Colloquial language is informal language that people use in everyday speech. It may also be used in informal writing to create a conversational tone and a sense of realism to writing. Colloquial language is composed of words, phrases, and aphorisms that are shorter and less sophisticated. For example, contractions like should’ve (should have) and where’d (where did) are examples of colloquial language. The idiomatic expressions “go bananas” (to go crazy or insane) and “give me a hand” (help me) are also examples of colloquial language. 

Some of the components of colloquial language do not follow the rules of linguistics, but colloquial language is still considered standard language. Some people may mistake it as slang.However, colloquial language and slang are two distinct forms of languages.

Slang is a lexicon of words and phrases that are far more informal than colloquial language. It includes expressions that may not be considered standard language especially because only members of groups that speak a particular slang can understand specific slang expressions. Many linguists consider slang inferior to colloquial language because of its intentions to replace standard language. 

Slang expressions may be created and used based on their social significance and their relation to a subculture. In the past, slang was associated with outlaws because these people used to make up words that would not be understood by the general public as a way to protect themselves and their trade. However, in later years, slang made its way into pop culture, and it is now widely used by the youth, the media, and the entertainment industry.

Colloquial and slang expressions may undergo the same process of language formation since they may be coined from existing components of standard languages. The difference lies on how they are used. Colloquial language can still be used in newspapers, business meetings, and other formal situations because although it is informal, it is still considered standard language. It can still be understood by the majority. 

Slang, however, may only be used by certain groups of people. Its survival is dependent on how it is used by the group that created and speaks it. Slang may also be too vulgar and inappropriate, so it should not be used in formal settings.

All in all, colloquial language and slang are closely related but are not one and the same. They may have their similarities, but the main point of differentiation is that colloquial language is considered a standard language while slang is not.

Residents of a luxury residential complex by the sea in Busan apparently opposed government plans to build a higher breakwater - possibly leading to major property damage inflicted by a deadly typhoon. They said the sea view was more important than their own safety. Typhoon Chaba landed in Busan Wednesday morning, and within a few hours took at least three lives. Waves higher than 8 meters (26 feet) slammed through a seawall in front of Marine City, a luxury high-rise residential and commercial complex in Haeundae District, flooding the streets some 200 meters from the shore, lifting cars and shooting through windows of buildings. According to the Busan city government, 453 cases of property damage have been reported to the fire department and district offices in the city as of Thursday. Among them, 95 concern flooding. 

Investigations revealed that residents thwarted local government plans four years ago to build a higher barrier above the breakwater for fears it would ruin their views and bring down property values in the complex. After experiencing repeated floods during typhoons in 2003, 2010 and 2012, the Haeundae District Office in 2012 tried to build a 3.4-meter barrier above the existing 5.1-meter breakwater. “Some residents present at the meeting with the Haeundae District Office opposed building a 3.4-meter barrier above the breakwater,” said a 61-year-old resident of Marine City, who said she attended the meeting four years ago. “Some residents even cited examples from abroad in arguing that the view of the sea should not be ruined by a breakwater.” “Some residents opposed building any waterproof barrier above the 5.1-meter breakwater at all,” said an official of the Haeundae District Office. “Others asked for a 0.5-meter to 0.8-meter barrier instead of a 3.4-meter one.” In the end, Haeundae District and residents settled for a 1.2-meter high waterproof barrier above the 5.1-meter high breakwater in 2012. 

Others in the city are now paying for that decision. “I have never seen such a mess since I moved here from Seoul three years ago,” said a 34-year-old resident surnamed Jung. “The water was everywhere and it flooded up to my knees.” “I don’t know if I want to be living in Busan any longer, what with the recent earthquakes and all,” she added. In a restaurant some 20 meters from the breakwater in Haeundae, some 10 employees were cleaning up. The floor was littered with glass shards and debris brought in by the sea the day before. Windows to the restaurant remained broken. “It’s been a month since we opened up,” said an employee. “We all ran out of the restaurant as waves as high as a two-story building came at us.” Experts are calling for swift measures to guard against typhoons and natural disasters in the area. “Protection against natural disasters like earthquakes, typhoons and tsunamis are equivalent in importance to the security of the nation,” said Shin Hyun-seok, professor of social environment at Pusan National University. “The local government’s statement that it couldn’t build a higher barrier because of residents’ opposition is a petty excuse.” “Experts have pointed out time and again that Marine City is too close to the sea, and can be in real danger in times of a tsunami,” Shin said. “Yet authorities placed more importance on the economic factor of a good view, resulting in what is now increasingly perceived as a man-made disaster on Wednesday.” 

Busan’s city government is planning on investing some 65.5 billion won in a 650-meter long breakwater near Marine City, and also in extending the waterfront area at the shore by 2020. Authorities confirmed on Thursday that at least seven died and three went missing in typhoon Chaba, which slammed across Jeju on Tuesday and into southern cities on Wednesday before dissipating in the East Sea near Japan. The Ministry of Public Safety and Security announced Thursday that it will provide 8 billion won ($7.18 million) as subsidies to Ulsan, Jeju, South Jeolla, Busan and North and South Gyeongsang to help cover repair costs in the aftermath.

The current armed conflict happening in Syria has been going on for almost five years now. The situation does not look like it is moving towards a resolution. As years passed, the Syrian Civil War that was triggered by its citizens’ protest against President Bashar al-Assad's government, has led to the creation of worse problems. One example is the issue about the alleged existence of a chemical weapon stockpile which may have already been used by President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The U.N. fact-finding commission worked with the U.N. Human Rights Council Commission on Inquiry to investigate the issue on Syria’s chemical stockpile mainly because of the human rights violations involved in its use. The investigation discovered that over 50 incidences involved the use of chemical warfare agents in different parts of Syria which caused the death of almost a thousand civilians.

People involved in the investigation, along with many sympathizersfrom different parts of the world, say that the use of chemical weapons is not limited to those directly involved in the war.Noncombatants or civilians who are within the scope of the chemical’s effect may also be gravely affected. These innocent people have no way of protecting themselves from the effects of chemical weapons especially because chemical warfare agents can come like a thief in the night. 

Some people say that the use of chemical warfare agents is something that shows cowardice and desperation. It is a form of attack that is very unfair especially to those who are not directly involved in the conflict. Using war to address a conflict is already undesirable in itself. Adding the use of chemical agents to attack the enemy without considering how others will be affected makes it more abhorrent.

I am among those who are fervently hoping for the Syrian Civil War to come to an end soon. Many civilians already lost their material possessions, careers, family members, as well as their idea of a good future. The use of chemical weapons will only take away more innocent lives, and I don’t think it will make any of the parties involved more powerful than the other. It puts the lives of everyone in Syria, regardless of the side they are on, in grave danger. So, along with my desire for the Syrian Civil War to end, I hope that the use of chemical warfare agents will stop permanently.

The leading cause of death among Koreans is cancer, while suicide, often ranked high on the list, has fallen compared to the past to fifth, new government data shows. A total of 275,895 Koreans died last year, up 3.1 percent from the previous year, according to figures released by Statistics Korea on Tuesday. The agency said the increase was largely due to an aging population. An average of 150.8 out of 100,000 people in the general population died last year from cancer, the No. 1 cause of death, followed by cardiovascular diseases with 55.6 people and cerebrovascular diseases with 48 people. “The number of people who died from pneumonia continued to rise, and it was the fourth-ranked cause of death in Korea, whereas it was 10th back in 2004,” said Lee Jee-yeon, a director at Statistics Korea. “Fewer people died from suicide, while more people died from pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases.” 

By type of cancer, most died from lung cancer, followed by liver and stomach. Of the total number of people who passed away from cancer last year, 34.1 had lung cancer, a 0.6 percent drop from the previous year. Stomach cancer was most prevalent among those who died from cancer in their 30s. Koreans also had the highest rate of stomach cancer in the world. Among those who died from cancer in their 40s and 50s, liver was the most prevalent type. Lee cited Koreans’ high rate of drinking as a factor. Those over the age of 60 died mostly from lung cancer. The number of men dying from cancer was 160 percent higher than the figure for women, but for both, the leading type was lung. The number of Koreans who killed themselves dropped 2.3 percent from the previous year to 13,513. The average number of suicides per day was 37. 

“May was the month with the highest number of suicides; 10.1 percent of the total number of people who killed themselves committed suicide in May,” Lee said. April came in second with 9.9 percent, and December had the lowest with 7.2 percent of total suicides, matching a worldwide trend of suicides peaking in late spring and bottoming out in the winter months. The number of men who committed suicide was 240 percent higher than the figure for women. Suicide continues to be the leading cause of death among those in their teens, 20s and 30s. Cancer led in other age groups. The death rate was lowest in Seoul, with 306.6 deaths per 100,000 people last year, followed by Gyeonggi with 328.7 deaths. The figure was highest in the southern port city of Ulsan, with 383.9 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by North Chungcheong and South Gyeongsang, both with 381.8 deaths. The number of people dying from alcohol-related diseases rose 5.4 percent year on year to 9.3 people per 100,000 who died last year. The number of men dying from such diseases was 680 percent higher than the figure for women and was highest among those in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

The nation’s largest business lobby group said Friday that it will dismantle two scandal-ridden nonprofit foundations and launch a new project, following accusations that associates of the president were involved in the groups’ creation, operation and fundraising. Critics, however, said the move is an attempt to destroy relevant evidence. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) issued a press release on Friday and announced its decision to create a new cultural and sports foundation. “The business community will dismantle the Mi-R Foundation and K-Sports Foundation and create a new cultural and sports foundation,” it said, promising transparency and better effectiveness. 

The Mi-R Foundation was launched last October to encourage cultural exchange and support companies involved in cultural products. The K-Sports Foundation was opened last January to promote Korean sports. Within two days of its launch, the Mi-R Foundation collected 48.6 billion won ($43.2 million) from 19 conglomerates, including Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG groups. The K-Sports Foundation raised 38 billion won within six days of its launch. Opposition lawmakers have said Choi Sun-sil, a longtime friend of President Park Geun-hye, used her influence over the creation and operation of the foundations. They also accused An Chong-bum, presidential senior secretary for policy coordination, for having strong-armed conglomerates to make massive contributions. The FKI said the two foundations have many overlapping projects and various management and organizational inefficiencies were shown. After dismantling the two, a new foundation with 75 billion won fund will be created, it said. “The amount is the combined funds of the two groups,” an FKI source said. “There will be no new fundraising.” It also promised to appoint directors of the new foundation transparently and make public the audit outcome of its financial operation. The opposition parties condemned the FKI’s move as an attempt to destroy evidence. 

“The bank accounts linked to the two foundations will disappear during the process of dismantlement,” said Rep. Kim Young-joo of the Minjoo Party. “The two foundations are trying to launder suspicious records. They must immediately lay bare how they operated the 78.8 billion won of funds until now.” Rep. Lee Jae-jung demanded the Blue House to come clean about the scandal. “The FKI’s plan is a de facto admission that it will destroy evidence of the administration’s involvement,” he said. The People’s Party also joined the criticism. “They are trying to do the same thing under a different title,” Rep. Park Jie-won, acting head of the party. “The FKI is distrusted by the public because of its shameless practices. There is no need to create another foundation, and the money should be returned. If the companies want to make contributions to society, they should do it voluntarily. There is no need for powerful people to strong-arm them." The FKI’s plan to dismantle the foundations to create a new one will also face procedural difficulties. Following the scandal, all members of the board of the K-Sports foundation resigned, making it legally impossible to hold a meeting to approve its termination. Handing over its funds to the to-be-launched foundation also requires the approval of the board. The Mi-R Foundation still has a board of directors, and it won’t face procedural difficulties. 

Meanwhile, the prosecution said it may still investigate the scandal based on a petition filed by a civic group, even if the two foundations are dismantled. Spec Watch Korea filed a petition to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on Thursday to investigate Choi, An, Chairman Huh Chang-soo of the FKI and other businessmen over the accusations of bribery. “Although our arraignment right over the foundations will be terminated after their dismantlement,” a prosecution source said, “we can still investigate the individuals involved and prosecute them."

Dual citizenship can be acquired through the right of soil, the right of blood, and by marriage. Many see these methods as inevitablecircumstances, so they are considered acceptable. However, thevoluntary efforts of getting dual citizenship are those that take much heat from the public. Some people claim that these efforts are a clear manifestation of a person’s lack of nationalism.

The international application for a dual citizenship is considered by some as a way of turning one’s back on his or her real nationality just to get the benefits and privileges from more countries. These people are considered greedy and materialistic because they are willing to put aside their love for their homeland for personal gains.

Supporters of this claim say that it is illogical for people to assert that they are citizens of more than one country because each person is born in only one country. He or she may eventually move to other places later on in life, and by then, this person can get a new citizenship status that will replace the first one. 

Supporters add that applying for dual citizenship does not only show that a person lacks loyalty to his or her native land, but it also shows that one does not give importance to the idea that he or she belongs to a certain nationality.

On the other hand, opponents of the claim say that citizenship and nationalism are two different things. Applying for dual citizenship does not imply that one doesn’t love his or her homeland. It follows the logic of a woman getting a new family after marriage. It doesn’t mean she’s turning her back on her original family. Therefore, applying for dual citizenship means one will just have more countries to hold dear to his or her heart.

Opponents add that applying for dual citizenship often comes with a purpose, and rarely is it triggered by one’s desire to turn away from his or her original citizenship. Some people apply for it for business and employment purposes while others need it because they havemigrated to another place. It would be selfish for countries to deny these people especially when they only seek better opportunities in life.

Opponents even say that those who apply for dual citizenship should be admired because despite having the opportunity of becoming a citizen of another country, they still choose to keep their original citizenship instead of totally renouncing it. This for them is a true sign of nationalism.

To establish what viewers should expect from a new film or TV series, the characters are first featured in trailers, teasers, and other publicity strategies like cameo appearances. Through these strategies, a viewer will have an idea about the actors and actresses who will play a movie’s or a TV series’ protagonists,antagonists, and supporting characters. 

Literary works make use of “literary cameos.” They are usually well-known characters from another literary work who appear briefly to show the shared universe setting in both literary works. However, cameos are more popular in entertainment.

When it comes to films and TV series, most of the time, the use of cameos is a publicity stunt. In this context, cameo refers to a short appearance as a character or as oneself in a movie, TV series, or music video. A popular example of a cameo is the appearance of Rapunzel and Eugene (previously from the Disney movie “Tangled” in 2010) in the 2013 Disney movie “Frozen” as guests for the main character’s coronation. 

The use of cameos is also popular in superhero movies like the “Incredible Hulk” in 2008 where Iron Man makes a short appearance at the end of the movie just before the credits. This is an example of a publicity stunt to build the anticipation of fans, to give a hint for what’s coming next, and to establish the continuity in a story’s upcoming sequels and spinoffs. 

Cameos are also popular in Korean dramas. A perfect example of this is the popular series “Personal Taste” (known as “Kaeinuichwihyang” in Korean) where the famous Yoon Eun-hye briefly shared the screen with the drama’s lead character played by Lee Min-ho. Also, in one of the popular dramas of 2016 called “The Entertainers” (known as “Ttanttara” in Korean), Park Shin-hye made an announced appearance.

People also appear as themselves in recurring cameo appearances. One American TV sitcom that is famous for inviting famous personalities to appear as themselves is “The Big Bang Theory.” One of the series’ regular cameos is the renowned English award-winning astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. Another example is the film “Apollo 13” where the real-life commander of the flight, James Lovell, and his wife appeared next to the actors portraying them.

Although it may seem like cameos are only used in movies and series for the sake of publicity, they serve as little surprises for fans to keep them hooked and entertained. They add to viewer excitement and anticipation.

Pak Se-ri, Park In-bee, Kim Hyo-joo and now Chun In-gee have something in common other than the fact that they are Korean golfers at the LPGA. Throughout their careers, they have successfully marked their legacy in women’s professional golf by setting various records in the LPGA’s major tournaments. With Chun finally joining the club last weekend, it is now impossible to discuss major tournament records, regardless of gender, without mentioning Korean golfers. On Sunday at Evian Resorts Golf Club in France, Chun became the fourth Korean professional golfer to set a new record in a major event. In the 2016 Evian Championship, Chun claimed the title by shooting 21-under 263, the lowest record set in major championship history, whether by a man or woman. The previous record for men’s major tournaments was 20-under, and for women’s, 19-under par. CNN later described Chun’s performance in the final round as “near flawless.” 

During the 2016 Rio Olympics, where golf returned as an official event for the first time in a century, Park In-bee became the only golfer in the history of golf to win titles from four major championships and the Olympics. The conquest of LPGA major tournaments by Korean golfers all started with Pak Se-ri, the first Korean golfer to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Joining the LPGA Tour full-time in 1998, Pak claimed her maiden victory at a major event, the 1998 LPGA Championship, in May. Two months later, in the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open, another major event, she inspired Korea, which was undergoing economic turmoil from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, with her determination and boldness. Then a rookie, she took off her shoes and socks to hit a ball on the edge of a water hazard and went on to win the event. The entire nation was touched by her performance and some even say it motivated Korea to push forward to end the economic crisis earlier than expected. More impressive, Pak had claimed her first two LPGA wins in major events. Over the years, Pak’s name became synonymous with Korea’s future and hope in golf. 

The legacy continued with Park In-bee, who took the baton to lead Korean female golf and become the second Korean Hall of Famer. In 2008, Park claimed her first LPGA tour victory at the U.S. Women’s Open, the youngest ever to do so at the age of 19. In 2013, Park claimed three consecutive major event titles: the Kraft Nabisco Championship (now the ANA Inspiration), the LPGA Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. In her eight-year stretch in the U.S.-based tour, Park claimed 17 victories, seven of them from major events. A year later, it was Kim Hyo-joo that caught the world’s attention. Still a teenager at the age of 19, Kim broke the record for the lowest 18-hole score by shooting 10-under 61 during the first round of 2014 Evian Championship. This was the lowest score for one round of any major event, men’s or women’s. Kim went on to take the trophy from the major tourney, her first LPGA win, which she claimed under invitation. Park Won, JTBC Golf commentator said, “Korean golfers are thrown into fierce competition from early on so they are mentally very strong.” 

Another golf commentator, Im Kyung-bin, said, “The golfers who are in the 20’s and 30’s right now, especially, have gone through systematic training so they have strong fundamentals as well as mentality.” Other experts added that, compared to male golfers, female golfers are more interested in working on their mental agility. Pak Se-ri, the first Korean golfer to open the doors for others to take a shot at the U.S.-based tour, will be putting her clubs down after this season, but the future of Korean female golf is as bright as ever. No stones are left unturned, it seems, for Korean golfers, and Chun’s new record on Sunday may be the climax of Korean women’s record-setting legacy. But new faces are still rising to the surface, hoping to leave their own mark in the LPGA, including Park Sung-hyun. Park, who finished the Evian Championship tied at second and is a seven-time winner in this year’s KLPGA, is ranked 10th in the world and will be joining the LPGA full-time next season.

How far can “King Kang” go this season? Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates made Major League Baseball (MLB) history as he became the first Asian infielder to tally more than 20 home runs in a season. Kang, the National League Player of the Week for the second week of September, accomplished the feat on Sunday at the PNC Park when he shot off a two-run homer at the bottom of the seventh against the Washington Nationals. After three balls, Kang sent off the 96.5-mile-per-hour sinker to the left field to bring Josh Bell home along with himself. The first run of the day for the Pirates also came from the tip of Kang’s bat. In the bottom of the first, Kang, who played on the third base while batting fourth, singled on a line drive to center field and brought home John Jaso. 

The game was tied 5-5 before Kang belted his jack, which allowed the Pirates to lead at 7-5 by the end of the seventh inning. But Kang’s effort was for naught. The tug-of-war between the Pirates and the Nationals came to an end with the Nats’ five-run eighth inning. The four-hour long game that saw injuries and bench-clearings ended at 10-7 with the Nationals taking an unpleasant win. Although the Pirates took a heavy blow in their bid for a wild card spot to eventually gain berth to the postseason, the game was more than significant for the 29-year-old third baseman from Korea. The homer on Sunday was his first in nine days since the game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 16, during which he had a perfect day going 1-for-1 with one run and three runs batted in. Not only is he the first Korean big leaguer after Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers to tally over 20 dingers in a single season, but he is the first and the only Asian infielder to reach that number. Before Kang, Tadahito Iguchi of Japan cranked out 18 home runs in 2006 while playing for Chicago White Sox as a second baseman. 

With only a week to go before the regular season comes to its end, Kang will be making his final stride as he aims to tie or even surpass the record set by his compatriot Choo in most home runs hit by a Korean slugger in a single season. In 2010 and again in 2015, Choo, who is currently undergoing rehab due to a fractured forearm, smacked out 22 homers in one season. The Rangers outfielder hopes to return to action for the postseason. The Rangers have already clinched the division title in the American League West. In the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Kang had played as shortstop for the Nexen Heroes. He was one of the few slugging shortstops to star in the KBO, setting the shortstop home-run record when he drove 40 dingers in 2014 before joining the MLB. Kang’s current run also bodes well as he hopes to play full season next year. This year, the Pirate had to sit out the first few weeks due to the injury he obtained last year, which cut short his rookie season by a month. Then playing a shortstop, Kang tore his MCL in mid-September and ended the season while batting .287 with 15 homers and 58 runs batted in. 

Along with Kang, Kim Hyun-soo of the Baltimore Orioles also found himself rounding the bases after going deep on Sunday. Batting seventh while playing on the left field, Kim homered at the bottom of the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was a two-run homer that gave the O’s a 2-0 lead early in the game. Kim’s dinger, which was also his fifth of the season, also turned out to be the game-winning hit as the Orioles held the D-backs to only one run entire game to clinch 2-1 win. After the win, the Orioles gained higher ground in their wild card race with only a week to go before the season wraps up.

Siblings are individuals who have one or more parents in common.These people, who are called brothers or sisters, commonly grow up together in one household. As a result, they develop a kind of relationship that cannot compare to other social relationships. Siblings share a special bond that people cannot have with friends, significant others, and other people. However, not all sibling relationships are intact because of different factors that influence or complicate it like birth order, parental treatment, and individualities. Sometimes, there can be intense competitions and acts of aggression between or among siblings. This is called sibling rivalry.

Sibling rivalry is a type of animosity among or between siblings which is triggered by different factors. One factor is jealousy. Older siblings may feel jealous about the attention, care, and love that their parents give to their younger children. Consequently, siblings often fight or quarrel. In return, younger siblings develop a certain degree of abhorrence towards their older siblings. In the end, they have a strained or unusual relationship.

A number of researches have been conducted on sibling rivalry, and these studies revealed that the siblings’ age gap and gender contribute to sibling rivalry. Sister pairs or female siblings who have a close age gap have the least tendency of having sibling rivalry. Brother pairs or boys who come next to each other in birth order tend to have the most tendency of developing sibling rivalry especially when they are close in age.

It has also been discovered that sibling rivalry may start in early childhood around the time of the arrival of the second child, and it may be carried onto adulthood if not addressed properly. Although sibling rivalry often fades away over time because siblings become more mature and less dependent on their parents, some rivalries still continue even when siblings come to age.

Sylvia Barkan Rimm, an American psychologist specializing in parenting and child development, said that sibling rivalry has its benefits, but parents should see to it that it would not go out of hand. Sibling rivalry also shows that siblings can assert themselves and are not being too submissive. However, siblings should also learn how to accept each other and remember that they are a part of one family. The role of parents in making sure that sibling rivalry is managed as soon as possible helps in preventing it from continuing in adulthood.