Hello. Here is a scholarship essay. I will appreciate any comments and corrections. Thanks in advance.
On Quotations
The surest way to make a monkey of a man is to quote him. That remark in itself wouldn't make any sense if quoted as it stands.
Robert Benchley
How many times have you heard that e equals m times c square? I believe a lot. But who of us is really aware of the meaning of this famous equation? For instance, I am not; I just know that it represents some information about relativity of space and that it has destroyed preceding axioms used in physics. People began to use it as a sign of education or intellect. Some of them write it on their notebooks trying to look smart notwithstanding that they have not even the slightest idea of the sense of those letters. In addition, m, c and e taken from the context lose their meaning. We cannot know what they stand for; once they stand alone, they remain representing merely three signs of alphabet, which does not make them any special. Swellheads often extract ingenious quotations and repeat them in order to give an expression of cleverness. Unfortunately, not only they, but the authors seem strange to the people ignorant of the significance of those words. If you did not know Einstein and someone told you: e= m*c square, would you consider Einstein a genius?
Quotations are being misused by numerous people in different situations on various purposes, but rarely are explained to listeners to prevent them from misperception. Moreover, speakers themselves frequently utter words of some significant personality to enrich their speeches, although they make no sense used that way. Ironically, this habit is caused by appreciation of broad horizons. We awake feelings of having them by learning a few phrases by heart without reading the books, in which they are contained, or studying complicated theories. Provided that we do not harm anyone by this behaviour, there is no apparent reason for stopping it. Oh wait, at least one: we lie to ourselves as well as to our friends...
So should we quote at all? Sure, however suitable conditions are necessary to accomplish the best outcome. Imagine yourself playing dice. It is your turn, you are mingling them in hand, then cast them, you get all the sixes, and then you crown it by stating: Alea iacta est (The die is cast). No one may doubt your general knowledge and you build a reputation of an amusing person.
Another Caesar's quotation can come in hand if your friend called Brutus surprises you. Telling him: "Et tu, Bruté? ," in reaction definitely helps you get over the moment of embarrassing silence.
Right, and now little more seriously. You may have noticed that my essay began with a quotation which, I believe, indicates my positive relation to their usage. Great wisdom is often hidden in a very short sentence, or a brief speech, patiently waiting to be revealed. A couple of words can easily substitute long-lasting orations expressing clearly the main thought of the speaker which is why we keep and repeatedly use quotations of eminent personalities. For me, it is always important to esteem the author of a quotation; I could not derive anything from Rosseau's book about education regardless to the fact that he left his own kids at children's home. I need to respect the originator to be able to adhere what he has said.
On the contrary, even adopting genial thoughts may have some drawbacks suppressing the own ones. You have to find an advantageous compromise which enables you to be inspired while you are working on your ideas; to avail the best parts of both simultaneously. Quotations can thus broaden your perspective and not restrict your insights, which is their main objective.
In conclusion, I am convinced that inaccurate or incomplete quotation makes a monkey not only from the author of it, but from the speaker who uses it as well. Therefore we should evade quoting words of which meaning we do not have thorough information. This will pre-empt making fools of ourselves and help us be taken seriously. If you want to quote, study; do not make the same mistake as I did when I copy pasted the opening quotation of this essay. I have no idea who Robert Benchley is.
On Quotations
The surest way to make a monkey of a man is to quote him. That remark in itself wouldn't make any sense if quoted as it stands.
Robert Benchley
How many times have you heard that e equals m times c square? I believe a lot. But who of us is really aware of the meaning of this famous equation? For instance, I am not; I just know that it represents some information about relativity of space and that it has destroyed preceding axioms used in physics. People began to use it as a sign of education or intellect. Some of them write it on their notebooks trying to look smart notwithstanding that they have not even the slightest idea of the sense of those letters. In addition, m, c and e taken from the context lose their meaning. We cannot know what they stand for; once they stand alone, they remain representing merely three signs of alphabet, which does not make them any special. Swellheads often extract ingenious quotations and repeat them in order to give an expression of cleverness. Unfortunately, not only they, but the authors seem strange to the people ignorant of the significance of those words. If you did not know Einstein and someone told you: e= m*c square, would you consider Einstein a genius?
Quotations are being misused by numerous people in different situations on various purposes, but rarely are explained to listeners to prevent them from misperception. Moreover, speakers themselves frequently utter words of some significant personality to enrich their speeches, although they make no sense used that way. Ironically, this habit is caused by appreciation of broad horizons. We awake feelings of having them by learning a few phrases by heart without reading the books, in which they are contained, or studying complicated theories. Provided that we do not harm anyone by this behaviour, there is no apparent reason for stopping it. Oh wait, at least one: we lie to ourselves as well as to our friends...
So should we quote at all? Sure, however suitable conditions are necessary to accomplish the best outcome. Imagine yourself playing dice. It is your turn, you are mingling them in hand, then cast them, you get all the sixes, and then you crown it by stating: Alea iacta est (The die is cast). No one may doubt your general knowledge and you build a reputation of an amusing person.
Another Caesar's quotation can come in hand if your friend called Brutus surprises you. Telling him: "Et tu, Bruté? ," in reaction definitely helps you get over the moment of embarrassing silence.
Right, and now little more seriously. You may have noticed that my essay began with a quotation which, I believe, indicates my positive relation to their usage. Great wisdom is often hidden in a very short sentence, or a brief speech, patiently waiting to be revealed. A couple of words can easily substitute long-lasting orations expressing clearly the main thought of the speaker which is why we keep and repeatedly use quotations of eminent personalities. For me, it is always important to esteem the author of a quotation; I could not derive anything from Rosseau's book about education regardless to the fact that he left his own kids at children's home. I need to respect the originator to be able to adhere what he has said.
On the contrary, even adopting genial thoughts may have some drawbacks suppressing the own ones. You have to find an advantageous compromise which enables you to be inspired while you are working on your ideas; to avail the best parts of both simultaneously. Quotations can thus broaden your perspective and not restrict your insights, which is their main objective.
In conclusion, I am convinced that inaccurate or incomplete quotation makes a monkey not only from the author of it, but from the speaker who uses it as well. Therefore we should evade quoting words of which meaning we do not have thorough information. This will pre-empt making fools of ourselves and help us be taken seriously. If you want to quote, study; do not make the same mistake as I did when I copy pasted the opening quotation of this essay. I have no idea who Robert Benchley is.
