Category Communication

Maritime flags are that flown at sea. A national flag flown at sea is called an ensign. There are strict rules and regulations for flying these flags.There is also a system for international maritime signal flags that represent numerals and letters of the alphabet. Each flag has a specific meaning when it is flown independently.

Cameras record images. Images that we see with our eyes are fleeting – one moment they are there, the next moment they are gone. These same images can be recorded and stored with cameras. But how is this done?   A still film camera is made of three basic parts – an optical element which is the lens, a chemical element or the film, and a mechanical element that is the body of the camera itself. Photography is adjusting and combining these elements in such a way that they record a crisp, recognizable image.Most of the inside of a camera is an empty space. The empty space is dark, because it is sealed off from the light outside. Light can only get in when a little door at the front of the Camera, known as the shutter, is opened for a very short time.The light passes through a lens which is a type of glass. The lens bends the light and ends up marking an image on the film at the back of the camera. When the light hits the film, the chemicals on the film change to capture the image. The film is then taken out of the camera and treated with other chemicals to make the image visible and permanent.

Storm warning signals are symbols and flags that give us information about sudden, violent and strong wind which is approaching, or a storm that has already formed. Other symbols caution us that a port is threatened by a storm, and of danger from hurricanes and cyclones. Storm warning signals also show the direction that a storm is taking, so that boats and ships can avoid these areas.  For people living in coastal areas, for fisherman and pilots, paying attention to storm warnings can save many lives. Storm warnings also play an important part in commerce, navigation and in farming

Deaf and dumb people many not be able to hear or speak, but that does not mean that they cannot communicate with others. Instead of talking as we do, they talk with their fingers and hands. We can also say that they communicate through a visual language. There are two kinds of deaf and dumb sign language. One method uses one hand, the other uses both hands. Different finger positions stand for different letters of the alphabet, and words are spelt out one letter at a time.Signs used by the deaf and dumb also represent ideas. Many signs use a visual image to convey an idea. For example, mimicking a pair of horns means a deer, or a trunk means an elephant.Sometimes, deaf and dumb people use facial expressions and other gestures in order to communicate faster. Nowadays, there are many techniques that teach deaf people to speak like we do. They also learn to read lips so that they can understand.

The first printed books looked very much like the manuscript books of earlier times. The printers modeled their type on handwriting, and even added decorations by hand.The Diamond Sutra, which is a Buddhist prayer on a scroll, made in China, is thought to be the oldest complete printed book. It was printed with woodblocks, and looks very much like a Chinese manuscript scroll.  The world’s first printed Bible is the Gutenberg Bible, which has 42 lines of text on a page. Gutenberg wanted his printed Bible to look just like a manuscript Bible, and modelled his type on German script. The decorations around the margins and the headings at the top of the page were done by hand after the book was printed and before it was bound.

Badges can be part of our everyday life. When you go to school, you remember to pin your school badge on your uniform. Your father may also wear a badge when he goes to work. A badge is something that you wear to show who you are, to which institution you belong, or what your rank is. It may also be reward for something you have achieved, or a sign of your authority.Badges are of great importance in the military. Everyone wears one to show his or her rank, and also signify any special training received and record note worthy achievements. Policeman wears badges to show their authority, and members of a club may wear a badge to show that they belong to a particular club or group. Sometimes badges are worn as a sign of protest, and sometimes as sign of mourning, like the black badges worn when someone dies   Badges can be made of many different types of materials… cloths, metal, plastic, rubber or leather. Some badges are quite beautiful and collecting badges can be an enjoyable hobby.  

                                                                                                                                                                                   

Flags are rectangular pieces of cloth with a distinctive design. They are always flown from masts or poles. National flags are symbols of a nation and must be always given respect. Flags are important in the military where they are used to coordinate actions of different units and avoid confusion. A ship at sea flies a flag to identify itself, and the navy uses flags extensively for signaling Originally, flags were used primarily in warfare. To some extent, they remain a symbol of leadership, serving for identification of friend and foe, and as rallying points. Flags are now also extensively used for signaling, for decoration, and for display.  A person who is chosen to carry a flag during any ceremony is called a flag bearer. It is a great honour to be selected as a flag bearer, whether it is your school flag, or the national flag.

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                          Military Badges

 

Flags have long been used to identify a ship’s nationality and to convey clear messages. Flags of different patterns and colours form an internationally recognized code for the letters of the alphabet and each also has a meaning of its own when flown individually. They are shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International code                                                                                                                                             

A: I am undergoing speed trials.

B: I have explosives on board.

C: Yes.

D: Keep clear, I am in difficulties.

E: I am altering course to starboard.

F: I am disabled.

G: I require a pilot.

H: Pilot is on board.

I: I am altering course to port.

J: I am sending a message by semaphore.

K: Stop at once.

L: Stop, I wish to communicate with you.

M: A doctor is on board.

N: No.

O: Man overboard.

P: (The Blue Peter): I am about to sail.

Q: Quarantine flag.

R: I have stopped.

S: I am going astern.

T: Do not pass ahead of me.

U: You are in danger.

V: I need help.

W: Send a doctor.

X: Stop, and watch for my signals.

Y: I am carrying mails.

Z:  I am calling a shore station.

 

Can you imagine the confusion on our roads if there were no traffics signs or signals? Traffic signs and lights are important in that they give directions to people, warn us of dangers, control speed, and enforce traffic rules. Traffic lights are usually placed at the intersection of roads. They indicate when it is safe to drive, ride or walk. Everywhere in the world, a red traffic light means ‘stop’ and green light means ‘go’.Road signs were the first traffic control devices to direct travelers on their journeys. Today, road signs have many different purposes. Some have arrows showing the direction in which to go. Others have a slash inside a circle – a warning that certain vehicles and certain actions are not allowed Road signs also remind us of the speed limit, and give details about the road surface. They tell us when schools, hospitals and petrol bunks are nearby, and indicate dangerous turns on the road. It is important that we all learn the meaning of these road signs and traffic signals, so that accidents can be avoided, and we can have safe and comfortable journrys.

Have you seen pictures of totem poles? They are large wooden poles that are beautifully carved with many symbols. The totem pole of the Red Indians, or American Indians, provided a means of communicating their stories, myths and legends. They were generally carved from giant trees, and were made up of an arrangement of symbols.The symbols on the totem pole told a story or recalled an event. These messages and stories tell us a lot about the Red Indians, their culture and their way of life. Some poles were erected to celebrate cultural beliefs; others were just an artistic presentation. Certain poles also contained graves within them. But whatever their purpose, totem poles with their huge size, subdued colours, and intricate carvings covered with magnificent symbols are both awesome and mysterious at the same time.

In America, the first newspaper appeared in Boston in 1690, entitled ‘public Occurrence’. But it was immediately suppressed, and all copies were destroyed. The first successful newspaper was the ‘Boston News Letter’, begun by postmaster John Campbell in 1704. But it had only a very limited circulation. By   the eve of the Revolutionary War, some two dozen papers were issued at all the colonies. Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania would remain the centres of American printing for many years.  By the war’s end in 1783, there were forty-three newspapers in print. The press played a vital role in the affairs of the new nation. Many more newspapers were started, representing all shades of political opinion.  The top five daily newspapers in the USA today are the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. The total daily and Sunday papers amount to more than 2,300. This figure represents the highest number of newspapers, with the highest total circulation for any country in the world.