#spoken english online free

[treecampusseo]

Free Learning Spoken English in Easy Way by TreeCampus

TreeCampus is suitable for anyone who wants to learn spoken English for free and in an easy way. Whether you need English for work, study, travel, or personal interest, TreeCampus will help you achieve your goals and enhance your communication skills. Join TreeCampus today and start your journey to speak English like a pro.

Know More -- https://treecampus.in/

[cambridgeacademy01]

Best Institute for English Speaking course in Laxmi Nagar

Are you looking to enhance your English speaking skills? The ability to communicate effectively in English can open doors to new opportunities, whether it’s for career progression, travel, or social interactions. In Laxmi Nagar, one name stands out when it comes to mastering the English language: Cambridge English Academy. With a proven track record and a commitment to excellence, this institute has become a go-to destination for individuals eager to gain confidence in their spoken English. Let’s explore why choosing the right institute is crucial and what makes Cambridge English Academy the best option for an English speaking course in Laxmi Nagar.

About Cambridge English Academy

Cambridge English Academy has established itself as a premier destination for language learners in Laxmi Nagar. Founded with the vision of empowering individuals through effective communication, the academy offers a dynamic learning environment.

The institute boasts experienced instructors who are passionate about teaching and skilled at fostering an engaging atmosphere. They utilize innovative methods tailored to each student’s needs, ensuring personalized attention.

With state-of-the-art facilities and comprehensive resources, Cambridge English Academy creates an ideal setting for mastering spoken English. From interactive classes to real-life conversation practice, students gain confidence in their abilities.

Moreover, the academy emphasizes not just language skills but also cultural understanding. This holistic approach prepares students to navigate various social situations with ease and fluency.

Why choosing the right institute for an English speaking course is important

Selecting the right institute for an English speaking course can significantly impact your learning journey. An effective program not only enhances language skills but also builds confidence in real-life conversations.

A reputable institution provides access to experienced instructors who understand the nuances of teaching English. Their expertise allows students to grasp complex concepts more easily and practice effectively.

Additionally, a well-structured curriculum ensures that you cover essential topics systematically. This approach helps learners progress at a comfortable pace, making it easier to retain information.

Moreover, the right environment fosters motivation and engagement. When surrounded by like-minded peers, students are encouraged to participate actively and share their experiences.

Investing time in choosing an appropriate institute ultimately shapes your proficiency and communication capabilities in English, paving the way for personal and professional success.

Benefits of learning English from Cambridge English Academy

Learning English at Cambridge English Academy opens doors to diverse opportunities. The academy is renowned for its immersive teaching approach, allowing students to engage in real-life conversations.

Students benefit from personalized attention due to small class sizes. This ensures that everyone receives the guidance they need to flourish. Instructors are experienced and passionate about teaching, making each lesson both informative and enjoyable.

The curriculum combines traditional methods with modern technology, enhancing the learning experience. Interactive tools foster engagement, helping students grasp complex concepts easily.

Moreover, the supportive environment encourages learners to practice speaking without fear of judgment. This boosts confidence significantly over time.

Additionally, networking opportunities arise through group activities and peer interactions. Students not only learn a language but also build friendships that last beyond the classroom walls.

Curriculum and teaching methods at Cambridge English Academy

At Cambridge English Academy, the curriculum is designed to cater to varied learning styles. Every course emphasizes interactive learning, ensuring that students engage actively with the material.

Classes are structured around real-life scenarios. This approach helps learners build confidence in their speaking abilities. Role-playing and group discussions are integral parts of each session.

The teaching methods incorporate modern technology, making lessons dynamic and engaging. Online resources complement traditional materials, providing a well-rounded educational experience.

Additionally, instructors at the academy focus on personalized feedback. They understand individual strengths and areas for improvement, tailoring guidance to nurture proficiency effectively.

Regular assessments track progress while maintaining motivation among students. The blend of innovative techniques ensures that participants not only learn but also enjoy the process of mastering English communication skills.

Testimonials from previous students

At Cambridge English Academy, the success stories of our students speak volumes. Many have transformed their lives through improved communication skills.

One student shared how joining our English speaking course in Laxmi Nagar helped them secure a promotion at work. They felt more confident voicing their ideas during meetings and presentations.

Another former learner emphasized the supportive environment fostered by instructors. The personalized attention made it easier to overcome language barriers and boost self-esteem.

Students often mention how interactive sessions encouraged participation, making learning enjoyable rather than intimidating. This approach allowed them to practice real-life conversations regularly.

Many graduates also highlight the lasting friendships formed with classmates who share similar goals. These connections create a motivated community that thrives together on this journey toward fluency.

Additional resources and support offered by the institute

Cambridge English Academy goes beyond just classroom instruction. The institute offers a wealth of additional resources to ensure students thrive in their English learning journey.

Students have access to an extensive library filled with books, audio materials, and online resources. This diverse collection caters to various levels and interests, making it easier for learners to explore the language further.

Moreover, interactive workshops are held regularly. These sessions focus on real-life scenarios that enhance speaking skills through practical application. Engaging activities foster confidence in using English daily.

The academy also provides personalized support through one-on-one mentorship programs. This tailored approach helps address individual challenges and goals directly.

Students can participate in conversation clubs where they practice speaking with peers in a relaxed environment. Such opportunities create a community that encourages continuous improvement and camaraderie among learners.

Conclusion

Cambridge English Academy stands out as the premier choice for those seeking an exceptional English speaking course in Laxmi Nagar. With its dedicated faculty and well-structured curriculum, students can expect a transformative learning experience. The academy not only focuses on language proficiency but also fosters confidence in communication skills.

The benefits of enrolling at Cambridge English Academy are numerous — from personalized attention to innovative teaching methods. Former students have shared glowing testimonials about their journeys, highlighting how the institute has enhanced both their personal and professional lives.

Moreover, with additional resources and support available, learners are equipped to succeed beyond the classroom environment. This nurturing atmosphere encourages individuals to thrive and make significant progress in mastering the English language.

Choosing Cambridge English Academy means choosing a pathway to success, unlocking opportunities that come with fluent communication. If you’re serious about improving your spoken English skills, this is undoubtedly where you should be looking.

[thesingingrevolution]

i cant even function in that class anymore this is so ridiculous, this is a million times worse because i have never spoken to this man but there is something about him that is making me lose my mind, i have never seen someone who has commanded my attention like this to the point i genuinely cannot focus on anything else, i have been bewitched there is nothing else for me to say i just feel crazy

[susanhorak]

#spoken_english #تعلم #learn_english #تعلم_الانجليزية تعليم اللغة الانجليزية | التعبيرات المالية | Money expressions التعبيرات المالية باللغة الانجليزية البنك هو مؤسسة مالية تسهل على العملاء المعاملات المالية و إقراض الأموال للقيام بأي مشروع تريده بشرط أن يكون هناك ضمانا لتسديد هذا القرض . يتحدث هذا الدرس عن مفردات بنكية وتعبيرات مالية تتعلق بمجال البنوك والصرافة , تابع هذا الدرس لمعرفة المفردات وترجمتها للانجليزية

لو عجبك الفيديو اعمل مشاركة من اللينك ده تعليم اللغة الانجليزية | التعبيرات المالية | Money expressions https://youtu.be/W7zdpM1p7mY

ليصلك كل جديد اشترك بالقناه http://bit.ly/2HQGd4q

يمكنك الاستفادة من الدروس التالية تعليم اللغة الانجليزية | التعبيرات المالية | Money expressions https://youtu.be/W7zdpM1p7mY

دراسة اللغة الانجليزية - مشاكل حياتية يومية - problems that need to be solved https://youtu.be/Ji6m-Etu-2E

دراسة اللغة الانجليزية - الكلمات الاساسية في اللغة الانجليزية - english grammar book https://youtu.be/4SmqiMXDrdo

دورات اللغة الانجليزية - عبارات مشاعر بالانجليزي - spirit level https://youtu.be/zEjxoSPSo9k

دورات اللغة الانجليزية - اجمل ما قيل عن العائله - family and friends https://youtu.be/A0spa90P5Tc

تدريب اللغة الانجليزية - عبارات انجليزية داخل الصف - thank you teacher https://youtu.be/kMbYTOsUUw8

تدريب اللغة الانجليزية - عبارات عن الالم والجرح - pain relief https://youtu.be/xfhlQ4zc-EM

#مواقع_تعليم_انجليزي #برامج_تعليم_انجليزي #تعلم_اللغة_الانجليزية #تعلم #spoken_english #english_speaking_course_online #spoken_english_in_telugu #نهي_طلبة , Noha Tolba

[treecampusapk]

Experience free online spoken English classes with Tree Campus.

In today's globalized world, effective communication in English is crucial for personal and professional success. Whether you're a student, a working professional, or someone eager to enhance their language skills, Tree Campus is here to revolutionize your learning experience with its online spoken English-free classes.

The Need for Online Spoken English Classes

In the digital age, online education has become the norm, breaking down geographical barriers and making learning accessible to all. Mastering spoken English is a valuable skill, opening doors to countless opportunities. Tree Campus recognizes this need and is committed to providing high-quality, free online spoken English classes.

Why choose Tree Campus?

Quality Education for Free: Tree Campus believes in democratizing education. Their commitment to offering free online spoken English classes stems from a belief in the transformative power of education.

Expert Instructors: At the heart of Tree Campus is a team of experienced and dedicated instructors. These professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the virtual classroom, ensuring that every student receives a top-notch education.

Interactive Learning: Tree Campus employs an interactive and engaging teaching methodology. Forget about dull lectures; their online spoken English classes are designed to keep you involved and motivated, fostering a dynamic learning environment.

Flexible Schedule: Life can be hectic, but that shouldn't hinder your pursuit of knowledge. Tree Campus offers a flexible schedule, allowing learners to access classes at their convenience. Whether you're a student juggling multiple commitments or a professional with a busy work schedule, Tree Campus has you covered.

Tailored Curriculum: The curriculum at Tree Campus is carefully crafted to address the diverse needs of learners. From basic grammar to advanced conversational skills, each lesson is designed to boost your confidence and proficiency in spoken English.

The Tree Campus Advantage

Tree Campus stands out among the myriad of online education platforms. What sets them apart is not just the provision of free classes but also a commitment to the holistic development of their students. Here's why Tree Campus is the ideal choice for anyone looking to improve their spoken English skills:

Community Support: Tree Campus doesn't just provide classes; it fosters a community of learners. Joining Tree Campus means becoming part of a supportive network where you can interact with fellow learners, share experiences, and seek guidance.

Career Enhancement: English proficiency is often a key factor in career progression. By choosing Tree Campus, you're investing in your professional growth and gaining a valuable skill that can set you apart in the competitive job market.

Technology Integration: Tree Campus leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless online classes. The user-friendly interface ensures a smooth learning experience, making it easy for students of all backgrounds to navigate the virtual classroom.

In conclusion, the decision to enhance your spoken English skills is a wise one, and choosing Tree Campus is the first step towards achieving that goal. With their commitment to providing high-quality education for free, experienced instructors, and a learner-centric approach, Tree Campus is the partner you need on your journey to mastering spoken English. Embrace the opportunity, break communication barriers, and empower yourself with Tree Campus's online spoken English classes.

[sparkschoolofeducation]

Are your looking for the right proficiency test? Read this…

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akashkohli89_english-toefl-ielts-activity-7106681835333562368-Ke1e?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

[what-even-is-thiss]

If you’re having trouble picking a language to learn you might want to evaluate why you want to learn a language in the first place

Do you want to do it to connect with your relatives? Because you’re moving to a country where you don’t speak the language? Then you already know what you have to do. Get out there and start watching YouTube videos and bothering your grandma to teach you, silly. Just do it.

If you just want to speak a second language for its own sake and don’t really care what, just pick a language that’s common in your region and/or will help you in your career. These types of languages will likely have local news stations in the language, local people to talk to, local language exchanges, a presence on streaming services in your country, etc. In the US this is almost always gonna be Spanish. Sometimes it might be something like German or Chinese but it’s usually Spanish. I give this suggestion because then your motivation is always staring you right in the face at the library when there’s a whole section you can’t read and motivation can sometimes be the hardest part of language learning. And if there’s a lot of stuff to watch and a lot of people to talk to that can also keep you from getting bored.

If you wanna be quirky or different but still want something easy just pick a language with a lot of speakers that isn’t spoken much near you that preferably also has a large presence online so you can watch and read content in that language. So if you live in the US likely something like Mandarin, Japanese, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, Korean. These languages also have a lot of monolingual speakers so they have a lot of tv, books, and movies made for them and they’re writing in their own language on social media websites.

If you want to learn a dead language decide which ancient culture you’re personally most abnormal about and pick that one. If you’re doing it for spiritual reasons to read a holy book then again you already know what you’re supposed to be doing, silly. Get reading. Find a quirky teacher on YouTube.

If you want to learn an endangered language and/or are interested in language preservation see what endangered languages live near you and if they’re open to outsiders learning them. Local universities often work with minority language groups to make dictionaries and they may have a program locally to help preserve the language you might be able to participate in. If that’s not possible where you live for whatever reason, I’d suggest finding one that you just really like and whose speakers are happy to teach to outsiders. If you’re looking for ones with a lot of resources available to you then something like Hawaiian or one of the Celtic languages would likely be your best bet, but look around. There’s a lot of people out there doing the work to make endangered languages more accessible.

If you wanna play on hard mode then pick a language that’s spoken in a country where almost everyone speaks English because you’ll have to defeat the locals in 1v1 combat before they’ll let you speak to them in their own language. So basically learn a Scandinavian language.

If you want to learn a conlang (why?) then decide which kind of nerds you want to make friends with. If you want to make friends with regular nerds, learn something like elvish or Klingon. If you want to make friends with people that just like conlangs, learn Esperanto. These are generally the most active conlang communities. If you want to just learn a language in a week and only sort of approximately say what you mean then learn toki pona.

If you’ve fallen hard in love with a language then pick that one. It doesn’t matter if it’s impractical or you don’t have a concrete reason. If you know that your love for that language and its culture is enough to keep you going then it’ll keep you going. You’ll find resources if you’re determined enough. Go. Be free.

[snowy-vee]

ALL MINE Pt.1 (E.W ff)

oblivious loser bsf! ellie williams x posesive popular bsf!fem reader

n/a: English is not my first language, any misspelling will be corrected later on, also, please feel free to leave a comment and rb!!

Pt.2 Here

Inform yourself about what's happening and how to help! FREE PALESTINE, FREE CONGO.

“Bye, girls!” you waved to the cheer team before getting into Ellie’s car, greeting her with a small ‘hi’ and a kiss on her cheek. “Why weren’t you at cheer practice? I missed you looking at me from the bleachers like a little stalker,” you giggle, grabbing her phone to put music to your liking.

“I don’t look like a stalker... Do I? I don't,” she said quietly, and you laughed again. “Anyway, I was doing a project, and I didn’t notice how late it was until you called me to pick you up.”

She started the car and began to drive home. You were both roommates in an off-campus flat, and since Ellie was the only one with a licence, it was common for her to drive you everywhere and pick you up.

You kept looking for a good playlist while ‘Too Fast’ by Sonder was playing when a notification came in. You blinked twice, thinking you might have seen something wrong, but the message from Dina saying she had a good time was still there.

“Dina was your partner for the project?”

“Yes, why? She is very nice; I wonder why I’ve never spoken to her; she’s got a good vibe.”

“Yeah, but isn’t she kind of a loser? I mean, the only interesting thing about her is that she dated Jesse.” You scoffed. The ugly look she gave you after that was enough to make you stop laughing. “I don’t mean it in a bad way! Just saying that you might not want to hang out with her that much.”

“I am a loser too; shouldn’t I be hanging out with my kind of people?”

“You’re not a loser! You just have different interests than the rest of our friends—"

“Your friends"

"My friends, whatever, you hang out with me; that gives you some status and makes you not a total loser but a partial one.”

Ellie rolled her eyes as she parked the car, grabbed her backpack from the back seat, and got out without opening your door, as she usually does. You opened your mouth a little offended and got out too.

“Els! Come on, don’t get angry. I’ll cook dinner, yeah?” You tried to apologise, but she had already locked herself in her room. You snorted, throwing your bag on your bed and then throwing yourself off too.

You and Ellie had been best friends since middle school. You came in as the new girl and soon caught the attention of many, but Ellie was the only one who made you feel comfortable in every way. You were always together and inseparable until high school, when you decided to become a cheerleader, and that’s when the distinction between you and Ellie began.

Although you tried to make time for her or integrate her into the “Populars” group, it didn’t work out, and it was obvious that it made both parties uncomfortable, so the only times you shared space together were at parties or break time. Ellie had friends, not counting the online ones, but for her, they were more like classmates, so she barely spent time with them.

It doesn’t matter; you were going to sleep and apologise in the morning—that is, until, coming out of the bathroom after taking a good shower and changing into your pyjamas, you heard giggles and voices from Ellie’s room.

Was she laughing with Dina? How was it possible that they were already at the level of making video calls? Was there something else she wasn’t telling you? No, you were best friends; you told each other everything.

“Els, I’m going to make instant ramen; do you want the chicken one or?” You opened the door without knocking first to confirm your suspicions, and yes, it was Dina on the other side of the phone. You could see her face and how her smile slowly faded. “Oh, hi, Dina.”

"Hi,” she said softly. “Well, I’m going to have dinner too; talk to you later, Ellie.”

“Yeah, okay, bye, Dina." Ellie smiled, hanging up. She woke up from her bed and nodded in your direction. “I want chicken ramen; I’ll go shower real quick.”

She was still annoyed with you; you could feel it, so that meant you had to apologise tonight.

Your cooking skills were not the best; it was strange that you touched the stove burners, mostly because Ellie did. Talking about the Queen of Rome, there she was standing in her black pyjama pants and sports bra. She was drying her short hair as she watched you cook.  

"Can I help you with something?" She asked, but you refused. You were almost done; you just needed to put the food on the plates. You left the dishes on the table in the living room. "Actually, I was planning to eat in my room today."  

"Ellie, please... I'm sorry, I shouldn't talk like that about your  friends." You started apologising by grabbing her hand and leading her to the couch. "Forgive me, yes? I hate that we're upset about something so small."  

"Ugh, I hate that I can't be mad at you for too long." You squealed with excitement, and before you knew it, you both had finished eating and were now sharing a blanket on the couch while watching a movie.   Your head was resting on her shoulder, and although it was a comfortable position, it got on your nerves that Ellie was on her phone, sending messages and giggling from time to time. It was driving you crazy.

You cleared your throat as you got off the couch. "I'm going to sleep; tomorrow will be a busy day," you said.  

"But the movie isn't over yet," Ellie protested, looking at you with those beautiful eyes of hers. For a moment, you were about to stay, but Ding! Another notification caused her to divert your attention to her phone again.  

"No, I don't want dark circles under my eyes."  

"Wait, one thing..."  

"What?"  

"Tomorrow, where was that party?" you frowned at her question, confused that she's asking about a party.  

"Uh... at the same frat house where we went for the Halloween party, why?"  

"Yes, but can you send me the address?"  

"Yes, but why? You said you didn't want to come, remember?"  

"I know, but you're going to drag me anyway, and Dina said she wanted to come, so I won't be alone."  

"You're never alone; I'm with you," you replied. Ellie raised an eyebrow as she looked at you. "Most of the time, I'm with you, Ellie!"  

"I know! I appreciate it, but... I think I want to get to know Dina more, if you know what I mean." Her cheeks began to redden, and she had a shy smile as she looked at her phone.   That made your stomach churn.

You nodded and couldn't help but let out an incredulous chuckle that went unnoticed by her. "I'll send you the location tomorrow, Els."  

"Great, you're the best; I love you."  

"Me too, get a good night's rest," you said, walking down the hallway to your room. You looked once more at Ellie before entering, still hooked on her phone.   You definitely had to get rid of Dina.  

You didn't have a problem with sharing other things, but Ellie? No way; she was yours, all yours.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

AI “art” and uncanniness

TOMORROW (May 14), I'm on a livecast about AI AND ENSHITTIFICATION with TIM O'REILLY; on TOMORROW (May 15), I'm in NORTH HOLLYWOOD for a screening of STEPHANIE KELTON'S FINDING THE MONEY; FRIDAY (May 17), I'm at the INTERNET ARCHIVE in SAN FRANCISCO to keynote the 10th anniversary of the AUTHORS ALLIANCE.

When it comes to AI art (or "art"), it's hard to find a nuanced position that respects creative workers' labor rights, free expression, copyright law's vital exceptions and limitations, and aesthetics.

I am, on balance, opposed to AI art, but there are some important caveats to that position. For starters, I think it's unequivocally wrong – as a matter of law – to say that scraping works and training a model with them infringes copyright. This isn't a moral position (I'll get to that in a second), but rather a technical one.

Break down the steps of training a model and it quickly becomes apparent why it's technically wrong to call this a copyright infringement. First, the act of making transient copies of works – even billions of works – is unequivocally fair use. Unless you think search engines and the Internet Archive shouldn't exist, then you should support scraping at scale:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/17/how-to-think-about-scraping/

And unless you think that Facebook should be allowed to use the law to block projects like Ad Observer, which gathers samples of paid political disinformation, then you should support scraping at scale, even when the site being scraped objects (at least sometimes):

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/06/get-you-coming-and-going/#potemkin-research-program

After making transient copies of lots of works, the next step in AI training is to subject them to mathematical analysis. Again, this isn't a copyright violation.

Making quantitative observations about works is a longstanding, respected and important tool for criticism, analysis, archiving and new acts of creation. Measuring the steady contraction of the vocabulary in successive Agatha Christie novels turns out to offer a fascinating window into her dementia:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/apr/03/agatha-christie-alzheimers-research

Programmatic analysis of scraped online speech is also critical to the burgeoning formal analyses of the language spoken by minorities, producing a vibrant account of the rigorous grammar of dialects that have long been dismissed as "slang":

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373950278_Lexicogrammatical_Analysis_on_African-American_Vernacular_English_Spoken_by_African-Amecian_You-Tubers

Since 1988, UCL Survey of English Language has maintained its "International Corpus of English," and scholars have plumbed its depth to draw important conclusions about the wide variety of Englishes spoken around the world, especially in postcolonial English-speaking countries:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/english-usage/projects/ice.htm

The final step in training a model is publishing the conclusions of the quantitative analysis of the temporarily copied documents as software code. Code itself is a form of expressive speech – and that expressivity is key to the fight for privacy, because the fact that code is speech limits how governments can censor software:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/04/remembering-case-established-code-speech/

Are models infringing? Well, they certainly can be. In some cases, it's clear that models "memorized" some of the data in their training set, making the fair use, transient copy into an infringing, permanent one. That's generally considered to be the result of a programming error, and it could certainly be prevented (say, by comparing the model to the training data and removing any memorizations that appear).

Not every seeming act of memorization is a memorization, though. While specific models vary widely, the amount of data from each training item retained by the model is very small. For example, Midjourney retains about one byte of information from each image in its training data. If we're talking about a typical low-resolution web image of say, 300kb, that would be one three-hundred-thousandth (0.0000033%) of the original image.

Typically in copyright discussions, when one work contains 0.0000033% of another work, we don't even raise the question of fair use. Rather, we dismiss the use as de minimis (short for de minimis non curat lex or "The law does not concern itself with trifles"):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_minimis

Busting someone who takes 0.0000033% of your work for copyright infringement is like swearing out a trespassing complaint against someone because the edge of their shoe touched one blade of grass on your lawn.

But some works or elements of work appear many times online. For example, the Getty Images watermark appears on millions of similar images of people standing on red carpets and runways, so a model that takes even in infinitesimal sample of each one of those works might still end up being able to produce a whole, recognizable Getty Images watermark.

The same is true for wire-service articles or other widely syndicated texts: there might be dozens or even hundreds of copies of these works in training data, resulting in the memorization of long passages from them.

This might be infringing (we're getting into some gnarly, unprecedented territory here), but again, even if it is, it wouldn't be a big hardship for model makers to post-process their models by comparing them to the training set, deleting any inadvertent memorizations. Even if the resulting model had zero memorizations, this would do nothing to alleviate the (legitimate) concerns of creative workers about the creation and use of these models.

So here's the first nuance in the AI art debate: as a technical matter, training a model isn't a copyright infringement. Creative workers who hope that they can use copyright law to prevent AI from changing the creative labor market are likely to be very disappointed in court:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sarah-silverman-lawsuit-ai-meta-1235669403/

But copyright law isn't a fixed, eternal entity. We write new copyright laws all the time. If current copyright law doesn't prevent the creation of models, what about a future copyright law?

Well, sure, that's a possibility. The first thing to consider is the possible collateral damage of such a law. The legal space for scraping enables a wide range of scholarly, archival, organizational and critical purposes. We'd have to be very careful not to inadvertently ban, say, the scraping of a politician's campaign website, lest we enable liars to run for office and renege on their promises, while they insist that they never made those promises in the first place. We wouldn't want to abolish search engines, or stop creators from scraping their own work off sites that are going away or changing their terms of service.

Now, onto quantitative analysis: counting words and measuring pixels are not activities that you should need permission to perform, with or without a computer, even if the person whose words or pixels you're counting doesn't want you to. You should be able to look as hard as you want at the pixels in Kate Middleton's family photos, or track the rise and fall of the Oxford comma, and you shouldn't need anyone's permission to do so.

Finally, there's publishing the model. There are plenty of published mathematical analyses of large corpuses that are useful and unobjectionable. I love me a good Google n-gram:

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=fantods%2C+heebie-jeebies&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=en-2019&smoothing=3

And large language models fill all kinds of important niches, like the Human Rights Data Analysis Group's LLM-based work helping the Innocence Project New Orleans' extract data from wrongful conviction case files:

https://hrdag.org/tech-notes/large-language-models-IPNO.html

So that's nuance number two: if we decide to make a new copyright law, we'll need to be very sure that we don't accidentally crush these beneficial activities that don't undermine artistic labor markets.

This brings me to the most important point: passing a new copyright law that requires permission to train an AI won't help creative workers get paid or protect our jobs.

Getty Images pays photographers the least it can get away with. Publishers contracts have transformed by inches into miles-long, ghastly rights grabs that take everything from writers, but still shifts legal risks onto them:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/19/reasonable-agreement/

Publishers like the New York Times bitterly oppose their writers' unions:

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/new-york-times-stop-union-busting

These large corporations already control the copyrights to gigantic amounts of training data, and they have means, motive and opportunity to license these works for training a model in order to pay us less, and they are engaged in this activity right now:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/technology/apple-ai-news-publishers.html

Big games studios are already acting as though there was a copyright in training data, and requiring their voice actors to begin every recording session with words to the effect of, "I hereby grant permission to train an AI with my voice" and if you don't like it, you can hit the bricks:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d37za/voice-actors-sign-away-rights-to-artificial-intelligence

If you're a creative worker hoping to pay your bills, it doesn't matter whether your wages are eroded by a model produced without paying your employer for the right to do so, or whether your employer got to double dip by selling your work to an AI company to train a model, and then used that model to fire you or erode your wages:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/09/ai-monkeys-paw/#bullied-schoolkids

Individual creative workers rarely have any bargaining leverage over the corporations that license our copyrights. That's why copyright's 40-year expansion (in duration, scope, statutory damages) has resulted in larger, more profitable entertainment companies, and lower payments – in real terms and as a share of the income generated by their work – for creative workers.

As Rebecca Giblin and I write in our book Chokepoint Capitalism, giving creative workers more rights to bargain with against giant corporations that control access to our audiences is like giving your bullied schoolkid extra lunch money – it's just a roundabout way of transferring that money to the bullies:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/what-is-chokepoint-capitalism/

There's an historical precedent for this struggle – the fight over music sampling. 40 years ago, it wasn't clear whether sampling required a copyright license, and early hip-hop artists took samples without permission, the way a horn player might drop a couple bars of a well-known song into a solo.

Many artists were rightfully furious over this. The "heritage acts" (the music industry's euphemism for "Black people") who were most sampled had been given very bad deals and had seen very little of the fortunes generated by their creative labor. Many of them were desperately poor, despite having made millions for their labels. When other musicians started making money off that work, they got mad.

In the decades that followed, the system for sampling changed, partly through court cases and partly through the commercial terms set by the Big Three labels: Sony, Warner and Universal, who control 70% of all music recordings. Today, you generally can't sample without signing up to one of the Big Three (they are reluctant to deal with indies), and that means taking their standard deal, which is very bad, and also signs away your right to control your samples.

So a musician who wants to sample has to sign the bad terms offered by a Big Three label, and then hand $500 out of their advance to one of those Big Three labels for the sample license. That $500 typically doesn't go to another artist – it goes to the label, who share it around their executives and investors. This is a system that makes every artist poorer.

But it gets worse. Putting a price on samples changes the kind of music that can be economically viable. If you wanted to clear all the samples on an album like Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back," or the Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique," you'd have to sell every CD for $150, just to break even:

https://memex.craphound.com/2011/07/08/creative-license-how-the-hell-did-sampling-get-so-screwed-up-and-what-the-hell-do-we-do-about-it/

Sampling licenses don't just make every artist financially worse off, they also prevent the creation of music of the sort that millions of people enjoy. But it gets even worse. Some older, sample-heavy music can't be cleared. Most of De La Soul's catalog wasn't available for 15 years, and even though some of their seminal music came back in March 2022, the band's frontman Trugoy the Dove didn't live to see it – he died in February 2022:

https://www.vulture.com/2023/02/de-la-soul-trugoy-the-dove-dead-at-54.html

This is the third nuance: even if we can craft a model-banning copyright system that doesn't catch a lot of dolphins in its tuna net, it could still make artists poorer off.

Back when sampling started, it wasn't clear whether it would ever be considered artistically important. Early sampling was crude and experimental. Musicians who trained for years to master an instrument were dismissive of the idea that clicking a mouse was "making music." Today, most of us don't question the idea that sampling can produce meaningful art – even musicians who believe in licensing samples.

Having lived through that era, I'm prepared to believe that maybe I'll look back on AI "art" and say, "damn, I can't believe I never thought that could be real art."

But I wouldn't give odds on it.

I don't like AI art. I find it anodyne, boring. As Henry Farrell writes, it's uncanny, and not in a good way:

https://www.programmablemutter.com/p/large-language-models-are-uncanny

Farrell likens the work produced by AIs to the movement of a Ouija board's planchette, something that "seems to have a life of its own, even though its motion is a collective side-effect of the motions of the people whose fingers lightly rest on top of it." This is "spooky-action-at-a-close-up," transforming "collective inputs … into apparently quite specific outputs that are not the intended creation of any conscious mind."

Look, art is irrational in the sense that it speaks to us at some non-rational, or sub-rational level. Caring about the tribulations of imaginary people or being fascinated by pictures of things that don't exist (or that aren't even recognizable) doesn't make any sense. There's a way in which all art is like an optical illusion for our cognition, an imaginary thing that captures us the way a real thing might.

But art is amazing. Making art and experiencing art makes us feel big, numinous, irreducible emotions. Making art keeps me sane. Experiencing art is a precondition for all the joy in my life. Having spent most of my life as a working artist, I've come to the conclusion that the reason for this is that art transmits an approximation of some big, numinous irreducible emotion from an artist's mind to our own. That's it: that's why art is amazing.

AI doesn't have a mind. It doesn't have an intention. The aesthetic choices made by AI aren't choices, they're averages. As Farrell writes, "LLM art sometimes seems to communicate a message, as art does, but it is unclear where that message comes from, or what it means. If it has any meaning at all, it is a meaning that does not stem from organizing intention" (emphasis mine).

Farrell cites Mark Fisher's The Weird and the Eerie, which defines "weird" in easy to understand terms ("that which does not belong") but really grapples with "eerie."

For Fisher, eeriness is "when there is something present where there should be nothing, or is there is nothing present when there should be something." AI art produces the seeming of intention without intending anything. It appears to be an agent, but it has no agency. It's eerie.

Fisher talks about capitalism as eerie. Capital is "conjured out of nothing" but "exerts more influence than any allegedly substantial entity." The "invisible hand" shapes our lives more than any person. The invisible hand is fucking eerie. Capitalism is a system in which insubstantial non-things – corporations – appear to act with intention, often at odds with the intentions of the human beings carrying out those actions.

So will AI art ever be art? I don't know. There's a long tradition of using random or irrational or impersonal inputs as the starting point for human acts of artistic creativity. Think of divination:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/31/divination/

Or Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies:

http://stoney.sb.org/eno/oblique.html

I love making my little collages for this blog, though I wouldn't call them important art. Nevertheless, piecing together bits of other peoples' work can make fantastic, important work of historical note:

https://www.johnheartfield.com/John-Heartfield-Exhibition/john-heartfield-art/famous-anti-fascist-art/heartfield-posters-aiz

Even though painstakingly cutting out tiny elements from others' images can be a meditative and educational experience, I don't think that using tiny scissors or the lasso tool is what defines the "art" in collage. If you can automate some of this process, it could still be art.

Here's what I do know. Creating an individual bargainable copyright over training will not improve the material conditions of artists' lives – all it will do is change the relative shares of the value we create, shifting some of that value from tech companies that hate us and want us to starve to entertainment companies that hate us and want us to starve.

As an artist, I'm foursquare against anything that stands in the way of making art. As an artistic worker, I'm entirely committed to things that help workers get a fair share of the money their work creates, feed their families and pay their rent.

I think today's AI art is bad, and I think tomorrow's AI art will probably be bad, but even if you disagree (with either proposition), I hope you'll agree that we should be focused on making sure art is legal to make and that artists get paid for it.

Just because copyright won't fix the creative labor market, it doesn't follow that nothing will. If we're worried about labor issues, we can look to labor law to improve our conditions. That's what the Hollywood writers did, in their groundbreaking 2023 strike:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/01/how-the-writers-guild-sunk-ais-ship/

Now, the writers had an advantage: they are able to engage in "sectoral bargaining," where a union bargains with all the major employers at once. That's illegal in nearly every other kind of labor market. But if we're willing to entertain the possibility of getting a new copyright law passed (that won't make artists better off), why not the possibility of passing a new labor law (that will)? Sure, our bosses won't lobby alongside of us for more labor protection, the way they would for more copyright (think for a moment about what that says about who benefits from copyright versus labor law expansion).

But all workers benefit from expanded labor protection. Rather than going to Congress alongside our bosses from the studios and labels and publishers to demand more copyright, we could go to Congress alongside every kind of worker, from fast-food cashiers to publishing assistants to truck drivers to demand the right to sectoral bargaining. That's a hell of a coalition.

And if we do want to tinker with copyright to change the way training works, let's look at collective licensing, which can't be bargained away, rather than individual rights that can be confiscated at the entrance to our publisher, label or studio's offices. These collective licenses have been a huge success in protecting creative workers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/26/united-we-stand/

Then there's copyright's wildest wild card: The US Copyright Office has repeatedly stated that works made by AIs aren't eligible for copyright, which is the exclusive purview of works of human authorship. This has been affirmed by courts:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/20/everything-made-by-an-ai-is-in-the-public-domain/

Neither AI companies nor entertainment companies will pay creative workers if they don't have to. But for any company contemplating selling an AI-generated work, the fact that it is born in the public domain presents a substantial hurdle, because anyone else is free to take that work and sell it or give it away.

Whether or not AI "art" will ever be good art isn't what our bosses are thinking about when they pay for AI licenses: rather, they are calculating that they have so much market power that they can sell whatever slop the AI makes, and pay less for the AI license than they would make for a human artist's work. As is the case in every industry, AI can't do an artist's job, but an AI salesman can convince an artist's boss to fire the creative worker and replace them with AI:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/29/pay-no-attention/#to-the-little-man-behind-the-curtain

They don't care if it's slop – they just care about their bottom line. A studio executive who cancels a widely anticipated film prior to its release to get a tax-credit isn't thinking about artistic integrity. They care about one thing: money. The fact that AI works can be freely copied, sold or given away may not mean much to a creative worker who actually makes their own art, but I assure you, it's the only thing that matters to our bosses.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/13/spooky-action-at-a-close-up/#invisible-hand

[blazescompendium]

Blaze's Compendium Entry #10: The Khyah (Cyak, Kack, Khya)

Warning: Faith and religion are important real life topics, that tackles the culture and way of life of millions of real life people. It is a cultural expression, and must be respected by all means. Here, we use a video-game ( some times) and other media series only to ignite the flame of learning about the matter, using its art when well depicted, but we do this with all due respect to the cultures we talk here, grounded by real life sources, cultures and people. And i mean this with respect. Hope you all enjoy.

Also, please note that the Sources for this one will be a bit tricky, since we are talking about a regional and always developing urban legend and cosmology, which is not very well documented in traditional books. In this case we have to turn our attention to personal stories and every day people who lives in this culture.

The Khyah (ख्या) is a mythical creature that is part of the greater Nepali folklore and cosmology. Specifically from the Newar people from the Kathmandu Valley.

Some sources will say that its name means literally ''Ghost'' or ''Haunt'', ''Phantasm'', etc... However i was not able to confirm this. The language spoken by Newar people is the Nepal Bhasa, which is also written in the Devanagari script, just like Hindi. I do not speak this language, so please if you do, reach me out! But in any case, it seems that the word for ''Ghost'' in Newar is ''गुफा'' or ''gupha''. It may be the case that the name: ''Kyah'' got so used to general supernatural occurrences, that it got mixed up. Just like we talked about the Saci in my other post. -This is not uncommon to happen- I used regular online translators to reach this conclusion, but feel free to correct me if i am wrong because i could not consult any native to talk about this matter during my research.

For a bit of context, The Newar are people that historically inhabited the Kathmandu Valley, and the regions around Nepal. As we said before, they speak Newari (Nepal Bhasa). They have 3 major cities, those being Kathmandu, Patan and Bhatgaon. [1] The academic research on the Newar people just started at the early 20th century, the french anthropologist Sylvain, wrote a very famous and complete work called Le Nepal, that was one of the first western written works about the region, and its people. Their religion are mostly Hinduism, Buddhism and there are minorities from other beliefs.

The Newar live in this region since ancient times, way longer before Nepal even existed as a Estate. According to most history books, the Newar would live alone in the region, being sovereigns of the Kathmandu valley up until the Gorgkha Kingdom in 1769. It is very hard to know much about the Newar before that in details, since they are in the region for so long, and mixed so much with other people from around the Nepal, that even their history ends up blending with mythology.

For example: according to the sacred Swayambhu Purana, a Buddhist scripture, the Kathmandu Valley was once a huge lake, Inhabited by Nagas*. That is, until one day the Bodhisattva Manjusri with the help of a powerful sacred sword, sliced the surrounding hills, which in turn made the water flow away. This information is even on Kathmandu government official site!

This myth was later confirmed to have a basis, since NASA themselves found out clues that Kathmandu was in fact, once a huge lake. NASA did not reply me about the Naga thought. Bummer...

*The Swayambhu Purana is a Buddhist text essential to Newar Buddhism. However i sadly could not find a copy online, but there are some summarized versions translated to English, which i am using as guide. For instance the US Wikipedia article, sources books that i also could not find, but i could verify the authors! So... That's something, i guess.

This goes to show how the Newar people are rooted in their mythology, and how this is completely absorbed by even their space and surroundings. Even something as the very foundation of their lands is a hierophany.

This brings us to the Kyah, that we will see can show us a lot about this society.

About the Khyah

The Khyah are supernatural creatures that are hairy, looks like apes, sometimes extremely chubby and have their bodies are totally covered in hair. This description is corroborated my multiple sources, like ''Dietrich, Angela (1998). Tantric healing in the Kathmandu Valley: A comparative study of Hindu and Buddhist spiritual healing traditions in urban Nepalese society. Book Faith India.'' But not only that, the Khyah are also represented in multitudes of paintings and also in costumes for the Yenya Festival. The only thing that can sometimes be different, is that if it will be treated like a Ghost or a more physical creature.

The wealth goddess Lakshmi and two Khyah serving her, in a painting on a Kathmandu temple.

About this painting and sourcing the Khyah appearance:

I have made tireless efforts to pin down the origin of this painting. And many others! This one is present in most of the articles about the Khyah in the internet, even local articles from Nepal itself. However i was not able to pinpoint where it came from. All the sources i found either say this is from a ''temple'' or that it was taken by an individual named: Karrattul. This is not the photographer's name, but instead the name of the profile who uploaded it on the Wikipedia, where it was uploaded in 2012! I tried to reach to Nepali communities and other enthusiasts of History and Mythology, but no one could help me. If you know anything about this painting, please contact me!

For the same reason, it is almost impossible to find sourced materials about the khyah appearance. We know that there are traits like the hair, that keep intact from place to place, but i could not find a central work detailing the creature. We have those paintings from so called temples to trust, and the ceremonial suits used in the Khyah dance.

I will link here a video of a Khyah Dance performance, so you can see the physical traits of this creature are well agreed between the locals.

The Khyah is popular among children, or at least were at one point. This can be seen in a popular children song sang in Nepal. It depicts the Khyah as a cute and hungry little critter, as the kid in the song is encouraged to give food to it. The Kyah seems never to be satisfied sadly...

A banger...

The Khyah is indeed often treated like a type of ghost. In my personal opinion they are simmilar to Djinn, some kinds of yokai and can be classified generically as a type of monster or apparition, in my view at least. (This means a supernatural creature, that is in between a human and a god like being.) The Newar believe that the Khyah has active participation in events of their daily lives. But they also are not all bad or good, they are multiple entities, some good and some bad. Usually there are white colored Khyah who are good, and black colored Khyah who are bad.

They have their own lives, families, and friends. There are a lot of tales and works related to this creature, not counting personal tales of every day people and their encouters with this little devil. That's how ingrained in the Newar culture the Khyah is.

I was able to track the writings of a Kathmandu Valley denizen, which happened to write about the Kyahk! [3] This person was kind enough to provide a lot of personal information about the regional culture, in their personal website. According to the locals, the Khyah would often live in houses, squares, public spaces, and would regularly interfere with their existence. Not all Khyah are bad, some can protect the households they inhabit, they can bring fortune and good luck. Although, the Khyah fears light, so they have to live in dark corners of the house, like the attic or some empty room.

The Unitedstatian Wikipedia page for Khyah shares some unusual information, that we can not trace to any sources. For instance, they mention that this creature supposedly fears electricity. As interesting as it may seen, the source from this particular information goes to a book called: '' Asian folklore studies, Volume 55. Nanzan University Institute of Anthropology'' Which i was unable to find to read online, and was also unable to find it by its ISBN trackers: 9057890984, 9789057890987. Those took me to another book, called: ''Caturmāsa. Celebrations of Death in Kathmandu, Nepal’'

This one seems to exist, but i also could not find it anywhere online. Google Books has some samples, and it guarantees that the word ''Khyak'' or any variations of sorts, are not on it, which means this is a misinformation. Someone probably interpreted that the fact that Khyah fear light, can also apply to electricity as an energy source. I think you won't be letting your homie Khyah uncomfortable having electricity at your house, don't worry.

Again, according to locals [3] There are two variable Khyah: Black and White. The white are the ones who bring luck, and the Black ones gives you trouble. No matter what kind of this creature you have in your house, you should respect it. They are often revered and well treated. They have their own cozy dark place to hide, like the bhandar and dhkuti. Those are places of the house used to store grains and valuables.

There are other variations according to other local sources sources [3] [4] Those Khyah are usually described as:

-Bārāy Khyāh (बाराय् ख्याः) appears in rooms where girls are kept in seclusion during their rite of passage to adulthood (first period). [5] (Very documented, and easy to track on western sources)

-Bhakun Gwārā Khyāh (भकुं ग्वारा ख्याः), literally football, rolls on the ground to move around. (Most common Khyah, probably the one Kaneko tried to draw! Most commonly seen in regional urban legends. Not very documented in translated to English literature)

-Dhāpalān Khyāh (धापलां ख्याः) is a very hairy Khyah. (Very popular because of that children's song, still sang to this day.)

-Lanpan Khyāh (लँपं ख्याः) blocks people’s way on dark streets. (Not much about this one, really. At least not in western sources. It seems that, along with Bhakun Khyah is probably more of a word of mouth thing)

The relationship with Kawancha

The origin legend for the Khyah goes that, in the distant past, two gods had a baby. They fought to see who had the right to hold the baby, but ended up tearing the child apart. The skin peeled off, revealing just flesh and bones that would separate. The flesh became Khyak, and the bones Kawancha, a skeleton that would be the Anthitesis to the Khyak. This relationship is portrayed in paintings and regional dance festivals. [3]

Also known as Kavam, the skeleton monster seems to be the other half of the Khyah. It is extremely hard to find sources about this, not only because it is a very specific regional folk belief passed down orally, but also because the language barriers. One could in theory go there in person to collect sources about this part of the lore, but it is not an option for me. Someone at Reddit pointed out to me that in some regions, they are not related at all, being just monsters from the same sources. So, their lore seem to vary from place to place.

Painting depicting Kwancha/Kavam and Khyah in Kathmandu. Origin Unknown.

As much as I tried for months, I could not come with a source for this information besides literal oral tradition. But for sure these two are indeed connected in some places. You can see them in several paintings at Kathmandu, and they also have their own dance performance telling their story and painting their relationship. As the Reddit user mentioned, their connection will vary from place to place. Being more of a localized and oral tradition.

In the performance you can see Khyah and Kwancha performing together, as they show their relationship. Still according to [3], the instrument played in these performances is the Dhimay. Its made from tree bark, and the legend says the gods later created this tool to help control the beings, and communicate with them. In the author's perspective, this was meant to showcase the duality of our universe. This being the real nature of those beings.

Again, I lack written and traceable sources. While the Dhimay is indeed a real instrument, used on those performances, there are almost no mentions of it being related to Khyah or Kwancha in the western internet. This also falls in the category of facts I could not check because of being probably too of a localized oral tradition.

I could at least find some sourced paintings. Like this one, shared by the Twitter user Sanjib Chaudhary Who is an author himself on Nepalese culture.

Kwancha and Khyah are shown in this painting on Jaya Bageshwori temple, in Gaushala.

Also, while Khyah is very well documented in the west, the same can not be said about Kwancha. It is easy to find dances, masks, his Megami Tennsei design (being the most easy result) and paintings about the skeleton monster, but almost nothing on its nature and lore. This means I highly doubt everything the Megaten games say about it to be factual, although they do in fact exist in Nepalese culture.

One thing i noticed is that Kaneko himself could have watched a dance performance of Kwancha and Khyah, or at least seen pictures. Because his Kwancha design for Devil Summoner has the clothing in colors and shapes very similar to some Kwancha performers:

This specific clothing can be seen here: Kawancha (Skeleton) Dance of Bhaktapur कवांचा प्याखं , तौलाछें, भक्तपुर ll Part of Bharab Dance ll

The final point on this part is their origin: Which gods crated them? This rent a space in my brain for free for the last year or so. While I could not find it for sure, this does not mean it is wrong or not factually a belief in their tradition. Buddhism has many gods and entities, and i suspect the ones who created the Khyah accidentally, are just regular Devas.

Modern mentions?

Khyah tales are in the heart of Kathmandu people, and many other Nepal regions. For centuries they dominated the children's tales and late night scare stories of that region. In 1992, Jim Goodman published a book called ''Tales of Old Bhaktapur'' Which complied some folk tales from Nepal.

Sure enough, Khyah makes an appearance in it. At page 28, there is a story about a Khyah haunting a house, and how a boy deals with it. Sadly the book is not openly available on the internet, but google books have some parts readable:

There is also the book: Tales of Kathmandu: folktales from the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal (1980). This book was published by the authors Karna Sakya, Linda Griffith. This book seems to put together many popular folk tales from Nepal, and in the page 105 we have a story called ''The Khya of Marusata.''

Now, as this seems to be the case with every freaking material in this search, this book is not available online, but google books has many parts available. Sadly, we can only see the title of the story. What we can know by a quick google search, is that Marusata is some kind of square in central Kathmandu. I tried to search this tale online, but I could not find. Will try to keep searching for it eventually.

Also, in the books first pages, around 20 or so, Khyah are mentioned too:

It seems to classify Khyah as demons, just like their neighbors Rakshasas. Which is not exactly on the point here, but its interesting nonetheless.

The Khyah are still recognized today, and are well known in the community. But even if the western internet made a good job of preserving its lore and some of their character, their presence is very scarce. By going on Eirikr Kaneko Crib's notes I found that one of the most recent official appearances of the creature online was on the site Local Nepal Today. This seems to be a site dedicated to portray and preserve Nepalese culture and report on situations at the region. It is however, done by foreigners that went to Nepal afterwards. The site seems to be dead, but they do mention their hearings about the Khyah! Here they call it Kack.

The authors compare it to European elves and trolls, which is not exactly a good match. They are more akin to Brownies, Silkies and some kind of Kikimora.

In any way, their description matches most sources, and oral sources alike: They are shy, prefer dark and isolated places, and hate the light. They also comment on the duality between the white Khyah and the black Khyahk.

Most important thought, they mentions talking to an elderly woman in Kathmandu, who shared her own stories about meeting the creature:

''An elderly woman in Kathmandu who saw several kacks – all white ones. The closest encounter was with a quiet, furry fellow who came and sat on her lap! Many of those who’ve seen a kack will tell you how these “little people” would come and sit on the edge of their bed for a while, keeping them half amazed, half in shock the rest of the night. A white kack is friendly – but it can still be a bit scary.''

They also gathered information from old Kathmandu citizens on why the Khyahk tales are vanishing nowadays:

'''Well, old people who grew up in the heart of kack territory – Kathmandu – will usually tell you a simpler reason: kacks are shy creatures and so, since the capital has become crowded and noisy, many have left. Sure kacks can hide and move about by stealth, but there’s a limit. Either way, now it’s no-longer in Kathmandu but in the villages you’ll hear about kacks the most.''

In my personal view, its interesting to connect the vast and accelerated growth of Kathmandu, to the losing of traditions and oral folk tales, which ended up making the Khyah tales vanish bit by bit, becoming isolated to small nearby villages.

This makes me a bit sad, because if there is no one trying to preserve those traditions, it may very well disappear as the times goes on. The internet has this amazing tool to preserve culture, but we do not seem to be using it enough.

In this regard, I am glad that Kazuma Kaneko imortalized Kyahk in the Shin Megami Tensei series, even if they are not regular monsters on the newer games, many people probably had their first encounter with this critter through that.

And that is it! Everything I could gather! Hope you guys enjoyed!

Beware the Kyhak at the feet of your bed!

Thank you for reading through it all. I actually started this research more than 1 year ago, but postponed it multiple times, since I started doing scientific research at college, and other monsters looked way more easy to research.

Stick with me for more deep dives on critters from around the world.

Sources: [1]- "Elements of Newar Social Structure". Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland.’’ - Christoph Von Furer- Haimendorf, 1956.

[2]- Dietrich, Angela (1998). Tantric healing in the Kathmandu Valley: A comparative study of Hindu and Buddhist spiritual healing traditions in urban Nepalese society. Book Faith India.

[3]- Himalayancultures.com -Personal blog of a Kathmandu citzen that shares a bit about regional folklore and culture. Extremely interesting to see stuff from a personal point of view.

[4]-Archive My Sansar - Regional website about Nepali culture.

[5]- Growing Up: Hindu and Buddhist Initiation Rituals Among Newar Children in Bhaktapur, Nepal, 2008, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. (Pag 174)

[6]- Tales of Old Bhaktapur'' - Jim Goodman (1992)

[7]- Tales of Kathmandu: folktales from the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal (1980)

[8]- Local Nepal Today

[suomeen]

Finnish Learning Resources

Idk who needs it but I thought I might share some free online resources that I found helpful for other broke overwhelmed learners.

Updated 2025/01/24

I'm pinning this for now since I keep adding new resources.

Best resource for grammar:

A short but nice course in Finnish, has multiple vocabularies:

This is just a demo but still useful:

https://materiaalit-koosto.otava.fi/web/state-jurdmmbvgaydeirmj4yq/649acb7ce5b1d718f439f971

Nice course on grammar with test tasks at the end:

https://openlearning.aalto.fi/course/view.php?id=158#section-0

Other courses at Aalto Open University:

https://openlearning.aalto.fi/course/index.php

Some good learning materials and tests:

https://openlearning.aalto.fi/course/view.php?id=59§ion=8

Very good series of basic videos for immigrants:

Another interactive learning site:

http://tasteoffinnish.fi/

Some listening exercises for learning basic words and phrases.

https://visnakker.no/tema.html

Very good short videos on basic word and phrases:

An online phrasebook with audio:

https://www.goethe-verlag.com/book2/EN/ENFI/ENFI002.HTM

English/Finnish tests from the same site:

https://www.goethe-verlag.com/tests/test/EN/FI/1/easy

A curious site where short news headlines are transcribed in pictures:

https://selkosanomat.fi/kuva/

Vocab quizzes:

http://iteslj.org/v/f/

Numerous Quizet vocab quizzes:

https://www.scoop.it/topic/oppitori/?tag=quizlet-mamu

A very nice short course, includes glossaries in English, French, Persian, Arabic and Russian:

A course of spoken Finnish:

https://extreme-finnish.teachable.com/

Finnish verb conjugator:

https://www.verbix.com/languages/finnish

A really good learning channel that has up to 15 subtitles in different languages:

A number of Free online courses:

https://www.savonia.fi/paivita-osaamistasi/muu-jatkuva-oppiminen/maahanmuuttajalle/suomen-kielen-kurssit-savoniassa/

[cambridgeacademy01]

Where is the English Learning Institution in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi

In a world that’s more interconnected than ever, English language skills have become essential. Whether you’re looking to advance your career, travel the globe, or connect with people from different cultures, mastering English opens up countless opportunities. For many in Laxmi Nagar, finding the right institution to learn this global language can be a daunting task. With numerous options available, it’s crucial to choose one that aligns with your goals and learning style. Let’s explore how you can navigate this journey and discover some top-notch English learning institutions in Laxmi Nagar — starting with Cambridge English Academy!

The importance of English language skills in today’s world

English is often referred to as the universal language. Its prevalence in business, technology, and culture makes it an essential skill.

In today’s job market, many employers seek candidates with strong English proficiency. This ability can set you apart from others vying for the same position.

Traveling becomes more enjoyable when you can communicate effectively in English. It allows for deeper connections with locals and enhances your overall experience.

Moreover, accessing information online is predominantly done in English. From academic research to entertainment platforms, a solid grasp of the language opens doors to valuable resources.

Cultural exchange flourishes through English as well; whether through literature or cinema, understanding this language enables appreciation of diverse perspectives and ideas.

Factors to consider when choosing an English learning institution

Choosing the right English learning institution can be overwhelming. It’s essential to consider various factors that align with your goals.

First, evaluate the curriculum. Look for a program that covers reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills comprehensively. A balanced approach is crucial for overall language proficiency.

Next, consider the qualifications of instructors. Experienced teachers often provide better insights and personalized feedback, enhancing your learning experience.

Location matters too. Opting for an institution close to home or work can make attending classes more convenient and consistent.

Also think about class sizes. Smaller groups tend to foster more interaction between students and teachers, leading to a richer educational environment.

Investigate additional resources offered by the institution like workshops or online materials. These extras can significantly enhance your learning journey beyond regular classroom hours.

Cambridge English Academy — Top English learning institutions in Laxmi Nagar

Cambridge English Academy stands out as a premier choice for English language learning in Laxmi Nagar. This institution is renowned for its commitment to excellence and innovative teaching methods.

Students here benefit from a dynamic curriculum that emphasizes practical communication skills. Classes are interactive, fostering an engaging environment where learners can thrive.

The academy also boasts qualified instructors who bring years of experience to the classroom. Their expertise ensures that students receive personalized attention tailored to their needs.

Additionally, Cambridge English Academy often incorporates technology into lessons. This modern approach resonates well with younger audiences and enhances the overall learning experience.

With flexible class timings and various course options available, it accommodates different schedules and proficiency levels seamlessly.

Reviews and testimonials from students and parents

At Cambridge English Academy, feedback from students and parents speaks volumes. Many learners share how the supportive environment has boosted their confidence in speaking English.

Parents often express gratitude for their children’s progress. They note significant improvements in communication skills and academic performance. The personalized attention each student receives is frequently highlighted as a key factor.

Students appreciate the interactive teaching methods that make learning enjoyable. Engaging activities keep them motivated and eager to participate. This approach not only reinforces language skills but also fosters camaraderie among peers.

Moreover, testimonials reflect an appreciation for the dedicated faculty who go beyond traditional teaching. Their commitment to helping students overcome challenges creates a lasting impact on both personal growth and language acquisition.

Unique features and teaching methods of Cambridge English Academy

Cambridge English Academy stands out with its innovative teaching methods tailored to various learning styles. Each lesson is designed to engage students through interactive activities, ensuring they remain invested in their progress.

The academy employs a communicative approach, emphasizing real-life conversations and practical usage of the language. This method not only builds confidence but also prepares learners for authentic interactions outside the classroom.

Another unique feature is personalized feedback. Instructors provide one-on-one attention, identifying areas for improvement while celebrating individual strengths. This fosters a supportive atmosphere where students feel encouraged to take risks in their speaking and writing.

Additionally, technology integration enhances the learning experience. With digital resources and online practice sessions, students can continue their studies beyond traditional class hours. These features make Cambridge English Academy an ideal choice for anyone aiming to improve their English skills effectively.

How these institutions cater to different levels of proficiency

English learning institutions recognize that students come with varied backgrounds and proficiency levels. This understanding is crucial for effective teaching.

For beginners, classes often focus on foundational vocabulary and basic grammar. Interactive methods, like games and group activities, make learning engaging from the start.

Intermediate learners benefit from a mix of conversational practice and advanced grammar lessons. Institutions typically incorporate real-life scenarios to help these students build confidence in using English in everyday situations.

Advanced learners are challenged through nuanced discussions, literature analysis, and business communication skills. They might also have access to specialized courses tailored for professional growth or academic purposes.

Personalized assessments ensure each student progresses at their own pace. With small class sizes, instructors can offer focused attention where it’s needed most.

This tiered approach enables every learner to thrive while feeling supported throughout their journey towards fluency.

Cost comparison and value for money

When considering an English learning institution, cost is often a key factor. The fees can vary widely across different academies in Laxmi Nagar. It’s essential to look beyond just the price tag.

Cambridge English Academy offers competitive rates while maintaining high-quality instruction. Their experienced teachers and comprehensive curriculum justify the investment. Many students find that what they learn here translates into better job opportunities and enhanced communication skills.

Another aspect to consider is additional costs such as study materials or exams. Cambridge provides resources included in their package, minimizing hidden expenses.

In contrast, some institutions may advertise lower upfront fees but charge extra for essential services later on. Evaluating value for money means assessing both quality of education and total expenditure over time.

Choosing a place where you feel confident about your growth makes all the difference in your language journey.

Additional resources and support provided by the Cambridge English Academy

Choosing the right English learning institution can make a significant difference in one’s language journey. At Cambridge English Academy, students benefit from a wide array of additional resources that enhance their learning experience.

The academy provides access to online platforms filled with interactive exercises and practice materials. This allows students to study at their own pace and revisit challenging topics as needed. Moreover, they offer workshops and seminars led by experienced educators, focusing on real-world applications of the English language.

Students are also encouraged to participate in conversation clubs where they can practice speaking with peers in a relaxed environment. These sessions foster confidence and fluency while building essential communication skills.

Support doesn’t stop at the classroom door either. Cambridge English Academy emphasizes holistic development by providing guidance for standardized tests like IELTS or TOEFL. Their counselors assist students in preparing for these exams, ensuring they understand what is required for success.

With such comprehensive support systems in place, learners find themselves well-equipped not just academically but also personally ready to tackle various challenges ahead.

[susanhorak]

#spoken_english #تعلم #learn_english #تعلم_الانجليزية تعليم اللغة الانجليزية | مقارنه بين المدينه والقرية | country and town الفرق بين المدينة والقرية بالانجليزي هو فرق كبير وشاسع في كل شئ من حيث العمران والتطور او الاقتصاد والتجارة او الكثافة السكانية. وهنا سنتعرف على مفهوم المدينة ومفهوم القرية كما سنتعرف على اهم ما يميز كلا منهما . كل تلك المعلومات ستجدها هنا من خلال الفرق بين المدينة والقرية بالانجليزي

لو عجبك الفيديو اعمل مشاركة من اللينك ده تعليم اللغة الانجليزية | مقارنه بين المدينه والقرية | country and town https://youtu.be/yCTomprhUU4

ليصلك كل جديد اشترك بالقناه http://bit.ly/2HQGd4q

يمكنك الاستفادة من الدروس التالية تعليم اللغة الانجليزية | مقارنه بين المدينه والقرية | country and town https://youtu.be/yCTomprhUU4

كيف اتعلم انجليزي - الصفات بالانجليزي وضدها - what is an adjective https://youtu.be/x7gfkydHh4k

كيف اتعلم انجليزي - رياكشن بالانجليزي - chain reaction https://youtu.be/qvJKA3cewZY

دورات اللغة الانجليزية - عبارات مشاعر بالانجليزي - spirit level https://youtu.be/zEjxoSPSo9k

دورات اللغة الانجليزية - ترجمة محترفة -translate to english https://youtu.be/-rHI9sGiFWQ

دراسة اللغة الانجليزية - اهم كلمات اللغة الانجليزية للمحادثة - how to speak english fluently https://youtu.be/7_a5bf9NTy8

دراسة اللغة الانجليزية - اهم كلمات اللغة الانجليزية فى الفن والازياء - business of fashion https://youtu.be/1fqcblMYboo

#مواقع_تعليم_انجليزي #برامج_تعليم_انجليزي #تعلم_اللغة_الانجليزية #تعلم #spoken_english #english_speaking_course_online #spoken_english_in_telugu #نهي_طلبة , Noha Tolba

[thescaryhyperfem]

New sona. Stupid alien!!!!

Resume:

Name: Xem / Zip / SCP-3214-J

Pronouns: any

From: SCP-321-J (The Awesome Universe)

Gender: alien

Sex: "quem é vc"

Sexuality: No attraction, Yes relationship. (I hope there's a term for this)

Text Transcript:

SCP-3214-J "With the power of PLUR!"

Containment Class: Euclid

Secondary Class: Joke

Risk Class: Caution

Disruption Class: Vlam

Special Containment Procedures:

SCP-3214-J is kept in a bedroom cell in Site-19, as requested by the anomaly. The room must be refilled with 2000s or 'scene' aesthetic related things every month, or the anomaly will start to get less happy over time. The room must be cleaned every day, but nothing in it sha'll be taken from the room besides trash.

Internet access and free roams around the facility are allowed unless unsupervised by a higher up.

Description:

SCP-3214-J is a white, bald and fat humanoid creature with green alien-like antenna on top of it's head. The only faces they make resemble old online memes, such as the troll face. SCP-3214-J seems to take a big interest in old media and memes, and also things that relate to what the anomaly describes as "PLUR" media.

SCP-3214-J is a peaceful creature, as it doesn't show any type of aggression, anger or sadness. who claims to be from SCP-321-J but somehow landed here.

SCP-3214-J's anomalous properties comes in when they physically interact with anybody of any species. The touched person will feel an immediate wave of peace and a calming feeling, and they will forget everything stressful for them for aa certain amount of time, which seems to be controlled by the anomaly.

SCP-3214-J is also able to shoot rainbow lasers out of it's body, causing the shot individual to be stunned, and then happy for a few seconds.

SCP-3214-J is often used as a therapeutic object for other foundation personnel. The anomaly is as helpful as SCP-999 when it comes to free therapy.

SCP-3214-J is capable of speaking every language, including the ones that are no longer spoken and alien speech. The anomaly's accent resembles that of Dr. Gears, but if it was "mixed in a blender".

Addendum 1 (12/11/2015):

SCP-3214-J was found wandering around in Japan, trying to buy candy from a local store. The anomaly was forcefully captured, but people were sad about the foundation's decision.

SCP-3214-J was locked in a cell in Site-##, where multiple tests were made.

Addendum 2 (01/01/2016):

SCP-3214-J breaches containment, releasing multiple rainbow lasers at whoever tries to attack it with a smile on it's face.

SCP-3214-J ran to the O5's council, then begged to be taken to Site-19, while speaking fluent English, shocking the O5.

Addendum 3 (02/01/2016):

SCP-3214-J was relocated to Site-19 at a common cell, where it started to attempt more containment breaches. It was, apparently, trying to get the materials to decorate the wallpapers.

Addendum 4 (12/02/2016):

Its room is decorated. It is happy.

Addendum 5 (13/04/2016):

Tests were made regarding relationships. Any attempts of sexual, romantic or other interactions were met with a big hug, which made people forget what they were doing.

Addendum 5-1:

SCP-3214-J tells the foundation regarding it's orientation. It says, in German, that it doesn't feel attraction but does enjoy relationships of any kind.

Addendum 6 (14/04/2016)

SCP-3214-J starts going by the name of "Xem" and "Zip", and starts using any pronouns.

Addendum 7 (16/04/2024):

haiiiiii intermnet!!?

- Xem, 2024

Addendum 7-1:

Xem was allowed to have internet access.

(the numbers on the image were slightly wrong)

[goldtracing]

APH Russia – Headcanons I

I would like to point out that I originally wrote this before 24.02.2022 and didn’t publish this until now due to current event. Now I have decided just to go ahead these are low-budget anime characters that I’m talking about and f anybody who links this to ongoing geopolitical events

Is surprisingly proficient in German and French. Both were court languages of his at the one or the other point in history, his German also being spread amongst the wider populace and influencing Russian. Speaks both languages with a bit of an accent, yet if he puts enough effort in it, his accent can be nearly untraceable.

As for other languages – he is also fluent in Tatar and Mongolian, although in the later he is far better with speaking and listening than writing. This is also the case with all the other languages spoken in his territory. This is due to his past under the khans. As for English and Chinese – with both he tends to be on the very formal side, with his speech precise and usually devoid of slang and abbreviations. It is because he learned much of those two languages from literature or also scientific reports.

When it comes to Russian he can be very eloquent, having a preference for puns and other plays of words. Can and will criticise others for their grammar, although if he is public and in a formal setting, he would be more tactful and quiet about remarking it.

Has a penchant for literature and opera and plays. Visits the theatre regularly and knows all the ballets by heart. Personally keeps a small notebook where he critiques and rates books and performances. Sometimes he sends them in to a newspaper or an online site.

Writes poety in his free time and sends some of them to his sisters or humans that are close to him at the time. Can also recite all of Pushkin’s poems in his sleep.

Aside from that, he has a love for fairy tales. Not the sanitised, censored versions that Disney and the Grimm brother’s have made so popular, rather the cautionary tales as they were actually intended, The brutal versions where people suffer and suffer and suffer.

Else has written multiple essays and the human condition, often taking characters for classics to elaborate on his points. These are texts that near nobody has seen. Ivan has split them up and hidden them on his various properties.  

Has taken formal dance lessons in ballet and the classics. Loves to dance at balls and is surprisingly elegant while doing so for somebody his size. However, he really shies away from dancing tango, salsa and other dances where both partners get really close and even handsy with each other. If at all, he would have to be really close to his dance partner to even contemplate to doing the Latin American dances.

Other than that, he is also good when it comes to folk dances and possess enough stamina to dance dances such as the Barynya for hours. Has the appropriate leg muscles and flexibility.

Surprisingly, (or not) his dancing skills translate into his fighting style. Can go on for hours without taking any enhancements or sleeping, all while remaining smooth and precise in his movements, like they been choreographed and practised time and time again. He can make difficult movement seem easy.

For centuries he favoured combat with a sword. One of his favourite ones was a curved sabre – a kilij – that he stole as a war trophy from Turkey when the latter was the Ottoman empire. Later, he evolved to be a crack shot with the pistole – he got caught up in a lot of duels when they came into fashion. During the WWII, he was part of a tank crew. Due to the tight space of the T-34, he often suffered sore joints and cramps in his muscles. Also developed an especially thick skull during this time, both literally and metaphorically.

Ivan has participated in the making of multiple movies as an advisor. He makes sure that historical films are historically accurate. Seeing that Russia is big on war movies, Ivan has a lot to do.

Additionally, he is quite a patron for the arts. He has multiple oil paintings in his old mansion. Personally, he paints either an impressionist art style or in the vividly coloured art styles that are native to Russia, such as Gzhel, Khokhloma and Zhostovo.

Adding on to that – there is nothing in his homes that is really plain. He has a sense for the aesthetically pleasing and even opulence. The woodwork is carved and whittled, the ceramic adorn with paintings and the metal work ornate. His living surroundings might have been a bit plainer during Soviet times, however I think he would have pulled a few strings that would have allowed him to keep his old possessions.

[starlitvases]

I can't tell if it's just me, but it very much feels like the @snowchester-system is pushing harmful stereotypes against Mexicans, those with Mexican heritage, and native Spanish-speakers.

Their story is that WitSec (Witness Protection) moved them to Mexico in order to escape their programmers. They claim to have a DSPM script. I find these claims very hard to believe, but that isn't the point.

They publicly state that since they're located in Mexico, they are attempting to learn Spanish. My issue is not it feels very apparent that they aren't making a genuine effort to learn.

1. They have a Quackity introject. Quackity is a real-life YouTuber that lives in Mexico and speaks Spanish fluently. When scrolling through every single one of their posts (yes, I scrolled to the very beginning), there are only four instances in which Spanish is spoken on their page, which is by their Quackity. In these posts, Quackity is aggressive and frequently curses out who they are speaking to. This pushes the stereotype that only Mexicans speak Spanish as well as the stereotype that Mexicans and Latinos overall are loud, aggressive, and dangerous.

2. When Spanish is spoken, it's very broken, with the exception of one post, which I will get to in #3. In these posts, it's an entirely English sentence with one or two words replaced with Spanish. I feel this is making a mockery of Spanglish, which has a deep cultural influence on Spanish-speaking Latinos. It's often used when certain phrases in a language make more sense to say, when one forgets the respective translation, and can be used to signal to others their heritage and bilingual skills. Some use Spanglish because they may feel vulnerable, which I know is the case for me. Simply replacing a couple words in an entirely English sentence is not how one learns Spanish.

3. In the third instance of the Quackity introject speaking Spanish, it is again used to cuss someone out, reflecting a harmful Latino stereotype mentioned in point #1. This post is entirely in Spanish, but it's clear to me it was written in English, then translated to Spanish using Google Translate.

English Translation using Google Translate: "Fuck off. How did you know that? That is one of the triggers of our program and the protectors have been very busy in the inner world. We don't have anyone capable of coping that won't be activated except me. I'm the only headmate able to speak up front at the moment and there are no alters around to translate for me. It's good that he lives in Mexico. - quackity"

Plugging the English translation back into Google Translate gets virtually the same thing. Nevermind the fact that if someone did indeed post a program trigger for them, they should not have replied to the person and posted it. Now, a program trigger is publicly available, and anyone can use it against them. My point here is that they say, "No one is available to translate for me." English is their first language. They are learning Spanish. They have every ability to respond in English, even though they should not have responded at all. I highly suspect Google Translate was used due to the discrepancies in their statements. Again, this is not how one learns Spanish. You should learn from native Spanish-speakers. There are many free resources online made by native Spanish-speakers that one can use. Google Translate is not the answer.

As someone with Mexican and indigenous heritage to Mexico, someone whose family immigrated from Mexico for better opportunities, and as someone that is actively learning Spanish to connect more with my culture, I find this system's behavior abysmal and abhorrent. I have asked other Latinos, and they agree with my stance on this system's behavior. I want to know what other Mexicans, Latinos, and native Spanish-speakers feel about this system and their pushing of negative Mexican stereotypes.

Snowchester, if you are reading this, I need you to take an internal look into your behavior. Even though you think your page is anonymous, the page is still very much public and is open to public-forum. People can, and likely will, notice this behavior of yours and have their own thoughts about it. They may post about your behavior on other platforms, in which someone may recognise your page (previous friends, teachers, etc.) and call you out, publicly. They may know your name and state that publicly. There is already a post of yours in which someone knew a direct cue for your system. Bad people are out there and you've already seen evidence of that. Even if those people aren't directly connected to your case, they can still find and harm you. Right now, the issue is contained to Tumblr, but that likely won't be for long if you continue the reckless and discriminatory behavior. Please talk to your therapist.