crept in.
 The wind howled.
SIMILE
A simile is a comparison between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as."
Examples include:
 As slippery as an eel
 Like peas in a pod
 As blind as a bat
 Eats like a pig
 As wise as an owl
 SYNECDOCHE
Synecdoche occurs when a part is represented by the whole or, conversely, the whole is
represented by the part.
Examples include:
 Wheels - a car
 The police - one policeman
 Plastic - credit cards
 Coke - any cola drink
 Hired hands - workers
UNDERSTATEMENT
An understatement occurs when something is said to make something appear less
important or less serious.
Examples include:
 It's just a scratch - referring to a large dent.
 It's a litttle dry and sandy - referring to the driest desert in the world.
 The weather is cooler today - referring to sub-zero temperatures.
 It was interesting - referring to a bad or difficult experience.
 It stings a bit - referring to a serious wound or injury.

WHAT ARE PROVERBS?

Every culture has a collection of wise sayings that offer advice about how to live your
life. These sayings are called "proverbs"
Proverbs can also give you good example sentences which you can memorize and
use as models for building your own sentences.

The most important English Proverbs

This is a list of some of the most important and well-known English proverbs. Below
each one, there's a simple explanation.
The meanings of some of these phrases have shifted over the years, so a proverb might
have originally had a different meaning than the one I explain.

1.     "Two wrongs don't make a right."

      When someone has done something bad to you, trying to get revenge will only
make        things worse.
2.     "The pen is mightier than the sword."
Trying to convince people with ideas and words is more effective than trying to force people
to do what you want.

3.     "When in Rome, do as the Romans."

 Act the way that the people around you are acting. This phrase might come in handy when
you're traveling abroad notice that people do things differently than you're used to.
4.     "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."
You can get better service if you complain about something. If you wait patiently, no one's
going to help you.

5.     "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They just work harder.

6.     "No man is an island."

You can't live completely independently. Everyone needs help from other people.
7.     "Fortune favors the bold."
People who bravely go after what they want are more successful than people who try to live
safely.

8.     "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones."

Don't criticize other people if you're not perfect yourself.

9.     "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

Bad things might happen, so be prepared.

10. "Better late than never."

It's best to do something on time. But if you can't do it on time, do it late.

11. "Birds of a feather flock together."

People like to spend time with others who are similar to them.

12. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

If you have an enemy, pretend to be friends with them instead of openly fighting with them.
That way you can watch them carefully and figure out what they're planning.

13. "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Pictures convey emotions and messages better than written or spoken explanations. That's
why PhraseMix has illustrations :)

14. "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Things that are offered for free always have a hidden cost.

15. "There's no place like home."

Your own home is the most comfortable place to be.

16. "Discretion is the greater part of valor."

Sometimes it's important to know when to give up and run away, instead of always acting
brave and maybe getting hurt.

17. "The early bird catches the worm."

You should wake up and start work early if you want to succeed

18. "You can't judge a book by its cover."

Things sometimes look different than they really are. A restaurant that looks old and small 
might have amazing food, for example.
 
 19. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
Your plans might not work out, so don't start thinking about what you'll do after you
succeed. Wait until you've already succeeded, and then you can think about what to do
next.

  20. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

Have a backup plan. Don't risk all of your money or time in one plan.
WHAT IS A RIDDLE?
A riddle is a statement or question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put
forth as a puzzle to be solved.

RIDDLES
1. Q: What has a foot but no legs?
          A: A snail
      2. Q: Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it you die. What is it?
          A: Nothing
      3. Q: What comes down but never goes up?
          A: Rain
      4. Q: I’m tall when I’m young and I’m short when I’m old. What am I?
          A: A candle
      5. Q: Mary’s father has 5 daughters – Nana, Nene, Nini, Nono. What is the fifth
daughters name?
          A: If you answered Nunu, you are wrong. It’s Mary!
      6. Q: How can a pants pocket be empty and still have something in it?
          A: It can have a hole in it.
      7. Q: What goes up when rain comes down?
          A: An umbrella!
      8. Q: What is the longest word in the dictionary?
          A: Smiles, because there is a mile between each ‘s’
      9. Q: If I drink, I die. If i eat, I am fine. What am I?
          A: A fire!
     10. Q: What word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
           A: Short
     11. Q: What travels around the world but stays in one spot?
           A: A stamp!
     12. Q: What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in one thousand
years?
           A: The letter M
     13. Q: What has 4 eyes but can’t see?
           A: Mississippi
     14. Q: If I have it, I don’t share it. If I share it, I don’t have it. What is it?
           A: A Secret.
     15. Q: Take away my first letter, and I still sound the same. Take away my last letter, I
still sound   the same. Even take away my letter in the middle, I will still sound the same. I
am a five letter word. What am I?
          A: EMPTY
    16. Q: What has hands but cannot clap?
          A: A clock
     17. Q: What can you catch but not throw?
           A: A cold.
     18. Q: A house has 4 walls. All of the walls are facing south, and a bear is circling the
house.    What color is the bear?
           A: The house is on the north pole, so the bear is white.
      19. Q: What is at the end of a rainbow?
            A: The letter W!
      20. Q: What is so delicate that saying its name breaks it?
            A: Silence.
THROWING EVENTS
Throwing events are amongst the oldest in track and field athletics. Where
competitors once threw rocks and spears, they now use the shot and javelin. Throwing
events require great strength and throwers are usually the biggest athletes in any athletic
competition. There are four recognized throwing events in modern track and field athletics:
the shot put, the discus, the javelin and the hammer.

SHOT PUT
The shot put has been an Olympic sport since 1896 and involves pushing or putting
a heavy metal ball called a shot out of a 7-foot diameter concrete circle. The shot weighs 16
lbs. in men's competitions and 8.8 lbs. for women. The two main methods used in shot put
are the spin and the glide. Most top putters use the spin method. The men's world record
for the shot is 23 meters, 12 centimeters -- or 75 feet and 10 inches, and is held by
American Randy Barnes, as of 2010. The women's world record of 22 meters, 63
centimeters -- or 74 feet and 3 inches, is held by Natalya Lisovskaya of Russia.

DISCUS
Discus throwing has been a sport since ancient Greece circa 708 B.C. and consists of
throwing a heavy circular disc as far as possible. Up until 1906, the discuss was thrown
from an elevated pedestal but modern discuss throwers use a circle similar in size and
design to shot putters. Discus throwing was featured in the first Olympics in 1896 and was
one of the fist women's Olympic events in 1928. Men throw a discuss weighing 4 lb., 7 oz.
while women's discus weighs 2 lb., 3 oz. Discus throwers use rotational throwing
technique, which can see the discuss flying to distances as far as 250 feet.

JAVELIN
Javelin throwing was once an integral part of ancient warfare and the farther a
warrior could hurl a javelin, the greater his standing in the army. The first men's Olympic
javelin event was in 1908 and in 1932 for women. Originally made of wood, modern javelins
are made of metal. Men's javelins weigh 800 g and women's javelins weigh 600 g. Javelins
can be thrown huge distances and have had to be redesigned as athletes were generating
throws in excess of the length of modern athletics stadium. Javelin throwing is the only
track and field throwing event that allows a run up.

HAMMER
The hammer throwers of old used to throw blacksmiths hammers. The hammer used
in modern competition does not really resemble a hammer and consists of a heavy metal
ball and a long wire handle. The hammer is thrown from a 7-foot diameter concrete circle
after the thrower has spun around three or four times. The hammer used in men's
competitions weighs 16 lbs. and the hammer used by women weighs 8.82 lbs. The men's
world record is held by Yuriy Sedykh and measures 86.76 meters, as of 2010. The women's
world record is 78.30 and is held by Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland.

WEIGHT THROW
Weight throw, 2002 Celtic Festival. Two sports have events that fall under the name of
weight throw. One being the track and field event and the other being the Scottish highland
games events.
Benefits of Jumping

 Improves Coordination

Decreases Foot and Ankle Injuries

Burns Major Calories

Completely Portable and Fun

Improves Bone Density

 Improves Cardiovascular Health

Improved Breathing Efficiency